IRVING, Texas –For three guys who aren't going to the Super Bowl and won't be anywhere near the Arizona area this week, they've still got their opinions on the big game this Sunday between the Patriots and Seahawks.
Just like they've done every Friday throughout the Cowboys' season, Bryan Broaddus, David Helman and Nick Eatman provide their gut feelings on Sunday's game.
David Helman: I feel like I'm in the minority here – at least among people who don't live in New England – but I'd like to see Tom Brady and the Patriots win another Super Bowl. They've been the most consistently excellent franchise in the league for more than a decade. You can quibble all you want about Spygate or deflated footballs, but those are not the determining factors in a combined regular season record of 236-54, six total Super Bowls and three world championships since 2001. That is an absolutely absurd resume, and I think it deserves to be recognized with a fourth championship. All of that said, I think the Seahawks are going to win. The Patriots can't run the ball against this defense, and I don't know if they can protect Brady from this pass rush. On top of that, I think the Seahawks' linebackers and safeties are the perfect matchup to stop Rob Gronkowski. It won't be the same type of beatdown as last year, but I think Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch will both rush for touchdowns, and the Seahawk will repeat as champions – something like 27-24.
Bryan Broaddus: It's always fun to try and figure out what will be the key in a game where both teams are so evenly matched. If you are a Seattle fan you have to be terrified of the prospect of having to deal with Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski in this game after the way that you have seen your team handle tight ends this season. Antonio Gates with three touchdowns, Mychal Rivera with two, Jason Witten and Zach Ertz with one each. As good as Cam Chancellor and Earl Thomas have been as safeties, dealing with Gronkowski will be a whole different challenge. The Seahawks might be tempted to allow Richard Sherman to take a shot or two at him but with a bad shoulder they might also elect to keep him out of harm's way. Regardless of how the Seahawks attempt to play him he will make them pay and will finish the game with two touchdowns in a 30-17 victory for the Patriots.
Nick Eatman: We've done this for every Cowboys game all year and I don't know if I struggled to come up with an answer more than this one. This is what a Super Bowl matchup should be – one where you really can see both teams winning this without any hesitation. Of course, I have nothing but hesitation when I try to decide a winner. And yes, I'm with most of you reading this saying, 'no the real matchup should've been Dallas and whoever in this game,' and I would disagree. But that's for another day. This is what we've got and it should be a good win. Now, I said that last year, too. Personally, I don't really care much about the deflate-gate or whatever it is. The Colts didn't even make it a game and if the balls were really and truly that different, then make sure those referees never work again because they touch the ball as much as anyone. So I don't care about any of that. The Patriots can win this game because Bill Belichick will have a great plan for Seattle. But I'll say this, every time the Patriots get beat it's because a team is getting after Brady in a major way and that'll happen here. This game will be very close and I think somehow, the Patriots get the last laugh on this and edge Seattle in a great game, 34-31, to win the first overtime game in Super Bowl history.
