Overview of The Athletic Football Show — Super Bowl LX preview
This episode of The Athletic Football Show (host Robert Mays) features deep conversations with The Athletic beat writers Chad Graff (Patriots) and Michael-Shawn Dugar (Seahawks). They break down how each franchise went from uncertain starting points to the Super Bowl — New England’s dramatic one-season turnaround under Mike Vrabel and a ruthless, methodical Seattle rebuild under Mike McDonald — and identify the tactical, personnel, and coaching details that will decide Super Bowl LX.
Key takeaways
- New England’s turnaround is built on an extremely aggressive free-agency haul and strong coaching from Mike Vrabel and his staff. Many traditionally risky signings (high AAV veterans and lots of mid/low-cost additions) surprisingly paid off across the roster.
- Drake May’s leap into an elite quarterback this season is the single biggest reason the Patriots are here — his deep ball, scrambling and decision-making were far better than expected.
- Patriots defensive play-calling under Zach Coor (elevated after the defensive coordinator’s cancer diagnosis) has been adaptive and varied — they changed their looks, blitz rates and personnel usage throughout the year, keeping opponents off balance.
- Seattle remade its offense by adopting a proven system (Clint Kubiak’s concepts), retooling the OL with scheme-first thinking, and getting massive returns on several offseason bets (including Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s emergence and Sam Darnold’s fit).
- Mike McDonald’s coaching in Seattle emphasizes accountability, role clarity and raising the floor of backups; his tone and humility are key to the team’s culture and in-game performance.
Patriots — how they flipped 4-13 to Super Bowl contender
Offseason and roster construction
- New England led the league in guaranteed money spent in free agency (about $193M). They signed several veteran/high-AAV defenders and offensive starters.
- The wins came from a mix: a few star-level signings (Stephon Diggs, Milton Williams, Carlton Davis) that performed at a high level and numerous mid/low-cost signings that supplied reliable, passable NFL play at key spots (e.g., offensive line, linebackers, depth).
- Chad Graff calls it “flipping a flush” — a string of risky moves that unexpectedly all fell right.
Quarterback and offense
- Drake May’s development was central. He became elite as a deep-ball passer and decision-maker, frequently getting to + plays despite mediocre line/receiver situations earlier in the season.
- Josh McDaniels’ complex Patriots system (quarterback-heavy reads) was a good fit for May — staff used Tom Brady clips in camp to teach concepts and build belief.
- While the offense dominated much of the regular season (top marks in EPA/yard metrics), playoffs vs top defenses were less explosive — Graff suspects May needs close to an “A game” to win the Super Bowl.
Defense and coaching
- Mike Vrabel is credited for culture, game management and being a hands-on sideline coach; he has been central to the team identity.
- Terrell Williams (original DC) was diagnosed with cancer and stepped away; Zach Coor (inside linebackers coach) was thrust into play-caller/DC duties and delivered adaptive, successful scheming.
- The Patriots’ defensive profile changed throughout the year: variations in light-box usages, blitz rates (rose markedly after the bye), more complex coverage looks and DB-involved pressures. That adaptability has been a playoff edge.
Under-the-radar contributors
- Rookie safety Craig Woodson (fourth round) has been a playoff revelation and important coverage asset.
- New England’s rookie class produced multiple contributors (13 rookies on the 53-man roster), helping balance the veteran signings.
- Ramondre Stevenson’s pass-protection and short-yardage reliability earned him trust late in the year; some high-draft rookies (like Will Campbell) had mixed moments but the overall class depth helped.
Seahawks — remodeling into a top team
Structural offseason bets that worked
- Seattle reimagined its offense: adopted Clint Kubiak’s run-heavy, play-action-friendly system, emphasized getting explosive runs and simplified blocking tasks for linemen.
- The front office made several high-leverage personnel moves that all paid off: Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s breakout, Sam Darnold’s fit, the OL additions (including a North Dakota State pick and center Jalen Sundell), and better usage of Kenneth Walker in the postseason.
