We checked in on five potentially fatal flaws that could doom the defending champion Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX over the weekend.
It’s now time to look at issues the AFC champion New England Patriots may face heading into what promises to be an exciting game against Seattle. From a lack of balance on offense to the entire “Deflate-gate” scandal, here are five things that could stand in the way of New England hoisting a fourth Lombardi Trophy.
1. Balance on Offense
Courtesy of USA Today: New England won’t win with a one-dimensional offensive attack.
New England was able to defeat the Baltimore Ravens with its leading rusher going for a total of seven yards on the ground. And while this is still Tom Brady’s team, there is no way the Patriots come out on top against Seattle if it is unable to get the ground game going.
Unfortunately for the Patriots, a lack of consistency has been an issue here. New England ranked in the bottom half of the NFL in rushing offense during the regular year and failed to put up triple digit yards on the ground 10 times in those 16 games. In the six games that New England did put up 100-plus yards, it recorded 150 or more three times. Needless to say, the Patriots were 3-0 in said outings.
Now going up against a Seahawks rush defense that ranked third in the NFL, it’s going to be a relatively tall order for New England’s offense. If Brady is forced to pass the ball 50-plus times in the Super Bowl, the Patriots don’t stand much of a chance against Richard Sherman and the Legion of Boom. That much is undeniable.
2. Wide Receivers
Julian Edelman will be lined up opposite the aforementioned Sherman in the Super Bowl. Considering Sherman was targeted just four times per game this past regular season, it’s safe to say Edelman won’t have a breakout performance on the league’s biggest stage.
Enter into the equation Brandon LaFell, who had a great first year with New England. The former LSU standout recorded 73 receptions for nearly 1,000 yards and scored seven touchdowns in his best season to date. He will be tasked with going up against a defensive back in Byron Maxwell, who despite showing inconsistency this season, can be a lock-down cover guy. LaFell will have to use his 6’2″ frame to beat Maxwell at the line of scrimmage, which would then help Brady find open windows to throw into. If LaFell doesn’t have a big game here, New England is pretty much toast. And that could very well be a fatal flaw for the AFC champions.
3. Pass Protection
Courtesy of Pro Football Talk: The interior of New England’s offensive line must step up.
Brady may have only been sacked 21 times during the regular year, but sack numbers can be misleading. The veteran signal caller is as poised as any quarterback in the NFL, and does a tremendous job getting rid of the ball when faced with pressure.
The issue here is that New England’s offensive line hasn’t exactly been among the best in terms of pass protection. According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), that unit finished in the bottom-five of the NFL with a -59.5 grade in pass protection. New England’s main issue was along the interior of the line where Dan Connolly finished with the lowest grade among qualified guards in pass protection. With Seattle’s ability to bully in the trenches, Connolly and fellow starting guard Ryan Wendell will have to hold their own. If that doesn’t happen, Brady will be flushed from the pocket, which isn’t an ideal situation for the immobile signal caller. More than that, New England’s timing could be thrown off. That will lead to mistakes that Seattle’s secondary will undoubtedly pounce on.
4. Deflate-gate Scandal
In our piece looking at five potentially fatal flaws for the Seattle Seahawks, we checked in on “Deflate-gate.” The indication there was that this scandal could work one of two ways. New England may find itself distracted by the entire situation, which would lead to a blowout of epic proportions. On the other hand, well-coached teams find a way to overcome obstacles and focus on the task at hand. If we covered this in the Seahawks piece, there was no way we could avoid it here. In order to beat the defending champs, New England needs to have all of its focus on the field. If that doesn’t happen, watch out.
5. Super Bowl Location
We don’t really have much of an understanding regarding how the fan situation will play out in Arizona come Super Bowl Sunday. And while New England’s fan base will definitely be out in force, the larger issue at hand is the stadium. Seattle plays at University of Phoenix Stadium against the Arizona Cardinals on an annual basis. New England hasn’t set foot here since 2012. Familiarity with the venue could be a major advantage for Seattle. Let’s also not discount the proximity of Arizona to Seattle compared to New England. That could also play a role. The 12’s will be out in full force. Can New England’s fan base match that intensity?
Photo: USA Today