THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
After a dramatic playoffs that saw nearly every one of the 10 games played go down to the final set of plays on the last drive, Super Bowl LX (that’s 60 for those not familiar with the Roman numerals) has its matchup. It is one that was not predicted at the start of the season, but as the weeks and months went on, it is fair to say that the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks both deserve their place in the showpiece event.
The National Football League has overseen a hugely competitive season, which was also highly unpredictable. The favorites did not have it their own way, and one by one they fell away. The champions Philadelphia Eagles, did make the playoffs, but were nothing like their team of a year ago, and their beaten opponents in last year's Super Bowl, the Kansas City Chiefs, had one of their worst seasons in the last decade and were eliminated with a month left of the regular season. Others, too, could not live up to their own expectations, and those put upon them – the Los Angeles Rams, Denver Broncos, Chicago Bears, and the San Francisco 49ers all made good runs, but fell short.
So, with the teams, staff and club personnel now in Santa Clara, what can we expect come Super Sunday, a day where not just America stops and watches, the world, it seems, gets put on hold for four hours. (If there’s any doubt that gridiron is of worldwide interest, with a confirmed nine games set to be played internationally next season, including for the first time in Australia and France, as well as Mexico City, Rio, Munich, Madrid as well as the now traditional 3 in London, the game is truly global. There is strong talk that an extra regular-season game will get added to the calendar, making it an 18-game season, and that extra one will have all teams playing somewhere across the globe.)
New England have been a team so used to playing in the big game in the past two decades that it should be no surprise they are back again, but this is a team that has had to be patient as they recovered from the heady days of Brady and Belichick. Now it is former player Mike Vrabel that leads them in as head coach, with second year quarterback Drake Maye playing consistently. Seattle has ridden into the West Coast on the wave that is their defense. It is one of the most ferocious in recent years, and they have managed to keep marquee players limited in their play. This and a steady but also elusive offensive play have guided them through to the endgame.
Now, these two have met before at this stage. 11 years ago, the Patriots prevailed, and it was their defense that won the day with a now infamous Malcolm Butler interception on their own goal line when everyone was expecting a run which would’ve seen Seattle win. It is these moments that define and win games, and it could come down to the final plays again. The Seahawks are heavy favorites, but both had identical 14-3 regular season records, suggesting there is nothing between the two. So what are the keys to the game?
It would be easy to say keep doing what they are doing, it's not broke so why try to fiddle to fix it. Vrabel has turned the franchise around; he knows what makes the New England club tick and has a truly remarkable QB in Maye. The two have shown they never give up, and that attitude flows through the locker room. There is no overall weakness. Even though they have had the easiest schedule statistically, they can only beat who is in front of them, and they are peaking at the right time. In fact, that peak is huge. After starting 1-2, they have won 16 of the last 17 games, a championship-worthy run.
Stefon Diggs is one that Seattle will have to key on. The stellar wide receiver will be all out to make sure past playoff disappointments fade away. With another 1,000-yard season under his belt, and some clutch plays, he could make the difference if it comes down to a final drive. The running back duo of TreVeyon Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson has been a super one-two punch that, although not a complete knockout blow, has kept opposing defenses honest. They will feature heavily.
On defense they have the outstanding Christian Gonzalez at cornerback. He will have to have a monumental game to shut down one of the league's elite receivers – Milton Williams, now a Patriot, could go back-to-back after winning last year with the Eagles. Williams was picked up in free agency by Vrabel as part of his rebuild and has repaid him and the team by helping the defensive line turn into one of the most feared in the league.
The Seahawks will start as the favored team for a reason. Not only do they have the number one defense, but they have a quarterback who has slowly and assuredly proved his worth. Sam Darnold was knocked around so much while with the New York Jets that a lesser man could’ve just walked away, but after a good year with the Minnesota Vikings last year, he found his place in Seattle, and he is more than just a system QB. He regularly finds his target and has big weapons to use on offense that have stepped up. This is a good, solid, all-around team that is primed for a second Super Bowl title.
Darnold will have a main target: Jaxon Smith-Njigba. JSN could win this game on his own. He has that standout big-play ability that, with just a handful of catches, can turn a game on its head and his 10 catches for 153 yards in the NFC Championship Game is one of the reasons why the Seahawks are favored. There are many other reasons why, and they line up on the defensive side of the ball. A few of them are cornerback Devon Witherspoon, tackle Leonard Williams, linebacker Ernest Jones IV, safety Julian Love, and pass rusher DeMarcus Lawrence. Each is capable of making a big play that would go a long way to winning the game. They can each be dominant, and each forms a wider unit that will suffocate any offense, and those are just a few names; there are more.
This Super Bowl should be wildly entertaining. Two teams that should really not be here, if you were led to believe all the preseason hype. The fact that they are is a testament to how the NFL strives for parity. So, whether you are a casual fan or a diehard, find a way to watch or listen to the game this Sunday. You might just see a classic.
