But the matchup is very much in question, as Seymour is ailing after injuring his left elbow in last Sunday's victory over the Bills. The six-year veteran is officially questionable on the Patriots' injury report, giving him a 50-50 chance of playing. He participated in parts of practice yesterday, wearing a heavy wrap on his elbow.
While Seymour's status is questionable, his impact on the team's defense is anything but. The statistics might suggest otherwise -- 24 tackles, 2 1/2 sacks, 7 quarterback hurries -- but he often dictates that the offense runs plays away from him.
Fully understanding Seymour's role in the Patriots' defense takes some work. Unlike a cornerback, who can be judged on his coverage and interception totals, Seymour's work is better examined with a football microscope.
Lining up on the right side of the defensive line, he is asked to control the blocker in front of him, protecting the gaps to both sides by using leverage and fine-tuned hand placement. Because of this, he could potentially finish a game with a low tackle count and still grade out highly if he controlled his blocker.
Mike Wright said one of the most difficult aspects about being a lineman in the Patriots' defensive scheme is adjusting after the snap.
"I think the most challenging part is playing the pass after you're trying to secure the run," Wright said of the two-gap style. "You're going from a position where you're locked up with the guy, seeing the pass, then getting into your pass rush. You're not going to be as productive tackle-wise or sack-wise with a two-gap system. It's hard to get into a pass-rush mode and penetrate when you're two-gapping.
"The thing Richard does so well is that he controls his man. His arms are so long and he plays with great leverage on top of being as big as he is. He has a great advantage over guys because of that."
Wright believes if that skill was valued as much as a big play on offense, Seymour and fellow linemen Vince Wilfork and Ty Warren would be receiving Tom Brady-like praise. "It's one of those things that kind of goes unseen," Wright said.
