Patriots vs. Seahawks: Final Odds, Prop Bets, Predictions for Super Bowl 2015
You’ve done your homework, read your scouting reports and weighed up your options leading up to the Super Bowl showdown between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks.
Now it’s time to decide what you want to bet on in the various prop bets offered for the big game.
Bettors can gamble on anything from the winner of the coin toss to the hair color of halftime performer Katy Perry. It is likely the one time of year when millions of football fans truly care about what type of outfit Perry has on and which song she elects to sing first during one of her shows.
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Here is a look at the essential information for Sunday’s game, including some prop bets of note and predictions.
Matchup: New England Patriots vs. Seattle Seahawks
Date: Sunday Feb. 1
Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
TV: NBC
Live Stream: NBCSports.com
Spread: Patriots -1 (via Odds Shark, as of Sunday at 1 a.m. ET)
Predicted Winner: Seahawks
Prop Bets of Interest
| How long will it take Idina Menzel to sign the US National Anthem? | Over/Under: Two minutes and one second | Under |
| How many times will Katy Perry be mentioned in the 1st Half? | Over/Under 1.5 | Over |
| How many viewers will the game have? | Over/Under: 113 million | Over |
| Total Passing Attempts in the game - Tom Brady (NE) | Over/Under: 35.5 | Under |
| Total Rushing Yards - LeGarrette Blount (NE) | Over/Under: 62.5 | Over |
| Total Rushing Yards - Marshawn Lynch (SEA) | Over/Under: 92.5 | Over |
| Will the team that wins the coin toss win the game? | Yes: 20-23 No: 20-23 | Yes |
| Will there be a safety in the game? | Yes: 11-2 No: 1-9 | No |
*Prop bets courtesy of Odds Shark, as of Sunday at 1 a.m. ET. A complete list of prop bets can be found at Odds Shark.
Intriguing Prop Bet: Total Passing Attempts in Game for Tom Brady (Over/Under 35.5)
This seems like a fairly straightforward prop bet, but how you feel about this one likely shows how you feel about the game in general and New England’s overall strategy.
On the one hand, if the Patriots get a lead, they will likely look to work the clock behind the running game, which will limit Tom Brady’s total number of pass attempts. On the other, if New England falls behind, it will have to rely on the passing attack throughout the second half, which will drive the number of passes Brady throws up toward the over.
This prop bet goes beyond just which team is winning, though.
The Seahawks defense finished No. 1 in the league against the pass behind the Legion of Boom secondary. The Patriots aren’t exactly loaded with a number of game-breaking options on the outside at wide receiver who can sprint past these lockdown corners, either. Understanding Seattle’s strength could impact New England’s play calling and limit the number of passes.
Sure, tight end Rob Gronkowski is one of the best weapons in the league, but Brady can only target him so many times, especially with superstar safety Kam Chancellor doing his best to keep Gronkowski in check.
Chancellor seemed ready for the matchup, via Mark Maske of The Washington Post: “We embrace the challenge because in order to be the best, you have to beat the best. We embrace those challenges with great competitors.”
Look for the Patriots to try to establish the running game early in this one, especially since the Seahawks allowed more than 100 rushing yards in each of their four losses this season (and in both playoff games thus far). What’s more, LeGarrette Blount just ran for 148 yards and three touchdowns against the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship Game and has some individual momentum on his side.
Seattle features the league’s best defense, which was third in the NFL against the run, but the blueprint to beat it appears to be with a strong rushing day.
It is also interesting to point out that Brady threw more than 35.5 times in seven different games during the regular season, as opposed to fewer than 35.5 times in the remaining nine contests. He split the two postseason games, throwing 50 times against the Baltimore Ravens but only 35 times against the Colts.
Las Vegas clearly did its research because Brady threw it exactly 35 times in six different games this year (including the playoffs), and the line is set at 35.5.
Another factor that could play into this prop bet is Seattle’s offensive strategy. The Seahawks are No. 1 in the league in rushing yards per game, and they rely on Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch to control the tempo with the read-option look that freezes defenders in space and allows both players to hit the running lanes.
ESPN Stats & Info noted just how effective Wilson has been on the ground this year:
New England allowed an average of 158 rushing yards in its four losses this year, so it can be vulnerable against the run.
All of those opponents had inferior rushing attacks to the one the Seahawks feature too. Seattle will look to the ground game early and often with the hopes of keeping Brady on the sidelines and adding its name to the list of teams that beat the Patriots with the run this season.
It will be difficult for Brady to rack up a number of passing attempts while he is watching Wilson and Lynch from the sidelines.
With both teams relying on the run game (which keeps the clock moving and limits the number of plays from scrimmage and potential passes) and the lockdown Seattle secondary playing a role in the game planning for the Patriots, Brady will not throw the ball more than 35.5 times.
Take the under.
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