11 years ago, we witnessed one of the craziest endings in Super Bowl history. The Seattle Seahawks had taken a 24-14 lead over Tom Brady’s New England Patriots in the fourth quarter. The Seahawks had the number one-ranked defense in the league, dubbed the “Legion of Boom” due to their heavy hitters. However, Brady pulled off some late-game heroics—stringing together two straight touchdown drives to Danny Amendola and then Julian Edelman, giving the Patriots a 28-24 lead with two minutes left in the game. The Seahawks, led by quarterback Russell Wilson, were appearing in their second straight Super Bowl after blowing out the Denver Broncos 43-8 the year before. Wilson led a quick, methodical drive leading up to a 33-yard pass down the sideline to receiver Jermaine Kearse, who appeared to have dropped the ball but kicked it up and caught it while lying on the ground. Star running back Marshawn “Beast Mode” Lynch took the ball to the one-yard line, and things were looking bleak for New England. Brady was appearing in his sixth Super Bowl, but he had not won since 2005, after losing in both 2008 and 2012 to the New York Giants. Now, it looked like Brady was going to come up short in the big game again. However, on second and goal from the one-yard line with 28 seconds left, the Seahawks called one of the most controversial plays of all time and threw the ball, which was intercepted at the goal line by undrafted rookie Malcolm Butler. Fans, commentators and critics condemned the decision to not hand the ball to the borderline unstoppable running back on the one-yard line, and the Patriots won their fourth title.
Now, this historic matchup will reunite on the big stage for Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara, California. In a somewhat unlikely outcome, these two teams have had exceptionally quick turnarounds. One year ago, the Seahawks were the eighth seed in the NFC and had just missed the cutoff for the playoffs. Current Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold was leading the Vikings to a 14-3 record, but they were blown out by the Los Angeles Rams in the first round of the playoffs. The Vikings went on to draft a quarterback in the first round and trade Darnold to the Seahawks. This turned out to be a great move for the Seahawks, as Darnold led them to a 14-3 record and the NFC’s top seed. However, the true X-factor of this team is the defense, ranked first in the league in efficiency and points allowed. Analysts have described the 2025 Seattle defense as the best thing since the Legion of Boom. In the divisional round of the playoffs, the Seahawks annihilated their rival, the San Francisco 49ers, 41-6. They moved on to play their other staunch division rival, the Rams, in the NFC championship. In a fairly back-and-forth game, the Seahawks took an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter. The Rams cut it to seven points, but the Seahawks’ defense was able to ice the game by stopping Los Angeles on their last drive, winning 31-27. The Seahawks advanced to their first Super Bowl since 2015.
On the other side, just one year ago, the New England Patriots were 4-13 and almost at the complete rock bottom of the NFL. Rookie quarterback Drake Maye had shown some flashes, but the Patriots had a very weak roster and coaching staff. Head Coach Jerod Mayo was fired, and Mike Vrabel was brought in. Vrabel was the coach of the Tennessee Titans for many years, but more importantly, he was a former linebacker for the Patriots during the Tom Brady era, even winning two Super Bowls. The Patriots went on a spending spree in free agency, acquiring wide receivers Mack Hollins and Stefon Diggs as well as defenders Milton Williams, Harold Landry and Carlton Davis. In the draft, they also snagged offensive lineman Will Cambell and star running back Treveyon Henderson. At the start of the season, the Patriots were 1-2, and it seemed like another year of missing the playoffs was on the horizon. Somehow, the Patriots went on a 10-game winning streak and finished the season at 14-3—the two seed in the AFC. Maye was an MVP candidate, breaking Brady’s completion percentage record and becoming the first Patriots 4000+ yard passer since Brady. In the wildcard round, the Patriots handled the Los Angeles Chargers 16-3 in a defensive game. They moved on to face the Houston Texans in the divisional round, who had the first-ranked total defense in the NFL, yet the Patriots handled business again, winning 28-16. They were set to face the number one ranked Broncos in Denver for the AFC championship, but Broncos starting quarterback Bo Nix broke his ankle in the divisional round. Jarrett Stiddam, a former Patriot, was set to make his first start of the season for the Broncos in the conference championship game. Blizzard conditions and sloppy football led to a 10-7 Patriots victory.
Matchup of the Day:
This Super Bowl features my matchup of the day, between Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez and Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (JSN). Gonzalez is only in his third year, yet he has already received All-Pro honors. He has locked down opposing wide receivers this year, allowing only 25 yards per game and one total touchdown this entire season. On the other side of the ball, JSN has been putting up unreal numbers with 119 catches for 1793 yards (leads the NFL) and 10 touchdowns. In the NFC championship game, he posted 10 receptions for 153 yards and a touchdown. Will JSN be able to keep his stellar streak alive, or will an unstoppable force meet an immovable object in Christian Gonzalez? I believe whichever side wins this matchup will dictate the outcome of the game.
My Predictions:
This matchup has everything it takes to be an instant classic. The Seahawks opened as 4.5 point favorites, with 75% of wagers in most sportsbooks on Seattle to cover the spread. I expect the Seahawks to come out of the gate with a hot defensive start. However, I think that once Drake Maye settles in, the Patriots will be able to close the gap. Drake Maye has been the first QB to beat three top-five total defenses in one playoff run, so he should be able to find his groove. The Patriots’ D-line has been terrorizing teams in the playoffs, so they will be keeping Sam Darnold under pressure. However, I predict that JSN will win the matchup of the day, and torch the Patriots defense.
Armaan’s Locks
[Disclaimer: This is not gambling advice. The author is not responsible for anyone’s monetary loss.]
Seahawks : -4.5 point spread (-115)
Kayshon Boutte : anytime touchdown scorer (+310)
Drake Maye : OVER 39.5 rushing yards (-114)
Sam Darnold : longest completion OVER 35.5 yards (-115)