The Super Bowl is one of the greatest American traditions. For football lovers and non-football lovers alike, it gives people a reason to be together and cheer. This year marked the 60th Super Bowl. It kicked off on Sunday, Feb 8 at 6:30 ET and 3:30 PT.
Some fast facts about this year’s big game is that the New England Patriots played in their 12th Super Bowl, 4 more than the next franchise. Their star quarterback, Drake Maye, is the 2nd youngest quarterback to start a Super Bowl in just his 2nd season at 23 years old. On the other side of the battle, the Seahawks are entering their 4th Super Bowl with a previous record of 1-2. Their success has come from their outstanding defense. Both of these teams missed the playoffs last year, and the Patriots have been boasting a significant record turnaround from 4-13 to 13-4 in the regular season.
1st Half Bore
The 1st quarter started out looking like a fast-paced game as Seattle received the ball and quickly made it 3-0. When the Patriots received, they seemed to have rhythm until some aggressive defense from the Hawks stopped their drives. It went back and forth for a while until no team scored by the end of the quarter. Kenneth Walker III, running back for Seattle, had the most excitement with 16 rushing yards on 5 carries.
Kenneth Walker III rushed for 78 yards on 9 attempts during the 2nd quarter, further proving his case for Super Bowl MVP as the period mirrored much of the 1st. Drake Maye of New England continued to be sacked and brought down before he could throw the ball, and the Patriots punted 5 times by the time the quarter ended. The half ended a brutal 9-0, with the Seahawks in the lead.
Halftime Show: Yay or Nay
Bad Bunny and his Super Bowl Halftime show was debatably the most thrilling point of the event. I enjoyed the upbeat and
fun feel of the performance, while others didn’t like that Bad Bunny was speaking primarily Spanish throughout it. It was a nice change of pace from the usual hip-hop and rap trend and introduced some culture, probably justifying the NFL’s attempt at becoming global. The increase in international games over the past 5 years supports this idea.
According to a YouGov poll directed by “The Hill” at https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/5728286-halftime-show-poll-results/, 34%-35% of viewers were satisfied with Bad Bunny’s show, while 28% preferred the alternative conservative halftime show. Despite this, it is the most watched Super Bowl halftime show of all time with 135 million viewers.
Alexander Corona, a student from Colonia High School, says that he “loved” the show and he was “fun to watch” despite the language barrier.
2nd Half Surge
Frankly, the 3rd quarter was as hard to watch as the 1st and 2nd. Me personally, I enjoy fast paced offensive games, but that could have been exciting for the defense lovers. The Hawks put up 3 points on the board to lead 12-0 with a stifling defensive performance, including 3 Patriots punts and 1 fumble committed by Drake Maye. Kenneth Walker also surpassed 100 yards, as the Super Bowl MVP became more clearly him.
The 4th quarter was the most thrilling with 30 combined points scored from each side. With 12:27 seconds left, the Patriots scored to make it 19-7, and I truly believed Drake Maye could pull off the comeback. But, Uchenna Nwosu of Seattle, in an iconic fashion, intercepted Drake Maye’s pass for a 45 yard pick-6.
The Hawks loosened their grip on the trophy and let up one more score, but they secured their 2nd title by beating the Patriots 29-13. Kenneth Walker III, running back, Seahawks, won Super Bowl MVP.
It seems the football gods have given reparations for a tragic end to Super Bowl XLIX, so kudos Seattle.
