The New England Patriots' defense kept the team in Super Bowl LX, but they were not able to dominate enough to win the game.
It was a game where the Patriots couldn't get home with sacks, despite dialing up pressure on Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold. They simply failed to take advantage of opportunities to turn the tide in the matchup.
Running back Kenneth Walker III, the Super Bowl MVP, rushed 27 times for 135 yards on the Patriots' defense. His ability to bounce outside and generate big plays with his legs sparked the Seahawks' offense throughout the game. One of the more surprising stat lines is the fact that a normally stout defensive line for New England only generated one sack in the game.
With that said, there were definitely some bright spots.
Rookie safety Craig Woodson led the team with 10 tackles, and Christian Gonzalez had four tackles and three unbelievable pass break-ups. Here are the highest and lowest graded defensive players for the Patriots in their loss to the Seahawks, per Pro Football Focus:
Top five PFF graded players
1. DE Anfernee Jennings - 85.2
2. CB Christian Gonzalez - 80.6
3. DT Milton Williams - 73.5
4. DE Harold Landry III - 69.3
5. CB Marcus Jones - 67.0
Bottom five PFF graded players
1. DT Cory Durden - 29.4
2. LB Jack Gibbens - 33.3
3. S Jaylinn Hawkins - 40.2
4. LB Robert Spillane - 40.6
5. DT Khyiris Tonga - 40.6
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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Best and worst defensive PFF grades for Patriots in loss to Seahawks