It’s Seahawks vs. Patriots Redux. There are tons of great storylines. Let’s check them out …
Sam Darnold is getting all kinds of well-deserved kudos for how he has rebounded from terrible situations in his first five seasons. Christian McCaffrey was teammates with him both in Carolina and San Francisco and calls him “one of my best friends and also an incredible player.” Josh Allen doesn’t usually watch the Super Bowl, but he will Sunday because he and Darnold (fellow 2018 first-round picks) are very good friends.
This is being called the Ron Wolf Bowl because the general managers of the two teams learned under the legendary Packers GM. John Schneider’s Packers history is well documented, and he has talked again this past week about how Ron Wolf gave him his first shot. The Patriots, meanwhile, have been built by Eliot Wolf, Ron’s son.
Mike Macdonald has the best defense in the NFL because his players believe in his brilliance. As Julian Love said, “He’s second to none, in my mind.” Macdonald has morphed his defense from what he ran in Baltimore — because he has a stellar line and two incredibly versatile defensive backs, Devon Witherspoon and Nick Emmanwori.
Macdonald apparently would be the first defensive play caller to win a Super Bowl.
Klint Kubiak has eyes on the prize even as the Raiders await his arrival next week. Of the interview process, he said, “It was really easy because I didn’t spend any extra time on it.”
Kubiak is great at play action; from 12 personnel, the Hawks average 13 yards per play.
The Seahawks seem to have the edge on both sides of the ball. Big key for the offense is to not fall into a bunch of third-and-longs. The defense obviously needs to contain Drake Maye and not get burned on play action.
One of the great stories is seeing Seattle’s veteran D-linemen finally make the Super Bowl. That’s Jarran Reed (a 2016 Seattle draft pick), Leonard Williams and DeMarcus Lawrence. Reed was with the Chiefs in 2021, when they lost to Cincinnati in the AFC title game.
Williams talked about all the advice he has gotten over the years from his father-in-law, Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott.
Emmanwori is having a coming-out party as a rookie, and Patriots OC Josh McDaniels is among those who have taken notice. “We have to account for him on every snap. He’s a damn good payer and he has a really bright future.”
Ernest Jones IV is the quarterback of the defense, and he and Macdonald have developed a keen bond that helps the defense function smoothly. They also both have toddlers and commiserate about fatherhood.
CHAWK TALK: Everything being said about the Seahawks 