Blog

LIVIGNO, Italy — It was devastating to watch, even more brutal to hear.

For a nation that had become enraptured in Lindsey Vonn’s comeback story and the norm-defying attempt to win an Olympic medal without an ACL in her left knee, the helpless cries of pain as she lay on her back and as the mountain fell silent will be hard to erase from memory.

Advertisement

Downhill skiing is often breathtaking. It is sometimes gruesome. And for the second time in nine days, the images of an American sports heroine being strapped to a board and lifted into a helicopter churned the stomach.

But that’s skiing down a mountain at 80 miles per hour. That’s the risk Vonn signed up for when she decided to compete in an Olympics nine days after an ACL tear during a different competition in Switzerland. That’s what happens sometimes when you go for it.

And that’s exactly what Vonn did.

We may never know for sure, but Vonn’s knee may not have even been the culprit for crashing just 13 seconds into her run. If anything, the chain of events that led to her breakdown Sunday started by taking a highly aggressive line into a curve with all her weight shifted to the right — not the injured left leg. Instead, it was her right pole getting tangled with the gate that threw her off balance, launching her into the air, onto her stomach as she hit the snow and then onto her back as she slid several more feet.

Advertisement

Just like that, it was over. And awful.

Like clockwork, there will undoubtedly be detractors who say Vonn shouldn’t have tried something so dangerous, so audacious.

But Vonn, 41, has lived her entire life audaciously. She also knows more about what can happen on a ski slope, for better and worse, than the rest of us put together.

She understood what could happen. She deserved the chance. And now, only she can answer whether the consequences for her body were worth it.

It’s not our business.

Was it sickening to see play out in real time? Of course. But when we turn on a sporting event, especially in the Winter Olympics, we are not guaranteed an experience free of discomfort.

Advertisement

Many of these sports are dangerous. Usually, the athletes make them look easy. Sometimes we take for granted their tolerance for risk.

But this one slaps us all in the face — not just because it’s one of the most accomplished winter sport athletes in the world but because her pain, as it played out on television for millions of people, connects deeply to our own sense of fear and mortality.

Yes, this injury will cast a pall over these Olympics. How can it not? What we watched Sunday wasn’t just sports, it was a microcosm of life. At some point, no matter how invincible we might feel, it can all change in an instant.

Vonn had no doubt she could do it. Her training runs were fine. She spent part of Saturday beefing with detractors on social media, oozing the kind of confidence that made you realize she wasn’t just there to glide down a hill.

Advertisement

She was all-in. Maybe to her detriment.

Some will say it was all a delusion, that doctors shouldn’t have given her the green light, that she should have given her spot in the field to a younger, healthier American.

Stop.

Are you really going to tell one of the legends of the sport, someone who came out of retirement and almost immediately re-established herself one of the best in the world, that she can’t have this chance? Please.

I asked downhill ski racer Bryan Bennett about that notion Saturday after his final Olympic run.

“She’s won Cortina I don’t know how many times,” he said.  “She understands that downhill. Her equipment’s obviously been in a good place. If she can just hold it together for one run … I don’t think she has to risk incredibly. It’s not like she has to do anything crazy special.”

Advertisement

Perhaps one day, after the injuries heal, Vonn will tell us whether that’s what cost her. For now, we can only go off what we saw on television — and what it looked like was an all-time skiing talent trying desperately, maybe too desperately, to win a race the rest of us just wanted her to finish.

But our feelings don’t matter.

Vonn has crashed before, blown out her knee before, felt pain few of us can fathom before. She knew it could happen again and tried anyway.

She went for it. Who are we to second-guess?

MILAN — An American pumped her fist and waved to the crowd after skiing across the finish line with the fastest time in the women’s downhill. It just wasn’t the one who has received endless media coverage over the past week for bravely trying to compete on one good leg.

Breezy Johnson won Olympic gold on Sunday, attacking so fearlessly that she managed to overcome getting off her line on a series of turns in the middle of the course. Johnson’s winning margin over second-place Emma Aicher of Germany was just four-hundredths of a second — 1:36.10 to 1:36.14 — less time than the snap of the fingers or the blink of an eye. Italy’s Sofia Goggia took bronze.

Advertisement

Johnson joins Lindsey Vonn as the only Americans to ever win gold in women’s Olympic downhill.

“I had a good feeling about today,” she said. “I sort of still can’t believe it yet, so I don’t know when it will sink in yet. I’ll let you know.”

But what should have been a moment of jubilation for Johnson turned bittersweet when Vonn’s bid for Olympic glory went horribly wrong. Vonn, 41 years old and famously skiing on a torn ACL suffered just nine days earlier, nicked a gate with her right pole a few seconds into her run, got off balance and crashed in a twisted heap.

As Vonn was crying out in pain on the snow while medical officials rushed to help her, Johnson shook her head in apparent disbelief and buried her face in her right hand. When TV cameras flashed to Johnson later in the competition, she remained subdued, even as it became clear the gold medal was hers.

Advertisement

“My heart goes out to her,” Johnson said later when asked about Vonn. “I hope it’s not as bad as it looked.”

By the start of the medal ceremony, however, Johnson appeared more emotionally ready to celebrate what she had achieved. She raised both arms in the air as she climbed atop the podium and later gleefully pointed at the gold medal around her neck.