- Clint Kubiak’s system raised the offensive line’s floor — scheme changes made existing players look much better and enabled explosive plays.
Offense: development and balance
- The Seahawks finished roughly between 10th–14th in major offensive metrics (DVOA, EPA/play) — they were consistently solid even if not top-3 dominant.
- The offense needed explosive plays beyond the “Jax” (JSN). Players like A.J. Barnard, Rashid Shaheed and others contributed key explosive plays and third/late-game conversions.
- Kenneth Walker’s role increased in the playoffs (more explosiveness and scoring), which amplified Seattle’s offensive threat.
Defense and coaching
- Seattle’s defensive line construction turned a historical weakness into a strength: rotation of high-effort, physical defenders (Leonard Williams, Byron Murphy, Uchenna Nwosu and others) allows nickel/light fronts to play aggressively.
- Mike McDonald’s biggest contributions: elite schematic play-calling, accountability, and raising the floor of backups. He communicates clearly, avoids “don’t do X” messaging that can paralyze players, and shows humility (owning bad calls), which builds trust.
- Depth players (Ty Okada, Drake Thomas, Julian Love’s return from injury) played critical roles; Seattle’s “ready squad” culture means backups are prepared and confident.
Matchup themes and what to watch in Super Bowl LX
- Patriots blitz profile vs Seattle’s pass protection: New England has been sending a lot of DB blitzes and interior pressure; does that continue and can Seattle pick it up with Sam and the OL?
- Drake May’s A-game vs Seattle’s defense: Pats' ceiling depends on May’s deep-ball and ability to create explosive plays under pressure. If he plays near his regular-season form, New England has a path; if not, they likely need a defensive or situational masterpiece.
- Red zone execution: Seattle is dominant overall, but Patriots have limited red-zone opportunities and been opportunistic defensively. Red-zone conversions and turnovers will swing the result.
- Interior battle: Patriots’ defensive tackles (with blitz help) vs Seahawks’ interior OL — matchup in close quarters will decide run success and Darnold’s pocket time.
- Coaching edge: Vrabel’s sideline management and McDonald’s accountability-driven culture — both coaches have unique strengths that influence in-game adjustments.
Notable quotes & insights from the episode
- “This has been the Mike Vrabel show” — many of the free-agent additions and culture shifts were Vrabel-driven.
- “No route is dead” — A.J. Barnard’s mindset: even the backside or low-target receiver must stay ready because the ball can come to anyone.
- Mike McDonald on coaching quarterbacks: don’t prime a QB to think about turnovers; instead, coach him to be himself and make plays.
- Seattle players wearing “We did not care” shirts — a small example of McDonald’s blunt, authentic messaging that resonated.
Under-the-radar X-factors (quick list)
- Patriots: rookie safety Craig Woodson and the collective impact of a deep rookie class; interior pressure packages vs Seahawks.
- Seahawks: Kenneth Walker’s playoff explosiveness and the OL’s scheme-driven improvement; readiness and playmaking by backups (Ty Okada, Drake Thomas).
- Both: special teams and field-position management — both staffs emphasize marginal gains and situational execution.
Final verdict (framing, not a prediction)
- The podcast frames Seattle as the better-rounded favorite (offense, defense, special teams), but highlights that New England’s recent history — dramatic rebuilding, adaptive defense and a transcendent Drake May season — makes this a genuinely competitive Super Bowl. The matchup will likely be decided by explosive plays, blitz/OL battles, and which coaching staff adjusts better in-game.
What to watch on game day
- Patriots’ blitz rate and alignment changes (do they keep sending DB/slot pressure?)
- Drake May’s deep-pass accuracy and scramble-to-explode plays
- Kenneth Walker’s snap share and red-zone usage
- Interior trench wins (Patriots DTs vs Seahawks interior OL)
- Situational: third/fourth-and-short, red-zone conversions, and turnover/opportunistic plays
Credits: Episode host Robert Mays, interviews with Chad Graff (Patriots beat writer) and Michael-Shawn Dugar (Seahawks beat writer).