Super Bowl 2015: Good News/Bad News for New England Patriots
Let’s hope that Super Sunday proves to indeed be super.
The New England Patriots are in the Big Game for the sixth time in 14 years. But they haven’t hoisted the Lombardi Trophy since defeating the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX (2004).
Can Bill Belichick’s team dethrone the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks?
We’ll give you the good news and bad news regarding New England’s chances this weekend.
The Good News:
While the Patriots had to rally from a pair of 14-point deficits to knock off the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Divisional Playoffs, they had no such problems in their latest rout of the Indianapolis Colts.
Led by running back LeGarrette Blount, New England rolled up 177 yards rushing on 40 carries against the AFC South champions. That enabled quarterback Tom Brady to complete 23 of his 35 attempts for 226 yards and three scores. The Pats’ signal-caller was picked off once but was only sacked once by the Indianapolis defense.
Meanwhile, the Colts were limited to 209 total yards in the 45-7 loss, quite a bounce back performance for a New England defensive unit that allowed more than twice as many yards (428) and 31 points to the Ravens a week earlier.
It’s that defense that has not gotten enough attention this season. It’s a group that will try and put the clamps on the league’s No. 1 rushing attack. A year ago, only two teams in the league allowed more yards on the ground. In 2014, the Patriots ranked ninth in the NFL in rushing defense. And a team that allowed at least 20 points in seven of their first 10 games this season has limited six of its last eight opponents (including playoffs) to 17 points or less.
The Bad News:
If the Patriots aren’t able to run the football against the Seattle defense, could Brady be in trouble if he’s forced to throw the football more than 40 times in this game?
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We all know that the “Legion of Boom” would like nothing better than to smother New England’s wideouts while each takes a turn covering All-World tight end Rob Gronkowski. The Pats had six players catch at least 25 passes this season and among them, “Gronk” was second on the team with 82 receptions. But the five-year pro also led the team with 1,124 receiving yards and 12 touchdown grabs. And his 13.7 yards per catch led the team among players who caught 10 or more passes.
What’s the point? Wideouts Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola don’t stretch the field. Brandon LaFell could be a nice option and he did finish second on the club in receiving yards (953) and touchdown catches (7).
However, if the Pats’ much-improved offensive line can’t open up some holes for Blount and company, there could be a scoring drought in the desert.
Synopsis:
Ever since that 2-2 start, the New England Patriots have played consistent football and lost only two games (at Green Bay and the home season finale when they rested players against the Buffalo Bills). Their defense doesn’t get enough attention but has come a long way in short time. Keep an eye on Edelman and Gronkowski and keep in mind that there has never been a punt return for a touchdown in a Super Bowl and that a tight end has never been named the game’s MVP. But if the Pats are to dethrone the champion Seahawks, they may have to take a Blount approach.