As Super Bowl 50 nears, it's looking more and more likely it'll be played out by the same teams that met in Super Bowl XLIV. The New England Patriots have raced out to the front of the pack in the AFC, and the Seattle Seahawks are getting hot at the right time after a slow start, which begs the question:
Who would win a Super Bowl rematch between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks?
David P. Woods: A year later, the Seahawks are appreciably better than the team they fielded in Super Bowl XLIX and the Patriots are a little worse. Considering how tight that game was, it's reasonable to conclude the Seahawks would win a rematch in Super Bowl 50.
Gino Bottero: Repeating as champions is tough, but in the wake of the Deflategate scandal, the Patriots entered the season with added motivation, rolling off 10 consecutive victories. A midseason hiccup aside, New England is a very dangerous, determined team playing with renewed passion and focus.
Woods: The Patriots lost Darrelle Revis in free agency, and have subsequently lost Dion Lewis and LeGarrette Blount to season-ending injuries. The Seahawks also lost their starting running back to injury, but Marshawn Lynch is expected to return for the playoffs. Add him to an offense that has Russell Wilson playing the best football of his career and the Seahawks suddenly boast elite units on both sides of the ball.
Bottero: Revis is a luxury the Patriots can afford to be without against a Seahawks team that lacks a true No. 1 receiver. Jonas Gray led the team in rushing a year ago, and Bill Belichick let him walk in the offseason, so injuries in the backfield aren't overly concerning. As long as Brady, Belichick, and Rob Gronkowski are in place, the Patriots will be favored against anyone on a neutral site.
Woods: Wilson is averaging four touchdown passes a game over the last month and has turned Doug Baldwin and Tyler Lockett into fantasy football stars. It's Wilson that's the key difference here. The Seahawks have the same top-tier defense as always, but they've added to it a truly elite offense. There's no way the Patriots hold them under 25 points this time around.
Bottero: Let's not invest too much in what Wilson's done in a four-week span against the 49ers, Steelers, Vikings, and Ravens. He threw more than one touchdown once in nine games prior to that stretch. Quarterback is not a position in which the Seahawks have an advantage against the Patriots.
Woods: Wilson may not be at Brady's level, but he's a heck of a lot closer than he was a year ago. The Seahawks' improved offense is the single biggest difference between teams. The Patriots are, at best, equally potent on offense and defense. The Seahawks have a much more lethal offense behind this new and improved Wilson. In a rematch, he would swing the result.
Bottero: The window is closing on the Patriots' dynasty. Belichick and Brady aren't getting any younger, and a suspension may be looming for the quarterback. They know this could be their last stand. A motivated Patriots team is a very dangerous thing.
Related: Rebuild vs. Reload: Should the Saints part ways with Drew Brees, Sean Payton?
