Saturday 31 January 2015 15:48, UK
Sky Sports News HQ's Richard Graves previews Super Bowl XLIX, and predicts his winner of the Vince Lombardi Trophy...
The Patriots' ability to run or pass the ball effectively depending on the opposition has been nothing short of remarkable, but given the choice between a good offense and a good defense, generally it's the defense which prevails.
From the Seahawks arriving on Sunday to a thunderous reception delivered by waiting fans outside their hotel, to the contrast of a New England team which can't shake the "deflategate" controversy - with an owner who only stoked the fire with an impromptu statement on Monday night. It's been an interesting back drop to Super Bowl 49.
New England, a team commanded by Bill Belichick and Tom Brady - a head coach and QB combo who've won more post-season games (20) than any other in NFL history. They've been down this road before and been successful - but they haven't experienced the thrill of a Super Bowl win in a decade and they've lost their last two visits to the Super Bowl (Super Bowl XLII and XLVI).
Again, contrast that with an exuberant Seattle Seahawks team, who faced the Denver Broncos and their number-one ranked offense 12 months ago... and thrashed them. This is a team who - thanks to the embattled Patriots - have enjoyed an unusually quiet build-up to Sunday's game. Make no mistake though, on the field they are a potent outfit, with a reputation for fierce, no-nonsense defense - but just as capable of striking quickly on offense. Both Carolina and Green Bay can testify to that.
The sub-plot is fascinating but none of that really matters come game time. It all comes down to who can deliver under the bright lights and the stage doesn't get any bigger than the Super Bowl!
The Patriots have shown they can adapt their style to exploit the weaknesses of their opponents this season. They threw the ball 50 times when Baltimore shut down their running game, but twice against Indianapolis. New England relentlessly pounded the rock to come out on top.
It's unlikely they'll enjoy that kind of success on the ground against Seattle - the Seahawks gave up just 81.5 rushing yards per game in the regular season. If New England go to the air, TE Rob Gronkowski will have to work the seams for them to have success on underneath routes. If not, Seattle's defensive backs will shut down the short passing routes and New England will struggle to move the ball.
Equally Seattle will have to run the ball effectively to open up the passing game themselves. This has been their identity on offense but the Patriots are renowned for taking away what the opposition does best.
The question then will be, if New England do stack the box, can Seattle make plays in the passing game against a secondary which includes former Seahawk Brandon Browner and Darrelle Revis?
This year's Super Bowl has all the makings of an intriguing chess match. The Patriots ability to run or pass the ball effectively depending on the opposition has been nothing short of remarkable, but given the choice between a good offense and a good defense, generally it's the defense which prevails.
Seattle's defense isn't just good, it's the best of this generation! They're the number-one ranked unit this year. They're the first defense to lead the league, conceding the fewest points, in three straight years since the Minnesota Vikings did it between 1969-71 and that's why they'll become the first team to win back-to-back Super Bowls in a decade. Fittingly, the last team to do that was... the New England Patriots.
Pick: Seattle Seahawks
