In a whirlwind season that has contained ups and downs for the entire NFL, only two teams are left standing. The New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks will face off on Sunday Feb. 11 for the Lombardi trophy, 4,019 days since they faced off in Super Bowl XLIX and Malcolm Butler’s infamous game-sealing interception. Here’s how each team got to this point, and how they can come away with the championship at Levi’s stadium on Sunday night.

New England Patriots: 14-3 1st in AFC East

The Patriots are back and maybe better than they were the last time they were in the big game. Former Patriots linebacker Mike Vrabel took over the head coaching gig last offseason and his team-first philosophy has worked wonders throughout New England, often mirroring Bill Belichick’s famous “Patriot Way”.

Drake Maye has been the revelation of the season so far. In his sophomore season in the NFL, Maye has positioned himself as the face of a new Patriots era without Tom Brady. Maye has led the league’s most efficient offense this season alongside veterans Stefon Diggs and Hunter Henry. Maye is the ninth second-year quarterback to reach the super bowl and could become the first to win the Lombardi since Seattle’s Russell Wilson won it in 2014.

The Patriots also boast a top-10 defensive unit in the league. Led by veterans Robert Spillane and Marcus Jones, the Patriots are among the league’s best at stopping the run game, which could be the difference-maker against Seattle. 

What does New England need to do in order to win?

In order to win the Lombardi in Santa Clara, the Patriots need to win ugly, something that they’ve been able to do this entire postseason. In the divisional and AFC championship games, they’ve braved the snowy elements and won courtesy of their stifling defense. New England needs to force multiple turnovers in order to beat Seattle.

Drake Maye also needs to rise to the occasion. Also known by his nickname “Drake Maye,” the Patriots quarterback needs to play better than he did in the AFC Championship against the Broncos. In that game, Denver was able to stifle Maye and the Patriots offense, only allowing 10 points. New England will need at least 30 points against the Seahawks if they want to take home the trophy.

On the defensive end, the New England unit must make Sam Darnold uncomfortable. In order to do that, they’ll need to continue their recent trend of blitzing often, something that they’ve increased to a 38.9% rate in the postseason. Veteran EDGE rusher Harold Landry and defensive tackle Christian Barmore will need to get to Darnold if the Patriots want to keep this game close.

Seattle Seahawks 14-3 1st in NFC West

In an extremely competitive NFC West division that occupied almost half of the playoff spots in the NFC, the Seahawks emerged victorious. During the postseason, the Seahawks dominated the 49ers 41-6 and beat the Rams 31-27 in a thriller. Sam Darnold has been an absolute game-changer for Seattle while showing his 2024 season wasn’t a fluke. Along with Darnold, Jaxon Smith-Njigba has been one of the best receivers in the league, racking up 1,703 receiving yards to go along with 10 touchdowns. 

In a season that was supposed to be a retooling year for Seattle, they’ve thrived. Mike MacDonald’s crew has racked up 14 wins on their way to their first division title since 2020. After letting Geno Smith go to the Raiders, many expected them to be a middle of the pack team in the NFC, but they’ve completely shattered the ceiling that people placed on them, and now they’re in the Super Bowl

What do the Seahawks need to do to win?

The Seahawks just need to play their normal game to beat New England. In a game where they are heavily favored, all the Seahawks need to do is not get blinded by the bright lights of Levi’s Stadium.

Sam Darnold cannot turn the ball over in this one. Darnold leads the league in fumbles lost and he cannot afford to fumble on the biggest stage. If Darnold can find Smith-Njigba early and often, Seattle should have no problem winning their second Super Bowl in franchise history.

Defensively, Seattle needs to contain Drake Maye. The breakout star of the season is able to take over a game at a second’s notice. Maye’s elite scrambling and improvising ability could prove to be a reason New England could pull off the upset. The Seahawks also need to contain the run game. Led by rookie Treyveon Henderson, New England possesses a potent run game, one that the Seahawks wish to avoid. 

Prediction: Seahawks win 35-17

Seattle’s high octane offense will be hard for the Patriots to stop. Sam Darnold will finally exercise his demons from his time in New York and Minnesota, and he will become the first quarterback from the 2018 draft class (one that included Baker Mayfield, Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson), to win the big game. Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Kenneth Walker III will find the end zone and the Seahawks will take home the Lombardi Trophy.