The Seattle Seahawks will have the most dangerous offensive weapon in the Super Bowl. Wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba has established himself as a true superstar, and he's been as decisive in the playoffs as he was in the regular season.
Klint Kubiak's explosive offense has kept opposing defenses guessing for most of the season, and Smith-Njigba has plenty to do with that. That said, while there's no effective way to neutralize him, the New England Patriots may have the blueprint to make him less of a factor.
As pointed out by NFL analyst Warren Sharp, the Seahawks have the largest drop-off in wide receiver target share when opposing defenses use zone coverage against them. That might be Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel's go-to strategy to try to contain the Ohio State product.
The Seattle Seahawks don't use wide receivers as much against zone coverage
"From Week 11 onward, the Seattle Seahawks have the No. 1 wide receiver target rate at 79 percent when facing man coverage. That drops by more than any other team in the NFL when teams are using zone against them, and they throw a lot more to running backs and tight ends," Sharp said. "The wide receiver rate drops all the way down to 54 percent ... so it's a massive decline, and that's all going to be dependent upon what defense does Mike Vrabel come up with."
Per Sharp Football Analysis, the Patriots use zone coverage 67.1 percent of the time. While that puts them right in the middle of the pack in comparison to other teams, it goes to show that they're more than comfortable rolling with that coverage.
Of course, that's not to say that Smith-Njigba won't be a factor if the Patriots use a zone-heavy defensive scheme. Then again, it would only make guys like Kenneth Walker III and George Holani all the more crucial to open things up for everybody else.
Smith-Njigba just had a statement game in the NFC Championship Game. He torched the Los Angeles Rams for ten catches on 12 targets for 153 yards and one score, including a 42-yard bomb. He's been the most proficient wide receiver in the league this season.
The Seahawks have a sharp and creative mind still calling the shots for the offense. (At least, for now. Klint Kubiak appears to be moving on to the Las Vegas Raiders to be that team's head coach after the season.) Great players figure out a way to contribute, and even if JSN is a premium decoy in the biggest game of the season, his presence will draw so much defensive attention.