Patriots Super Bowl Preview: Scouting the Seahawks

Twenty-two games—including two in the playoffs and four in the preseason—have revealed to New England Patriots fans what they can expect come Super Bowl kickoff. A gritty, opportunistic defense. A chameleon-inspired offense. Superb special teams.

The Seattle Seahawks, however, haven't played New England since 2012. You've seen them break the Green Bay Packers' hearts. You've heard Richard Sherman talk. You've heard Marshawn Lynch not talk. But when the ball drops in Glendale, Arizona, who is really coming out of Seattle's tunnel?

Here are the players to know at each position.

Quarterbacks

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Starter: Russell Wilson

Key Backup(s): Tarvaris Jackson

Wilson is an incredible athlete who is best on the move. When running the zone read, he is as dangerous as they come. The Patriots need to force him to stay in the pocket and not let him use his feet to create big plays.

Employing a mush-rush to set the edge, the Patriots would be safe to bring some pressure from the A-gap. Sending Dont'a Hightower or Jamie Collins on blitzes—or even threatening them—should force Wilson to get the ball out of his hands quickly. If he is forced to make quick reads down the field, he can be baited into mistakes.

Running Backs

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Starter: Marshawn Lynch

Key Backup(s): Robert Turbin, Christine Michael

Lynch is LeGarrette Blount without the dancing. He has a brutal stiff arm, legs that don't quit and remarkable vision. It really takes a team to bring him down.

The Patriots won't be able to play a light box against Lynch. Dont'a Hightower and Jamie Collins will need to be sure tacklers two and three yards down the field, stopping his momentum enough for reinforcements to appear. 

You aren't going to shut Lynch completely down, as he creates yardage on his own without blocking. You can really only limit the damage to a minimum.

Wide Receivers

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Starters: Doug Baldwin, Jermaine Kearse

Key Backup(s): Kevin Norwood, Ricardo Lockette

Baldwin and Kearse are receivers who need opportunities. They make plenty of mistakes—just watch their performance against the Packers—but each can make sublime plays down the field. Russell Wilson has the utmost confidence throwing the ball deep in their direction.

The depth at the position leaves a lot to be desired. Neither Norwood nor Lockette has made a huge impact this year, leaving the Seahawks pining for the return of Paul Richardson (injury) or Percy Harvin (trade).

The Patriots have plenty of cornerback talent to shut these receivers down underneath, but they may need some help from Devin McCourty on the deep balls.

Tight Ends

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

Starters: Luke Willson, Tony Moeaki

Key Backup(s): Cooper Helfet

Willson is dangerous when Russell Wilson is scrambling. He does a good job finding a spot to sit down and moves well with the ball. 

Moeaki is a good player who never seems to stay healthy for long. With his ability to block and get open underneath, he has been a nice find for Seattle. 

With the dearth of talented receivers on the Seahawks, Willson may see Brandon Browner across from him in coverage. Moeaki will likely see a linebacker or safety.

Offensive Line

Ted S. Warren/Associated Press

Starters: Russell Okung, James Carpenter, Max Unger, J.R. Sweezy, Justin Britt

Key Backup(s): Alvin Bailey

The Seahawks' offensive line has shown up well in the running game, paving the way for Marshawn Lynch. Russell Wilson has suffered from spotty pass protection, but that has also allowed him to make plays with his feet. When healthy, the left side of the line can be a real bear to deal with. Unger is one of the league's smarter centers.

Instead of blitzing the line, the Patriots may be content to use zone exchanges to bring pressure without losing contain or their spy on Wilson.

Defensive Line

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

Starters: Michael Bennett, Tony McDaniel, Kevin Williams, Cliff Avril

Key Backup(s): O'Brien Schofield

The defensive line sets the table for the rest of the Seahawks defense. They aren't the biggest bunch, with Williams the heaviest at just over 310 pounds. That said, their aggressiveness makes them appear much bigger. 

Bennett and Avril are tough to handle on the edge, while McDaniel and Williams command double-teams on the interior. Schofield is a fantastic edge-rusher in obvious passing situations.

Look for New England to use the Seahawks' aggression against them, deploying some draws, misdirection and traps on the inside.

Linebackers

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Starters: Bobby Wagner, K.J. Wright, Bruce Irvin

Key Backup(s): Michael Morgan, Malcolm Smith

Wagner and Wright rival Dont'a Hightower and Jamie Collins as two of the best young linebackers in the game. Wagner makes plays in coverage and in the run game, while Wright is just as versatile. 

Irvin is hot and cold as a pass-rusher from the edge, but he has developed into a decent all-around linebacker. 

As good as they are, look for Tom Brady to take advantage of the linebackers in coverage. If matched up on Rob Gronkowski, Shane Vereen or Tim Wright, the results won't likely be good for the Seahawks.

Defensive Backs

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

Starters: Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor, Earl Thomas, Byron Maxwell

Key Backup(s): Jeremy Lane, Tharold Simon

Although Sherman and Thomas have some ailments coming into the game, this unit is still the heart of the Seahawks defense. Sherman and Chancellor get the majority of the press due to their big mouths and big hits, respectively, but Earl Thomas is the best player on this team. His ability to cover up others' mistakes is like a young Ed Reed. He is physical, smart and incredibly athletic.

Lane, Simon and Maxwell are just as important. A secondary is only as strong as its weakest link, and none of these players are shrinking violets.

None of the cornerbacks are going to be confused for small and quick, so a player like Danny Amendola or Julian Edelman may be able to uncover underneath with regularity.

Specialists

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Starters: Jon Ryan (P), Steven Hauschka (K), Clint Gresham (LS), Bryan Walters (KR/PR)

Like New England, the Seahawks have a solid battery on special teams. Ryan is a solid punter who showed off some throwing skills against the Green Bay Packers. Hauschka rivals Adam Vinatieri and Stephen Gostkowski as the best kicker in the league.

One of the big differences in the game will be Bryan Walters subbing for the injured Paul Richardson. Julian Edelman's ability to make plays in the return game is a big advantage for New England.