SAN FRANCISCO — New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye was an MVP-type player in the regular season, holding up against pressure and making big plays down the field.
In the postseason, pressure has eaten him alive. He hasn’t handled it well and the Patriots’ offense has been awful in the playoffs.
That can be a major problem in Sunday’s Super Bowl LX against the Seattle Seahawks. That’s because Seattle can flat out pressure the quarterback. They have a wave of defensive players who can attack up the field and create problems. Combine that with a New England offensive line that doesn’t protect well, and Maye might have big problems.
That’s what ultimately will decide this game.
When Seattle won a Super Bowl XLVIII with the Legion of Boom defense, the story seemed to always be about the guys on the back end. The reality is it should have been about the guys up front. If you can pressure with four, which they did, it makes it so much easier on the back end.
This version of Seattle’s defense can do the same. That’s the key to winning in the NFL. Pressure with four, and you can do so many things on the back end.
The Seattle defense will make life hell for Maye and the New England offense. Let’s not forget the Seahawks have the best run defense in the league. If you can’t run it, all that does is turn the pass rushers loose.
On the other side, the Patriots’ defense has played well in the playoffs. But they faced a Los Angeles Chargers team with a horrible offensive line, got a C.J. Stroud meltdown against the Texans and then faced a backup in Jarrett Stidham against the Broncos in the AFC title game.
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This Seattle offense is much more of a challenge. Quarterback Sam Darnold is playing well and offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak does a great job of scheming ways to get guys open. The Seahawks have also run the ball well down the stretch and into the playoffs.
I don’t think Seattle’s offense will spend the game moving up and down the field, but the Seahawks will be able to feast on short fields given to them by the defense. I think Maye will turn it over a few times and the sacks will start to wear on him.
This will be a day for the Seattle defense.
Darnold will make the plays after the turnovers, but this will be a game about the basics of football — blocking, tackling and influencing the quarterback.
Seattle will do that best.
Look for the Seahawks to win behind one of those defensive showings by their front that we will remember for a long time.
Defense wins championships they say. But the reality is the fronts of the defense is what does it — and Seattle will show that once again.
Prediction: Seattle 27, Patriots 10
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