Preview for Seattle Seahawks @ New England Patriots
The Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots face off in Tremendous Bowl LX on Sunday as they every a fairytale ending to their respective outstanding campaigns at Levi’s Stadium.
Neither the Seahawks nor the Patriots had been seen among the many favourites to elevate the Lombardi Trophy firstly of the 2025 season.
However each have reaped the advantages of astute offseason selections to maneuver inside a win of the championship as they meet in a rematch of Tremendous Bowl XLIX, which the Patriots gained in an all-time traditional end 11 years in the past.
That recreation noticed Tom Brady writer a classic fourth-quarter comeback earlier than Malcolm Butler’s goal-line interception of Russell Wilson saved victory for the Patriots.
New England’s offensive coordinator that day is as soon as once more in the identical position, with Josh McDaniels serving to elevate second-year quarterback Drake Maye to a degree the place has produced MVP-calibre play all through the season.
The duty of Maye and the New England offense will probably be to provide towards a ferocious Seahawks protection that has laid the inspiration for a dominant season from Seattle.
Mike Macdonald’s protection completed the common season ranked first within the NFL, permitting solely 4.6 yards per play (2nd), whereas tallying 25 turnovers (sixth) and racking up 180 quarterback pressures, per Professional Soccer Focus (third). Their fearsome entrance is complemented by a secondary with extremely instinctive and versatile defenders who match completely into Macdonald’s numerous scheme.
On offense, Seattle’s resolution to wager that Sam Darnold’s spectacular 2024 season with the Minnesota Vikings was not a flash within the pan has been stunningly vindicated, Darnold’s rapport with star receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba regularly having a devastating impression on opposing defenses.
The Patriots are the underdogs, however their head coach Mike Vrabel, having fun with beautiful success in his first 12 months with the crew, is aware of all about prevailing in such circumstances.
Vrabel was a part of the Patriots crew that surprised the ‘Biggest Present on Turf’ Rams to win Tremendous Bowl XXXVI to start out the primary section of the dynasty below Invoice Belichick.
And he’s below no illusions as to the problem the Patriots face of their eleventh Tremendous Bowl look.
“I imply, they’re [the Seahawks] first within the league in scoring on protection, third on offense,” Vrabel mentioned.
“Good mixture of veterans and youth. So, any time that you’ve got defenses which might be good at protecting factors down, it makes it actual tough. They disguise effectively, they blitz and typically they get stress with speeding 4. I imply, they’ve obtained 4 or 5 guys with six or seven sacks every.
“Offensively, it’s a mixture of among the West Coast stuff, some play motion, however then simply the scheme and Darnold’s capability to function and performance, and never many individuals decelerate JSN [Jaxon Smith-Njigba.] Kenneth Walker [III], the pace, he can hit the sting, he’s not afraid to chop up. They’ve obtained a wonderful particular groups unit.
“So, we’re going to must be actually good in all phases, however this is a wonderful soccer crew.”
The Patriots’ common season featured just one win towards a crew that ended the 12 months with a profitable report. Nonetheless, they’ve since reeled off three spectacular postseason wins, with their protection coming to the fore in every.
Although their AFC Championship Sport win over the Denver Broncos got here as each offenses had been hamstrung by the snowy circumstances, the Patriots’ defensive showings within the playoffs ought to increase hope of them managing to decelerate Darnold and Smith-Njigba.
Whereas the Patriots have confronted questions on their energy of schedule, Seattle got here by means of the gauntlet of the NFC West, enjoying the rival Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers a complete of six occasions throughout the common season and playoffs. That disparity is a big consider why the Seahawks are anticipated to prevail.
Maye is a good distance from reaching the heights of Brady. Nonetheless, if the Patriots can upset the chances and as soon as once more deny the Seahawks a second Tremendous Bowl title, then New England’s seventh Lombardi Trophy may have a powerful case for being their most spectacular but.
