Patriots vs. Seahawks: Super Bowl 2015 Betting Odds, Favorite and Winner Picks

It's finally the week of the 2015 Super Bowl, which means betting odds are becoming more and more concrete as bets continue to roll in.   

The Seattle Seahawks look to have destiny on their side after mounting an improbable comeback against the Green Bay Packers in the NFC title game to get here. That on top of Seattle's quest for a title repeat has plenty leaning its way, but despite losing in their last two Super Bowls, the New England Patriots promise to be a much tougher out than last year's Denver Broncos.

In a Super Bowl that could truly go either way and figures to go down to the wire, it's not surprising to see these two teams so tight in the Las Vegas sportsbooks. With that in mind, let's take a look at the latest bets and a Super Bowl prediction.

Matchup	Spread	Over/Under	Predicted Score
Patriots vs. Seahawks	NE -1	47.5	Patriots 27-23

Note: Odds courtesy of Odds Shark, last updated January 25  

Super Bowl XLIX Preview 

Patriots players like Tom Brady who were around for those early Super Bowl wins should see a little of themselves when they look across the field Sunday at the opposing Seahawks.

Although Russell Wilson's emergence hasn't come in the sudden fashion of Brady's, it maintains a similar tone of dominance throughout the early seasons of their careers. With a win on Sunday, Wilson will have won two Super Bowls by the age of 26 and in just three seasons. 

Unlike Brady, though, Wilson possesses an innate ability to add to his team's rushing prowess—which had the Seahawks atop the league in rushing for 2014. While the former Wisconsin product can use his wheels to get to the edge, the strength mainly comes between the tackles with bruising running back Marshawn Lynch.

The Seahawks' rushing dominance hasn't been lost on the Patriots, as defensive end Chandler Jones talked about how it doesn't necessarily start with Wilson. Jones told the Patriots' official site:

"

It doesn't start with the quarterback, but I feel like it's the running back and the quarterback. They have a very good tandem in their backfield. Starting off with Marshawn Lynch, he's a guy that if you let him he could run over your whole defense; that's if you let him. Then you have another guy like Russell Wilson, if you let him he could juke out your whole defense and make big plays.

"

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

It will be beyond crucial for both teams to set a tone up front on that side of the ball, with the Patriots' ninth-ranked run defense needing to show up in a big way. But it's certainly not the matchup with the best entertainment value.

No, that moniker goes to the Seahawks defense going up against Brady and the peaking Pats offensive attack. 

Brady has been on fire in the postseason, throwing six touchdowns and rushing for another in two appearances. The success came regardless of if the Pats could run the ball or not, as one game produced 14 rushing yards and the other 177.

But doing so against the Seahawks' vaunted defense will be easier said than done, as ESPN Stats and Info noted:

Teams haven't exactly been backing away from Richard Sherman in the postseason, but perhaps they should be—he has two interceptions in two games played. You can bet Brady won't be afraid to go his way, but the success rate of other matchups—like Rob Gronkowski against Kam Chancellor or Earl Thomas against Julian Edelman—figure to have a bigger impact on the outcome.

One thing seems to be increasingly apparent—neither team is going to give up much with so much on the line. Patriots cornerback Devin McCourty seemed to indicate as much, predicting a game that will come down to the wire, per Anthony Gulizia of The Boston Globe:

Anyone who made it through the catastrophe that was last year's Super Bowl will welcome that, no matter what team that person's pulling for.

Prediction: Patriots def. Seahawks, 27-23

In vital games that come down to the wire, good offense beats good defense—even if that defense is much better than "good."

The Seahawks will find their success late like they're accustomed to, but it won't come before Brady and the Patriots offense find their way to an early lead. Green Bay showed the last time out versus Seattle that the defense can be run against, and LeGarrette Blount will establish himself as a presence to help eliminate the pass rush and give Brady more time to operate.

Like in its first two postseason games, Seattle will be slow to establish the run game, and it won't kick in until it's almost too late. If Brady gets the ball with a chance to win it, he won't blink this time with title No. 4 in focus.