The Seattle Seahawks hold an early 3-0 lead over the New England Patriots in the first quarter of Super Bowl 60 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.
The opening score came from Seahawks kicker Myers, who converted a 33-yard field goal to cap a nine-play drive that consumed 3 minutes and 2 seconds of game time.
New England won the pre-game coin toss and elected to kick off, deferring their choice to receive the ball until the second half. Seattle’s offense started strongly from their own 35-yard line, with running back Walker immediately gaining 10 yards on the game’s first play from scrimmage. Quarterback Sam Darnold then found tight end Barner for a 15-yard gain and receiver Cupp for 17 yards to move swiftly to the New England 17-yard line, though the drive ultimately stalled.
Early Defensive Stands
The Patriots defense, coached by former linebacker Mike Vrabel, forced the field goal after an incomplete pass from Darnold intended for Shaheed on third down. When New England’s offense took over, their rookie quarterback Drake Maye faced immediate pressure, being sacked by Hall for a 10-yard loss. Maye responded with an 11-yard run on the next play, but a subsequent third-down pass thrown away under pressure forced a punt.
Patriots running back Stevenson later kept the team’s second drive alive with a catch on third and two to earn a first down. Maye, whose shoulder injury is no longer an issue according to the player himself, started the game from his own 28-yard line after a short kick return by Johnson.
Pre-Game Build-Up
The match pitches two head coaches with defensive backgrounds against the recent offensive trend in the NFL. Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald learned his craft with the Baltimore Ravens and at the University of Michigan, while Patriots coach Mike Vrabel is a former Patriots linebacker under Bill Belichick.
Pre-game ceremonies saw Grammy-nominated singer Charlie Puth perform the national anthem, an effort rated 6.7 out of 10 by one correspondent. This was preceded by performances of “America the Beautiful” by Brandi Carlile and the Black National Anthem by Grammy Award-winning R&B artist Coco Jones. A flypast by military jets occurred during the anthem, though observers noted the aircraft appeared quite high.
On the approach to the stadium, anti-ICE protesters were seen displaying upside-down US flags and signs, urging passing motorists to honk in support.
Team Context and Predictions
The Super Bowl matchup was considered a 4800-1 longshot at the season’s start. The Seahawks entered as favourites, with experts predicting a variety of outcomes. Predictions from a panel of writers included a 27-24 Seahawks win, a 27-17 Patriots victory, and a narrow 31-32 win for New England.
Historical notes followed both teams: the Seahawks have reached the Super Bowl each time a new pope has taken office in the 21st century, while the Patriots have never won a Super Bowl on the US west coast.
Off-field storylines included a t-shirt worn by Bill Belichick’s girlfriend featuring the logo of the “Orchids of Asia” spa, a reference to a past controversy involving Patriots owner Robert Kraft. Seattle also made history with Aden Durde becoming the first British coach to appear in a Super Bowl.
The weather in Santa Clara at kick-off was clear and approximately 66 degrees Fahrenheit (19 Celsius), a contrast to the blizzard conditions New England faced in earlier playoff games.
