The Seattle Seahawks are just two days away from getting the chance to earn their second Super Bowl title in franchise history.
Stacy Rost: We’re having the wrong Sam Darnold conversation
The Seahawks square off with the New England Patriots for the Lombardi Trophy on Sunday at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
With the big matchup looming, former NFL quarterback Brock Huard detailed six key factors to watch in the Super Bowl during Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk on Friday. Here’s a look at what stands out to Huard.
Patriots pressure
The Patriots were a below-average team in terms of sacks during the regular season, tied for the seventh-least with 35. But they’ve been getting to the quarterback throughout the postseason with 12 sacks in three games, including six against the Los Angeles Chargers in the wild-card round.
New England sends extra pressure more than most, ranking 10th in the league with a 25.9% blitz rate in the regular season. Huard said the way the Patriots try and bring pressure reminds him of the defense Brian Flores ran with the Minnesota Vikings this year, a defense that gave the Seahawks trouble in Week 13. In that game, quarterback Sam Darnold was 14 of 26 for 128 yards while being sacked four times and fumbling twice.
“This scheme that New England has, has a bunch of that component,” Huard said. “And if you remember the Minnesota game and you remember the first half of the Seahawks against them, it wasn’t very pretty. They get up in the gaps and they try to confuse you, and they will bring zero pressure.”
Huard liked the way Seattle was able to adjust in the second half against Flores’ defense, but he thinks the Patriots will follow the same formula against the Seahawks.
“It won’t surprise me at all if New England’s like, hey, we got to speed (Darnold) up like we did (the Chargers’ Justin) Herbert. We got to speed him up like we’ve done in the playoffs to (Houston’s) C.J. Stroud. We’ve got to force Sam into mistakes,” Huard said. “And how (the Seahawks) handle all that kind of chaos, how they communicate it, should be easier. Santa Clara, the stadium is not overwhelmingly loud. You’re not playing on the road. You should be able to communicate. But (Seahawks offensive linemen Jalen) Sundell, (Anthony) Bradford, (Grey) Zabel, the guys up front that are really burdened by those kind of looks, they gotta have great communication.”
How does New England attack Seahawks’ D?
The Seahawks featured one of the league’s truly elite defenses while allowing the fewest points and sixth-fewest yards in the regular season. The only team that was able hang a crooked number on the unit when fully healthy was the Rams.
Huard thinks New England has the personnel to try and somewhat emulate what worked for Los Angeles.
“The Rams did it by getting in (formations with) two tight ends, and (the Patriots have) two good tight ends,” Huard said. “They’ve got two capable kind of veteran guys. Hunter Henry’s a good player.”
But those aren’t necessarily the kind of looks the Patriots have excelled from.
“They’re one of the best 11 (personnel) teams – three receiver teams – efficiency-wise in the NFL,” Huard said. “Do they want to go about it that way? (Patriots offensive coordinator) Josh McDaniels is really good. He is a really good offensive coordinator. There’s a reason he’s been in 10 Super Bowls calling plays. Keep an eye on their personnel group.
“How are they attacking us? Who are they attacking? Are they trying to get (Seahawks cornerback Josh) Jobe on the field? Are they trying to test the discipline of (cornerback) Riq Woolen play after play after play? Are they going to try to get (linebacker) Ernest Jones, as the Rams did, in some space and take advantage of him?”
Maye’s legs
Patriots quarterback Drake Maye was one of the most dangerous quarterbacks running the football this season. His 591 yards on the ground, including the playoffs, are the second-most among QBs, trailing only Buffalo’s Josh Allen.
Most of Maye’s damage on the ground has come on scrambles (547 yards) rather than designed runs (44 yards), per Pro Football Focus. Huard is curious to see how much of the latter will happen on Sunday.
“What do we hear all the time about the Seahawks’ defense? They change the numbers. They’re able to play nickel, play a light box and stop the run,” Huard said. “How do you gain a numbers advantage? You have designed QB runs to offset that because you don’t have the quarterback hand it off, you have somebody blocking for the quarterback. You can run some QB power. You can run QB draw.”
How is JSN utilized?
One of the most intriguing matchups in the game will be NFL Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba against a secondary that features shutdown cornerback Christian Gonzalez.
Gonzalez has allowed just 45 receptions and one TD in the 101 times he’s been targeted this year, per PFF.
But as Huard pointed out, it won’t be easy for New England to get their star defensive back lined up on Smith-Njigba, who the Seahawks line up all over the field.
“We’re gonna put Christian Gonzalez on him and shut him down? No, you’re not, because they move him around all over the chess board. He’s not a pawn that you can cover up,” Huard said.
Getting the edge
One area the Patriots appear to have an advantage is the matchup between their interior defensive linemen and the Seahawks’ interior offensive linemen. But it’s Seattle’s ability to control the edges of the line of scrimmage on offense that will be key, according to Huard.
“The edges of this line of scrimmage will be so, so vital,” he said. “There will be focused inside with the D-tackle group, and and we’ve hammered on that for two weeks, but can the Seahawks get to the edge with their outside zone? Can they get to the edge with their crack toss? Can they get to the edge with Sam who loves to get outside (the pocket)? … The edges of the line of scrimmage will be just a massive piece of real estate of importance.”
The Seahawks’ big advantage
While New England may have the advantage on the interior of the line when it’s on defense, Seattle’s defensive line appears to have a clear upper hand against the Patriots’ offensive line across the board.
Maye has been sacked five times in each of his three playoff games and New England allowed the ninth-most sacks (48) in the regular season. Its offensive line also features two rookies starting on the left side.
Seattle’s 47 sacks were tied for the eighth-most in the regular season, and its group up front features talented players like All-Pro Leonard Williams, second-year standout Byron Murphy II and veteran playmaker DeMarcus Lawrence.
Huard acknowledged that the Rams seemed to have figured out Seattle’s pass rush by their third matchup in the NFC Championship. But the Patriots don’t have that same experience. If the Seahawks are able to get the Patriots into obvious passing situations, he likes their chances.
“Maybe it was an advantage the Rams had seen Leonard and Byron and all those guys so much,” Huard said. “These guys have not, and they’ve not seen a lot of football, in fact. The left side of their line is rookies. … How many times can you earn the right to rush the passer with really distinct and different looks (will be) enormously important.”
Hear the full conversation here or in the audio player in this story. Tune in to Brock and Salk weekdays from 6-10 a.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.
Super Bowl: Seattle Seahawks vs. New England Patriots
• Super Bowl: Seahawks, Pats’ common opponents reveal clear advantage
• Seattle Seahawks star JSN named NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year
• Super Bowl Injury Reports: Seahawks’ Emmanwori DNP on Thursday
• A new concern Brock Huard has about Seattle Seahawks losing OC Kubiak
• What Seahawks’ Nick Emmanwori said about his new ankle injury
