Every NFL season has one goal: reaching the Super Bowl. This year, Super Bowl LX brings together two teams that took very different paths but arrived at the same destination — the biggest stage in American sports. Set to be played at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, Super Bowl LX is not just another championship game. It marks the 60th Super Bowl in NFL history, making it a major milestone for the league.
What Experts Expected Going Into the Season
At the start of the 2025–26 NFL season, most analysts did not predict a Patriots-Seahawks Super Bowl. Preseason odds heavily favored teams such as the Chiefs, Eagles, and Bills rather than New England or Seattle. However, as the season progressed and playoff teams were decided, experts began to recognize how strong both squads had become. Super Bowl odds show this matchup as one of the most unlikely based on preseason forecasts.
In the lead-up to the big game, analysts highlighted Seattle’s tough defense and explosive offense, ranking among the league’s best, while the Patriots drew praise for their disciplined play down the stretch.
The New England Patriots
The New England Patriots’ path to Super Bowl LX is one of the most remarkable turnarounds of the season. Just one year earlier, the Patriots finished with only four wins, but in 2025 they surged to a 14–3 regular-season record under first-year head coach Mike Vrabel. Led by quarterback Drake Maye, the team captured the AFC East title and earned home-field advantage deep into the playoffs.
In the AFC Championship Game, the Patriots battled the Denver Broncos in cold, snowy conditions and won 10–7, sealing their Super Bowl spot in a tight defensive struggle. The victory marked their 12th Super Bowl appearance, the most in NFL history, and their first since the end of the Brady-Belichick era.
New England’s season is widely regarded as one of the biggest turnarounds in league lore, especially after consecutive 4–13 seasons. Their strong defense and balanced offense carried them deep into the postseason.
The Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks also put together a stellar campaign, matching the Patriots’ 14–3 record in the regular season. Led by quarterback Sam Darnold, Seattle blended an aggressive defensive unit with an efficient offense. On top of this, key players such as Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Devon Witherspoon pushed Seattle deep into the playoffs.
In the NFC Championship Game, the Seahawks beat the Los Angeles Rams 31–27, with Darnold throwing for over 340 yards and three touchdowns. This performance continued a thrilling playoff run and punched Seattle’s ticket to the Super Bowl, their fourth in franchise history.
Seattle’s journey was especially satisfying for fans after the team’s heartbreaking loss to New England in Super Bowl XLIX (a notorious game decided by a last-minute goal-line interception).
Which side will win?
Both teams have battled hard to get to the Super Bowl, however, there can only be one winner. Odds and expert analysis give the Seahawks the slight edge, but what are students at the Law Magnet thinking?
“I have the Seahawks winning this one but New England could keep it close. It is very hard to bet against this elite Seahawks defense, which is complemented by this offense with JSN, who is the best receiver in the league this year. A big part of this game will be if Sam Darnold and the Seahawks can take care of the football as he led the league in turnovers this season, and the Patriots have been great this playoffs at forcing turnovers, 8 total. Drake Maye this postseason has been lackluster and their offense has been averaging maybe 16 points a game. With their defensive matchup I don’t see him doing that much. Seahawks 27-10” -Anurag Mittal
“I think the Seahawks are gonna win because of their defense. This will prolly be a very defensive game with Sam Darnold not having this kind of pressure before. Unless of course the game is rigged for Drake “mvp” Maye to win it all and restart the Patriots franchise. But everytime a pope was elected the Seahawks won so lets see if that pattern continues” -Kranthi Peri
“I think the Patriots are gonna win the Super Bowl, albeit it will be a close game. In the last two playoff games Darke Maye has played in snow games and people expect him to throw for 300-400 yards in these tough conditions. On top of that all the teams the Patriots played thus far are top 10 defense. The Patriots are headed to San Francisco in good weather and against yet another top ten defense.. Drake Maye also leads the NFL in short pass completion rates, which the Seahawks aren’t as well as covering. Therefore I believe this game will be a defensive masterclass with the Pats winning 23-19” -Aaron Koppulu
Aditya • Feb 6, 2026 at 11:46 am
I feel like it should’ve been mentioned that the Patriots had a really easy schedule to make the playoffs. I get the playoffs themselves were an uphill climb but the journey to get there was a cakewalk. Seattle’s defense is gonna cause trouble for that pats offense. Gimme the Seahawks to win.