Patriots and Seahawks rapid rises set up intriguing Super Bowl
Mike Vrabel is odds on for NFL Coach of the Year
Expectations Entering the 2025 Season for the Patriots and Seahawks
You kind of thought with the hiring of Mike Vrabel and the development of Drake Maye the New England Patriots would be better in 2025.
Just not this much better.
And after just missing the playoffs in 2024 the Seattle Seahawks looked like they might be looking to re-tool in 2025 with a totally new look on offense.
Instead they’re heading to the Super Bowl to face the Patriots Sunday in Santa Clara.
A Rare Super Bowl Scenario
This marks the first Super Bowl since Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2003 when New England played Carolina that both teams missed the playoffs the year before.
In the 2002 the Patriots, at 9-7, actually finished tied for first in the AFC East but lost the tie-breaker to the New York Jets and missed the postseason. Carolina, at 7-9, finished five games behind Tampa Bay in the NFC South.
New England’s Historic Turnaround
New England was 4-13 in 2024 completing one of the greatest turn-arounds in NFL history this season, thanks in part to Vrabel, their head coach and Maye, their quarterback.
Seattle’s Path to the Super Bowl
Seattle went 10-7 missing the final wild-card spot by a game in ’24. Replacing Geno Smith with Sam Darnold at quarterback, the defense with another year in head coach Mike Mcdonald’s system and the emergence of wide receiver Jaxson Smith-Njigba were the major differences for the Seahawks.
Here are some other notes to get you ready for Sunday’s game.
The Turnaround
New England going from 13 losses to a Super Bowl is the biggest one-season turnaround in NFL history.
Only four other teams have gone from double-figure losses to a Super Bowl the following year. And only one of those won. Here’s the short list.
2021 Cincinnati 4-11-1 in 2020 2019 San Francisco 4-12 in 2018 1999 Los Angeles 4-12 in 1998 1988 Cincinnati 4-11 in 1987
Only the Rams won the Super Bowl, beating the Tennessee Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV.
A Little History
Since New England beat Seattle in Super Bowl XLIX, 28-24, the Seahawks are 3-0 against the Patriots.
The last meeting was in week two of 2024 where Seattle won in overtime, 23-20. That game featured Geno Smith vs. Jacoby Brissett at quarterback.
More History
Drake Maye will be the fourth New England quarterback to start a Super Bowl following Tom Brady (6-3), Drew Bledsoe (0-1) and Tony Eason (0-1).
Sam Darnold will be the third Seattle quarterback to start a Super Bowl following Russell Wilson (1-1) and Matt Hasselbeck (0-1).
Maye will be the second youngest quarterback to start a Super Bowl at 23 years, 162 days. Miami’s Dan Marino is the youngest at 23 years, 127 days. If the Patriots win, Maye would be the youngest to win a Super Bowl. Right now that honor goes to Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger at 23 years, 340 days.
Darnold will be the third quarterback to go to a Super Bowl after playing for four other teams. Seattle is his fifth team after stints with the Jets, Panthers, 49ers and Vikings. The other two well-traveled QBs to make it to a Super Bowl are Earl Morrell with the Colts in Super Bowl III and Chris Chandler with Atlanta in Super Bowl XXXIII.
The Defense Doesn’t Rest
Seattle had the No. 1 scoring defense in the league this season allowing just 292 points (an average of 17.1 per game), the only team in the league to allow less than 300 points.
This is the 22nd time the best scoring defense has gone to the Super Bowl. Through the first 21 games those teams are 15-6.
New England’s offense finished second in the league during the regular season with 490 points scored, an average of 28.8 per game. The Pats have scored just 54 points in their three playoff wins.
