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Super Bowl LX: Seahawks-Patriots picks, key stats, predictions

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Super Bowl LX: Seahawks-Patriots picks, key stats, predictions

Super Bowl LX kicks off at 6:30 p.m. ET on Sunday (NBC/Peacock), with the Seattle Seahawks facing the New England Patriots.

New England is looking to make history by becoming the first NFL team with seven Super Bowls wins. The last time the Seahawks went to the big game was against the Patriots in 2015 for Super Bowl XLIX, where Seattle lost a 28-24 heartbreaker. New England entered this season’s playoffs as the AFC’s No. 2 seed, while Seattle entered as the NFC’s No. 1 seed.

We have you covered with everything you need to know, including team previews, a breakdown of Super Bowl MVP candidates and game picks. We also provide advice from our sports betting experts and in-depth statistics from ESPN Research. We look at the two quarterbacks, coaches, officiating, positional advantages and X factors. And scroll all the way down to check out our preview of Bad Bunny’s halftime show.

Let’s dive into this one-stop cheat sheet, starting with a preview of the matchup.

Jump to a section:
What to know | Meet the teams | QBs
Biggest questions | One-on-ones
Keys to Seahawks win | Keys to Patriots win
Picks | MVP watch | Stats to know
Bold predictions | Injuries | Officiating
Last meeting | Betting | Halftime | FAQs

Previewing Seahawks vs. Patriots

When: Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET
Where: Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California
Television: NBC/Peacock
Depth charts: Seahawks | Patriots

Call it the Explosive Play Bowl. The big play has always mattered, but in the past few years, NFL games have become battles between teams trying to create and prevent explosive plays.

Defenses have raised their rates of two-high safety looks, funneling teams toward the run and short passes. Offenses have accordingly taken what the defense has given. With a leaguewide increase in willingness to go for it on fourth down, third-and-short has become an opportunity to hit those explosive plays. And the dynamic kickoff and placing touchbacks at the 35-yard line have made it more difficult to play the field position game as a defense.

All this has created a league where explosive plays are the great differentiator. Manufacture one explosive play on offense after a kickoff and you’re probably already in field goal range. Successful defenses either force a ton of takeaways or stall the opposing offense from hitting a big play, trusting that they’ll come up with a sack, force a penalty or produce a negative play to throw the offense off schedule. Great offenses either force teams out of the two-high world by running the football too effectively or reliably hit throws into narrow windows downfield.

In terms of explosive-play differential — the gap between the rate at which teams generated explosive plays and prevented their opposition from doing the same — each of the four teams in the conference championship games ranked in the top five during the regular season. The Patriots were fourth at 2.8 percentage points, buoyed by a league-best explosive creation rate of 13.6% on offense. And the Seahawks’ explosive-play differential of 4.7 percentage points was the best mark in the NFL and the ninth-best figure posted by any team of the past 25 years. They were truly elite on defense, meaning we’ll get the league’s best offense at creating explosive plays versus the league’s best defense at stopping them Sunday.

Of course, one-game variance can swamp regular-season stats. The six best teams by explosive-play differential over the past 25 years made it to the Super Bowl; they all lost. A Patriots defense that was ordinary during the regular season by advanced metrics has allowed just six explosives through three postseason games while playing a series of compromised, injury-impacted offenses. The Seahawks gave up 12 explosives to the Rams in the NFC Championship Game. They won that matchup because quarterback Sam Darnold responded to two months of middling football by playing one of the best games of his life. His opponent, Drake Maye, has followed an MVP-caliber regular season with a wildly inconsistent postseason, mixing turnovers with spectacular plays.

