Since the Super Bowl matchup was decided this past weekend, all analysts have been talking about the Patriots' defense and how they will fare against the explosive offense led by quarterback Sam Darnold, specifically shutting down receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
New England's defense impressed in the three playoff games over the past month, but faces a new challenge against a more dynamic offense in the Super Bowl.
And while that is a fair conversation to have, there should be more discussion about Seattle's defense, which has long been considered elite, and how they will perform against a quarterback like Drake Maye, whose skill set they haven't faced much of this season.
In fact, given Maye's mobility and how that got the Patriots to lock up the AFC Championship against the Broncos, the Seahawks will have to prepare for a quarterback style they faced only three times this season, which might pose a problem for the defensive efforts.
Seattle's defense will need to work hard against Drake Maye if they don't want him to run away with the Lombardi
Because they're in the same division as the Cardinals, of course, Seattle's defense faced off against quarterback Kyler Murray, who spent most of the 2025 season injured.
Aside from him, the only other mobile quarterbacks they were tasked with shutting down were Jayden Daniels, who wasn't moving much due to multiple injuries, and rookie Cam Ward, who actually played pretty well in their game, given the circumstances with the Titans' roster.
The rest of the quarterbacks they faced are predominantly pocket passers, some of whom are known for having big arms, so Maye's style of play is a bit more unfamiliar to this group, which could work greatly in the Patriots' favor.
One of my biggest questions for this game is how Seahawks' defense does against mobile QBs. Only faced Murray & Daniels, and both were on horrible teams. Maye presents very different challenge than Purdy/Stafford etc https://t.co/IMEvGjNwVq
— Computer Cowboy (@benbbaldwin) January 28, 2026
Although they'll have nearly two weeks to adequately prepare for what the Patriots will inevitably bring to the field, the Seahawks' defense is mostly inexperienced against a quarterback like Maye, and that won't change much ahead of the Super Bowl.
They certainly bring the pressure and can get to opposing quarterbacks, as they did all season long, but when they can extend plays, even on the fly as Maye has time and time again, that's a challenge that can't always be prepped for, and it could become an x-factor for New England's offense, particuarly if their offensive line continues to struggle.
It will be interesting to see if Josh McDaniels writes more run plays into the game plan knowing this about their opponent's defense, or if Maye will take advantage of more opportunities and call an audible, just as he did in the game-sealing run in last week's game.