- Sam Darnold has been at his best when Seattle leans into play-action and early-down efficiency: Darnold has also excelled in several other key areas, ranking fourth among quarterbacks in PFF grade from a clean pocket, second on throws outside the pocket and consistently avoiding negative plays.
- Maye is an MVP candidate and second-team All-Pro for a reason: Maye’s 2025 season was elite across the board. He ranked inside the top five among quarterbacks in PFF grade from a clean pocket, on early downs, on dropbacks with and without play action, under pressure, on late downs and on throws at or beyond the sticks.
Super Bowl 60 pits two quarterbacks on very different trajectories against one another.
Sam Darnold arrives with a Seahawks offense built to maximize his strengths, leaning on play action, early-down efficiency and a supporting cast that has consistently won its matchups. Drake Maye, meanwhile, has authored an MVP-caliber regular season and carried New England through a favorable schedule — but enters the Super Bowl with real questions after a rocky postseason stretch against elite defenses.
As Seattle and New England prepare to meet on the sport’s biggest stage, the matchup under center may ultimately decide the outcome.
What Darnold and Maye have done well
Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks
Darnold has been at his best when Seattle leans into play-action and early-down efficiency. Beyond that strength, he has also excelled in several other key areas, ranking fourth among quarterbacks in PFF grade from a clean pocket, second on throws outside the pocket and consistently avoiding negative plays.
Even though the Seahawks’ rushing attack finished below average in expected points added (23rd) and success rate (18th), Darnold has consistently punished defenses off play action. He posted a 124.7 passer rating and a 90.4 PFF passing grade on those throws, second in the NFL behind only Matthew Stafford.
Darnold has also been outstanding on early downs, keeping Seattle ahead of schedule and limiting obvious passing situations. He finished as the league’s second-highest-graded quarterback on early downs with an 86.1 PFF passing grade, while his 53.6% success rate ranked third among all signal-callers.
Drake Maye, New England Patriots
Maye is an MVP candidate and second-team All-Pro for a reason — his 2025 season was elite across the board. He ranked inside the top five among quarterbacks in PFF grade from a clean pocket, on early downs, on dropbacks with and without play action, under pressure, on late downs and on throws at or beyond the sticks.
Where Maye truly separated himself was in attacking beyond the chains. On those throws, he produced a big-time throw on 10.5% of attempts and earned an outstanding 94.0 PFF passing grade.
The Patriots were at their most efficient when Maye pushed the ball past the sticks during the regular season, posting a 65.0% success rate and 0.788 EPA per pass.
What Darnold and Maye have not done well
Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks
The early-career version of Sam Darnold has resurfaced at times down the stretch, particularly in the second half of the season. Since Week 11, he has posted a 3.9% turnover-worthy play rate alongside a 62.3 PFF passing grade. Those issues are most pronounced against Cover 2 looks, where Darnold has earned just a 59.0 grade, generated -0.067 EPA per dropback and produced just a 44.9% success rate.
While Darnold has been excellent on early downs, the story flips on money downs. His 61.1 passing grade in those situations ranks 29th out of 38 qualifying quarterbacks, and both his efficiency and success rate sit firmly in the bottom third of the league.
Those late-down struggles represent the clearest pressure point Seattle must navigate in Super Bowl 60.
Drake Maye, New England Patriots
All of those areas where Drake Maye ranked top five during the regular season have taken a significant hit in the playoffs — albeit against three of the NFL’s best defenses. Maye wasn’t elite at avoiding sacks in the regular season, but he was serviceable, finishing with a 20.6% pressure-to-sack rate that ranked 10th-worst in the league. In the postseason, however, that figure has ballooned to 45.5%.
Statistically, Maye’s playoff résumé doesn’t resemble that of a quarterback on the doorstep of a Super Bowl. Among the 15 quarterbacks who have started a game this postseason, his 55.2 PFF grade ranks 12th, while his 29.0% inaccurate throw rate is the fourth-worst mark in that group.
Were there warning signs during the regular season that postseason struggles could surface? Only in limited, situational samples.