For Johnson, Olympic gold is the product of a turbulent journey wrought with difficult moments and overwhelming successes. Johnson, 30, has long been heralded as the next in line behind Vonn and Mikaela Shiffrin, but there have been times when it appeared she might not be able to live up to that heir apparent status.

Advertisement

Johnson had to watch the Beijing Olympics from afar four years ago because of injuries that she sustained in a devastating crash during a training run in Cortina, site of Sunday’s downhill, of all places. Before that, she had been skiing as fast as any downhill racer in the world and appeared to be in position to contend for a medal.

Worse yet, Johnson was suspended for the entire 2023-24 season as a result of what the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency called a whereabouts violation. Athletes are required to register their whereabouts so that anti-doping officials can test them at any time, but Johnson missed three tests — in error, she has claimed.

Since she has returned to action, Johnson has increasingly looked like the old Breezy, the one expected to be atop medal podiums. She is the reigning world champion in the women’s downhill and said she arrived at these Olympics feeling “as healthy as I’ve been since I got injured before the last Olympics.”

Advertisement

It showed.

Since she was the sixth skier down the mountain, Johnson had to wait to see if her leading time would hold up for 30 more racers. TV cameras caught her exhaling theatrically in relief after Aicher had a couple of slight bobbles at the bottom of the course that proved to be the difference between gold and silver.

The third American in the women’s downhill, Jacqueline Wiles, finished fourth to narrowly miss out on a medal.

Johnson’s medal is the first for the United States at these Olympics so far.

All week, she has been overshadowed. Even now, she’s still overshadowed, but she’s an Olympic champion.

The Winter Games have begun in Italy. From the rink to the slopes, a new generation of stars has emerged to chase gold. We’ll keep you connected to all of the thrilling moments and top stories as we track the medal race each day of the Games.

It’s Super Bowl Sunday and Day 2 of the Olympics. Prepare yourselves, sports fans.

Advertisement

The NFC champion Seattle Seahawks and AFC champion New England Patriots are set to play in Super Bowl LX, an unexpected finale to the NFL season that’s rich with storylines.

In the hours leading up to the big game, though, there will be plenty of intrigue as well. The 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics are picking up speed, and the medal count has already started.

Here are the top five things to be aware of Sunday (on the Italian side):

1. Lindsey Vonn’s unfortunate crash in women’s downhill

Lindsey Vonn’s comeback story was a highlight of these Games, and it reached a heartbreaking end early Sunday, 14 seconds into her run in the women’s Alpine skiing downhill final. Her right ski pole clipped a gate as she came out of her third turn, sending her into a spin and a hard landing that left her prone on the snow and screaming in pain. After receiving medical attention, she was airlifted from the mountain.

Advertisement

A mere nine days after tearing the ACL in her left knee during a World Cup downhill race in Switzerland, the 41-year-old pursued a second gold medal. All signs pointed toward one of the most gutsy performances in sports history and a great personal trek for Vonn. Before her return, the three-time Olympic medalist spent nearly six years away from ski racing after retiring in 2019.

2. Will U.S. take gold in figure skating team event after Ilia Malinin’s stunning yet imperfect Olympic debut?

Ilia Malinin is one of the biggest stars, regardless of country, in this year’s Olympics. But the 21-year-old U.S. figure skater didn’t have his best stuff in the men’s short program portion of the team event. While still impressive, the “Quad God” wasn’t as technically sound as usual, finishing second behind Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama. Suddenly, Team USA’s gold medal defense in the competition it won four years ago in Beijing isn’t a lock. Granted, the U.S. has the lead in the team event with 44 points, but Japan isn’t far behind with 39. Three events are left, and they’ll take place Sunday: the free skates of the pairs, women and men. With a gold far from guaranteed in the event, the U.S. is rolling with Malinin for the men’s free skate. Even though his individual event is in two days, he’s going back out there to help Team USA.

3. Will U.S. bounce back in mixed doubles curling?

Team USA’s Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin stormed out to a 4-0 start in round-robin mixed doubles curling competition before dropping matches to Great Britain and South Korea on Saturday. The second of those defeats arrived in an extra end and in upset fashion, as South Korea’s Kim Seonyeong and Jeong Yeongseok had lost their previous five matches. Thiesse and Dropkin will hope to regain their midweek form Sunday when they face off against Estonia (2-4) and Sweden (4-3). Great Britain’s Jennifer Dodds and Bruce Mouat are the only team to qualify for the playoffs so far.

Advertisement

4. Ester Ledecká misses chance at history

In non-Team USA news, Czech snowboarder Ester Ledecká pursued a third gold medal, which would have made her the first snowboarder in Olympic history to three-peat an event. However, in the quarterfinals, her 45.87 score finished second to Austria’s Sabine Payer’s 45.71.

Shaun White is the only snowboarder with three Olympic golds to his name, all in halfpipe, but he missed out in 2014 to miss a three-peat. However, Ledecká already had one unprecedented feat to her name with a ski and snowboard gold in 2018. Unfortunately, she couldn’t repeat that feat in 2026 due to distance between venues.

