Both individuals and organizations have personalities.

You know those people in your life that when you encounter them their take on the day or current events are going to be slanted towards the negative. They will complain about this and that and usually have themselves as the victim of circumstances.

We also all have those bright people in our lives that add a ray of sunshine to almost any event and are positive about what is to come.

National Football League teams have personalities. The Baltimore Ravens, under head coach John Harbaugh, were like bullies. They would blow away overmatched opponents by huge margins, then find themselves challenged by games against tough competition. The Denver Broncos were an interesting group this season. They played both down and up to their competition.

Consider this, the team that just missed playing in next week’s Super Bowl lost against the point spread to the Tennessee Titans, New York Jets, New York Giants, Washington Commanders and twice to the Las Vegas Raiders. Oh and six against those five bottom dwellers against the point spread, and yet, they won all six games straight-up.

Against the best competition they played, they excelled. Sean Payton’s team handed the defending Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles their first loss of the season in October, edged the Houston Texans on the road before C.J. Stroud and company when on a ten-game winning streak. The Broncos in 2025 beat the Kansas City Chiefs twice along with the Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Chargers in late season games.

Then there are the two teams that meet next week in Super Bowl LX, the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots. The Seahawks have beaten the best teams they have met after they lost on opening day to the San Francisco 49ers. After that loss, the only two other defeats suffered by Mike Macdonald’s squad were against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, also at home, and their only road loss of the season, that against the Rams in November.

The Patriots personality is that of a new kid trying to make a name for themselves. The team, under first-year head coach Mike Vrabel, has risen from a last place finish in 2024 to the Super Bowl this season. Most didn’t see them coming after they lost at home on opening day to the Raiders. The Patriots personality has thrived on the “us against the world” mentality that their coach has instilled.

They seem to have erased the fact that they are making a record 12th Super Bowl appearance this season and have six Vince Lombardi Trophies in their headquarters. They come to town both the underdog on the point spread and in public perception.

Underdogs both in public perception and on the spread do very well in Super Bowls.

The last five Roman numeral games have been won on the spread by the team getting the points. Four of the underdogs won straight-up, while the Cincinnati Bengals plus 4½ points got the wager result in a field goal loss to the Rams in Super Bowl LVI.

The Seahawks bring their personality riveted to their league best defense with confidence they are able to beat any competition. The Patriots are in their familiar role of having to overcome another opponent to get respect.

It adds up to a very intriguing set of factors to evaluate while looking to isolate the winner of Super Bowl LX; at least against the point spread if not straight-up.