THE SEAHAWKS ARE GOING TO THE SUPER BOWL! It’s been almost a week since that phrase became a reality and yet that joy, especially for this long-suffering Seattle sports fan, has not worn off yet. Despite such a game that displayed all things that make football fun to watch, a lot of the media attention following the game has been on cornerback Richard Sherman and his post-game interview. It would be a disservice to the game and the players if we didn’t talk what happened on the field – one of the best games I’ve had the pleasure to watch!
There were so many gems, so many layers to it – where to start? In the spirit of the upcoming award season, let’s give out some!
Most Ineffective Performance by a Running Back: Frank Gore
Knowing the type of offense these teams have, it was common knowledge that whichever team won the running game would be NFC Champions. So for San Francisco, it was necessary for Gore to step up. But in his third game this season against Seattle, it was unclear which Gore would make an appearance. Would it be the Gore early in the season that played in Seattle, one of his worst games with nine carries for 16 yards (averaging 1.8 yards)? Or maybe it would be Gore late in the season who played in San Francisco and put up his second best rushing numbers of the season, with 17 carries for 110 yards (averaging 6.5 yards per carry), which included a 51-yard run in the fourth quarter that sealed a Seattle loss. Instrumental in the 49ers’ two playoff wins, the Seahawks knew that Gore could be the 49ers’ “X factor.”
But instead, Gore ended up being a nonfactor in San Francisco’s running game, held to only 14 yards on 11 carries (averaging 1.3 yards). Every time he touched the ball, a Seattle defender stopped any gain. With the Gore of week 2 showing up, that ended any chance for Gore of any sort to make another Super Bowl appearance.
Best Performance by a Running Back: Marshawn Lynch
Any time Lynch rushes 90+ yards, the Seahawks’ chance for victory increases exponentially. San Francisco’s defense was tight throughout the whole game, but Pete Carroll was patient and stuck to the run game. One such opportunity for a mini-“Beast Quake” to spark the offense came in the third quarter when Lynch finally squeezed his way through the 49ers’ wall of defenders and ran 40 yards past four defenders to score the Seahawks’ first TD. On the game, his ninth this season (regular and post) going more than 90 yards, he ran for 109 yards with 22 carries, numbers that almost mirrored his totals in the playoff game against the New Orleans Saints.
Best Moment by a Defender Not Named Richard Sherman: Kam Chancellor
Though a two-time Pro Bowler, Chancellor can be overshadowed by his more bombastic Legion of Boom brethren – particularly Sherman and Earl Thomas. But like Sherman and Thomas, there is nothing secondary about his contribution to the defense.
After the Seahawks failed to convert in the red zone in the fourth quarter – a squandered gift by the quick hands of Cliff Avril that forced Kaepernick to fumble and Michael Bennett to recover the ball and stop at the San Francisco 6-yard line – the 49ers got possession and they were looking to either tie the game or take the lead with a TD since there was eight minutes left and they were down by a field goal (FG).
But Chancellor had other plans. He stopped the 49ers’ first down drive, limiting them to only an 11-yard gain. Then on the next play, he picked off Kaepernick’s short left pass intended for Anquan Boldin at the San Francisco 40-yard line. Kaepernick previously got away with that exact play against the Packers, but with Chancellor as a 6’3” safety, he easily grabbed the ball like a receiver, giving Seattle possession and allowing the Seahawks to kill some clock and score a FG to go up by six points.
Most Inconsistent: Colin Kaepernick
While Kaepernick’s passing game has been highly scrutinized this season, there’s no denying his running ability. He’s 6’4” with a long stride and moves with the agility of a basketball guard – just look at that mid-air 26-yard TD pass to Boldin in the third quarter. When Kaepernick couldn’t get any drives going by passing off the ball, he ran himself. He was the 49ers’ top rusher with 11 carries for 130 yards (averaging 11.8 yards), which included a 58-yard run that set up a TD in the second quarter.
To Kaepernick’s credit, it was his ability to make plays that kept the game close. But to his detriment, it was also Kaepernick’s three turnovers (two interceptions and a fumble) that prevented the 49ers from extending drives – though more credit should be given to the Seattle defense than blame on Kaepernick’s choices on the field. For a guy who shrugged off judgment of his passing skills and on how he deals with pressure in the pocket, whether he’s a sustainable starting QB has yet to be decided. Taking his team to a second Super Bowl would’ve been the ideal way to silence the naysayers, but he and the 49ers will have to wait until next year.
Mr. Reliable: Steven Hauschka
Hauschka is an underrated kicker and an important part of the Seahawk squad. As we learned from the playoff game against the Saints and their kicker Shayne Graham, a well-placed kick is not a given. Graham missed two FGs in that game, while Hauschka has missed only two FGs all season. He’s 33 of 35, with a season-long being 53 yards (one yard shy of his career-long, 54 yards) and has an accuracy of 94.3% on the season, 86% on his career.
During the NFC Championship game, Hauschka had two FGs and two extra points. In addition to his eight points, he played a role by not kicking as well. In the fourth quarter, with the Seahawks trailing by four points, it was Hauschka’s astute assessment of the wind that the 35-yard FG attempt was unwise. That allowed the Seahawks to set up their second TD from Russell Wilson to Jermaine Kearse. Hauschka never passed up a FG before, but if not for that decision, maybe the Seahawks wouldn’t be on their way to New Jersey next week.
MVP Nominees: The 12th Man, Richard Sherman, Russell Wilson…
Who would you name as the MVP of the NFC Championship game?
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