Super Bowl XLIX
 

Let's talk about the game itself, the matchups, etc.

Keep the nonsense for the other thread.

Alright - I'll start.

All the talk I've heard about Seattle is about how their defense isn't big on pre-snap adjustements and just lines up and plays you straight, and I can't help but think that plays right into the hands of an experienced QB like Brady with a variety of weapons and an ability to threaten with things like splitting out TE and HB as WR and such.

It's going to be an interesting chess-match there I think.

You mean like Manning last year?

Seattle can probably scheme away Gronk and Randy Moss ain't walking through that door to beat single coverage deep. So I'm guessing it's an ugly game.

Well that's why the game has to be played.

Also, for all the talk of "Seattle's defense has only given up 13 4th quarter points in the last 8 games" that conveniently ignores the fact that the Pats defense has only given up 12 points in the 4th quarter of the last 8 games (not sure where I heard that stat though).

So I think it will be a tight game. I don't see a blowout either way.

I'm sure Belichek will find a way to cheat his way to a win.

Nice job with the over/under there douchebag.

Glad to be of service asshat

This was my first thought as well. I don't know if it's going to be as easy as adjustments at the line. That being said, Seattle was not at all impressive last week, so who knows what's going to happen.

Bryan Stork practicing again.

I think the Pats will sell out to stop Marshawn, and there will be at least 2-3 Russell Wilson 1v1 deep balls where there's a ton of contact and people will argue over the PI/non-PI call if it's a close game. The final verdict will be "neither Patriots nor Seahawks fans can complain about anything involving defensive contact"

Pray for Jeremy Lane if he ever gets matched up vs Gronk.

2 weeks each.

Can we at least let DT out superbowl Sunday? The potential for hilarity is just to great with the Pats playing.

This

Mrs. Bucc and I were talking about the whole deflating nonsense (I did bring up they did break the rule, if intentional) and the game as well. We both agree that the Pats will have an even bigger chip on their shoulders. Go Patriots.

It's funny, I asked for DT to have a 5-day waiting period before posting and doing the math, that's about what we'll get. ;)

YES!

Hypocrisy? Or just good business by the NFL?

Here's 30 pages worth of prop bets to peruse.

List of 2015 Super Bowl Prop Bets

"SPECIAL (NE @ SEA) - How many times will Katy Perry be mentioned in the 1st Half? Over/Under 1½"

I need to find an actual sportsbook with that line. Only 1 1/2 times? The halftime show headliner? Are they not counting those "stay tuned for the halftime show" segues coming back from commercial?

My guess is they are not.

Likely how many times the announcers mention her.

I get it, they were needling each other, and DT needs to get a grip... but still, with them gone it feels like someone left the air out the room... And keeping DT out of the Superbowl thread would be deflating to us all. :D

So I came up with a fun alternative to Super Bowl squares.

I picked 12 weirdo prop bets. Five buck entry, everyone makes their picks, whoever gets the most correct takes home the pot.

:bowdown: Marshawn Lynch

I love Marshawn.

That might be the most honest interview a member of either team provides all week.

And yet still the most worthless. But he did what he needed to do so he won't get fined.

I noticed he was real cool with Deion. Did some searching and saw this interview he granted to Deion last year. Wonder if he just respects Deion and thinks Deion isn't going after him.

Diehardsport.com: Marshawn Lynch Media Day interview w/ Deion - YouTube

To be fair, like 99% of the questions asked at media day are worthless.

Nonsense. Thanks to media day I know what Bill Bellichick's favorite stuffed animal is.

Belichick favorite stuffed animal - YouTube

He also talked to Skittles.

Fixed

A good friend of mine is Superbowl bound. His brother has a job with NFL administering the streaming for their online app, and he gets tickets to the game. He found out this last week that he's also got tickets/seats for the NFL honors and NFL experience events I think both on Saturday.

After this weeks hype shenanigans on the part of both clubs, I couldn't see myself spending more than $300 on a ticket. So free is a bargain for sure!

Think the Pats will win. As much as I personally dislike Gronkowski, I think that he's the biggest difference maker on offense in the league.

And Belichick with two weeks to prepare will have enough to shut down the Seattle zone read.

I have concerns about our ability to pass and our ability to hold Wilson in check enough. Hopefully our pass defense against Baltimore was an aberration(and not playoff woes) and we can get the running game going. We aren't going to completely stop Lynch, but if Wilson is making plays as well it's going to be a long game.

I like the Seahawks, totally respect them, hoping and expecting a good game.

If Seattle wins another blowout, I think that they will look really good in the light of history. Winning two blowout Super Bowls is amazing enough. Winning them against Manning and Belichick/Brady back to back seems like it would age very well.

On the flip side, if New England wins, then it really helps to dull the impact of recent postseason failings from their record. Suddenly, the Belichick dynasty extends from 2001 through 2015 (and counting) and the Super Bowl losses to the Giants will be seen more in the "got to the Super Bowl" light than the "lost the Super Bowl" light.

I could be wrong, but as long as the NFL has a salary cap, I don't think we will see another extended run of elite football like the Patriots in my lifetime.

Well Belichick did it all under the cap. If he did it, I'm not sure why someone else couldn't eventually.

As a Seattle fan, I like the matchups. Seattle's losses this season have been to teams that ran the football exceptionally well, avoided turnovers and controlled the clock. New England is certainly good on turnovers, but their offensive style is to throw the ball around, and Seattle has beaten those teams consistently this season. New England has to make the Seattle D respect the run or they will fly at Tom Brady at near-inhuman speeds.

I do worry about the health of Sherman and Earl Thomas. They're the two best players on the team, and both got dinged up against Green Bay. I imagine that the NE gameplan will test out those two guys fairly early.

Albion, that was what was said after the 80/90s dynasties but the Pats still pulled it off with superb coaching and leadership - which any team can do if they get the right combination and stick to it.

But the difference that I see is that the 70s Steelers, 80's 49ers, and 90's Cowboys did not have a salary cap. If you draft a Mean Joe Green or a Joe Montana, or an Emmitt Smith, that was pretty much the whole ballgame.

Here, the ability to keep a team together in the face of the cap seems like an unlikely-to-be-repeated combination of luck and skill.

All that said, y'all might be right. Maybe in 15 years, the Luck/Pagano Colts will be coming off their 6th Super Bowl. That's why we watch.

fixed it for ya...

:deadhorse:

Yup.

Tom Ley at Deadspin *nailed* it.


Dumbass Mad At Marshawn Lynch For Giving Him Column Fodder

If ya cheat, don't be surprised or disgusted when people rip on you for it.

Rip on who? I don't think anyone who posts here inflated any balls. This is just jerkoff material for people like you and Eaglefan who get emotional validation from trolling.

"You" refers to the team, not fans of the team.

But thanks for the trolling thing. I prefer to see it as calling out something that is wrong (cheating), but you might see things differently. I also condemned Indiana for both the Sampson hiring and the subsequent scandal, so I guess I was trolling myself.

The combo is a great coach (which you don't lose due to free agency) and a great QB (there are not 32 good QBs let alone great ones). With the cap all teams have a fairly even level of non-QB talent. I could see it repeated.