Why the Seahawks Matchup So Well Against the Broncos' Offense

By Marshall Cherrington

Seahawks fans are lucky: they get the privilege of facing off against the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl. While the high-powered offense might be scary, the Seahawks could not have asked for a better matchup. For every offensive weapon that the Broncos boast, the Seahawks have a piece to counter it. Whether it is in the trenches or the secondary, there is no Broncos player that does not have an equal on the Seahawks defense. However, there is an exception. One weapon that the Seahawks can’t match, that weapon being the best quarterback of the past decade, is Peyton Manning. No quarterback in this day and age is smarter or more analytical in his decision making than Manning. There’s only so much one player can do for a team though. Despite the superiority of Manning, there are 10 other players on the offensive side of the ball who all combine to make more of an impact than Manning himself, although it’s close. Here are some key matchups to watch when the Seahawks’ defense takes the field against the Broncos’ offense on Sunday, February 5^th.

Wes Welker vs. Walter Thurmond/Jeremy Lane

There is no doubt here that this matchup is an advantage for the Broncos. Welker is a seasoned wide receiver and has consistently proven his worth throughout his long career. The small receiver has made his money by lining up in the slot, a position which is covered by Jeremy Lane and Walter Thurmond in the nickel package. Welker has above average hands and can escape you in an instant with his elite quickness. He runs very pure routes and is excellent at gaining separation, especially in small spaces. Welker has had a little history with drops though, especially in the Super Bowl when he was with the Patriots, and this will be something to watch. When Welker comes over the middle as he does often times, Kam Chancellor or Earl Thomas will be there more times than not. We all saw Michael Crabtree drop a pass this past weekend when Crabtree saw Kam Chancellor lining him up in his sights. The same fate could come down on Welker, but Welker has more experience in these situations than Michael Crabtree. Thurmond and Lane should be able to stay with Welker pretty well, but they likely will need some safety help when Welker decides to go over the top. Earl Thomas should help with this tremendously.

Wes Welker could have a big Super Bowl Sunday, but not if Walter Thurmond and Jeremy Lane have anything to say about it.

Getty Images

Demaryius Thomas vs. Richard Sherman

If you’re looking for a fun matchup to watch, this will be the one you’re looking for. Sherman is the best corner in the NFL, and Thomas is arguably a top five receiver in the league. It’s the matchup of the best of the best. Both players stand at 6’3”, with Thomas having the edge when it comes to speed. Sherman is obviously a physical corner and this should make up for his detriment in the speed category. Thomas has great hands, but we all know Sherman has great hands as well. Just ask Michael Crabtree. I would say Sherman has the edge in this matchup because of his length and jumping ability, but Thomas can also go up and get it. It’ll be interesting to see how many times Peyton Manning targets Thomas when Sherman is covering him. Kaepernick only targeted Sherman twice, but Manning is clearly the better of the two quarterbacks. After I saw the Peyton Manning pass to Thomas for a touchdown over Alfonzo Dennard in the AFC Championship game, I immediately thought of how Sherman would have played that ball. In my opinion, Sherman would have picked that off, or at least would have tipped the ball with his long arms. Sherman times his jumps perfectly when going up for the ball, and this is why I think he’ll be so affective against Demaryius Thomas.

The matchup between Richard Sherman and Demaryius Thomas will be a fun one to watch.

USA Today Sports

Eric Decker vs. Byron Maxwell

This is a matchup where I think the Seahawks actually have an advantage. Decker is a receiver who won’t always burn you with his speed, but will run great routes on you. He’s had problems with drops in the past and even though it may look like he hauls in a pass at first, he doesn’t always hold on to the ball. I think this weakness of his will be exposed with Maxwell on him. Maxwell does a great job on not giving up on plays and has long arms just like Sherman to knock balls away from opposing receivers. Maxwell, with a little more development, could be the second coming of Richard Sherman. But he’s definitely not there quite yet. He’s not as lengthy or as tall as Sherman, but definitely has the speed to keep up with opposing receivers. The attribute of Maxwell’s that looks most like Sherman’s is his physicality. It’s what makes the Seattle corners so good. So if Maxwell is physical with Decker and can knock the former Minnesota star off of his routes, I think this matchup will work out to be an advantage for the Seahawks. Peyton Manning won’t be able to pick on any of these corners.

