The Seattle Seahawks dominated the Super Bowl and took home the Lombardi Trophy. There were many surprises in this game; one thing was certain, however: The Seahawks would prove they were superior to the New England Patriots.
Here is how my expectations for Sam Darnold and the Seahawks in the biggest game of the year on Sunday played out:
The Seahawks sack Drake Maye 7 times
“In every playoff game so far on this playoff run, Drake Maye has been sacked at least 5 times. His offensive line will have its hands full vs the Seattle Seahawks. Seattle has a defensive line full of disruptive difference makers. With how good their secondary is, that will make it very tough for young star quarterback Drake Maye. I think Mike Macdonald put together his best defensive game plan yet, with perfectly timed blitzes. The Seahawks’ defensive line will follow suit, and Leonard Williams and company will sack Drake Maye 7 times.”
I was one sack off, but still the Seahawks defense line put up a dominant showing. I did not factor in that stud corner Devon Witherspoon would have a sack and make plays himself as a pass rusher. Mike Macdonald flashes his brilliance in this game.
Drake Maye struggles
“Although the Patriots have made it this far, it has not been because Drake Maye has been elite. He has been far from that. He has still outplayed the quarterbacks he has faced in the AFC. This game will be different. The Patriots’ defense is elite, but Sam Darnold is not Jarrett Stidham. I think Darnold will step up to the plate, and Drake Maye, on the other hand, will struggle mightily. Mike Macdonald is a defensive mastermind, and he will show that to be true by getting the best of the young quarterback. Drake Maye will hit the ground 7 times, and I think he will also throw 2 interceptions. Drake Maye achieved a great feat getting to the Super Bowl, but with how good Seattle is, I think it will be one he will want to forget.”
It was not Sam Darnold who saw ghosts in this one; it was MVP runner-up Drake Maye. Maye was sacked 6 times, and as I predicted, he threw 2 interceptions. He had the worst game of his career, and much of the credit has to go to the Seahawks defense for that. Seattle disrupted him all game long.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba has a big time performance
“Jaxon Smith-Njigba won offensive player of the year, and he continued his dominant form from the regular season into the playoffs. In the Super Bowl, Sam Darnold playing at a high level will be due in part to Jaxon Smith-Njigba being open consistently and showing up for his quarterback. Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the NFC championship game had 10 catches for 153 yards and a touchdown. I think Jaxon Smith-Njigba will put up a nearly similar showing and be a top candidate for Super Bowl MVP in this game.”
Jaxon Smith-Njigba was taken out of this game completely. Smith-Njigba had 4 catches out of his 10 targets and only 27 yards. Christian Gonzalez did a fantastic job on him, but Seattle was still able to crunch this victory out without an elite game from the offensive player of the year.
Sam Darnold wins MVP
“Sam Darnold rose to the occasion in the NFC championship game vs Matthew Stafford and the Rams. I think the Super Bowl will be no different. Darnold will shine in his own light, leading the Seattle Seahawks offense to a great performance over an elite Patriots defense. I think Darnold will throw for 250 yards and throw 3 touchdowns. Darnold will be rewarded for his elite performance with a Super Bowl MVP trophy and a ring. His play in these last two games will definitely put an end to narratives, including doubt on Darnold, and open the door for new conversations that include Darnold in top quarterback conversations.”
Sam Darnold really was not much better than Drake Maye in this game. The big difference between the two was that Darnold was calm, and he did not force things. He let the game come to him, he worked through a frustrating first half, and he leaned on his teammates. This was a game where all Darnold had to do was take care of the football and game manage. He did just that. He did not win MVP, but still, at the end of the day, he is one of this team’s MVPs for this season for what he did for this offense.
The Seahawks win by at least 2 possessions
“With the Seahawks defense putting together a dominant performance and Sam Darnold winning MVP due to an elite outing, I think that will result in the Seahawks winning by multiple possessions. The Seahawks have looked like a complete football team all season long, and I think they will put together their best complete showing to win on the biggest stage. Seattle will end the season as one of the best stories this year, and many people on this great team will benefit from this championship victory.”
The Seahawks definitely had a shot to make this game ugly in the first half, but still they took care of buisness and they controlled this game for 4 quarters. It was not preettu or extremely entertaining, but this team, for another game this season, showed they were the most complete football team in the NFL. This time around, they got the Lombardi trophy as a result.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Revisiting Micah Huff’s predictions for Seahawks vs Patriots
Reporting by Micah Huff, Trojans Wire / Trojans Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
