Patriots vs. Seahawks: Tale of the Tape and Super Bowl 2015 Prediction

When the New England Patriots square off against the Seattle Seahawks in the 2015 edition of the Super Bowl, football fans from every corner of the United States will be tuning in to see the elite NFL action.

New England will enter this game coming off back-to-back offensive showcases that helped catapult the team into the championship. On the other hand, it was the defensive pressure of Seattle that helped them advance this far in the postseason.

Between the Patriots offense and the Seahawks defense, something must give.

Here is all of the vital viewing information, the full tale of the tape via Statmilk.com and a quick 2015 Super Bowl breakdown.

Where: University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona

When: Sunday, Feb. 1

Start Time: 6:30 p.m. ET

Watch: NBC

Live Stream: NBC Live Extra

Tale of the Tape

Quick Super Bowl Breakdown

While many of the headlines have featured stories about underinflated footballs, NFL fans can’t forget the magnitude of the matchup they will witness in just over a week. The battle between Seattle and New England is one of the biggest Super Bowls imaginable.

On one side, you have the Patriots. The offensive unit has played incredibly this postseason, racking up 35 points against the Baltimore Ravens in the divisional round and 45 points against the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship Game.

As great as Tom Brady and his teammates have been, the New England defensive unit deserves credit too. Led by veterans Vince Wilfork and Darrelle Revis, the Patriots defense managed to stifle Andrew Luck and the Colts, allowing seven points all game.

Despite the magnitude of the NFL Championship, all anyone can talk about is Deflategate.

When asked about the entire controversy surrounding the underinflation of footballs in the AFC Championship Game, Brady spoke candidly to Mike Reiss of ESPN.com:

"

When I pick those footballs out, at that point, to me, they're perfect. I don't want anyone touching the balls after that. I don't want anyone rubbing them, putting any air in them, taking any air out. To me, those balls are perfect, and that's what I expect when I show up on the field.

"

The official Pro Football on ESPN Twitter account shared Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman’s thoughts on Deflategate:

When the game begins, none of the pre-kickoff storylines will matter. The only thing that matters then will be which team performs at a higher level under the most pressure possible.

On the other side of the field will be the Seahawks. The team is known for the success of its defensive unit, finishing the regular season first against the pass (allowing 185.6 yards per game) and third against the run (allowing 81.5 yards per game.)

After shutting the Carolina Panthers down in the divisional round and allowing only 22 points to the high-paced offense of the Green bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game, Seattle’s defenders have to be confident coming into this matchup.

As defending champions, the team should be confident.

While it is a major concern that Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson turned the ball over four times in the conference championship, the offense is predicated on the run. As long as the team continues feeding the rock to running back Marshawn Lynch and Wilson protects the ball, Seattle will give New England a fierce battle.

Ultimately, only one team can walk away victorious, and the Patriots just have too much talent to walk away without the win. The Seahawks have played well all season, but with the neutral field location and the pressure of winning back-to-back titles, New England will walk away champions.

Predicted Final Score: New England 27, Seattle 24

*Stats via NFL.com.

Follow @Donald_Wood