Seahawks Win Super Bowl LX, MVP Debate, and the Best Halftime Show Ever | w/ Rick Garcia and Corey Nathan

Rick Garcia and Corey Nathan break down Seattle’s 29 to 13 Super Bowl win over New England, a defensive chess match that turned into a fourth quarter statement. From Mike Macdonald’s masterclass on defense to questions about whether the Patriots were truly ready for the moment, the guys sort through what this game really said about both franchises.

From there, the conversation turns to the league awards, including Matthew Stafford’s razor thin MVP win over Drake Maye and what that vote says about quarterback value, schedule strength, and yes, a little East Coast bias.

And in Pop That Culture, Rick and Corey revisit the evolution of the Super Bowl halftime show from marching bands to Michael Jackson to Prince in the rain, plus their favorite commercials from this year’s game.

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Follow Corey Nathan: @coreysnathan on Substack, Threads, Instagram, X & more

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Key Takeaways

1. Seattle’s Defense Was the Real MVP

The Seahawks held the Patriots to 13 points and controlled the game from the jump. Mike Macdonald’s defensive scheme flustered Mike Vrabel’s offense and exposed how far New England still has to go.

Kenneth Walker took home MVP honors, but the case could have easily been made for the entire Seahawks defense or even kicker Jason Myers after five field goals.

2. Were the Patriots Ready?

Rick argues New England benefited from a favorable schedule and was not battle tested the way Seattle was in the NFC West. Corey agrees Denver with Bo Nix might have made for a more competitive Super Bowl matchup.

The Patriots are ahead of schedule. They just may not be there yet.

3. The MVP Vote Sparks Debate

Matthew Stafford won league MVP by one vote over Drake Maye. Stafford’s 46 touchdowns to 8 interceptions compared to Maye’s 31 to 8 makes the margin feel surprisingly tight.

The debate touches on schedule strength, volume stats, efficiency, and whether geography, i.e. "East Coast Bias" influences national perception.

4. How the Halftime Show Became a Cultural Event

Rick shares a behind the scenes story from the 1993 Super Bowl at the Rose Bowl when Michael Jackson changed halftime forever after Fox counter programmed with In Living Color.

They debate the greatest halftime performances ever, including:

• Prince in the rain

• U2 after 9/11

• Bruce Springsteen bringing pure rock energy

There is only one correct answer. Or maybe three.

5. Commercial Winners and Losers

Favorites this year included:

• Ben Stiller’s slapstick Instacart spot

• Emma Stone’s noir style ad

• Dunkin’s Boston heavy ensemble featuring Ben Affleck and Tom Brady

• A surprisingly heartfelt Rocket Mortgage moment

Rick calls it a slightly down year overall. Corey disagrees on a few standouts.

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Seattle adds another championship to its total. The East still leads the historical count. The debate rolls on.

The games end. The arguments do not.