Bell: Patriots face unique test in Seahawks running game
PHOENIX -- Someone asked Chandler Jones to describe the big challenge that will confront the New England Patriots defense in Super Bowl XLIX, and it resonated to such a degree that the rangy defensive end felt the urge to repeat his response for emphasis.
This is what can happen when there's a backfield with Marshawn Lynch and Russell Wilson.
"You have a guy that actually runs 100-plus yards as a quarterback and another guy that can go 100-plus yards as a running back," Jones said. "That's very dangerous. That's very dangerous."
Yes, he said it twice.
Very dangerous.
That's an apt assessment when considering that no running back in football gains more yards after contact than Lynch, and that Wilson is the NFL's most lethal running quarterback since Michael Vick.
The Patriots beefed up their defense this season, which has gone a long way toward the mission to win the franchise's first Super Bowl in a decade.
But New England has not seen a running game quite like this all season – with Lynch's power running and Wilson's deft scrambling complemented by a the sleight-of-hand elements of a zone-read offense that adds a profound layer of difficulty.
Of all the key factors that could swing Super Bowl XLIX – including the impact of Rob Gronkowski and the effect that Earl Thomas' health could have on the Legion of Boom – the difference could be determined by how well the Patriots can handle the Seahawks' rushing game.
"Over the course of the game, you can kind of see the way the game is going," defensive tackle Vince Wilfork said. "When you have Russell Wilson and Marshawn in the backfield together, you have to make sure you account for both of them and I think that's what we have to do. We just can't say he is going to hand it off all the time or he is going to keep it all the time. I think there has to be a balance. I think everybody has got to do a good job on their assignments."
Easier said than done, with the confusing element that the zone-read scheme presents with split-second decisions and a quarterback with explosive acceleration.
Wilfork, who typically draws double-team blocking, will be key because winning matchups in the middle can blow up the design of the plays.
Still, the discipline needed to remain true to defensive principles will be huge against the NFL's top-ranked rushing game.
That means staying in the inside gaps and containing the edges, while at the same time covering for the split-second decisions that can result in pitchouts. It will take team defense, including gang tackling and run-support from the physical cornerbacks, Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner.
All of that has proven to be more difficult against Seattle, especially in the red zone. According to ESPN, its NFL-high 11 red-zone rushing TDs was nearly twice as many as No. 2 Philadelphia produced (6).
The Patriots had the ninth-ranked TKKTK in the league, and were consistent in the sense that it kept long rushing plays to a minimum. During the regular season, New England allowed just two runs of 20 yards.
Still, New England had limited exposure against zone-read attacks. And the Baltimore Ravens gashed the Patriots for 136 rushing yards in the AFC divisional playoffs.
Now comes Wilson and Lynch, who burned the Green Bay Packers for 157 rushing yards.
If the Patriots don't contain those weapons, it will make for a long day in Super Bowl XLIX.
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Follow Jarrett Bell on Twitter @JarrettBell