5. More medals

In addition to the above events, medals are set to be handed out in biathlon, cross-country skiing, luge and speed-skating. The best odds for a Team USA in that group might be speed-skating where Casey Dawson faces a deep field. The 25-year-old currently ranks fourth in the world in long distances.

Advertisement

Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026 (Day 2)

Alpine Skiing

Downhill

• 5:30 a.m.: Women’s final (USA Network)🏅

Biathlon

4 × 6 kilometer relay

• 8:05 a.m.: Mixed final (NBC coverage begins at 8:45 a.m.)🏅

Cross-Country Skiing

20 kilometer skiathlon

• 6:30 a.m.: Men’s final (NBC coverage begins at 7 a.m.)🏅

Curling

Mixed doubles round-robin

• 4:05 a.m.: Norway vs. Czechia, South Korea vs. Estonia (USA Network coverage begins at 4:55 a.m.)

• 8:35 a.m.: Canada vs. Sweden, Great Britain vs. Switzerland, USA vs. Estonia (USA Network), Italy vs. Czechia

• 1:05 p.m.: Italy vs. Great Britain, USA vs. Sweden, Switzerland vs. Norway, Canada vs. South Korea

Figure Skating

Team competition

• 1:30 p.m. Pairs free skate (USA Network)🏅

• 2:45 p.m.: Women’s free skate (USA Network)🏅

• 3:55 p.m.: Men’s free skate (USA Network)🏅

Hockey

Women’s pool play

• 10:40 a.m.: France vs. Sweden

• 3:10 p.m.: Czechia vs. Finland

Luge

Men’s singles

• 11 a.m.: Run 3 (USA Network)🏅

• 12:45 p.m.: Run 4 (USA Network)🏅

Snowboarding

Parallel giant slalom

• 3 a.m.: Men’s and women’s qualifying (USA Network)

• 7 a.m.: Men’s and women’s finals (NBC coverage begins at 7:30 a.m.) 🏅

Big air

• 1:30 p.m.: Women’s qualifying (airs on USA Network at 6:30 p.m.)

Speed Skating

• 10 a.m.: Men’s 5000m (NBC)🏅

Many Olympics fans woke up early to watch Lindsey Vonn pursue a second gold medal in the women’s Alpine downhill final, hoping to see the 41-year-old complete a storybook comeback, one made even more compelling by her competing despite tearing the ACL in her left knee.

Unfortunately, those watching live or catching up as they tuned in early Sunday morning saw the disturbing scene of Vonn crashing after making her third turn and laying prone on the snow as medical personnel attended to her. Eventually, a helicopter arrived to airlift her from the scene, creating the sort of moment no one wants in an athletic competition.

Advertisement

Video of Vonn’s crash was quickly posted online, with many eager to see what they may have missed on television and more looking to view the accident again, perhaps trying to determine exactly what happened. But photos were soon posted that showed Vonn’s right ski pole clipping the gate coming out of her third turn, which sent her spinning out into a harsh landing.

Naturally, the scene from the Tofane slope in Cortina d’Ampezzo was solemn as a previously festive setting turned pensive and quiet.

Fellow U.S. skier Mikaela Shiffrin had no words to express after Vonn’s crash, but conveyed her feelings of heartache and sympathy through emojis.

Gold medal figure skater Scott Hamilton was among the former Olympians sharing their admiration for Vonn’s spirit in competing through adversity, willing to put herself through the difficulty of fighting with injury to pursue success.

Tennis star Rafael Nadal also passed along encouragement, calling Vonn an “inspiration” and praising her for her perseverance.

Reactions from spectators were also notable, both on site at Cortina and captured from TV. Snoop Dogg was among the famous in attendance showing concern as Vonn received attention on the course.

Reflecting the times we live in where many feel the need to record everything first-hand on their phones, several focused on a spectator who continued to get video while others looked on in worry.

Another aspect of the crash observers dwelled on was the grisly audio of Vonn screaming in pain while she lay prone on the snow after crashing and while she was receiving medical attention. TV networks also struggled with how much to show of Vonn’s collapse and its aftermath while the event was delayed.

Following Vonn’s crash, two sentiments emerged on social media. One was sadness and heartbreak for an inglorious ending to what so many hoped would be an inspirational story.

The other, uglier opinion was that Vonn shouldn’t have competed in this event with such a serious injury, leading toward an inevitable outcome.

Additionally. some commented on the discourse that was developing online, noting the criticism that seemed especially harsh and unfair in the moment while also acknowledging the mentality that motivated Vonn to ski despite her body creating obstacles.

The aftermath of Vonn’s accident brought a variety of reactions that can be expected in virtually any event occurring today on social media, ranging from sympathy to hostility expressed by athletes and celebrities familiar with such experiences, along with nearly anonymous viewers sharing their opinions.

LIVIGNO, Italy — Czech star Ester Ledecka, the two-time defending gold medalist in women’s parallel giant slalom, suffered a shocking defeat Sunday in the quarterfinals and did not make the podium.

Heavily favored to win this event for the third time, Ledecka got out of the starting gate a beat slow and could not make up ground on Austria’s Sabine Payer, ultimately failing to advance by 0.06 seconds.

Advertisement

The result was particularly surprising given that Ledecka posted the fastest qualifying time for the event by .69 seconds over two runs and was nearly three full seconds faster than Payer.  It’s her first loss in this event since 2023.

