It's the last call for NFL fans to make their 2026 Super Bowl predictions on PrizePicks, as the Seattle Seahawks (16-3) and the New England Patriots (17-3) matchup begins on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET, televised by NBC.
There’s a smorgasbord of options for Super Bowl LX, from point spreads and over/unders to player projections on Player Picks — including a Drake Maye Max Discount at 0.5 pass yards.
With so many ways to make Super Bowl predictions on the game of the year, you don't have to wait for the full game to cash in if your picks are right, with PrizePicks featuring first-quarter only projections on Player and Team Picks.
How could the first 15 minutes of the 2026 Super Bowl unfold? Let’s highlight the top Seahawks vs. Patriots first-quarter picks for Super Bowl LX.
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Seahawks vs. Patriots Picks for First Quarter of Super Bowl LX
Seattle led the NFL in the regular season with 7.0 points per first quarter this season; New England finished second with 6.5.
What should we expect between two teams familiar with quick starts on offense in Super Bowl LX?
Seahawks vs. Patriots First Quarter Over/Under – 7.5 Points
PrizePicks Team Picks features a 1.92x payout for over 7.5 points scored in the first quarter.
The Seahawks have continued their quick starts in two playoff games, proven by 13.5 points per first quarter. That’s almost double their regular-season average of 7.0. Plus, Seattle carries a couple of potential advantages over the Patriots' defense.
For example, New England runs man coverage at the ninth-highest rate, per Sharp Football Analysis. PlayerProfiler ranks Seahawks QB Sam Darnold 13th in catchable rate against man coverage compared to 30th vs. zone.
Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba also boasts an absurd 4.16 yards per route run against man coverage (first), via Pro Football Focus.
The Patriots surrender 4.1 yards per rushing attempt (10th) and 6.3 yards per passing attempt (fifth). Plus, the unit is 16th in expected points added (EPA) per rushing attempt allowed, behind 11th in EPA per passing attempt allowed (per Sumer Sports).
Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III can expose that weakness thanks to 4.7 yards per carry in the postseason.
Seattle is eighth in EPA per passing attempt allowed compared to first against the run. New England totals 8.6 yards per passing attempt (first), led by Patriots QB Drake Maye’s 169.96 total EPA (first among QBs).
We have an angle for points in Super Bowl LX, suggesting an entertaining first quarter — especially with the Seahawks’ recent lightning-quick starts.
Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba Projection vs. Patriots: 17.5 First Quarter Receiving Yards
Smith-Njigba got off to a slow start in the playoffs, recording only 3 receptions for 19 receiving yards in the Divisional Round. However, he followed that with 10 receptions for 153 receiving yards in the NFC Championship. He also scored a touchdown in both playoff games.
The NFL receiving-yard champ totaled 7.0 receptions and 105.5 receiving yards per game thanks to a gaudy 35.9% target share (first among wideouts) in the regular season. JSN usually has trustworthy volume, meaning Seattle could look to get its superstar the ball in the first quarter.
He totaled 33 receiving yards in the first quarter of the NFC Championship and averaged 20.5 receiving yards per first quarter in the regular season, per NFL.com.
The Patriots run man coverage at the eighth-highest rate in the NFL, which could play to JSN's advantage as well; the 2025 Offensive Player of the Year averaged a league-best 4.29 points per route run vs. man coverage this year, per Fantasy Points data.
According to PrizePicks Team Picks, the Seahawks are a 4.5-point favorite. If Seattle gains a big lead, the run may become more prevalent. However, that won’t apply in the first quarter, adding to Smith-Njigba’s potential total early in the game.
Patriots QB Drake Maye Projection vs. Seahawks: 43.5 First Quarter Passing Yards
In the regular season, Maye averaged 51.9 passing yards per first quarter — higher than his PrizePicks projection for the Super Bowl. However, the second-year QB posted only 177.7 passing yards per game in the playoffs — far behind his 258.5 from the regular season.
The Patriots’ signal-caller has braved brutal winter conditions in the postseason, though. That won’t be the case in San Francisco, with Sunday’s forecast calling for temperatures in the 60s.
As mentioned, the Seahawks are eighth in EPA per passing attempt allowed, compared to first in the ground game. Seattle has the third-highest zone coverage rate, but Maye sports a 74.5% completion rate (second) and 103.1 passer rating against zone (fourth).
After finishing second in regular-season MVP voting, the emerging QB is the second-favorite to win Super Bowl MVP (3.33x payout), per PrizePicks Team Picks.
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With two of the NFL’s most productive first-quarter offenses clashing, we could be in store for a must-see first 15 minutes of action. Will the passing games roar out of the gate, led by Smith-Njigba and Maye? Or will the defenses step up?
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