2026 Super Bowl: Here’s why the New England Patriots will win
The New England Patriots have a chance to make history on Sunday as they will aim for a record seventh Super Bowl title when they face the Seattle Seahawks.
The Patriots are 4.5-point underdogs, but the franchise is filled with big game experience, including a victory over Seattle in Super Bowl 49.
Here’s three reasons why the New England Patriots will win Super Bowl 60.
Make sure to check out Sports Interaction’s Super Bowl odds and our printable party props sheet for Super Bowl 60.
Defence, defence, defence
New England had a top-10 defence in the regular season, but they’ve reached a whole new level in the playoffs. The Patriots have have average the fewest total yards allowed, the fewest rushing yards allowed and the third-fewest passing yards allowed. They’ve given up only 26 total points in three playoff games and their 12 sacks is nine more than Seattle has accumulated in two games.
New England has been aggressive, forcing eight turnovers and allowing only two touchdowns in three playoff victories over the Chargers, Texans and Broncos. They’re holding opponents to just 8.7 points per game and 3.3 yards per play. Head coach Mike Vrabel, a key defensive player in three Patriots Super Bowl teams, has this unit humming.
Championship pedigree
The glory years of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick are over, but the championship pedigree they brought to this organization remains. This is New England’s 11th Super Bowl appearance since Robert Kraft bought the team in 1994, so you can be sure absolutely everything is figured out in terms of travel, preparation, logistics, down-time, etc. Even knowing how to help players adjust to a longer halftime is crucial in a game that can be decided by one mistake.
And not to shade Seattle head coach Mike Macdonald, but it’s his second year as an NFL head coach and his first in the playoffs. This is Vrabel’s seventh season as an NFL head coach and his fourth time in the playoffs, not to mention the three Super Bowls he won as a player.
Even Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is a veteran of the big game. This will be McDaniel’s eighth Super Bowl appearance and he was part of New England’s six championship teams.
The Pats also boast five players with Super Bowl experience in Carlton Davis, Christian Ellis, Mack Hollins, Austin Hooper and Milton Williams. That compares to just two Seahawks players with Super Bowl experience as Cooper Kupp and Ernest Jones won a few years ago with the Rams.
Drake Maye
Drake Maye hasn’t had great numbers in the playoffs, but weather has impacted two games and that simply won’t happen on Sunday. This is still the franchise quarterback who will either win or finish as runner-up for regular season MVP after throwing for 4,394 yards and 31 TDs this year.
Maye absolutely launches the ball. He averaged a league-high 8.9 yards per attempt in the regular season and his eight interceptions made him one of the safest passers among starting quarterbacks.
