Lead: At halftime of Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8, 2026 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, the NFC champion Seattle Seahawks led the AFC champion New England Patriots 9-0. Seattle’s defense set the tone early, registering three sacks of Patriots quarterback Drake Maye and forcing five first-half punts. Kenneth Walker III provided Seattle’s main offensive spark with 94 rushing yards on 14 carries, while Jason Myers booted multiple field goals. New England entered the break scoreless — a mark no team has overcome to win a Super Bowl.
Key Takeaways
- Halftime score: Seahawks 9, Patriots 0 at Levi’s Stadium on Feb. 8, 2026.
- Seattle recorded three sacks on Drake Maye in the first half (Devon Witherspoon, Derick Hall, Rylie Mills); Maye has 18 postseason sacks this playoff run.
- Kenneth Walker III rushed for 94 yards on 14 carries through two quarters, the second-most first-half rushing total in Super Bowl history.
- Jason Myers has made four field goals, tying the Super Bowl single-game record for made field goals (33, 39 and two from 41 yards).
- New England ran 24 plays for 52 yards (2.2 yards per play) across its first five drives, all ending in punts.
- Drake Maye completed 6 of 11 passes for 48 yards in the first half; Sam Darnold was 9 of 22 for 88 yards.
- Throws of 10+ air yards: Maye was 1-for-3 for 21 yards on such attempts, per Next Gen Stats; regular-season analytics showed Maye excelled on those throws.
- Betting lines at kickoff listed Seattle around -4.5 with an over/under near 45.5 (DraftKings Sportsbook).
Background
The matchup pitched the NFL’s top scoring defense, the Seattle Seahawks, against the Patriots, who reached the Super Bowl after an offense that had uneven moments in the regular season. Seattle’s front seven entered the game with a reputation for pressuring quarterbacks while still playing varied coverage schemes; Devon Witherspoon emerged as a primary disruptor throughout the 2025 campaign. New England’s offense, led by rookie quarterback Drake Maye, relied on vertical shots and explosive plays to offset limitations in run blocking and short-yardage efficiency.
Historically, no team has rallied from a scoreless first half to win a Super Bowl, a trend that added pressure to New England as it failed to register points before the break. Seattle leaned on its running game and special teams to control field position, while New England struggled to sustain drives, producing multiple three-and-outs. The contrast in situational efficiency — Seattle converting red-zone chances into points via field goals and long runs, New England repeatedly stalling — framed the first-half script.
Main Event
Seattle opened the scoring with a 33-yard Jason Myers field goal after moving as far as the Patriots’ 14-yard line, then added two more kicks (39 and 41 yards) as drives stalled in New England territory. Myers’ fourth successful attempt tied the Super Bowl record for most made field goals in a single game. The Seahawks reached the red zone multiple times but settled for three field goals, with the Patriots’ red-zone defense holding on both occasions.
Defensive pressure defined New England’s night. Witherspoon registered an early blitz sack, while Derick Hall and rookie Rylie Mills added takedowns later in the half. Maye has been a frequent target of pressure during this postseason; his cumulative 18 sacks in the playoffs put him one shy of Joe Burrow’s 19-sack 2021 mark. Those hits disrupted rhythm and limited New England’s ability to stretch the field.
Kenneth Walker III carried the Seahawks’ offensive burden, piling up 94 rushing yards on 14 carries through two quarters, including several long gains that flipped field position. Sam Darnold mixed deep attempts and conservative play-calling, finishing the half 9-for-22 for 88 yards; one potential long touchdown to Jaxon Smith-Njigba was overthrown, and an apparent interception was dropped by Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez. Special teams also swung field position: Michael Dickson pinned New England at the 2-yard line with a long punt late in the second quarter.
Analysis & Implications
Seattle’s defensive game plan — frequent pressures, occasional corner blitzes and tight coverage downfield — has curtailed the Patriots’ preferred explosive passing game. Limiting Drake Maye to short completions and collapsing the pocket on designed drops has forced New England into third-and-long situations, increasing reliance on punts and field-position battles. If Seattle continues to win the trenches, New England’s route to a comeback will require quick-strike scoring and cleaner pass protection.
For Maye, the postseason sack total (18) raises durability and pocket-management questions. One sack away from Joe Burrow’s single-postseason mark, the rookie’s tendency to take shots downfield remains a double-edged sword: high upside on clean throws, but costly when Seattle’s pressure arrives quickly. Offensive line adjustments and quicker release times would be necessary in the second half to change the game’s trajectory.
On the offensive side for Seattle, the balance between exploiting Walker’s run bursts and opening the passing game to Smith-Njigba is key. Darnold’s missed opportunities — an overthrow on a would-be 86-yard strike and a near-interception — show the margin for error. If the Seahawks protect the lead and continue to flip field position through both the run and special teams, the Patriots will face steep odds down 9-0 at halftime.
| Player | Team | Year | Made FGs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jason Myers | SEA | 2025 | 4 |
| Jake Elliott | PHI | 2024 | 4 |
| Harrison Butker | KC | 2023 | 4 |
| Ray Wersching | SF | 1981 | 4 |
| Don Chandler | GB | 1967 | 4 |
This table places Myers alongside four other kickers who made four field goals in a Super Bowl. The context: Seattle frequently reached scoring range but the Patriots held on inside the 20, forcing field-goal tries that Myers capitalized on.
Reactions & Quotes
“No Super Bowl winner has overcome a scoreless first half,”
CBS Sports Research (statistical summary)
“Maye has been 1-for-3 on throws 10+ air yards for 21 yards so far, a sign Seattle is winning downfield matchups,”
Next Gen Stats (data brief)
“Betting markets opened with Seattle favored by roughly 4.5 points and an over/under near 45.5,”
DraftKings Sportsbook (odds monitor)
Unconfirmed
- Whether Drake Maye will tie or break the single-postseason sack record (19) — this remained undecided at halftime.
- Historical count discrepancy: some reports cite different totals for how many teams have been scoreless in a Super Bowl first half; the key verified point is no team has recovered from a scoreless first half to win the Super Bowl.
- Potential injuries or internal lineup adjustments for either side after halftime had not been fully reported at the time of this update.
Bottom Line
Through two quarters at Levi’s Stadium, the game is a defensive struggle shaped by Seattle’s ability to pressure the quarterback and flip field position. Kenneth Walker III’s running and Jason Myers’ accurate kicking have produced all of Seattle’s points; New England’s offense has averaged just 2.2 yards per play in the first half. Those factors combine to create a steep comeback task for the Patriots.
The second half will hinge on New England’s ability to protect Maye and generate chunk plays while the Seahawks must decide whether to open the playbook more or maintain a clock-control, run-first approach. Betting lines and historical precedent favor Seattle, but adjustments at halftime and single big plays can change momentum quickly in a championship game.