The New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks will lock horns in next Sunday’s Super Bowl LX.
Both teams could be considered surprise packages for the season, with last year’s records of 4-13 for the Patriots and 10-7 for the Seahawks improving drastically to top their respective divisions this year with 14-win seasons.
The slate will make for familiar reading for long-time NFL fans. The 49th edition of the league’s Championship game saw these same two teams produce a game for the ages with Malcolm Butler’s goalline interception snatching the chance of back-to-back titles from the Seahawks.
No matter the outcome, February 8th will mark the start of a new era in one of these historic franchises.
Vrabel and Maye have a long way to go to match Belichick and Brady, but Macdonald and Darnold have the chance to match the Caroll and Wilson era in just one attempt.
Where is Super Bowl 2026 being held?
Super Bowl LX takes place in Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, CA.
The home of the 49ers has hosted the event once before in 2016, where the Peyton Manning-led Denver Broncos defeated Cam Newton’s Carolina Panthers 24-10.
How to watch Super Bowl 2026
NBC will broadcast Super Bowl LX live in the United States, and viewers can stream it on Peacock, NFL+ and Hulu + Live TV. The game kicks off at 6:30pm ET on Sunday, February 8.
UK viewers can watch the game live from 11:30pm GMT, with coverage available on ITV1 as well as Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports NFL. Live streaming will be available through ITVX, Sky Go and NOW.
| Location | Date | Kick-off | Channels | Live stream |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USA | Sunday, February 8, 2026 | 6:30pm ET | NBC | Peacock, NFL+, Hulu |
| UK | Sunday, February 8, 2026 | 11:30pm GMT | ITV1, Sky Sports | ITVX, Sky Go, NOW |
Patriots road to the Super Bowl
The Patriots’ season didn’t always look destined for greatness, or even anything noteworthy at times.
A week one loss to the eventual holders of the first overall pick in the Las Vegas Raiders was largely nondescript.
A narrow victory over the lowly Dolphins in week two righted a few wrongs, before they fell to another loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers and found themselves 1-2.
Fast-forward to week 13, and 1-2 had turned into 11-2. A 10-week rampage from Mike Vrabel’s men saw them emerge from nothing into contenders for the number one seed.
A week 14 loss to the Buffalo Bills proved to mean very little as they capped off the regular season with another three wins on the spin to finish 14-3, a miraculous turnaround from last season’s damp squib of 4-13.
Arguments quoting their schedule being the third easiest in the league have been nullified by three postseason victories over the LA Chargers, Houston Texans and number one seed Denver Broncos, respectively.
Their AFC Championship win on Sunday won’t live much past a few weeks in the memory: a defensive, tactical battle derailed by a huge snowstorm that made a five-yard pass feel like a highlight.
The game did, however, display the Patriots’ excellent situational awareness and ultimately the will to win that has propelled them back to the Super Bowl for the first time since 2019.
Seahawks road to the Super Bowl
The Seahawks’ season also started on the wrong foot with a 17-13 loss to an eventual playoff opponent in the San Francisco 49ers.
Their story felt a lot more linear than that of the Patriots, though, with their three losses dotted throughout the schedule in weeks 1, 5 and 11.
There were records galore for this squad: their 14 wins was the most in franchise history, helped largely by Jaxon Smith-Njigba breaking the single-season franchise receiving yard record after just 11 games.
Their 483 total points on the season also surpassed the previous franchise record of 459 set back in 2020.
Their position as the number one seed ensured home-field advantage in the Divisional round against their division rival 49ers.
A landslide 41-6 victory set up another divisional matchup, this time with the Rams.
The Seahawks made it 2-1 on the season against Sean McVay’s outfit with a whirlwind game that ended 31-27 in their favour and set up the repeat of 11 years ago.
Players to watch
Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s season has impressed to such a degree that last week’s 153-yard showing felt routine. He added a touchdown to his haul of 10 catches, and he is currently -110 to score anytime.
His receiving partner, Rashid Shaheed, has been the man for the big plays recently, with his last three games featuring a 58-yard punt return for a touchdown, a 95-yard kick return on the opening play in the Divisional round, followed by a 51-yard grab on Sunday.
Shaheed is +360 to score anytime with an O/U for receiving yards of 21.5.
The man throwing to them, Sam Darnold, has thrown for two or more touchdowns on nine separate occasions this season, and is no stranger to the Patriots thanks to his time in the AFC East with the Jets.
His O/U for passing yards is set at 227.5, which he eclipsed by nearly 120 yards last time out.
Drake Maye is the second favourite to win the MVP for a reason: he currently sits at +105 to take home the individual honour, and the Patriots will need that regular-season form to return if they are to stand a chance.
Tight-end Mack Hollins managed 51 yards on just two receptions despite the impossible conditions on Sunday, and his O/U is set at 28.5 this time around.
Who will win Super Bowl LX?
The Seattle Seahawks are a – 4.5 favourite to beat the New England Patriots, with the total set at 45.5 at the time of writing.
A matchup that few could have predicted back in September, but feels fitting given the seasons both of these teams have had.
The Patriots’ pedigree needs no discussion, with their six Lombardi trophies tied for the most all-time with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Next Sunday will mark a record-extending 12th appearance, their first since the departure of legendary duo Tom Brady and Bill Belichick.
Yet, somehow, despite winning 16 of their last 17 games, they haven’t done an awful lot to impress as of late.
Their playoff venture started with a 16-3 win over the LA Chargers, who lacked any genuine threat during the encounter.
An implosion from C.J. Stroud helped them over the line against the Houston Texans, followed by scraping by the Broncos’ backup quarterback, Jarrett Stidham, in the AFC Championship.
Prop picks and predictions
Drake Maye is +120 to throw over 1.5 touchdowns, with Sunday’s game being the first in six that he failed to throw at least one.
It’s hard to argue with wins, but they are up against a team with just as many in the Seahawks, whose performances have instilled a lot more confidence.
Their 31-27 over an excellent Rams team led by MVP frontrunner Matt Stafford showed the starpower that the Patriots lacked, although admittedly in far less treacherous conditions.
Sam Darnold has shown up when it matters most, throwing for four touchdowns in his last two games, and he is -114 to throw over 1.5.
Kenneth Walker III also has four scores to his name in the same span, and he is -185 to find the endzone anytime.
Long gone are the days of the Legion of Boom, Marshawn Lynch and Russell Wilson, but a new generation of talent is here in Seattle, and it’s hard to imagine them not avenging their heartbreak of 2015.
Prediction: Seahawks 35 – 17 Patriots – Seahawks -4.5
