If it turns out the Seattle Seahawks are raising the Lombardi Trophy for the second time in team history on the evening of Feb. 8, it’s very likely their stellar “Dark Side” defense is going to be one of the biggest reasons.
Especially if they turn the Super Bowl into a nightmare for second-year New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye.
Tom Brady details big difference between Seahawks’ D and the LOB
There is a strong potential of that being the case, as Seattle Sports’ Michael Bumpus explained Wednesday on Bump and Stacy.
“My man has been sacked 15 times in this playoffs,” Bumpus pointed out about Maye. “I know he’s played more games than other teams, but (Los Angeles Rams QB) Matthew Stafford is the closest guy with six. There’s a big gap right there. That’s the most in the playoffs.”
Maye being sacked an average of five times in the Patriots’ three postseason games isn’t a new problem, either. His 47 sacks in the regular season, an average of 2.76 per game, was more than all but three other QBs in the NFL.
That bodes well for a Seahawks team that only has three sacks in two playoff games but tied for seventh in the league in the regular season with 47 sacks.
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Bumpus, a former NFL wide receiver who is now an analyst and host of the Seahawks Radio Network pregame and postgame shows, said there’s a point of weakness on New England’s offensive line that the Seahawks can exploit: rookie left tackle Will Campbell, who the Patriots took No. 4 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft out of LSU.
“I’m looking at the edge, man, and I kept hearing throughout the year that Will Campbell… has been struggling at tackle,” Bumpus said. “I went and looked up his pressures – he’s not giving up a lot of pressures, only gave up five sacks. But that last game (the AFC Championship against the Denver Broncos), he did struggle.”
Even though Maye has spent a lot of time picking himself off of the ground this season, he led the NFL in both QBR and passer rating. But Bumpus believes the Seahawks have the pass rushers to get through the Patriots’ offensive line and throw Maye off of his game in the Super Bowl.
“I think that the Hawks can get after him. I think that if Uchenna (Nwosu) can have himself a game, if Boye (Mafe) can have himself a game, Drake Maye is going to be in trouble,” he said. “Good football player, 31 touchdowns, eight interceptions, 4,000 yards (in the regular season). You see the baller in him, but you’re only as good as your bigs sometimes, and they’ve been struggling.”
Michael Bumpus answers four football questions during the Four Down Territory segment at 11:15 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. during each edition of Bump and Stacy. Catch Bump and Stacy live from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays on Seattle Sports.
More on Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl
• Seahawks injury report has new concern for LB Ernest Jones IV
• Hasselbeck warns how Patriots could give Seahawks trouble in Super Bowl
• Both Seahawks and Pats head coaches led quick turnarounds
• Stacy Rost: What changed to make Seahawks a Super Bowl team
• Seattle Seahawks poised for more long-term success than LOB era
