Football is a great game.  Everyone loves it.  Most sports fans pay attention to it.  It’s the most popular game in the USA.

This is the game we all look forward to.  This is the game that non-sports fans look forward to.  The Super Bowl is a holiday.  It not being an official holiday isn’t a problem, but it’s something that should be debated.

A holiday is when people get together, hang out, celebrate, and have fun with each other.  People do that when it comes to the Super Bowl.  Non-sports fans watch it.  Why?  Well, because someone they know is watching it.  Other people within their family watch it.

I remember the Super Bowl in 2007, where the Colts beat the Bears.  It wasn’t the first Super Bowl I watched.  It was the first one I remembered.  Two years later, my Arizona Cardinals made it, and lost in a heartbreaking way.  I was 8 when that happened.  I wasn’t a sports nerd yet.  I knew that my team though, was playing for the biggest prize there is.

And that’s what Seattle and New England will be doing on Sunday.  Battling for football’s ultimate prize.  Seattle is going for a repeat, while New England is caught up in a controversy that has unfortunately overshadowed this game.

I’ve tackled DeflateGate.  I’m not talking about it again until we find out the punishment and what actually happened.

Super Bowl Sunday is always awesome.  I don’t do anything on that day.  I might sit there and just think to myself about the game, and how great it truly is.

As for the game itself, we have a great matchup.  We thought that last year, but it only took one play for that mindset to change.  Last year, Seattle blew out Denver 43-8.  It’s the worse Super Bowl ever played in my lifetime.

Seattle’s looking to repeat off of that domination from last year.  Though this time, they have a tougher task.

The Seahawks are playing a team that is angry.  No know has dealt with what the Patriots have these past two weeks.  They are looking to prove everyone wrong, or at least shut everyone up for awhile.

That is why this means so much to the Patriots.  If they lose, the DeflateGate talk continues, while Seattle owns this half-decade.

I’m hoping that this game is better than last year’s.  It should be.  Here’s why:

Seattle’s defense has been dominate since 2010.  It’s absolutely unbelievable what they do.  Last year was a prefect example, shutting down history’s best offense ever.

New England’s offense isn’t the best ever, but features some great role players who make plays.  It’s lots of little things that add up for the Patriots.  Rob Gronkowski is a huge part of this offense.  He is a machine.  Gronk does it all.  He can go out over the field and catch 15 yard passes while also blocking on the line.  He doesn’t block much, but is great when he does.

I don’t expect Gronk to be shut down in this game.  Seattle has a handful with Gronk.  There is limited ways to cover him.  You can put a corner on him, yet that leaves a speedy wide receiver possibly open.  He is a decoy, who making plays at the same time.

Seattle is going to have put their linebackers or safeties on him.  The Seahawks safeties are smaller, but have outstanding covering abilities, and can hit you hard.  Kam Chancellor is a beast in the secondary.  He should be on Gronk in this game.  He’s Seattle’s best hope covering him.

Besides Gronk, New England has a great quarterback, who can makes things happen with close to nothing.  The Patriots have Tom Brady and Gronk on offense.  There isn’t a whole lot else.  LeGarratte Blount is a good running back, and can power run when needed, but is a tad bit frisky.  He’s never been consistent.

I don’t believe New England is going to be able get it’s offense going to the maximum.  Seattle’s defense has been the best in the league since 2012.  Overall, the Patriots are going to have to rely on Gronk and Tom Brady to make plays.  New England is going to struggle running the football.  This is where things could turn.  If New England can’t run the ball, then they have to throw.  Yes, Tom Brady is great, but the Patriots don’t have great weapons.  Seattle should be able to cover New England’s short passing game, then worry about Gronk.  They have to answer though.

Hey media, leave Marshawn Lynch alone.  He’s really good.  Also, NFL, stop taking his money.

Marshawn Lynch doesn’t care.  He gets fined at least $100,000 a year these days.  Lately, his hush-up to media and his crotch grab has costed him.  Now, he’s in trouble with a hat he wore to media day.  A hat that wasn’t “NFL approved”.  Ok, whatever.

The dude is a machine.  He carries people.  Literally!

So, New England has to stop this.  Somehow.

The Patriots’ defense has been good this year, but that’s it.  Just good.  The front seven is actually the weaker spot of the defense, which has to be concerning.  Seattle’s offensive game-plan should feature Lynch, and only throw the ball when needed.

If Lynch can have a good game, that may win it.  It’s the key for Seattle.  Ground and pound against the weak line, then run the play action and surprise them.

When Lynch gets going, the Seahawks fire up the play action, and that’s where their QB Russell Wilson breaks into his happy dance.  Wilson is outstanding outside of the pocket.  Rolling him out of the pocket does two things: 1) Puts the defense in panic mode 2)  Opens up the field and leaves someone open.  It’s a perfect gameplan for Seattle.

New England’s better side of their defense lies in the back, with the secondary.  It’s drastically improved throughout the year, but still has trouble covering the deep ball.  They struggle defending the big arm QB.  Russell Wilson doesn’t have the biggest arm, but can launch when he gets out of the pocket.

New England’s defensive plan is similar to Ohio State’s gameplan against Oregon in the National Championship.  Keeping Marcus Mariota under control was their goal.  That happened.  The Patriots have to do the same with Russell Wilson.  Keep him under control, and worry about defending the run.

There is no way this won’t be a great game.  Last year was a fluke.  Denver was off, and Seattle capitalized.  This should be a competitive game.  Seattle is going to have to contain Gronk, while the Patriots can’t let Marshawn Lynch carry them all over the field.

I hope there is some good commercials this year.  Last year overall was so bad, the commercials were better than the game itself.  The commercials weren’t that funny.  Also, I hate how companies released their commercials before the game.  Really? Why spoil it?

Anyways, Super Bowl Sunday is a holiday.  Our next president needs to take care of it.  Make it official.

Have fun on Sunday, and lets hope for a good game.

Oh yeah, we need to make one more thing official.  My prediction!

Prediction: Seattle-34 New England-28