The second-favorite for the event, Japan’s Tsubaki Miki, was also eliminated in the quarterfinals.

Instead, it was Ledecka’s countrywoman, Zuzana Maderova, who cruised to the gold medal with a .83-second victory over Payer in the big final. Lucia Dalmasso added another medal for host Italy with a victory over another Italian, Elisa Caffont, for the bronze.

Ledecka became an international fascination in 2018 when she pulled off an unprecedented double, winning a gold medal on both a snowboard and skis, shocking the field in the Super G.

Advertisement

Because of this year’s schedule and the long distance between Livingo and the women’s Alpine events in Cortina, Ledecka essentially chose competing in PSG over the downhill. She was trying to join an exclusive club of Olympic athletes like Usain Bolt and Katie Ledecky who have won an event three straight times, but it was not to be.

It’s unclear whether parallel giant slalom will be included in the 2030 Olympic program in the French Alps, as it has been placed under review by the IOC. Viewership of the event, which pits riders in a side-by-side race, is said to be key in whether it survives another Olympic cycle.

Advertisement

Riders have launched a social media campaign #keepPSGolympic. In a video posted to Instagram, earlier this week, Ledecka said: “It’s an amazing sport, which for sure belongs to the Olympics. My personal opinion doesn’t matter at all, but I just hope that the opinion of the person which will matter will fight for our place because I think we deserve that.”

Derek Carr’s retirement might last for only one season. The former Las Vegas Raiders and New Orleans Saints quarterback is reportedly considering ending his retirement if there’s a team that provides the “right fit and coaching staff,” according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

“Never say never,” Carr said in September when asked about a return on The Dan Patrick Show. “Because I’ve learned that when I say never, it usually happens.”

Advertisement

Carr was banged up at the end of his tenure with the Saints. The 34-year-old retired in May after a labral tear in his shoulder and damage to his rotator cuff threatened his availability for the 2025-2026 season.

Despite his injury, teams remained interested in Carr as injuries piled up at the quarterback position. When Pro Bowl quarterback Joe Burrow went down, the Cincinnati Bengals reportedly inquired about Carr before trading for Joe Flacco.

With limited options to acquire a quarterback in free agency and the draft, Carr is expected to be in demand this offseason. Despite still being under contract with the Saints, he was replaced this season by rookie quarterback Tyler Shough.

Advertisement

Carr is also more than a year removed from injuring his shoulder, which he suffered in the 2024-2025 season. He opted against getting surgery and decided to rehab his shoulder. Carr reportedly has no shoulder limitations and has improved to the point where he is routinely throwing.

The Raiders are one team that has reportedly been linked to Carr. He spent his first nine years with the franchise after getting drafted in 2014, spending time in both Oakland and Las Vegas. He helped lead the Raiders to two playoff appearances and is the Raiders’ all-time leading passer, having thrown for 35,222 yards.

Advertisement

Carr is also familiar with new Raiders head coach and current Seahawks offensive coordinator, Klint Kubiak. The Raiders have the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and are expected to target Indiana’s quarterback Fernando Mendoza.

There was both very good and very bad Sunday morning in Italy. Here is what’s gone down so far on Day 3 of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games:

The first medal for the United States comes courtesy of Breezy Johnson, who became just the second American woman to win gold in the women’s downhill. Johnson has been overshadowed by her more famous teammate, Lindsey Vonn, but took the slop at Cortina by storm, setting the pace early and holding on for a monumental victory for her.

Advertisement

Unfortunately, it was overshadowed by what happened midway through the event with her teammate, Vonn.

The 41-year-old American legend has been the early story of these Olympics with her guts and determination to compete despite tearing her ACL a little more than a week ago. After two training runs where she looked solid, Vonn had captivated the country and the world that she might just be able to pull off the possible

Then, on Sunday, disaster struck. Just 13 seconds into her run, Vonn clipped a gate and tumbled hard to the ground in a horrifying crash. For 15 minutes she lay prone on the snow while attended to by medical staff before she was eventually airlifted away via helicopter.

Advertisement

Ledecka hasn’t lost a women’s parallel giant slalom event since 2023. She’s the two-time defending Olympic champion in the event. But on Sunday, an uncharacteristic bobble cost her in the quarterfinals, sending her away empty.

Move over Pita Taufatofua, you’ve got shirtless company.

Benjamin Karl took gold in the men’s parallel giant slalom and then proceeded to defy the temperatures by ripping off his bib, jacket and whatever else he had underneath in a celebration that produced an epic photo:

Taufatofua became infamous for his shirtless parade in several Olympic Opening Ceremonies, though he did wear a shirt Friday night while carrying the Olympic flag.

How excited was Austria’s Benjamin Karl to win his second consecutive gold medal in the men’s parallel giant slalom? He disregarded the cold, snowy conditions at the Livigno Snow Park and ditched his ski clothing to flex in victory.

Karl, 40, trailed South Korea’s Kim Sang-kyum through much of the final. But Kim made a mistake with a wide turn midway down the course and Karl raced downhill to finish 0.19 seconds ahead to win gold. Bulgaria’s Tervel Zamfirov won bronze in the event.

