Where Seahawks have clear edge over 49ers
Jun 25, 2013, 3:40 PM | Updated: 3:43 pm
By Brady Henderson
Darren Woodson won three Super Bowls, made five Pro Bowls and was a first-team All-Pro three times during his 12-year career as a strong safety for the Cowboys.
Woodson certainly has the credentials to evaluate secondaries, which makes the comments he made Tuesday to “Brock and Danny” about the Seahawks’ defensive backs even more noteworthy.
“It’s hands down. It’s not even close,” said Woodson, now an NFL analyst for ESPN, “when we talk about secondaries, they are the best secondary in the league right now.”
Here’s what Woodson had to say about the four starters in that group:
Richard Sherman. “He can absolutely do it all. He can press up on you man-to-man. He can play off you on man-to-man. He is very intelligent at the position. He reminds me more so of a Deion Sanders as far as when he plays off and is able to see through and read the quarterback, somewhat like Asante Samuel.”
Brandon Browner. “His wing-span is incredible. When he’s pressing you it’s hard to get off the line of scrimmage. It messes up the entire timing of the route for the wide receiver if he has to work that hard to get off the football.”
Earl Thomas. “He’s probably the best safety in the league … with his playmaking ability, his ability get from sideline to sideline and then ability come up and bang you.”
Kam Chancellor. “I don’t think Kam gets enough credit. We know he’s a big-hitter, but he’s a guy that covers the tight end extremely well. And he’s in your face.”
In the video below, Danny O’Neil explains how secondary is the one position group in which the Seahawks have an indisputable advantage over their division-rivals, the 49ers.
You can listen to Tuesday’s show here.
