Sports
Patriots pit pup QB, prized defense against Sam Darnold, Seahawks
Feb 2, 2026; San Jose, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) and New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) shake hands during Opening Night for Super Bowl LX at San Jose Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Call it a comeback. And better make it two.
Super Bowl LX sets up as a recall of recent great teams colliding Sunday on the home field of the San Francisco 49ers.
It’s a repeat of Super Bowl XLIX in February 2015 that swung from a Seattle Seahawks celebration to a confirmation of the New England Patriots’ dynasty when Malcolm Butler intercepted Russell Wilson pass at the goal line with 20 seconds left.
“It hasn’t come up one time,” Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said of the Super Bowl rematch.
Almost everything has changed on both sidelines in the decade since that game. Neither team was even in the playoff field last season.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft called a leadership audible and restored the championship standard in New England, placing three-time Super Bowl champion Mike Vrabel atop the organization pecking order, and the new head coach guided a stunning turnaround in 2025.
Vrabel, a former linebacker under Bill Belichick, has resurrected the franchise and partnered with the second-youngest Super Bowl starting quarterback ever, 23-year-old Drake Maye, to move New England to the doorstep of a league-record seventh Lombardi Trophy.
“The organization has set a standard,” Vrabel said. “The Patriots organization, Robert and Jonathan (Kraft), have set a standard for this organization that this is what the expectation is. We understand that, we embrace that.”
Seattle shifted from Pete Carroll at the end of the 2024 season, and longtime general manager John Schneider restocked in tandem with Macdonald, 38. The second-year coach and defensive-minded mad scientist won 14 games in the 2025 regular season, earning the top seed in the NFC with reclamation project Sam Darnold starring in the vast shadow of Seattle’s sledgehammer defense.
Darnold threw 25 touchdown passes in his first season with the Seahawks. He opposes Drake Maye, the No. 3 pick in the 2024 draft, who produced numbers once expected of another famous Patriots passer with a fully stocked ring finger. Maye finished ahead of Darnold in most passing categories. He had 31 touchdown passes, 4,394 yards and a league-leading 113.5 passer rating with a pair of rookies starting on the left side of a fully revamped offensive line.
Maye has harped on running the ball, and Vrabel continues to preach balance in the long preamble to Super Bowl LX. But numbers could set up in Seattle’s favor.
The Seahawks have a streak of 28 consecutive games without allowing a 100-yard rusher and big plays are a pipe dream — only 15 plays of 20-plus yards — because of the speed and versatility of the back seven and the ability of Macdonald to generate pressure with his front four. They were stingy on first down and excelled on third down, when the crosshairs are largely centered on the pocket.
New England had allowed Maye to be sacked 15 times in the playoffs.
“We’ve got to stay connected,” Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels said. “It’s kind of like synchronized swimming. If one of them is different than the other, you usually have a bad play. We’re going to be put to the test. They will twist and stunt, a really violent team.”
Seahawks defensive tackle Leonard Williams is a terror inside, and six Seattle defenders have at least 40 QB pressures. Williams leads the team with 65 followed by DeMarcus Lawrence with 58. While Seattle’s dynamic personnel and playmaking mix is getting headlines, the Seahawks were far from flawless in 2025. They allowed 27 points to the Rams in the NFC Championship Game and needed an offensive explosion to edge the same team 38-37 in the regular season.
McDaniels said he’s not afraid of leaning on his young players. He recalled being in the press box as an assistant coach in the 2001 season when a young Tom Brady made his Super Bowl debut and beat the St. Louis Rams.
“That was a great example of a young player being put in a situation where (coaches) could have let the game go to overtime,” Daniels said. “Those are the types of situations players live for. Drake has had to deal with those types of circumstances this season, and we’ve only gotten his best football.”
Maye registered 11 multiple-TD games in the 2025 regular season. He has taken only one loss since Sept. 21, compiling a 16-1 record since then. Maye leads the Darnold, 29, in career postseason wins, and their combined five playoff victories were all collected last month.
Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba led the league with 1,793 passing yards and was the target of 163 of Darnold’s 477 passes in the regular season. He logged 119 receptions and 10 touchdowns. Smith-Njigba had 10 catches for 153 yards and a touchdown in the NFC Championship Game. On film, Vrabel is still hunting for a major weakness.
“Sudden, savvy, competitive,” Vrabel said. “Really good play strength for his stature. He’s really good at contested catches. Good route craft and understanding in zone and man. Great body control.”
Maye insisted Wednesday his shoulder was fine after being limited last week. He was in Levi’s Stadium the last time it hosted the Super Bowl — February 2016, when the Denver Broncos beat the Carolina Panthers — and the Patriots played at San Francisco last season. He said the preparation for the Super Bowl is mostly a normal week with a bonus hotel stay and practice at a foreign facility. Ah, youngsters.
“It’s such a cool moment to be out here with the guys and the teammates,” Maye said. “A chance to enjoy the moment together. The emotions will be a little bit higher on game day.”
Vrabel’s Super Bowl experience has been a common talking point in the Patriots’ makeshift camp at the San Jose Marriott and Stanford University this week. Veteran defensive players such as cornerback Carlton Davis III (Tom Brady’s teammate for Tampa Bay’s Super Bowl win to cap the 2020 season) and defensive tackle Milton Williams (a winner with the Eagles 12 months ago) are helping keep younger players and newbies like 32-year-old wide receiver Stefon Diggs from emotional exhaustion with all of the pomp and circumstance on the Super Bowl periphery this week.
“His maturation process is second to none. One of the best I’ve ever seen from a quarterback position,” Diggs said of Maye’s calm. “He’s still super young, which is crazy. He’s had a lot of success, but as I have grown closer to him, I’m a huge fan of him. He’s like a mini inspiration. To be that young, be that mature and be able to play at a high level is something that I always wanted when I was a young player. I’m just happy to be a part of this thing.”
As expected with another defense-first head coach, Seattle also stresses the running game. Kenneth Walker III led the team with 1,027 rushing yards in the regular season, and he has added 178 yards and four touchdowns in two playoff games.
For the Patriots, Rhamondre Stevenson was second to rookie speedster TreVeyon Henderson in rushing in the regular season, but Stevenson climbed out of Vrabel’s doghouse — where he landed due to three fumbles — to lead the NFL in rushing in the playoffs with 194 yards on 51 carries.
“We’re always looking to find balance in our offense because you become more difficult to defend if the defense has to defend run-pass on every series in every situation,” McDaniels said.
The Patriots finished the season sixth in the NFL in rushing with 128.9 yards per game after ranking 31st the first month of the season. Maye has been a problem for front sevens in the playoffs because of his mobility. Seattle can use rookie safety Nick Emmanwori as a spy to keep Maye’s speed in check, but the Patriots know there are counters to that kind of chess move.
“There are weak spots in every coverage,” Maye said.
New England’s interior defensive line tandem of Milton Williams and Christian Barmore, self-described QB predators, present a hurdle for Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak finding a comfort zone for Darnold. Seattle rookie left guard Grey Zabel will be vital in making the mission possible.
“Me and him, we come in hungry. We’re like lions. We come to hunt,” Barmore said. “And the whole D-line. Our goal is to dominate every time we’re out there. It doesn’t matter who it is, another day to line up and kick ass.”
Darnold signed a three-year, $100.5 million deal with the Seahawks last March. He hasn’t played for the same team or play-caller since 2022, his second year with the Carolina Panthers, when Baker Mayfield was named the starter. Darnold, the third pick in the 2018 draft, is on his fifth team but playing his finest football. However, he led all quarterbacks in turnovers — six fumbles lost, 14 interceptions — opening the door to doubts about his performance this week.
Darnold said his oblique strain, an issue that crept up before the divisional playoffs, is vastly improved with the two-week break between conference title games and the Super Bowl. He said he is not in the mindset of proving anyone wrong by winning Sunday.
