The stage is set for Super Bowl 60, and all eyes are on the electric matchup between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots. But if you listen closely to the chatter around Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, there’s one duel that’s stealing the spotlight: Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba versus Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez. With both teams boasting impressive resumes and a championship on the line, this head-to-head battle could very well tip the scales in one direction—or the other.
The Seahawks arrive as the NFC’s No. 1 seed, a distinction hard-earned after a gauntlet of playoff challenges. Seattle powered through a dominant win over the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium on January 3, 2026, before outlasting their division rivals, the Los Angeles Rams, in a nail-biting NFC Championship. Their reward? A trip to the biggest stage in football, favored by 4.5 points against the Patriots, with the total set at 45.5 points according to DraftKings Sportsbook.
Much of Seattle’s offensive firepower can be traced to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the recently crowned Offensive Player of the Year for the 2025 NFL season. Smith-Njigba’s regular season was nothing short of spectacular: 157 targets, 119 catches, a league-leading 1,793 receiving yards, and 10 touchdowns. He finished fourth in targets, third in receptions, first in yardage, and fourth in touchdowns among all NFL wideouts. Pro Football Focus (PFF) awarded him the second-best receiving grade at his position, and his chemistry with quarterback Sam Darnold has been obvious all season long.
Smith-Njigba’s postseason heroics have only added to his legend. In the NFC Championship Game, he hauled in 10 passes for 153 yards and a touchdown, helping to punch Seattle’s ticket to the Super Bowl. He’s been the focal point of the Seahawks’ attack, accounting for approximately 45 percent of the team’s receiving yards this season—a staggering share that underscores his importance to the offense.
But the Patriots aren’t coming quietly. Their defense, especially the secondary, is formidable. Christian Gonzalez, Marcus Jones, and Carlton Davis III all rank among the top 28 in PFF’s coverage grades. As a unit, New England finished fifth in coverage, allowed the ninth-fewest passing yards, and posted the 11th-lowest defensive EPA per pass in the league. The Patriots’ defensive philosophy is aggressive; they play man coverage at the eighth-highest rate and pressure the quarterback at the sixth-highest rate in the NFL.
Gonzalez, in particular, is expected to shadow Smith-Njigba throughout the game. Patriots cornerback Carlton Davis revealed to Go Long’s Tyler Dunne, “We’re going to have Gonzo follow him. Obviously, he’ll motion and I’ll probably see him a couple of times.” Gonzalez’s track record against elite receivers is impressive. During the regular season, he limited Bengals star Tee Higgins to just two catches for four yards and held Ravens Pro Bowler Zay Flowers to three receptions for 38 yards. In the postseason, Gonzalez has allowed only 10 catches on 25 targets for 125 yards and has snagged an interception.
Gonzalez himself is quick to praise his upcoming opponent. “He can do everything from every spot on the field,” Gonzalez told reporters at Super Bowl Opening Night. “He’s a smooth route-runner, can run every route, and he’s just an amazing player. I got the utmost respect for him, and I’m excited for Sunday.”
It’s not just respect; there’s real tactical intrigue here. Smith-Njigba’s statistical dominance is backed by advanced metrics. He ranks sixth in the NFL in target rate against man coverage and fourth among wideouts in target rate when defenses generate pressure. That’s significant, considering the Patriots’ penchant for both. DraftKings Sportsbook has set Smith-Njigba’s over/under on receptions at 6.5—the highest of any player in the Super Bowl—and he’s a -146 favorite to lead the game in catches. Bettors have taken notice, especially since Smith-Njigba recorded more than 6.5 catches in 13 out of 19 games this season and torched the Patriots for 12 receptions in their Week 2 meeting.
Seattle’s offensive resurgence this season isn’t solely down to Smith-Njigba, of course. Quarterback Sam Darnold has silenced many doubters, distributing the ball efficiently and making smart decisions under pressure. Running back Kenneth Walker has provided a steady ground presence, while receivers Cooper Kupp and Rashid Shaheed have chipped in with timely contributions. Still, Smith-Njigba is the engine that drives the Seahawks’ third-ranked scoring offense, which also finished eighth in total yards.
On the other side, Patriots quarterback Drake Maye prefers to spread the ball around, lacking a clear alpha among his receiving corps. That could make it harder for Seattle’s defense to key in on any one target. But with the Seahawks’ offensive line facing a Patriots front that loves to bring the heat, Darnold’s connection with Smith-Njigba as a safety valve could be more important than ever.
Patriots cornerback Carlton Davis has confidence in his teammate’s ability to rise to the occasion. “He’s a real cool, calm, collected kind of guy,” Davis said of Gonzalez. “He’s always been chill. He’s got a lot of poise.” Davis also drew comparisons to the Chiefs’ legendary 2020 offense, noting, “I don’t think this team was as explosive as the Chiefs team back in 2020. That Chiefs team was one of the greatest offenses ever in the sport. So, I’m not going to compare the two. But the Seahawks do have a good offense.”
For Seahawks fans and neutral observers alike, the question is whether Smith-Njigba can overcome the Patriots’ defensive gauntlet and deliver another show-stopping performance. The numbers suggest he’s up to the task. His 36.2 percent target share is the highest in the NFL, and he’s demonstrated time and again that no coverage scheme can consistently contain him. Yet, Gonzalez’s postseason form and the Patriots’ defensive discipline are not to be underestimated.
ESPN NFL expert Ben Solak highlighted this one-on-one as the most pivotal matchup of Super Bowl LX. The winner of this battle could well dictate the game’s outcome, especially if Smith-Njigba can break free for big gains or Gonzalez manages to keep him in check.
As kickoff approaches, anticipation is building for a matchup that promises fireworks. With both Smith-Njigba and Gonzalez playing at the peak of their powers, fans are in for a treat. Will Smith-Njigba continue his record-setting campaign on the sport’s grandest stage, or will Gonzalez cement his status as one of the league’s premier shutdown corners?
Either way, the outcome of Super Bowl 60 could hinge on this electrifying duel. The football world waits with bated breath as two of the NFL’s brightest young stars prepare to write the next chapter in their burgeoning rivalry.