By Brian Mazique
Those outside of Seattle and Boston are probably just hoping Super Bowl XLIX is at least competitive. You never know until the game begins, but this one has all the looks of a close contest. The Seattle Seahawks bring a dominant defense and an underrated offense. The New England Patriots have an all-time great in quarterback Tom Brady and one of the best coaches in league history in Bill Belichick.
Like every year, the Super Bowl is a must-watch event for every American with even the most remote interest in sports. So you know what time and which channel to tune into for your Super Bowl party, here's the viewing information.
When: Sunday, Feb. 1, kickoff at 6:30 p.m. ET
Where: University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
TV: NBC
Biggest Intangible Assets
We know speed, power, accuracy and more physical talents will play a major role in the Super Bowl's outcome; however, there's some less obvious traits that shine bright for both teams.
Experience and Guile
The Seahawks are the defending champions, but their experience in the big game pales in comparison to the Patriots. Take a look at this tweet from ESPN Stats & Info for perspective:
Beyond just the concrete experience advantage, the Patriots are also experts of finding innovative strategies and ways to befuddle their opponents.
Critics can say what they want about deflated footballs and Spygate, but within the context of the game, Belichick's game plans are perhaps the most difficult to figure. Perhaps it's because of this insane football library, per Monday Morning Quarterback:
This is the reason the potential league infractions are so unfortunate. It masks the fact that Belichick and his staff have put together one of the most historic runs in the sport's history. On Sunday, it could end in a fourth Super Bowl title.
Confidence and Character
Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll and quarterback Russell Wilson don't get the credit that Brady and Belichick receive just yet, but if the duo keeps winning, there won't be much difference.
Part of establishing a reputation as a dynamic coach-QB tandem is about overcoming adversity. Carroll and Wilson have proven they have the ability to rally the troops when things get tight.
Most recently, in the NFC title game, the offense was stagnant as Wilson was struggling mightily. Also, the Green Bay Packers were experiencing a little more success than normal against the Seahawks defense. Wilson threw four interceptions, but in the overtime period, he came up with the play that sent his team back to the Super Bowl.
To this point, the 35-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jermaine Kearse is the team's most memorable play of the season. Those struggles and the subsequent triumph helped to further strengthen this team. Per the Seahawks' official Twitter account, Wilson talked about the team's character:
Will confidence and character be enough to make the Seahawks back-to-back Super Bowl champions? We'll find out Sunday.