As if going shirtless in the snow wasn’t enough, Karl continued his celebration by kneeling to toss the powder in the air before lying face-down in the snow for what will surely be one of the most exuberant displays of triumph at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Karl may also have been tired after finishing his run in addition to shedding four layers of clothing in celebration. This wasn’t Brandi Chastain after Team USA won the women’s World Cup in 1999 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. Karl’s celebration took a bit longer.

Advertisement

With the win, Karl successfully defended the gold medal he won at the 2022 Beijing Games. He also became the first snowboarder to win four Olympic medals with the bronze he earned at Sochi in 2014 and silver he took in 2010 at Vancouver.

The Super Bowl LX matchup has been set, and the Seattle Seahawks are favored against the New England Patriots. The game will be played on Sunday, Feb. 8, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, and it will have an estimated $1.71 billion wagered on it from American bettors at legal U.S. sportsbooks.

One bettor could end up winning nearly $4.5 million if Sam Darnold and the Seahawks win the game, thanks to a $50,000 wager on Seattle to win the Super Bowl at 60-1 odds back in August.

Advertisement

With an expansive prop bet menu and many more options to wager on than a normal game, Yahoo Sports’ NFL handicappers are here to help you sort through everything to find betting value. Remember that even though it’s the last game of the season, be smart with your bankroll: Nevada sportsbooks have only lost on two Super Bowls since 1991.

Here are our favorite Super Bowl LX wagers — be sure to bookmark this page and check in daily, as we’ll be updating it all the way up to kickoff.

Odds courtesy of BetMGM.

Side and total

Matt Jacob: The Patriots lost their season opener to the Las Vegas Raiders. By a touchdown. At home.

Advertisement

The Raiders would go on to win two more games the rest of the season and now hold the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL draft.

Two weeks after falling to Las Vegas, the Patriots lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers. By a touchdown. At home. This was one week after the Steelers — at home — lost to the Seattle Seahawks by two touchdowns.

For the season, New England would play just four games against opponents that qualified for the postseason — Pittsburgh, Carolina and Buffalo (twice). It went 2-2 in those contests.

Think that’s unimpressive? Get a load of this: Of the 14 foes the Patriots played in the regular season …

Advertisement

• 10 fired their head coaches

• Four were from the putrid NFC South

• Four started rookie quarterbacks (Cleveland’s Dillon Gabriel, Tennessee’s Cam Ward, the Jets’ Brady Cook and Miami’s Quinn Ewers)

• Two started quarterbacks in their 40s (Cincinnati backup Joe Flacco, who subbed for Joe Burrow, and Pittsburgh’s Aaron Rodgers)

• One started Spencer Rattler (New Orleans); one had a journeyman backup quarterback play the majority of the game (Baltimore’s Tyler Huntley); and one a QB who led the NFL in interceptions (Las Vegas’ Geno Smith)

[Check out all of Yahoo’s sports betting content here in our new betting hub]

But wait, there’s more.

Advertisement

The Patriots played eight games against teams that finished with fewer than seven victories. They played eight games against teams that didn’t have their No. 1 wide receiver (plus one more in the playoffs). And they barely won the AFC Championship Game against an opponent whose quarterback (Jarrett Stidham) entered the contest with four NFL starts under his belt.

Now the luckiest team in recent memory heads to Super Bowl 60 to face a Seahawks squad that has won nine consecutive games (including four by 17-plus points).

It’s a franchise that beat the Rams and 49ers to close the regular season, then did it again in the playoffs.

A franchise that ranked in the top 10 in almost every major statistical category (including No. 1 in scoring defense, and No. 3 in both scoring offense and rushing defense).

Advertisement

And a franchise that won its only championship in blowout fashion (43-8 over Denver in Super Bowl 48). Expect a similar lopsided result in Super Bowl 60.

Bet: Seahawks -13.5 (+280)

Matt Russell: Well, that’s aggressive, and even if I hate it, damnit do I respect it. Unfortunately, somebody has to take the other side, both against the spread and with less veracity.

The Seahawks also played the four teams of the vaunted NFC South, to go along with Cam Ward’s Titans, the Commanders and the putrid Cardinals twice. Throw in home games against the oldest of all the quarterbacks — Philip Rivers off the street — and rookie-est of all the quarterbacks — Max Brosmer — even if we acknowledge the obvious coziness of the Patriots’ schedule, it’s hard to argue the Seahawks faced some daunting slate.

Advertisement

The Seahawks are dining out on dominating an exhausted 49ers’ team ravaged by injury, with a week off in-between, and edging the Rams 2-1 in a thrilling, competitive trilogy.

[Get more Patriots news: New England team feed]

A year ahead in their rebuild timeline, Seattle got out faster than New England, with impressive passing offense and defensive run metrics by EPA/Play in the first half of the season. Meanwhile, an entirely new Patriots team and coaching staff lost that first game, a toss-up, before the Raiders lost all hope in the season soon after. Then New England fumbled the Steelers game away by putting the ball on the ground five times despite dominating the boxscore.

The Seahawks’ market rating quickly shot up into the upper echelon of the NFL, as they caught many of their best opponents, like the Jaguars and Texans, at their low point of the season. It created the assumption that the Rams-Seahawks games were titanic battles between teams head and shoulders above the rest, even as the Rams lost to the Falcons, barely beat the Panthers and almost blew it in Chicago. Yet, few seem bothered enough to re-evaluate the rating for the teams atop the NFC West.

