Both Tom Brady of the New England Patriots and Russell Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks managed to keep interceptions to a minimum in 2014. Despite going up against tough secondaries Sunday in the Super Bowl, the oddsmakers don't expect the quarterbacks to falter too much.
Super Bowl 2015 prop bets: Interceptions expected to be at a minimum
Tom Brady and Russell Wilson don’t make many mistakes and oddsmakers expect the pair to be on their game on Sunday.
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Brady, who threw nine interceptions in the regular season and one in each of New England's two playoff victories, is the favorite to throw the first interception of the game. Wilson threw only seven interceptions in the regular season; however, he is coming off a career-worst four interceptions in the NFC Championship.
Still, neither is expected to throw many interceptions, if any, but Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman is the favorite to nab a pick if anyone is able to.
Here’s a look at some of the prop bets available on Bovada that revolve around interceptions:
Total interceptions thrown by Russell Wilson (Over/Under: 1/2)
Wilson threw just two interceptions in the eight games leading up to a matchup with the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship. The wheels fell off for Wilson though, and he threw four interceptions, the most of his three-year career, against a Packers secondary that finished the regular season seventh in interceptions. The Patriots ended up 12th in interceptions, but the under is a slight favorite for Wilson at -120.
Total interceptions thrown by Tom Brady (Over/Under: 1 1/2)
The same 1/2 line is available for Brady, but unlike Wilson, the over is a somewhat significant favorite at -160. Brady finished the year with just nine interceptions, but has thrown at least one in his last four games and 10 out of the last 12 games. He’ll be hard-pressed to snap that interception streak against the NFL’s top-rated pass defense, although interceptions haven’t been racked up by a Seattle secondary that finished 18th in the category.
Player to record the first interception in the game?
If anyone is going to come away with an interception on Sunday, Richard Sherman is the unsurprising favorite to haul one in, despite an elbow injury suffered in the win against the Packers. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels said at Media Day that the Patriots will be careful with targeting the All-Pro cornerback, but won’t avoid him altogether:
”You have to be smart because he will take the ball away from you. There’s a reason he’s taken the ball away from people, because of his skill level. But there’s no way around it. If the coverage takes the play there, that’s where you go.
Sherman is listed at 7/1 to be the first player to record an interception Sunday, just ahead of Seahawks safety Earl Thomas and Patriots cornerback Darrelle Revis, who are each listed at 9/1. Safeties Devin McCourty, Kam Chancellor and Patrick Chung are all at 10/1.
Total interceptions recorded by Richard Sherman (Over/under: 1/2)
An interception recorded by Sherman would still be a significant underdog winner, though. Sherman finishing with zero interceptions is a -230 favorite, while an interception recorded by the three-time All-Pro would mean a winner for those on the +190 underdog. Sherman finished the regular season with only four interceptions, but opposing quarterbacks didn’t throw his way very often. He snagged one in each of Seattle’s postseason victories.
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