Super Bowl 2015: Patriots vs. Seahawks TV Coverage and Event Schedule

Between the commercials, halftime show and two-week trial of Bill Belichick, it's easy to forget about the epic football game scheduled to take place on Sunday, Feb. 1. 

In order to become the first team in over a decade to win back-to-back Super Bowls, the Seattle Seahawks must conquer the New England Patriots, who last accomplished the feat 10 years ago. This marks New England's sixth Super Bowl appearance during the 21st century, but Seattle has proved to be capable of dethroning legendary quarterbacks on the grand stage.

For those interested in the inflation level of the footballs, turn just about anywhere else. This title preview is a safe haven for actual analysis of each conference's No. 1 seed in what has the makings of a classic.

Super Bowl Information

When: Sunday, Feb. 1 at 6:30 p.m. ET

Where: University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, AZ

TV: NBC

Halftime Performers: Katy Perry and Lenny Kravitz

Odds (via Odds Shark): NE -1.5 

Preview

Had the latest "-gate" scandal not invaded the narrative, everyone would be talking about Seattle's great fortune to somehow have a chance to win another title.

The Seahawks begged to lose the NFC Championship Game for 55 minutes, but the Green Bay Packers refused to accept the handout. Kicking two early field goals on the one-yard line kept the door open. Packing up the offense at halftime didn't help, nor did oddly sliding down on an interception with a clear path ahead.

ESPN.com's Rob Demovsky showed just how much real estate Morgan Burnett had during a late turnover that should have ended the game with five minutes remaining:

That all happened before the muffed onside kick that became the easy focal point of Green Bay's collapse.

If Seattle plays that same game against New England, it will lose handily. As Mike McCarthy turned the notch up on his ultra-conservative offense, Belichick stomped on the Indianapolis Colts' throats during a 45-7 blowout. 

The Patriots won't settle for field goals at the one. Tom Brady won't stop throwing with a 16-point lead. 

On the flip side, Russell Wilson won't throw four interceptions again. He surrendered seven picks over the last 17 games, never coughing up more than two in a game since Sept. 30, 2012.

Since Wilson is technically a member of the Texas Rangers, Ace of MLB Stats jumped in with a tidbit on the baffling game:

Turnovers were never a problem for the Seahawks, who yielded 14 of them throughout the season. Only the Patriots allowed fewer at 13 apiece. So while the same "neither side will make costly mistakes" sentiment was used for the NFC Championship Game, it still applies for the Super Bowl despite last weekend's anomaly. 

If random variance isn't enough to sway some into expecting a cleaner effort, Jermaine Kearse shoulders the blame for two of those turnovers. The odds of two passes again deflecting off the same receiver into a defender's hands are slim.

Never one to give the opposite side bulletin-board material, Belichick praised the quarterback who leads Seattle's No. 27 pass defense against New England's No. 17 passing defense. Per ESPN.com's Mike Reiss:

"

[He] has an instinctiveness; he just knows where people are. It looks like he's going to get tackled and he doesn't. You think that he doesn't see them, but he sees them. He just knows they are there. He has an uncanny sense of awareness of what is around him, good or bad. 

I can't really define it. You can't really coach it. It's an awareness that all great players have it, all good players have it. I think he just has it at a higher level. It's impressive.

"

While a win would instead cause onlookers to compare Wilson to Brady, the running games will bear a greater implant on this outcome. With Seattle's passing offense reeling against Green Bay, Marshawn Lynch carried the load for 183 total yards and a rushing score. 

Meanwhile, LeGarrette Blount crushed the Colts for 148 yards and three rushing touchdowns on 30 carries. For all of its late struggles, Green Bay averaged 4.5 yards per run against Seattle's No. 3-rated rushing defense.

The Carolina Panthers also forged some success on the ground, averaging 4.4 yards per carry with 70 yards from Jonathan Stewart.

Round	OPP	Rush	YDs	YPC	TD
Divisional Round	CAR	30	132	4.4	0
NFC Championship Game	GB	30	135	4.5	0

After conceding 3.4 yards per rush all season, those two games represent a considerable downgrade for Seattle's running defense. The Patriots can't feel too comfortable either, as Justin Forsett gushed them for 129 yards during the AFC Divisional Round before Indianapolis pocketed a weak ground game during a rout.

While Lynch usually wields the prettier pedigree, Blount has produced 401 rushing yards and six scores through seven games since rejoining the Patriots. Another big game from the midseason signing could make all the difference.

Last year, the Seahawks stymied the Denver Broncos to just 27 rushing yards, forcing Peyton Manning to throw 49 times under constant pressure. Pete Carroll would love to implement the same blueprint against Brady.