Byron Maxwell has really stepped his play up towards the end of the season.

Getty Images

Julius Thomas vs. KJ Wright/Kam Chancellor

Julius Thomas fits the mold of what seems like all current tight ends that have become stars: he’s an ex-college basketball player. What does this mean? It means two things. It means that Thomas is fast for his position and has great hands, because if you play basketball in college, you need great hands. Thomas has a great amount of quickness and agility for such a big guy (6’5” 250 lbs.). He’s caught 12 touchdowns on the year and he’s the main guy the Seahawks will need to watch when the Broncos are in the red zone. That being said, the Seahawks have the best red zone defense in the league and have dealt with similar targets already this season in Jimmy Graham (twice), Coby Fleenor, Tony Gonzalez and Vernon Davis. Kam Chancellor has done an excellent job on all of these targets as he shows as much strength on the field as all of these tight ends do. Earl Thomas has done a great job of coming down from his free safety position and breaking up passes intended for tight ends as well (remember the Saints game). KJ Wright is less of an assurance guarding Thomas since he has missed a significant amount of time over the past month. He looked very rusty against the 49ers, but with a bye week leading up to the Super Bowl, he should be able to gain back some of his old form. If the Saints game is any indication, the Seahawks should do just fine against Julius Thomas and the tight end position in the Super Bowl.

Make sure to stay tuned for more Broncos-Seahawks analysis in the coming days.

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Takeaways: Seahawks End Regular Season on High Note

By Jackson Safon

The Seahawks beat the Rams 27-9 yesterday and in doing so, clinched the number one seed in the NFC and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The offensive struggles continued early in the game but the ‘Hawks were saved by Malcolm Smith and the Seahawks defense as Smith intercepted Kellen Clemens and took it back for six on the Rams first possession of the game. The main storyline of this game however was the animosity between the two teams and how chippy the game was as a whole. This lead to an abundance of penalties including numerous personal fouls on both sides. Head referee Jeff Triplette had himself a field day, with 19 total penalties accepted and several more that were called, but offset throughout the game. The Seahawks were the only ones talking trash at the end however as they took control of the game and finished with a 13-3 record (which by the way is the record I predicted in my schedule analysis article).

1. Playoffs? Are you kidding me? Playoffs?

It is that time of year again folks, where you will be seeing the video clip of Jim Mora and his playoff rant over and over. The good news however is this season the Seahawks are poised to make a Super Bowl run as the road to New York in the NFC will go through Seattle this year. After the first round bye that the ‘Hawks have, there will be three potential opponents for them, the Packers, 49ers, or Saints. Because the NFL is not bracket style, the seeds are reorganized after every round, which means the Seahawks will play the worst seed remaining and the two-seed Panthers will play the best seed remaining. This means there is zero chance of the ‘Hawks playing the Eagles until the NFC Championship. In my opinion, the order of difficulty in terms of potential ‘Hawks opponents is 49ers, Packers, then Saints, but I will go into more detail on the playoff matchups next week.

Could the Packers pull of a stunner against the 49ers?

Bleacher Report

2. D-FENCE!

As I said last week, with the offense sputtering somewhat, it will be up to the defense to lead the Seahawks to victories. Not only did the defense almost outscore the Rams by themselves this week, they completely and utterly dominated a Rams offense that moved the ball with ease last time these two teams played. In the week eight matchup in St. Louis, the Rams ran for over 200 yards on the ground, but yesterday they only managed 13. In the whole game. The 13 rushing yards allowed by the Seahawks ties a franchise record and just goes to show how dominant this defense can be. At season’s end, the defense ended up first in points allowed, total yards, passing yards, and interceptions. The only other teams that can argue for the best defenses in the league are the 49ers and Panthers, who coincidentally (or maybe not) are the two toughest teams left in the NFC besides the ‘Hawks. In any case, I believe the Seahawks defense is the best in the NFL and will be almost impossible to score on in the playoffs at the Clink.

P.S. K.J. Wright could make it back for the first playoff game the Seahawks have to play. Get excited folks.

