Super Bowl: Eric Decker doesn’t see the Seahawks as physical
By Chase Ruttig
Jan 30, 2014; Jersey City, NJ, USA; Denver Broncos receiver Eric Decker (87) at a press conference in advance of Super Bowl XLVIII on the Cornucopia Majesty yacht on the Hudson River. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Throughout the week Just Blog Baby will be highlighting some of the stories leading up to the Super Bowl between the Denver Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks this Sunday. Come back daily for news and analysis as well as betting previews to prepare you for the big game.
The Seattle Seahawks secondary’s matchup with the deep pool of talented Denver Broncos wideouts/tight ends is being touted as the most intriguing aspect of the Super Bowl. A key to victory for both teams, there has been plenty of mind games between the two already with an extra week to build up to the game and now Broncos’ wide receiver Eric Decker is adding fuel to the already burning fire.
Decker played off the Seahawks physicality during media Super Bowl week media availability.
Decker said he thinks every team in the league is physical, and he doesn’t see a big difference between the Seahawks and anyone else.
“In this league it’s a very physical game,” Decker said. “You see a lot of defenses, especially with the passing game becoming more prevalent, cornerbacks getting to the receiver at the line of scrimmage and at the top of routes. I think they do it well. They challenge teams and are the best at it in the NFL. As far as pushing the envelope, I wouldn’t say so much. I’d say they do as much as other teams do, even ourselves.”
Instead of hyping up their physical play, Decker did give the Seahawks secondary credit for having good coverage all season to get themselves to the Super Bowl.
“I’d say they’re really sound in their coverages,” Decker said. “They play few coverages and they do it really well. They definitely will mix it up, as far as playing press or playing off. We’ll try to confuse you with holding the safeties a little bit. They mix it up well and we have to be ready for anything.”
It is always interesting when a player directly addresses the play of the opponent he will be directly facing leading up to the game, and downplaying Seattle’s physicality while praising their quality of coverage might just be a mind game tactic for Decker in a continuous back and forth between the two teams. These type of storylines are apart of every Super Bowl week so expect some sort of comment back at Decker’s downplaying of the Seahawks defense and their physicality. They don’t pride themselves on being called the “Legion of Boom” for nothing.