Super Bowl Odds 2015: Patriots vs. Seahawks Spread, Over/Under Betting Guide

If the game line is any indication of what's to come when the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks face off in Super Bowl XLIX, we're in for a riveting showdown. Since the title game's spread was released, it has fluctuated, but it's never grown by a margin greater than three points.

It sure seems we have a very evenly matched game on our hands.

Both the Patriots and Seahawks earned their respective conference's No. 1 seed following some dominant play down the final stretch of the regular season. After continuing that trend in the playoffs, it's safe to say the league's best two teams will be taking the field in this year's championship game.

Although, due to the high level of play from each squad, it's been relatively difficult to gauge which team has the upper hand. So, before the big game commences, let's take a look at what we should expect from the competing teams, discuss who has the advantage and decide how it will ultimately affect the odds.

Super Bowl XLIX Schedule and Odds

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

Betting Guide and Prediction

Determining if the Super Bowl will go over the 47.5-point total set by Las Vegas oddsmakers requires more than simply looking at the face value of the teams involved. After all, if you judge this contest simply by the quality of each defense, the under seems to be a sure thing.

Not so fast.

While both the Seahawks and the Patriots have very good defenses, they each have their respective Achilles' heel. Seattle has been torched by opposing tight ends on occasion, giving up a total of 11 touchdowns to the position during the regular season. New England hasn't fared well against dual-threat quarterbacks—the team fell to the Carolina Panthers in 2013 after failing to contain Cam Newton.

Here's the interesting fact: Both teams are more than capable of taking advantage of their opponents' biggest weakness. New England boasts the NFL's most dangerous tight end in Rob Gronkowski, and Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson led all quarterbacks in rushing during the regular season, accumulating 849 yards while averaging 7.2 yards per carry.

So, what does this mean? It means there will probably be more points scored than you might think.

The last time the Seahawks faced off against a tight end with a remotely similar skill set to Gronkowski was in Week 2 against San Diego Chargers pass-catcher Antonio Gates. In that contest, Gates accumulated seven receptions (on seven targets) for 96 yards and three touchdowns.

Here's a telling stat from Pro Football on ESPN in regards to Seattle's struggles against tight ends:

Gronkowski could be in for a big day.

On the flip side, in that 2013 contest against the Panthers, New England allowed Newton to rush for 62 yards on just seven carries, an average of 8.9 yards per clip. Considering Wilson's average on the season, the Patriots could struggle to contain Seattle's shifty quarterback.

Jason Puckett of KJR Sports Radio tweeted this interesting statistic regarding New England's woes against mobile quarterbacks:

To determine which of these teams has the upper hand, we must decide which is more likely to thwart the efforts of these aforementioned game-changing players. Considering the Patriots have given up an average of 4.9 and 4.4 yards per carry to opposing teams in their two playoff games, respectively, the upper hand has to go to Seattle here.

Expect New England to score some points on Seattle—the team has amassed 80 in just two playoff games—but a strong Seahawks defense will do just enough to give Wilson and Co. the opportunity to wear down the Patriots and win the game on a late scoring drive. Also, take the over.

Prediction: Seahawks 27, Patriots 24