The Seattle Seahawks face the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl this Sunday. The team is trying to defend their title, and a repeat victory would solidify them as one of the most dominant teams in the history of the NFL.

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But Seattle fans should not expect an easy game on Sunday. New England is slightly favored in the contest, and they have a strong team that plays matchups better than anyone. If the Seahawks want to retain the Lombardi Trophy, here is what they need to do:

1. Get Marshawn Lynch His Touches: It sounds obvious, but the recurring theme in every Seattle loss from this season is a head-scratching tendency to avoid giving the ball to their best player. Lynch averaged just 16.5 touches per game in Seattle losses (a number boosted by 25 touches in their loss to Kansas City), and he averaged just under 21 touches per game in their wins. Lynch is the engine of their offense that sets up everything else. They cannot afford to forget about him.

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2. Take Away The Deep Ball: The Patriots offense sputters and stalls when they cannot work the ball downfield. Gronkowski is the only receiver that consistently works deep for New England. If Seattle can force Tom Brady to check down consistency, the Patriots will have a hard time moving the ball.

3. Pete Carroll Must Not Be Drastically Out-coached: Pete Carroll might be the best defensive backs coach in football, and he is an unparalleled motivator, but Bill Belichick is a legitimate football genius that routinely manages to employ creative concepts and use his opponents' strengths against them. If Belichick substantially out-coaches Carroll, that could be the difference in the game.