NFL Whip Around: What we're watching championship Sunday
INDIANAPOLIS – Matt Hasselbeck swears his fashion choices this week were by accident, and not part of some quarterback version of method acting.
Still, Hasselbeck sighed Friday afternoon as he looked into his locker and realized that he did, indeed, don UGG boots while en route from his house to the Colts practice facility, where he spent his days impersonating Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, noted UGGS' pitchman, on the scout team offense.
"Not on purpose. Although now I'm wearing Lululemon," Hasselbeck said, pointing to his gray pants from the upscale athletic apparel company, and shaking his head. "That's also not on purpose."
Fashion decisions aside, the Colts have counted on Hasselbeck, a longtime starter in Seattle and Tennessee, to play an important role this postseason – and the past two weeks, with consecutive games against Denver Broncos' quarterback Peyton Manning and New England's Tom Brady, have been his biggest challenge of the year.
It's up to Hasselbeck, a longtime starter in Seattle, to study the opponent's offense, down to the quarterback's tendencies, his snap count and his cadence, all to help prepare the Colts' defense for game day. This week, that's meant adopting Brady's language – "Alpha go," compared to Manning's "Omaha, set, hut."
"My job gets super confusing, because I have to refocus like – 'OK I'm a Colt. Get those guys out of your mind.' It's harder with those veteran guys, 'cause they do so much," Hasselbeck told Paste BN Sports. "You really get into character, and you could lose your focus on you."
Hasselbeck will also spend extra time with Colts' defensive coordinator Greg Manusky and the team's defensive signal callers, middle linebacker D'Qwell Jackson and safety Mike Adams as they talk through what they think Brady might do.
It's an area what Hasselbeck hopes his extensive NFL experience is paying off now that he's in a backup role.
"I kind of love watching how defensive coaches prepare, plan for an offense. What matters to them? How do they break their tendencies up?" Hasselbeck said. "I've always liked that and had a good relationship with defensive coordinators."
Now on to the NFL Whip Around, our weekly guide to Sunday's storylines:
Will Rodgers test Sherman?
Need to know: Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman did actually play in the season opener against the Green Bay Packers, though the final box score might have reflected differently, given Packers' quarterback Aaron Rodgers' aversion from throwing anywhere near Sherman, one of the league's best cornerbacks. The tactic worked to an extent in that Sherman didn't wind up burning the Packers – but it failed in that the Packers ignored Sherman and still lost. Will Rodgers' dare test Sherman in the rematch on Sunday?
What to expect: Rodgers will have to find a way to better use the entire field – and that means occasionally testing Sherman. Sacrificing a receiver, even one who isn't Jordy Nelson or Randall Cobb or even Devonte Adams, is too much of a risk. This is where Rodgers' health and the status of his balky calf could be a factor. When playing against Sherman, passes, especially those thrown to the right sideline, must be precise. Miss high or inside, and Sherman will intercept it.
Can Hilton get open?
Need to know: New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick surprised the Colts with his defensive game plan when the two teams played in October by not having his No. 1 cornerback, Darrelle Revis, covering the Colts' wide receiver T.Y. Hilton. Instead, the Patriots had the other corner, Kyle Arrington, follow Hilton around while providing coverage help from a safety. Hilton wound up with just three catches for 24 yards in that game. So what are the Colts expecting this week? Will the Patriots stick with what works, or will Belichick come up with a new way to try to shut down Hilton.
What to expect: Luck said the challenge for him this week has been trying to anticipate any number of different things Belichick might throw at the Colts – including several coverage options regarding Hilton. That includes bracketing, like the Patriots did in November. And given Hilton's success last week when the Broncos tried to shadow him with just one cornerback (Aqib Talib), it seems more likely that Hilton won't be receiving much single coverage. "You sort of assume that you're not going to know everything when you go up against them. So we prepared for multiple different looks," Luck said.
Still, it has the Colts prepared that once again, the Patriots could force Luck to look for other targets.
"If you can get more touches to more guys, it's huge," Luck said. "You can't discount anybody in there as a defense, so we'll try to spread it around."
Game-time decision: Fear not, Colts fans. Both of Indianapolis' starting cornerbacks, Vontae Davis and Greg Toler, are listed as questionable on the final injury report released on Friday afternoon, but that designation was merely a function of the fact that both players were limited in practice on Thursday and Friday as a result of injuries suffered last week against Denver. Barring a major setback while the team travels to Rhode Island, both players will be in the starting line up on Sunday at Gillette Stadium. "We're just trying to make the best decisions to get them to Sunday healthy and ready to go," head coach Chuck Pagano said.
For entertainment purposes only: It is no surprise that both home teams, the Patriots and the Seahawks, are favorites in the title games, but only one has a history of being a strong home favorite. According to betting side OddsShark.com, the Patriots are 0-5 against the spread in championship games since 2005. That could make the Colts very interesting in this game where Las Vegas considers them to be a 6.5-point underdog. The Seahawks, a seven-point favorite against Green Bay, is 5-1 against the spread (and as a straight up winner) in their last six playoff games.
