SeahawksSeattle

SUPER BOWL XLIX

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS vs. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

Date Opp. W/L Score

Sept. 4 Packers W 36-16

Sept. 14 Chargers L 21-30

Sept. 21 Broncos W 26-20

Oct. 6 Redskins W 27-17

Oct. 12 Cowboys L 23-30

Oct. 19 Rams L 26-28

Oct. 26 Panthers W 13-9

Nov. 2 Raiders W 30-24

Nov. 9 Giants W 38-17

Nov. 16 Chiefs L 20-24

Nov. 23 Cardinals W 19-3

Nov. 27 49ers W 19-3

Dec. 7 Eagles W 24-14

Dec. 14 49ers W 17-7

Dec. 21 Cardinals W 35-6

Dec. 28 Rams W 20-6

PLAYOFFS

Jan. 10 Panthers W 31-17

Jan. 18 Packers W 28-22*

*overtime

THE ROAD

Record: 14-4, NFC West champs

SEAHAWKS’ STATS

Team leadersOFFENSE

PASSING

Russell Wilson3,952 passing yards24 touchdowns11 interceptions

RUSHING YARDS

Marshawn Lynch1,522 rushing yards14 touchdowns

RECEIVING YARDS

Doug Baldwin969 receiving yards75 receptions4 touchdowns

Combines regular season and postseason stats

DEFENSE

TACKLES

K.J. Wright79 tackles40 assist2 sacks

SACKS

Michael Bennett7 sacks

Combines regular season and postseason stats

INTERCEPTIONS Richard Sherman 6 total

Team totals

POINTS TOTALYARDS

PASSINGYARDS

RUSHINGYARDS

SEAHAWKS OPPONENTS

TURN-OVERS

TOUCH-DOWNS

375

274205

187 170

87

25.2

16.2

1423

30

51

PER GAME TOTAL

Seattle seeks to become the first repeat winner since the

Patriots managed it a decade ago. A victory would stamp

these Seahawks as an all-time great team, particularly

having beaten Peyton Manning and Tom Brady in successive

Super Bowls. The Seahawks also come off a mediocre perfor-

mance in the NFC title game, which should spur them on.

PLAY SELECTION

58.2

PASS

RUN

Regular season Postseason

percentage

53.646.4 54.8 45.2

NFC

CHAMPS

» Although the Seahawks were not great on special teams this season, they were spectacular in beating

Green Bay. A fake field goal pass for a touchdown by holder Jon Ryan — one of the NFL’s most ac-

curate punters — and an onside kick that kept them alive for

the NFC title won’t be forgotten.

Pete Carroll

» It’s not a major story line, but it should be recognized that Pete Carroll preceded Bill Belichick in New England. He wasn’t a bad coach there, either, going 28-23, but that pales compared to Belichick’s numbers. No team brings more energy to the field than the Seahawks, and it stems from Carroll. He always has the pulse of his team: Carroll saw how Seattle was suffering from a Super Bowl hangover early in the schedule. He not only got the Seahawks to snap out of it, but reach peak form down the stretch.

THE COACH

#3 Russell Wilson5-11, 206, 3rd season, Wisconsin

» Holds NFL record for wins at start of career with 42, including postseason ... Third-round draftee who immedi-ately seized starting job and led Seattle to playoff appear-ances in all three seasons ... Dynamic runner who excels throwing on the run ... Poised in the pocket, very dangerous outside of it ... Played at North Carolina State, then one year at Wisconsin as grad student.

SPECIAL TEAMS

» This will be Seattle’s third Super Bowl appearance, all coming in the past 10 years. The Seahawks are 1-1 in the big game, dropping their first, 21-10, against the Pittsburgh Steel-ers (2005 sea-son). An almost entirely revamped squad returned to the Super Bowl

last season where they hammered Peyton

Manning and the Denver Broncos, 43-8, for the franchise’s first title.

They would join 12 other teams with multiple Super Bowl cham-pionships with a win today.

HISTORY

THE QB

KEY PLAYERSOFFENSE

#24 Marshawn Lynch, RB, 5-11, 215, 8th season, California“Beast Mode” with a penchant for Skittles ... Powerful back with a burst, broke 24-yard touchdown run in NFC title game ... Rushed for 1,306 yards and had career-best 17 total touchdowns this season ... Also a threat as receiver out of backfield.

#89 Doug Baldwin, WR, 5-10, 189, 4th season, StanfordUndrafted out of college, plays with an attitude about it ... Can get deep but is not known for speed. ... Excellent working as slot receiver ... Led team with 66 catches and 825 yards in the regular season. ... Wilson looks for him in key situations.

