Seahawks vs. Broncos

•The Seahawks won't change what they’ve been doing all year just because they’re up against possibly the greatest quarterback to ever play the game, and they will continue to play under the Pete Carroll philosophy “it’s about us.” They’ll win or lose playing their brand of football.

•We all know Peyton Manning likes to audible on offense. In Super Bowl XLIV against the Saints, New Orleans linebacker Jonathan Vilma countered most of Manning's calls with changes of his own and had great success with this strategy in that game. But don’t expect Bobby Wagner and the Seahawks to do the same.

•Seattle plays a "cover 3" defense on vast majority of their snaps, meaning it’s usually Earl Thomas, Richard Sherman, and Byron Maxwell dividing the deep field into thirds. The cornerbacks usually play outside leverage on cover 3, meaning they play toward the sideline, in order to funnel the outside receivers in toward the centerfield safety. Watch for Manning and co. to take advantage of this by attempting a lot of deep “in” routes, as they will likely be there for the taking — if Earl Thomas doesn’t get under a wobbly-yet-accurate Manning pass first.

•Underneath routes will be there for the Broncos as well, as Seattle likes to try and keep everything in front of them by not allowing anything behind them. Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker are at their best running after the catch, so it will be up to Seattle to close in and tackle efficiently.

•The Seahawks defensive line will also be crucial, the way it has been throughout the year. When Manning is harassed — the way he was in the second meeting against the Chargers and his matchup with the Colts earlier this season (both were losses) — he is not nearly as effective. He usually gets the ball out quickly, so it will be vital that Michael Bennett, Cliff Avril, Clinton McDonald and the rest win their individual matchups. On Denver’s side, the game could be won or lost depending on their battles with these players up front.

•Percy Harvin hasn’t played much but it’s obvious from his brief appearances that the Seahawks will not hesitate to give him opportunities. Unfortunately for Denver, Chris Harris, one of the best slot cornerbacks in the NFL, tore his ACL a few weeks ago and will not be available for this game. That leaves slot duties, and the unenviable task of covering Harvin, up to Champ Bailey, who has struggled in the slot to say the least — he has allowed a QB rating of over 100 when defending the slot — ever since returning from injury. Watch for big plays out of Harvin and Doug Baldwin, who will line up in the slot the majority of the time for Seattle.

•Denver has put together an outstanding collective effort in both run and pass defense from their defensive line. Terrance Knighton, Shawn Phillips, Malik Jackson, and Robert Ayers have all played significant roles recently and Seattle’s offensive line will need to play like they did in the second half against the 49ers if they want to have consistent success offensively.

•The pass rush ability of Denver’s defensive line will likely be limited, however, by their need to maintain gap discipline and keep Russell Wilson in the pocket, as opposed to rushing upfield like they would against a normal pocket passer.

•A key part of the battle up front will be Seahawk center Max Unger’s matchup with Knighton. Unger has taken a step back after his All-Pro season last year, and has struggled with strength in the interior much like that which Knighton brings. The Oregon alum will at least need to force a stalemate when/if he is forced to block him play-side if Seattle wants to have success running the ball. 

•Speaking of the running game, an effective rushing attack will be crucial for both teams. For Denver, it's to keep Seattle's pass rushers honest. For the Seahawks, it's to set up the play actions and keep the ball out of Manning's hands. 

•Marshawn Lynch has been running like a man possessed since the playoffs started. (Yes, that is his usual running style, but he still seems to have kicked it up a notch from the regular season). He surely realizes the rarity of this chance the Seahawks have to win a Super Bowl, as well as the fleeting nature of life in the NFL.

•Don’t be surprised if you don’t see much of Richard Sherman in this game; Peyton Manning has shown a willingness to ignore an entire side of the field, as he didn’t throw to the left side (where Darrelle Revis was guarding Reggie Wayne) once in the 2010 AFC Championship game.

•Manning likes throwing seam routes to his big, athletic tight end Julius Thomas. It will be interesting to see how this plays out with Kam Chancellor, one of the most physical players in the league, likely matching up with Thomas.

•Another specific matchup to watch is Seahawks defensive tackle Clinton McDonald against Broncos left guard Zane Beadles, who has been a weakness on Denver's offensive line in pass protection. McDonald has had a career year this season with 5.5 sacks in a reserve role, and could potentially make some game-changing plays when called upon as a pass rusher.

 

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