Seattle Seahawks’ Kam Chancellor, left, and K.J. Wright, right, celebrate a play against the St. Louis Rams in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2014, in Seattle. (John Froschauer, The Associated Press)
Spotlight on … Kam Chancellor, safety, Seahawks
When: 1 p.m. Sunday when the Seattle Seahawks host the Green Bay Packers in the NFC championship game at CenturyLink Field. Each team is 13-4.
What’s up: Chancellor put on an epic performance against Carolina last weekend, delivering big hits on running backs DeAngelo Williams and Mike Tolbert, leaping over the line of scrimmage to nearly block two field-goal attempts and clinching the Seahawks’ 31-17 win with a 90-yard interception return for a touchdown.
Background: Chancellor was a high school quarterback in Norfolk, Va., before playing for Frank Beamer-coached Virginia Tech, where he was switched to defensive back as a freshman. At 6-foot-3 and 232 pounds, the 26-year-old Chancellor is bigger than many weakside linebackers in the NFL. He was the second player selected in the fifth round of the 2010 draft.
Klis’ take: With stars Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas in the same secondary, Chancellor was relatively unknown until he blasted Demaryius Thomas on the Broncos’ third offensive play of last year’s Super Bowl. The hit sent notice that the Seahawks were going to bully the Broncos, which they did 43-8. Chancellor’s game vs. Carolina last weekend was the best I’ve seen by a strong safety since Troy Polamalu’s 2004-08 run in Pittsburgh. The Seahawks may well have the best cornerback (Sherman), free safety (Thomas) and strong safety (Chancellor) in the NFL. Which is why they’re favored to repeat as Super Bowl champions.
