The Seahawks forge a slim halftime lead through relentless defense and a dominant ground game, stifling the Patriots' offense in Super Bowl LX's low-scoring affair.
Super Bowl LX didn’t deliver a scoring barrage in the opening half, but the Seattle Seahawks did just enough to head into the locker room with a 9-0 advantage over the New England Patriots.
Seattle’s edge came from patience, field position, and a running game that consistently found daylight.
While neither offense found the end zone in the first 30 minutes, the Seahawks controlled the tempo and capitalized on key moments late in the second quarter. A methodical drive inside the final minute stalled just outside the red zone, but kicker Jason Myers connected on his third field goal of the half to push the lead to nine.
Quarterback Sam Darnold had a challenging first half statistically, completing 9 of 22 passes for 88 yards. Seattle’s aerial game struggled to find rhythm, though Darnold repeatedly looked toward Cooper Kupp in critical situations.
The real spark for the Seahawks came from Kenneth Walker III, who was the most dynamic player on the field.
Walker gashed the Patriots' defense for 94 rushing yards on 14 carries and added a short reception, giving Seattle consistent momentum when the passing game stalled.
New England’s offense, meanwhile, struggled to gain traction.
The Patriots totaled just 52 yards in the first half, and quarterback Drake Maye faced constant pressure. Maye completed 6 of 11 passes for 48 yards when protected, but was sacked three times as Seattle’s defense collapsed the pocket.
A late end-zone attempt to Jaxon Smith-Njigba was broken up by Christian Gonzalez, symbolizing the tone of the first half—tight coverage, limited space, and little margin for error.
Seattle hasn’t run away with the game, but its balance and defensive control have put the Seahawks firmly in command heading into the second half.