“All of the hard work and dedication leads to this moment,” Darnold said.
–Jeff Reynolds, Field Level Media
Sports
Lakers return home from grueling road trip with surging Sixers waiting
Feb 3, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) looks to drive past Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. (17) in the third quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images With their grueling annual winter trip behind them, the Los Angeles Lakers will not get a chance to ease into familiar surroundings as the surging Philadelphia 76ers come to town Thursday.
The Lakers went 5-3 as they vacated their home arena for the Grammy Awards, although the long-awaited return of guard Austin Reaves on Tuesday was a reason to feel revived.
Out since Christmas Day, Reaves returned from a calf injury by scoring 15 points off the bench in 21 minutes of a 125-109 victory over the Brooklyn Nets. LeBron James scored 25 points in the victory, and Luka Doncic had 24 as Los Angeles scored 23 points off 20 Nets turnovers.
Reaves was just 3 of 9 from the floor, including 1 of 5 from behind the 3-point line, but he showed some pent-up aggression by getting to the free-throw line, where he went 8 of 10.
“For as long as he has been out, obviously, the No. 1 thing is rhythm and fatigue, how fast you get fatigued,” James said about Reaves, according to the Los Angeles Times. “So, it’s just a boost for all of us, especially at the end of a road trip, to get a guy like that back.”
Even on a team with stars like James and Doncic, Reaves’ presence is key for Los Angeles. He has delivered career bests in points (26.1), rebounds (5.2) and assists (6.0) this season, his fifth in Los Angeles, and has developed a strong rapport with Doncic.
“I’ve been bored for a little over a month now,” Reaves said.
He added: “It’s good to be back out there and run around, feel the energy and play the game I love.”
The 76ers increased their winning streak to a season-best five games with a 113-94 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday. Philadelphia has been in California all week, starting a five-game road trip with a 128-113 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday.
With Joel Embiid out for injury management on his right knee and ankle on the second game of a back-to-back versus the Golden State Warriors, rookie VJ Edgecombe led the Sixers with 25 points, well over his 15.1 per-game average, and added seven rebounds with seven assists and two steals.
Edgecombe was just 1 of 11 from the floor against the Clippers before the 20-year-old went 11 of 20 against the Warriors.
“He does a little bit of everything,” Philadelphia head coach Nick Nurse said of the Baylor product. “He can handle, he can shoot a little, he rebounds, he can get to some non-paint two pullups, play some one-on-one, block shots. He does all of those things at kind of an above-average level.”
Leading scorer Tyrese Maxey was held to 14 points on 3-of-9 shooting against the Warriors, under his 28.9-point average, as the offense deferred to the hot shooting Edgecombe. Andre Drummond filled in at center for Embiid and scored 12 points with 12 rebounds.
The victory came as Stephen Curry sat out for the Warriors with knee soreness.
Philadelphia also dominated in the rebounding department with a 56-33 edge. The Sixers have averaged 44.7 rebounds and now face the Lakers, who are one of the worst teams in the NBA on the boards at 41 per game.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Bucks down Pelicans in OT despite Trey Murphy III's 12 treys
Feb 4, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr. (7) shoots in against New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III (25) during the second quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images Ryan Rollins scored 27 points and six teammates scored in double figures as the host Milwaukee Bucks defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 141-137 in overtime Wednesday night.
AJ Green scored 20, Kevin Porter Jr. had 18, Amir Coffey, Pete Nance and Myles Turner added 16 each and Gary Trent Jr. had 13 for the Bucks, who have won two in a row.
Trey Murphy III scored a career-high 44 points, making a franchise-record 12 3-pointers on 19 attempts. Saddiq Bey had 22 points, Zion Williamson had 20 and Jeremiah Fears added 13 for the Pelicans, who lost their third consecutive game.
