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5 New England Patriots Who Will Crack Under The Pressure In Super Bowl XLIX

5 New England Patriots Who Will Crack Under The Pressure In Super Bowl XLIX

Rob Gronkowski
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The New England Patriots have been to many Super Bowls before, but this time around they will face the Seattle Seahawks and their fearsome defense. It should be a fun game, and I am expecting this one to be fairly low scoring and possibly even go into overtime. These are five Patriots who will crack under the pressure of the big game.

5. TE Rob Gronkowski

AFC Championship - Indianapolis Colts v New England Patriots
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5. TE Rob Gronkowski

AFC Championship - Indianapolis Colts v New England Patriots
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The superstar TE will face his toughest test this season when he lines up in the slot. Whether Rob Gronkowski can find space to catch the ball could decide this game's outcome, and my bet is that he will manage less than 100 yards receiving after the Seahawks get super physical with the tight end.

4. WR Julian Edelman

Julian Edelman
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4. WR Julian Edelman

Julian Edelman
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If Gronk has trouble finding room to catch balls, then Julian Edelman will struggle even more for the Patriots. We will see clearly once the game starts who has the advantage between New England's receivers and the "Legion of Boom," but something tells me that Seattle will turn this into a physical affair.

3. RB LeGarrette Blount

AFC Championship - Indianapolis Colts v New England Patriots
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3. RB LeGarrette Blount

AFC Championship - Indianapolis Colts v New England Patriots
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Another area where I think the Patriots will suffer during the Super Bowl is their running game. LeGarrette Blount will have issues locating running lanes, and we should see New England rush for less than 100 yards against Seattle as a result.

2. MLB Dont'a Hightower

HIghtower
Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sprts

2. MLB Dont'a Hightower

HIghtower
Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sprts

Marshawn Lynch lives for these kind of moments, and the quiet RB should eat up Dont'a Hightower and spit him out. This will be a tough test for Hightower, and Seattle should win easily if Lynch can gain over 150 yards on the ground.

1. DT Vince Wilfork

Vince Wilfork
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1. DT Vince Wilfork

Vince Wilfork
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Will Vince Wilfork be able to pressure Russell Wilson along with the rest of his defensive line? My guess is no. If they allow the QB to scurry around in the backfield, then it will be a long Sunday for the Patriots. The game could hinge on this matchup.

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