In the midst of all things psi and air-pressure-related, the actual Super Bowl has seemed almost like an afterthought. The pervasive “Deflategate” controversy has grabbed national headlines and airwaves across country for almost two weeks. In the wake of the media frenzy, the balls are sure to be properly scrutinized and inflated on Sunday, and that’s all that matters right now. Really, the focus should be on the contest at hand, and it will be a good one.
The Seahawks and Patriots were the No. 1 seeds in their respective conferences. Tom Brady and his Pats will try to finally get their first Super Bowl title in a decade, and their fourth overall. The defending champion Seahawks, meanwhile, are looking to become the first repeat champions since the 2004 incarnation of these Patriots.
While the NFL playoffs sometimes have a tendency to produce random and unpredictable winners, these two teams don’t fit that bill. The Pats and Hawks are the two best teams in the NFL. New England is favored by one point, making this only the third Super Bowl in which a team is favored by such a slim margin, according to the Washington Post.
If the game is as hotly contested as it is predicted to be, what must each team do in order to come out on top?
Keys for the Seahawks:
The Seattle defense is the best in the league and, perhaps, one of the best of all time. Against a high-powered Patriots attack led by Tom Brady, they need to play up to their billing. The formula for slowing down the New England offense is well-known: Get pressure on the quarterback.
Making Brady uncomfortable in the pocket has worked wonders in the past, including the two Super Bowls the Patriots have lost to the Giants. Like any passer, no matter how talented, Brady becomes less accurate in the face of heavy pressure. With an excellent and aggressive secondary, the Seahawks should be able to take advantage of any Brady slip-ups.
On an offense without star pass-catchers, the Seahawks depend upon their running game. Running back Marshawn Lynch will see the ball early and often, and his ability to gain yards against the potentially vulnerable Patriots run defense. Lynch is the hardest back to bring down in the NFL, leading the league with 2.53 yards after contact according to ESPN Stats & Info.
On media day Tuesday, Belichick called Lynch “the best back we’ve faced.” If Lynch gets going, it could be a long day for the Patriots defense.
Keys for the Patriots:
The Patriots need to be able to slow down the Seahawks running game, meaning both Lynch and mobile quarterback Russell Wilson. One thing that will allow them to do so is top-notch play out of the secondary. Despite top receiving threats like Doug Baldwin and Jermaine Kearse, the Seahawks passing attack isn’t extremely explosive. Armed with physical cornerback Brandon Browner and one of the best cornerbacks in football in Darrelle Revis, the New England secondary needs to shut down the Seattle receivers.
If they can do that, it will allow for more attention to be devoted to stopping the running game. Strong man coverage on the outside could allow the Patriots to be more aggressive and put more players near the line of scrimmage in an effort to slow down Lynch and contain Wilson.
The Patriots offense, too, has its work cut out for it against a high-powered Seahawks defense. On their current eight-game winning streak, the Hawks have allowed a mere 9.75 points per game.
Part of what makes them so dominant is the aforementioned secondary, led by another elite corner: the polarizing and vocal Richard Sherman. It is difficult to pass productively against Sherman and his compatriots, but they do have their weaknesses. The Seahawks are only 17th best in the NFL in short pass QBR allowed. They’ve allowed completions on 71.6 percent of short passes, ranking 27th in the league.
The Pats need to exploit that weak point in the opposing defense and take advantage of short passes instead of trying to create big plays down the field. Short passing means Brady gets rid of the ball quickly and isn’t as vulnerable to the pass rush. Utilizing those plays and establishing a running game with LeGarrette Blount could keep the Patriots offense moving efficiently down the field.
The two best teams the NFL has to offer will square off in what should be an incredibly entertaining Super Bowl. Sunday can’t get here fast enough.
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