Well, you get to the end, and it doesn’t always go your way. The AFC Champion New England Patriots lost 29-13 to the Seattle Seahawks in a result that I expected the least.
Frankly, Seattle’s defensive line dominated the left side of New England’s offensive line. Left tackle Will Campbell had his worst game of the year. That led to Drake Maye being sped up, and just not playing steady for the first three quarters of the game. When he finally hit a rhythm in the fourth, he was trying to win the game on one play, and began playing into Seattle’s strength, giving up the ball 3 times in the late 3rd quarter and early 4th. A back breaking 45 yard pick six by Seattle’s Uchenna Nwosu when the Patriots were driving after a key defensive stop by the Patriots defense.
Seattle’s Kenneth Walker III had a dominant game on the ground, and let Seattle play to its strength, running the ball while ahead. Seattle held the ball 33:11 but it was even more lopsided before the Patriots offense got going in the fourth quarter. Seattle forced 8 Patriots punts, and never allowed the offense to find consistency, the one trait they carried all year.
Although Seattle was only ahead 12-0 in the middle of the third, it felt like they were up by a million when they scored a touchdown after Maye’s fumble in the 3rd. Going up 19-0, with the steady dose of Walker made it seem like an insurmountable deficit. In the end, that proved true.
It is the first championship for Seattle head coach Mike Macdonald in his second year as a head coach, and the first for quarterback Sam Darnold in his 8th season in the NFL. Darnold played ok, but importantly did not turn the ball over which prevented New England’s defense from getting any emotional resurgence.
This is Seattle’s second Super Bowl title in three tries. Seattle and New England are now 1-1 against each other in the Super Bowl.
Old Grumbly’s Season Review
The New England Patriots exceeded all expectations for the year. In fact, Old Grumbly’s prediction was, “For the season, which is now 17 games (weird) I predict a 10-7 record with maybe a squeak into the last playoff spot.”
The Patriots finished 14-3, and 3-1 in the playoffs for a 17-4 final record, winning the AFC title for a record 12th time. Under Robert Kraft’s ownership, the Patriots are now 6-5 in the Super Bowl, 12-4 in the AFC title game, and have won 20 division titles. Their playoff record is 36-17 in that time. The New England Patriots franchise is tied with the San Francisco 49ers for the most playoff wins in NFL history.
This team, in its first year under Head Coach Mike Vrabel, after back to back 4-13 seasons, was not expected to compete for a championship so quickly. They were dominant on the road, becoming the first team ever to go 9-0 as the visiting team. Drake Maye blossomed into a superstar, finishing second in the MVP race to Matthew Stafford by only 1 vote.
Christian Gonzalez, who had a tremendous Super Bowl, showed why a dominant corner is essential in the NFL. Milton Williams earned his contract, and Stefon Diggs was one of the best free agent signings in Patriots history, stabilizing the receivers room and being a genuine leader.
The first draft class of the Vrabel era went well, with contributions throughout the season. There is much work to do in the offseason to rebuild depth and add key pieces to contend with a retooling Buffalo trying to take advantage of Josh Allen’s elite QB window. Miami and New York are starting over yet again, which should help offset the pressure of a first-place schedule.
Expect Vrabel to add to the offensive line, at receiver, and with depth at the linebacker and edge rusher positions. Old Grumbly will return with offseason coverage.
Thank you for following along all year!
