Super Bowl LX: Seahawks’ Pass Rush vs. Patriots’ Protection - The Matchup That Could Decide It All
The biggest week on the football calendar has arrived, and with it comes a heavyweight clash that’s as much about history as it is about the present. On Sunday, the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks will meet in Super Bowl LX-a rematch 11 years in the making. We all remember how that one ended: Malcolm Butler’s goal-line interception, the decision not to hand it to Marshawn Lynch, and a finish that’s still debated at barstools and film rooms alike.
But this time around, the storylines are different-though one thing remains the same: Seattle’s defense is elite.
The 2025 Seahawks led the NFL in scoring defense, allowing just 17.1 points per game. That’s not just good, it’s championship-caliber.
Their secondary has been lights out, routinely blanketing opposing receivers and forcing quarterbacks into bad decisions. And up front, they’ve got a pass rush that’s deep, disruptive, and downright dangerous.
That’s bad news for a Patriots team whose biggest weakness might be its offensive line-and whose rookie quarterback, Drake Maye, has taken more hits than any signal-caller in the league.
Let’s start with the numbers. Including the playoffs, Maye has been sacked 62 times this season-the most of any quarterback in the NFL.
Even in the regular season alone, he was brought down 47 times, which ranked fourth. That’s a red flag heading into a matchup with a defense that thrives on pressure and thrives even more when it smells blood.
New England tried to address its protection issues early in the 2025 draft, selecting left tackle Will Campbell with the fourth overall pick. Campbell’s rookie year has been a mixed bag-flashes of dominance, but also moments where he looked like a first-year player still adjusting to the speed of the game. And now, with veteran right tackle Morgan Moses battling a lingering knee injury, the spotlight on Campbell only grows brighter.
If Moses can’t go or isn’t at full strength, Campbell will be tasked with protecting Maye’s blind side against one of the most relentless defensive fronts in football. That’s not just a tall order-it might be the order that decides this Super Bowl.
Seattle’s pass rush is built on depth and versatility. They finished tied for seventh in the league with 47 sacks in the regular season, and they don’t rely on just one guy to get home.
Leonard Williams, Byron Murphy, Demarcus Lawrence, and Uchenna Nwosu all notched at least six sacks this year. That kind of balance makes them unpredictable and hard to scheme against.
You can't just double one edge rusher and hope for the best-pressure can come from anywhere.
And pressure has been a major problem for Maye.
In the Wild Card round against the Chargers, he fumbled twice and threw a pick. A week later, he coughed up the ball four more times and added another interception to his postseason tally.
Of those six fumbles, five came on strip sacks-four of which came from his blind side. That’s the danger zone.
That’s the area Campbell has to lock down if the Patriots want to keep their offense on schedule.
Now, if Seattle gets consistent pressure, we’ve seen what happens. Maye’s ball security issues become front and center, and the Seahawks defense can flip the game in a heartbeat. But if the Patriots can protect just well enough to give Maye time, things get interesting.
Because while the Patriots’ offensive line has been shaky, their skill position players are better than they often get credit for. Stefon Diggs may not be the burner he once was, but he’s still a technician who can win routes and make tough catches.
Kayshon Boutte has emerged as a legit vertical threat. Mack Hollins is a big-bodied target in the red zone.
And Hunter Henry remains one of the more reliable pass-catching tight ends in the game.
We’ve also seen Seattle’s defense struggle when the pass rush doesn’t get home. In their 38-35 loss to Tampa Bay, Baker Mayfield was sacked just once and threw for nearly 400 yards.
Later in the season, Matthew Stafford carved up the Seahawks secondary for 374 yards in the NFC Championship-again, with minimal pressure. When quarterbacks have time, Seattle’s back end isn’t quite as airtight.
That’s the formula for New England: protect Maye, let him work through his progressions, and trust the weapons around him to make plays. If they can do that, they’ll score points-and with the way their own defense has been playing, that might be all they need.
So yes, this game has stars, storylines, and Super Bowl stakes. But when it comes down to it, keep your eyes on the trenches.
Because if Seattle’s pass rush overwhelms New England’s line, it could be a long night for the Patriots. But if Will Campbell holds his own and Maye finds rhythm, we might just be in for another classic.