Patriots vs. Seahawks: TV Info, Spread, Injury Updates, Game Time for Super Bowl

The weekend is nearly here. That means the 2015 Super Bowl is too.

Finally, the wait nearly is over. The New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks have gone through the motions of the two weeks leading up to Super Bowl XLIX. Both teams have gone through media days, practices and countless interviews. Now it's time to get on the gridiron and play football.

There's much to know leading into one of the biggest sporting events of the year. You can find every bit of information regarding the TV information, spread, injury updates and prediction for the Big Game.

When: Sunday, Feb. 1, at 6:30 p.m. ET

Where: University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona

TV: NBC

National Anthem Performance: Idina Menzel

Halftime Performers: Katy Perry and Lenny Kravitz

Spread (via Odds Shark): Seattle -1

Injury Updates

Injury updates are as of the completion of practice on Thursday, Jan. 29. They are courtesy of Patriots.com.

Seattle Seahawks				New England Patriots
Player	Injury	Status		Player	Injury	Status
JR Sweezy, G	Ankle	Full Practice Participant		Akeem Ayers, LB	Knee	Limited Practice Participant
Justin Britt, T	Knee	Full Practice Participant		Dont'a Hightower, LB	Shoulder	Limited Practice Participant
Marshawn Lynch, RB	Back	Full Practice Participant		Chris Jones, DT	Elbow	Limited Practice Participant
Earl Thomas, S	Shoulder	Full Practice Participant		Sealver Siliga, DL	Foot	Limited Practice Participant
Richard Sherman, CB	Elbow	Full Practice Participant		Bryan Stork, C	Knee	Limited Practice Participant
				Tom Brady, QB	Ankle	Full Practice Participant

Prediction

The spread is a good indicator of how close this game is going to be. Picking a winner isn't simple. You can't hone in on one overwhelming advantage for either side given the collective strength of each squad.

The Seahawks have perhaps the most dominant defense in the NFL, but the potent Patriots offense should neutralize that in some capacity. Conversely, the Seahawks offense is far from the level of the Pats'. But a New England defense that isn't known for stifling teams should allow Seattle to have a strong performance.

Each team has a bruiser at running back—Marshawn Lynch for Seattle and LeGarrette Blount for New England—who Russell Wilson and Tom Brady will rely on. Blount is the X-factor for New England given their history of power running backs in the Super Bowl, according to ESPN.com's Jeffri Chadiha.

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The Patriots may have bigger names involved in their success -- namely head coach Bill Belichick, quarterback Tom Brady and Pro Bowl tight end Rob Gronkowski -- but Blount quickly has emerged as a critical wild card in their championship hopes. As prolific as Brady has been over the course of his career, it's worth noting that the Patriots won all three of their Super Bowls when they had a bruising power back in their offensive arsenal.

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Blount's importance is evident when considering the Legion of Boom. Even a quarterback of Brady's caliber can't beat a secondary of that magnitude on his own. The Patriots need to keep this defense honest, so committing to the run early is crucial. Even if Blount doesn't enjoy a ton of success, New England has to be comfortable with giving him opportunities. This opens up the play-action attack.

The Legion of Boom is such a scary opponent to face because of each individual member's speed, aggressiveness, coverage skills and overall athleticism. The group—led by Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas—makes throwing deep into the secondary a nightmare for offensive coordinators.

Perhaps that's why entertainment legend Snoop Dogg has chosen to side with Seattle:

Even the expert analysts have wavered in their predictions over this epic contest. For most, it comes down to a personal preference. Does defense win championships, or does an offense helmed by one of the best playoff-quarterbacks ever?

Given how incredible the Seahawks played against the Denver Broncos in last year's Super Bowl, it's reasonable to expect a similar defensive performance. Look for Seattle to win its second straight Super Bowl and begin the early stages of a dynasty.

Prediction: Seahawks win, 24-20

Follow Kenny DeJohn on Twitter: @kennydejohn