Marshawn Lynch, Russell Wilson Executing Zone Read Key for Seattle in Super Bowl

For three-plus quarters of the NFC Championship Game, the Seattle Seahawks offense sputtered against the Green Bay Packers. Quarterback Russell Wilson in particular struggled mightily, throwing four interceptions in a game for the first time in his career.

In the fourth quarter, however, the Seahawks were finally able to get on track, and the change that spurred the Seahawks on to one of the greatest comebacks in NFL history is a key to their winning a second straight Super Bowl.

Simply put, the Seahawks can't afford to wait 55 minutes to get their zone-read game working against the New England Patriots.

During most of Sunday's game, it was tough sledding for Marshawn Lynch and the Seahawks on the ground. The Seahawks kept sending Lynch into a loaded Green Bay front selling out to stop him between the tackles. Lynch was fighting tooth and nail for every yard.

Then, as ESPN Stats and Info pointed out, the dam burst:

With the Seahawks in desperation mode, the team went to the zone read, after using it only sparingly over the game's first three quarters. Sure enough, the Seahawks started picking up yardage in chunks on the ground. Russell Wilson's touchdown run? Zone-read keeper. Marshawn Lynch's 24-yard scoring scamper? Yep. Zone-read give.

In fact, all three of Seattle's touchdowns in regulation Sunday came courtesy of the zone read:

Frankly, it's something of a mystery why the Seahawks waited as long as they did to run more zone-read plays, especially against a Green Bay Packers team that's had all sorts of problems defending it in the past.

Whatever. What's past is past and all that.

Now it's all about moving forward—and moving forward, the Seahawks need to run more zone read if they want to be champions again.

Hank Gola of the New York Daily News wrote Monday that the Patriots defense versus Wilson, Lynch and the zone read could be the decisive matchup of Super Bowl XLIX:

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Between the threat of Marshawn Lynch busting between the tackles and Russell Wilson’s ball-handling skills, it usually has defenses on its heels, guessing and hoping.

Executed properly — who can forget the Giants’ Jason Pierre-Paul continuously diving into the pile as Wilson blew around the end? — it eliminates a defender without blocking him. He simply takes himself out of the play.

The Patriots haven’t faced it much but that doesn’t mean they don’t know how to defend it. Why do you think Bill Belichick brought Tim Tebow into camp last year?

As a disciplined defense that stays in its gaps, they’ll try to defend it from the inside out, penetrating with their DTs. In DE/OLB Rob Ninkovich, who will be Wilson’s “read” when the Seahawks overload the left side, the Pats have a heady, alert defender. He’ll bite on the fake but not often.

It was also Ninkovich who pointed out, “For me, the read option is a green light to hit the quarterback.”

Wilson is no RG3. He’s adept at avoiding hits and lofting that pass over a defender’s head if his guy slips behind the defense. That’s why this is such a great matchup

And, oh yes. The best way to defend the read option is to get on top on the scoreboard, taking the Seahawks out of their comfort zone, and, unlike the Packers, keep the foot on the gas. The Seahawks don’t want to win games with their vertical passing game.

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Gola is spot-on in more than one respect.

There's a reason why the Seahawks are the best zone-read team in the NFL. With a punishing bruiser in Lynch and a smart, agile quarterback capable of making downfield throws on the run in Wilson, the Seahawks have the ideal personnel to run the set.

It's like they grew them in a lab or something.

And the Seahawks are going to need their entire playbook against the Patriots. Given how much difficulty the Seahawks had in moving the football against the Packers for much of Sunday's game, it's worth pointing out that the Patriots were an even better team defensively in 2014, especially against the run.

And it's going to be the same refrain in Glendale, Arizona. Sure, Bill Belichick will have a wrinkle or three, but you can bet the rent that the Patriots will load the box and play man coverage against the Seahawks' less than imposing receivers.

That makes the zone read all the more important. Whether it's the moment where Wilson gives (or fakes) to Lynch, or when Wilson decides whether to throw the ball or take off, the reads in the zone read can cause defenses to hesitate, if only for a moment.

That moment opens holes for Lynch and Wilson. It could help create separation for wide receivers Doug Baldwin and Jermaine Kearse.

Mind you, it's not going to be easy. In Ninkovich, the Patriots have a very good, smart and physical end. As Gola wrote, Ninkovich isn't the kind of player who would seem likely to spend the entire Super Bowl biting on fakes.

Of course, it only takes one, and while the Patriots have some experience at defending the zone read, they haven't played any team recently that runs it at close to the same level as the Seahawks.

It's not a big surprise that the zone read has fallen from favor a bit across the NFL. Defenses have adjusted, and it's a formation that exposes the quarterback to more than a little punishment.

However, we're not talking about the first game of the season. Or the fifth. Or the 10th. This is the Super Bowl. A one-shot deal.

There will be plenty of time to worry about Russell Wilson getting hurt next summer, after he signs his impending mega-extension. Right now, the Seahawks need to worry about making sure they don't dig another first-half hole like they did against Green Bay.

And that means working the zone read into the game plan a lot sooner than half past desperation.

Gary Davenport is an NFL Analyst at Bleacher Report and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association and the Pro Football Writers of America. You can follow Gary on Twitter @IDPManor.