Sealver Siliga is playing with a chip on his shoulder
When the Patriots sent a 4th round draft pick to Philadelphia at this year' trading deadline, the player they got in return was supposed to step in and fill the void in the center of the Patriots' D-line.
We all knew that player, Isaac Sopoaga, was not as talented as Vince wilfork and Tommy Kelly, the players he was replacing. But few could have anticipated that now Sopoaga's role has been relegated to that of a healthy scratch each week.But The negative impact of Sopoaga's under-performance has been mitigated by the emergence of surprise player Sealver Siliga, who has stepped up in a major way in what was a major area of concern at mid-season.
The game will actually be a return to familiar territory for the 6'2", 325 pound lineman who went undrafted out of Utah in 2011 before landing on the 49'ers practice squad, where he had a short stint before being picked up by the Broncos. He played for Denver during the 2012 and 2013 seasons. In August, he was traded by Denver to Seattle, but was released shortly thereafter. In late November, he was signed by The Patriots, and has since found himself in a prominent role on the team's banged up defensive front.
Siliga saw his first action in Week 13 at Houston, and has played in every game since, racking up 26 tackles and three sacks. His had a standout performance in Week 17 vs, Buffalo, tallying 9 tackles, a sack, and a force fumble, solidifying himself as a starter at the position for the postseason.
He had three tackles in Saturday nights stomping of the Colts, and helped to hold Indy to a mere 69 yards on the ground (compared with 234 for the Patriots). For a team that was getting absolutely gashed on the ground just a few weeks ago, the improvement in the run defense has been remarkable, and a big piece of the unit as a whole returning to early-season form.
Denver boasts a triple-headed monster at running back with Knowshon Moreno, Ronnie Hillman, and rookie Montee Ball, each talented and possessing different running styles. Paired with Denver's historically prolific pass attack, Siliga and the defense will no doubt face their toughest test to date this Sunday at Mile High.
@LiamPCunningham
@PatriotsLife
We all knew that player, Isaac Sopoaga, was not as talented as Vince wilfork and Tommy Kelly, the players he was replacing. But few could have anticipated that now Sopoaga's role has been relegated to that of a healthy scratch each week.But The negative impact of Sopoaga's under-performance has been mitigated by the emergence of surprise player Sealver Siliga, who has stepped up in a major way in what was a major area of concern at mid-season.
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| Getty Images/ESPN.com |
The game will actually be a return to familiar territory for the 6'2", 325 pound lineman who went undrafted out of Utah in 2011 before landing on the 49'ers practice squad, where he had a short stint before being picked up by the Broncos. He played for Denver during the 2012 and 2013 seasons. In August, he was traded by Denver to Seattle, but was released shortly thereafter. In late November, he was signed by The Patriots, and has since found himself in a prominent role on the team's banged up defensive front.
Siliga saw his first action in Week 13 at Houston, and has played in every game since, racking up 26 tackles and three sacks. His had a standout performance in Week 17 vs, Buffalo, tallying 9 tackles, a sack, and a force fumble, solidifying himself as a starter at the position for the postseason.
Couldn't be happier with who where playing! Chip on my shoulder!!
— sealver siliga (@S_Siliga) January 13, 2014He had three tackles in Saturday nights stomping of the Colts, and helped to hold Indy to a mere 69 yards on the ground (compared with 234 for the Patriots). For a team that was getting absolutely gashed on the ground just a few weeks ago, the improvement in the run defense has been remarkable, and a big piece of the unit as a whole returning to early-season form.
Denver boasts a triple-headed monster at running back with Knowshon Moreno, Ronnie Hillman, and rookie Montee Ball, each talented and possessing different running styles. Paired with Denver's historically prolific pass attack, Siliga and the defense will no doubt face their toughest test to date this Sunday at Mile High.
@LiamPCunningham
@PatriotsLife