Advertisement

Isn’t it more likely that in a league designed for parity, in a season where the perceived top dogs disappointed, that no team is even close to an all-time great?

That’s what would be required of the Seahawks for a projected line of -3.5 to re-open fairly at -4.5, but because beating the Rams is more impressive than beating the Broncos with Jarret Stidham — and the Patriots are perceived have gotten this far because of their opponents’ poor quarterback play — that’s where we are. However, if you step back, there really isn’t that much difference between these two teams.

When healthy with all three of Christian Barmore, Milton Williams, Khyiris Tonga, the Patriots run defense has allowed -0.12 EPA/Play, which would be third to the Seahawks’ -0.187 rating against run in the regular season. With neither team able to run in this game, now we’re looking at quarterbacks required to carry the day, both of whom are equally capable of a rash of turnovers.

The difference this season for Darnold has been Jaxon Smith-Njigba, but he hasn’t faced the focus of a cornerback of the caliber of Christian Gonzalez, who has led the Patriots to the best EPA/Play against the pass since he first played a full complement of snaps in Week 5 (he missed the Raiders and Steelers games).

Advertisement

While that could all be undermined by re-referencing the Patriots’ schedule, it’s no different than the Hawks’ unit allowing 581 and 479 to the Rams’ offense at home, in two of the few games they’ve played against a capable team at full strength.

I’m not calling for the upset, but there’s far less between the two teams than the betting market perceives because of recent results and the standard schedule-centric talking points. Getting 4.5 points with a coaching staff with extensive experience on handling the unusual elements of the Super Bowl, the Patriots are the valuable side.

Bet: Patriots +4.5

Prop bets

Russell: If it feels like we haven’t lost one of these in a while, it’s because THE WINDOW’s player prop submission into these selections has hit six straight from the divisional round through the conference championships.

Advertisement

This game is going to be a grind. While the Texans, Broncos, and others have a more spectacular pass rush than New England and Seattle, no teams are more solidly schemed with their ability to confuse coverage and hold up against the run.

The offense is either going to be punting frequently, when Maye and Darnold aren’t turning the ball over, or creating the occasional short fields, which probably translate into field goals. Mix in the possibility that the Patriots — a franchise that’s focused on making teams play left-handed since Mike Vrabel was a player in these games — do everything they can to take away Darnold’s favorite target, and it’s hard to picture this being a game where he’s throwing the Seahawks up and down the field.

If Seattle’s defense can convert Maye turnovers into points, they’ll win, but the worst case seems to be that a close game doesn’t compel Darnold to be throwing the ball all over Levi’s Stadium.

Bet: Sam Darnold under 227.5 passing yards

Russell: As for the Patriots, let’s assume that Josh McDaniels spends two weeks coming up with a better plan than running Rhamondre Stevenson straight into the best run defense this season. It’s time to empty the bag of tricks, and that should mean a little more TreVeyon Henderson, using Maye’s legs, and pushing the ball down the field against a Seahawks’ defense that has been vulnerable to long passes from the few good quarterbacks they have faced this season. Plus, if Matt Jacob is right, and this is a blowout, there’s no way Stevenson gets to 15 totes.

Advertisement

Bet: Rhamondre Stevenson under 14.5 rush attempts

Jacob: Slightly more than three field goals per game. That’s what the last five opponents have averaged against New England’s defense.

The raw numbers: 46 total points and four touchdowns allowed in 300 minutes of action.

Now let’s review the five quarterbacks the Patriots suffocated during this dominant defensive run:

• Brady Cook (Jets rookie making his fourth NFL start)

• Quinn Ewers (Dolphins rookie making his third NFL start)

• Justin Herbert (Chargers starter)

• C.J. Stroud (Texans starter)

• Jarrett Stidham (Broncos backup making his fifth NFL start)

A quick word about Herbert and Stroud: The former played behind a makeshift offensive line for most of the season, while the latter treated the football like a hot potato in two playoff games (five interceptions, five fumbles). Oh, and Herbert is now 0-for-3 in the playoffs (all on the road), while Stroud is 1-for-4 as a visitor in the postseason.

Advertisement

So forgive me for being reluctant to compare the 2026 Patriots’ defense with the 1985 Chicago Bears defense.

No, I’m not dropping an F-bomb (“fraud”) on New England’s stop unit. I am, however, saying the recent numbers need to be taken in context. After all, immediately prior to this five-game stretch, the Patriots’ defense was carved up by the Ravens (24 points in Week 15) and Bills (35 points in Week 16). The starting QBs in those games: Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen.

I get it — there’s a large faction of NFL fans (and bettors) still waiting for the “real” Sam Darnold to show up. But here’s reality: Seattle scored 72 points in playoff wins over the 49ers and Rams after averaging 28.4 points per game in the regular season.

Advertisement

The Seahawks scored at least 26 PPG in 13 of 18 games (including 10 of the last 13); they’ve hit the 30-point plateau 10 times; and they’ve topped 40 points on three occasions.

Has Darnold done it all by himself? Absolutely not. In fact, the defense and special teams have had a massive impact on Seattle’s scoring output. It has been a total team effort — and I’m betting we see it again in Super Bowl 60 with the Seahawks lighting up the scoreboard one last time.

