Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks chairman Jody Allen, head coach Mike MacDonald, and general manager John Schneider on the podium after defeating the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Seattle Seahawks are Super Bowl champions.

If this article ended there, it would already be the most rewarding piece I’ve ever written. But the film tells a richer story. The final score wasn’t as lopsided as the defensive dominance suggested. Watching the tape without fan emotion, there was never a moment where Seattle truly lost control of this game.

All data used in this article was taken from PFF.

The Bad:

What still needs fixing in 2026?

As complete as this performance was, it wasn’t flawless.

Sam Darnold was pressured 14 times. That resulted in just one hit and one sack, but pressure volume matters. The cohesion of the offensive line has improved significantly since early in the season, yet it remains a work in progress.

New England leaned heavily on blitz packages and simulated pressures. They found situational success, particularly with simulated pressure looks — a defensive tactic designed to create pre-snap confusion. The defense crowds the line of scrimmage, presenting the illusion of heavy blitz (seven on the line in this case), only to drop multiple defenders into coverage while rushing four or fewer.

On one key snap, three defenders dropped after showing pressure, yet a defensive back looped free as an unaccounted rusher. Darnold escaped and improvised. Had the offensive line held up for even half a second longer, that likely becomes a touchdown to Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

On another rep, the left side of the line simply loses with power. The pocket collapses quickly. The offensive concept was designed to stress the outside corner vertically with layered routes. JSN won cleanly against Christian Gonzalez and had a clear path to six, but Darnold was forced to throw early because of interior push.

Center and right guard have been the primary concerns all season. Anthony Bradford and Jalen Sundell improved late in the year, but Bradford regressed in the final two games with mistakes that looked straight out of Madden glitches.

Milton Williams beat Bradford repeatedly — once with pure power after winning first contact, and again on a double-swipe move where Bradford had no recovery chance. Darnold ultimately converted a first down to Ken Walker on one of those plays, but Rashid Shaheed was wide open for a touchdown at the top of the screen if protection held.

That remains the biggest offensive offseason question.

The Good:

Klint Kubiak’s last dance

Minutes after the game ended, Klint Kubiak confirmed what everyone expected — he’s heading to the Raiders. But he left Seattle with a masterclass.

Given the Patriots’ defensive aggression, it was almost surprising how long it took for Kubiak to dial up a screen. Once man coverage was confirmed, New England paid for its aggressiveness. Excellent execution from Sundell and Bradford created a massive lane for the running back.

Creativity showed up again when JSN exited under concussion protocol. Kubiak leaned into heavy personnel: two tight ends on the line, one in the backfield, one receiver outside. From that run-heavy look, he dialed up play-action flood and converted. It’s Kubiak staple here but from a total different formation.

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