- QB Drake Maye is battle-tested under pressure: Performing under pressure has been a defining strength of Drake Maye’s season, regardless of opponent. During the regular season, Maye led all quarterbacks in yards per attempt when pressured (8.4), while his 90.4 passer rating 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 rate in the NFL — and Jaxon Smith-Njigba is a major reason why. He leads all qualified pass-catchers in PFF receiving grade (92.3) and yards per route run (4.16) against man coverage.
- Subscribe today: Unlock the First Touchdown Finder, PFF Player Prop Tool, AI-driven betting insights and premium tools including Premium Stats 2.0 and the Mock Draft Simulator.
Super Bowl 60 is here, and with it comes a fresh wave of advanced data and analysis.
PFF’s media research team has been hard at work this week, preparing for kickoff by pulling data-driven insights and talking points for our broadcast partners around the league. Now, we’re sharing those same nuggets with you. So, whether you’re looking to hit on your bets or just get smarter about the game, these are the key storylines to know for the biggest game of the year.
Want the same insights trusted by all 32 NFL teams and our broadcast partners? Subscribe to PFF+ and get everything you need to win your fantasy season and gain an edge at the sportsbook.
New England Patriots
QB Drake Maye is battle-tested under pressure
Performing under pressure has been a defining strength of Drake Maye’s season, regardless of opponent. During the regular season, Maye led all quarterbacks in yards per attempt when pressured (8.4), while his 90.4 passer rating ranked third.
That efficiency has carried into the postseason, as he owns the top marks in both yards per attempt (10.6) and passer rating (117.9) under pressure over the playoffs.
Even when throwing lanes collapse, Maye has continued to produce: He completed 58% of his pressured attempts during the regular season and used his legs as an added weapon. His 32 scrambles were the third-most among quarterbacks, and he averaged 6.2 yards per carry on those plays.
Seattle will present a stiff 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 pressure units. During the postseason, he has succeeded against 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 handle yet another pressure-heavy challenge on Sunday.
Maye is also undaunted by coverage disguise
Seattle’s defense thrives on changing the picture after the snap. The Seahawks rotated safeties on 39% of their defensive snaps during the regular season — the fourth-highest rate in the league — and did so with success. Against those looks, they allowed just 5.9 yards per attempt, the second-best mark in the NFL, along with a 71.8 passer rating that ranked sixth-lowest. That disguise also fueled the pass rush, as Seattle generated pressure on 43% of dropbacks when rotating safeties, the third-highest rate league-wide.
Maye, however, has shown little hesitation against disguised coverages. 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 post-snap 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-shifting secondary.
Milton Williams and Christian Barmore will threaten Seattle's interior offensive line
Williams is headed to his second consecutive Super Bowl and has been one of the league’s most impactful defensive players over the past two postseasons. Across the last two playoff runs, he has generated 31 pressures and four sacks while earning a 90.7 PFF pass-rush grade — all ranking second among interior pass rushers.
When Williams and Christian Barmore have been on the field together this season, the Patriots have fielded one of the NFL’s most dangerous interior pass rushes, producing a 44% pressure rate that ranks second league-wide.
That interior dominance creates a major challenge for Seattle, particularly at right guard. Anthony Bradford has struggled in pass protection, earning a 35.9 PFF pass-blocking grade — 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’ play action will test the Patriots downfield
During the 2025 regular season, few quarterbacks were more aggressive attacking downfield off play action than Sam Darnold. His 11.0-yard average depth of target led all passers, and his 20 throws of 20-plus yards were tied for the third-most in the NFL.
Darnold has been dominant when it comes to pushing the ball vertically off play action, leading the league with 16 completions, 589 passing yards and five touchdowns while posting a perfect 158.3 passer rating.
That success wasn’t limited to explosive plays. 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%) traveled beyond the sticks, ranking seventh in the league and highlighting how consistently play action unlocked aggressive, high-value opportunities in Seattle’s passing game.
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 rate in the NFL — and Jaxon Smith-Njigba is a major reason why. He leads all qualified pass-catchers in PFF receiving grade (92.3) and yards per route run (4.16) against man coverage.
Even without seeing frequent man looks, Smith-Njigba has been the league’s most productive downfield receiver, ranking first with 18 receptions for 361 yards and five touchdowns on targets thrown 10-plus yards downfield.
Christian Gonzalez has aligned at outside cornerback 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 alignments. Gonzalez has been dominant in those situations, surrendering a 43.8 passer rating in man coverage, the best mark among qualified cornerbacks.
Seahawks’ press-heavy secondary faces Patriots receivers who’ve 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 coverage style. The Seahawks played press coverage on 70% of defensive snaps this season — the fifth-highest rate in the NFL — relying on their defensive backs to disrupt timing and routes at the line of scrimmage.
New England has been well-equipped to counter that approach. Including the postseason, the Patriots have averaged 2.73 yards per route run 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 has stood out, as their 16.2 yards per reception against press also ranks sixth.
Still, this matchup remains a true strength-on-strength test. Seattle’s defensive backs have been disciplined in press coverage, allowing just 11.1 yards per reception — the sixth-lowest figure among all defenses — indicating an ability to limit explosive plays even when challenged.
Whether New England can consistently convert early releases into downfield separation may ultimately determine which side gains the edge.
© 2026 PFF - all rights reserved.