Feb 5 (Reuters) – Five storylines to follow during the Super Bowl clash between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots in Santa Clara, California on Sunday.
CHASING HISTORY
New England are making their 12th Super Bowl appearance and seeking an NFL-record seventh championship.
The franchise have been tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers for most Super Bowl championships since the Tom Brady-led Patriots won their sixth title seven years ago.
The Patriots, who enjoyed a worst-to-first turnaround in the AFC East division this season, have gone a perfect 9-0 on the road this season.
SUPER REMATCH
This Super Bowl will undoubtedly revive memories of the championship game from 11 years ago when Patriots rookie Malcolm Butler recorded a game-sealing interception at the goal line with 20 seconds left in a 28-24 win over Seattle.
The Seahawks, who were chasing a second consecutive title, had the ball at the Patriots’ one-yard line when, instead of giving the ball to powerful running back Marshawn Lynch for the go-ahead score, they opted to pass.
Seattle will finally get their shot at revenge and, after booking their ticket to this year’s Super Bowl, opened as the betting favourite to beat the Patriots.
QUARTERBACK SHOWDOWN
Two quarterbacks and two very different journeys to the Super Bowl.
Drake Maye, in only his second NFL season, led the Patriots on a worst-to-first turnaround in the AFC East division but has struggled to produce at the same rate in the playoffs.
Sam Darnold, an NFL castoff with stops on four teams over seven seasons before joining the Seahawks last March, has enjoyed a remarkable resurgence with Seattle and silenced his doubters along the way.
BATTLE OF THE COACHING MINDS
The Patriots and Seahawks were two of the highest-scoring teams this season but their head coaches are known for their defensive backgrounds.
Under Mike Vrabel, who played linebacker for New England from 2001 to 2008, the Patriots’ defense has carried the club in the postseason.
Seattle’s Mike Macdonald is a former defensive coordinator with Baltimore, and his Seahawks defense known as the “Dark Side” has been ferocious against the pass and run.
LEGACY IN MOTION
With a Patriots victory on Sunday, Vrabel would make history by becoming the first person ever to win a Super Bowl both as a player and as a head coach for the same franchise — a feat that underscores his enduring legacy in New England.
Vrabel’s connection to the Patriots’ championship culture runs deep. During his playing career, he was a pivotal figure on three Super Bowl-winning teams, contributing not just with his on-field performance but also with the leadership and grit that became hallmarks of those squads.
Now, as a head coach, he has the opportunity to translate that experience into guiding the next generation of Patriots to glory.
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in San FranciscoEditing by Toby Davis)
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