Super Bowl XLIX Spotlight: The NFC Champion Seattle Seahawks

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Ask any player who has won a Super Bowl and they will tell you how difficult it is to get to the championship. Ask any repeat champion how difficult it was to win the title a second time, and you'll find the challenge is even greater. Yet the Seattle Seahawks are a team that are up to that challenge and when their backs were against the wall they rallied and pulled out a win to defend their title in Super Bowl XLIX and here is what we can expect from the Seahawks tonight.

STRENGTHS
The Seahawks succeed based on two simple concepts, stifling defense and an unparalleled run game. They pound the rock seemingly at will because well, Marshawn Lynch is essentially a moving mountain that mows over defenders, setting up Russell Wilson to throw the ball as he pleases. When the offense is resting the powerhouse defense goes to work, blanketing opposing receivers or sending a lethal pass rush at the quarterback.  Expect to see that formula continue tonight, with Lynch touching the ball plenty of times and that defense hungry to bring Brady to the turf.

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WEAKNESSES
The Green Bay Packers put forth a formula to defeat this juggernaut team and it's a plan that the Packers backed off on, sending Seattle to the big game. Key number one was that they didn't focus squarely on stopping Lynch, they focused on shutting down the passing game. By being super physical with the receivers and putting pressure on Wilson, they shut down the offense. Not to mention with some creative looks on offense passing wise they had the defense on its heels for a better part of the game. If New England can follow that blueprint, the Seahawks may be in trouble. 

KEYS TO SUPER BOWL XLIX
The Seahawks will need to wear down the Patriots defense quickly and let Marshawn Lynch do what he does best and set up the passing game for Wilson. They also need to break out their Super Bowl XLVIII playbook defensively and do to Tom Brady what they did to Peyton Manning, attack the receivers and the quarterback to shut down the passing game. If they pull that off, they are looking at their second straight Super Bowl Championship.

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