Confetti fell in Denver after the AFC title game and in Seattle following the NFC final, setting up Super Bowl LX: the AFC’s No. 2 New England Patriots against the NFC’s top-seeded Seattle Seahawks. When they meet at Levi’s Stadium on Feb. 8, CBS Sports Research notes it will be the first Super Bowl in NFL history in which both starting quarterbacks (Drake Maye for New England and Sam Darnold for Seattle) and both head coaches (Mike Vrabel and Mike McDonald) are in just their first or second seasons with their teams. Maye vs. Darnold is only the third Super Bowl in the past 40 years to feature starting QBs who entered the season without a playoff win, joining the matchups of Kurt Warner vs. Steve McNair (1999) and Matthew Stafford vs. Joe Burrow (2021).
The Patriots are making a record 12th Super Bowl trip and are the first team to reach the title game after a regular season of 13-plus losses (New England was 4–13 in 2024). The Seahawks return to the Super Bowl for the fourth time and for the first time since their 2014 meeting with New England in Super Bowl XLIX.
New England rebuilt aggressively in the offseason, adding wide receiver Stefon Diggs, cornerback Carlton Davis, defensive lineman Milton Williams and edge rusher Harold Landry, and using the No. 4 overall pick to select offensive tackle Will Campbell. Those moves helped the Patriots reach the big game six seasons after Tom Brady’s departure. Seattle also retooled: the Seahawks swapped Geno Smith for Sam Darnold at QB, elevated Jackson Smith-Njiba into the WR1 role after trading DK Metcalf to Pittsburgh, and signed pass rusher DeMarcus Lawrence and former Super Bowl MVP wideout Cooper Kupp — changes that pushed Seattle back to title contention.
Game details: Sunday, Feb. 8 at 6:30 p.m. ET, Levi’s Stadium (Santa Clara, Calif.) — broadcast on NBC and streaming via Fubo (free trial); follow coverage on the CBS Sports app. Betting lines from DraftKings list Seattle as a 4.5-point favorite with an over/under of 46.5.
Defense has been a defining theme of the 2025 season. Seattle finished with the NFL’s top scoring defense (17.2 points allowed per game), while New England was fourth-best, conceding 18.8 points per game. The Patriots ranked eighth in total defense (295.2 yards allowed per game), and the Seahawks combined a strong pass rush (47 sacks, tied for seventh) with tight coverage (77.9 passer rating allowed, tied for seventh).
Seattle’s defense presents matchup problems for Maye, New England’s 2025 second-team All-Pro, particularly up front. Maye set an odd postseason mark by being sacked at least five times in each of three playoff games. If New England’s offensive line is breached, Seattle has the personnel to capitalize: 2025 All-Pro second-team defensive tackle Leonard Williams, Pro Bowl edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence, All-Pro second-team linebacker Ernest Jones and All-Pro second-team cornerback Devon Witherspoon. Rookie left tackle Will Campbell — the No. 4 pick in 2025 — has struggled in the postseason, allowing three sacks and nine quarterback pressures, the most of any lineman in these playoffs.
Darnold, who had a turnover-heavy regular season (20 giveaways), has been mistake-free in the postseason so far, combining for 470 yards, four touchdowns and a 69.8% completion rate (37 of 53) across Seattle’s divisional and conference title wins. Jackson Smith-Njiba, the 2025 receiving leader with 1,793 yards, is a major weapon for Seattle, but he’ll likely draw tight coverage from Patriots Pro Bowl corner Christian Gonzalez.
Early analysis points out how unusual New England’s playoff run has been: Maye won three straight postseason games despite being sacked five times in each, a feat only previously recorded by Tony Eason (1986) and Craig Krenzel (2004) since the 1970 merger. Overcoming that kind of pressure to win a fourth straight would be historic, but the projection here favors Seattle’s top-ranked scoring defense. Early pick: Seahawks 27, Patriots 13 (Seattle -4.5, Under 46.5).
Fan Take: This matchup matters because it highlights a changing NFL landscape where rapid roster turnover and bold offseason moves can vault teams to the Super Bowl quickly — it’s a reminder that rebuilding can be fast and dramatic. For fans, the game could signal whether dominant defenses still set the tone for championships or if evolving offenses and young QBs will trend toward future title contenders.
