Seattle and New England play for an era
By: Dan Durkin – Sports Writer
As we gather around our televisions Sunday and watch the Super Bowl, we will be watching what will be history. It may be the start of a new dynasty, or possible the end of an era.
While the college football season concluded on Jan. 12 with the Ohio State Buckeyes beating the University of Oregon in the National Championship Game, the NFL concludes its season at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, Sunday where the Seattle Seahawks will play the New England Patriots in the 2015 Super Bowl XLIX.
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is playing in his sixth Super Bowl after winning three of his first five. The defending champion Seattle Seahawks are looking to be the first repeat champions since the Patriots won in 2004 and 2005. The two teams are coming into the game after wildly different victories on championship weekend. New England blew out the Indianapolis Colts by 38 points, while Seattle edged the Green Bay Packers in overtime after a thrilling fourth quarter comeback.
Should Brady win his fourth Super Bowl, he would be tied with Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw for the most Super Bowl wins by a quarterback. Brady will hold the record for most Super Bowls started as a quarterback with six but is looking to turn his luck after dropping his last two opportunities to the New York Giants.
Brady is hoping this time he can break his 10-year drought since winning his third Super Bowl, back in 2005. He recently ran into a brick wall when it came to his last two Super Bowl appearances, losing both times to the New York Giants, one of which was played in the exact same stadium as this year’s Super Bowl.
The Seahawks, on the other hand, are looking to win back-to-back Super Bowls, after thrashing the Denver Broncos in last year’s game. However, if Seattle’s play from the NFC Championship game in any way carries over to the Super Bowl, the defending champions will face a serious uphill battle.
Quarterback Russell Wilson threw four interceptions against Green Bay as it took multiple miraculous plays for Seattle to pull out the victory.
The Seahawks defense took a beating against the Packers, and some of the top members of the so-called “Legion of Boom” come into the Super Bowl with questionable ability.
Star cornerback Richard Sherman played the closing minutes of the NFC Championship grimacing in pain from an elbow injury, although the Seahawks claim he will be good to go for Sunday. Sherman has grabbed two interceptions this postseason—one each in the divisional and championship games.
Earl Thomas injured his shoulder in the first half of the Green Bay game and is listed as questionable for the Super Bowl. Thomas forced a fumble against Carolina in the NFC Divisional round.
This particular matchup is intriguing because of the different styles of the two teams. While the Patriots stick to a very structured, pocket-passing offense centered around Tom Brady and his receiving corps, the Seahawks are a scrappy bunch with the ball, utilizing every weapon they have by mixing run and pass plays.
ESPN recently polled fans across the country, and 57 percent predicted New England to come out victorious. Ohio was in line with the rest of America as 60 percent of the Buckeye State picked the Patriots.
The Patriots are led by one of the most successful player-coach combinations in the sporting world as Tom Brady and Bill Belichick look for their fourth Super Bowl win in 14 seasons.
Meanwhile, the young and energetic Seahawks might unseat New England’s dynasty for the final time, while continuing to build one of their own.