Super Bowl XLIX Pick: The Silence of the Balls

The biggest drag of having to wait two weeks between the conclusion of the AFC and NFC Championship games and the kickoff to the Super Bowl is that we are forced to endure a fortnight of tired coverage that simply wants us to get to the god damn game already. This year, the first week was largely dedicated to all of the (pun not originally intended, but I won't change it) overblown controversy surrounding balls in the AFC title game being allegedly deflated by the Patriots. Keeping in mind that New England won this game by a final score of 45-7, it is fairly ridiculous for some people to have screamed as loudly as they did about the damage this revelation caused. For most level-headed sports fans, it was another disappointing example of how one team will look for any edge it can find, but it wasn't exactly the 1919 White Sox here.

Our second week of Super Bowl coverage devoted entirely too much time to Marshawn Lynch's antics in dealing with the media. Again, a tired and essentially boring non-story, but some members of the thousands-plus credentialed media members want us to believe that we should be outraged. Sorry. Don't care. Get to the football.

When this game finally does kick off, it looks like we'll be in store for another good one. Much like last year's big game, I really could find myself satisfied with either one of these teams emerging victorious. I'm hoping for one major difference from last year though in that this year's Super Bowl will actually be a much closer game. Seeing as predictions tracked at Pickwatch currently have an even 50/50 split, I think it's a reasonable expectation. I'll keep my fingers crossed. Just as soon as I remove my fingers from my ears.

New England Patriots over Seattle Seahawks

I honestly could go either way, but I'm standing by the Pats here mostly because they were my pick at the beginning of this season. In addition to that, I just feel that two losses in the title game in recent years have made winning again that much more important, and the ongoing speculation that the team is just a bunch of cheaters should provide additional motivation. Make no mistake, it won't be easy. Seattle's defense will be an extraordinarily challenge, but the New England defense shouldn't be dismissed either. Again, I'm expecting a much closer game this year than we got last year, but in the end I simply see Tom Brady driving his team down the field and getting into that end zone some way and somehow whenever it is necessary.