Kam Chancellor: ‘I don’t think it’s possible’ to imitate Seahawks defense
The Seattle Seahawks’ defense is the best in the league and everyone around the NFL knows it.
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In fact, a lot of teams have spent their offseasons signing big-name defensive players to emulate what the Seahawks have going for them in Seattle.
The Denver Broncos signed CB Aqib Talib, DE DeMarcus Ware and SS T.J. Ward. The San Francisco 49ers inked SS Antoine Bethea and drafted CB Jimmie Ward. The New Orleans Saints added FS Jairus Byrd and CB Champ Bailey.
The offseasons saw lots of improvements on the defensive side of the ball, because teams recognize that defense wins championships.
But Kam Chancellor isn’t too concerned — in fact he doesn’t think any team can replicate the defense the Seahawks have, per ESPN.com:
"“Teams are probably trying to imitate us and do what we do, but I don’t think it’s possible,” Chancellor said. “You can go get guys our size and our speed, but you can’t teach the heart side of it. You can’t teach the want-to. Guys here have the want-to.”"
That want-to is the desire to become the first back-to-back Super Bowl champion since the New England Patriots beat the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX nearly a decade ago.
The Seahawks have all the parts and potential to get to Glendale, Ariz., to play in this year’s Super Bowl. Now the question is, can they put it all together on the field?
With the offense clicking thus far in training camp and the defense doing what it always has done, there is no reason they can’t.
Chancellor said another reason for Seattle’s defensive successes come from paying attention to the league’s rules on hitting and learning the proper way to tackle, without just knocking guys out:
"“One thing we do here is emphasize what the league is dishing out,” Chancellor said. “When they started with the helmet-to-helmet contact, our coaches explained to us what it was, how not to do it and the proper way to do it.”"
A lot of opposing players look very nervous when they go across the middle of the field listening to the footsteps of either Chancellor or Earl Thomas.
Luckily, these guys know how to tackle.
Seattle’s first preseason game is on Thursday and fans will finally get to see their team in a game since their Super Bowl blowout win on Feb. 2.
Preseason game No. 1 is against the same team Super Bowl XLVIII was against — the Denver Broncos.
Kickoff is at 6 p.m. PDT at Denver’s Mile High Stadium.