SAN JOSE, Calif. — Welcome to the Bay!
The Patriots and Seahawks traveled Sunday for Tremendous Bowl LX and can start working towards within the Bay Space on Tuesday.
It’s an extended week for gamers and coaches, between their common preparation, media duties and different extracurriculars tied to the Large Recreation.
For now, listed here are 5 issues to observe this week within the lead-up to kickoff:
1. Drake Maye’s proper shoulder
All eyes on No. 10.
Maye didn’t throw on the staff’s final observe in Foxboro on Friday due to a listed sickness. The day earlier than, he was restricted by a shoulder harm that popped up throughout the AFC Championship Recreation. In keeping with Mike Vrabel, Maye would have practiced have been it not for the brand new sickness.
Is that so?
Tuesday’s observe will inform after Maye has been away from the sector for 3 days. The 23-year-old quarterback has stated he doesn’t anticipate the harm to have an effect on his capability to throw within the Tremendous Bowl. If Maye is in any respect compromised, so will the Patriots’ probabilities of upsetting the Seahawks. They don’t name Seattle’s protection one of the best within the NFL for nothing.
2. Robert Spillane’s ankle
No less than Maye has practiced.
Patriots defensive captain and beginning inside linebacker Robert Spillane has been lacking at practices with an ankle harm he suffered within the AFC title recreation. Spillane is among the Patriots’ finest and most constant defenders, a robust tackler, succesful protection participant and thumping run-stopper. If he can’t observe or play, the Pats gained’t lose something when it comes to pre-snap communication or communications with veteran backup Jack Gibbens. However Gibbens will turn into a goal in cross protection.
3. Sam Darnold’s ghosts
In 2019, the Patriots completely embarrassed Sam Darnold throughout a 33-0 win over the Jets on Monday Night time Soccer.
Nothing about that recreation has stood the take a look at of time fairly like a confession Darnold made on the sideline to his coaches close to a sizzling mic.
“I’m seeing ghosts,” he stated.
These ghosts and that remark have haunted Darnold for a lot of his profession since, proper up till he led the Vikings to the playoffs final 12 months and Seattle to the Tremendous Bowl this season. As luck would have it, the Pats stand in his manner of profitable a championship.
Now, the Patriots’ teaching workers and roster have utterly turned over from that season, and Darnold appears to be like like a brand new participant. However every day interviews will make it unattainable for Darnold to flee that reminiscence and people ghosts till he vanquishes them on the sport’s largest stage.
Requested about that recreation final week, he stated: “I virtually forgot about it. So, thanks.”
4. Nostalgia
Prepare to listen to the identify Malcolm Butler all week.
Butler, after all, sealed the final Tremendous Bowl that featured the Patriots and Seahawks with a goal-line interception that has a case for the best play within the recreation’s historical past. There’s nothing tying this Tremendous Bowl to Tremendous Bowl XLIX aside from the helmets and reminiscences, which can naturally be revisited on TV and radio all week. A number of former gamers from that recreation additionally work within the media now, together with ex-Patriots security Devin McCourty who will likely be a part of NBC’s pregame protection earlier than its nationwide telecast.
Apart from replaying that Tremendous Bowl, anticipate discuss of one other potential dynasty to return, too. That dialog, after all, is untimely, although the coach-quarterback pairing of Mike Vrabel and Drake Maye could have a case to be the NFL’s finest in the event that they win on Sunday. Current Patriots wins have additionally been harking back to the dynasty period, from the staff’s hard-nosed defensive play and triumphs within the snow.
However Vrabel has constantly dismissed the thought of connecting these groups to this one. Two weeks in the past, he shared he wouldn’t share outdated Patriots highlights in Denver earlier than the AFC Championship Recreation, particularly an all-time effort play former tight finish Ben Watson made to trace down the tip of a 108-yard pick-six.
“We attempt to – and once more, that’s an exceptional play – attempt to glorify our guys’ efforts proper now,” Vrabel stated. “To not discredit what Ben did that night time, however attempt to present our guys doing the issues that we’ve requested them to do. “So, that’s the place we’ve type of trended to these days.”
5. A Tremendous shock
It occurs virtually yearly.
An out-of-nowhere storyline emerges to dominate headlines that week, be it a brand new harm, off-field controversy or surprising quote from a participant or coach.
Reportedly, the Seahawks will likely be put up on the market proper after the Tremendous Bowl. Will this have an effect on their gamers or coaches throughout their preparation? Unlikely.
However may this be our Tremendous shock?
If not, may one of many Seahawks supply some bulletin-board materials? May a Patriots participant break Mike Vrabel’s media coverage to take action?
Time to hear, watch and discover out.
