What: Super Bowl XLIX (49)
Who: Seattle Seahawks v New England Patriots
When: Monday, February 2 – 10.30am (AEDT)
Where: University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona.
I Can Watch It On: ONE HD, ESPN
FORM GUIDE
Seahawks: Season record 14-4
Strikers: Season record 14-4
Last time they met: Seahawks 24-23 Patriots, October 14, 2012.
THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
The Seattle Seahawks are the reigning Super Bowl champions after thumping the Denver Broncos 43-8 12 months ago. They went 12-4 in the regular season and pulled off a miraculous comeback in the NFC championship game to somehow beat the Green Bay Packers 28-22 in overtime and become the first team in 10 years to make consecutive Super Bowls. Superstar cornerback Richard Sherman hyper-extended his elbow against the Packers but is considered a certain starter. The rest of the Seahawks regular starters are all expected to play. Australian-born defensive tackle Jesse Williams hasn't played a single down in two seasons but will receive his second Super Bowl ring if the Seahawks win. He has been out with a knee injury since August.
The New England Patriots are hunting their fourth Super Bowl victory of the Bill Belichick-Tom Brady era. After winning in '02, '04 and '05 they lost their last two trips to the big dance – both to the New York Giants including a 17-14 loss in 2008 at the same venue for Monday's game. Brady has been carrying an ankle injury but will play. The Patriots recovered from a slow start to the season to finish with the best record in the AFC. They destroyed the Indianapolis Colts 45-7 to make the Super Bowl but Deflate-gate has dominated the build-up to Monday's game after the Patriots' footballs were flatter than they are supposed to be under NFL regulations.
REASON TO WATCH
There are so many. Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski and LeGarrette Blount hold the key to the Patriots' offence. The Seahawks have the best running back in the NFL, Marshawn Lynch, and proven winner Russell Wilson at quarterback – but it's all about the Seahawks' defence. Seattle's famed secondary known as the 'Legion of Boom' – Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas - hold the key for the defending champs. If that's not enough, there'll be plenty of good-old American hype including a half-time performance from Katy Perry featuring Lenny Kravitz.
REASON TO TURN AWAY
If you like your sporting contests short and sharp. If you're not ready to commit the best part of four hours of your life to Super Bowl XLIX don't bother tuning in.
SAY WHAT
"I'm here so I won't get fined," – Marshawn Lynch's answer to all 29 questions he was asked at Super Bowl media day.
FINAL WORD
The bookies can't split these two and we're also expecting a tight tussle that could go either way. The Seahawks are attempting to become the first team in 10 years to win back-to-back Super Bowls since the Patriots did it in '04 and '05. These two teams haven't met since October, 2012, with Seattle sneaking home 24-23 while the Patriots got up 24-21 the time before that in 2008. Pete Carroll's men dodged a bullet against the Packers last start and will have to be better to beat Bill Belichick's charges. The Deflate-gate drama has been a distraction for the Patriots but whether they cheated or not, they still produced a spectacular performance against the Colts. Ironically, Monday's venue is the same stadium the Patriots lost to the Giants in Super Bowl XLII in 2008. For all they have achieved, Belichick and Brady are staring down the barrel of a third-straight Super Bowl loss while the Seahawks are chasing their own history. Defence wins big matches but so do superstars and that's why we're backing Brady's Patriots to get up by three points or less.