Many NFL analysts appear to believe that the Seattle Seahawks are a better team than the New England Patriots as the teams prepare for play in Super Bowl LX. Defensively, Seattle is certainly better, though the Pats are not bad. Offensively might be more of a toss-up, but according to Ndamukong Suh, New England has a real advantage in one area.
And it's in an aspect that matters. While Seattle head coach Mike Macdonald has reset the Seahawks locker room culture effectively and quickly, Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel has done the same in Foxborough. The biggest difference between the coaches in Vrabel's previous experience preparing (and winning) a Super Bowl.
While Suh was recently commenting on the upcoming Super Bowl for Sky Sports, he wanted to make clear he wasn't trying to disrespect either coach, but he believes Vrabel's experience in understanding how to prepare for the biggest game in football gives New England a leg up.
Ndamukong Suh feels Patriots' Mike Vrabel might have one key advantage against the Seattle Seahawks
"I’m not going to put either of these coaches out, but especially not Mike Vrabel, because he has a history of winning and understanding how to win," Vrabel said. "And he’s got a solid week and a half, almost two weeks to prepare for this team? I mean, they’re gonna have a great game plan for Sam Darnold and the Seattle Seahawks."
And Vrabel isn't the only Pats coach to have that kind of experience; offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels does too. Vrabel played in four Super Bowls, winning three, with the last coming in 2007. McDaniels has been on the coaching staff of six different New England teams that have gone to the championship game.
That is certainly a lot of experience, not just in knowing how to take 53 players and mold them into the kind of team that could win a Super Bowl, but also in knowing how to handle the circus that is the two-week lead-up to the championship game. Players can easily get distracted, and that, of course, takes their focus off preparing for the game.
Still, the Seattle Seahawks have the greatest advantage, especially if quarterback Sam Darnold plays well and doesn't have too many (or any) turnovers. Seattle has the more talented roster, and every position group of their defense is better than their Patriots counterparts.
Seattle should win the game based on how well Mike Macdonald schemes and game-plans his defense. Maybe the game is a lower-scoring one that 12s would like, but ultimately, winning the game is what matters. Whether it is ugly or pretty, a victory will feel the same.
While Mike Vrabel might have the advantage in experience, as Ndamukong Suh rightly points out, Mike Macdonald has the greater advantage: The Seahawks are simply better. With any luck, the game is never close.