Super Bowl Sunday is not too far off in the distance. While Richard Sherman and the quarterback comparison in general should get the vast majority of media attention leading up to the big day, there is a lot more in play than just those names.
While quarterbacks might very well determine the outcome of a Super Bowl late, the game’s first three quarters can often be dictated by role players, special teams scenarios and other “wild-cards” if you will.
Both Denver and Seattle have arrived here with a ton of talent that extends beyond just their signal callers, and we’ll attempt to dive into the critical elements of this match-up that you should prioritize as you prep for the big day.
1. Seattle Pass Rush vs. the Denver Tackles
The Super Bowl is the most media driven event the sporting world has to offer. Pre-game shows leading up to the game itself will display stories on various players and give background info on their lives that often reflects the beauty of Americana like nowhere else in sports.
No story will be more interesting than that of Bruce Irvin. The Seattle weak side linebacker hails from the Atlanta area and was homeless at times while growing up in poverty-stricken circumstances not too long ago. He has previously described himself as a lifelong criminal prior to getting back into football through the advice and help of several friends.
Irvin was selected with the 15th pick in the 2012 draft in what was seen as a reach by some NFL personnel directors. Irvin has emerged not only as an excellent pass rusher since his arrival in Seattle, but he has also packed on close to 20 pounds and emerged as a quality linebacker capable of holding up in coverage.
Irvin is being used less and less in blitz schemes, but he does pair with Red Bryant and Chris Clemons to spearhead a pass rush that is excellent at applying pressure from all angles. Seattle runs a 4-3, but they do it as well as any team in the league currently.
Their line features a ton of power to go along with the speedy Clemons, a ten year veteran from Georgia who has 58 career sacks. Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett are not listed as starters, but they come in and provide almost absurd depth for a defensive line that has dominated virtually every opponent all year.
Chris Clark and Orlando Franklin have looked perfectly fine against meager pass rush units in San Diego and New England in recent weeks. But they won’t get off the hook easily here. Clark has struggled against elite athletes, and he’ll have to deal with several of them in this game.
I’d expect Peyton Manning to make it a point to employ more three step drops and get the ball out quickly at times. As good as Manning is in the pre-snap routine, he has yet to see defensive line play like what the Seahawks have. It’ll be imperative that the interior of his line holds up as I do expect his tackles to struggle from time to time given the depth Seattle brings in.
2. Demaryius Thomas vs. Richard Sherman
Speaking of that guy Sherman, he too will have his hands full with one of the league’s most special receivers. For as physical as Sherman is, he might meet his match with Denver’s Demaryius Thomas.
Speaking of great story lines, Thomas is just that. Like Irvin, Thomas also hails from Georgia. Both his mother and grandmother (who also helped raise him) are both serving time in prison for drug trafficking.
Those early hardships have done little to stop the 6’3, 229 lbs Thomas from dominating in his first four NFL seasons. He currently has close to 4,000 career yards and 30 touchdowns, and the arrival of the aforementioned Manning has done wonders for what he has proven capable of.
Thomas is one of the few athletes in the league more physical than Sherman and, while Sherman loves to play bump and run and jam the receiver from the get go, he’ll have to be careful here. Thomas has about 30 pounds on him and is superb at running after the catch.
Of all the weapons Manning has at his disposal, Wes Welker is the most reliable. But Thomas, on the other hand, is the biggest game breaker as he features electrifying speed to go with his power.
The old saying is that “what goes around comes around.” If I were Sherman, I’d be a little nervous given the notoriety he just brought himself. He’ll have a massive target on him, and Manning is one of the few guys in this league who won’t be scared to throw at and challenge Sherman from the get go.
3. Seattle’s Ability to Neutralize Trindon Holliday
While we are talking story-lines, there is little doubt that America loves to discuss the little guy, so that’s what we will do next. Trindon Holliday has gone from track and field superstar at LSU to one of the game’s most explosive special teams assets. All you have to do is ask the Baltimore Ravens about him.
Joe Flacco’s Super Bowl run almost did not happen because the Ravens were playing from behind for much of that divisional round playoff bout last January. Their deficit was in large part due to Holliday taking a punt to the house in the first quarter and then following it up by going 105 yards with a kickoff in the third quarter.
Holliday has 4.24 40 speed and great vision. Special teams units have made it a point to avoid and neutralize him thus far in these playoffs. While Seattle has good special teams this year, they better hope to keep Holliday in check. They have enough to worry about with Manning and Co., but they cannot afford to forget about the “little guy.”
4. Wesley Woodyard vs. the Seattle Offense
Of all the “big-name” guys who will be talked about this week, Woodyard is the guy flying under the radar the most. The captain of this defense, Woodyard is yet another Georgia product who went un-drafted out of Kentucky in 2008.
All he has done since then is become the leader of this defense and one of the better sideline-to-sideline defenders in all the league. He plays with tenacity and aggression and it has become apparent that his fearlessness is rubbing off on teammates.
Losing a player like Von Miller would have crushed certain units, but not Denver’s. Woodyard has steadied the ship and provided guidance to younger guys in this front seven.
But Woodyard will now have to go up against his toughest task yet: the Seattle offense. While this offense is not necessarily as explosive as many opponents Denver could have seen in this game, it is extremely potent.
Marshawn Lynch is going to be a focal point of this game as his ability to pound it will not only aide the Seattle offense in generating scores, but will also serve to keep Peyton Manning on the bench in cold conditions.
Lynch is only 5’11, 215 lbs, but he has incredible powerful legs and the ability to run through people like few in the league. In addition to having to deal with Lynch, Woodyard must also be the guy to recognize what Russell Wilson is up to.
Wilson has been superb with his legs, and that could again become a storyline here given the potential for bizarre weather conditions in this game. Woodyard may be asked to spy on Wilson in third down scenarios, which could be a difficult feat for him to pull off after having to shadow Lynch on first and second down.
5. Seattle Safeties vs. Denver’s Various Weapons
Again, Sherman takes a lot of attention when it comes to this Seattle secondary, but he won’t be the only guy in line for a huge payday in the future.
Earl Thomas and Cam Chancellor are really special players as well at the safety spots for Pete Carroll’s club. Chancellor, a 6’3, 230 lbs specimen in the mold of many other athletes we’ve touched upon, will likely be asked to deal with Denver tight end Julius Thomas.
The fourth year, Virginia Tech product has good range and can hit with force. He’ll obviously be giving up some size to Thomas, but then again, who doesn’t.
Chancellor is good when going up in midair to get the ball, and he poses a nice alternative to the 6’5 pro bowler. Manning loves to use Thomas inside the 20, and it’s likely that this game could come down to a critical red zone stop.
As for Thomas, he is as ferocious a hitter as there currently is in the NFL. His influence on this game could become even more critical given the fact he likely will not have to come up as much and help in run support. While Knowshon Moreno and company have put up nice numbers on the ground this year, Seattle has enough talent in its front seven to neutralize him and the other Denver RB options.
Thomas could be free to roam, and that is a scary proposition for guys like Welker who have long histories of concussion-based injuries. Thomas is one of the few guys in this secondary who was drafted in the first round, and he was well worth what they paid for him.
Games like this can often turn on a big turnover. Given the ability of both quarterbacks to avoid mistakes through the air, it would not surprise me to see a critical fumble potentially trigger a game changing event.
Thomas is just the guy to make that sort of play happen, and his impact on this game could be Troy Polamalu-esque. It’s tough to compare him to the legendary Steeler safety right now, but he has the same abilities and instincts in run support and his closing speed is superb.
