dailynewsnblog
Fans are starting to arrive at Levi’s Stadium ahead of the showpiece event
David will be here shortly. In the meantime, here are our writers’ score predictions:
The final score will be …
Seahawks 27-24 Patriots. The best unit on the field is Seattle’s defense. After that, everything else feels like a wash. The Seahawks pass-rush is relentless and runs deep; they had six different players record at least 35 pressures this year, while no other team had more than four such players. The Patriots’ offensive line is vulnerable – and pass rushers typically decide championship games. It’s going to take a special performance from Maye (and maybe a trick play to rob a possession) to keep the Patriots in it. Oliver Connolly
Seahawks. By a lot. The Seahawks are a top-to-bottom juggernaut that can beat you so many ways. New England’s high blitz-rate success has gotten them this far, but Seattle can beat them so many ways. Quarterback protection? Check. Staunch run game? Check. High-octane passing attack? Check. Seattle’s offense is essentially quarterback proof, especially when your quarterback can compartmentalize his rags-to-riches story. Meanwhile, New England’s offense is not quite quarterback-proof, and Maye’s miscues will hurt the Patriots much more than in their three previous matchups. It’s easy to envision Maye forcing poor throws once blinded by Seattle’s defense, and Vrabel and McDaniels getting too cutesy once down a couple of scores. Melissa Jacobs
Seahawks 27-17 Patriots. Darnold settles down and plays yet another clean playoff game on the way to claiming MVP honors and cementing the signature win of his career at last, in a redemption story that gives critics more reason to pile on the Jets for holding up his progress. Mike Macdonald makes coaching defense sexy again and the loss of Kubiak – reportedly bound for Las Vegas after this game – begins the talent raid on the Seattle coaching staff. The Patriots put up a valiant fight, but Maye’s arm proves too weak in the end – but the loss just sets them up for an epic revenge tour that ends with right back in this same spot next year. Andrew Lawrence
Seahawks 17-27 Patriots. Gonzalez wins the matchup with Smith-Njigba, shrinking the options for Darnold, who regresses for all the world to see. It’s not because Darnold isn’t good: he’s an excellent quarterback and a wonderful story, and I’m happy for him, really. He’s just about to face an upstart coaching staff that has the gameplan and the pieces to make Darnold uncomfortable, frustrated and mistake prone. Maye will have just enough to get in the endzone twice, and will be helped by an interception by Gonzalez that he takes to the house. That means we have to see more of postgame Robert Kraft amid the red, white and blue confetti. Yuck. David Lengel
Seahawks 31-32 Patriots. The rise of a team written off in August as 70-1 rank outsiders is a heartwarming tale often lost in a sport dominated by extreme wealth, statistics and hot takes. Yes, their schedule was “easy” – and they even lost to the Raiders – yet here we are. No team with preseason odds longer than 40-1 have won the Super Bowl since Tom Brady’s legendary first win in the 2001 season. Coincidence? Graham Searles