In this postseason, we’ve seen individual games decided by unexpected injuries, fumble luck, missed kicks and ill-timed weather systems. One of those unpredictable factors might decide Sunday’s game too. All things being equal, though, this should be a fun Super Bowl matchup of two of the league’s explosive-play kings in 2025. Whoever manages to win that battle should be the favorite to take home the Lombardi Trophy. — Bill Barnwell, NFL analyst

Read more: Barnwell previews the Super BowlHow the Patriots, Seahawks won their conference title games

Meet the teams

2025 record: 14-3
ESPN’s Football Power Index: No. 1

Coach: Mike MacDonald

Macdonald didn’t play football past high school due to injuries. But he’s built like an NFL fullback, and as the son of a West Point graduate, he has a sternness to go along with his analytical brain. When the Seahawks hired Macdonald to replace Pete Carroll in 2024, they knew they were getting a defensive mastermind. But he has also grown as a leader, with players saying his willingness to admit mistakes helps them take his direct coaching style. At 38, he would become the third-youngest coach to win a Super Bowl.

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0:54

Schlereth: Seahawks the better all-around team in Super Bowl

Mark Schlereth explains why the Seahawks have the edge over the Patriots in Super Bowl LX.

How did they get here?

It started when team owner Jody Allen moved on from Carroll after the 2023 season, which was a difficult decision because Carroll had delivered the franchise its only Lombardi Trophy (XLVIII). General manager John Schneider tabbed Macdonald as Carroll’s replacement, and since then, the GM has continued his personnel tear.

The most notable of his several home run moves last offseason was trading quarterback Geno Smith and signing Sam Darnold to replace him. Darnold and new coordinator Klint Kubiak transformed Seattle’s offense, while Macdonald’s defense took a significant step forward in Year 2 by allowing the fewest points per game (17.2) in the NFL. The Seahawks, with six Pro Bowl selections, have plenty of talent. But Macdonald has fostered a connectedness that has helped his team play even better. — Brady Henderson, Seahawks reporter

2025 record: 14-3
ESPN’s Football Power Index: No. 10

Coach: Mike Vrabel

A three-time Super Bowl champion as a linebacker with the Patriots in the 2000s, Vrabel still looks as if he might have a snap or two left in him. He puts on a chest pad at practice and lets players fire away on him. He’ll chug a beer in the locker room after a playoff win. He has a mastery of the rulebook and an empathetic approach with players — in part because he says a coach is only as good as them.

How did they get here?

Faster than some of the players thought they would. They credit Vrabel and the culture he built, which included sharing their “4 Hs” — history, heartbreak, hope and hero — when they first met as a team in the spring. What resulted was a strong connection that players say made them want to play more for their teammates because they understood them better. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have an MVP candidate in second-year QB Drake Maye, who blossomed under the direction of offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. — Mike Reiss, Patriots reporter

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1:39

Kyle Juszczyk: I like the Patriots’ chances to win the Super Bowl

San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk joins “The Rich Eisen Show” to explain why the Patriots have the edge over the Seahawks in Super Bowl LX.

Read more: What makes Macdonald’s defense so good?The team that Vrabel builtMoments from past and present with VrabelWhy Vrabel was the perfect coach hire

QB breakdown

Darnold’s regular season was truly the story of two halves. In the first 10 weeks, he was legitimately lights-out, with a league-leading 77.9 QBR and 9.3 yards per dropback. But from Week 11 on, his efficiency plummeted, with a 35.3 QBR (27th best) and 6.3 yards per dropback (15th). In the playoffs, he has looked more like the first-half version. But which Darnold will show up in the Super Bowl?

Strength: At his best, Darnold pushes the ball downfield with accuracy. In the first 10 weeks, he averaged 9.4 air yards per attempt (highest among QBR qualifiers) and had a league-best plus-10% completion percentage over expected, per NFL Next Gen Stats. And he did all of that while avoiding sacks (4.2% sack rate in that span).

Weakness: Turnovers were a problem during regular season. Darnold’s 3.5% turnover rate was the worst among all QBR-qualifying quarterbacks. The good news for Seattle is that in its two playoff games, he has yet to turn the ball over. But given his track record, the issue is always a concern. — Seth Walder, analytics writer

Although he finished runner-up for MVP, Maye was the best quarterback in the NFL this season. Despite a middling offensive line and a lackluster receiving group, he led the league in QBR (77.1) in the regular season by a solid margin — even though it’s a metric that controls the quality of opponent. And the Patriots leaned heavily on him. They had a plus-4% pass rate over expected, the second highest, per Next Gen Stats.