Bet: Seahawks team total over 25.5 points (-120)

Jacob: The fact that Drake Maye can move is not exactly breaking news. Opposing defenses have known for quite some time that the Patriots’ 6-foot-4, 225-pound quarterback is willing to abandon the pocket and — more importantly — able to pick up chunks of real estate with his legs.

Advertisement

Doing something about it? That’s a different story.

Over his past seven games, Maye has popped at least one run of more than 13 yards five times. The only exceptions: He had long rushes of 11 yards against the Jets in Week 17 and 8 yards against Houston in the divisional round.

In Super Bowl 60, Maye will be facing an aggressive Seahawks pass rush that I expect to dominate a Patriots offensive line that has given up five sacks in each of its three playoff wins.

[Yahoo Sports TV is here! Watch live shows and highlights 24/7]

Translation: Maye will be given the green light to take off whenever he feels the heat, and I’m banking on him turning at least one of his scampers into a sizable gain — just like Brock Purdy did in the divisional round (18-yard run) and old-man Matthew Stafford did in the NFC championship game (13-yard run).

Advertisement

Among the quarterbacks who had big runs against Seattle in the regular season: Kyler Murray (29 yards), Jacoby Brissett (15 yards), C.J. Stroud (15 yards) and Cam Ward (14 yards).

Bet: Drake Maye longest rush over 13.5 yards (-115)

Jacob: A big reason why the Patriots’ defense had so much success this season: It didn’t face many top-tier pass-catchers. To that point:

Mike Evans didn’t play when the Buccaneers hosted New England in Week 10. Ja’Marr Chase was suspended when the Patriots played in Cincinnati in Week 12 (and Joe Flacco was the Bengals’ quarterback). Garrett Wilson was hurt for both of the Jets’ games against the Pats. Malik Nabers was in street clothes when the Giants went to New England in Week 13. And Tyreek Hill was long gone by the time the Dolphins played in Foxborough in Week 18.

Advertisement

Hill, however, was on the field when Miami hosted the Patriots in Week 2, and he racked up 109 receiving yards.

The only other notable tight ends and wideouts who suited up against New England this year: the Raiders’ Brock Bowers (103 yards); the Bills’ Dalton Kincaid (108 yards in the first meeting, 34 yards in the second meeting); Chris Olave (98 yards); Drake London (118 yards), Emeka Egbuka (115 yards); DK Metcalf (32 yards); and Courtland Sutton (17 yards).

[Get more Seahawks news: Seattle team feed]

Sutton, of course, had Jarrett Stidham as his quarterback. So the only elite pass catchers the Patriots contained were Kincaid (once) and Metcalf.

Advertisement

Which brings me to Seahawks wide receiver (and Metcalf’s former teammate) Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

The third-year pro had an NFL-high 1,793 receiving yards in the regular season. He racked up more than 90 receiving yards in 12 of Seattle’s first 14 games. And he’s topped 100 yards 10 times (including 153 yards against the Rams in the NFC championship game).

This is why Smith-Njigba will be the Patriots’ top defensive priority on Super Bowl Sunday. Will it matter? Nope.

Bet: Jaxon Smith-Njigba over 93.5 receiving yards (-130)

Ed Feng: My interception model depends on the rate at which a quarterback throws the football into dangerous situations. The play-by-play data tracks these plays as both interceptions and passes defended, or plays in which the defense gets a hand on the ball.

Advertisement

Once a quarterback throws the football into a dangerous situation, he has no control over whether it ends up as an interception. Seattle QB Sam Darnold has had 24.6% of his dangerous passes end up as interceptions this season. Since the NFL average is 18.2%, Darnold has gotten unlucky with interceptions this season, and we expect strong regression to the mean.

There is some idea out there that Darnold chokes in big games. People think about his collapse last season against the Lions and the Rams in his final two games with the Minnesota Vikings. NFL quarterbacks have bad games. Darnold has been brilliant this season (and unlucky with interceptions). Can we put this Darnold collapse narrative to rest?

My interception model gives a 53.1% chance Darnold that doesn’t throw a pick in the Super Bowl. The price at BetMGM is quite a bit off market.

Bet: Sam Darnold under 0.5 interceptions (+110)

Ed Feng: This market for Henry is low because of his lack of production in the last two games (17 receiving yards on three catches and six targets against excellent Denver and Houston defenses). Based on season-long numbers, Henry should have a 20% target share (projection of 4.4 receptions).

Advertisement

In addition, Seattle’s excellent defense allows a 25% target share to tight ends, 10th-highest in the NFL. Dalton Schultz (nine catches, 98 yards) and Kyle Pitts (six catches, 90 yards) had big games against the Seattle defense.

Henry should return to his role as Maye’s outlet, and while Henry hasn’t been practicing this week it’s not due to injury. He should have a little extra rest as a 31-year old-veteran.

Bet: Hunter Henry over 3.5 receptions (-140)

Corbie Craig: Levi’s Stadium quietly flipped from a kicker’s nightmare to a mild edge.

On paper, Santa Clara sets up perfectly for Super Bowl football — clear skies, roughly 65 degrees and no weather chaos after a brutal winter storm swept across much of the country. But historically, Levi’s Stadium played smaller than it looked. Open end-zone corners created swirling drafts and crosswinds that consistently knocked it below league-average kicking efficiency. That changed this season.