#15 Jermaine Kearse, WR, 6-1, 209, 3rd season, WashingtonCaught winning TD pass in NFC title game for 35 yards in overtime ... Same distance as his winning touchdown reception in last year’s NFC title game ... Took over sec-ond receiving spot after trade of Percy Harvin. ... Had 38 receptions and 14.1 average per catch.

#82 Luke Willson, TE, 6-5, 252, 2nd season, RiceTook over when Zach Miller was lost for the season due to ankle surgery ... Ability to make big plays in passing game ... Had 80-yard TD at Arizona in Week 16 and touchdown reception in divisional round win over Carolina ... Tendency to drop easy passes at times.

DEFENSE

#72 Michael Bennett, DE, 6-4, 274, 6th season, Texas A&MSeattle’s most important defensive linemen ... Rarely leaves the field after playing in a rotation most of last season ... Led team with seven sacks ... Had 39 tackles in regular season.

#25 Richard Sherman, CB, 6-3, 195, 4th season, StanfordOne of the best cornerbacks in football ... Will play press coverage or lay back and is equally adept ... Hits hard, too, and has improved support in run game ... Needs to be watched if elbow injury suffered in NFC title game will limit him in Super Bowl.

#31 Kam Chancellor, S, 6-3, 232, 5th season, Virginia TechMonster hits mark his game and has learned to do it legally ... Amaz-ing athleticism for player his size ... Had 90-yard interception return for touchdown in divisional round win over Carolina ... Potential matchup with Rob Gronkowski could be pivotal in Super Bowl.

WILLSON

OFFENSE

WR 89 Doug Baldwin; 83 Ricardo Lockette

LT 76 Russell Okung; 78 Alvin Bailey

LG 77 James Carpenter; 78 Alvin Bailey

C 60 Max Unger; 61 Lemuel Jeanpierre; 65 Patrick Lewis

RG 64 J.R. Sweezy; 78 Alvin Bailey; 66 Keavon Milton

RT 68 Justin Britt; 79 Garry Gilliam

TE 82 Luke Willson; 84 Cooper Helfet; 88 Tony Moeaki

WR 15 Jermaine Kearse; 81 Kevin Norwood; 13 Chris Matthews; 19 Bryan Walters

QB 3 Russell Wilson; 7 Tarvaris Jackson

FB 46 Will Tukuafu

RB 24 Marshawn Lynch; 22 Robert Turbin; 33 Christine Michael

DEFENSE LDE 72 Michael Bennett; 95 Demarcus Dobbs; 70 David King

LDT 99 Tony McDaniel; 67 Landon Cohen

RDT 94 Kevin Williams

RDE 56 Cliff Avril; 93 O’Brien Schofield

LOLB 51 Bruce Irvin; 57 Mike Morgan

MLB 54 Bobby Wagner; 52 Brock Coyle

ROLB 50 K.J. Wright; 53 Malcolm Smith

LCB 25 Richard Sherman; 20 Jeremy Lane; 28 Marcus Burley

SS 31 Kam Chancellor; 23 Jeron Johnson

FS 29 Earl Thomas; 35 Deshawn Shead

RCB 41 Byron Maxwell; 27 Tharold Simon

SPECIAL TEAMS K/P 4 Steven Hauschka

H 9 Jon Ryan

LS 49 Clint Gresham

KR 89 Doug Baldwin; 19 Bryan Walters

PR 19 Bryan Walters; 25 Richard Sherman

DEPTH CHART

CHANCELLOR

INFORMATION& PHOTOS FROMASSOCIATED PRESS

The Seahawks won their first playoff game against the Broncos in 1983. Who coached Seattle that season and who eliminated the Seahawks from the playoffs?

TRIVIA

Answer under depth chart

Trivia answer: Chuck Knox and Los Angeles Raiders

TODAY6:30 P.M., NBC

WHEN THE SEAHAWKS HAVE THE BALL

» BEAST MODE. If the Patriots can tame the Beast, they will have a big head start toward a fourth championship since 2001. RB Marshawn Lynch will try to impose his will on a solid but not overwhelming defense. If Lynch is slowed, that leaves the onus for running on QB Russell Wilson.

» RELIABLE RUSSELL? When he throws, Wilson must avoid the interceptions that plagued him vs. Green Bay for the NFC title. Not that Wilson was always off-target, but he was not nearly as precise as usual.

» KEEP PUSHING THROUGH. One thing Seattle won’t do is lose faith. And behind an unsung offensive line led by LT Russell Okung and C Max Unger, they won’t back off, either.