Strength: Accuracy. Maye’s plus-9% completion percentage over expected was not only the highest among quarterbacks this season, but the highest among QB seasons since the metric began in 2016. Other numbers convey the same idea. Maye’s 12% off-target rate was the seventh best, and he achieved that while averaging 8.7 air yards per attempt, third most in the NFL.

Weakness: While the offensive line, receivers and scheme undoubtedly play a role, the biggest factor affecting sack rate is the quarterback. Maye was brought down 47 times during the regular season, fourth most in the NFL, and his 8.8% sack rate ranked fifth worst. He also had a 1.8% fumble rate that ranked third worst. — Walder

Read more: High school stories of 13 Super Bowl stars, coachesMaye feels good about shoulder, threw at practiceDarnold says oblique ‘feels really good’

Biggest questions

How can Seattle get wide receiver Rashid Shaheed more involved in the pass game?

The Seahawks don’t necessarily have to get him more involved, but it certainly won’t hurt if he can do what he did early in the NFC Championship Game, when he got open behind the Rams’ defense for a 51-yard gain. Shaheed had been using his game-breaking speed to make an impact in other ways, most notably on special teams. He has three return touchdowns since his arrival in a midseason trade from the Saints.

But before the title game, his impact on the offense was mostly on short and intermediate throws. He also took some end arounds and pitches out of the backfield. There are only so many targets to go around in a run-heavy offense that features All-Pro receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba as the primary option in the passing game. But Shaheed has the speed to make a big play. — Henderson

Will the Patriots’ offensive line be able to keep Maye clean against Seattle’s pass rush?

Vrabel said the Seahawks are probably the NFL’s best team at executing stunts to create pressure. That has given the Patriots’ offensive line trouble at times this season. New England is the first team to start multiple rookies on the offensive line in a Super Bowl, per ESPN Research, and the Patriots will need first-round pick Will Campbell (left tackle) and third-round pick Jared Wilson (left guard) to play well beyond their years. It’s an immense challenge against a defense that has shown a knack for creating pressure with the standard four rushers. — Reiss

Key one-on-one matchup

Jaxon Smith-Njigba vs. Christian Gonzalez

While Smith-Njigba was primarily a slot receiver when he first joined the Seahawks, he is no longer limited. Across the regular season and playoffs, 24% of his routes and 20% of his targets have come from slot alignments. If the Patriots want to get Gonzalez matched up on Smith-Njigba, they won’t need to constantly travel him inside. Whether Gonzalez will travel with him at all is an interesting question, though.

In his first two seasons with the Patriots — when the defense played more man coverage — Gonzalez regularly followed the opponent’s best WR on the outside. This season, as the Patriots have run more zone and enjoyed a strong CB2 in Carlton Davis III, Gonzalez has primarily stayed to one side of the field, lining up as the right cornerback on 72% of snaps. I imagine we’ll see him travel with Smith-Njigba some, but it doesn’t need to be the linchpin of the Patriots’ game plan.

Expect to see Smith-Njigba sent in motion often — doubly so on the first few series. If Gonzalez is shadowing him, the Seahawks will motion Smith-Njigba into the slot to force nickel corner Marcus Jones to endure the one-on-one matchup. Jones is a great slot corner, but the Pats will need to dial up double-teams to handle Smith-Njigba if he suddenly becomes a true slot receiver in this game.

The lean in this matchup goes to Smith-Njigba. There’s a bright spot for New England, though: Gonzalez can’t single-handedly erase Smith-Njigba, but if he can hold his own at the line of scrimmage, he can force Darnold to take longer dropbacks and target other receivers. That would be a win for the Patriots’ defense. — Ben Solak, NFL analyst

Read more: Five key matchups to watch

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0:39

Who is Jerry Rice’s pick for Super Bowl LX?

Jerry Rice explains to Rich Eisen why he’s siding with the Seahawks over the Patriots in the Super Bowl.

