AN OFFER THEY CAN'T REFUSEThe Seattle Seahawks have accomplished all of their goals for the 2013 regular season. They won the division, they earned the number one seed giving them home-field advantage throughout the playoffs and a first-round bye and they did it by recovering from various different sources of hardship and adversity. The Seahawks play in the most competitive division in the NFL and still managed to lose just three games this season. What's even better is that Pete Carroll has successfully instilled a sense of teamwork that transcends personal achievement in terms of individual statistics and benchmarks often used for a player to negotiate a more lucrative contract at the season's end. The Seahawks sent six players to the Pro bowl, yet if you examine the top categories in terms of the most important categories for team success, you won't see a Seahawk player on the lists for the most recognized individual awards.
Marshawn Lynch had a very successful 2013 campaign running the football, yet he ranks just sixth in the NFL with 1,257 yards. The Seahawks most prolific pass receiver was Golden Tate, ranking 46 in receptions with just 64 and 898 yards. Perhaps the most misleading statistics in Seattle's success this season was at the team’s most important position, quarterback. Russell Wilson matched his rookie season with 26 touchdowns (10th) and 3357 yards (16th), but only nine interceptions. Wilson played mistake free football for most of the season keeping the Seahawks in games late and allowing the defense to finish games. This has become the hallmark of Pete Carroll's football team and the main reason for its success at home 7-1 and on the road, 6-2. This has been a team that has traveled well and taking care of business at home in front of the legendary 12th man at CenturyLink Field in Seattle.
The teamwork mantra of Pete Carroll didn't stop with their offensive competitive climate in terms of individual statistics, or lack thereof. The Seahawks defense rated number one in the NFL throughout the season, surrendering a league-leading 14.4 points per game to their opponent and scoring enough per game (26.7 points) to give Seattle a 417-231 for a league-leading differential of 186 points. Seattle logged 44 team sacks this season, good enough for 10th in the league (tied with two other teams) and an improvement over the previous season by just five sacks. However, the amount of pressure on opposing quarterbacks was palpable during the season as newcomers, Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett, bolstered an already effective defensive line for the Seahawks that were number one in the league last season in scoring defense as well, 15.7 PPG. The leading defensive player in sacks this season was Michael Bennett with 8.5 sacks with Cliff Avril not far behind with 8.0. Though the strength of Seattle's defense is not its pass rush, but instead, it's pass defense in the secondary and Seattle has the best defensive secondary in football. The Seahawks front 7 and its secondary have a symbiotic relationship in terms of dealing with both the pass and the rushing game of their opponents. As the linebackers and defensive line pressure the quarterback, the secondary is able to play a physical brand of press man-to-man coverage that cannot work without a steady level of pressure on the quarterback. At the same time, the play of Seattle's secondary at the line of scrimmage disrupts the receivers ability to run their routes on time, giving the defensive linemen an extra edge and extra second or two for the pass rush to get to the quarterback and caused him to hurry his passes or for the lineman to bat balls down just after they leave the quarterbacks hand. Seattle's linebackers have a special blend of size and speed, giving them the ability to stuff a run heavy offense at the point of attack and to fall into pass coverage on play action or straight up empty backfield designed to move the ball through the air. Because of Seattle's defense and its ability to keep scores low for their opponent, Russell Wilson has been asked to play a different style of play than he's used to playing in college at SC State or Wisconsin. The Seahawks average a league low 25 pass attempts per game and feature a run heavy offense relying primarily on the physical punishing brand of football that money back Marshawn Lynch brings to every carry in every game of the season. Lynch might be the most difficult running back to bring down one-on-one in the game right now. Arm tackles and grabbing at the man they call "Beast Mode" is a strategy that has proved to be ineffective against the 6-year Pro out of the University of California. Lynch is a human piston engine, reliable and sturdy, often taking handoffs through a play action system or read option strategy that gives him the ability to weave his way through a zone blocking scheme in the offensive line, a signature system of offensive line coach, Tom Cable. Marshawn is the beast and always seems to take a play with no hope and turn it into 8 yards carrying defenders down the field like a Metro bus. He is the cornerstone of the Seahawks offensive strategy and is the player who sets the tone for each game and chews-up valuable play clock as the ball hawking Seahawks defense tightens the noose around opposing offenses giving them little hope of catching up if they fall behind early in games. This is Pete Carroll's strategy for the season and it is unlikely to change and the Seahawks trudge into the playoffs with the weight of the 12th man behind them willing them on a collision course with the AFC champion (Denver or New England) in the New Jersey Meadowlands; MetLife Stadium in Super Bowl XLVIII February 2.
