Super Bowl 2015: Patriots vs. Seahawks Game Time, Predictions and TV Schedule

The madness of Super Bowl media day is now behind us, so we can officially get back to concentrating on the highly anticipated clash between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks.

Both of these squads enter the NFL's championship game with a good amount of experience. Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady have made five previous trips to the big dance, emerging victorious thrice. The Seahawks are the league's defending champions and boast much of the same personnel as their title-winning squad from a season ago.    

The interesting aspect of this game is the fact that these two teams haven't faced off since Week 6 of the 2012 regular season. While many other postseason matchups were rematches from regular-season action, and adjustments could be made from recent experience, this contest comes with an abundance of unpredictable variables.

Before these teams provide a thrilling conclusion to the NFL season, let's take a look at the game's essential viewing information and predict the winner of Super Bowl XLIX.

Viewing Information

When: Sunday, February 1

Where: University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona

Time: 6:30 p.m. ET

Channel: NBC

Live Stream: NBC Sports Live Extra

Betting Info (via Odds Shark):

• Over/Under: 47.5
• Spread: Patriots -1

Preview and Prediction

Since these two teams haven't faced off recently, we can't base a Super Bowl prediction on a previous matchup. Although, we can dissect the strengths and weaknesses of both teams based on their current play and decide how they stack up against each other.

The strength of the Patriots is their passing offense. Brady continues to play ageless football, throwing for 4,109 yards and 33 touchdowns during the regular season. He's been in great form in the playoffs, accumulating 367 yards and three touchdowns against the Baltimore Ravens, followed by 226 yards and three more scores against the Indianapolis Colts.

Although, Brady and Co. will be facing a Seahawks pass defense that topped the league during the regular season and continues to play lights-out against elite quarterbacks. Seattle has held Aaron Rodgers in check twice this season, most recently holding the All-Pro quarterback to 178 yards and a score while picking him twice in the conference championship.

Adding something to watch for here, Brady has been dealing with a cold during the week, and Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com relayed a comment from the quarterback:

New England could opt for more of a run-heavy offense against Seattle's third-ranked run defense; however, the team has been inconsistent on the ground. The Patriots barely even attempted to run the ball on the stout Ravens defense, accumulating just 14 yards on 13 attempts, but they turned around and rode LeGarrette Blount to a team total of 177 yards and three scores against a susceptible Colts defense one week later.

The Patriots certainly have momentum going on the ground right now; however, the lack of a running game against Baltimore is concerning, as Seattle just held the dangerous Eddie Lacy to average just 3.5 yards per carry. Still, New England does have a chance to circumvent a stout Seahawks defense, as the unique play-calling of offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has befuddled defenses of late.

Bleacher Report's Matt Bowen tweeted an interesting take on how New England will be able to circumvent Seattle's speedy defense:

Seattle's biggest offensive threat will be its ground game. The team finished the regular season with the league's top-ranked rushing offense thanks to the pounding style of Marshawn Lynch and the versatility of dual-threat quarterback Russell Wilson.

When the Seahawks get Lynch going, he's nearly unstoppable. Against the Green Bay Packers, the ball-carrier rushed 25 times for a total of 157 yards and a touchdown. Wilson is no slouch generating yards with his legs, either. He led all quarterbacks with 849 rushing yards during the regular season and averaged an impressive 7.2 yards per carry.

That doesn't bode well for the Patriots, as they have struggled against mobile quarterbacks in recent history, according to Jason Puckett of KJR Sports Radio:

This duo will be a cause for concern for a Patriots team that was mostly solid against the run during the regular season but has tapered off in the playoffs. New England allowed Ravens running back Justin Forsett to gain 129 yards, averaging 5.4 yards per carry, and even Colts ball-carrier Daniel Herron found success against this unit, averaging 5.1 yards per rush.

Seattle doesn't have much of a passing game to speak of, and Wilson is coming off a career-high four-interception performance, but if the Patriots allow the Seahawks early success on the ground, passing lanes will develop for Wilson.

So, with all of this in mind, here's the biggest key to the game for each team.

The Patriots must find a way to contain Lynch and Wilson on the ground. New England has a strong secondary, and if the team can force the Seahawks into passing situations on 3rd-and-long, the chances of its defense getting off the field dramatically increase.

The Seahawks need to keep a keen eye on tight end Rob Gronkowski to contain New England's passing game. While Seattle has fantastic cover corners, its safeties and linebackers must step up in a big way to take away Brady's biggest target and one of the league's most dangerous weapons. Seattle struggled against tight ends at time this season, so proper adjustments must be in order.

Both of these teams are extremely well put together, and we should expect a highly intense game that will most likely be decided in the final minute. The nod here goes to the squad that is more likely to force its opponent to play into its strengths, and that team is Seattle.

Prediction: Seahawks 27, Patriots 24