K.J. Wright's return to the Seahawks defense could be the difference between a Super Bowl and going home disappointed.

Seahawks.com

3. Three stars

I am going to do a hockey inspired three stars for the game against the Rams because there is just so much to write about with the season ending and the playoffs coming up but so little time. One star goes Malcolm Smith. Smith had an interception that he returned for a touchdown that was good for the first score of the game but more importantly, he has filled in brilliantly for the injured K.J. Wright. The second star goes to Marshawn Lynch who came just three yards short of snapping his streak of games without 100 yards on the ground. Lynch was doing the dirty work while the passing game was struggling early on and really went to town. He will continue to be the focal point of the offense as possessions become more important in the playoffs. Three stars go to Golden Tate who had a career high eight receptions and 129 yards. He also had a long touchdown reminiscent of the play against the Rams in week eight when he received a taunting penalty for waving. There was no need for him to wave this time as it was very clear that these teams have gone in two separate directions, with the ‘Hawks securing the number one seed and the Rams heading towards a top pick in the 2014 NFL draft. The 2013 regular season has come to a close, with the Seahawks having tied for the best record in the NFL, but this is not good enough as this season started and still remains Super Bowl or bust.

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Takeaways: Seahawks Suffer Tough Loss at the Hands of the 49ers

By Jackson Safon

The Seahawks received their second loss of the season yesterday and this time it was at the hands of their division rival the San Francisco 49ers. In a low-scoring game the Seahawks beat themselves with ugly play in the first quarter and with penalties throughout the game. The 49ers played a strong game on all accounts and deserved to win that game. Although a loss is never what you want, this one could be just what the ‘Hawks need to spark them to a strong finish to the season.

1. Can’t beat yourself

The Seahawks had nine penalties for 85 yards and had a punt blocked in the first quarter that led to a 49ers field goal. It is tough to expect a win with close to 100 penalty yards and a mistake as drastic as a blocked punt from the ‘Hawks own 17 yard line. Although the defense was stout for most of the game, the ‘Hawks could not overcome the abundance of penalties they received. The lack of discipline the Seahawks showed yesterday is one of the few things that can hold this team from a berth in the Super Bowl so it needs to be fixed and it needs to be fixed quickly.

2. Can we have Percy back?

Coming into yesterday’s game, the Seahawks offense had scored the second most points in the NFL and had done so relatively easily. This game however was a completely different story as they only totaled 13 first downs and 264 yards. The 49ers have one of the better defenses in the NFL but that does not mean the ‘Hawks should look as inept on offense as they did. Although Seattle has had a high scoring offense throughout the season, I thought yesterday they missed the presence of an electric player like Percy Harvin. Yes, Marshawn Lynch and Golden Tate are both dynamic players, but Harvin is a hybrid of both of those players, which the elusiveness of Tate and the strength of Lynch. Having him as part of the offense yesterday would have made it a completely different game.

Gangster Harvin needs to make a return to the playing field this season.

Concord Monitor

3. No need to panic

This loss means that the Seahawks are now only one game ahead of New Orleans for first place in the NFC, but there is still no reason to panic. First of all, the ‘Hawks hold the head-to-head tiebreaker which essentially means they are up two games, and second of all the Saints still have to play the Panthers in Carolina and the ‘Hawks have two of their remaining three games at home. This was the first time this season where the opposing team actually played well enough to beat the ‘Hawks so I do not think there is any reason to be concerned about getting the top seed in the NFC.

4. Injuries…time to panic?

Of course not. Max Unger left the game with a “chest injury” that seems to be a left pectoral injury and K.J. Wright left the game with what ended up being a broken foot which could sideline him for up to six weeks. Unger remains week-to-week at this point, but with only three more weeks remaining in the regular season, losing Wright to a six week injury could be detrimental. Malcolm Smith will take Wright’s place in the starting lineup and he is more than capable, but he is not K.J. Wright, who has been playing magnificently as of late. Wright tweeted out that he expects to be ready for the playoffs, but that seems like a bit of a stretch to me. That being said, because the ‘Hawks will almost assuredly have a first round bye, it is possible that Wright makes it back for their first playoff game and if not, he should be back in time for the NFC Championship, if the Seahawks were to make it that far. Because the ‘Hawks shouldn’t have a big problem keeping the number one seed in the NFC, there is no need to panic about these injuries.