Keys to a Seahawks win

Positional advantage: Secondary

This unit is built on speed and physicality. It played a league-high 815 snaps of nickel and allowed only 5.5 yards per attempt. The Seahawks can major in on Cover 2 to limit the vertical opportunities for Maye, while also mixing in man schemes to challenge the timing of New England’s passing game.

With cornerbacks Devon Witherspoon and Josh Jobe on the perimeter, plus rookie Nick Emmanwori playing as a low zone disruptor in the slot, the Seahawks can close throwing windows and create edges in the run game. And over the top, safeties Julian Love and Coby Bryant have the instincts to make plays downfield. — Matt Bowen, NFL analyst

Seahawks’ X factor: Rashid Shaheed, WR

Shaheed is the Seattle player most likely to produce a big play, either in the passing game or on special teams. He was always a good return player for the Saints, but he has kicked it into another gear after combining with Seattle’s strong blocking units. In 11 games with the Seahawks, including the postseason, Shaheed has returned one punt and two kickoffs for touchdowns.

Shaheed has not played as big of a role in the Seattle passing game as expected. He caught only 15 passes for 188 yards during the regular season with no touchdowns. But he’ll likely be covered by cornerback Carlton Davis III, who led New England with six defensive pass interference penalties in 2025. Aaron Schatz, NFL analyst

Rookie to watch: Nick Emmanwori, S

Emmanwori has quickly turned into one of the team’s best defensive players. He is a hybrid defender who primarily occupies the nickel position in Macdonald’s defense, but he’s capable of playing multiple roles. He has an intense wrap up and brings a lot of energy to the unit. Emmanwori was a limited participant in practice Wednesday and did not practice Thursday after an ankle injury, which could cause issues for Seattle if he’s not at 100%. — Jordan Reid, NFL draft analyst


Keys to a Patriots win

Positional advantage: Running backs

With two dual-threat backs in Rhamondre Stevenson and rookie TreVeyon Henderson, the Patriots must create an offensive tempo by running the ball, while also getting them to contribute in the pass game. Stevenson led the NFL with 2.8 yards after contact per rush, showing off his short-area speed and power. Henderson gives the Patriots more juice on the perimeter and big-play ability, as he had 18 rushes of 10 or more yards this season. With the zone coverage tendencies of the Seattle defense, Stevenson and Henderson can produce as underneath outlets for Maye. — Bowen

Patriots’ X factor: Marcus Jones, CB

You will mostly see Jones as the Patriots’ nickelback. That means he’ll spend a lot of time covering receiver Cooper Kupp. But he might have to cover Smith-Njigba, considering how the Seahawks will sometimes move JSN into the slot or the backfield to get him open. Jones had good coverage this season, although his coverage DVOA (defense-adjusted value over average) is closer to average after adjusting for the quality of the receivers.

When Jones gets active, however, he makes plenty of big plays. Jones led the Patriots with 23 defeats, a metric that combines turnovers, tackles for loss and plays to prevent a conversion on third or fourth down. He was one of five defensive backs to lead their teams in this metric. Jones had three fumble recoveries, one forced fumble and two interceptions (plus a third pick returned for a touchdown in the divisional round against Houston). He also had two sacks and four pressures as part of New England’s blitz packages.

Jones is also an X factor because of his impact on the kicking game. He was the second-team All-Pro punt returner this season with an average of 17.3 yards and two touchdowns. — Schatz

Rookie to watch: Will Campbell, OT

The rookie will have his hand’s full against a Seattle defense that brings pressure from many different areas instead of a straight four-man rush. Campbell, who was attributed seven sacks in the regular season, will be tasked with not just stopping a right-side defensive end, but also with keeping delayed pressures and blitzes off Maye. Campbell’s poise as a pass protector is what made him the top tackle drafted in 2025, but this will be the biggest test of his career. Campbell’s performance will be crucial to keep Maye and the offense moving. — Matt Miller, NFL draft analyst

ESPN’s FPI has the Seahawks winning 59.6% of the simulations — and they are favored to win by an average of 3.6 points.