After playing San Francisco twice the season already, the Seahawks are no strangers to the 49ers brand of smash mouth football, nor are they to Seattle's ball hawking, face slapping style of intimidation and supreme confidence in their abilities to function like a well-oiled machine in front of their 68,000+ strong, screaming and yelling 12 man. So what will be the strategies for these teams who mirror one another and have a special familiarity so much that surprises are unlikely and head-to-head toughness and execution are more likely to be the determining factors in this "loser go home" "winner Super Bowl bound" contest that will answer all the questions that these 2 great teams have for one another going into this gargantuan game of Titan vs. Titan.
Before the 2013 season, the 49ers and Seahawks began an arms race that continued until the very last contest of the regular-season in December. The Seahawks made the first significant move of the NFL off-season, signing superstar WR Percy Harvin in a blockbuster trade with the Minnesota Vikings. The 49ers answered just days after Seattle's big move, signing veteran WR Anquan Boldin, of the training Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens. Then, the Seahawks made another move to improve their football team by signing free-agent defensive end Cliff Avril of the Detroit Lions. Frisco answers again, signing Glenn Dorsey, a free-agent defensive end from the Kansas City Chiefs. In another move for Seattle, they signed veteran corner, Antoine Winfield, a free-agent from Minnesota. Again, not to be outdone, the 49ers immediately signed Nnamdi Asomugha, a veteran DB from Philadelphia. This chess match of personnel continued throughout the season involving players who would even play for both teams at one point or another during the season. As recently as week 16 and 17 of the regular-season, defensive back Parrish Cox play for both the Seahawks and the 49ers a veritable yo-yo of West Coast trips to the airport for Cox. Pete Carroll made moves to choose players off the 49ers practice squad, and in a seemingly personal response, Jim Harbaugh would snatch players from the Seahawks practice squad, if only to carry them on their active roster for a couple of days. Whether or not this was a personal war of personnel, nobody really knows, but it does seem somewhat ironic that these 2 teams have been in a constant battle of weapons and nothing is too sacred for these 2 calculating coaches as long as it gives them an edge in the very competitive division of the NFC West.
Now, the smoke has cleared and both Seattle and San Francisco have settled their rosters for the clash in Seattle and the right to claim a trip to New Jersey and the opportunity to represent the national football conference in Super Bowl XLVIII. As different as the personalities of each teams head coach are, it's ironic how alike both teams are on the field. Seattle has a bruising rushing attack featuring Marshawn "Beast Mode" Lynch who crushed the 49ers in Seattle with 98 yards rushing and a couple of touchdowns. The 49ers feature a hard running; resilient and tough back "Frank Gore" the man who was the Achilles' heel for Seattle when they visited Candlestick Park for the last time. Gore ripped off a cutback off tackle play for 51 yards setting up the 49ers for the game-winning field goal in Seattle 19-17 and evening the regular-season and 1-1. Seattle and San Francisco both feature young and athletic quarterbacks who are as likely to be a team with their legs as they are with their arms. Colin Kaepernick is a long and lanky QB with the galloping running style that can rip off huge chunks of yardage if left in space and when plays break down. He has a very strong arm and can accurately throw the deep ball of wide receivers gain separation on their defender. Russell Wilson is quick and Wiley in the pocket and has a great sense of pressure and went to run and went to continue looking downfield and throws on the run better than perhaps any quarterbacks in the game today. Both quarterbacks are smart and confident and can take over a game if the defense gives them any space on the field. Kaepernick has perhaps a better supporting cast for receivers and has a game breaking tight end in Vernon Davis. Wilson has a great blocking tight end in Zach Miller, who is dangerous especially in the red zone, and several slot receivers who have good hands and excel blocking down field in support of the running game. The Seahawks have the edge in the running game, while the 49ers can hurt you from the various pass catching receivers downfield. Both teams play very hard and tough on special teams and have very accurate and capable placekicker's and in and game that has a high emphasis on tough defenses, the kicking game might be the balance in which the NFC championship game is decided.
