The Patriots will need to dial up plenty of pressure against Sam Darnold on Sunday in hopes that he wilts.
The Patriots will need to dial up plenty of pressure against Sam Darnold on Sunday in hopes that he wilts.
It’s crunch time in the Bay Area for both the Patriots and Seahawks ahead of Super Bowl LX.
With just one more walkthrough standing between both teams and Sunday’s showdown at Levi’s Stadium, the waiting game is almost at an end.
Here’s a look at five X-factors that could determine who hoists the Lombardi Trophy on Sunday:Sam Darnold under pressure
How Sam Darnold fares against New England’s blitz-heavy defense might be the top determinant in who emerges with a win on Sunday evening.
The Seahawks QB has been one of the league’s top success stories over the last few years, especially during a playoff run in Seattle where he’s thrown for 470 yards, four touchdowns, and zero interceptions over two games.
He was stellar in the NFC championship game against the Rams, especially in terms of delivering throws under pressure. When pressured against Los Angeles, Darnold did complete 5-of-11 throws — but for 102 yards and three touchdowns.
If he can be that sharp against whatever pressure players like Milton Williams, Christian Barmore, and K’Lavon Chaisson dial up, then the Patriots are in for a long evening.
But as great as he’s been during the playoffs, dialing up pressure on Darnold has oftentimes been the best way to get him to unravel so far this season.
During regular-season action, Darnold ranked just 28th among qualified passers in EPA/dropback under pressure during regular season action, throwing for six touchdowns and six picks, and sporting a sub 70.0 passer rating.
The only QBs with a worse EPA/dropback under pressure during the 2025 season were Mac Jones, Cam Ward, Aaron Rodgers, Joe Flacco and Geno Smith.
The Patriots will likely dial up plenty of blitzes on Sunday in hopes of forcing Darnold into ill-advised throws. If he reverts back to what he was during regular-season play, the Patriots could capitalize.