Rollins scored on a drive and Turner made a 3-pointer to start the scoring in overtime and the Pelicans got as close as one point, but Milwaukee held on.
New Orleans led by as many as nine points before holding a 34-30 edge at the end of the first quarter.
The Pelicans’ Yves Missi made two free throws to start the second-quarter scoring and the lead grew to 58-49 after Bey scored seven consecutive New Orleans points. Porter had six points and an assist, but Murphy countered with three 3-pointers and the Pelicans had a 70-63 halftime lead.
The Pelicans had a nine-point lead early in the third quarter, but Rollins and Green each made a 3-pointer and Turner made two jumpers to pull the Bucks even at 73.
Murphy made three 3-pointers and Williamson had five points to help New Orleans build an 89-82 lead. Milwaukee got as close as two points before Fears made consecutive 3-pointers to help the Pelicans grab a 101-96 lead at the end of the third quarter.
Rollins scored the first eight points of the fourth quarter, giving the Bucks their first lead of the game, and Trent added a 3-pointer, giving Milwaukee a 110-104 edge.
Herb Jones made two free throws for New Orleans’ first points of the quarter after nearly four minutes but the Bucks opened a 13-point edge. Karlo Matkovic made a 3-pointer for the first field goal the Pelicans pulled even at 121. The score was tied again at 126 and 128 before the game went to overtime.
-Field Level Media
Sports
WTA roundup: Alexandra Eala saves match point in Abu Dhabi win
Jan 19, 2026; Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Alexandra Eala of Philippines in action against Alycia Parks of United States in the first round of the women’s singles at the Australian Open at Melbourne Park. Mandatory Credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images The Philippines’ Alexandra Eala saved a match point while rallying for a 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5) win over Belarus’ Aliaksandra Sasnovich on Wednesday in the second round of the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open in the United Arab Emirates.
After trailing 4-0 in the final set, Eala still trailed 5-2 when Sasnovich had a match point on her own serve. Eala bounced back to win the game on her fourth break point, then broke again to level the set 5-5.
Neither player lost a point on her serve in the decisive tiebreaker until the 11th point, when Eala went up 6-5. She sealed the match on the next point.
Second-seeded Ekaterina Alexandrova of Russia and Sonay Kartal of Great Britain also earned second-round wins, while the Czech Republic’s Sara Bejlek upset seventh-seeded Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia 6-4, 6-3.
Ostrava Open
All four seeded players in action dropped their second-round matches in Ostrava, Czech Republic.
Germany’s Tamara Korpatsch, ranked 124th in the world, emerged with a 6-3, 6-4 win over second-seeded Emiliana Arango of Colombia. The Czech Republic’s Linda Fruhvirtova routed fourth-seeded Rebecca Sramkova of Slovakia 6-3, 6-1.
Great Britain’s Katie Boulter crushed fifth-seeded Viktorija Golubic of Switzerland 6-2, 6-2, and France’s Diane Parry downed eighth-seeded Panna Udvardy of Hungary 6-1, 6-2.
The Czech Republic’s Nikola Bartunkova got past France’s Fiona Ferro 6-4, 3-6, 6-1.
Transylvania Open
Ukrainian qualifier Daria Snigur turned in a dominant display in the second round at Cluj-Napoca, Romania, trouncing second-seeded Jaqueline Cristian 6-1, 6-0.
Snigur, ranked No. 144, took advantage of six double faults by Cristian and broke serve on seven of her 11 opportunities. Cristian won just 29% of her service points.
Top-seeded Emma Raducanu of Great Britain downed Slovenia’s Kaja Juvan 7-5, 6-1, and third-seeded Sorana Cirstea of Romania blitzed Slovenia’s Tamara Zidansek 6-1, 6-0.
Fifth-seeded Anastasia Potapova of Austria and Maja Chwalinska of Poland also advanced.
–Field Level Media
Lakers return home from grueling road trip with surging Sixers waiting
Bucks down Pelicans in OT despite Trey Murphy III's 12 treys
