Will Chris Matthews Disappear After Starring in the Seahawks Super Bowl Loss?
He didn't get his dream result, but Chris Matthews got his dream display in Super Bowl XLIX.
Before Tom Brady's late comeback, before offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell's infamous late play call, before the New England Patriots sealed their 28-24 victory over the Seattle Seahawks, Matthews was the star. The former undrafted wide receiver who joined the Seahawks late in the season had never caught a pass in the NFL before Sunday.
On Sunday, in Glendale, Arizona, he caught four.
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Those four went for 109 yards and a touchdown. More significantly, two came at times when the Seahawks were desperately searching for someone to spark their passing game. Both Doug Baldwin and Jermaine Kearse were struggling to create separation, so quarterback Russell Wilson was forced to look past his starters to his less used options.
Matthews was set up to be the Cinderella story. Had the Seahawks won the game, the MVP award likely would have come down to either him or Marshawn Lynch. Considering Lynch's relationship with the media—who decides on the award—Matthews very well could have taken home the honors.
Instead of adding his name to the David Tyrees and Mario Manninghams of the world, Matthews must now revert back to largely being anonymous.
After the game, Baldwin praised Matthews for his performance and talent, per Tony Drovetto of Seahawks.com, but kind words from his teammates don't necessarily indicate a promising career going forward.
"We've always known that he's talented," Baldwin said. "We've always known that he's had the ability to play. That's why he was in the game."
As Manningham and Tyree can attest, one performance on the biggest stage of all doesn't guarantee a player anything. Neither receiver enjoyed a great career after their big catches against the Patriots in Super Bowls XLVI and XLII, respectively.
Matthews' performance did, however, offer some insight into his potential moving forward, which is significant given the Seahawks' need for fresh talent at the wide receiver position.
Baldwin is the team's best receiver right now. He is a well-rounded player who is best suited to play a possession role. Kearse, his fellow starter, is a restricted free agent who could return but shouldn't return in the role of a starter.
Paul Richardson, the team's second-round pick in the 2014 draft, suffered his second torn ACL during this year's playoffs against the Carolina Panthers. That injury doused his future in a lack of certainty.
Ricardo Lockette is a spot contributor who shouldn't be asked to do much on offense. Kevin Norwood, another rookie from last year's class, has done next to nothing in his career so far, so his future is also too ambiguous to generate any grandiose expectations.
The Seahawks should add to their receiver corps this offseason, be it through free agency or the draft.
After going undrafted in 2011, the Cleveland Browns signed Matthews to a training camp contract, but they released him in their final wave of cuts. He played in the Arena Football League in 2012 and the Canadian Football League in 2012 and 2013 before signing a future contract with Seattle last February. The Seahawks cut him before this season, but he landed on their practice squad and they eventually elevated him to the active roster in December.
Entering the offseason, Matthews is still under contract with the Seahawks. This assures that he will remain on the roster for the foreseeable future.
Remaining on the roster through training camp and into the regular season still won't be guaranteed, though. Matthews is going to have to earn that spot. To do that, he will have to regularly make plays like the ones he made in the Super Bowl.
Matthews is 6'5" and roughly 220 pounds. He carries a slender frame without great speed but the ability to adjust at the catch point.
For his first Super Bowl reception, Matthews is lined up toward the top of the screen, working against Kyle Arrington, who is in press coverage. Arrington is significantly smaller than Matthews, but he is also an aggressive cover defender who can use his size as leverage.
Significantly, Baldwin and Darrelle Revis are lined up just inside of Matthews and Arrington.
This play is designed to go to Matthews and Baldwin's side of the field, with Wilson moving that way as soon as he gets the football. Typically when the Seahawks run these route combinations, they try to get the ball to the slot receiver who is running down the sideline.
Because that slot receiver is covered by one of the two best cornerbacks in the NFL, it's no surprise that Wilson is forced to throw to Matthews instead.
Matthews' size is obviously an advantage for him, and it can be a significant advantage in this kind of situation against this kind of cornerback. However, size is worthless if the receiver can't use it to adjust to the football.
This is exactly what Matthews did when he couldn't create separation against Arrington.
Wilson's throw was outstanding because he pushed the ball past Matthews' inside shoulder when he was running back out toward the sideline. He put the ball in a spot where only his receiver could catch the ball. Matthews obliged by fluidly adjusting his body before snatching the ball from the air.
Winning at the catch point is how Matthews will earn a role in the NFL. He doesn't appear to have the skill set that lends itself to creating separation on a consistent basis at this level. For his second reception and only touchdown of the game, Matthews again won at the catch point.
Despite only having six seconds left in the half, the Seahawks decided to throw one pass to the end zone. Because of the limited time, all Wilson could do was take the ball from his center and throw it immediately. This meant he threw the ball to a spot for Matthews to go up and get.
Matthews obliged by high-pointing the football with perfect body control and technique. He willingly exposed himself to a potential big hit that never came and was rewarded with the score for it.
Winning in the end zone is something that bigger receivers typically try to sell their value on. Winning at the catch point all over the field is vitally important, though. And like Mike Evans highlighted with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this year, it often comes with a need to toe the line of pass interference.
The very best big receivers in the NFL don't need to interfere with defenders to gain positioning on the ball, but the lesser talents often have to learn how to subtly cheat to create separation. This is what Matthews did for his third reception.
Early in the third quarter, on 1st-and-10 with the score tied at 14-14, Wilson looked to Matthews again on a deep route down the sideline.
On this occasion, Arrington is able to comfortably run Matthews' route with him before turning his head back to locate the football. Matthews still has the size advantage, and Wilson's pass is going to arrive to his outside where only he can catch it, but he still has to be smart.
For two reasons, Matthews interferes with Arrington. One, he takes the defender completely out of the play by slightly nudging him in tight. Two, he is able to use the defender to reverse his momentum and turn back toward the football.
These minor movements both give him positioning at the catch point and make the actual catch easier than it would have been.
Matthews' fourth catch was a simple curl route on the following drive that went for eight yards against off coverage. It showed us little of his skill set or potential. Regardless, he had already shown enough to create optimism for his potential moving forward.
Having the ability to move fluidly and pluck the ball out of the air at 6'5" despite not having great speed or strength means that Matthews has a chance to be at least a valuable role player for the Seahawks. If the franchise lets Jermaine Kearse leave, Matthews could fill his role as a third option rather than as a starter.
Without greater physical talent to create separation more consistently or be more dangerous after the catch, it's unlikely that Matthews will advance his career to the point that he is one of the better starters in the NFL.
Yet, considering where his journey has taken him before this point and considering the quarterback he will get to play with, Matthews likely won't need to be a great receiver to be a productive one. Wilson is the type of talent who can elevate his receivers, and that is especially true of bigger receivers who can get down the field in a hurry.
Wilson understands where to put the football to best help his receivers at the catch point. Developing that relationship with Matthews will be critical for determining the success of their partnership beyond the Super Bowl.
Matthews' dream display in the Super Bowl may not have come with a dream result, but he can still achieve the dream of many by carving out a productive career in the NFL.
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