As tough as both Seattle and San Francisco are on both sides of the ball, there are some drawbacks to both football teams and they reside on the same side of the football and at the same position. Colin Kaepernick and Russell Wilson are both great leaders and play a similar style of read and react in terms of throwing the ball downfield or tucking it and making plays with their legs. What separates the 2 young quarterbacks is largely based on stylistic differences. Kaepernick is much more flamboyant runner, galloping with wagging arms as he sprints down the field, while Wilson is far more compact runner and seems to glide across the field like he's on wheels. Many so-called pundits of football point to Kaepernick's superior straight-line speed, but in reality, both athletes possess similar speed. Wilson is a legitimate 4.55 runner and showed his speed at the combine in Indianapolis in 2012. Kaepernick ran just slightly faster at 4.53, but with a 6 foot five frame and mostly legs, the San Francisco signal caller can Gallup down the field and out run many of the linebackers at the second level of the defense in a longer race downfield. Wilson has the advantage in small spaces and with his first step is lightning quick. He also seems to have an intangible that his counterpart hasn't seemed to develop as well. It's an unteachable internal sensation that a quarterback gets when the passing pocket begins to break down. Each passing play a potential 360°° circle of attack begins around the quarterback, shortly after the ball is snapped. The goal of the quarterback is to keep his eyes downfield going through his progression of checking down from primary to secondary targets searching for an open downfield receiver. He must also be able to feel the pressure around him with an internal clock that tells him when to give up on the pass opportunity and hopefully exit the pocket and look for openings to run for positive yardage. Remarkably, Wilson entered the NFL with an extraordinary high level of pocket awareness and at such a primary level of the game. His propensity to avoid high pressure blitzing attacks from the defense sparked many to compare him to, Harry Houdini, the early 1900s Hungarian-American illusionist and stunt performer, noted for his sensational escape acts. Kaepernick is more suited to make people miss in space, and once he reaches the secondary would be tackler's, he's a very difficult runner to catch or tackle. On the other hand, Wilson is more likely to keep his head up looking downfield for open receivers while he runs. He runs to pass rather than Kaepernick who passes, then looks to run and once he puts the ball up under his arm, he commits completely to the run. Both quarterbacks have a bright future, but seemed to get great results, but in very different ways. They also rely heavily on their fantastic defenses that put them in advantageous situations to succeed. Rarely do either quarterbacks find themselves with long fields in front of them, giving them multiple opportunities in enemy territory and optimum scoring opportunities in the red zone.
This NFC championship game has been met with all the hype you would expect from the two best football teams in the NFL about to go to war for all the marbles and another chance for a Super Bowl trophy. The Seahawks missed their chance in 2005 losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers highly controversial game where the officiating was more than just a little suspect. The 49ers missed a golden opportunity to go to the Super Bowl II years ago on a muffed punt, then just last year San Francisco lost on heartbreak opportunity in the waning seconds of regulation when Kaepernick overthrew Michael Crabtree in the corner of the end zone. The Baltimore Ravens prevailed 42-37 leaving the 49ers defeated and heading home again without a trophy. Both the Seahawks and the 49ers are incredibly hungry for another chance and this game carries all the significance you can imagine for two division rivals who have everything to lose and everything to gain and, as Richard Sherman stated during a pregame press conference, neither of team has any love "lost or found" for one another.
The weather at CenturyLink field in Seattle is forecasted to be clear and dry which provides a perfect landscape for this football game to be decided by the best team, not the team that suffers from poor field conditions as we have seen this season in other games played in severe conditions. When two highly talented football teams come together for a significant game like this, you want to have the game decided by the players, not the officials and certainly not the weather conditions. The Seahawks 12th man is primed and ready to make things as difficult on the 49ers as humanly possible, and the stadium will be bursting at the seams. The stadium doesn't even offer standing room only tickets, much like each home game for the Seahawks throughout the regular-season. This town is ready for something special and the Seahawks have the players to make it happen. However, the 49ers have made a difficult journey to get to this game. First, being a wild card team, Jim Harbaugh and his Niners had to fly to Green Bay Wisconsin to play against the Packers on the hallowed frozen tundra of Lambeau Field with temperatures plummeting far below zero. San Francisco proved worthy to the task and beat Aaron Rodgers and the Packers and earning the right to play a divisional playoff game on the road again, this time on the East Coast field of Charlotte Carolina against the Panthers. It was a hard-fought and physically punishing football game, but again the Packers prevailed and now face perhaps the best football team in the NFL here in Seattle. The Seahawks are the number one seed and cruised to a 13-3 regular season schedule and then dispatched quarterback Drew breeze and the New Orleans Saints. The Seahawks didn't play their best, but they did enough and the 12th man helped lift them to a victory setting up the ultimate match up with the 49ers at the place the Seahawks and their fans call the "C'Link.” The crowd has already broken to world records for crowd noise and set the mark at a resounding 137.7 dB, the same level of noise you would hear at Ground Zero in front of giant amplifiers and speakers at a rock concert or standing on the tarmac next to a jet airplane. The 12th man has truly created a horrible place for a visitor to have to play football and the stakes don't get much higher than this game for the NFC championship and the right to play in Super Bowl XLVIII.
