For the 49ers, the turnaround came when they decided to turn to their young quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, to lead their dismal offense. This upgraded them from a conservative west-coast offense that relied heavily on Frank Gore and check-downs, to one that now boasts on option run attack and a quarterback who can make all the short throws as well as being able to push the ball further down the field, which was something they lacked with the below average arm strength of Alex Smith.
Another factor that improved their offensive threat was the continued emergence of Michael Crabtree, who posted over 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in his 4 year career, as well as hauling in a career-best 9 touchdowns. The dramatic rise of Crabtree was, in part, orchestrated by the promotion of Colin Kaepernick, which suddenly gave the 49ers extensive room to move the ball vertically. This change forced Crabtree into becoming a greater part of the passing attack and took some of the workload off veteran tight-end, Vernon Davis. This amount of player depth allowed Kaepernick to not only have two premier targets in the passing game, but also threaten defenses with his ability to take off and run with the ball when the play broke down.
When you pair this with one of the most dominant defensive units in the league you have a team that can utterly dominate their opponents. Their defense boasts the frightening linebacking group of Patrick Willis, Navarro Bowman, Aldon Smith, and Ahmad Brooks. This fearsome group is arguably the best in the NFL, not only can they put a stop to the run game but they also have the flexibility to play extensively in nickel packages and stay on the field for three downs. Not to mention that Aldon Smith is one of the emerging pass rushers in the NFL, consistently applying tremendous pressure on quarterbacks. All of these factors contributed to San Francisco ranking 4th in yards allowed in rushing at 94.2 per game, and 4th in passing yards allowed per game with 200.2. They also ranked 2nd in the league in points conceded per game, only conceding 17.1. This was backed up even further by the sacks and interceptions they compiled; 38 sacks and 14 picks. With all of this in the same unit you have a truly dominating defense that can take the ball away as well as forcing opposing teams to punt frequently. This gives Kaepernick increased opportunities to run his offense and develop as a player. Next year promises to be a truly outstanding one for the 49ers with all this talent on both sides of the ball.
On the other side of this equation are the Seattle Seahawks, until recently a relatively weak team with a dysfunctional offense and a defense that was mediocre. However, over the past year they have established themselves as one of the powerhouses of the NFC through their excellent defensive performance and efficient offense run by the talented Russell Wilson. Wilson managed to transform their offense into one that boasted multiple threats on the ground and in the air.
The dramatic change to their offensive fortunes was powered by the arrival of Russell Wilson and the continued dominance of running back Marshawn Lynch. Wilson posted exceptional statistics for a rookie, even managing to rival the sensational performances of Andrew Luck and RG3, and actually provided some competition in the rookie of the year vote (claimed by Redskin's standout Robert Griffin III). He did this by posting 3118 yards, 26 touchdowns and only 10 interceptions, an outstanding year for someone who was originally charted to be the back up for Matt Flynn, and, even after claiming the starting job, was heavily criticised for his diminutive stature. This didn't stop him from taking Seattle by storm and leading the Seahawks easily into the playoffs, where they were unfortunately ousted by Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons. Although many said this was a disappointing end to a Cinderella season, they should be extremely happy with how their season played out, and look ahead to improving over the off season to aid their efforts to reach a Superbowl.
Marshawn Lynch had an outstanding year. Running for 1590 yards and 11 touchdowns, he has steadily improved over the past few years in Seattle and managed to establish himself as one of the top 5 running backs in the NFL. As a player he consistently wears down defenses with his brute force and physicality, whilst also possessing the ability to run past them with his deceptive speed (especially for someone of his size). This creates an effective tandem with Russell Wilson when they employ the option offense, as Wilson possesses the speed and agility to get past defenders, while Lynch just bowls right through them. With the addition of Percy Harvin from the Vikings, they have managed to upgrade their receiving core even more and take some of the defensive attention away from their other major threat, Golden Tate. This means that Wilson now has even more potential weapons with which to work with and continue to vertically stretch opposing defenses.
On the defensive side of the ball the Seahawks have possibly the most impressive secondary in the NFL, led by Richard Sherman, Brandon Browner, Kam Chancellor, and Earl Thomas. Sherman and Browner have the ability to shut down any wide receiver in the NFL due to their ability to play one-on-one man coverage. This means that no extra defenders are needed to help defend the receiver, allowing for exotic defensive schemes and blitz packages to be used to create pressure on the quarterback. Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor are arguably one of the best pairings at the safety positions in the NFL. Chancellor roams around the line of scrimmage and provides vital run support with his superb tackling ability. Combined with his impressive hitting power that forces fumbles and creates turnover opportunities, he is a force to be reckoned with. He also possesses the ability to drop back in coverage and defend the deep ball, which adds another aspect to his game and makes him even more versatile. On the other side of the field, Earl Thomas provides the ball-hawking ability from the free safety position. As well as being a proficient tackler, he is the safety that I believe can be most like the iconic Ed Reed. He has all the abilities and just needs to improve his knowledge of how offenses work in order to be able to read the quarterback and anticipate his throws. If he can do this, it should lead to him being able to improve upon his rather underwhelming tally of 3 interceptions in 2012.
With all of these different factors and outstanding players being piled onto the same pitch twice a year fans should see some truly memorable moments. Whether it is Kaepernick being pursued by a ravenous Seahawks defense or Marshawn Lynch bowling through Patrick Willis and Navarro Bowman there is much enjoyment to be had for any fans of the sport. All the hype surrounding these two games, as well as the rivalry between the teams, combined with the possibility that they may ultimately decide who clinches the division title and avoids a wildcard game adds up to make these games ones that fans will definitely not want to miss.
No comments:
Post a Comment