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Takeaways: The Return of Percy Harvin

By Jackson Safon

The return of Percy Harvin this week was the most anticipated return since my return to the Redmond High School golf team post-injury, a few months ago. In all seriousness, it was probably the most hyped once since Derrick Rose returned to the NBA floor this season. He may have only played 16 snaps, but in a game only meant for getting his feet wet, Harvin might have gone in up to his waist. His one catch for 17 yards was spectacular and in a huge spot on third down, but the most exciting play of the day was his 58 yard kick return to set up the ‘Hawks with great field position on their drive at the end of the first half. Harvin showed all the 12’s what he can do, and with a bye week to remain 100% healthy, he should be able to handle close to a full workload next Monday night against the Saints on a national stage.

1. Boy is this offense good

With three starting offensive lineman returning this week in Okung, Unger, and Giacomini, the Seahawks offense was dynamic. Although Lynch didn't have a great day on the ground, the increased pass protection made the ‘Hawks passing game lethal, with Russell finishing with 230 yards and two touchdowns on only 13 completions. He also had an outstanding 12.8 yards per attempt and a career high 151.4 passer rating. Wilson was throwing darts out there, but his best throw of the day was the touchdown through the “honey-hole” as Tim Ryan called it, to Doug Baldwin to end the first half. A stellar game from the offense as a whole, but especially the passing game.

What a catch by Doug Baldwin to end the first half. Amazing throw by Russell Wilson.

The Seattle Times

2. Boy is this defense good

The defense had two sacks, forced four turnovers, and scored a touchdown as well. Everyone was flying around the field but the biggest props go to Kam Chancellor and K.J. Wright for their outstanding games. Twenty points may seem like too many to give up to a team like the Vikings, but one of the touchdowns allowed was late in the game against the Seahawks’ second stringers. Most importantly, the run defense was relatively stout again, holding Adrian Peterson to only 65 yards on 21 carries. The Vikings offense obviously isn't as good as the Seahawks next opponent in the Saints, but this was a great effort all around by the defensive unit.

3. Special teams isn't bad either

The Seahawks were stellar in every aspect of special teams once again. Steven Hauschka was perfect, including a 50 yard field goal, Percy Harvin sparked the kick return game with a 58-yard return and forced the Vikings to pooch kick it later in the game, and the punting unit didn't allow the league’s number one punt returner in Marcus Sherels to return the ball once. The Seahawks are dominating in all phases of the game, getting healthy, and now have a bye before their biggest game of the season in a Monday night battle against the Saints. It’s going to be a good one.

Percy Harvin looked electric on his one kickoff return.

KSTP.com

4. Seahawks are firmly in control of their destiny

With the 49ers losing to the Saints on Sunday, they are now tied with the Cardinals for second in the division. Plus, they are now a full three games behind the Seahawks in the loss column, with only five games remaining. In other words, as long as the ‘Hawks continue to play tough, they should have the division locked up. In terms of the number one seed, they are up one game on the Saints, and get them at home next week. Win that and they will be up two plus own the tie-breaker. A win next week should propel the ‘Hawks to the top seed in the NFC. The importance of the game cannot be overstated.

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Sea-Fence: The Key to the Seahawk's Season

Offense brings fans, but defense wins championships. The saying every athlete knows of that plays a team sport. This saying has to be the motto for the Seahawks this year as the defense should challenge to be the best in the league. With the offense coming along, especially with a new quarterback, the defense should carry the team this year and it will be crucial that they do. If the defense under-performs, the season is not going to be pretty. They have huge expectations put on them and rightfully so. I mean, they were the first defense taken in four out of my five fantasy football drafts. Here's what we'll see from the Sea-Fence this year.