This matchup is a showdown between two top-10 teams in FPI: the No. 1 Seahawks (7.0) and the No. 10 Patriots (2.6). The Patriots are ninth on offense and the Seahawks rank 11th. On defense, Seattle ranks first and New England is 11th.

In the preseason, the Seahawks had the 21st-best chance to make the Super Bowl (2.6%) and the Patriots had the 25th-best odds (2%). Seattle was given a 1.1% chance to win it, while New England was at 0.9%.

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1:22

What Marcus Spears loves about Super Bowl LX matchup

Marcus Spears joins Rich Eisen and details what he finds cool about the Super Bowl matchup between the Patriots and Seahawks.

Who wins the game?

Of the 58 experts who weighed in, the Seahawks were favored by 48 of them (82.8%), while the Patriots claimed 10 votes (17.2%). The most common score prediction was 27-17 (picked by four of our experts).

Read more: ESPN staff predictions

Of the 58 experts who weighed in, 23 (39.7%) picked Darnold to win Super Bowl MVP. Darnold (+115), Maye (+240) and Smith-Njigba (+550) are the favorites, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. We asked a few experts to explain their MVP prediction.

Jason Reid, Andscape senior writer: Darnold. He is on quite the run. He was efficient in the Seahawks’ 41-6 rout of the 49ers in the divisional round, and he played the best game of his career in a 31-27 victory over the Rams in the NFC Championship Game. Darnold has never been more settled in the pocket. On Sunday, that will be clear again.

Liz Loza, fantasy and betting analyst: Darnold. Since I’m taking Seattle to win outright, it makes sense to fold in Darnold as the MVP. The Super Bowl winners’ QB has been named MVP in 34 of 59 Super Bowls, including seven of the past nine.

Todd Archer, Cowboys reporter: Maye. Maybe there’s something wrong with his right shoulder, but the Patriots will not have to worry about the elements like they did against Houston and Denver. Maye will come up with the big plays late in the game and bring home a seventh Lombardi Trophy.

Eric Moody, fantasy and betting analyst: Smith-Njigba. He was the engine of the Seahawks offense all season, finishing with 119 catches for 1,793 yards and earning first-team All-Pro honors. He further proved himself against Los Angeles with 10 catches, 153 yards and a touchdown. If JSN sees similar target volume on football’s biggest stage, he’ll be well-positioned to emerge as the MVP.

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1:45

Mark Schlereth’s Super Bowl MVP prediction

Mark Schlereth joins Rich Eisen to give his predictions for the Super Bowl LX winner, score and MVP.

Matt Miller, NFL draft analyst: Smith-Njigba. He has been a matchup nightmare for every team throughout the 2025 season and the playoffs. As great as the Patriots’ defense has been, his ability to uncover himself as a route runner and Darnold’s short-area accuracy/timing should add up to a big night for the All-Pro wide receiver.

Ben Solak, NFL analyst: Shaheed. I expect a low scoring game overall, which means that one game-changing touchdown might warrant the MVP award. Shaheed has the ability to score in all three phases: receiving, returning and even on a handoff. He’s the fun long shot bet that might actually pay out.

Read More: Experts predict Seahawks-Patriots score, MVPCan a defender SB MVP win for first time in a decade?

Stats and trends to know

Team stats: Seahawks | Patriots

Seahawks

  • Seattle has won nine straight games, including the playoffs, which is the longest active streak in the NFL and the second longest in franchise history (11 in 2005).

  • Darnold is 0-4 in his career versus the Patriots, the second-most losses without a win by a quarterback in their career against an opponent entering a Super Bowl matchup.

  • Including the playoffs, Smith-Njigba is seeking his 11th game with at least 100 receiving yards. If he reaches the mark, he will tie for the third most in a season in NFL history.

  • Defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence recorded a sack and forced fumble in both Seahawks’ wins this postseason. If he does so again in the Super Bowl, he will be first player this century to do so.

  • The Seahawks are the first team to lead the NFL in scoring defense in the regular season and make it to the Super Bowl since the 2016 Patriots. Teams that led the NFL in scoring defense in the regular season are 14-4 in the Super Bowl.


