3 keys to victory for the Patriots in Super Bowl LX

The Patriots have no qualms about becoming underdogs in Super Bowl LX. “Someone has to [be]But schematically, what will it take for the Patriots to overthrow the favored Seahawks in the fight for the Lombardi Trophy? Here are three keys to New England’s victory: 1. Drake Maye needs to use his legs With 1:57 left in the AFC Championship Game, the Patriots faced a third-and-5 and were looking to fight back. 10-7 victory against the Broncos. Drake Maye faked a handoff to running back Rhamondre Stevenson to his right, then started to his left, the Patriots quarterback outpacing Broncos outside linebacker Jonah Elliss to the sideline, where he secured the game-clinching conversion. just as essential in allowing the Patriots to win their seventh Super Bowl title. Although he’s most praised for his efficient throwing and deep prowess, the MVP finalist is also one of the most mobile quarterbacks in the league. He led the league in first downs (27) and ranked third in total rushing yards (423) during the regular season, according to Next Gen Stats. Week 15, that’s up to 38.9 rushing yards per game (on 6.6 carries per game). In the regular season, the Seahawks allowed 5.3 rushing yards per carry to opposing quarterbacks, fourth-highest in the league, according to NGS. So this is something the Patriots need to exploit. in the regular season, which is tied for 18th in the NFL — but it’s a viable option to slow down the Seahawks quarterback, who played the best game of his career in the NFC Championship Game. Darnold completed 62.5 percent of his passes on blitzes during the regular season, posting a 10-7 touchdown-to-interception ratio with a 93.6 passer rating, according to NGS. Not bad, sure, but certainly not as deadly when defenses threw four or fewer. Under those circumstances, Darnold posted a 15-7 touchdown/interception ratio with a passer rating of 102.1. So, blitzing at a higher rate than normal can provide New England with the best opportunity to get Darnold to cough up the ball, which he did at a high rate during the regular season. Gonzalez, Carlton Davis III and Marcus Jones all played the ball on a higher percentage of their targets in the playoffs than in the regular season, according to Next Gen Stats. Gonzalez, Davis, Jones and safety Craig Woodson each had four assists in the playoffs. The vaunted New England Seahawks defense struggled to keep Maye upright in the playoffs. He was sacked 15 times in the playoffs (five times each in the wild card, divisional round and AFC title game), the most of any player to reach a Super Bowl since 1970, according to Next Gen Stats. find a rhythm. This could improve Maye’s passing efficiency, which is down significantly in the playoffs. Jumbo formations, with multiple running backs and tight ends, could also be a great option for New England in short yardage situations. Stevenson and Henderson thrived as jumbo during the regular season, averaging 9.8 and 5.8 yards per carry, respectively, according to NGS. ranked first in the NFL in yards per carry and Henderson ranked fourth. The Patriots have thrown a league-high 10 touchdowns in a giant formation this season.