Quarterback
Two great ones in my opinion, but for different reasons. There's not much to say about Tom Brady, except that the guy is playing in his 6th Super Bowl, and he's a future 1st ballot hall of famer. While Russell Wilson isn't there (yet, in my opinion), he's still great in his own right. He won the Super Bowl last year, in only his second NFL season, doesn't make many mistakes, and oh yeah, almost ran for 1000 yards this year. I think his ability to run will keep the Patriots on their toes, but experience at this point outweighs almost anything else. Reluctantly:
EDGE - Patriots
Running Backs
This is a no brainer. Marshawn Lynch, although a complete clown-ass, is clearly the best running back in the game. His nickname is "beast-mode" for a reason. Don't sleep on LeGarrette Blount, though. At almost 250lbs, he's capable of putting a hurting on defenses. Just ask the Colts. The thing with him too is that he's fairly fresh, considering how little he played in the regular season (Steelers & Patriots). Yet, with all that being said:
EDGE - Seahawks
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Much like the running backs, there's no debate here. Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman are head and shoulders above Seattle's receiving corps. Doug Baldwin can be pretty good for the Seahawks, but they don't rely solely on 1 or 2 guys the way New England does. Easy call.
EDGE - Patriots
Offensive Line
I'm not going to pretend that I pay attention to offensive lines much, if at all (unless Eli Manning is getting whacked too often). But after looking at some stats, New England appears to be better at protecting the quarterback. They gave up 26 sacks compared to 42 by Seattle. Keep in mind, though, that these teams are polar opposites, in that the Seahawks ran for 1000 more yards then the Patriots, and the Pats threw for almost 1000 more yards than the Hawks. But the team that can keep their quarterback's jersey cleanest usually has the upper hand.
EDGE - Patriots
Defensive Line
This is a tough one for me too, because unless there's a stud pass-rusher, I tend to neglect the d-line. Both teams have guys that can stuff the run and get after the passer. So to me, this one comes down to which team was better at stopping the run, since it all starts at the line of scrimmage. Seattle gave up close to 400 fewer yards, and held teams to 3.4 yards per carry, compared to New England's 4.0. Numbers don't lie.
EDGE - Seahawks
Linebackers
My first instinct was to give this category to Seattle, but I forgot just how good Jamie Collins is for New England. He's a true all-around linebacker, but really excels in coverage. Dont'a Hightower is good too, but the group of Bruce Irvin, Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright, to me, is a better "unit". Wright and Wagner combined for 211 tackles themselves. Not many running backs or receivers get past this group.
(slight) EDGE - Seahawks
Secondary
This one should be a no brainer. Seattle is famous for it's secondary, which is referred to as "The Legion of Boom". Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas are possibly the best players at their positions, and Kam Chancellor (a safety with a linebacker's body) isn't too shabby either. However, New England sports Darrelle Revis, Brandon Browner (former Seahawk), Patrick Chung and Devin McCourty. Revis is in the discussion with Sherman for best corner, and McCourty isn't that far behind Thomas for top safety. Plus, you have to give New England's group a slight boost considering the injuries to Sherman and Thomas. This one was tough.
EDGE - Tie (only because of the injuries)
Special Teams
Only the Patriots scored on a punt/kick return (1), and only Seattle gave up a touchdown (1). That doesn't mean very much at all. This comes down to field position, and the Patriots average more yards per return on both kicks and punts. On top of that, Stephen Gostkowski only missed 2 field goals compared to Steven Hauschka's 6. Again, numbers don't lie.
EDGE - Patriots
If my math is right, that would be 4 edges to 3 in favor of your Super Bowl champion, New England Patriots. Hmm, that doesn't feel right. I'm gonna' go with Seattle instead. I just think their defense will be able to get after Tom Brady and make him uncomfortable all game long. Also, I can see Russell Wilson scrambling around for some big gains. And even if New England puts a spy on him to contain his running, that's 1 less defender he has to worry about in coverage.
Gee, I guess I did have a gut feeling after all. Good thing I spent all that time breaking down positional units.
Seattle 20 New England 16
Enjoy the game everyone!
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