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On Sunday evening, the 2014 Seattle Seahawks will be one of two things: former Super Bowl champions, or vanguards of a modern-day NFL dynasty.
The Seahawks’ season following the first championship in franchise history has been a series of pressurized mini-dramas — from the 3-3 start to the campaign, to the six-game winning streak to end the regular season, to the improbable NFC Championship win over Green Bay that had to be seen to be believed.
A win on Sunday would make Seattle just the ninth team in league history to repeat as champs, but standing in their way is a foe set upon extending their own reign atop the league.
Under head coach Bill Belichick, the New England Patriots won three Super Bowls in five seasons starting in 2000. But the Pats haven’t been able to win the big one since repeating in 2004 and 2005, losing Super Bowls following both the 2007 and 2012 seasons. A win on Sunday would add to Belichick’s legacy as perhaps the greatest coach in the history of the NFL.
So what will decide Sunday’s game with football immortality on the line? Check out the six things we’ll be watching for in Super Bowl XLIX, and let us know what you think is the key to the game in the comments section below.
Pick 6: Seahawks vs. Patriots (SB XLIX)
1. But first, a few distractions
The two weeks leading up to the big game have been filled with more talk about deflated balls and inflated egos than analysis of the upcoming matchup itself.
Belichick and the Patriots have undergone intense scrutiny in the wake of “DeflateGate,” when 11 of New England’s 12 game balls for this year’s AFC championship game were reportedly found to be underinflated, allegedly giving quarterback Tom Brady an unfair advantage when throwing in wet conditions. No league discipline has yet been announced — and almost assuredly won’t be before Sunday’s game — but New England was forced to devote an incredible amount of time to the controversy prior to its arrival in Phoenix on Monday.
The Seahawks haven’t been spared off-the-field storylines, either, with running back Marshawn Lynch’s press interactions taking on an increasingly epic — and increasingly surreal — quality throughout the week. Whether informing gathered reporters why he was at Media Day (“So I don’t get fined”) or lecturing them about their continued interest in asking him questions, Lynch became a lightning rod. His teammates were barraged with questions about his stance, but to a man, they insisted Lynch’s antics weren’t a distraction to the team.
2. Tricky, tricky Belichick-y
Belichick and the Patriots have employed a novel strategy in the playoffs, lining up receivers in places along the offensive formation that make them ineligible. The intent is to confuse defenders about which players are legal targets for Brady on a specific play, and it’s been working. Brady threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to tackle Nate Solder in the AFC championship game after running back Shane Vereen lined up in an ineligible position in the third quarter.
The NFL has since clarified how it will alert opposing players and coaches about which receivers are and aren’t eligible on a given play, and Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said he wasn’t worried about being fooled on game day.
“We’ve been preparing for it every day because we don’t want to be caught in mishandling on our end,” Carroll said on Thursday. “It’s really on us to see it. The officials do what they do, but we still have to find it because it could happen like it did to the Colts.”
3. Which Hawks offense comes to play?
The Seahawks were the NFL’s best rushing offense during the regular season, and they should rely on a heavy dose of Lynch and the run game against New England, particularly after his 120-yard, second-half performance in the NFC Championship win over the Packers.
But quarterback Russell Wilson’s play against Green Bay was troubling, particularly his career-high four interceptions. It was a worrying turn for a player who doesn’t often turn the ball over, having thrown just 26 interceptions in 48 career games. Still, he came through when it counted, completing six of his final seven pass attempts in the fourth quarter and overtime, including the game winner to Jermaine Kearse.
Wilson’s legs could be a wild card. The third-year pro averaged 53.1 yards per game on the ground during the regular season. The last time the Patriots gave up that many yards to a quarterback was Nov. 18, 2013, when Carolina’s Cam Newton ran for 62 yards on seven carries in a surprising 24-20 Panthers win on “Monday Night Football.”
4. Seahawks player to watch: S Earl Thomas
Let’s get this out of the way: Thomas has nothing to prove on Sunday. A three-time first-team All-Pro in five seasons in the league, he is already regarded as perhaps the best cover safety in the NFL. But since the Seahawks’ mid-season turnaround, the 25-year-old has talked openly about achieving greatness. On Sunday, he and his teammates have a chance to attain it.
Thomas will be playing with a shoulder he dislocated during the NFC championship game and won’t be at 100 percent, but that shouldn’t affect his range in coverage, which allows the Hawks to play aggressive man-to-man on the outside. And Thomas gave no indication that his tackling ability would be affected by his injury, either.
