It’s Super Bowl week, with the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots facing off for a championship this Sunday at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. This is a rematch 11 years later of the all-time classic won by New England capped by the unforgettable Malcolm Butler interception at the goal line.
The league is setting records in viewership with immense interest in America’s most popular sport, and many are looking for where to find NFL betting action for the Big Game. It’ll have been a two-week layoff by the time we kick off on February 8, but these players have been the top performers for Seattle and New England on their way to Super Bowl LX.
Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba
During the regular season, Smith-Njigba posted a 119/1,793/10 line and hit 72 receiving yards in every game except one (a 26-0 blowout of the Vikings). In the postseason, the Ohio State product has not slowed down. Despite a modest three receptions in the Wild Card win over the Niners (another blowout), he did catch a touchdown. Then he exploded for 153 yards and a touchdown on 10 receptions in the NFC title game victory. The level the third-year pro has been playing at is truly outstanding, and he’ll be a tough cover even for a strong cornerback group. Some of the NFL latest news is the award races that’ll be determined the night before the Super Bowl, with JSN up for Offensive Player of the Year. Don’t be surprised if he takes that and then follows it up with Super Bowl MVP.
Seahawks QB Sam Darnold
Right behind JSN is his quarterback Sam Darnold. Similarly, he didn’t have to do a ton in the Wild Card Round, but he did complete 70.6 percent of his passes and toss the touchdown to his top target. But in the NFC Championship Game versus the Rams, Darnold torched a defense he had struggled with—tagging them for 346 yards and three scores through the air. The 28-year-old hasn’t turned the ball over in the two playoff wins, playing close to flawless football when it matters most for the Seahawks.
Patriots DT Milton Williams
The Patriots defense was without Milton Williams for a couple of months late in the regular season, but he returned in Week 18 to get back into the swing of things—and he hasn’t looked back during a tremendous three-game run en route to Super Bowl LX. The big-money free-agent signing had two sacks in the Wild Card Round against the Chargers, setting the tone for the New England defense. Though he hasn’t gotten home for a sack the past two games, Williams—who won a title with the Eagles last year—has a sensational nine pressures so far this postseason.
Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III
Many (particularly fantasy owners) weren’t happy with the workload for Kenneth Walker III from September to December, but he’s matched his regular season high in carries (19) in each of the playoff wins for the Seahawks—showcasing his explosive ability while finding the end zone four times in two games (including a hat trick to help rout the rival 49ers). If Walker gets the edge, he can pick up chunk gains in a hurry—and the energy he brings with the ball in his hands is evident.
Patriots CB Christian Gonzalez
While the Broncos were able to get a 52-yard reception to Marvin Mims Jr. on Christian Gonzalez early in the AFC Championship Game, Gonzalez ultimately tightened up and sealed the victory with an interception on the final drive for Denver. The former first-round pick by Bill Belichick also forced a fumble the week before in the sloppy game for the Texans. Gonzalez represents a cornerback trio—along with Carlton Davis III and Marcus Jones—that’s playing very well through three postseason contests and will be tasked with slowing down JSN on Sunday.
Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson
The statistics aren’t eye-opening for Rhamondre Stevenson, but he deserves an honorable mention for being the engine of the Patriots offense with young quarterback Drake Maye and the passing game struggling to this point. After 53 yards (5.3 yards per carry) and 70 yards (4.4 yards per carry), Stevenson was a workhorse who grinded it out for 71 yards on 25 attempts in the win at the Broncos to clinch the Super Bowl trip. The Seahawks have an elite run defense, but Stevenson is a guy who can churn forward for positive yardage and make a difference in the Big Game.