The New England Patriots (17-3) face the Seattle Seahawks (16-3) in a highly anticipated Super Bowl matchup on Sunday, featuring two of the NFL’s hottest teams and rising star quarterbacks Drake Maye and Sam Darnold.
According to BetMGM NFL odds, Seattle enters the game as a 4.5-point favorite, while both teams arrive with dominant playoff runs and balanced rosters on offense and defense.
Patriots vs Seahawks: Road to the Super Bowl
The Seahawks secured their spot with a 31-27 NFC Championship victory over the Los Angeles Rams, while the Patriots advanced after defeating the Denver Broncos 10-7 in the AFC Championship Game.
New England boasts one of the league’s most efficient units, ranking:
3rd in total offense2nd in scoring offense4th in scoring defense
Seattle counters with a complete roster, including the NFL’s No. 1 scoring defense and a top-10 offense.
Player to watch: Drake Maye (Patriots)
Second-year quarterback Drake Maye has emerged as one of the biggest stories of the NFL playoffs. Working with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, Maye has won his first three postseason starts — joining Tom Brady, Joe Burrow, and Jake Delhomme in that exclusive group.
He also became the first quarterback in NFL history to defeat three top-five defenses in a single postseason, beating the Chargers, Texans, and Broncos.
Player to watch: Kenneth Walker III (Seahawks)
Kenneth Walker III has powered Seattle’s offense during the playoffs. The running back is averaging 4.7 yards per carry with four rushing touchdowns and 256 total yards this postseason.
His performance against the Patriots’ top-five run defense could be one of the defining factors in the game.
Key matchup: Sam Darnold vs Patriots secondary
Despite playing through an injury, Sam Darnold delivered one of his best performances of the season in the NFC Championship Game, throwing for 346 yards and three touchdowns.
He now faces a Patriots defense that allowed the ninth-fewest passing yards and fourth-fewest points per game during the regular season.
Super Bowl history and franchise stakes
The Patriots are making their 12th Super Bowl appearance (6-5 record) and could become the franchise with the most Super Bowl wins in NFL history, breaking a tie with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Meanwhile, Seattle enters the game after a franchise-record 14-win season and its first division title since 2020.
The rivalry has been close in recent years, with each of the last six meetings decided by seven points or fewer, though the Patriots still hold the iconic Super Bowl XLIX victory over Seattle.