Super Bowl XLIX is quickly approaching and it is now down to the number one seeds from both the NFC and AFC – Seattle Seahawks vs. New England Patriots. Fans have their opinions on who will take it, but does anyone really have any idea as to who will win it all? NFL experts have made their picks, and it seems a little one-sided.
This is going to be a huge game and one that could see a repeat champion for the first time in a long time. That is, if the Seahawks are able to hold off the surging Patriots who have seemed unstoppable for weeks now.
It’s a Super Bowl that is filled with more storylines than you could possibly have popcorn and gameday snacks for; so make sure to just be ready.
One of the major outlets that is having their NFL experts pick Super Bowl XLIX is ESPN , and they are leaning toward the Patriots in a huge way. From former players to 24/7 analysts, ESPN’s experts seem extremely one-sided and it isn’t for the AFC.
- Eric Allen – Seahawks
- Mike Golic – Seahawks
- Merrill Hoge – Patriots
- Ron Jaworski – Patriots
- KC Joyner – Patriots
- Chris Mortensen – Patriots
- Adam Schefter – Patriots
- Mark Schlereth – Patriots
- Seth Wickersham – Patriots
- Tom Jackson – Seahawks
- Keyshawn Johnson – Patriots
- Mike Ditka – Patriots
- Cric Carter – Seahawks
- SportsNation – Patriots
Those at CBS Sports don’t go as much with the popular picks , and they’re actually a bit more evenly split. Things aren’t as one sided over at CBS this week as they were with the conference championships two weeks ago, and the Super Bowl always seems a bit harder to pick.
- Pete Prisco – Patriots
- Jason La Canfora – Patriots
- Will Brinson – Patriots
- Jared Dubin – Seahawks
- Ryan Wilson – Patriots
- John Breech – Seahawks
- Dave Richard – Seahawks
- Jamey Eisenberg – Patriots
- Prediction Machine – Seahawks
- Fans – Even Split
Elliott Harrison over at NFL.com thinks that Super Bowl XLIX will be a “ classic battle ” between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks. He lists a lot of key battles and believes a main point is that the Pats need to stop Marshawn Lynch.
Other experts at NFL.com also gave up their picks, and some of them leaned the way of New England. Here, the majority that think the Legion of Boom from Seattle can repeat as champions.
- Adam Schein: Patriots
- Bucky Brooks: Seahawks
- Marc Sessler: Patriots (overtime)
- Aditi Kinkhabwala: Seahawks
- Chris Wesseling: Patriots
- Charley Casserly: Seahawks
- Dave Dameshek: Patriots
- Gil Brand: Seahawks (overtime)
- Kevin Patra: Seahawks
- Charles Davis: Seahawks
- Gregg Rosenthal: Patriots
- Brian Billick: Seahawks
- Elliot Harrison: Patriots
- Conor Orr: Seahawks (in a blowout)
Oh, there was even a Madden NFL 15 simulation of Super Bowl XLIX and it brought a lot of the dramatics that we expect from this year’s big game. Remember, the Madden simulation is 8-3 in predicting the correct winner of the Super Bowl.
Super Bowl XLIX truly is shaping up to be a game for the ages and it could result in yet another title for Tom Brady and the New England Patriots or Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks repeating as champs. The NFL experts are on the side of the Pats for the most part, but anything can happen on Super Bowl Sunday.
[Images via USA Today / ESPN /NFL]