Super Bowl History: Facts and Stats You Should Know
Summary
The Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots meet in Super Bowl 60, with the Seahawks favored. Historical trends may influence wagering. Both teams scoring on their opening drive has occurred seven times, most recently in 2023. A tied halftime is rare, happening only four times, including in their prior Super Bowl meeting.
Key statistics include the most common single-team score being 17 points, and double-digit comebacks occurring seven times. The Patriots aim to become only the second team to hold four playoff opponents under 16 points and win the title. Notable individual records include Tom Brady’s 505 passing yards and Jerry Rice’s 215 receiving yards in a single game.
The Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots play in Super Bowl 60 on Sunday at Levi’s Stadium. The Hawks are 4.5 favorites over the Pats. In the meantime, let’s look back at some of the most notable facts and stats from the previous 59 Super Bowls, with some of the information that could be vital in your wagering options.Â
Opening Drive Scores
Ever wonder how often both teams score on their opening drives in the Super Bowl? Well, it’s happened seven times in the past, with the latest coming in 2023 when the Chiefs and the Eagles scored on their first possessions.  The Patriots had 10 opening drive scores this season, fourth most, while the Seahawks have scored in each postseason game on their first drive.
Sacked Under Pressure
In three straight playoff games, Drake Maye has been sacked 5 times in each game. When you go back in history, no NFL quarterback has been sacked at least five times in four straight games during the regular season and playoffs and has won them all. The Seahawks were tied for 7th with 47 sacks in the regular season. Â
Most Common Score
Did you know the most common single-team score in the Super Bowl is 17 points? It’s happened nine times. After that, 31 points and 10 points are tied for second, which has happened eight times each. If you’re wondering, the teams that scored 31 points have a 6-2 record, while the teams scoring 10 or 17 points were a combined 1-16.
Halftime Ties
When these teams met at Super Bowl 49, the game was tied 14-14 at halftime. Tied after two quarters has happened just four times; the others happened in SB23 (49ers/Bengals 3-3), SB39 (Patriots/Eagles 7-7), and SB54 (Chiefs/49ers 10-10). If you’re wondering, the odds for Super Bowl 60 being tied at halftime are +700.
Interception in the Final Minute
We all know what happened 10 years ago when Russell Wilson’s potential game-winning TD pass was intercepted by Malcom Butler as the Patriots hung on for a Super Bowl win. 13 times in Super Bowl history has a QB thrown an interception on his final pass of the game. Wilson was the fifth pick thrown inside the final minute of the game, and the third time with the game within a single score.Â
Length of First Touchdown
Will we see the opening touchdown of the game, a deep throw, a kick return, or an 80-yard rushing score? In the last ten Super Bowls, the first TD of the game has been over 10 yards just three times. Seattle has scored 60 touchdowns this season, with 33 of them over 10 yards, the third-highest in the NFL. As for New England, the Pats have scored six TDs in the playoffs so far, and four have been more than 10 yards long.Â
Scoreless First Quarters
When these teams met in Super Bowl 49, neither team scored in the first quarter.  The most recent scoreless first quarter came in Super Bowl 58 when the Chiefs and 49ers failed to put up any points in the first 15 minutes. It’s happened 10 times, and when you go back into history, the Patriots have been involved in five Super Bowl games where it was 0-0 after the first quarter.Â
Comeback Victories
We’ve seen double-digit comebacks in the Super Bowl seven times in history. The Patriots have been involved in two of the most famous ones. At SB49, New England trailed 24-14 but scored 14 points in the final quarter to beat the Seahawks. And everyone remembers two years later when Tom Brady led the Pats to a win over the Falcons after trailing 28-3. This past season (including playoffs), ten teams, including both the Seahawks and Patriots, have had multiple victories trailing by 10 or more points.
Defensive Gem
The Patriots will try to do something no other team has done in more than a quarter of a century. If they can hold the Seahawks to 16 points or less and win the Super Bowl, they’ll become just the second team ever to hold opponents to fewer than 16 points in four playoff games and win a title. The Baltimore Ravens did this back in 2000 en route to their first championship.
Single-Game Player Records
Most TDs Scored: 3 (Jerry Rice, Roger Craig, Ricky Watters, Terrell Davis, James White)
Most completions: 43 (Patriots’ Tom Brady vs. Falcons in SB LI)
Most pass yards: 505 (Patriots’ Tom Brady 505 vs. Eagles in SB LII)
Most pass TDs: 6 (49ers’ Steve Young vs. Chargers in SB XXIX)
Most passes intercepted: 5 (Raiders’ Rich Gannon vs. Buccaneers in SB XXXVII)
Most rushing TDs: 3 (Broncos’ Terrell Davis in SB XXXII, Eagles’ Jalen Hurts in SB LVII)
Most rush yards: 204 (Washington’s Timmy Smith vs. Denver in SB XXII)
Most rush yards by a QB: 72 (Eagles’ Jalen Hurts vs. Chiefs in SB LIX)
Most receptions: 14 (Patriots’ James White vs. Falcons in SB LI)
Most receiving yards: 215 (49ers’ Jerry Rice vs. Bengals in SB XXIII)
Most rec TDs: 3 (49ers’ Jerry Rice vs. Broncos in XXIV and vs. Chargers in XXIX)
Most interceptions: 3 (Raiders’ Rod Martin vs. Eagles in SB XV)
Most sacks: 3 (Packers’ Reggie White in SB XXXI, Cardinals’ Darnell Dockett in SB XLIII, Panthers’ Kony Ealy in SB 50, Falcons’ Grady Jarrett in SB LI)
Most kicking points: 16 (Eagles’ Jake Elliott vs. Chiefs in SB LIX)
