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Quarterback Russell Wilson #3 of the Seattle Seahawks throws a pass during the 2015 NFC Championship game against the Green Bay Packers at CenturyLink Field on January 18, 2015 in Seattle, Washington.Christian Petersen/Getty Images

The sideshow is over, which means Marshawn Lynch can go back to not talking and this realization can become obvious again: The Seattle Seahawks are still the best defensive team in football.

And as we saw in last year's Super Bowl, defence still usually wins.

"We've got a lot of big-name guys, but you would never know because they work like they're just average players," Seattle linebacker Bruce Irvin said.

"They never let the starting get to their head and I think that's the biggest difference. Guys always come to work ready to work."

Therein lays the challenge in Seattle's attempt on Sunday to become the first team in a decade to win back-to-back Super Bowl titles facing New England. For as important a role as Lynch might end up playing, whether Seattle is lifting a second straight Lombardi Trophy will be dictated by its defence.

The outcome is certainly deeper than just how Seattle plays defensively. Has Seattle fully recovered emotionally from the NFC title game and its remarkable comeback against Green Bay just to get to the Super Bowl?

Can Russell Wilson be an effective passer ? And where is Lynch's head after a week where he was the centre of attention?

The difference is Seattle's defence has shown it's capable of overcoming those problems to win games.

The only evidence needed is what the Seahawks did in the NFC championship game. Three times in the first half the Packers took possession inside the Seattle 35 and came away with only nine points.

There is a reason Seattle is being mentioned in the same category as the "Purple People Eaters," the "Steel Curtain," and the "Monsters of the Midway."

They have accomplished statistical feats that haven't been seen in nearly 30 years. The best scoring defence. The best at stopping the pass. The best overall.

"People hate us because, you know, when you talk a lot of smack, people usually hate you," Seattle defensive end Michael Bennett said. "But when you talk a lot of smack and you back it up, they hate you even more."

So how does Seattle earn a second title with its defence? By not giving up big plays. They allowed only 39 plays of 20 or more yards the entire regular season and just 17 of those in the final eight games.

Make the Patriots move in small chunks. Get to Tom Brady just enough to throw off his timing. Make sure LeGarrette Blount and the New England run game doesn't get started. And keep Rob Gronkowski from taking over the game.

Sounds like a lot. But if successful, Seattle will be put in position to do what no team has done before because of the way it's been constructed. That's what makes the potential for Sunday so unique. There has never been a team to win three straight Super Bowls and that will be all the talk for Pete Carroll and his crew going into next season.

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