The Patriots and Seahawks match up in Super Bowl 60 on Sunday, Feb. 8 at 6:30 p.m. ET. The much-awaited game features a plethora of intriguing prop bets, but this article focuses on which team will lead after the first quarter.
Seattle is a 4.5-point favorite and -238 on the moneyline, while New England is +195 on DraftKings Sportsbook. The game total is set at 45.5 points.
Here’s a breakdown on whether the Patriots or Seahawks will lead after the first quarter during Super Bowl 60 on Sunday, Feb. 8.
Super Bowl 60 First Quarter Winner
Scoring first or even leading after the first quarter doesn’t always lead to victory. There’s 45 minutes of game time remaining after the opening quarter, so plenty could change.
Perhaps the most notable comeback in Super Bowl history is New England’s 28-3 comeback in Super Bowl LI. That game, however, didn’t have any points in the first quarter. The point being is that while early leads are important for setting pace and tone, it’s not essential to winning the game.
A first quarter lead is paramount for this Super Bowl 60 prop bet, however. Because it’s just 12 minutes and the game only holds a 4.5 spread overall, the first quarter spread is set at 0.5. The Seahawks are favored.
Some of this prop bet is reliant on the coin toss as the team who starts with the ball could have more possessions in the opening quarter. That is, of course, a coin flip—pun intended.
Taking the coin toss out of the equation, however, I do believe the Patriots’ young squad struggles against the Seahawks’ stout defense. Drake Maye and co. beat the Texans and Broncos, both of whom have elite defenses, but the New England defense was lackluster. While weather factored into both of those contests, the defense was undeniable.
The Seahawks should be less rattled, which would typically make me side with Seattle for the first quarter spread. But the Seahawks haven’t faced an elite defense in the postseason. This will be a major test, and it could result in a slow start as well.
With this in mind, it could be a scoreless first quarter with two great defenses duking it out. Because the Patriots are the first quarter underdogs, their +0.5 spread covers a tie game. Bettors could also be daring and take a tie straight up, which is valued at +320.