Patriots Pregame Thread SUPER BOWL PREGAME THREAD - Patriots vs Seahawks 2026 SB - The Rematch

[jimnance]

IIRC that was close to if not actually a helmet-to-helmet hit that these days would be flagged.

I don't mind the helmet to helmet stuff being flagged. It should be.
But Polian lobbied to take a lot of the physicality out of the game. Especially the reduction of contact from dbs to receivers.
I hate that part

 

[Vindicate]

JSN-hit him at the LOS, double team.

And take the right angle when he does catch and crack the ever living **** out of him. He has a medium build so his center of gravity is solid, but just kick his ass any time you can. Stop the run, blow up JSN, and don’t get into a big deficit. If the Patriots do that, they will limit Seahawks ability to make explosive plays in the second half.

The offense will need to be patient when the hounds of their D are let loose, just like we saw against all those great DL’s in the regular season. They’ll get their stats but will be stretched out and constantly tested in the trenches, and start to wear out. We’ve seen it all year.

Even if we’re down 7 going into the half but the Seahawks are looking a few steps slower, I like our chances. Whatever Vrabel has done, he has made sure this team is very, very conditioned.

The Patriots, more than any team in the NFL this season, know what it means to play a full 60.

 

[DaBruinz]

Hard to call those bold predictions when most people think we lose this one big anyway.

I think the "bold" prediction is Walker running for 160 yards while Maye tosses multiple interceptions.

 

[DaBruinz]

Agree. Jennings is our best option at RB3. He was in concussion protocol then returned and popped a hammy. Idk severity but can be a long recovery. His availability could go either way. If available I think he is the more talented runner, so it would be unfortunate if he doesn’t come off IR. Of course, we got nothing from Henderson last week so hoping for improvement there in RB2.

But who do you remove from the current 53 to add him? That's the question.

 

[TommyD4207]

I think the "bold" prediction is Walker running for 160 yards while Maye tosses multiple interceptions.

So not only has Maye thrown multiple interceptions zero times this year.

But *teams* have rushed for over 160 yards 3 times against the Patriots (168 v. Bills, 171 @ Ravens, 164 @Jets). Of course, all three of those game had No Williams, No Tonga, No Spillane and Barmore on one ankle.

Like I said, if that those predictions happen, the Patriots will get blown out. It is something that basically has not happened all year, and would require total collapses by two of the strongest parts of the entire team - against two of the weaker parts of Seattle's entire team. The cope here is that it's a 'bold' prediction, but more likely, it's just a prediction from someone who's watched zero Patriots games this year.

 

[Pats2000]

Of course, absolutely no surprise to be had, the scaredy cats are out in full force in this thread, you would think the 9-8 Patriots are playing the 19-0 Seahawks, instead of one 17-3 team playing one 16-3 team.

People are clowning the ''experts'' and the haters who keep harping on the schedule, the easy path, the Pats have played no one, bla bla but they're doing the exact same thing, and acting like this Seattle team is unbeatable and the Pats, the same team that has won 16 out of their last 17 games are just happy to be here.

They are a very good team, but this is the same unbeatable defense that let 1000+ yards against the Rams in two games, the same defense that let Mayfield throw for 400 yards and score 38 points on their heads, the same incredible offense that needed a last second field goal to beat the Philip Rivers Colts 18-16.

It's easy to be a great defense when you play against 50-year old Kirk Cousins, 60-year old Philip Rivers, Kyler Murray, C.J Stroud, Spencer Rattler, Max Brosner, Jacoby Brissett on a horrible Cardinals team, and playing what was left of the corpse of the 49ers twice late in the season. The two times they played great QB's, they got torched, and couldn't get off the field.

My post isn't meant to undervalue what Seattle has done. They've earned their way to the Super Bowl. But SO. HAVE. WE. I'm just pushing back on silly narratives like worrying about the points spread, about the 4th consecutive edition of ''OMG THE 85 BEARS defense is back'' about how this expert and that said this thing or the other. We all have eyes and a brain, go watch the Colts game, or the Bucs game, or the Titans game, or any of the three Rams games, and tell me with a straight face we can't beat this team.

It's a 50-50 game, 1000 little things in the next two weeks will decide the winner, and the points spread isn't one of them and neither is whether an ''expert'' continues to undervalue our team.

We're Pats fans for heaven's sake, Man Up, the entire country hates our team so much, they decided that the ideal gas law conspired with the Pats to help them to cheat. Believe in your team, and accept that we're one win way from destroying the collective sanity of NFL fans everywhere.

Just like we hadn't faced anyone prior to the Chargers, just like Houston was an unbeatable defense, just like Stidham was the second coming of Tom Brady for about a week, this Seattle team will be the stuff of nightmares, because people WANT the Pats to lose more than anything, and we will never get any credit after we beat them. **** them all. We're still going to win and there's nothing any ''expert'' or hater can do about it.

I think people forget that Brady only threw for 145 yards in his first SB. Although he was lights out against the Raiders, except for that "forward pass" lol

 

[Gumby]

I read that Seatles Center and RG are near the top of the list for allowing quick pressures. Their OTs are both pretty good, so I think that the inside pass rush is key to pressure Darnold with the DTs and twist, stunts and inside blitzes.

