Seahawks vs. Patriots: Four Must-Know Storylines for Super Bowl LX

An NFL season that felt impossible to forecast is ending with a Super Bowl matchup almost nobody circled back in the summer. The New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks — both teams coming off playoff absences the year prior — meet Sunday night with a Lombardi Trophy on the line.

Seattle has looked like the rare “complete” team, dangerous on offense, sturdy on defense, and consistent in the details. New England has been less explosive in the postseason than it was in the regular season, but the Patriots’ defense has been good enough to drag games into their comfort zone.

There’s also the narrative layer: Sam Darnold trying to finish his redemption arc, and Drake Maye trying to outplay the moment against a defense built to force mistakes. If it delivers anything close to the last Seahawks–Patriots Super Bowl meeting (the classic from the Legion of Boom era), this one has the ingredients to be memorable.

Four must-know storylines

#1) Drake Maye vs. a Seattle defense built to squeeze the life out of drives

Maye’s regular season was the profile of a star: big yardage, elite efficiency, and MVP-level production. The playoffs haven’t looked the same. The Patriots’ protection has been shakier, the receivers haven’t consistently separated, and Maye has put the ball in harm’s way more than usual.

He’s also managing a right shoulder issue, though he’s downplayed it and expects to be fine. The immediate problem is the opponent: Seattle’s defense has routinely controlled games, and it’s not a unit that needs to blitz heavily to create chaos.

New England’s best counter is probably a blend of:

• quick-game concepts early to calm the pocket,
• heavier run-game usage to keep Seattle honest,
• and selective movement plays (rollouts/scrambles) to give Maye an escape route when the coverage wins.

The risk is obvious: if the Patriots lean too hard into long-developing downfield shots, Maye could take extra hits behind an offensive line that’s already had issues in pass pro during the postseason. If New England is going to steal this, it likely starts with Maye playing clean — and staying upright.

#2) Sam Darnold vs. the ghosts of his past — and a Patriots defense peaking at the right time

If there’s one opponent that symbolizes Darnold’s early-career struggles, it’s New England. Those matchups became shorthand for the worst version of his “Jets era,” including the infamous night that spiraled into the “seeing ghosts” label.

But this version of Darnold has been steadier, more controlled, and better at avoiding the game-breaking mistake. That matters, because New England’s defense has quietly been brutal lately — holding opponents down on the scoreboard, creating takeaways, and getting home with pressure.

The formula for Seattle is simple to describe and hard to execute:

• take the easy profits when they’re offered,
• avoid forcing throws into disguised coverages,
• and keep the offense balanced so the Patriots can’t tee off.

If the Patriots win the sack and turnover battle, they can make this ugly fast. If Darnold stays patient and the Seahawks stay on schedule, Seattle’s firepower should eventually show.

#3) Patriots pass protection vs. Seattle’s rush: the matchup that could flip the game early

There are a dozen headlining names in this Super Bowl, but one of the biggest deciding factors might be whether New England can survive obvious passing downs.

Seattle’s defensive front can generate pressure without selling out, and that’s where the Patriots’ recent issues have been loudest: Maye has been hit and sacked far too often in the playoffs. If that continues, the Patriots’ entire playbook shrinks.

Expect New England to respond with heavier personnel — extra tight ends, help chips, condensed formations — anything to slow the edge rush. The tradeoff is fewer routes and fewer explosive opportunities. If the Patriots can’t protect with five, they’ll have to choose between protecting Maye and stretching the field. They may not get both.

#4) When Seattle has the ball: star-on-star in the secondary, and no easy answers

One of the most anticipated chess matches is how New England handles Seattle’s top targets — especially Jaxon Smith-Njigba — and whether Christian Gonzalez is used as a shadow or as part of a rotating coverage plan.

In their last meeting, New England didn’t live in a full-time “follow him everywhere” approach, and Seattle found ways to win matchups anyway. The personnel and circumstances are different now, but the core question is the same: can the Patriots limit explosive plays without giving up free completions underneath?

If New England commits extra help over the top, it invites Seattle to win with spacing, tempo, and the run game. If New England plays it more straight, it risks Smith-Njigba (and the rest of the receiving group) taking over. This is the “pick your poison” portion of the game — and it’s where Super Bowls often swing.