Super Bowl LX: Sam Darnold can complete the Seahawks’ revival
Complicated journey takes Seattle to clash with Patriots
Redemption is a powerful theme at Super Bowl LX where the New England Patriots take on the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday night in San Francisco.
For the Patriots it is a triumphant return to the biggest stage after only a few years in the wilderness following the two decades of glory under Tom Brady and Bill Belichick.
The links to the magnificent past are strong, with first year coach, Mike Vrabel, an outstanding member of the all conquering New England teams of the 2000s.
The Seahawks journey has been altogether more complicated. The last time they played in the Super Bowl in 2015, against the Patriots - of course - they were the defending champions, with a superstar quarterback in Russell Wilson, a historically great defence, and one of the best running backs of recent times, the fearsome Marshawn Lynch.
Their last-minute loss, with a catastrophic interception on the one-yard line that has gone down as one of the worst plays in Super Bowl history, saw the whole franchise slowly disintegrate through bitterness and recriminations.
Their revival was not foreseen by anyone outside the Pacific northwest. They were 60-1 shots to win the Lombardi trophy at the start of the season and they hadn’t won a playoff game since 2019. But something was stirring in Seattle and these Seahawks have forced the league to take notice.
Key to the revival has been previously unheralded quarterback, Sam Darnold. Drafted in the first round by the hapless New York Jets in 2018, the unassuming Californian had a predictably terrible time in the Big Apple, with his troubles against the Patriots in one blowout defeat leading him to memorably claim that he was “seeing ghosts” on the field.
He now has the opportunity to lay those ghosts to rest. In his first season in Seattle after resurrecting his career last year in Minnesota, Darnold has been outstanding, combining with breakout star wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba to lethal effect.
In the heavyweight NFC Championship clash against LA two weeks ago, Darnold carved the vaunted Rams’ defence apart time after time, showing the doubters that he could indeed do it in the big game.
However, the real key to this Seattle team is their powerhouse defence, known as the Dark Side. Following in the footsteps of the Seahawks’ Legion of Boom defence in the 2010s, they have a daft nickname and a hard-hitting reputation.
Seattle’s second year head coach, Mike MacDonald, a defensive specialist, has put his faith in the first overseas coach to reach the Super Bowl, Aden Durde from London. As defensive coordinator Durde is only one step away from a coveted head coach position and a win tonight could accelerate that journey.
The Londoner had a respectable career in the now defunct NFL Europe and made the practice squad for the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs. His complex defensive playbook has made the Seahawks the top unit in the NFL and their brutal physicality challenges opponents in both the run and pass games.
His masterpiece was surely the goal line stand with only four minutes remaining in that championship game against the Rams. Seattle led by four points but the Rams had been the only team in the NFL who seemed to have their measure and with MVP quarterback, Matt Stafford, knocking at the door the Seahawks were in trouble.
Durde’s men stood firm though and then Darnold calmly marched the Seahawks out of danger and into the biggest game of his life. A win for Seattle and Darnold will complete their journeys back and prove that redemption can happen even in this most unforgiving league.