Super Bowl XLIX: The most likely unsung heroes

RB Shane Vereen, New England

The Seahawks have been the best defensive team in the NFL for the last two seasons, and a big part of their success has been their speed and quickness that allows them to take away the plays that opponents are most comfortable making.

That regularly involves taking away passes to safety-valve receivers. When a defense can take away the throws that most quarterbacks believe are going to be made easily, that often saps the confidence from the offense.

Brady regularly wants to get the ball to Shane Vereen out of the backfield. Vereen is a lot more than a safety-valve, as he has the speed to get upfield on the circle route and he is capable of making circus-type catches.

Vereen is going to be tested by Seahawks linebackers K.J. Wright, Bruce Irvin and Smith, and all of them have the athletic ability to make big plays against him. If Vereen can get open against Seattle’s superb outside backers, the Patriots will have an excellent chance of moving the ball consistently.

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