Prisco's pick for Seahawks vs. Patriots in Super Bowl 2026: Stout Seattle defense shuts down New England

Pete Prisco predicts Drake Maye will crumble facing Seattle's dominant defense

SAN FRANCISCO -- New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye was an MVP-type player in the regular season, holding up against pressure and making big plays down the field.

In the postseason, pressure has eaten him alive. He hasn't handled it well and the Patriots' offense has been awful in the playoffs.

That can be a major problem in Sunday's Super Bowl LX against the Seattle Seahawks. That's because Seattle can flat out pressure the quarterback. They have a wave of defensive players who can attack up the field and create problems. Combine that with a New England offensive line that doesn't protect well, and Maye might have big problems. 

That's what ultimately will decide this game.

When Seattle won Super Bowl XLVIII with the Legion of Boom defense, the story seemed to always be about the guys on the back end. The reality is it should have been about the guys up front. If you can pressure with four, which they did, it makes it so much easier on the back end.