The Seattle Seahawks are heading back to the Super Bowl, and this time, they’re not just contenders-they’re the favorites. It’s a rematch with the New England Patriots, though only in name.
None of the players from that unforgettable clash 11 years ago are still on the field. But the stakes?
Just as high. Maybe even higher.
What makes this Seahawks team so compelling isn't just the wins-it’s how they’re winning. By the numbers, this 2025 squad has outpaced the legendary 2013 team that brought Seattle its first Lombardi Trophy.
And that’s not hyperbole. According to DVOA (Defense-adjusted Value Over Average), the Seahawks currently rank as the sixth-best team ever recorded since the metric was developed.
That’s the highest rating any team has earned in the last 18 years-since the 2007 Patriots went 16-0 before falling to Eli Manning’s Giants in one of the most iconic upsets in NFL history.
For context, that 2013 Seahawks team? It sits at 15th all-time in DVOA. That tells you just how dominant this 2025 group has been.
Now, if you’re not familiar with DVOA, here’s the quick rundown: it’s one of the most respected advanced metrics in football, designed to measure a team’s performance on a play-by-play basis while adjusting for situation, opponent, and league average. Think of it as a percentage that shows how much better-or worse-a team is compared to the average team that year. It factors in all three phases: offense, defense, and special teams.
This season, the Seahawks and Rams were the top two teams in the league by DVOA. That set the stage for what turned out to be an NFC Championship Game for the ages.
And the numbers back that up-it was the highest-rated postseason matchup between two DVOA powerhouses in over 45 years. That includes the Seahawks-Broncos Super Bowl from a decade ago, which this year’s NFC showdown surpassed by a full 12 percentage points in combined DVOA strength.
What that tells us is this: the 2025 Seahawks aren’t just good-they’re historically good. Their defense is playing at a level comparable to the vaunted 2013 unit, which was one of the most feared in modern NFL history.
But here’s the kicker: this year’s offense is better. And the special teams?
Far better. That’s a complete team, top to bottom.
And the path to the Super Bowl hasn’t exactly been a cakewalk. Seattle has run the gauntlet through some of the league’s best.
First came the 49ers, who brought the NFL’s most explosive offense into the postseason. Then came the Rams, who had been the second-best team in the league by DVOA.
But here’s where things get interesting. After the divisional round, Aaron Schatz-the founder of DVOA-pointed out a shift.
Even though the Rams had been statistically better than the Patriots for most of the season, New England surged after knocking off Denver. With the Rams falling to Seattle, the Patriots leapfrogged into the No. 2 spot in DVOA, just behind the Seahawks.
So now, Seattle faces a Patriots team that’s peaking at exactly the right time. Their postseason run has gone from facing the league’s best offense (San Francisco), to the second-best team overall (Rams), to the new No. 2 (Patriots).
In other words, the Seahawks haven’t had an easy road. They’ve taken on-and taken down-the best the league has to offer. And now, they’re one win away from finishing a season that, by the numbers, could go down as one of the greatest in NFL history.
The rematch may be symbolic, but the dominance is real. Seattle’s not just chasing another title-they’re chasing legacy.