Super Bowl 49 to Super Bowl 60 compare and contrast

11 years later, the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots will battle for an electric rematch.

Whether or not the Seahawks should’ve run the ball at the 1 (the answer is yes), there’s a chance for revenge as Marshawn Lynch is swapped out for Kenneth Walker III.

The coaches, the players, the locations and the stakes are all different. Fanbases remain the same, though.

What’s new? What’s old? What’s on the line compared to the 2015 edition? Time to find out below.

What’s new: The quarterback battle

This isn’t your grandpa’s Seahawks and Patriots. That starts with the signal-callers.

Russell Wilson? Nope. It’s Sam Darnold now. Yes, that Sam Darnold, who claimed that he was “seeing ghosts” after a 33-0 loss to the Patriots when he was still on the Jets.

Yes, that Sam Darnold who went from team to team and had that short stint with the Panthers and 49ers. Remember when he was a backup quarterback for a short time? It’s different now.

Lastly, yes, that Sam Darnold who led the Vikings to a 14-3 record and crashed and burned in the wild card.

Now, it’s a new team and a new attitude for the first quarterback in the 2018 class to be one game away from a ring.

On the other hand, Drake Maye is no Tom Brady, just yet. Don’t tell Patriots fans that, though.

The North Carolina product has been stellar in his sophomore campaign, flipping New England from 4-13 last year to 14-3 and an AFC championship.

It’s been a career year for him, but schedule strength concerns may befall him on the big stage.

If he takes that Seahawk defense to the wire and wins, he’ll earn the respect he deserves.

What’s old: A trustworthy Seahawk ground game

Kenneth Walker III and Marshawn Lynch: What do they have in common? Power players in the run game at their time, that’s what.

Lynch led the league in rushing yards per game and total rushing yards during the 2014 postseason.

He had 15 first downs of his own, which also led all running backs in the playoffs. With 5.0 yards per carry to boot, who else would you go to?

In the regular season that year, Lynch was in the top five for total rushing yards (1,306), rushing yards per game (81.6) and first downs (65).

Walker leads the league in rushing touchdowns this postseason with four and is one of only four players with double-digit first downs on the ground.

He has 38 carries during the playoffs, leading the Seahawks by a margin of 35 compared to the next-highest ball carrier. Three words: Run the ball.

The stakes: Old or new?

The Patriots, currently tied with the Steelers, are one Super Bowl win away from the most by any team in the NFL.

The Seahawks were stripped of back-to-back Super Bowl victories, looking for their first win since 2013 in a 43-8 drubbing of the Broncos.

In 2014, the Patriots were looking for number 4 in their first appearance since 2011.

The Seahawks, however, were hoping to be the first repeat champion since (guess who) the Patriots in 2004–05.

The stakes are new, but the excitement is real. Keep updated on the CommRadio page for more Super Bowl coverage as we inch closer to the main event.

Bryan Portney is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email bep5295@psu.edu.