The Seahawks and 49ers know that they must control the line of scrimmage and develop a strong running game to have any chance of winning today. Both young quarterbacks are dynamic both running and throwing the ball, but it is expected that neither of them will put the ball in the air more than they keep the ball in the hands of the Seahawks Marshawn Lynch and the Niners Frank Gore, both punishing runners and extremely difficult to tackle. Russell Wilson's passing statistics have dipped over the last four or five games, but there might be more to that than meets the eye. Seattle's defense has been so dominant that once their offense manages 20 or more points, Pete Carroll and his coaching staff believe they will play enough quality defense to win the game. Thusly, Wilson is being asked to do less in the passing game and more in regard to protecting the football and not giving the opponent a chance to capitalize on costly turnovers and mental errors. Wilson only attempted 18 passes against the New Orleans Saints last week, but much of the reason could be attributed to the inclement weather conditions and the game plan put together by Pete Carroll and his assistant coaches. In the first half of the game, Drew Brees was held to 34 yards passing, the lowest total in his career. Because of the driving rain and the blowing wind, New Orleans adopted a dedication to the ground attack and for the most part, it was working against the Seahawks stingy rushing defense. It wasn't until the Saints fell behind that Brees fell back into his usual artistry of passing, tallying over 300 yards in the second half alone. Unfortunately, for Brees and the Saints, improved to not be enough as the Seahawks went on to win the game 23-15. Although the score was only a separation of eight points, the Seahawks dominated in the game and the 12th man in combination with Seattle's defense and Legion of boom, they tightened the noose around the Saints offense and squeezed the life out of them in the waning seconds of the contest.
Now, the Seahawks face the 49ers in the ultimate showdown between two young and dynamic quarterbacks with defenses that allow them to be aggressive and then sit on small leads until the clock ultimately expires. Because of the fact that both of these teams matchup against one another almost identically, Jim Harbaugh and Pete Carroll will likely need to get creative on offense as well as their defensive sets and reads. These teams know each other very well and know what to expect once they take the field. I look for Wilson to throw the ball more than he has in the last six games, but it's imperative that he avoids making mistakes and giving the 49ers more opportunity to move the ball on offense. Colin Kaepernick has not had success in Seattle, losing both games by large margins and looking very much the inexperienced signal caller, bothered by the crowd noise and the gravity of the team rivalries. Last time Kaepernick came to CenturyLink Field, he threw three costly interceptions as the Seahawks prevailed 29-3. The only real threat that the 49ers made in the red zone resulted in a Kaepernick interception to Earl Thomas on a tipped pass. From there on, not much went right for Harbaugh's 49ers. It was a total beat down as lightning and thunder filled the skies of Seattle as an ominous reminder of where these 49ers were playing and how dominant the Seattle Seahawks can be in their own house with their own family of 67,000 screaming and hollering fans…… The 12th man.
Now, San Francisco comes into Seattle believing they have a prescription to handle the crowd noise and the gravity of this most important game. Kaepernick even commented that CenturyLink field was perhaps a little louder than most stadiums. That might not have been the best way to taunt the people who cause the most trouble in a stadium than any other in the 32 cities of the NFL. The Seahawks and the Niners have managed to make it through the long 16 game season and into the third round of the playoffs with a primarily healthy roster of players. The Seahawks will be without the talents of their electrifying wide receiver, Percy Harvin, and the 49ers could possibly be without Carlos Rogers, the starting right corner. Harvin is listed as "out" and Rogers as "Questionable,” however whoever wins this game or loses will not be predicated on injured players or weather conditions. It will be because one team executed their game plan and the other did not. Both teams seem loose and ready despite the importance of this NFC championship game, and it seems clear that two veteran football teams are ready to clash and prove who is the biggest and baddest in the National Football Conference.
