The NFL season is coming to a close with the Super Bowl today. The Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots are vying to house the Lombardi trophy and win Super Bowl LX. This article will discuss the stats and probabilities of success for both teams.
The starting and current spread for the game is Seahawks -4.5. This spread means that the Seahawks are the betting favorites on the sports books.
Sam Darnold leads the charge for the Seahawks. During the regular season, he accumulated 4,048 passing yards with a 67.7% completion rate and 25 touchdowns. He also had two good, efficient performances against the 49ers and the Rams in the playoffs.
In order to secure victory, Darnold needs to avoid throwing ill-advised passes that can lead to interceptions. The Seahawks must also utilize the big-play potential of Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Rashid Shaheed. Both are explosive.
The Patriots know this and are most likely placing a lot of focus on Smith-Njigba; it will be imperative for the Seahawks to design specific plays for Shaheed to get the ball. The running game must also be established with Kenneth Walker III. He has the ability to set the tempo and create big play opportunities for Seattle.
On the defensive side, the Seahawks have to keep doing what they have been doing all season. They must shut down Drake Maye, who has been prone to big hits, and force turnovers. Additionally, the Seahawks must interrupt the passing rhythm of Maye, combining both coverage and coordinated, disguised blitzes that will throw the Patriots off. The Seahawks must also force turnovers, as time of possession can prove crucial, especially in big games.
The Patriots are led by their aforementioned second-year quarterback Drake Maye. During the regular season, Drake Maye threw for 4,391 passing yards with a 72% completion rate and 31 touchdowns.
In order to secure victory, The Patriots O-Line must protect Maye, allowing him to make explosive plays and stay off the grass. Maye has been sacked five times in each of the Patriots’s playoff games and fumbled a total of 6 times. If the Patriots are unable to protect Maye, the Seahawks will dominate.
To combat the Seahawks’s aggressive pass rush, Maye will need to utilize Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson. They both have the ability to chew the clock and extend drives, creating the ability for the Patriots to win the time of possession battle. Additionally, the Patriots can exploit potential mismatches with their swiss-army knife, tight end Henry Hunter.
Seattle’s defense ranked first in points allowed during the regular season, yet they do not defend well against opposing tight ends; the Patriots feature a great tight end in Henry Hunter, and they can exploit that to their advantage.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Patriots need to pressure Sam Darnold, specifically interior pressure up the A gaps, which Darnold struggles to deal with. Darnold has to feel uncomfortable in possession of the ball, pressuring him to make mistakes and turn the ball over.
Additionally exploiting weak links, like right guard Anthony Bradford, who has swallowed significant pressure, will be imperative for the Patriots to win.
Editor’s Note: Aiden Byrne (Mr. Byrne Xavier Review Faculty Advisor) and Brady Metzger (Xavier Review Senior Editor) both have major stakes in the outcome of the big game this year as Mr. Byrne is a die-hard Boston sports fan and Brady is a die-hard Seahawks fan.
