Time for the Super Bowl preview post, and we’re a mere 2 days away! As most of you know, Sunday I will be like a kid at Christmas, and I’ll actually be IN Glendale the day of the game!!!! AAHHHHHHH!!!! It’s my favorite day of the year, there are a lot of story lines to cover, and of course it wouldn’t be FMQB without a prediction or two. So let’s take a quick look at the penultimate game.
Proof of Passion:
For the last 14 years (which is half of my life), I have extremely disliked 3 teams. One of these teams was the Broncos, which I have flipped on since Manning arrived 3 years ago. The other 2 teams were the Patriots and Seahawks. I eluded to it last week, but it’s something only a hardcore Rams fan can feel. The Patriots beat the Greatest Show on Turf and stole our dynasty status back in 2001. As an impressionable 14 year old kid, that was tough on me and that kick is still hard for me to watch. On the flip note, in the mid-2000s, the Seahawks started to become a contender with Hasselbeck and now Wilson. Any time the Rams had a shot at the division, the Seahawks would steal it away from them. What I’m getting at is this: I’m still incredibly pumped for the game on Sunday despite my 2 least favorite teams being in it, which I think borderlines on obsession. I suppose it’s a similar feeling to when somebody asks if you want a beer, but they only have Keystone Light; you’ll still take the beer.
Storylines:
- Dynasty: Much like 2001, the winner of this game gets the “Dynasty” moniker. You either have the Seahawks winning back to back for the first time in over a decade, which shows just how much the game has changed (there were 8 repeat champions in the first 39 Super Bowls, none in the next 10). The Patriots on the other hand will lock up Tom Brady and Bill Belichick’s dynasty. New England has a chance to have Tom Brady go 4-2 in Super Bowls. He’ll tie the record of most wins (Bradshaw, Montana) but will be considered the greatest of all time if he wins due to taking his team to 6. Even more impressive if Brady starts and ends his career winning Super Bowls.
- If Seattle wins, they will have won back to back Super Bowls taking out both Peyton Manning and Tom Brady in both. That’s a Dynasty in it’s own right
- Nearly every player is healthy, so we should have a real even matchup. In fact only one player on NE was basically questionable, but it playing.
- Robert Kraft fired Pete Carroll from the Patriots 16 years ago. Sounds like a dumb move now, but not when you realize he was replaced by Bill Belichick.
- The Vegas betting line has been shifting like crazy the past 2 weeks, with each team getting the favorite nod at somepoint. Hopefully this is pointing towards a tight game.
- Richard Sherman’s coming out party was against the Pats back in 2012. Can the defense hold the Patriots offense again?
- Both teams have had up and down seasons. Despite both #1 seeds at it again, both teams had rough losses early in the year. NE lost to KC, Mia, and Buf while SEA lost to STL, KC, and SD. In fact 6 of the 8 combined losses were to non-playoff teams. So it’ll be interesting if one of the “Dud” teams shows up on Sunday.
Super Stat of the Week:
The Vikings have scored a total of 34 points in 4 Super Bowls. 17 teams have scored 34 or more in a single Super Bowl
Super Stolen Stat of the Week #2:
In the first 48 Super Bowls- the cointoss has landed on heads 24 times and on tails 24 times
Super Stolen Stat of the Week #3
Russell Wilson has 42 victories in his first 3 seasons, 6 more than the record. Is 10-0 against Super Bowl winning QB’s
Super Stolen Stat of the Week #4
The Patriots 5 Super Bowls in the Brady-Belichick era have been decided by 3, 3, 3, 3, and 4 points
Prediction:
Recent FMQB predictions-
2012: FMQB predicted Giants to win 24-23
2013: FMQB predicted 49ers to win in shootout 34-28
2014: FMQB predicted Broncos to win 25-23
Basically I’m due. The Giants in a close affair was a great pick, was extremely close to the score of the 49ers game just had the wrong team, and got skunked last year (but who didn’t).
Likely outcomes: Here’s what’s hard about this year’s Super Bowl, and I said the same thing last year so I’m not trying to cop out here. There’s really no outcome that would surprise me in this game. I can see Seattle’s offense having a typical 30 point game, but stymieing the Patriots with their smothering defense. I can also see the Seahawks playing like they did for 55 minutes of last week’s game, and the Patriots putting up 42 points which would be an absolute blowout the other way. What I see happening is both teams in a close affair with a game winning drive at the end. Question is, do you go with the veteran Brady who has made a living with game winning drives? Or do you go with the magical Wilson, who has 15 game winning drives in his 3 year career?
2015 Prediction: My gut is telling me Seattle wins the game in a nail-biter. Final score Seattle 28, Patriots 27. Seattle will be down 27-21 with 3 minutes left in the game. Wilson will lead a game winning TD drive, and give Brady the ball back with 1 minute left, but he’ll fall short.