Advertisement

As part of a major offseason renovation — including a $200M jumbotron upgrade — wind flow inside the stadium stabilized. The result: field-goal conditions improved to roughly 3.5% better than league average, with visiting kickers converting 88% of attempts this year.

With a game script that leads me to believe endzone shots will be tough, these two will take the points when they can.

Bet: Over 3.5 field goals made (-103)

We’re closing in on the Super Bowl LX matchup between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots, the most unlikely Super Bowl matchups we’ve ever seen from a preseason odds perspective.

The Seahawks are currently 4.5-point favorites at most sportsbooks (with a few 5s out there) and a total of 45.5 at BetMGM.

Advertisement

There are many large wagers out there, including a $2 million bet from Mattress Mack on the Patriots at +200 (to win $4 million) and a $50,000 wager on the Seahawks to win Super Bowl 60 at 60-1 odds from a BetMGM bettor from August that would win $3 million. We’re keeping track of all of them in this file.

But it is the Super Bowl after all, which means the people want picks. And who better to give that than the oddsmakers booking all the action themselves.

Yahoo Sports reached out to oddsmakers from Las Vegas and around the country and asked which team they believe will win Super Bowl LX, and why.

Avert your eyes Patriots fans, oddsmakers believe it’s going to be Sam Darnold and the Seahawks’ year.

Advertisement

Super Bowl LX picks from oddsmakers

Seahawks win (12)

Christian Cipollini, BetMGM NFL trader

“I personally like the Seahawks to win in a very boring game. I think the Seahawks’ defense is real and will give Drake Maye trouble. I don’t think the Patriots will have many opportunities to score. Game to come comes down to Darnold being able to limit turnovers, which I think he can do.”

Score: Seahawks 23, Patriots 13

Halvor Egeland, BetMGM trading strategy manager

“I do think Seattle is the more complete team and has proven itself in the superior conference.”

Score: Seahawks 24, Patriots 20

Advertisement

John Murray, vice president of race and sports at Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook

“I think New England is better than people realize and they’re very well-coached, but to me Seattle is a little better than the Patriots are at every position.”

Score: Seahawks 27, Patriots 17

Ed Salmons, VP of risk at Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook

“Seahawks are simply better at every position.”

Score: Seahawks 24, Patriots 17

Jeff Sherman, VP of risk at Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook

“Patriots are a team on the rise with the second-year QB in Drake Maye, but it’s their time to wait Seattle dominates in all facets of the game to cruise to a convincing victory.”

Advertisement

Score: Seahawks 27, Patriots 13

[Check out all of Yahoo’s sports betting content here in our new betting hub]

Jamey Pileggi, Circa Sports head NFL oddsmaker

“Seattle is a more complete team and will put pressure on Maye all game. Darnold is playing with confidence, if he protects the ball I think Seattle wins rather easily.”

Score: Seahawks 20, Patriots 13

Craig Mucklow, VP of trading at Caesars Sportsbook

“I feel 4 is the correct spread and I am expecting a low-scoring defensive battle.”

Score: Seahawks 17, Patriots 13

Chris Andrews, South Point sportsbook director

“If the Seahawks play up to their potential, they should win a close game.”

Advertisement

Score: Seahawks 27, Patriots 20

Joey Feazel, head NFL oddsmaker at Caesars

“I’m predicting Seattle 20-17 with a last-minute field goal to win it for Seattle. I am anticipating a back-and-forth defensive game that will align with the lack of elite quarterback play and solid defensive scheme on both sides of the ball.”

Score: Seahawks 20, Patriots 17

Thomas Gable, Borgata sportsbook director

“I lean toward this game going under the total, and I’m not sure the New England offensive line is able to hold up under pressure.”

Score: Seahawks 21, Patriots 17

Nick Bogdanovich, head of trading at Boomer’s Sportsbook

“Patriots come up short after a hell of a battle.”

Advertisement

Score: Seahawks 23, Patriots 21

Ethan Useloff, NFL trader at Fanatics Sportsbook

“I expect the Seahawks to emerge victorious on Sunday, with Sam Darnold seeing Disney instead of ghosts. Seattle’s defensive line will give New England fits, especially on the blind side with rookies Will Campbell and Jared Wilson struggling. Their reincarnated Legion of Boom secondary should stick with New England’s skill-position players, forcing Maye to scramble. I believe Rashid Shaheed, Hunter Henry, and AJ Barner with his “Barnyard” tush-push rendition will each have impact performances as Seattle avenges its 2014 heartbreak.”

Score: Seahawks 24, Patriots 13

Advertisement

Patriots win (2)

Chuck Esposito, Station Casinos sportsbook director

“I think both teams get off to a slow start in this game. This clearly could be a game where the kicker decides it. I have the Pats winning on a last-second field goal. New England defense is also a top-10 unit and is extremely underrated.”

Score: Patriots 23, Seahawks 21

Lamarr Mitchell, director of trading at MGM Resorts

“After facing some of the staunchest defenses during their playoff run, Maye and the Patriots prove they’re up to the task once again.”

Score: Patriots 21, Seahawks 17