Super Bowl Sunday is five days away, and I already have goose bumps just thinking about these two football juggernauts pounding the crap out of each other down in Arizona, trying to bring home the Lombardi Trophy.

Although many look at the Patriots as the favorites, given that they completely dominated the Colts in the AFC Championship.

Then again, Seattle is the defending champions from last year, and in their comeback win over Green Bay two weeks ago showed the type of heart and grit that Super Bowl champions are made of.

After careful research and consideration, your sports editors will predict the outcome of Sunday’s matchup, including the winner and the final score. Will it be the unstoppable offense of the Patriots backed by their underrated defense? Or will Seattle, their Legion of Boom and outstanding play-action offense repeat last year’s performance to bring home the glory?

Your sports editors debate.

Dave

 As defending Super Bowl champions, the Seahawks’ competition has been bringing their A-game week in and week out to try to topple 2013-14’s best team in the NFL. The fact that the Seahawks made it to the playoffs at all is a tribute to the team’s great management, coaching, and some outstanding player preparation and on-field execution.

The Patriots have picked up three Super Bowl wins in the Bill Belichick-Tom Brady era, and are the two-point favorites to win it all according to oddsshark.com. The team looks indestructible, especially after its tough passing attack is now complemented by a better-than-solid run game, and its defense is as underrated as the Seahawk’s is famous.

It’s a tough call, but I am going to have to go with Seattle to take home its second Lombardi Trophy in Seahawk history, and here’s why.

Last year the Broncos blew up opposing defenses all year with their high-octane offense and solid defensive play. Peyton Manning and his following blasted apart the record books and re-wrote history all season long, but when the sun set on Super Bowl Sunday 2014 Denver had nothing to show for all of its hard work. Seattle absolutely crushed them 43-8. Its defense made Manning look silly from the opening snap, and its offense confused the Bronco’s defense all game long while Pete Carroll watched his incredible Legion of Boom score on an interception and his special teams pick up another on a kickoff return.

This year, Seattle has been clutch in closing out games. In the last eight games the team is 8-0 and has outscored opponents 130-26 in the second half and overtime. Although the Patriots have historically been the model of consistency and have became the closest thing that the NFL currently has to a dynasty, the domination with which the team won its last outing against the Colts is overrated; New England beat the same team 42-20 in week 11 and seems to have their number.

Thus I predict Tom Brady and his New England dynasty to go the way of Alexander the Great and his Persian Empire. The Patriots will be toppled in the great battle, moving over for the new NFL super power, the Seattle Seahawks.

Prediction: Seahawks 34, Patriots 28

Cale

Super Bowl XLIX will truly match the NFL’s two best teams against each other, as both New England and Seattle have been dominant for most of the season. It will definitely not be a repeat of last year’ big game, in which Seattle dominated the Denver Broncos 43-8, as I expect the game to be close and come down to the final drive.

Seattle has the NFL’s best defense, and one of the most athletic quarterbacks in Russell Wilson. Marshawn Lynch’s ability to dominate in the running game gives the Seahawks three keys to winning. Their ability to defend against one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks, New England’s Tom Brady, will be the most critical factor in whether or not Seattle can pull out the victory.

The New England Patriots have a great offense and feature the best defense that they have ever had under Coach Bill Belichick. New England has a dominant secondary that will match up well with Seattle’s weak receiving core. However, the Patriots must find a way to contain Russell Wilson and his ability to extend plays with his legs to have any chance at victory.

Overall, I wish that the Patriots would win this game. I don’t like seeing repeat champions, and I don’t want Richard Sherman and the Seattle Seahawks to turn into a dynasty that doesn’t go away for many seasons. However, I believe the Seahawks are too good defensively and will find a way to slow down New England’s offense. The team will probably use more late game heroics from Russell Wilson to pull out the victory. I expect the game to be close throughout and end with a final score of 28-24, giving us one of the best Super Bowls in recent memory.

Prediction: Patriots 24, Seahawks 28

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