The Seattle Seahawks entered Sunday's Super Bowl one dominant performance away from establishing their defense as one of the greatest of all time.
Mission accomplished.
Anchored by a dominant defensive effort,the Seahawks rolled to a 29-13 win over the New England Patriotsfor the franchise's second Super Bowl championship. While Kenneth Walker III and Sam Darnold did what was needed on offense, Seattle's defense dominated the game and the highlight reel.
Here are the five plays that defined Seattle's Super Bowl victory:
Derick Hall's second sack leads to turnover
While Seattle had thoroughly dominated the game through three quarters, the outcome wasn't settled. Thanks to failing to score a touchdown, Seattle's lead was limited to two possessions at 12-0 as the third quarter wound down.
Derick Hall helped ensure that Seattle's defensive efforts wouldn't go to waste. With the Patriots facing third-and-5 near midfield in the final seconds of the quarter, Hall beat right tackle Morgan Moses and tracked down quarterback Drake Maye in a collapsing pocket.
He poked the ball loose for a fumble that defensive tackle Byron Murphy II recovered.
HUGE STOP. HUGE TURNOVER.📺:@SNFonNBCpic.twitter.com/b9RLRWXMfm
— xz* - Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks)February 9, 2026
The sack was the second of the game for Hall, who set the tone in the first quarter with a sack of Maye on New England's first possession that ultimately forced a punt. Now he'd forced the first turnover of the game at a critical juncture in the second half.
Seahawks capitalize with Sam Darnold's only TD
Seattle hadn't done much with the ball up to that point while tallying four field goals through three quarters. But Sam Darnold and Co. capitalized on Hall's strip sack.
Five plays after the turnover, Darnold found tight end AJ Barner for a 16-yard touchdown pass to extend Seattle's lead to 19-0.
In the end, it was Seattle's only offensive touchdown of the game. It was enough to secure the win as a late New England scoring surge fell short.
Darnold didn't have his best game while completing 19 of 38 passes for 202 yards with 1 touchdown. But he didn't collapse or even make a notable mistake, which was all the Seahawks needed from him Sunday night.
Drake Maye's bad interception
The Patriots responded to Darnold's touchdown pass with their first score of the day on a quick-strike touchdown drive that covered 65 yards on three plays, keeping pressure on the Seahawks.
But on New England's next possession, Seattle took the ball right back. With a chance to cut their deficit to one possession, the Patriots drove near midfield with momentum on their side. But Maye offered an underthrown ball into traffic that safety Julian Love intercepted and returned 35 yards.
35-YARD INTERCEPTION RETURN 🚨@_jlove20📺: SNFonNBCpic.twitter.com/xhikG5b7bZ
— xz* - Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks)February 9, 2026
Before the pick, that was New England's best chance to make it a game.
Seahawks score on defense
If Maye's first interception didn't ice the game, his second did. With Seattle holding a 22-7 lead late in the fourth quarter, Maye wound up for what was intended to be a deep pass. It barely moved forward. Cornerback Devon Witherspoon hit him as he released the ball.
Linebacker Uchenna Nwosu snagged it and took it 45 yards for what initially looked like a fumble return for a touchdown.
Scorers ruled the play an interception instead of a fumble and recovery.
No matter. The result of the play was the same: a Seattle touchdown and a 29-7 lead.
Kenneth Walker's big runs keep Seattle moving early
We're cheating here a bit. This is two plays.
But Kenneth Walker III's back-to-back big runs early in the game kept an otherwise stagnant Seattle offense moving.
With Seattle holding a 3-0 lead early in the second quarter, Walker broke containment around the left edge and ran 30 yards down the sideline to get into New England territory.
Kenneth Walker finds space for 30 yards!Super Bowl LX on NBCStream on@NFLPlus+ Peacockpic.twitter.com/IsQkiEskFp
— NFL (@NFL)February 9, 2026
After a Darnold incompletion on the ensuing first down, the Seahawks went back to Walker. He delivered again, this time with a 29-yard run up the middle and toward the right sideline to the New England 17.
Back-to-back big runs from Kenneth Walker 🔥Super Bowl LX on NBCStream on@NFLPlus+ Peacockpic.twitter.com/BKFWW8PAkP
— NFL (@NFL)February 9, 2026
Walker's two runs accounted for more than the 55 yards Seattle gained on the drive and set up Jason Myers for a 39-yard field goal and a 6-0 Seattle lead.
In the end, Walker's efforts added up to 135 yards on 27 carries (5 yards per carry). And his two big first half runs were a big reasonhe won Super Bowl MVP.