Patriots

  • New England has averaged 18.0 points this postseason, fourth fewest by any team entering the Super Bowl all time and the fewest since the 1979 Rams (15.0, lost 31-19 in XIV).

  • The Patriots are the first team since the 1970 merger to defeat three of the top five teams in total defenses (yards per game) en route to their Super Bowl appearance (Chargers were fifth, Texans were first and Broncos were second).

  • Including the playoffs, New England has led at halftime in 17 of 20 games this season, tied with the 1984 49ers for the most such leads in a season in the Super Bowl era (since 1966).

  • Maye has had 129 rushing yards on scrambles during the playoffs, which is the fourth most by any QB in a single postseason in the past 20 years.

  • Including the playoffs, the Patriots have a 12-0 record (14.5 PPG allowed) in games that Christian Gonzalez and Milton Williams play this season.

Read more: Seahawks and Patriots records, stats, factsSuper Bowl records, stats, factsHow Patriots’ investment in Milton Williams has paid off

Bold stat line predictions

Shaheed finishes with 100-plus all-purpose yards and scores a touchdown. He delivered a punt return touchdown in Week 16, a kickoff return TD in the divisional round and a 51-yard catch in the NFC Championship Game, showcasing his game-breaking upside. With Smith-Njigba drawing constant double teams, this could be a great opportunity to unleash Shaheed on offense. — Eric Moody, fantasy and betting analyst

Smith-Njigba goes well over 100 yards. I’m predicting he’ll catch 14 passes for 186 yards and three touchdowns to run away with the Super Bowl MVP award. He’ll get to leave Santa Clara as the unquestioned best WR in football. — Mike Tannenbaum, NFL analyst

Kenneth Walker III posts 150-plus yards from scrimmage. Walker has averaged over 120 yards from scrimmage in his past five games (including the playoffs), and he was in a committee the bulk of that time. Zach Charbonnet‘s torn ACL means Walker projects to be the go-to RB on Sunday. Walker will have two things working in his favor: an elite WR in JSN, who demands high levels of defensive attention and a QB in Darnold, who opens things up by being one of the best in play-action. — Stephania Bell, fantasy and injury analyst

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2:06

Stephen A.: The Seahawks are a great story

Stephen A. Smith explains why the Seahawks are on a more impressive Super Bowl run than the Patriots.

Maye throws for 300 yards and multiple touchdowns. He had a remarkable regular season, but he has had moderate production this postseason against three top-five defenses from the regular season — with yet another enormous challenge in the Seahawks. A stat-stuffing game doesn’t seem likely on paper, but the second-youngest quarterback to start a Super Bowl has uncommon poise and the talent to step up in a major way. — Field Yates, NFL analyst

Who is in, and who is out?

Injury reports: Seahawks | Patriots

There’s no question about Darnold’s availability for the Super Bowl. But the left oblique injury he has played through in both of Seattle’s playoff games has remained something he has had to manage. The Seahawks have listed the quarterback as a limited participant on all seven of the injury reports they’ve released since Darnold was hurt on Jan. 15. But then again, he didn’t look bothered by it while throwing three touchdown passes in the NFC Championship Game. “It feels great,” Darnold said of his oblique Monday.

Other injury situations of note are with fullbacks Brady Russell (hand) and Robbie Ouzts (neck), who were limited last week and given an initial designation of questionable for the Super Bowl. Russell is Seattle’s de facto special teams captain. And Emmanwori hurt an ankle while defending a pass late in practice Wednesday afternoon, and he did not practice Thursday. — Henderson

Maye’s right shoulder limited him at the team’s first practice leading into the Super Bowl on Jan. 29 and then an illness kept him off the practice field the following day. So while Maye has said he’s playing in the game, it is unclear how much he will be affected by the shoulder and having his regular routine altered.

Starting linebacker/defensive signal-caller Robert Spillane (ankle) and veteran edge rusher Harold Landry III (knee) are the others whose status was uncertain when the team arrived in the Bay Area. — Reiss

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2:35

Stephen A. calls out Woody’s take on Pats’ path to Super Bowl

Stephen A. Smith gets fired up after hearing Damien Woody’s take that the Patriots had a harder path to Super Bowl LX than the Seahawks did.