“When I tackle somebody, I just close my eyes anyway and just throw everything I have,” he said at Media Day. “It doesn’t change my plans at all. I’m going out there doing what I know, trusting my teammates. I have so many great players around me.”
5. Matchup to watch: CB Jeremy Lane vs. WR Julian Edelman
Third-year cornerback Jeremy Lane caused a stir when he said he didn’t think All-Pro New England tight end Rob Gronkowski was “that good” — comments later disputed by his head coach and All-Pro teammate Richard Sherman.
Regardless, the 6-foot, 190-pound Lane — one of the best nickel corners in the game — probably won’t see much action against the 6-foot-6, 265-pound Gronkowski. Instead, he’ll likely be matched up with Patriots slot receiver Julian Edelman.
The converted college quarterback has become the chain-mover for Brady, catching 197 passes over the past two regular seasons. Lane’s job will be to stay as close as he can to the 6-foot, 198-pound Edelman — not necessarily to prevent completions, but to limit yards after the catch.
6. Deja vu all over again
Super Bowl XLIX is widely expected to be one of the most closely contested Super Bowls in recent memory, with both squads favorites in their respective conferences for much of the season — but isn’t that what we said about last year’s game?
The Denver Broncos came into Super Bowl XLVIII with a 15-3 record and the league’s top offense, led by a Hall of Fame quarterback in Peyton Manning. After breezing through the AFC playoffs, they were blitzed by the Seahawks early and never recovered, allowing Seattle to blow them out 43-8.
Could the same thing happen to the Patriots? One factor could be crowd noise created by Seattle’s 12th Man fan base. Enough Hawks fans traveled to New York last year to give the team a de facto home game, and Seahawks fans have already begun to take over the streets of Phoenix in the run-up to Sunday’s game.
Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Pacific time on Sunday with the game televised on NBC. As always, we will have full coverage at seattlepi.com, starting about an hour before kickoff.
[ RELATED: Make your pick | Who will win Super Bowl XLIX: Seahawks or Patriots? ]
Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post’s poll.
Visit seattlepi.com for more Seattle Seahawks news. Contact sports reporter Stephen Cohen at stephencohen@seattlepi.com or @scohenPI.
Continue reading...
The Seahawks’ season following the first championship in franchise history has been a series of pressurized mini-dramas — from the 3-3 start to the campaign, to the six-game winning streak to end the regular season, to the improbable NFC Championship win over Green Bay that had to be seen to be believed.
A win on Sunday would make Seattle just the ninth team in league history to repeat as champs, but standing in their way is a foe set upon extending their own reign atop the league.
Under head coach Bill Belichick, the New England Patriots won three Super Bowls in five seasons starting in 2000. But the Pats haven’t been able to win the big one since repeating in 2004 and 2005, losing Super Bowls following both the 2007 and 2012 seasons. A win on Sunday would add to Belichick’s legacy as perhaps the greatest coach in the history of the NFL.
So what will decide Sunday’s game with football immortality on the line? Check out the six things we’ll be watching for in Super Bowl XLIX, and let us know what you think is the key to the game in the comments section below.
Pick 6: Seahawks vs. Patriots (SB XLIX)
1. But first, a few distractions
The two weeks leading up to the big game have been filled with more talk about deflated balls and inflated egos than analysis of the upcoming matchup itself.
Belichick and the Patriots have undergone intense scrutiny in the wake of “DeflateGate,” when 11 of New England’s 12 game balls for this year’s AFC championship game were reportedly found to be underinflated, allegedly giving quarterback Tom Brady an unfair advantage when throwing in wet conditions. No league discipline has yet been announced — and almost assuredly won’t be before Sunday’s game — but New England was forced to devote an incredible amount of time to the controversy prior to its arrival in Phoenix on Monday.
The Seahawks haven’t been spared off-the-field storylines, either, with running back Marshawn Lynch’s press interactions taking on an increasingly epic — and increasingly surreal — quality throughout the week. Whether informing gathered reporters why he was at Media Day (“So I don’t get fined”) or lecturing them about their continued interest in asking him questions, Lynch became a lightning rod. His teammates were barraged with questions about his stance, but to a man, they insisted Lynch’s antics weren’t a distraction to the team.
