Seahawks’ defense

The Seahawks most definitely had the look of underdogs. For most of the season, they leaned on schematic conviction far more than on star power. In the end, however, they managed to show they were the best of the best. If nothing else, their 29-13 victory over the Patriots in Super Bowl LX proved that the path to success can likewise come from consistent execution.

To argue that the Seahawks’ defense netted them the Vince Lombardi Trophy would be to understate the obvious. From the outset, they stifled the Patriots; eight of the first nine drives they covered ended in punts. Their frontline brought relentless heat, finishing with six sacks on quarterback Drake Maye and repeatedly disrupting any rhythm the competition tried to establish. With an incisive blend of blitz concepts and gap control, they left little room for doubt: Destiny was theirs to carve through suffocating consistency.

Needless to say, Kenneth Walker III embodied the Seahawks’ identity. Rushing for 135 yards on 27 carries and setting the physical tone from the first whistle, he became the first running back in 28 years to be named Super Bowl Most Valuable Player (MVP). His performance, both steady and imposing, reminded all and sundry that the spectacle’s highest honors will invariably crown the most decisive contributor, even absent gaudy highlight reels.

Offensively, the Seahawks leaned on discipline rather than dazzle. Sam Darnold, supposedly the biggest question mark on their roster, wound up charting a redemptive course no less compelling for its pragmatism. True, nothing from his stat line was extraordinary; in fact, the contest’s early stages lacked creativity and pointed to a protracted battle of attrition. In the moments that mattered, however, he did deliver; most tellingly, he completed a fourth-quarter touchdown pass to AJ Barner that consolidated their advantage.

For the Patriots, the outcome will no doubt be studied with frustration. Maye, runner-up for regular-season MVP honors, had been framed as the next savior. Instead of anchoring the start of a new Patriots dynasty, however, he found himself grounded by the thoroughness of the Seahawks’ game plan; every snap with him under center turned into an exercise in masochism. An offense rendered inert until the late stages underscored the gulf between promise and execution.

Ultimately, the Seahawks’ return to glory validated their philosophy: Identity does matter. Devoid of all the fluff, the contours of football greatness will always bend toward unshakable belief and sheer will.

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.