What to know about the officiating

In naming Shawn Smith its Super Bowl referee, the NFL broke its recent pattern of utilizing a small group of rotating officials to caretake its most important game. Carl Cheffers, Bill Vinovich and Ronald Torbert each refereed two of the past six Super Bowls.

Smith has been a strong performer for a while, based on merit-based playoff assignments in each of the past five seasons. But his relatively quick rise — the NFL hired him as an umpire in 2015 and promoted him to referee in 2018 — makes him one of the least experienced Super Bowl referees in recent memory. Smith will have a strong support group, most notably umpire Roy Ellison and side judge Eugene Hall, each of whom have worked three Super Bowls. — Kevin Seifert, Vikings reporter and officiating analyst

What happened the last time these two teams met in the Super Bowl?

It’s a game forever etched in the memories — or nightmares — of Patriots and Seahawks fans. Seattle was 26 seconds and one touchdown away from hoisting back-to-back Lombardi trophies until quarterback Russell Wilson took the snap at the 1-yard line and threw to Ricardo Lockette on his right, only to watch rookie cornerback Malcolm Butler intercept the pass at the goal line.

More stunning than Butler’s interception was Seahawks coach Pete Carroll’s decision for Wilson to not hand the ball off to running back Marshawn Lynch, who powered the offense that season behind 1,306 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns. The Patriots entered the fourth quarter trailing by 10 points before quarterback Tom Brady led consecutive touchdown drives to take the lead and earn his fourth title. Lindsey Thiry, national NFL reporter

How to bet Super Bowl LX

Current line from DraftKings Sportsbook: Seahawks -4.5, O/U 45.5

This is one of the most improbable Super Bowls — the first since at least 1977 when both teams entered the season at 60-1 to win. But one team has a clear advantage in the eyes of the sportsbooks.

The Seahawks opened as 3.5-point favorites and quickly moved to 4.5-point favorites. Seattle is the biggest Super Bowl favorite since the 2021 Rams (-4.5), but big favorites have not been immune to getting upset. The past seven teams favored by at least 4 points in the Super Bowl all failed to cover the spread, with five of the seven losing outright.

The underdog has won each of the past three Super Bowls and has covered in each of the past five. This is all welcomed news for the Patriots, who are embracing the “road warrior” mentality in Santa Clara. AFC teams are also 8-3 ATS in the past 11 Super Bowls.

Best bet: Patriots +4.5

Darnold’s splits are stark. When kept clean, he’s efficient and dangerous. But when under pressure, his completion rate drops to 50% and his yards per attempt falls to 6.4. New England blitzes often and limits explosive passes, which forces Darnold into the exact environment where his efficiency collapses. Combine that with the Patriots’ willingness to absorb sacks, lean on Stevenson and bleed the clock, and you get a game that stays tight by design. Seattle can win, but New England and the points make sense. — Pamela Maldonado, betting analyst

Read more: Sixty bets for Super Bowl 60Bettors raising stakes on what Super Bowl announcers saySuper Bowl betting buzzWhat to know when betting on Super Bowl LX

Who is playing the halftime show?

Bad Bunny will perform at the halftime show. He is a six-time Grammy award-winning artist and a 17-time Latin Grammy Awards winner. At the 68th Grammy Awards, he won Album of the Year for “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS.”

Some of Bad Bunny’s most popular songs include “Dákiti,” “Titi Me Preguntó” and “Me Porto Bonito.” He also has song collaborations with Cardi B and J. Balvin (“I Like It”) and Drake (“Mia”).

Read more: Why the NFL stood by Bad BunnyHow Up with People paved a Super Bowl path for Bad BunnyHispanic icons who owned Super Bowl halftimeBad Bunny to headline Super Bowl LX halftime show

Super Bowl FAQs

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1:15

Stephen A.: Drake Maye’s mobility ‘problematic’ for Seahawks

Stephen A. Smith says the Seahawks should plan around Drake Maye’s abilities as a dual threat.


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