Super Bowl weekend is here and if this Super Bowl matchup feels familiar, that’s because it is. These teams met 11 years ago in 2015, and if you watched that game you remember one thing: the Malcolm Butler interception. The Seahawks were one yard away from the game winning touchdown, and they decided to pass instead of run, and Butler intercepted the ball at the goal line to end the game. 

That single moment changed the trajectory of both franchises. This Sunday the Seahawks and Patriots meet again for the Lombardi Trophy with completely different rosters and completely different storylines in one of the least expected Super Bowl matchups in recent memory.

Here's your weekend preview starting with what matters most.

The stakes: Sam Darnold has spent years escaping the "bust" narrative that followed him since being drafted by the Jets. His infamous "seeing ghosts" moment came against this very team in 2019. He finally broke out with the Vikings last year, took that success to Seattle, and delivered the game of his life in the NFC Championship. Now all the pressure is on him to back it up on the biggest stage.

New England exceeded expectations all season in what was supposed to be a rebuild year. They've faced criticism for having one of the easiest schedules in the NFL during the regular season and throughout the playoffs, but you can't discount what coach Mike Vrabel has done. He’s brought out the best in his players and knows how to win big games. Still, many wonder are they actually elite, or just able to take advantage of a lucky schedule? We’ll find out Sunday. 

What to watch for: New England's defense has been very difficult to run against. That will be a problem for Seattle, whose offense is built on the ground game and play-action passes. The Patriots will look to stuff the run early, take away the play-action, and force Darnold into predictable passing situations. If Seattle can't establish the run, Darnold will need to win throwing from the pocket consistently, exactly where the old Sam Darnold has struggled.

The other matchup to watch is Jaxon Smith-Njigba vs. Christian Gonzalez. Seattle’s JSN had a breakout season and now is considered one of the best receivers in the NFL racking up nearly 1,800 yards this season. New England’s Gonzalez is a shutdown corner who spent all season when healthy making life difficult for top receivers.

If New England can blanket JSN and shut down the run, Seattle's offense will struggle. But if Seattle gets JSN in space or establishes the run early, Darnold will get the clean pockets he's thrived in all season.

The Betting Angle: Seattle is a 4.5 point favorite. The public is backing the Seahawks as they have a superior roster on paper, but history favors the underdog. Underdogs have gone 5-0 against the spread in the last five Super Bowls. Teams with less pressure often play their best football in championship games so don’t count out Vrabel and the Patriots.

The Winter Olympics return to Milan and Cortina, Italy. Here are four major storylines worth your attention:

NHL Stars Return (Schedule): For the first time in 12 years, NHL players are back at the Olympics. Men's hockey runs through February 22, and watching the world's elite battle for national pride is something you don't want to miss.

Lindsey Vonn's Impossible Comeback (Schedule): At 41, Vonn came out of retirement for one final run. Then she tore her ACL last week. She's still planning to compete in the downhill on February 8. The fact that she is even attempting this is one of the gutsiest decisions in Olympic history.

Chloe Kim's Three-Peat (Schedule): She's chasing her third consecutive gold in snowboard halfpipe (February 11-12). Only a handful of Winter Olympians have ever pulled off a three-peat, and Kim tore her labrum in practice leading up to the games. If she can battle through the injury and win, it would cement her legacy as one of the greatest to ever do it.

Mikaela Shiffrin's Redemption (Schedule): After a heartbreaking 2022 Olympics where she didn't medal, the greatest alpine skier of all time returns with unfinished business. Her events run February 10-18, and this is her chance to make up for 2022.

The stakes: This is one of the biggest rivalries in sports, and this year it matters even more with both teams ranked in the top 20. Even if you don't typically care about college hoops, the atmosphere in Chapel Hill on a Saturday night is incredible and one to tune in for. North Carolina needs this win to prove they belong in the national title conversation. Duke wants to assert their dominance as a championship favorite.

What to watch for: If the rivalry wasn’t enough, this game also delivers a matchup between two players projected in the top five of the 2026 NBA Draft. Cameron Boozer (Duke) is the son of NBA legend Carlos Boozer and one of the best freshmen in the country. Caleb Wilson (UNC) is a unicorn with an elite mix of size and athleticism. The Boozer vs. Wilson battle will set the tone for the entire game.

The Betting Angle: We project Duke as a 4.5 to 5.5 point favorite on the road. Duke is the more talented team in this matchup. With that said, North Carolina has performed well as an underdog against them covering the spread roughly 62% of the time (21-13 ATS) since 2005. These games usually go down to the wire.

Must-watch:

Solid matchups:

3. Duke @ UNC (Saturday 6:30pm, ESPN) — To fill your Saturday night while you wait for the big game on Sunday.

— Backdrop Sports

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