Super Bowl 60 Preview: Patriots/Seahawks Part Deux.....or Will They Run It This Time?

(Photo by Reddit)

We are now headed to Super Bowl 60 in San Franci....sorry, Santa Clara, California. Ten years ago, this game was at the same venue, and it brought excitement to one franchise and heartbreak to another. This year's edition hopes to bring excitement to everyone. Here are the combatants.....

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

Oh, no, here we go again, The Patriots are in the Super Bowl without the cast of characters such as Brady, Belichick, Gronk, Edelman, Bruschi....etc. Robert Kraft is still around hoping 🙏 for a seventh Super Bowl title. The signal caller tasked to help the dream come true is Drake Maye. Drafted third overall, Maye isn't Tom Brady and probably won't be, but he is becoming a cult favorite in the Boston area. The running game is a healthy dosage of Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson. Receivers are solid with Stefon (Cardi B) Diggs, Kayshon (Shake Your) Boutte and (No Shoes) Mack Hollins. Maye's safety value at tight end is Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper, who is in his second Super Bowl (yes, that one.) Jack Westover does an excellent job at fullback when he's in there. The offensive line starts with first round pick Will Campbell. He has struggled in this playoffs, but hopes to bounce back in the Super Bowl. Garrett Bradbury is becoming a key member of the unit while Jared Wilson, Mike Onwenu and Morgan Moses will put their bodies on the line to keep the offense moving. Defensively, New England has players who are not household names, but they will stop you at a moment's notice. Christian Barmore, Khyiris Tonga and Milton Williams man the defensive front. Linebackers could be their Achilles heel. Hopefully, Harold Landry can recover from a knee injury as he is the leader of the unit. Former first-round pick K'Lavon Chaisson has found a home in Foxborough while Christian Elliss and Robert Spillane will make you think about your decision running in their area. Secondary has veteran and Super Bowl champion Carlton Davis III and budding shutdown corner Christian Gonzalez (cool last name). Jaylinn Hawkins and Craig Woodson are young safeties, but that doesn't mean they are not up for the challenge. Marcus Jones serves as nickelback and primary returner, and is dangerous for opponents. Andy Borregales and Bryce Baringer serve as the punter and kicker, respectfully.

After a four-win season, the Patriots decided to bring in Mike Vrabel as head coach and Josh McDaniels as offensive coordinator. What it got them is a ten-game improvement and a chance of another Lombardi Trophy for their mantle.

Now, for the NFC.....

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

Guess who back, back again....it's not the Legion of Boom that you know and love (or not). This is a different breed of Seahawks football. The redemption arc for Sam Darnold has become more interesting as he is set to be the first quarterback from the 2018 class to go to the Super Bowl. Running back Kenneth Walker will be their workhorse on the ground with Zack Charbonnet out with a knee injury. The Hawks have arguably the best receiver in football, Jaxon Smith-Njigba in their arsenal. Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp and trade deadline acquisition Rashid Shaheed gives Seattle a formidable receiving corp. Tight end AJ Barner and fullback Robbie Ouzts were not talked about a lot, but they contribute to this tough Seahawks offense. Charles Cross and Grey Zabel are Pro Bowl caliber on the left side of the offensive line while Jalen Sundell, Anthony Bradford and Abraham Lucas can hold their own. Once again, Seattle's defense isn't the Legion of Boom, but they can be terrifying. The front four (yes, they play a classic 4-3) is one of the best in the league. DeMarcus Lawrence found some redemption after getting out of Dallas and Leonard Williams feels like he's been in the league for 15 years and makes his first Super Bowl while Byron Murphy II and Derick Hall can bring the pain. Linebackers have an underrated one in the middle in Ernest Jones IV. The outside is young, but Drake Thomas and Uchenna Nwosu are punishing. Secondary is led by Devon Witherspoon, a cornerback who is near the top tier in the position. Nick Emmanwori is a nickelback but plays like a linebacker/safety a la Kyle Hamilton. Riq Woolen and Josh Jobe are strong at the opposite corner spot. Julian Love and Coby Bryant (KOBE!) man the safeties position and they are efficient. Michael Dickson and Jason Myers are seasoned veterans who are clutch in the kicking game. Shaheed doubles as the return man who has made big plays in that spot.

In two seasons, Mike McDonald has turned the Seahawks from middle of the road to Super Bowl contender with his and GM John Schneider's attention to detail. Also, Schneider should be in the Hall of Fame for his work during his career.

Eleven years ago, the Seahawks were one yard away from going back-to-back but decided to throw and it ended badly. Can they have their redemption, or will the Patriots start a new dynasty with a different cast of characters?

We will find out in Super Bowl 60 in Santa Clara, not San Francisco.

(For more content, check out our Facebook page, our website www.realsportsmarksaz.com, the Wix mobile app and our Instagram page.)