Super Bowl Sunday is upon us! This year’s iteration of the unofficial American holiday features the New England Patriots pitted against the Seattle Seahawks. Even among Super Bowls, this one is drawing more eyes than most. The last time these two teams met in the Super Bowl, it resulted in one of the best football games ever, culminating in the iconic line “the pass is intercepted at the goal line by Malcolm Butler,” as the Seahawks quarterback Russel Wilson turned the ball over with just seconds remaining on the clock. The Patriots are hoping they’ve already found Tom Brady’s heir apparent in MVP candidate quarterback Drake Maye, whose stellar play, combined with a staunch defense orchestrated by mastermind head coach Mike Vrabel, has vaulted New England back into the Super Bowl. For the Seattle Seahawks, the formula for their success has been the resurgence of quarterback Sam Darnold and an all-time great defense. All that being said, here are our best guesses for who will win Super Bowl LX:
Joseph Rainbolt: Seahawks 10 – Patriots 13
I am among the many football fans who are of the opinion that Patriots fans are the luckiest fan base in all sports. However, in the interest of hopefully having a correct prediction, I simply can’t seem to shake the idea that the Patriots have some magic going, so I’m going with them to win yet another Super Bowl. I think the path to a Patriots victory is a defensive game where the Patriots are able to win the field position battle and control the clock. I could see a late field goal and defensive stand being the difference.
Talia Lehrer: Seahawks 24 – Patriots 21
I imagine most of the country is outwardly, or secretively (if you have a best friend who’s a Pats fan) yearning for anyone but the Patriots to win. Luckily, I’m glad the Seahawks are their opponents this year, as they’re an NFC team I don’t have a vendetta against. With the second-best defense in the NFL, the Seahawks will need to leverage their D-line and pressure Drake Maye in the pocket to revert him to his 2024 season skills. The Patriots' passing game is not one to discount. Also, random fact: in 2014 the Seahawks won the Super Bowl in their white uniforms and in 2015 they lost to the Patriots in their blue ones. This year is a uniform repeat of 2015, so if you’re superstitious, this may be an interesting tidbit to think about.
Michael Alderman: Seattle Seahawks 31 – New England Patriots 17
As a Seahawks fan, Al Michaels’ “intercepted at the goal line!” call has lived rent free in my head since 2015. I’ve convinced myself this time will be different. The Seahawks offense has proven itself to be white-hot during these playoffs with Darnold and Kenneth Walker III (RB) playing some of their best ball. The New England offense has stagnated seeing tackles Will Campbell (RT) and Morgan Moses (LT) regress heavily in the last 3 games. This is something Seattle’s defense, headlined by Nick Emmanwori (NCB) and DeMarcus Lawrence (OLB), must take advantage of. The Patriots’ defense has surged, covering their sputtering offense with inside linebackers coach Zak Kuhr deserving a ton of credit. If Harold Landry III (OLB) can make it back from injury and add a dangerous pass rush, it will make his teammate, Christian Gonzalez’s (CB) life a lot easier as he faces Jaxon Smith-Njigba (WR). I think the Seahawks’ outside zone run scheme matches up well against the slower 3–4 Vrabel defense though Robert Spillane’s (MLB) probable return should stabilize the unit. Pound for pound, I believe Seattle is better constructed, has more stars and plays faster. Notwithstanding any weird turnover hijinks, the Seahawks can exercise not just their XLIX demons, but bust some ghosts as well.
Freddy: Seahawks 28 – Patriots 13
To be completely honest, I think that the true Super Bowl was the NFC Championship. While the Patriots’ defense has looked really good throughout the playoffs, I find a hard time believing that it isn’t in large part due to the anemic offenses they have faced: a backup QB against Denver and two of the worst O-lines in the league in the Chargers and Texans. Moving to the other side of the ball, the Patriots’ offense has underperformed significantly. Drake Maye has taken 15 sacks in the playoffs so far, while fumbling six times and throwing two picks. If the Patriots want any chance of keeping up with the Seahawks’ offense — which is clicking on all cylinders — Maye will have to step up his play enormously. In my opinion, the Seahawks are significantly better on both lines: They have better weapons and a quarterback that is playing better football currently. I don’t see this being a particularly close game, and think the Seahawks should be hosting their first trophy since 2014!
