Tremendous Bowl X-Components: Gamers From Every Staff Who Will Resolve Seahawks vs. Patriots

[ad_1] San Francisco – Sam Darnold, Drake Maye, Stefon Diggs and Jaxon Smith-Njigba have garnered a lot of the eye throughout Tremendous Bowl week. That’s anticipated, contemplating their significance to their respective offenses on recreation day.

Right here, I take a more in-depth take a look at these potential breakout gamers who may make a splash, rising as X-factors we may very well be speaking about after Sunday’s massive recreation.

DTs Milton Williams and Christian Barmore

Williams, a Tremendous Bowl champion with the Philadelphia Eagles final season and one of many prime free-agent additions for the Patriots in the course of the offseason, lived as much as lofty expectations in his first 12 months along with his new workforce.

Per Subsequent Gen Stats, New England has a 39.2% strain fee with Williams on the sector and 33.0% when he’s off the it. Williams additionally posted two sacks in Philadelphia’s Tremendous Bowl win final 12 months, so he performs nicely in massive video games.

[Related: How 'Elite Ballplayer' Milton Williams Quickly Guided Patriots to Super Bowl]

The second of New England’s dynamic pass-rushing duo at defensive deal with, Barmore has the second-most quarterback strain fee at his place (13.6%) and 56 complete quarterback pressures this season, based on Subsequent Gen Stats. Williams and Barmore have mixed for the fourth-most quarterback pressures by a defensive deal with tandem in 2025 (67).

That’s an essential quantity as a result of the 2 face one of many worst pass-blocking offensive guards in Seattle’s Anthony Bradford, who tied a profession excessive with eight quarterback pressures allowed within the NFC title recreation in opposition to the Los Angeles Rams. Bradford additionally allowed 13 fast pressures in the course of the common season, fifth-most amongst proper guards.

Throughout the common season, Sam Darnold dedicated a turnover on a league-high 7.2% of his pressured dropbacks, per Subsequent Gen Stats, together with six interceptions and 5 fumbles misplaced. Determining the best way to include Williams and Barmore shall be crucial for the Seahawks.

Barmore (left) and Williams. (Winslow Townson/Getty Photos)

OT Will Campbell

The rookie first-round choose has struggled in cross safety this 12 months, permitting seven sacks in the course of the common season. Maye was sacked a league-high 15 instances in the course of the postseason and accounted for 3 turnovers.

Now, Campbell faces among the finest pass-rush teams within the league within the Seattle Seahawks.

[Related: Inside Maye's bond with his O-line]

In keeping with Subsequent Gen Stats, six Seattle defenders generated not less than 35 pressures this season, essentially the most within the NFL. What makes the Seahawks harmful is their skill to create strain with out blitzing. Seattle generated a 35.8% strain fee utilizing simply 4 rushers, No. 3 within the NFL.

Search for the Seahawks to focus on Campbell with veteran edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence early and infrequently.

TE Hunter Henry

The Arkansas product has developed into Maye’s safety blanket within the passing recreation. Henry completed with 60 receptions for 768 yards and a team-high seven touchdowns in the course of the common season. Maye seems to be for Henry at a very powerful moments of the sport.

Within the purple zone, Henry has 13 catches for 123 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns. It’s the third-most receptions amongst tight ends in the course of the common season. Henry’s 26 landing receptions during the last 5 seasons are the fourth most amongst tight ends. If Maye is underneath duress, count on him to search for Henry as a strain launch valve.

Seattle Seahawks WR Rashid Shaheed

The San Diego native has been among the finest midseason commerce acquisitions in latest reminiscence. He has three touchdowns for returns this season.

As Seahawks particular groups coordinator Jay Harbaugh informed me, it’s not simply Shaheed’s velocity.

"He fields the ball tremendous clear, which is hyper-important," Harbaugh stated. "Not simply catching it, however how easy he can catch it, so he can transition and get working. I might say after that, he’s obtained imaginative and prescient. He is aware of the best way to arrange blocks and defenders, after which after that he has the velocity to make it rely in the event that they do put the ball the place it’s speculated to be and take all of it the way in which."

As Harbaugh stated, we all know Shaheed could make an affect within the return recreation. Will Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel kick it to him? If not, Seattle should discover a significant method to get Shaheed concerned within the offense, just like the 51-yard deep shot to open the sport in opposition to the Rams two weeks in the past.

Shaheed completed with simply 15 passes for 188 yards in the course of the common season with no touchdowns.

RB Kenneth Walker III

The Michigan State product has gotten extra snug within the offense in the course of the backstretch of the 12 months. Since Week 16, together with the postseason, Walker’s 423 yards and 5 touchdowns are the second most within the NFL over that point. Walker completed with the third-highest missed tackles pressured fee on carries in the course of the common season of 30.3%, per Subsequent Gen Stats and 67% of his rushes have been outdoors the deal with field.

"He’s extra decisive and trusting what he sees," Seahawks GM John Schneider informed me about Walker’s improved play.

Walker creates steadiness on offense by successfully working the soccer and taking strain off Darnold to hold the offense along with his arm. The Seahawks had a league-high 48.7% referred to as run fee by offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, based on Subsequent Gen Stats.

S Nick Emmanwori

The rookie second-round pick of South Carolina has been a key piece for Mike Macdonald’s protection due to his versatility.

However, will Emmanwori play? It appears doubtless after he was a full participant in apply on Friday, however he suffered an ankle sprain in apply earlier within the week. Not ultimate timing for a participant whose breakout began within the second half of the common season.

Nonetheless, Emmanwori is one in every of Seattle’s greatest cowl guys within the secondary. He allowed simply eight passing yards in protection and completed with three cross breakups in Seattle’s NFC Championship Recreation win over the Rams. Emmanwori additionally helped Seattle maintain groups to 4.56 yards per carry, No. 2 within the NFL.