Maye earned a 42.9 passing grade against Cover 0 looks — second-worst in the NFL — and a 49.0 grade when facing quick pressure, which ranked 11th-worst. When defenses aligned without a deep safety, his 53.7 grade ranked 10th-worst. Those scenarios appeared infrequently over the course of the season, but elite defenses have been able to force him into those uncomfortable situations far more often in the playoffs.
Why the two quarterbacks can win the Super Bowl
Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks
Football is a team sport, and by most measures, the Seahawks enter this matchup with the stronger offense. From a PFF grading perspective, Seattle’s offense finished as the second-highest graded unit in the NFL behind only the Rams. When the quarterback is removed from the team grade, the gap widens even further, with the Seahawks posting an 86.3 grade compared to New England’s 79.2.
That edge also shows up when comparing performances against common opponents. In those games, Sam Darnold holds the advantage as a passer, earning an 80.4 PFF passing grade compared to Drake Maye’s 74.6.
Scheme-wise, the matchup tilts further in Seattle’s favor. The Patriots rely heavily on single-high coverages, playing Cover 1 and Cover 3 more than any other looks. Against those coverages, Darnold has thrived, posting an 85.8 passing grade that ranked fifth in the NFL, while also finishing fifth in EPA per dropback and fourth in success rate.
The numbers become even more favorable when defenses don’t disguise their coverage. Against static looks with no pre-snap safety rotation, Darnold earned an 89.2 PFF passing grade, the second-best mark in the league, while also ranking second in both EPA per pass and success rate.
Those figures include postseason play. In short, Darnold has been at his best against the exact coverage structures New England prefers to deploy, a combination that sets up a clear path to offensive success for Seattle.
Drake Maye, New England Patriots
While Maye hasn’t posted strong numbers this postseason, he has delivered in high-leverage moments under difficult circumstances. The AFC championship game was played on the road, in poor weather, against a top-five defense. The divisional round presented a similar challenge — another bad-weather environment against arguably the best defense in the NFL.
Bad games happen in those conditions, and it’s worth noting that the opposing quarterbacks in those matchups performed significantly worse than Maye. In that context, there’s a reasonable case that he held up well given the situation.
More importantly, Maye’s full-season body of work shouldn’t be overlooked. Against common opponents, he posted superior EPA per pass and success rate, along with stronger traditional production in touchdowns, interceptions and passer rating.
Focusing strictly on the regular season, Maye held the edge in passing grade and efficiency metrics, consistently playing well against quality defenses. With two weeks to prepare and the Super Bowl expected to be played in favorable weather conditions, Maye is positioned to rebound and perform at a much higher level on the game’s biggest stage.
Why the two quarterbacks might crumble in the Super Bowl
Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks
The Patriots sell out to stop the run and force Darnold into third-and-long situations.
New England leaned on Cover 2 on 20.2% of opponent dropbacks this season — the third-highest rate in the league — and increase that usage in key situations.
It’s also where they’re at their best, allowing a league-low -0.354 EPA per pass. With two deep safeties taking away vertical shots, Darnold’s downfield play-action game is neutralized, and sustaining drives becomes far more difficult.
While Darnold has generally held up under pressure this season, the Patriots’ use of stunts and simulated pressures creates free rushers that can disrupt his timing. That pressure leads to a couple of turnovers, and New England capitalizes on those mistakes off a handful of wayward throws.
Drake Maye, New England Patriots
Maye’s playoff struggles against elite defenses continue.
Much was made entering the postseason about the Patriots’ soft regular-season schedule and whether they would be prepared for a jump in competition. While New England has survived, Maye’s issues haven’t disappeared. If he continues to take sacks at his current playoff rate, the Patriots will have difficulty sustaining drives, scoring points and ultimately winning this game.
Those cracks widen if Seattle’s pass rush gets home. The Seahawks can generate pressure without blitzing and thrive on forcing quarterbacks into hesitation, and that could put Maye under constant duress. He has struggled against Cover 6 (quarter-quarter-half) looks, posting a 50.5 overall grade with a -0.034 EPA per dropback and a 42.5% success rate. Seattle deploys Cover 6 at the second-highest rate in the league, and that coverage profile could be the blueprint for stalling Maye and the Patriots’ offense on the game’s biggest stage.