2 Things About this match up that should make you nervous...

[NINEster]

This whole "enemy of my enemy" thing is BS. I rooted for the Patriots to beat the Giants in the last SB and they failed.

I don't hate the Patriots anymore like I used to in their prime glory years, but seeing the sense of entitlement from this particular poster, I know a few more of them exist in Boston. Same Steeler crap, different division.

As much as the Hawks are a bitter rival to the Niners, I can understand the fans' plight having to listen to this arrogant crap about QBs. This is what Niner fans dealt with in 2011/2012 before reaching the Super Bowl. We get it and hate it too. If you want to debate Seattle's weaknesses, then don't do it on the merits of QBs they have faced. You would think you would have learned already losing to Joe Flacco a few times.

It's a team game. I'll be the first to say that Wilson and Kaepernick aren't as good QBs as Brady and Rodgers but they are good enough that when the rest of their team functions at a high level they win.

Wilson & Kaepernick are 17-3 against SB winning QBs. So lose the argument that having a HoF QB is the end all be all. It wasn't when the greatest of all time was in his prime (Joe Montana, not Tom f** Brady even if the Patriots win this game), and it doesn't matter now either.

So the real question would be:

WHAT MAKES NEW ENGLAND DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHER TEAMS?

In my mind, I think that Belichick is a great coach and the team has more overall talent than any other team with a SB winning QB outside of Seattle. Better than Green Bay, New Orleans Saints, NY Giants. Better coached/Brady doesn't choke like Peyton's Broncos.

I thought they were in over their head against Giants in the last one, but played it real tight and could have won it.

If Dallas could beat the Seahawks in Seattle and it not be a total fluke, then New England can very much be in this game at a neutral site in warm weather (these last two items IMO benefit New England more than Seattle).

Denver folded like a cheap suit well before the game got out of hand. Down a mere 8-0, it felt like the world was over for them. I can't see Brady and Belichick folding like that because they almost never do.

Winning it all is a tough proposition. Always struggled to defeat physical teams like Giants, Ravens, Seahawks, 49ers, even Steelers. Killed by KC.

Nothing is guaranteed for the Patriots.

 

[AgentDib]

First of all I get tired of reading Greenbay's O didnt play well and thats the reason Seattle was able to win the game... Thats untrue... GB scored 22 points against the best D in the league on the road

22 points off 5 turnovers is nothing; they only managed 6 points when not starting at midfield or closer. We held them to 3-14 on third downs, 4.9 Yards per pass, created 2 interceptions, and limited ARod to 180 yards passing. We win that game very handily if there are no turnovers on either side, but of course turnovers are part of the game and our offense was losing the game for the first 55 minutes.

 

[loafoftatupu]

There is absolutely nothing to be "nervous" about. Its the Super Bowl and both teams are good. The Hawks just don't let us down, they eat pressure and shit victory.

The Seahawks are the masters of making a game plan go off course. They make shit happen that just can't be schemed. It is systematic chaos and once it opens up there is no stopping it.

This is one of those games where the offense will be seriously discounted all pre game. Ultimately I see the offense being the factor in the game and I think that RW will be using the RO to pass or get chunks of yards at a 6-10 clip with a lot of slides.

The weather won't be a factor so I don't expect a bunch of dropped passes, especially the ones that end up in defenders hands.

Everyone knows NE is good and that they can easily be the winner, but the Hawks will make them work for it until the last seconds of the game. After the display of heart last week there won't be anyone giving up in the biggest game of them all.

 

[EverydayImRusselin]

In regards to #1 I think that should be turned around on you guys. You guys havent faced anywhere near as mobile a QB as Russell. I think the read option is going to destroy in this game.

 

[The Grouch]

The ONLY respectable quarterback you guys have faced since the Week 6 loss is Aaron Rodgers this past week.

Spare me, while I admit there are levels of professional QB's, they are all professionals. Some of them have better casts of charicters, some are more savy or experianced than others, but all of them, (except Lindley) helped their teams win this year. The big bad Tom Brady isn't what he once was, weather you want to admit that or not is on you... scheming will keep NE in the game more than Brady's arm.

I don't have to remind you that a hobbling Rodgers had his team in position to win that game with 5 minutes left and most likely would've too if Mike McCarthey was not possibly the WORST game manager in football. (I am not taking anything away from that Seahawks comeback, that was incredible. Just because the Packers gave the game away, the Seahakws still needed to step up and take it, and they did.

I shouldn't have to point out to you that our illustrious QB and one of our recievers had more to do with it than a gimpy Wrodgers. Russ had a bad game, it happens. But if he hadn't thrown four INT's and Baldwin doesn't fumble a kick off the game looks very different and GB doesn't score more than the 13 points they earned through offensive play over the course of the game, maybe even less as they don't maintain anything resembling momentum. Heck, if the two balls Kearse mishandled fall incomplete instead of bouncing into infamy, the whole outcome changes dramaticly. It's over in regulation instead of OT. I'll give GB's D credit where it's due, they played a hell of a game and capitalized as much as possible. If anything, GB's D put them in a position to win. Wilson's passer rating after throwing FOUR interceptions was only 11.5 points lower than Wrodgers. Not saying he isn't a good QB, he's probably the best. But he isn't responsible for putting GB in a position to win. Not with 178 yards though the air, 2 INT's to 1 TD, completing 55% and only 5.2 ypa.

