2014 NFL Playoffs Thread

[Senator Clay Davis]

Seattle doesn't need to disguise. They have the #1 thing you need to beat Peyton Manning, or Tom Brady, or any upper echelon QB: The ability to get pressure with four guys only. If Seattle can get pressure with just its front four all day Sunday, its going to be a blowout for the Seahawks. An elite secondary with front four pressure is almost unbeatable.

[darklord700]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

If Seattle can get pressure with just its front four all day Sunday, its going to be a blowout for the Seahawks. An elite secondary with front four pressure is almost unbeatable.

If you can get to Manning with just 4 up front, sure, it doesn't look pretty for Denver. But that's a big if.

The main trick to beat Manning is not to blitz too much. Manning will pick you apart if he can see the blitz coming.

[corporatejay]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Seattle doesn't need to disguise. They have the #1 thing you need to beat Peyton Manning, or Tom Brady, or any upper echelon QB: The ability to get pressure with four guys only. If Seattle can get pressure with just its front four all day Sunday, its going to be a blowout for the Seahawks. An elite secondary with front four pressure is almost unbeatable.

I was just going to post this. Peyton has ZERO mobility. He's going to have about 4 seconds at most so if the secondary can hold the fort for that long he's going to have a long day.

[Displaced Flames fan]

Those 4 DL play every down? I hope they're ready to. Seattle won't be able to do much subbing on D.

Seattle was 18th in the league in sacks this year. I realize the sack isn't the only statistic to quantify pressure with, but when you're going up against an offensive line that doesn't give up many sacks I think it is a relevant ranking to bring up.

Manning's been sacked 18 times in 18 games.

[corporatejay]

Originally Posted by Displaced Flames fan

Those 4 DL play every down? I hope they're ready to. Seattle won't be able to do much subbing on D.

I think that's where Peyton's experience is going to come in handy. The ability to basically run no huddle is a huge advantage. The reason the Seahawks have been able to get so much pressure rushing 4 because they have (imo) 6 legit starters on the defensive line and I know they've moved Irvin to OLB but he can come up and play the end if necessary so everyone is always fresh. If Peyton is running the hurry-up they're going to get tired really fast.

[SuperMatt18]

Those expecting Seattle's front four to dominate are also under rating Denver Offensive Line.

0 sacks and 1 QB hit so far in the playoffs.

Also led the league in Sacks and were 3rd in QB hits in the regular season.

They know how to protect Payton, and Payton also knows when to get rid of the ball.

[corporatejay]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Those expecting Seattle's front four to dominate are also under rating Denver Offensive Line.

0 sacks and 1 QB hit so far in the playoffs.

Also led the league in Sacks and were 3rd in QB hits in the regular season.

They know how to protect Payton, and Payton also knows when to get rid of the ball.

Peyton can get rid of the ball because receivers are open. I'm not saying it's a cake walk, what I'm saying is that the way to beat elite QBs is to be able to get pressure rushing four so you can drop 7 into coverage. Peyton is so good because he picks up the blitz and schemes and knows where the defense is going to be exposed when the LBs or Safetys come up to rush.

[Displaced Flames fan]

Originally Posted by corporatejay

Peyton can get rid of the ball because receivers are open. I'm not saying it's a cake walk, what I'm saying is that the way to beat elite QBs is to be able to get pressure rushing four so you can drop 7 into coverage. Peyton is so good because he picks up the blitz and schemes and knows where the defense is going to be exposed when the LBs or Safetys come up to rush.

He knows where the defense is going to be exposed on every play. It doesn't have anything to do with whether the defense is blitzing. The blitzing defenses just provide an opportunity for a huge result.

This will be the hardest game Seattle's defense has played all year.

[Senator Clay Davis]

^ Well its a two way street right? Its gonna be the toughest game for both the Denver offense and the Seattle defense. Thats what makes this such a great matchup on paper. Really the unit this game will be decided with is Seattle's offense. If they perform like they have the last few weeks they are in trouble. If they perform like they did in October and November it will be tough for Denver.

[Wood]

Like I said before Seattle's defense is elite, but Denver's offensive line, QB, WRs and HBs all match up well against them

If Denver's D can keep playing the way they have so far in the playoffs, Russell Wilson's going to need to step up or Denver has the upper hand on both sides of the ball IMO

[M*A*S*H 4077]

To me the Superbowl is largely going to come down to two things. Russell Wilson and the Broncos' OL. I think it's safe to assume that as far as the Seahawks are concerned that their defense and Marshawn Lynch will show up and be ready to play. Their defense will make plays, Peyton Manning will make plays. If the Broncos' line can give Manning enough time it is impossible to cover receivers with the rules as they are, no matter how good you are. In addition, if the Broncos' line can open running lanes for Moreno it could be a long game for the Seahawks.

Wilson will need to make the simple play and play smart to move the ball on offense. Lynch will run hard but there should be plays to be had against the Broncos' secondary.

[M*A*S*H 4077]

Originally Posted by Displaced Flames fan

I hope they don't disguise. Plays right into Manning's hands.

I'm not sure this plays into Manning's hands anymore than it plays into any other QBs. The Seahawks play their coverages well and they play it on every play. If you're going to beat them you are going to beat them playing how they want to play on defense. They don't let the offense dictate how they are going to play their coverages. They don't care if you know their coverages or their weaknesses, you better be able to execute better than they can (I think that's where Manning has the advantage, he can execute better than any QB they've played this year).

