- QB Drake Maye is tested under pressure: Performing under pressure has been a defining strength of Drake Maye’s season, regardless of the opponent. During the regular season, Maye led all quarterbacks in yards per attempt under pressure (8.4), while his passer rating of 90.4 ranked third.
- Don’t play man coverage against Jaxon Smith-Njigba: The Seahawks have faced man coverage on just 21% of their offensive snaps this season – the sixth-lowest percentage in the NFL – and Jaxon Smith-Njigba is a big reason for that. He leads all qualified pass catchers in PFF in receiving grade (92.3) and yards per route run (4.16) against man coverage.
Super Bowl 60 is here, and with it comes a new wave of advanced data and analytics.
PFF’s media research team has been hard at work preparing for kickoff this week by gathering data-driven insights and talking points for our broadcast partners across the league. Now we share those same nuggets with you. So whether you want to take a chance or just get smarter at the game, these are the key storylines you need to know for the biggest game of the year.
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New England Patriots
QB Drake Maye is tested under pressure
Performing under pressure has been a defining strength of Drake Maye’s season, regardless of the opponent. During the regular season, Maye led all quarterbacks in yards per attempt under pressure (8.4), while his passer rating of 90.4 ranked third.
That efficiency has continued into the postseason, as he is under pressure in both yards per attempt (10.6) and passer rating (117.9) during the playoffs.
Even as the throwing lanes collapsed, Maye continued to produce, completing 58% of his attempts under pressure during the regular season and using his legs as an additional weapon. His 32 scrambles were third-most among quarterbacks, and he averaged 6.2 yards per carry on those plays.
Seattle will present a tough test in Super Bowl 60. The Seahawks allowed the ninth-lowest passer rating under pressure during the regular season (58.5), consistently disrupting opposing quarterbacks. Still, Maye has already shown he can handle elite pressing units. During the postseason, he has managed to beat three of the top four defenses in passer rating allowed under pressure: Denver (48.0, first), the Chargers (50.5, third) and Houston (52.9, fourth).
That track record suggests Maye is well equipped to take on another tough challenge on Sunday.
Maye is also not deterred by cover disguises
Seattle’s defense thrives on changing the picture after the snap. The Seahawks rotated 39% of their defensive snaps during the regular season – the fourth-highest rate in the league – and did so successfully. Against these odds, they allowed just 5.9 yards per attempt, the second-best mark in the NFL, along with a passer rating of 71.8 that ranked sixth-best. That disguise also fueled the pass rush, as Seattle applied pressure on 43% of dropbacks when rotating safeties, the third-highest rate in the entire league.
However, Maye has shown little hesitation against covert reporting. He led the NFL in passer rating (114.0), completion percentage (76%) and yards per attempt (10.1) when defenses rotated safeties, earning the highest PFF grade at the position in those situations. His ability to diagnose coverage after the break and remain decisive has consistently neutralized one of the league’s most effective defensive tactics, setting up a compelling chess match against Seattle’s ever-changing secondary.
Milton Williams and Christian Barmore will threaten Seattle’s offensive line
Williams is heading to his second consecutive Super Bowl and has been one of the most influential defensive players in the league over the past two postseasons. Over the last two playoff runs, he has generated 31 pressures and four sacks while posting a PFF pass-rush grade of 90.7 – all second-best among domestic pass rushers.
When Williams and Christian Barmore have been on the field together this season, the Patriots have executed one of the NFL’s most dangerous interior pass rushes, producing a 44% pressure rate that ranks second in the entire league.
That domestic dominance poses a major challenge for Seattle, especially on the right flank. Anthony Bradford has struggled in pass protection, posting a PFF pass blocking grade of 35.9 – the second-lowest among qualifying guards – and he is the only Seahawks starting offensive lineman to grade below 60.0.
Seattle Seahawks
QB Sam Darnold and the Seahawks’ playmaking will test the Patriots down the field
During the 2025 regular season, few quarterbacks attacked off the play more aggressively than Sam Darnold. His average target depth of 11.0 yards led all passers, and his 20 throws of 20-plus yards ranked third in the NFL.
Darnold has been dominant when it comes to pushing the ball vertically out of play. He leads the league with 16 completions, 589 passing yards and five touchdowns, while posting a perfect passer rating of 158.3.
That success was not limited to explosive play. Overall, Darnold finished with a 123.1 passer rating on play-action attempts, the fifth-highest mark among quarterbacks. Nearly half of those throws (48%) went beyond the sticks, ranking seventh in the league and highlighting how consistent play action unlocked aggressive, high-value opportunities in Seattle’s passing game.
Do not play man coverage against Jaxon Smith-Njigba
The Seahawks have faced man coverage on just 21% of their offensive snaps this season – the sixth-lowest percentage in the NFL – and Jaxon Smith-Njigba is a big reason for that. He leads all qualified pass catchers in PFF in receiving grade (92.3) and yards per route run (4.16) against man coverage.
Even without seeing regular man looks, Smith-Njigba was the league’s most productive downfield receiver, ranking first with 18 receptions for 361 yards and five touchdowns on targets thrown more than 10 yards down the field.
Christian Gonzalez has connected to the outside corner on 90% of his coverage snaps this season, but his limited slot usage has come almost exclusively in man coverage — 32 of his 35 slot snaps have been man looks. That creates the possibility that Gonzalez follows Smith-Njigba across the lines. Gonzalez was dominant in those situations, posting a 43.8 passer rating in man coverage, the best mark among qualified cornerbacks.
The loaded Seahawks secondary faces Patriots receivers who have thrived against it
One of the most compelling matchups in Super Bowl 60 pits Seattle’s press-heavy secondary against a New England receiving group that has consistently punished that reporting style. The Seahawks accounted for 70% of defensive snaps in the press this season – the fifth-highest rate in the NFL – and relied on their defensive backs to disrupt timing and routes at the line of scrimmage.
New England is well equipped to counter that approach. Including the postseason, the Patriots have averaged 2.73 yards per route against press coverage, the sixth-highest mark in the league, while posting the NFL’s second-best passer rating in those situations (121.7). Their ability to turn physical coverage into chunk plays stood out, as their 16.2 yards per reception against the press also ranks sixth.
Yet this match remains a real strength-on-strength test. Seattle’s defensive lines are disciplined in press coverage, allowing just 11.1 yards per reception — the sixth-lowest mark among all defenses — indicating their ability to limit explosive play even when challenged.
Whether New England can consistently convert early releases into downfield separation could ultimately determine which side gets the edge.
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