2. Tricky, tricky Belichick-y
Belichick and the Patriots have employed a novel strategy in the playoffs, lining up receivers in places along the offensive formation that make them ineligible. The intent is to confuse defenders about which players are legal targets for Brady on a specific play, and it’s been working. Brady threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to tackle Nate Solder in the AFC championship game after running back Shane Vereen lined up in an ineligible position in the third quarter.
The NFL has since clarified how it will alert opposing players and coaches about which receivers are and aren’t eligible on a given play, and Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said he wasn’t worried about being fooled on game day.
“We’ve been preparing for it every day because we don’t want to be caught in mishandling on our end,” Carroll said on Thursday. “It’s really on us to see it. The officials do what they do, but we still have to find it because it could happen like it did to the Colts.”
3. Which Hawks offense comes to play?
The Seahawks were the NFL’s best rushing offense during the regular season, and they should rely on a heavy dose of Lynch and the run game against New England, particularly after his 120-yard, second-half performance in the NFC Championship win over the Packers.
But quarterback Russell Wilson’s play against Green Bay was troubling, particularly his career-high four interceptions. It was a worrying turn for a player who doesn’t often turn the ball over, having thrown just 26 interceptions in 48 career games. Still, he came through when it counted, completing six of his final seven pass attempts in the fourth quarter and overtime, including the game winner to Jermaine Kearse.
Wilson’s legs could be a wild card. The third-year pro averaged 53.1 yards per game on the ground during the regular season. The last time the Patriots gave up that many yards to a quarterback was Nov. 18, 2013, when Carolina’s Cam Newton ran for 62 yards on seven carries in a surprising 24-20 Panthers win on “Monday Night Football.”
4. Seahawks player to watch: S Earl Thomas
Let’s get this out of the way: Thomas has nothing to prove on Sunday. A three-time first-team All-Pro in five seasons in the league, he is already regarded as perhaps the best cover safety in the NFL. But since the Seahawks’ mid-season turnaround, the 25-year-old has talked openly about achieving greatness. On Sunday, he and his teammates have a chance to attain it.
Thomas will be playing with a shoulder he dislocated during the NFC championship game and won’t be at 100 percent, but that shouldn’t affect his range in coverage, which allows the Hawks to play aggressive man-to-man on the outside. And Thomas gave no indication that his tackling ability would be affected by his injury, either.
“When I tackle somebody, I just close my eyes anyway and just throw everything I have,” he said at Media Day. “It doesn’t change my plans at all. I’m going out there doing what I know, trusting my teammates. I have so many great players around me.”
5. Matchup to watch: CB Jeremy Lane vs. WR Julian Edelman
Third-year cornerback Jeremy Lane caused a stir when he said he didn’t think All-Pro New England tight end Rob Gronkowski was “that good” — comments later disputed by his head coach and All-Pro teammate Richard Sherman.
Regardless, the 6-foot, 190-pound Lane — one of the best nickel corners in the game — probably won’t see much action against the 6-foot-6, 265-pound Gronkowski. Instead, he’ll likely be matched up with Patriots slot receiver Julian Edelman.
The converted college quarterback has become the chain-mover for Brady, catching 197 passes over the past two regular seasons. Lane’s job will be to stay as close as he can to the 6-foot, 198-pound Edelman — not necessarily to prevent completions, but to limit yards after the catch.
6. Deja vu all over again
Super Bowl XLIX is widely expected to be one of the most closely contested Super Bowls in recent memory, with both squads favorites in their respective conferences for much of the season — but isn’t that what we said about last year’s game?
The Denver Broncos came into Super Bowl XLVIII with a 15-3 record and the league’s top offense, led by a Hall of Fame quarterback in Peyton Manning. After breezing through the AFC playoffs, they were blitzed by the Seahawks early and never recovered, allowing Seattle to blow them out 43-8.
Could the same thing happen to the Patriots? One factor could be crowd noise created by Seattle’s 12th Man fan base. Enough Hawks fans traveled to New York last year to give the team a de facto home game, and Seahawks fans have already begun to take over the streets of Phoenix in the run-up to Sunday’s game.
Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Pacific time on Sunday with the game televised on NBC. As always, we will have full coverage at seattlepi.com, starting about an hour before kickoff.
[ RELATED: Make your pick | Who will win Super Bowl XLIX: Seahawks or Patriots? ]
Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post’s poll.
Visit seattlepi.com for more Seattle Seahawks news. Contact sports reporter Stephen Cohen at stephencohen@seattlepi.com or @scohenPI.
Continue reading...