[Sylvanfan]

Denver is unique because they do have a lot of weapons to play with Manning. Decker, Thomas, and Welker is as good a trio of WR as there is in the NFL with or without Manning. Than add in a TE like Julius Thomas and that is 4 options for him. Seattle does have good cover guys the linebacker positions, but with the weapons Denver has, they can always find an advantage in the matchup. Plus as the drive gets longer with that no huddle, they can start really exploiting match ups.

[browna]

Difference in Seattle's defense over last year is that Seattle has 3 guys that can rush, last year it was Clemons only. Avril and Bennett have made the defense better, forcing quicker decisions by QB's already leery to throw to Seattle's secondary, With Irvin roaming around now, and the continued emergence of Wagner and Wright, this Seattle defense has gotten this team to where it is this season, without question.

They may not get to Manning, but they'll rush him into having to make consistently quick throws. Manning already gets rid of the ball quick since the neck injury, and the Broncos have loaded up on the line to protect him for that reason.

But with guys like Wagner, Wright and Irvin, you have big strong guys in the middle, but are athletic enough as well to be able to cover the underneath stuff much better than most LB's. Graham for example, had only a few catches a couple weeks ago; the Seattle LB's and corners (when he went wide) shut down Brees' #1 target. Denver has more weapons for sure, thoough without having to worry about spying on Manning, Seattle's LB, if they read things correctly, will be able to run/cover/be physical with any sort of combination of Denver receivers, in addition of course with the CB and Safeties locking their guys down.

If Manning can figure the Seattle defense out consistently over the course of the game (Seattle's defense does bend, but rarely breaks in so far as big plays..stopping SF on the first series after the fumble meant that at the end of the game last week, assuming the dynamics stay the same for the 57 following minutes, (they don't) SF needed a TD rather than kick the FG (that they were in position for) to win)

If any QB can do it in the history of the game, it's Manning.....then he's full credit for beating them.

No question Wilson is going to have to step up his game..he's made the plays when he's needed to, but I haven't seen a "great" game from him in over 2 months, whereas the last half of last year, he was the one carrying the team. He owes it to the defense.

[rubecube]

The key to this game will be the Denver run defense. I found this interesting:

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blo...denver-defense

While the Seahawks (read Lynch) broke a tackle better than once every four outside carries (second best in the league behind Detroit, 3.4) the Broncos missed a tackle on more than one in five carries, fourth-worst in the league. That they were able to have such a high stop rate and keep the yards per carry so low shows how well they rally to the ball, but they won’t want to give Lynch a chance on Sunday by missing on the first shot.

[19Yzerman19]

If you needed another reason to hate Richard Sherman, here he is all buddy buddy with none other than ALEX BURROWS.
http://video.canucks.nhl.com/videoce...550790&lang=en

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by 19Yzerman19

If you needed another reason to hate Richard Sherman, here he is all buddy buddy with none other than ALEX BURROWS.
http://video.canucks.nhl.com/videoce...550790&lang=en

That's it! Broncos it is! Go Peyton!

[Howie_16]

Originally Posted by 19Yzerman19

If you needed another reason to hate Richard Sherman, here he is all buddy buddy with none other than ALEX BURROWS.
http://video.canucks.nhl.com/videoce...550790&lang=en

This is easily the worst part of being a Seahawks fan. Sharing your team with Cannots fans.

[Blaster86]

Originally Posted by Howie_16

Sharing your team with Cannots fans.

Hey, buddy!

[browna]

Been very interesting watching what the media focuses on this week. Obviously more in tune due to my favorite team in there. Mikes in front of Sherman, at every opportunity and almost disappointingly (for the media), he hasn't given the media what they've wanted, another adrenaline fueled smack talk, like post game 11 days ago.

He's come across and normal, well spoken, thoughtful and, yes, confident...as he is 95% of the time off the field.

The big story, not surprising to Seahawk fans, has been the hubbub over Lynch. He doesn't talk to the press week to week, and the Seahawks press doesn't really worry. Someone in the press corps did complain and he got fined $50k near the end of the year.

Thrust into the spotlight, he spends 6 minutes at media day, then comes back as a wallflower before Sanders gets a hold of him. Good points he made; no one wins anything by just talking. That prompted the Profootball Writers of America to start sniveling over that and formally complain to the NFL (press day has guys giving interviews in George Washington and Bee costumes) about his lack of appearance.

Yesterday with the second set of media rounds, he says he's there only because he doesn't want to get fined, and looked visibly uncomfortable, though Michael Robinson beside him.

Today, he talked a bit more, saying he likes Cable because Cable punched an assistant while in Oakland, and questioned why the media thinks they are a conduit to the fans when the fans don't care if they hear from a guy like him or not.

But, the handwringing over him not talking was borderline silly. He doesn't want to talk, he's forced to in the league, but his play does the talking...and his teammates support that. Spewing cliches is not his thing. Plus, there are what, 100 other players and numerous coaches at media day? Journalists would find those other stories (Jon Ryan's and Luke Willson's Canadian connections for example) rather then chasing and chastising one player.

Not a lot of smack talk between teams, as you'd expect. Both are class organizations with respect for the other team and their ability to get to this point, and not a lot of bombastic personalities.

Of course, after the media commitments for teams was done for the week today, Kaepernick decided to spew sour grapes over Sherman, talking about if he threw the ball a foot further, Sherman would be the goat, and that Sherman was scared of SF receivers, and that Sherman was disrespectful in talking about himself in the interview. Also, Manning was going to easily decimate the Seahawks secondary...this coming from a QB who's lost 3 of 4 games in his career to Seattle and thrown over half of his interceptions this year to Seattle players...and as far as respect goes, a week earlier mocked Newton in the Divisional game.