Picture by The Seattle Times

DEFENSIVE LINE- The big boys up front should prove to be one of the strongest parts of the Seahawk's defense. This year I expect them to allow the least rushing yards in the league as they have two huge 300 pounders in Red Bryant and Alan Branch. Red Bryant has proven to be a steal thus far in his career as he was a late round draft pick out of Texas A&M. He signed a new 5 year $35-million deal this offseason and should be around for a long time. Bryant takes up a ton of space and lets no running back by him, especially with Alan Branch and Jason Jones next to him. Speaking of Branch and Jones, they were both great signings. Both were signed off of mediocre seasons for a low amount of money and both have proven thus far in their Seahawks career that they were solid signings. The anchor of the defensive tackles is Brandon Mebane. The third year player out of Cal signed a new contract last year and he will display why he got that contract with his continuing solid play this year. The defensive tackles are huge, but quick as well. That's why they're so good. Next we move to the ends, as well as the Leo spot. Chris Clemons has been the best trade acquisition in the John Schneider era, besides the Lynch trade, and has been the best and most consistent Seahawks player on the defensive side of the ball since he was acquired. He is a sack monster and gets to the quarterback quickly and often. He will provide that much needed pass rush, as well as the 15th pick in the NFL Draft. Bruce Irvin was drafted to sack opposing quarterbacks. Irvin was second in the nation in sacks in 2010 at West Virginia and mostly went unnoticed because of his off the field issues. In the Leo spot, Irvin has looked a little shaky this preseason, but turned it on this past week in the fourth game. He had multiple sacks and caused numerous fumbles. Given, these were against second and third stringers, but he still showed he could perform. Our defensive line will be a huge part of our defense this year, and one the best parts of our defense. The group: Bryant, Branch, Mebane, Jones, Clemons, and Irvin.

LINEBACKERS- The linebacking core this year is weaker than the usual Seahawk's core. In past years the 'Hawks have had excellent linebackers such as Lofa Tatupu and David Hawthorne, but they are long gone. This year a rookie will be the play caller of the defense. That would be Bobby Wagner out of Utah State. He is a playmaker in his spot and tackles everything he sees. I think he will pan out to be one of the best MLB's in the NFL once he receives more coaching. Around Wagner are OLB's Leroy Hill and K.J. Wright. Leroy Hill is a proven veteran and has proven every year that he is a solid starter, despite his off the field issues. He should have a solid season. K.J. Wright, in his second year, has moved to OLB because of the drafting of Wagner and his ability to play the OLB position. I think he will surprise many this year, kind of like Hawthorne did last year with his play. The linebacking core is the weakest part of our defense, but it's still a strong position with lots of talent. Just shows how good our defense is. The group: Hill, Wagner and Wright. 

DEFENSIVE BACKS- The strongest part of the Sea-Fence, is easily the defensive backs. With two pro bowlers from the 2011 season and an emergence of two late round draft picks, this group is the best in the NFL. Earl Thomas leads this group and was the 14th overall pick in the 2010 Draft. The pro-bowler has been a playmaker ever since his debut, and will look to improve his already impressive track record. Once again, another steal by Pete Carroll and John Schneider, Brandon Browner will continue his resurgence and will go to another pro bowl. He was he biggest surprise of the Seahawks last year and I think with his improved confidence he will perform even better than last year. Earl Thomas' partner in the secondary, Kam Chancellor, has lived up to his nickname. Kam-Bam has been destroying all receivers and backs that have come his way since he was drafted along with Thomas in 2010. Chancellor has been a pleasant surprise along with cornerback, Richard Sherman. Sherman was drafted out of Stanford in the 7th round last year and nobody thought much of him except for the Seahawks. Mid-Season he took over the starting job and that's the only reason he didn't make the pro-bowl: he didn't get to display his talent for an entire season. Sherman will display that talent this season and will make the pro-bowl, as well as the rest of the Seahawks secondary. I expect a banner year from the secondary and for all four to come out as pro-bowlers after the season. The Group: Sherman, Chancellor, Thomas and Browner.

The constant theme around the Seahawks' defensive personnel is surprise. Many players have been lowly thought of coming out of free agency or the NFL Draft, but all of them have surprised people with their true talent. That's what makes this defensive group so special. They have an underdog type of mentality that motors them and fuels them to play harder, faster and stronger. The Sea-Fence will be crucial to all of the Seahawks success this year. If the Sea-Fence holds strong and keps the underdog mentality, look for a banner year from the Seattle Seahawks.

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Marshall