Super Bowl LX: Four Bold Predictions for Seahawks-Patriots Showdown

Drake Maye will make his Super Bowl debut against the Seahawks. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

We’ve finally reached the curtain call of the 2025 NFL season, as the Seahawks and Patriots will send the campaign off on Sunday night during Super Bowl LX. Neither Seattle nor New England were anticipated to be true Super Bowl contenders heading into the year, yet both teams defied the odds in order to make a run to the championship game.

Sunday’s showdown will be a rematch of Super Bowl XLIX, when the Patriots defeated the Seahawks, 28–24. That game, and particularly Seattle’s final offensive play––an interception in the end zone of Russell Wilson by Malcolm Butler—lives on in infamy among the fan base. The Seahawks haven’t been back to the Super Bowl since, and they’ll finally have the chance to erase that memory from their brains on Sunday. Historically, the Seahawks are 1–2 in the Super Bowl in franchise history, while the Patriots have six wins in 11 trips.

Both teams won 14 games in the regular season. The Seahawks had the NFL’s third-highest scoring offense (28.4 PPG). The team directly above them on that list? The Patriots, of course, who averaged 28.8 points. Defensively, these two teams were also at the top of the league. Seattle surrendered a league-best 17.2 points per game in the regular season, just ahead of New England who ranked fourth at 18.8 points allowed per game. Although the Seahawks enter play as narrow favorites over the Patriots, this game has all the makings of a close one.

Let’s make some bold predictions for Super Bowl LX.

Kenneth Walker III will score two rushing touchdowns

Kenneth Walker III will have a big workload in Super Bowl LX | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

With Zach Charbonnet sidelined by an ACL injury, the running game falls squarely on the shoulders of Walker. The 25-year-old has been on a tear of late, with four touchdowns in his last two games. He’s toted the ball 19 times in each of those contests, and should see a similar workload on Sunday. I think he’ll have his number called when Seattle gets into the red zone, and he will force his way into the end zone more than once.

Walker was limited to just five touchdowns in the regular season, with Charbonnet absorbing most of the goal line work. Now that he’s not sharing the backfield, it should be Walker’s time to shine as a three-down back against the Patriots. –– Karl Rasmussen

Rashid Shaheed scores first punt return touchdown in Super Bowl history

Rashid Shaheed is a threat in the return game. | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

The Super Bowl has seen all types of scores from blocked field goals returned for touchdowns to kickoff returns and pick sixes—but there has never been a punt return touchdown in the Super Bowl. 

Until Super Bowl LX. 

Look for Seahawks midseason addition Rashid Shaheed to make a splash in the Super Bowl by returning a punt for a touchdown. Shaheed is one of the most explosive return threats in the NFL, and has returned two kicks and one punt for touchdowns this season, including the playoffs. He most recently returned a kickoff for a touchdown in the Seahawks’ divisional round win over the 49ers. In the Super Bowl, count on him to take a punt all the way back to the end zone. –– Eva Geitheim

Patriots defense will sack Sam Darnold three-plus times and force him into two turnovers

Sam Darnold will make his first Super Bowl appearance on Sunday. | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

Understanding that Darnold has been incredible not only throughout this postseason but also the majority of the past two years, it’s hard not to think there’s a chance the former No. 3 pick—and draft bust—could turn into a pumpkin in this one.

Despite completing a career-high 67.7% of his passes while throwing for 4,048 yards and 25 touchdowns this season, Darnold also led the NFL in turnovers with 20 (14 interceptions, 6 fumbles)—and the Patriots? They’ve wreaked havoc on opposing quarterbacks this postseason, forcing passers into seven turnovers in three games while sacking them 12 times.

This one’s a mismatch made in heaven for the Patriots, which is why I’m predicting them to both sack Darnold three times and force him into two total turnovers. –– Mike Kadlick

Drake Maye won’t throw for a touchdown, but will get into the end zone with his legs

Drake Maye didn’t throw a passing touchdown in the Patriots’ 10–7 win vs. the Broncos in the AFC championship. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Maye’s versatility as both a passer and runner will be important for the Patriots on Sunday. New England’s lone touchdown in the AFC championship came via a short rush from Maye, and he may need to be even more willing to make plays with his legs if the Patriots’ receivers struggle to create separation from Seattle’s stalwart secondary. He had four rushing touchdowns in the regular season and one in the playoffs. Of the four games in which he’s gotten into the end zone with his legs, he was held without a passing touchdown in two of them.

Maye hasn’t been at his best during the Patriots’ playoff run, and I think he’ll continue to experience some struggles through the air against the Seahawks. Although his shoulder injury isn’t expected to impact him too significantly, I’m expecting Maye to be held without a passing touchdown for the second game in a row, though, I think he’ll still make a big impact and get into the end zone with a rushing touchdown. –– Karl Rasmussen

Final Score Predictions:

24–17, Seahawks – Geitheim
20–17, Patriots – Kadlick
20–13, Seahawks -- Rasmussen

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