Here’s Why the Seattle Seahawks Will Win Super Bowl LX

PHOTO: ADOBE STOCK

It’s a compelling confrontation littered with history and intrigue — as Super Bowls invariably are — but once the ball finally gets kicked off on Sunday night at Levi’s Stadium in California, Super Bowl LX isn’t going to be much of a game.

The Seattle Seahawks will see to that.

They’re the favorites for a reason; they’re the better team, and they’re about to put a potential resumption of a New England Patriots dynasty on hold. The reason— more than any other — is defense.

Seattle’s defense was the best in the NFL this season, at 17.2 points per game against. Starting quarterbacks are 6-15 against such defenses when they reach the final game of the season, the one with the Roman numerals attached.

Quarterbacks in their first or second season are also 0-5 in the postseason against a No. 1 scoring defense since 1950.

That’s what Patriots second-year QB Drake Maye is going to be up against. It turns out defense really does win championships — way more often than not, at least.
The Patriots play a little defense, too. Their 8.7 points per game against, eight takeaways and 12 sacks are all postseason-leading figures.

But the Pats’ defensive stats should come with an asterisk attached.

Their path to Santa Clara included the Chargers, whose offensive line had been decimated by injury long before that first-round matchup.

Next up were the Texans and quarterback C.J. Stroud, who had started turning the ball over the previous week against the Steelers and never stopped. Finally, New England was gifted Denver backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham in the AFC Championship. (He was about as overmatched by and ill-prepared for what he was about to receive as Stroud had been).

That continued what, for New England, has been a path of least resistance all season.

The Pats’ 4-13 showing in 2024 bequeathed a last-place schedule in 2025 ,and New England took full advantage. The Patriots wound up beating one team that finished with a winning record, the Bills — an AFC East division rival that also beat New England — all season.

That’s nothing the Patriots ought to apologize for; you play the team the league tells you to play, when the league tells you to play them. On the flip side, the Seahawks beat six such teams, including the Rams, who are, for my money, were the best team in the NFL in 2025. Seattle beat Los Angeles again — for the second time in three tries — in the NFC Championship Game.

Better defense? Check.

Tougher regular-season schedule? Check.

More challenging postseason to be navigated on the way to the Super Bowl? Check.

You really don’t need to dig a whole lot deeper than that.

All the Seahawks really need to do on Sunday is to remember not to lose their minds again and attempt a pass on second-and-goal from the Patriots’ 1-yard line down four with 26 seconds remaining, as Seattle did in Super Bowl XLIX.

Chances are it won’t be that close this time, and it won’t come down to another such critical decision. In the event it is and it does, run to Lombardi. Then throw down some salmon and cue the Pearl Jam music.

My prediction: Seattle 27, New England 13.