Since the Green Bay Packers won’t be taking the field today (unfortunately), this is a perfect opportunity to dig into the more technical strengths and weaknesses that will define the Super Bowl matchup between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots. While there is a conceivable path for a Patriots victory, the broader evidence strongly suggests Seattle holds a decisive edge — and likely wins convincingly.

That said, New England does have legitimate positives worth acknowledging.

First and foremost, Drake Maye is an elite quarterback. This shouldn’t be controversial, but it matters greatly in this matchup. It takes top-tier quarterback play to consistently move the ball against Seattle’s defense. This season, only a handful of quarterbacks truly challenged the Seahawks — MVP Matthew Stafford among them — and Maye is the only quarterback left playing at that level.

Beyond his arm talent, Maye’s mobility is a major asset. His 65 rushing yards and touchdown against Denver were instrumental in New England’s Super Bowl run. Seattle has shown occasional vulnerability against mobile quarterbacks, including Cam Ward in a closer-than-expected contest against Tennessee, and scrambling was virtually Washington’s only offensive success in a lopsided Week 9 loss. Maye’s legs give New England a dimension that can stress Seattle’s discipline.

Finally, Sam Darnold’s volatility cannot be ignored. He has shown a tendency toward the occasional disastrous performance, as seen twice against the Rams this season — one of which Seattle survived anyway. That inconsistency alone gives New England a plausible opening. But once you look deeper, the matchup problems for the Patriots become hard to overlook.

Seattle’s Defense: Relentless and Complete

Cracking Seattle’s defense is brutally difficult. They are loaded with talent at every level, generate pressure organically from their base fronts, and when they do blitz — which is rare — they are among the league’s most efficient teams. They finished first in EPA against the run, fifth against the pass, and when adjusted for opponent quality via DVOA, they ranked first against the pass as well.

What elevates this unit from elite to potentially historic are their two defensive “Swiss Army knives”: linebacker Ernest Jones and nickel/safety hybrid Nick Emmanwori. Their versatility allows Seattle to dominate both run and pass without substituting personnel, keeping offenses perpetually off balance. Up front, every member of the defensive line recorded at least six sacks, underscoring just how relentless the pressure can be.

New England’s Skill Position Limitations

While Maye is exceptional, the Patriots’ supporting cast is more solid than spectacular. Stefon Diggs remains a savvy veteran and leads the team in receiving metrics, but he has clearly lost a step. Coincidentally, Seattle excels against a team’s secondary outside receiver — the role Diggs often occupies, splitting time between the slot and outside.

New England’s primary outside threat, Kayshon Boutte, has enjoyed a breakout season as a reliable deep target. Unfortunately for the Patriots, Seattle ranks first in the league at defending that exact archetype. While stars like Puka Nacua and Davante Adams managed to break through at times, most teams have struggled mightily attacking the Seahawks on the perimeter.

Seattle has shown occasional softness against seam-stretching tight ends, and Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper have both enjoyed productive seasons, averaging more than 12 yards per catch. However, much of that production relies on yards after the catch — an area where Seattle simply does not concede much ground.

The Matchup Problems That Tip the Scale

Jaxson Smith-Njigba vs. the Patriots’ Secondary

Jaxson Smith-Njigba was arguably the best receiver in football this season — certainly no worse than top five. By contrast, New England ranked 31st in DVOA against No. 1 receivers, despite facing a relatively modest slate of elite wideouts.

There has been talk of shadow coverage with Christian Gonzalez, but skepticism is warranted. Gonzalez profiles more as a physical defender than a shutdown cover corner, and that approach failed spectacularly in Week 9 when Drake London torched New England for nine catches, 118 yards, and three touchdowns. If you don’t deploy your best corner effectively against the one player who truly matters, larger systemic issues are likely at play.

Drake Maye’s Sack Problem

As brilliant as Maye is, he still struggles with sack avoidance. Only three quarterbacks took more total sacks this season — Cam Ward, Geno Smith, and Justin Herbert — and Maye lacks Herbert’s justification of constant pressure. Despite better protection and a softer schedule, Maye was sacked on 23.8% of pressures, the fourth-worst rate in the league.

He faced few elite pass rushes this season. Seattle will be different. Expect pressure to arrive early and often — and that compounds another concern.

Ball Security and Small Hands

Maye already has 17 career fumbles, eight during the regular season alone, plus six more in the playoffs. Four of those came against Houston’s elite defense — one of the few units comparable to Seattle’s. He survived that game because C.J. Stroud imploded on the other side. That kind of escape is far less likely on the Super Bowl stage.

Yes, it matters: Maye has notably small hands for a quarterback, and under relentless pressure, that becomes a serious liability.

The Trap of Running the Ball

New England is an outstanding rushing team. Rhamondre Stevenson led the NFL in rushing yards over expected, while TreVeyon Henderson provided explosive balance. Ordinarily, that would be a strength — except against Seattle.

The Seahawks were even better against the run than the pass. Outside of quarterback scrambles, opposing running backs found virtually no success. Every rushing attempt against Seattle is effectively burning a down. And against this defense, you cannot afford to fall behind the chains, drift into third-and-long situations, or play catch-up.

Final Outlook

This shapes up as a deeply unfavorable matchup for New England. Drake Maye’s brilliance could keep the game competitive for stretches, but the most likely scenario is one where Seattle controls the tempo, dominates the trenches, and forces Maye into increasingly desperate situations.

Still, the appeal is undeniable. Elite quarterback versus elite defense is always must-watch football. And if Maye somehow pulls this off, it would require a legendary performance — the kind that defines careers and Super Bowls alike.

Those are always worth tuning in for.