W2W4: New England Patriots (7-1) vs Seattle Seahawks (5-2-1)
By Hal Bent
The New England Patriots return from their bye week to play probably the most anticipated game of the entire NFL regular season: the Super Bowl 49 rematch with the Seattle Seahawks. In what was one of the most exciting and dramatic Super Bowls to be played, these two teams are both at the top of their divisions at mid-season and favorites to return to the Super Bowl.
Last year Seattle fell short in the NFC Championship game after falling behind 31-0 to Carolina and swarming back in a ferocious comeback that was an onside kick recovery away from overtime.
The Patriots fell short in the AFC Championship game last year as they overcame 18 players on injured reserve to make another postseason run. The Patriots were a two-point conversion away from forcing overtime against Denver in a gritty comeback by quarterback Tom Brady.
These two teams should have been facing-off in the Super Bowl last year and have been two of the most consistent winners the past five seasons (along with the Denver Broncos, Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers). The 2010 season was the last time there was a Conference Championship game without either the Seahawks or Patriots.
MusketFire.com’s W2W4 (What to Watch for) weekly feature examines all the key matchups in the upcoming game to give you the reader the best analysis of the upcoming New England Patriots game. It is your one stop each week to give you the reader everything you need to know to be ready for the next game.
So without further delay, let’s get to the match-ups for Tom Brady and the Patriots’ offense against the Legion of Boom and the Seattle defense along with the Russell Wilson and the Seahawks’ offense against Malcolm Butler and the New England defense.