Super Bowl LX takes place this Sunday between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots, and across Dos Pueblos High School, the game has been a hot topic. The constant buzz poses a burning question: Which team is going to win the Super Bowl?
DPHS students shared their predictions for the big game, and the consensus is clear.
Patriots fan Theodore Weld (12) gives his take on the game, mentioning how he thinks that the “Seahawks are a significantly better” team than the Patriots.
“Seattle is the projected favorite to win, I think they should be the favorite,” Weld said. “I don’t trust Drake Maye.”
Houston Texans fan Lucas Trexler (12) shares a similar sentiment to Weld on the outcome of the game.
“I don’t think it’s really gonna be close, but I’m not happy about that outcome, because I really don’t like the Seahawks, but I don’t really like the Patriots either,” Trexler said.
The Seahawks’ offense is by far the Patriots’ hardest task yet. Led by Jaxson Smith-Njigba, who finished the regular season with a league-leading 1793 receiving yards, and Sam Darnold, who has led his teams to the most wins out of any quarterback in the past two seasons, the upcoming game will be no easy task for the untested Patriots defense.
Additionally, the Seahawks’ defense is one of the top defenses in the league. They finished the regular season with the sixth-fewest yards allowed per game and the fewest points allowed per game, giving up just 17.2 points per contest. This defense contains the perfect mix of veterans and young stars. Young players like Nick Emmanwori and Riq Woolen complement seasoned veterans like Leonard Williams and Jarran Reed.
This balance was on full display in the Seahawks’ 41-6 divisional round rout over the 49ers. The 49ers offense, which finished the regular season in the top 10 for points per game, looked like a shell of itself, finishing the game with just over 200 yards of total offense.
Some students believe that the game will be underwhelming, as if the Seahawks earned their spot and the Patriots were lucky to make it that far.
“I’m not even sure if it’s gonna be a good game,” Trexler said. “I’m gonna watch anyway, but I’m not super hyped about the two teams that are in it.”
Texans fan Charbel Jitani Trujillo (11) shared similar feelings about the game.
“I think the Seahawks are going to win 31-13; it will be one of the most lopsided Super Bowls in recent memory,” Jitani Trujillo said. “The NFC Championship between the Rams and the Seahawks was the real Super Bowl.”
Seahawks fan Jackson Myers (11) only sees the game going one way.
“I think it will be a blowout for the Seahawks, 31-13,” Myers said. “The Seahawks are just a better team all around.”
For some sports fans, however, the game doesn’t feel worth keeping up with.
“I feel indifferent, anyway, that’s just the Niners’ experience,” San Francisco 49ers fan Quincy Barnwood (12) said.
With a tally of 4-0, the DPHS students’ consensus was that the Seahawks are going to win, and it’s very unlikely that any other outcome takes place.
One major reason for this confidence is that Patriots Quarterback Drake Maye’s postseason performance has been underwhelming, a fact overshadowed by their strong defense.
Thus far, the Patriots’ offense has failed to put up 20 points in two of their three playoff games. The only game where they created more than 20 points was not due to a strong offense, but rather to the opposing quarterback doing his best impression of Oprah Winfrey.
In the divisional round, Houston Texans quarterback CJ Stroud threw a whopping four interceptions in one half against the Patriots, which Drake Maye failed to capitalize on, throwing only for 179 yards.
Then came the American Football Conference (AFC) Championship game, where Drake Maye’s performance was abysmal. Maye did his best impression of Minnesota Vikings Quarterback Max Brosmer, throwing for just 88 yards and finishing the game with a Quarterback Rating (QBR) of just 58.8 and producing 3 points.
Although the Patriots did end up winning this game 10-7, the victory was fueled by their defense rather than Maye’s play. It’s quite simple: You can’t win the Super Bowl with inconsistency.
While supporters argue that defense wins championships, the Patriots’ schedule ranks #30 out of 32 teams in terms of difficulty, so their strongest trait means little when considering the cupcake schedule that they played.
49ers Quarterback Brock Purdy, who had been lighting up the stat sheet in the weeks leading up to the game, was left running for his life, time and time again, as the duo of Leonard Williams and Jarran Reed was a nightmare for the 49ers’ offensive line. Maye should expect the same treatment on Sunday, as his rookie left tackle, Will Campbell, has been underwhelming.
This season, Campbell has been a straight-up liability, which will be fully clear on Sunday. His stats may seem solid, but this is because he hasn’t been tested often this season. Moreover, when he is tested, he struggles. Earlier in the season, when matched up with Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett, he played like a bona fide scrub, giving up three sacks.
While the Seahawks’ defense did struggle against the Los Angeles Rams’ star-studded duo of Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, allowing 13 catches for 254 yards and two touchdowns between the two of them, the Patriots’ offense is simply nowhere near as strong as that of the Rams. The Rams’ offense is led by the National Football League’s (NFL) most valuable player, Matthew Stafford. They finished the season ranked as the number one offense in the league, scoring 30.5 points per game, while the Patriots scored 28 a contest playing weaker competition.
All in all, as sports fans, we all should agree on one thing, and that is that this game won’t even be close. The winner is clear as day, and you won’t even have to watch the game to know the outcome.
