"On the first drive, Sam Darnold connected with wide receiver Cooper Kupp on a 23-yard pass play that brought the Seahawks' offense down to the New England 17-yard line. The catch was praised by the broadcast team, but it didn't look like a no-doubt grab. Not only did it take a very long time for Kupp to regain control of the football, but the broadcast didn't show a ton of angles of him getting two feet down in bounds beyond a shadow of a doubt."
"Kupp may be the X-factor in this game. With Christian Gonzalez limiting the effectiveness of Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Kupp's ability to make plays against the rest of the Patriots' secondary is going to be vital if the Seahawks want to win. New England was notably aggressive on that first drive of the game, trying to sell out for interceptions and big plays."
The Seahawks gained an early lead after a disputed 23-yard Sam Darnold pass to Cooper Kupp that reached the New England 17. The catch required an extended moment for Kupp to regain control and lacked clear broadcast angles showing two feet in bounds, yet officials did not review the play. Seattle hurried to the line afterward and threw an incompletion to prevent a replay, then settled for a Jason Myers field goal to go up 3-0. New England played aggressively on defense, attempting to force turnovers against Darnold. A Derick Hall sack stalled a Patriots drive and led to a punt in a tightly matched game where marginal calls could prove decisive.
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