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INTERCEPTION!!! Josh Jobe calls game, Seahawks win 13-10
A simply inexcusable throw by Drake Maye.
Sam Darnold exited after five plays with a hip injury and did not return, and the Seahawks committed nearly 100 yards' worth of penalties, but somehow, some way, Seattle rallied past New England, 13-10, in a Super Bowl LX rematch slugfest. The Seahawks' defense picked off Drake Maye three times in the fourth quarter, with Josh Jobe sealing the game on an absolutely baffling throw by Maye when New England was in field goal range.
It's a result that pales in comparison to the concern over Darnold's injury, but a stunning win given the circumstances -- and a highly encouraging sign for Drew Lock, should he be needed in the long term. And, of course, it's a reminder of just how dominant the Seattle defense can be.
Lock went 16-for-22 for 187 yards, with his most important throw being this 45-yard catch and run from Jaxon Smith-Njigba that tied the game.
Perhaps just as importantly, Lock only took one sack and did not turn the ball over.
The Smith-Njigba touchdown came immediately after Maye's first interception. Early in the fourth quarter, in Seattle territory, Maye threw a jump ball that Nehemiah Pritchett picked off on a deflection for his first career interception.
Then, on the ensuing drive, Maye threw late and behind for DeMario Davis. Julian Love reeled in the errant pass, setting up what proved to be the game-winning field goal.
After the game, Mike Macdonald said the team ruled out a fracture for Darnold but didn't have many other details. A.J. Brown exited the game with an ankle injury in his Patriots debut and did not return. Mike Vrabel didn't have any updates on Brown.
The Seahawks visit the Cardinals next weekend. The Patriots will host the Steelers.
Here are our takeaways from the game:
Drake Maye implodes
There is simply no other way to put it. Maye's implosion late in the game -- months after a similar implosion in the Super Bowl -- was stunning. He became the first quarterback to throw three interceptions in the fourth quarter of a one-score game since Tua Tagovailoa in 2022, per CBS Sports research.
Given all of the circumstances (with a lead, against a backup quarterback), Maye cannot be making mistakes like the game-sealing one or the one below, which was especially reminiscent of Love's pick in the Super Bowl. Really, he should rarely make these mistakes, but doing it in a game like tonight's is unacceptable. That's not my word. That was Maye's, postgame.
The numbers are unsightly.
| First Three Quarters | Fourth Quarter | |
| Comp pct | 77% | 55% |
| TD-Int | 1-0 | 0-3 |
| Sacks | 0 | 3 |
| Passer rating | 105.7 | 27.3 |
For reference, in the passer rating row, throwing the ball directly to the ground for an incompletion over and over again yields a passer rating of 39.6.
Maye showed many good things in this game. He used his legs effectively on multiple occasions and didn't produce negative plays. And then it all turned on a dime. Not only did Maye start producing negative plays, but he missed opportunities for big ones. Hindsight is 20/20, but here's a play where Maye seemed to feel pressure before it was coming, causing him to move off his spot and miss a receiver coming open over the middle.
Maye can be and will be better than this. Brown's absence loomed large. One play before Maye's second pick, he floated a perfect pass for Romeo Doubs, who was all alone, only for Doubs to drop it. But Maye's mistakes against top-tier competition will remain a concern.
Drew Lock, Jadarian Price, Brian Fleury impress
Playing his first meaningful football in two seasons, Lock was good. Really good. Negative plays have always been an issue; they weren't tonight. Give new offensive coordinator Brian Fleury credit, too. It took a bit, but Seattle eventually found something, often via Smith-Njigba in the air. Fleury also gave Lock easy answers with some play-action passes.
Play action is all the more effective when the run game is, too. In his NFL debut, Jadarian Price posted 52 yards on 10 carries and caught both of his targets. He displayed impressive burst and patience, finding cutback lanes on a few wide runs that initially looked like they would be strung out for short gains.
Seattle defense flexes muscle
Seattle's defense has stars. Byron Murphy II is an absolute beast who blew up multiple plays. Ernest Jones had 13 tackles, cleaning up anything that got behind Murphy, Leonard Williams and the rest of the defensive line. Devon Witherspoon is a superstar.
Pritchett's interception was the result of Rodney Thomas, a practice squad call-up, with Nick Emmanwori and Ty Okada hurt, coming over to deflect the ball away. Pritchett was a bit player last year. Thomas was a cheap free agent signing.
Macdonald elevates everyone on the defense. The good players become stars. The starters become good players. The fill-ins make plays. Everyone tackles exceptionally well. Offensive minds like Sean McVay, Kyle Shanahan and Ben Johnson get a ton of praise. Macdonald is their equivalent on the defensive side.
