PHOENIX — The New England Patriots already have emerged victorious in one small battle in the Super Bowl XLIX war.
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, who cited Army Gen. Dwight Eisenhower earlier this month, has a healthier squad than Pete Carroll’s Seattle Seahawks.
The only Patriots player dealing with a major injury is rookie starting center Bryan Stork, while the Seahawks’ two best pass defenders are hurt. Richard Sherman (elbow) and Earl Thomas (shoulder) won’t miss the Super Bowl, and they might not even technically be injured, but they’re hurt. And it will effect their performance in the Super Bowl.
Patriots fans know all about game-changing players trying to tough it out in a Super Bowl, and because of that, they won’t have much sympathy for the Seahawks. All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski’s ankle injury rendered him mostly useless in Super Bowl XLVI, when he caught just two passes for 26 yards while struggling as a run blocker. Gronkowski was limited by the ankle ailment no matter how motivated he was or how much adrenaline he had going into the championship tilt.
It’s possible that Thomas and Sherman aren’t as injured as Gronkowski was three years ago. Then again, does this sound like a healthy player?
““They do a good job of changing it up,” Thomas said Monday about New England’s rushing attack. “They have a scat-back that is a strong, physical runner. With me with this shoulder, I definitely have to have a tackling plan.”
Uh, oh. Here’s another:
“I practiced Friday,” Thomas said. “I was trying to get over it in my head. That is a lot to deal with. It is my first major injury in a way, so mentally I was pissed, but I got the big picture. My teammates needed me. I am going to do whatever I need to do for them.”
Yikes. And one more:
“My mindset is that I have an opportunity to really trust my teammates,” Thomas said. “This is the first game I am going to have to trust them because of my injury. I really, really need to trust my teammates and that is what I am banking on — my teammates doing what they need to do and I need to come through myself.”
Either Thomas is a tremendous fibber, or he’s not a healthy player. Those might not even be the words of a hurt player. That sounds like a flat-out injured player.
Thomas, when asked about his shoulder Sunday during the Pro Bowl, responded that he was happy to be in Arizona.
Sherman, meanwhile, sounds like a hurt player.
“It’s getting better,” the cornerback said Monday about the elbow. “I had a good week of practice so it should be good.”
But can he stretch his arm out?
“I’ve been able to move it a lot better than I did earlier,” Sherman said.
Perhaps this is off-base, but arm extension seems mighty important for a cornerback who excels at press coverage. The Seahawks don’t have a tremendous amount of tricks up their sleeves, so take out one of their best, and they’ll be that much easier for Patriots quarterback Tom Brady to dissect.
Thomas’ shoulder will be an issue too. A dislocated shoulder can linger for days, weeks, months and sometimes years. Thomas’ game is predicated on solid tackling and game-breaking plays as a pass defender, and Thomas’ shoulder injury could affect his ability to wrap up or reach for a pass.
Sherman and Thomas’ injuries might not quite have a Gronkowski-esque impact Sunday, but in a game that could be decided by the key matchup between the Patriots’ passing offense and Seahawks’ passing defense, key injuries to perhaps their best defenders will have a major impact.
Thumbnail photo via Kyle Terada/USA TODAY Sports Images
