SUPER BOWL LX

Who: New England (17-3) at Seattle (16-3)
When: Sunday, 5:30 p.m., KARE-Channel 4
Line: Seahawks by 4½
Series record: Seahawks lead 11-9
Last meeting: Seattle beat New England, 23-20, in overtime on Sept. 15, 2024.
How did they get here? The Seahawks beat the Rams 31-27 in the NFC championship game. New England beat Denver 10-7 in the AFC championship game.

Players to watch

Patriots: QB Drake Maye. In his second season, Maye thrived working for the first time with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. He is the fourth quarterback since 2000 to win each of his first three career playoff starts, joining Tom Brady (won first 10), Joe Burrow (three) and Jake Delhomme (three). Maye also is the first quarterback in history to win three games against top five defenses in a single playoffs — the Chargers (No. 5), Texans (No. 1) and Broncos (No. 2).

Seahawks: RB Kenneth Walker III. The fourth-year running back has been on a roll since Zach Charbonnet was injured. In the playoffs, Walker has averaged 4.7 yards a carry and has 256 yards of total offense with four rushing touchdowns. Walker will have to work for his yards against New England’s run defense, but he’s been able to rise to the occasion in the playoffs.

Key matchup

QB Sam Darnold against the Patriots secondary. While Darnold has played through an oblique injury the past two games, he impressed against the Rams, completing 25 of 36 passes for 346 yards and three touchdowns. He will have his work cut out against a Patriots defense that allowed the ninth-fewest passing yards per game in the regular season.

Key injuries

Seahawks: LT Charles Cross (foot) has been limited because of multiple injuries since mid-December. … Darnold has been limited by his oblique injury. … S Nick Emmanwori, who broke up three passes in the NFC championship game, injured his ankle during practice this week but expects to play.

Patriots: Maye (right shoulder) returned to full practice participation this week. … LB Robert Spillane, who injured his ankle in the AFC championship game, was limited in Wednesday’s workout.

Stats and stuff

The Patriots are making their 12th Super Bowl appearance. They are 6-5 in their previous 11. … With a win Sunday, the Patriots will break a tie with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the most Super Bowl wins in NFL history. … The Patriots were the only teams to win the Super Bowl from that group. … The Patriots were 9-0 on the road this season, the first NFL team to play at least nine games on the road and win them all. … Patriots rookie RB TreVeyon Henderson led the NFL with four TD runs of 50–plus yards this season. … The Seahawks won their first division title since 2020 and have 14 regular-season wins for the first time. … The Seahawks had five players selected to the 2025 All-Pro team, matching a franchise record, with WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba earning first-team honors and DT Leonard Williams, CB Devon Witherspoon, LB Ernest Jones IV, and P Michael Dickson making the second team. … WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba led the NFL in receiving yards this season (1,793). He has 119 catches in 17 games. … Ernest Jones IV had five interceptions this season for Seattle, tied for second most in the NFL. … Sam Darnold had his most yards passing in a game of the season when completing 25 of 36 passes for 346 yards against the Rams in the NFC championship game.

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