So mad props you've earned the Super Bowl.

"I accept that"

 

[12thManHawkFan]

If we come out and play with the same FIRE we had in the 4th qtr/OT we had in the NFCCG the Super Bowl will be a blow out, no question.

 

[253hawk]

First of all I get tired of reading Greenbay's O didnt play well and thats the reason Seattle was able to win the game... Thats untrue... GB scored 22 points against the best D in the league on the road

22 points off 5 turnovers is nothing; they only managed 6 points when not starting at midfield or closer. We held them to 3-14 on third downs, 4.9 Yards per pass, created 2 interceptions, and limited ARod to 180 yards passing. We win that game very handily if there are no turnovers on either side, but of course turnovers are part of the game and our offense was losing the game for the first 55 minutes.

GB only had 6 points off the 5 turnovers:
INT - SEA 20 - 19 yards - 3 points
FMB - SEA 23 - 22 yards - 3 points


Other scores:
PUNT - GB 44 - 56 yards - 7 points
PUNT- SEA 33 - 11 yards - 3 points
PUNT- GB 25 - 45 yards - 3 points

So they had one decent drive in there for a TD, which basically started at midfield. That's your #1 DVOA offense, folks. 5 scoring drives with an average of 30 yards.

 

[HomerJHawk]

Hawks 43-17

 

[scutterhawk]

You guys are making some great points! I appreciate reading some thoughts of which I haven't considered. I will say that Brady is not mobile, but you would be surprised as to how well he navigates the pocket. 38 year old Brady is more mobile in the pocket than 37 year old Brady which often is never the case. It is something that Patriots fans will tell you he "re-added" to his game at 38 years old.

As far as Rodgers goes, I believe that a non-mobile Rodgers is comparable to Tom Brady yet I think the lack of mobility has further implications then just not being able to move. Psychologically, his game is altered, what his gut tells him to do... he can no longer do. Therefore he is fighting with his instincts which probably played a larger role than most would think.

You are correct too, the Seahawks did what they were expected to do against sub-par quarterbacks... CRUSH THEM! haha. But my point is more in the fact that Brady will force this defense to be perfect to win. The margin for error is greatly shrunk when facing an elite QB.

The Seahawks Defense practices against a pretty shifty Quarterback on a Weekly basis.
Who are the Patriots going to get for practice, that will mimic Russell Wilson?

 

[Rob12]

Your #1 point is just silly. This defense has more than proven themselves against elite QBs.

Actually the Seahawks are only 3-2 against top level quarterbacks this season...(counting this last weekend)

That means absolutely NOTHING come February 1, 2015.

Nothing.

This is a different team, and I can tell you don't watch the Seahawks very much.

 

[Hawkee]

Bottom line: admittedly we had a bad game against Green Bay (maybe we were due?), but still found a way to win. Now that it is out of the way, it can be interpreted as a wake-up call and, moving forward, shouldn't happen again.

 

[FlyingGreg]

You can point and counterpoint all day long. We don't get "nervous". This team has proven over and over again it will rise to the challenge.

Also, the lead up to the last Super Bowl all we heard was there was no way our defense could slow the greatest offense in the known universe. We beat them blind.

I'm not saying this game will resemble that one. I expect a close game in the 20s. Pats will score points.

But we have an innate ability to take offense's strengths away.

I'd ask you this, because you seem to understand the game and you are a rare rational opposing fan: what makes you nervous about us?

 

[SoCalSeahawk]

So the real question would be:

WHAT MAKES NEW ENGLAND DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHER TEAMS?

Nerf Footballs.

 

[kearly]

Slow clap for DohBoy.

The Zima obsession never gets old.

 

[WilsonMVP]

First of all I get tired of reading Greenbay's O didnt play well and thats the reason Seattle was able to win the game... Thats untrue... GB scored 22 points against the best D in the league on the road yeah that 22 points could have been a lot more but lets remember Seattle has the best D in the league and greenbay learned that again...the reason GB lost that game was because Seattle has a clutch offense and they got it done when they had to... The fact that the national media or GB fans wants to take that away from seattle is a misrepresentation of the truth... :roll:


The keys to the game are the same as it is almost every week

1. stop the run

2. Put pressure on the QB- thats the other thing that gets me people think because Seattle doesnt lead the league in sacks that they dont put pressure on the QB... they do put a lot of pressure on opposing QB's in the form of hurries and harassment just not as many sacks...

3. Get the beast going


4. Dont turn the ball over...


if the Hawks do that it doesnt matter what NE does...



LTH

They didnt play well. Rodgers had 2 INTS of his own,

Their first FG they got the ball on the SEA 19 because of an interception
Their 2nd FG they got the ball on the SEA 23 because of Baldwin fumbling on the kickoff
Their TD drive started on the GB 44. Not going to make excuses for the D they let up but once again GB was almost at mid field
Their 3rd FG to make it 16-0 we punted and they returned it to the Seattle 33


So lets see....3 out of their 4 first scores they started at the Seattle 33 or closer. That is basically unheard of.

4th FG they had a nice drive that went from the GB25 to the Seattle 30
5th FG...obv to tie the game..I feel like we let them have some easier passes and just didnt want to get burned for the TD.