The McGill Tribune sports section previews Super Bowl XLIX. Two writers square off to decide whether the New England Patriots or the Seattle Seahawks will hoist the Lombardi Trophy. McGill personalities, native New Englander and Creative Director Hayley Lim, and native Seattleite and Managing Director, Jess Fu weigh in with their picks. Click each perspective to read more
Patriots
The Patriots will win their fourth Super Bowl this Sunday because they have balance—something the Seahawks, despite all their strengths, do not possess. On offence, Tom Brady has been looking like his usual self, and has a track record of consistently elevating players around him. Expect Brady to come out firing on all cylinders and to shred the Seahawks’ defence mercilessly. Rob Gronkowski is currently untouchable, and not even the ‘Legion of Boom’ will be able to stop him in the red zone. Julian Edelman, Brandon LeFell, and Danny Amendola are a severely underrated receiving corps that will cause nightmares for the Seahawks’ secondary. Furthermore, with a bulldozer like LeGarrette Blount, the Patriots have a strong running game to complement their reliable passing game. The hobbled Seahawks’ defence will not be able to keep up.
On the defensive side, the Patriots have significantly upgraded from where they stood last year. With the addition of Darelle Revis, the Patriots can shut down any opposing receiver one-on-one. The Patriots’ offensive and defensive lines contain Pro-Bowl-calibre players who can tame Marshawn Lynch, the only true weapon Seattle possesses on offence. After Russell Wilson’s catastrophic, five-interception performance against the Packers, the Patriots will look to exploit his shaken confidence. The Patriots are solid on both sides of the ball, and that is what will lead them to victory against the Seahawks.
Seahawks
In this battle of league titans, it’s going to come down to momentum and cohesion. After pulling a miraculous comeback victory over the Packers out of a hat in the NFC Championship game, the Seahawks have no shortage of energy and, besides the obvious raw talent, will rely on their chemistry and a veteran core to defend their title in the Super Bowl.
Yes, there are questions surrounding Russell Wilson’s composure after his ugly outing against Green Bay. Yes, Tom Brady is probably a better quarterback at the end of the day. But Wilson and the Seahawks have always found a way to get it done, and unlike the Patriots, they’ve had to fight and claw their way to Arizona. An overtime squeaker is still a win–especially against Aaron Rodgers and the Packers, and it has only cemented the Seahawks’ confidence. If they’re down by two touchdowns with Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick lining up ineligible receivers left and right, the Seahawks will undoubtedly be prepared and won’t be deflated. In fact, Pete Carroll is no stranger to New England trickery—he served as the Patriots’ head coach immediately before Belichick’s reign began.
With Marshawn Lynch looking menacing in the backfield, a receiving corps that includes Doug Baldwin and the emergent Jermaine Kearse, and a secondary that is largely unchanged from last year’s Super Bowl winning ‘Legion of Boom,’ the Seahawks will find a way to take down the Patriots on Sunday.
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McGill Celebrity Picks
Q1: Who do you want to win?
Q2: Why do you think they will win?
Q3: Who is your favourite player?
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Jessica Fu
Managing Director
1: I’m sending all my love and prayers to the Hawks in Arizona.
2: Lately, the Hawks have seemed to only grow into themselves in the second halves of games. I would love for them to come out swinging next weekend, as it would save me the heavy-breathing-curled-up-in-a-ball-in-a-corner-for-three-hours anxiety that last week’s game induced. On the other hand, I’ve been weirdly maternal these days, so I’m just really happy that they’ve made it as far as they have.
3: Doug Baldwin Jr. is more breathtaking than all of the Pats players combined. He’s got a smile that can light up the whole town—not that Arizona needs it. (But I do.)
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Dallon Kuprowski
Redmen Quarterback
1: I am cheering for the Seahawks. Russell Wilson is too much fun to watch to not cheer for them. Add personalities like Marshawn Lynch and Richard Sherman and it makes for exciting football.
2: I think they’ll be in tough against the consistency of the Pats. But if they can ride the wave of momentum created by their 12th man, they can pull it out on a few big plays.
3: I’d have to go with Russell Wilson. It seems like every week he manages to get away with doing things you don’t see in today’s NFL. He’s also one of the few guys who is constantly in the spotlight and has always handled himself like a true professional.
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Kareem Ibrahim
U2 Arts Senator
1: The losing team. They definitely need some serious lovin’.
2: Because a moral victory is all that matters, AM I RIGHT LADIES?
3: Beyonce, hands-down. Did you see her in the Super Bowl two years ago? Exactly.
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Mark Brawley
Political Science Professor
1. I’m picking the Patriots.
2: Belichick’ s a genius at coaching, though he may be a bit too competitive for his own good. He’s a great leader because he surrounds himself with smart people (aka Josh McDaniels), who get the most out of the talent they have on the field.
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Hayley Lim
Creative Director
1: Pats.
2: The Pats will win because of the relentless, passionate, and merciless spirit of New England backing them. The impending blizzard will give them strength equal to that of Paul Revere on his midnight ride, the travellers of the Freedom Trail, or when I finish a huge bowl of Legal Seafoods clam chowdah.
3: My favourite player–the ‘Masshole’ wearing a Bruins hat in Gillette stadium.
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Melodie Daoust
2014 Olympic Gold Medalist
1: I want the Patriots to win.
2: They will win because they have a very well balanced team from offence to defence.
3: Tom Brady is my favourite player!
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Drew Love
Athletics and Recreation Executive Director
1: I am a huge Patriots fan. Very excited that they are in the Super Bowl once again.
2: The Pats will win the game. They have the best quarterback in football (well I am a fan so what else can I say), a great tight end, all-purpose receiver/returner, a good running game, and a well-organized and thought-out game plan from their coaching staff.
3: My favorite player, no question–Tom Brady
Editor's Pick: Patriots
It’s almost too tight to call, but the Patriots will be crowned Super Bowl XLIX Champions on Sunday. Fortunately for New England, they won’t be facing Eli Manning and the Giants.
