Benoit: Seahawks Defense More Talented Than 2000 Ravens
BOSTON (CBS) - The New England Patriots are preparing to not only put away the DeflateGate nonsense, but also preparing to put away Richard Sherman, Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX. With the Super Bowl being nine days away, the Patriots are facing for what could be their toughest challenge of the season in the Seahawks, and their spectacular defense.
98.5 The Sports Hub's Adam Jones discussed in depth the Patriots' matchup against the Seahawks with The MMQB's Andy Benoit Thursday night, and what important factors will play a role during the course of the game.
With the secondary having been key for Seattle this year, Benoit is looking forward to the matchup between Seattle's linebackers and safeties against the Patriots' Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski.
"The help-zone concepts that Seattle runs so well and how those will interact with what New England does with their option routes, timing routes, and patterns with Gronkowski is something to watch for."
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The New England Patriots faced several tough defenses this year, but when was the last time the Patriots faced a team that has been equivalent or similar to the Seattle Seahawks defense?
"I would have to look back at the Patriots schedule in the last few years and I think it would take a few years. The answer could very well be the Seattle Seahawks, who they last played in 2012 when Seattle just starting to become Seattle, and New England was still in the Aaron Hernandez era," Benoit said.
If that's the case, then what makes Seattle's defense one that no team can be compared to?
According to Benoit, "Seattle doesn't do anything creative or do anything that teams haven't seen before, but they do it much, much better than what we've seen before." In addition to what allows them to do that, Benoit brought up the biggest factor as to why the Seahawks execute with their style of play on defense.
"They have talent in the correct places and it starts on the perimeter in center field with safety Earl Thomas. Due to his range as a free safety, it allows them to play the way they do on the perimeter with Richard Sherman and Byron Maxwell ... When you can win on the perimeter, it compresses the field to the inside ... With a smaller field, it's a recipe for guys to play faster, which is why they're so good at their help zone concept."
In fact, Benoit brings up that Seattle has already surpassed the 1985 Chicago Bears and 2000 Baltimore Ravens as the best defenses in NFL history.
"The Ravens won in a different way, different era, different type of football ... Seattle has a more talented defense than the Ravens had."
Switching sides of the ball with Seahawks on offense and Patriots on defense, Benoit's biggest question for the Patriots is who will contain Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson.
"There is no chance the Seattle Seahawks receivers get open against New England's cornerbacks," Benoit said. With the Patriots already having a poor pass rush, "Wilson is going to extend plays ... The Patriots have to figure out when in man coverage and when Wilson extends the play, who will end up trying to tackle Wilson?"
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Benoit even went further claiming that, "Wilson is absolutely sensational, and probably the hardest quarterback in the league to play against from a physical standpoint because he is so good throwing on the move and making reads on the move."
Hopefully the DeflateGate attention dies down soon, and football fans everywhere get to witness a game for the ages.
Listen below for the full discussion:
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!
