Super Bowl Preview: Patriots vs Seahawks

Matt Hylen
5 hours ago
6 min read

by Matt Hylen

Sportz Nation - 2/7/2026

It's finally here!

Super Bowl LX is officially hours away in what could be one of the most defensive but intense games we have seen in a while.

On one hand, you have the 1-seeded Seattle Seahawks who have been rolling on both sides of the ball. Quarterback Sam Darnold is coming off arguably the best game of his career last time out, with his defense playing to the elite level they have been all season long.

On the other hand is one of the more unlikely stories in recent memory, the New England Patriots. Led by MVP runner-up Drake Maye and Coach of the Year Mike Vrabel, the 2-seed in the AFC completely turned their franchise around, putting themselves in a position that almost no one could have predicted.

All is to play for in what could be one for the history books.

The game will take place in Santa Clara, California, and start at approximately 6:30 pm EST. Weather for gameday is expected to be clear skies with a high of 67 degrees Fahrenheit.

So, with that out of the way, let's get into the preview!

_______________________________

Injury Report

Photo Credit to AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty

The biggest story that caused Patriots fans to hold their breath for the past two weeks was the status of QB Drake Maye and his shoulder. However, after multiple DNPs and limited practices, Maye was officially taken off the injury report on Friday. The rest of New England's report is listed below:

QUESTIONABLE

LB Robert Spillane (Ankle)

OLB Harold Landry III (Knee)

DT Joshua Farmer (Hamstring)

As for Seattle, the biggest injury concern is the status of the ankle of their star rookie safety Nick Emmanwori. Emmanwori sprained his ankle during practice this week, but head coach Mike McDonald said to the press that he expects Emmanwori to play on Sunday. The rest of their report is below, and all are expected to play (NOTE: Seattle did not specify what designation their players on the report had, so the players listed below were limited in Friday's practice or listed as "unspecified"):

OG/OT Josh Jones (Ankle, Knee)

FB Robbie Ouzts (Neck)

T Charles Cross (Foot)

S Julian Love (Shoulder)

TE Eric Saubert (Hamstring)

DT Leonard Williams (Non-Injury Related, Rest)

_______________________________

Keys to the Game: Seahawks

First and foremost, Seattle needs to win the turnover battle. More specifically, Sam Darnold needs to take care of the football. The way I see it, there are two versions of Sam Darnold: one version portrays the QB Seattle paid for that can take them all the way to a Super Bowl, then his alter-ego Jets version who turns the ball over 2+ times. New England has been great all playoffs long at forcing turnovers and giving opposing QBs different looks in the secondary, which is something Darnold and the offense need to account for. The Patriots will likely blitz him early and often, so it's up to Darnold to remain calm, find the open man, and keep the ball in the hands of his offense.

Secondly, Seattle has to pressure Maye into throwing the ball early. We have seen throughout the playoffs on multiple occasions where Drake Maye gets pressured early, holds onto the ball for too long, and either gets sacked or turns the ball over. Seattle's front seven has been lethal this playoff, which needs to be trusted to get to Maye as often as possible.

My last key to the game for Seattle is to win this game through the ground. Yes, New England is among the best in football when it comes to stopping the run, but Seattle has been prone to break through elite run defenses and win games on the ground. If they want to move the ball downfield, Kenneth Walker III needs to be the focal point of this offense, not Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Of course, Smith-Njigba will have to play a big role, but Walker needs to be the focal point in my eyes.

_______________________________

Keys to the Game: Patriots

Photo Credit to Winslow Townson/AP Images for Panini

To start, New England's offense has to step up, which starts with Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels and Drake Maye. It is simply too much to ask for the defense to bail the offense out for a fourth straight game in the playoffs. The offense was top-3 in terms of overall production all season long, which needs to be seen in the biggest way on Sunday. Josh McDaniels has been here plenty of times before; he knows the situational football of the Super Bowl inside and out and should be able to use that experience to give Maye chances to move the ball downfield.

My second key for New England is, in order to win this game, Jaxon Smith-Njigba has to have a game below 100 yards. Whether that is doubling him or having Cornerback Christian Gonzalez shadow him, JSN cannot be the reason the offense gets going. New England needs this game to come down to who wins in the trenches; that is where they have the advantage. Do whatever you have to do, but Smith-Njigba needs to struggle for New England to prevent the ball from moving down the field.

My last key for the Pats is that in order to win this game, Vrabel needs to have his best coaching game of his life. This team is here because of the culture Mike Vrabel built, and the ability to play together and stay focused through adversity. The past two weeks have framed this team as a serious underdog, which needs to act as fuel. If the offense continues to struggle early or Seattle finds a way to pick apart the defense, Vrabel needs to keep this team focused and remind them that they are here not because of the all-around talent but rather how well they play together and as a team when faced with adversity. It may sound easier said than done, but mark my words, the way the Patriots win this game is mostly influenced by how Mike Vrabel can keep the team focused.

_______________________________

Who Wins?

Photo Credit to AP Photo/John Locher (Drake Maye), AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson (Sam Darnold)

I can't wait for this game. I think it will be close the entire way through; people are not giving New England's offense the trust they should have earned this season. Sure, they have looked far from good this playoffs, but when it comes down to the clutch moments, the Patriots have yet to fail. With that said, this offense is due, and I think we see a much better version of the Pats on Sunday.

However, this Seahawks team is the favorite for a reason. If their offense plays the way they have the past two games, it makes it extremely difficult to know how to stop either side of the ball from dominating. Sam Darnold has already proved the world wrong and has been as good as he could be in the playoffs. Seattle has the weapons advantage, talent advantage, and on paper is just the better team.

Yet, one thing Seattle does not have is experience. Mike Vrabel and Josh McDaniels have been here before multiple times, whereas Seattle's coaching staff is here for the first time. A Super Bowl is unlike any football game that is played; timeouts are more frequent and longer, halftime is longer, and game managing has much less room for error. This is perhaps the type of advantage New England has that could influence the entirety of this game.

So, while I think Seattle gets ahead early in this game, I am going to go with the Patriots to shock the world and beat the Seahawks by a score of 24-16. Defense should reign supreme in this one, but I trust Josh McDaniels to find a way to move the ball downfield more than I trust a talented but inexperienced Klint Kubiak. I think New England's interior line will dominate and force Darnold to rush his progressions, which will serve as a deciding factor in this game.

Nevertheless, this game should be a fun defensive matchup, with any one score possibly winning the game. I could absolutely see Seattle coming out victorious, but my faith is in New England to ultimately get it done on Sunday.