Spikes vs Lynch
Brandon Spikes and Marshawn Lynch are known around the NFL as being hard hitters. Lynch leads the league in yards after contact, but Spikes is an apex-predator that leads the league in forced fumbles with 3. Likewise, Spikes (6'2" - 255) has a decent size advantage over Lynch (5'11" - 215). Spikes is adamant in saying that no one has ever hit him as hard as he's hit them, and somehow I believe it.
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| Spikes and Lynch have met before when Marshawn played in Buffalo |
This is one match-up that I would love to see broken down by John Brenkus and SportScience. This is just one of those old fashioned match-ups between a hard-nosed RB and a downhill LB. Even with the raucous Seattle crowd, it is entirely possible that the loudest sounds will be the collisions between 55 and 24.
With a mobile QB, there is a good chance that Jerod Mayo will be in a QB-spy role for most of the game. Against pocket passers, The Patriots usually have Mayo in man-to-man on RBs out of the backfield, but Seattle presents a different challenge with Lynch and Wilson. Therefore, Spikes may be required to mirror Lynch in the passing game while Mayo spys on Wilson to limit his ability to extend the play with his feet.
Luckily, Lynch is not overly explosive in the passing game, but he is a capable every-down RB that has decent hands. Nevertheless, Marshawn is limited in the routes he runs. He runs swing passes and screens, but he stays close to the line of scrimmage. Likewise, his cuts are not crisp or sharp in pass patterns. So, its probably not out of the question to ask Spikes to cover him.
Spikes tends to struggle in pass coverage because he's hesitant in his zones. In single man-to-man, usually Spikes isn't fast enough to keep up downfield. Still, if Lynch is equally uncomfortable catching downfield, then Spikes may do just fine. As long as Spikes can play downhill, instinctive football, he'll be great. However, if Lynch can exploit him on out-routes or get behind him in the seam, Spikes is going to have a long day.
The coaching staff will decide how Spikes will be most effective, and they will use him that way. It is possible that Spikes will be used only as a run-stuffer on early downs in Base D. This decision will likely depend on the injury status of Dont'a Hightower, who is faster and probably better in coverage. Still, if Lynch isn't going to exploit Spikes' weaknesses by catching passes, then it would be beneficial to have Spikes on the field more often to neutralize the Seattle run game.
I think that The Patriots will opt to use a lot of Base D (if Hightower can play) because the first priority is to stop Marshawn Lynch. Likewise, Russell Wilson is only averaging 147 yards per game on less than 20 attempts per game. Seattle is not a passing team, and every team treats them as 1-dimensional. Still, Lynch has not rushed for less than 85 yards in any game this year.
Despite teams playing Base D, and even over-loading the box, Defenses are hard pressed to stop Marshawn Lynch. The key to winning this game is to stop Lynch, and the key to stopping Lynch is Brandon Spikes. Spikes needs to set the tone early and often with bone-crunching hits, and possibly a forced fumble. Spikes needs to wear down Lynch so that he gets hesitant and jumpy as the game goes on.
Usually, RBs like Lynch get more effective as the game progresses. His physical running style makes Defenses shy away from major contact, and that leads to big gains in the 3rd and 4th quarters. Brandon Spikes has never backed down from a big hit in his life, and as a Patriots fan, you hope that he stays true to form on Sunday in Seattle.
Spikes and Lynch have played against one another before in a September 2010 game against Buffalo. Spikes was a rookie, and did not record a tackle against Lynch. Since that time, Spikes has really matured as a player and expanded his role in the Defense. This time around, Spikes will get more playing time, and he will be the centerpiece in the gameplan to stop this "Beast" they call Marshawn Lynch.
With a mobile QB, there is a good chance that Jerod Mayo will be in a QB-spy role for most of the game. Against pocket passers, The Patriots usually have Mayo in man-to-man on RBs out of the backfield, but Seattle presents a different challenge with Lynch and Wilson. Therefore, Spikes may be required to mirror Lynch in the passing game while Mayo spys on Wilson to limit his ability to extend the play with his feet.
Luckily, Lynch is not overly explosive in the passing game, but he is a capable every-down RB that has decent hands. Nevertheless, Marshawn is limited in the routes he runs. He runs swing passes and screens, but he stays close to the line of scrimmage. Likewise, his cuts are not crisp or sharp in pass patterns. So, its probably not out of the question to ask Spikes to cover him.
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| Hoping Spikes' distractions on twitter don't affect his #Poww |
The coaching staff will decide how Spikes will be most effective, and they will use him that way. It is possible that Spikes will be used only as a run-stuffer on early downs in Base D. This decision will likely depend on the injury status of Dont'a Hightower, who is faster and probably better in coverage. Still, if Lynch isn't going to exploit Spikes' weaknesses by catching passes, then it would be beneficial to have Spikes on the field more often to neutralize the Seattle run game.
I think that The Patriots will opt to use a lot of Base D (if Hightower can play) because the first priority is to stop Marshawn Lynch. Likewise, Russell Wilson is only averaging 147 yards per game on less than 20 attempts per game. Seattle is not a passing team, and every team treats them as 1-dimensional. Still, Lynch has not rushed for less than 85 yards in any game this year.
Despite teams playing Base D, and even over-loading the box, Defenses are hard pressed to stop Marshawn Lynch. The key to winning this game is to stop Lynch, and the key to stopping Lynch is Brandon Spikes. Spikes needs to set the tone early and often with bone-crunching hits, and possibly a forced fumble. Spikes needs to wear down Lynch so that he gets hesitant and jumpy as the game goes on.
Usually, RBs like Lynch get more effective as the game progresses. His physical running style makes Defenses shy away from major contact, and that leads to big gains in the 3rd and 4th quarters. Brandon Spikes has never backed down from a big hit in his life, and as a Patriots fan, you hope that he stays true to form on Sunday in Seattle.
Spikes and Lynch have played against one another before in a September 2010 game against Buffalo. Spikes was a rookie, and did not record a tackle against Lynch. Since that time, Spikes has really matured as a player and expanded his role in the Defense. This time around, Spikes will get more playing time, and he will be the centerpiece in the gameplan to stop this "Beast" they call Marshawn Lynch.
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