Super Bowl 2015: Odds and Predictions Ahead of Conference Championship Games

Four teams are still alive in pursuit of a coveted spot in Super Bowl XLIX. Only two will be left standing once the dust settles after Sunday's conference title games. Those teams will head to University of Phoenix Stadium in Arizona for a shot at the Lombardi Trophy.

Both games are rematches of matchups played during the regular season. In Week 1, the Seattle Seahawks scored a 36-16 victory over the Green Bay Packers. In Week 11, the New England Patriots pulled away from the Indianapolis Colts in the second half for a 42-20 win.

The question is whether those results will repeat themselves or if one of the underdogs can pull off an upset to punch their ticket to Arizona. Let's check out the latest Super Bowl odds along with some analysis and predictions for Sunday's action.

Super Bowl Odds

Rank	Team	Odds
1	Seahawks	5-4
2	Patriots	19-10
3	Packers	11-2
4	Colts	13-2

Conference Championship Predictions

NFC: Green Bay Packers at Seattle Seahawks

It's hard to believe there was a point during the regular season where there were legitimate questions about whether the Seahawks would make the playoffs. They were 3-3 heading into a tricky road test against the Carolina Panthers, a compromising position in the always tough NFC West.

They responded to the challenge by going 9-1 the rest of the way. The biggest reason for the turnaround was the defense, which returned to an unmatched level. The unit hasn't given up more than 17 points since Week 11, keeping opponents in single digits five times in that seven-game span.

That's why Seattle heads into Conference Championship Weekend as the favorite. Not only according to the oddsmakers, but also FiveThirtyEight's DataLab:

The Packers are also on quite a roll of their own, though. They got blown out by the New Orleans Saints right before their Week 9 bye. Since that point they've lost just once. The offense has led the charge, scoring more than 40 points three times down the stretch.

That said, the key on Sunday will be Green Bay's defense. It starts with stopping the run. The Packers ranked 23rd in that facet of the game during the regular season and allowed DeMarco Murray to power his way to 123 yards last week.

If they can at least keep Marshawn Lynch from dominating the game, the pass rush could make life difficult on Russell Wilson. They registered four sacks of Tony Romo in their divisional-round win.

Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll knows that's a potential issue. He's been stressing to his offense to get the ball out quick, as noted by Terry Blount of ESPN.com.

"We need more of the fast rhythm stuff to eliminate the rush issue and hopefully get the ball out quicker," Carroll said. "It's good to see it happen. You have a chance to get the ball out before they can get to you. There's a lot that goes into that. It's not just the quarterback. It's the timing of the route."

Ultimately, the difference between the two sides isn't significant. But with Aaron Rodgers still battling a calf injury, and the in-form Seahawks defense staring him down, the edge shifts clearly in Seattle's favor. Playing at home helps, too.

Prediction: Seahawks 27, Packers 17

AFC: Indianapolis Colts at New England Patriots

Twice last week the Patriots fell behind by 14 points. Both times they came back to tie the game. Then the Ravens took a three-point lead early in the fourth quarter. New England showed its championship mettle once again as Tom Brady found Brandon LaFell for the winning touchdown.

The comebacks were impressive. Perhaps the more telling sign, however, was the fact it never seemed like Baltimore was in complete control despite the leads. It always felt like Brady and Co. were firmly in the game and they found a way to win despite not playing their best.

A better performance will be necessary across the board this week, though. That starts with slowing down Andrew Luck, who continues to improve at a rapid rate. The Patriots' official site passed along comments from head coach Bill Belichick, who explained why the Colts QB is so tough to stop.

"A lot of times, he's got guys draped all over him and he can throw the ball. He's strong, he's fast, [and] he's athletic," he said. "He does a good job of throwing on the run. He's got good vision down the field. So, he can be a sixth receiver in the passing game. [He's a] really dangerous guy, tough guy to handle, great quarterback."

While Luck gets most of the attention, for good reason, the Indianapolis defense has risen to the occasion to reach this point. The group held the Cincinnati Bengals to 254 total yards then was even more impressive by keeping the Denver Broncos to 288 yards.

The Patriots rushed for nearly 250 yards in their previous win over the Colts. Last week, they threw the ball 51 times. Being able to win in multiple ways is essential to reaching this part of the season, and New England has proven it can do that.

Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk thinks the Pats, along with the Seahawks, have the advantage:

Given the way the Colts have played in the postseason so far, they should be able to keep this game much closer than the first meeting. Going on the road and beating New England in the playoffs is an extremely tall task, though.

Prediction: Patriots 31, Colts 28