The 2015 Super Bowl schedule is set. The Seattle Seahawks came from behind to knock off the Green Bay Packers and the New England Patriots beat the Indianapolis Colts in the Championship round on Sunday.
Must Reads
Seattle returns to the Super Bowl stage for the second year in a row. The Seahawks beat the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII last year to win their first ever championship. The combination of Russell Wilson, Marshawn Lynch, and Seattle's defense is bound to provide a tough challenge yet again. The Seahawks are trying to become the first team since the Patriots, their opponent, to win the Super Bowl in back-to-back seasons.
New England is certainly no stranger to the big game; they last appeared in Super Bowl XLVI in 2012. They haven't won since they beat the Philadelphia Eagles in 2005, however. As Cary Williams likes to point out, the Patriots haven't won a title game since the Spygate incident. Future Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady is seeking his fourth career Lombardi trophy.
Both of these teams are very good in front of their respective home crowds, so it'll be interesting to see how they fare at the neutral site of University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
The Patriots and Seahawks have only played each other 16 times since 1977. Never before have they met in the playoffs. The last time these teams met was when the Seahawks beat New England in Seattle by a finale score of 24-23 in 2012.
Another angle to this game is that now-Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll is going up against the team he coached from 1997-1999. The Patriots replaced Carroll with Bill Belichick, who has done pretty OK for himself since being hired in 2000.
I'm expecting a good game, as everyone should be. For the second year in a row, it's the Best of the NFC vs. the Best of the AFC. It's one of the best quarterbacks of all time against the league's best defense.
Who are you pulling for, Eagles fans?
Here's all the information you need to know about the big game.
Date: Sunday, February 1, 2014
Time: 6:30 pm ET
Location: University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
Must Reads
Television: NBC
Online Streaming: NBC Sports (free)
Announcers: Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya
Halftime Show: Katy Perry
Seahawks Super Bowl Record: 1-1 (Super Bowl XXXLVI Champions)
Patriots Super Bowl Record: 3-4 (Super Bowl XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX Champions)
Odds: SB Nation Odds Page - Early indication are the game will open as a Pick 'em bet.
Seattle Seahawks Blog: Field Gulls
New England Patriots Blog: Pats Pulpit