What To Watch For: Super Gronk & Some More Trickeration From Patriots
BOSTON (CBS) -- After months of training camp and the preseason, all the ups and downs that go with 17 weeks of the regular season and an exciting (but controversy-filled) postseason, we have just 60 minutes of football left before the long wait through winter begins once again.
Well, 60 minutes of football that will be drawn out for nearly four hours and include some entertaining performances and hit-or-miss commercials. But with the end of football in sight, it's OK with us if they want to squeeze every second possible out of this game.
The Patriots and Seahawks will duke it out Sunday evening as New England seeks their fourth Super Bowl title in franchise history, and the Seahawks try to become the first back-to-back champs since the Patriots pulled it off 10 years ago. This marks the sixth time Bill Belichick and Tom Brady will go for a Lombardi Trophy, an incredible run for the coach and QB.
The Patriots are focused and motivated, hoping to end their 10-year title drought and silence all the haters who have been out there in full force over the last two weeks.
Here are a few things to look for once Elsa is done with the national anthem and these two teams finally hit the field for Super Bowl XLIX:
Keeping Lynch Out Of Beast Mode
He certainly doesn't like to talk to the media, but Marshawn Lynch has no problems making his presence known out on the field.
He's difficult to bring down, and once he hits "Beast Mode" there may be no stopping him. Lynch is coming off a 157-yard performance against the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship game where he averaged 6.3 yards on 25 carries, so hopefully he's cooled off a bit after a two-week break.
And while Lynch doesn't make life easy for opposing defenses, his ability out of the backfield makes things a lot easier for Russell Wilson to operate. He makes the Seattle offense go, so taking Lynch out of the equation -- like New England did back in 2012, holding him to 41 yards on 15 carries -- will put more pressure on Wilson. The quarterback was up to that challenge two years ago in Seattle, tossing a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns in a 24-23 win, but we'll see if he can do the same at a neutral site against a better defense.
But this Patriots defense struggled against similar backs (note similar, because there are very few like Lynch) this season, like Miami's Knowshown Moreno (134 rush yards, touchdown in Week 1), New York's Chris Ivory (160 rush yards in two games) and even Baltimore's Justin Forsett (129 rush yards in Divisional Round) to some extent. And for sanity's sake, we'll hold off reminding everyone what Jamaal Charles and Knile Davis did in Week 4.
New England will need a big effort from their defensive line and linebackers in order to slow down Lynch, and even their best might not be enough.
At least if Lynch does get into the end zone, it might be a free 15 yards for the Patriots.
The Health Of Richard Sherman And Earl Thomas
Tom Brady's cold may have dominated the headlines mid-week, but it's a couple of banged-up Seahawks that could really make a difference come Sunday.
The Seahawks have the best defense in the league, and Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas are a big reason why. They make up a portion of the famous "Legion Of Boom" that shuts down opposing air attacks with, what looks like, relative ease on a weekly basis.
But leading up to the Super Bowl, the duo has been battling lingering injuries. Sherman, who may also become a father this weekend, tore ligaments in his elbow in Seattle's NFC Championship win, while Thomas suffered a shoulder injury. Both have been full participants at practice throughout the week, and say they'll be 100 percent come Sunday.
Thomas has made such a speedy recovery, that the NFL apparently wanted to make sure it was legit.
Yesterday I said my shoulder was a 10 ...
— Earl Thomas (@Earl_Thomas) January 29, 2015
Wake up the next morning and I have a blood test for HGH .. League office distraction
Both defensive players are game-changers, and will make an impact even if they're not at 100 percent. But if neither is at full strength, Brady and Belichick will make it a point to test and attack each of them (You hurt, Bro?). Expect to see LeGarrette Blount running their way early on, lowering his shoulder while he keeps those legs churning, and we may even see a Wes Welker-like pick across the middle from a Pats receiver. Brandon LaFell has the body and blocking ability to do so, but you have to think Julian Edelman has a lot of pent up energy/motivation after all the hits he's taken this season. And nothing would scream "Death Wish" Danny more than Amendola trying to set a pick on either of the two big defensive backs.
The Patriots also have a rather large tight end who makes a living out of shedding would-be tacklers, and he could make those lingering ailments Sherman and Thomas dealt with resurface in a hurry.
Super Gronk
How do you attack a potentially-injured secondary? With a man that very few secondaries can actually contain without getting thrown out of the club.
Three years ago, when the Patriots lost to the New York Giants in Indianapolis, Rob Gronkowski was nowhere near being Rob Gronkowski as he battled an ankle injury he suffered in the AFC Championship game. It showed in the game as he was held to just two catches on three targets, and Gronk wasn't blanketed by the double or triple coverage that is normally thrown his way.
But this year, Gronk is as healthy as ever and doing what Gronk does best. He's making impossible catches look easy, dragging defenders down field, delivering some ferocious spikes in the end zone, and most importantly, drawing plenty attention away from Brady's other targets and opening the field for the rest of the team. Because of Gronk, LeGarrette Blount finds himself some wide open running lanes, and Edelman and Amendola can slice up the middle of the field.
Gresh & Zo: Jimmy Graham Explains How Seahawks Will Cover Gronk
Seattle will do their best to shut him down with that elite secondary and hard-hitting linebacking corps, no doubt hitting him a few times at the line and then whenever else they legally can. But it's important to note that Seattle has struggled with tight ends this season. Of the 17 touchdown passes they allowed, 11 were caught by opposing tight ends.
Gronk is back in Arizona, where he dominated the college ranks and co-eds school assignments alike. Now his sights are set on the Seattle defense, and a Super Bowl ring.
Just imagine the scene on his party bus if the Patriots pull this one out. "Yo Soy Fiesta" for months.
The Sidelines
No, we're not talking about keeping an eye on the ball boy. But Josh McDaniels kind of looks like he's a ball boy, so it's understandable if you get confused.
The Patriots have been working in the trickiness on offense this postseason, so let's see if McDaniels has saved his best for Pete Carroll's defense in the final game of the season. The referees have already hashed out a plan if the Patriots throw out some ineligible receivers (at least we hope they're all on the same page by Sunday), left tackle Nate Solder will be ready if another pass comes his way, and there's always that slight chance that Edelman breaks out his cannon of an arm again.
As ESPN's John Buccigross pointed out on Twitter on Friday, New England hasn't scored any first quarter points in those five previous Super Bowls. A fast start, especially against this Seattle team, is pretty darn important.
The Patriots are extremely motivated for this game, and while Brady and Belichick don't necessarily need it to cement themselves among the other GOATers, they need another title to quiet all their critics. It'll be impossible to mute those naysayers, but a title will go a long way in shushing all the "cheater" talk that has clouded the last two weeks.
If they need to use a little trickeration to pull out a victory, Bill Belichick won't hold back.
Tune in to Super Bowl XLIX on 98.5 The Sports Hub — the flagship station of the New England Patriots. It's the only place to hear Bob Socci & Scott Zolak's local call of the game!