I am very nervous about Jared Wilson, the Seatle DTs are very good and Wilson has been a liability in the pass and tun game. I almost would rather see Brown play LG. I know this will probably be met with displeasure but Wilson has not been good this season.since his injury & return.

Unfair. ….. FIFY

 

[Uptown]

 

[yohat]

Stafford x3. Best QB in the league
Lawrence beat on the road.
Not even close

I would take Josh Allen x 2 and Lamar Jackson over Stafford x 3 any time.

 

[PP2]

CBS Bowl Predictions - Pats blown out Walker 160 yards rushing Drake multiple interceptions

Thanks for the good laugh.

 

[yohat]

Lawrence was playing like crap when he faced the Seahawks. Lawrence didn't start playing well until after he faced the Seahawks. People were calling him a bust around the time he faced the Seahawks. Lawrence didn't turn it around until the Jags traded for Jacobi Meyers which was three weeks after the Jags played the Seahawks.

And even so, Lawrence had a decent game against the Seahawks going 27 for 42 for 257 yards, 2 TDs, and 0 INT (97.1 rating). He was sacked 7 times though.

Stafford feasted on the Seahawks defense in two of the three times he faced them.

NFCCG - 22 for 35 for 374 yards and 3 TDs and 0 INTs. 1 sack. 127.6 QR
Week 16 - 29 for 49 for 457 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs. No sacks. 110.7 QR
Week 11: 15 for 28 for 130 yards, 2 TDs, and 0 INTs. No sacks. 89.9 QR

So in three meetings with the Seahawks, Stafford got 8 TDs, 0 INTs, sacked only once, and averaged 320.3 yards passing per game. I don't think the Texans gave up one three hundred yard passer all year and Maye was the only one to get 3 TDs on them.

My point stands. The Seahawks' defense played mostly crappy QBs. When they played good QBs, they didn't do well most of the time.

The Seahawks' defensive stats are padded by playing bad QBs. Yet, no one talks about that.

So, Seahawks defense play like crap against good offenses and Darnold play really poor against good defenses as you can see the stats when he faced top 5 defenses.

Sam Darnold vs top 5 defenses this year.
vs Minnesota 14/26 128 QBR23.3 RTG67.5
vs Houston 17/31 213 QBR44.9 RTG73.7

I really think Pats have the edge on this SB.

 

[Triumph]

I think people forget that Brady only threw for 145 yards in his first SB. Although he was lights out against the Raiders, except for that "forward pass" lol

Ted Johnson was saying that Maye is having a better 2025 season than Brady in 2001.

Johnson went on to say that 2001 Brady was a "Game Manager" and dinked and dunked all the way to a Super Bowl. I recall Brady taking some deep shots, but nothing like Maye this season.

 

[Triumph]

So, Seahawks defense play like crap against good offenses and Darnold play really poor against good defenses as you can see the stats when he faced top 5 defenses.

Sam Darnold vs top 5 defenses this year.
vs Minnesota 14/26 128 QBR23.3 RTG67.5
vs Houston 17/31 213 QBR44.9 RTG73.7

I really think Pats have the edge on this SB.

I believe that Darnold will turn the ball over. Im guessing at least 1 INT and 1 fumble. People are really underestimating the NE secondary.

IMO, Stafford and the Rams were the tougher matchup.

 

[UrbanCowboy]

Might be going unnoticed. However, the punter needs to be much better.

Maybe they told Barringer something like: "whatever you do, don't get it blocked and don't get it returned. We don't care if you kick it short. They can't move the ball on us, and the only way we lose is a special teams mistake." Granted, I don't think they were asking for 30 yard shanks, just don't F it up?

 

[RobertWeathers]

Maybe they told Barringer something like: "whatever you do, don't get it blocked and don't get it returned. We don't care if you kick it short. They can't move the ball on us, and the only way we lose is a special teams mistake." Granted, I don't think they were asking for 30 yard shanks, just don't F it up?

Yep and it's going to be the same plan vs SEA by keeping the ball away from Shaheed

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Maybe they told Barringer something like: "whatever you do, don't get it blocked and don't get it returned. We don't care if you kick it short. They can't move the ball on us, and the only way we lose is a special teams mistake." Granted, I don't think they were asking for 30 yard shanks, just don't F it up?

I think it is very likely they instructed Baringer like this.

 

[TinhWoodhead]

Maybe they told Barringer something like: "whatever you do, don't get it blocked and don't get it returned. We don't care if you kick it short. They can't move the ball on us, and the only way we lose is a special teams mistake." Granted, I don't think they were asking for 30 yard shanks, just don't F it up?

you can do both - have decent kicks and not get it blocked

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

you can do both - have decent kicks and not get it blocked

I think kicking it away from the returner (towards the sideline) leads to the ball looking like it was shanked, or increases the odds of it being shanked.

 

[TommyD4207]

Seattle has not played a top 10 defense since their bye week, Week 8.

 

[AirForcePatsFan]

I know they don’t use Henderson as a kick returner because of potential injury to either him or Stevenson. But with this being the Super Bowl, I think the reward could outweigh the risk for this one game.