A win today can silence those strength of schedule talks...forever.
That's what New England Patriots fans are hoping for in Super Bowl 60, where they can get that ridiculous narrative off their back with a win over the favored Seattle Seahawks. It's neutral ground for both squads as the two teams are clashing in Santa Clara, California, but a road game is simply nothing new for the Patriots this postseason.
That's an edge they'll be carrying into this game. Per Odds Shark on X, teams that didn't have to travel when their Super Bowl opponent did are 2-11 straight up and 1-12 against the spread.
So much for being strength of schedule merchants?
Patriots are walking into Super Bowl with competitive edge
The Seahawks' postseason schedule had them playing both their divisional game and championship game at home. They earned that right as the 1 seed in the NFC, and they benefitted greatly from it considering their "12th Man." As for New England, the team had to get a win in one of the ugliest weather games you'll see to decide a Super Bowl representative against the Denver Broncos.
The AFC Championship served as a great reminder of two things - we need domes, and the Patriots' ability to win in New England weather was a leg up against Denver. Even if New England can't, and shouldn't, get Drake Maye going in adverse weather, they've got an elite defensive front to muck things up for the other team.
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You've probably heard a lot leading into this Super Bowl about how the Patriots might need to drag this game down to the mud in order to keep it close. Their defense is good enough to swing things in their favor, especially against Sam Darnold. He's turnover prone, and if their IDL can make life difficult for him in the pocket, that benefits their fumble-hunting and their secondary.
New England probably can't shake the narrative that they benefitted mightily from a fairly easy schedule in the regular season. But, you can't deny that they took care of business in the postseason, especially in that Denver game. Bo Nix wasn't a factor, of course, but the weather threatened to keep things pretty level between that defense and New England's.
The Patriots face the ultimate "prove it" game in this Super Bowl for more reasons than the obvious - winning a ring. They can also prove they have the ability to take down a "better" opponent, on the road, with health a near non-factor.