Super Bowl Over/Under 2015: Point Spread, Predictions for Patriots vs. Seahawks

Most Super Bowls feature an established favorite entering the game, but Super Bowl XLIX between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks feels as even as any in recent memory.

Oddsmakers have struggled to come up with a definitive favorite, and even the over/under feels as though it is right on the nose. Those factors could make for a gut-wrenching Super Bowl as far as bettors are concerned, but they also mean that the game figures to be extremely entertaining for casual viewers.

As the Seahawks look to repeat as champions and the Pats hope to stand tall for the first time in a decade, here is a breakdown of all the vital viewing and betting information available for Super Bowl XLIX.

Super Bowl XLIX Viewing Info

Where: University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona

When: Sunday, Feb. 1 at 6:30 p.m. ET

Watch: NBC

Live Stream: NBC Sports Live Extra

Super Bowl XLIX Betting Info

Point Spread: Patriots (-1)

Over/Under: 47.5

*Betting info courtesy of Odds Shark.

Super Bowl Predictions

Seahawks Will Reign Supreme

Winning two Super Bowls in a row is no easy task, which is why no team has been able to pull it off in a decade. That, as much as anything, may be why New England is slightly favored entering Super Bowl XLIX. With that said, the Seahawks undoubtedly have the demeanor and talent to defend their championship.

Seattle excels in almost all areas, especially when it comes to running the ball on offense and stopping the pass on defense. The Seahawks topped the league in those two categories during the regular season, which could spell trouble for the Pats.

Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch is running with a purpose, as evidenced by his more than 180 total yards and one touchdown in the NFC Championship Game against the Green Bay Packers. Quarterback Russell Wilson rushed for 849 yards in his own right during the regular season, so New England has plenty to worry about.

According to PFT on NBCSN, former NFL defensive end Jason Taylor believes Seattle's read-option attack could be the difference in the game:

The Seahawks' comeback against Green Bay was due largely to the effectiveness of the read-option late in that game, and one can only assume that they'll lean heavily on it.

New England enters the Super Bowl shrouded in controversy due to the Deflategate scandal. There will be no such air pressure issues with the footballs Sunday, although it really shouldn't make much of an impact on the game. If anything, the distractions created by it are more worrisome for Bill Belichick's team.

More importantly, quarterback Tom Brady and the Patriots have to deal with Seattle's vaunted Legion of Boom secondary.

Per David Pevear of The Lowell Sun, Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman compared Brady and New England's offense to Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos, who Seattle stymied last year.

"

Brady runs a little bit more of a hurry-up. Peyton runs it from time to time, but then he'll slow it down and they'll be meticulous. They'll run the ball, he'll audible, he'll check a lot at the line. I think Tom kind of goes and he sees the defense for what it is, and he goes out and executes.

"

Seattle allowed less than 186 passing yards per game during the regular season, which means Brady will undoubtedly face his toughest test of the year.

Perhaps the biggest intangible factor working in the Seahawks' favor is the 12th Man. There will naturally be a larger Seattle contingent in Scottsdale, Arizona, since it's closer in proximity than Boston is, but ESPN's Darren Rovell reports that the Seahawks appear to have a substantial advantage.

With all of that in mind, look for Seattle to outlast New England in a 23-20 slug fest.

Super Bowl XLIX Will Be an Under Game

In addition to trying to pick a winner, many are attempting to figure out just how much offense there will be in Sunday's game. The Seahawks aren't a huge scoring team, while the Patriots rely on Brady and the offense to carry the load much of the time.

Something has to give, and recent statistics suggest that this has the makings of an under game. Much of that is due to the recent spectacular play of Seattle's defense.

Prior to Green Bay's 22-point "outburst" last week, the Seahawks hadn't allowed more than 17 points in a game since Week 11 when the Kansas City Chiefs dropped 24. That also happened to be Seattle's last loss, as it has gone a perfect 8-0 since.

Since the Seahawks defense is so good against the pass, New England could look to lean heavily on running back LeGarrette Blount and the ground game, especially after his 148 yards and three touchdowns against the Indianapolis Colts last week.

The Pats may have success with that strategy, but Seattle still ranked third against the run during the regular season, so it won't break like Indy's defense did.

Seattle made it to this point due largely to its ability to hold the Packers to field goals rather than touchdowns two weeks ago. That is one of the hallmarks of an under game, and it will lead to a total of 43 points scored, which will be somewhat comfortably under the 47.5-point threshold.

Russell Wilson Will Be Named MVP

With so many great players on both sides of the ball for both teams, predicting a potential Super Bowl XLIX MVP is difficult. Based on his impact over the course of the season, though, Wilson may very well be in the driver's seat.

If Seattle does in fact win, it will likely need a great effort from its plucky signal-caller. The Seahawks got away with Wilson having a poor game a couple of weeks ago, as he threw four interceptions against the Packers, but he did manage to make big plays when he needed to.

It is tough to imagine Seattle asking Wilson to fling the ball all over the stadium, but the beauty of him is that he can beat teams in multiple ways. In addition to his 3,475 yards and 20 touchdowns through the air, Wilson accounted for well over 800 yards and six touchdowns on the ground this season.

He had one of the most prolific rushing seasons of all time for a quarterback and stirred up memories of former Philadelphia Eagles dual-threat quarterback Randall Cunningham in the process, according to the NFL's official Twitter account:

Wilson's ability to make things happen when plays break down is second to none as well. There will be times during the Super Bowl when the Pats put him under duress and force him out of the pocket, but as evidenced by these stats, courtesy of PFT on NBC, Wilson won't panic:

When the Seahawks won the Super Bowl last year, there was no doubt that a defensive player deserved the MVP award, as the unit held the Broncos to eight points. Linebacker Malcolm Smith was the beneficiary, but that was a rare occurrence.

Six of the past eight Super Bowl MVPs have been quarterbacks, and Wilson is ready to make the leap to that level in his second Super Bowl.

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