Seahawks v Patriots preview, prediction, odds

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 have been seen among the many favourites to elevate the Lombardi Trophy initially of the 2025 season.

However each have reaped the advantages of astute offseason choices to maneuver inside a win of the championship as they meet in a rematch of Tremendous Bowl XLIX, which the Patriots received in an all-time basic end 11 years in the past.

That sport noticed Tom Brady creator 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 some extent the place has produced MVP-calibre play all through the season.

The duty of Maye and the New England offense will likely be to provide towards a ferocious Seahawks protection that has laid the muse 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 determination to guess 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 frequently having a devastating influence on opposing defenses.

The Patriots are the underdogs, however their head coach Mike Vrabel, having fun with gorgeous success in his first 12 months with the workforce, is aware of all about prevailing in such circumstances.

Vrabel was a part of the Patriots workforce that surprised the ‘Biggest Present on Turf’ Rams to win Tremendous Bowl XXXVI to start out the primary section of the dynasty underneath Invoice Belichick.

And he’s underneath 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 can be good at preserving factors down, it makes it actual troublesome. They disguise nicely, they blitz and typically they get strain with speeding 4. I imply, they’ve bought 4 or 5 guys with six or seven sacks every.

“Offensively, it’s a mixture of a number of the West Coast stuff, some play motion, however then simply the scheme and Darnold’s skill 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 bought a superb particular groups unit.

 “So, we’re going to must be actually good in all phases, however this is a superb soccer workforce.”

The Patriots’ common season featured just one win towards a workforce that ended the 12 months with a profitable file. 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 have been hamstrung by the snowy situations, 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 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 great distance from reaching the heights of Brady. Nonetheless, if the Patriots can upset the percentages and as soon as once more deny the Seahawks a second Tremendous Bowl title, then New England’s seventh Lombardi Trophy can have a robust case for being their most spectacular but.