GOLDANDBLACK EXPRESS • VOLUME 25, EXPRESS 17 • 23
BY KYLE CHARTERS
KCharters@GoldandBlack.com
C
liff Avril has a chance to earn his second
Super Bowl ring.
Rob Ninkovich could get his first.
Avril's Seattle Seahawks, following a re-
markable comeback against Green Bay Sun-
day, will play Ninkovich's New England Patri-
ots, a big winner over Indianapolis, in Super
Bowl XLIX on Feb. 1 in Glendale, Arizona.
For Avril, a ring would be his second in as
many seasons, after the Seahawks defeated
Denver last year. Ninkovich has played in the
big game previously, when the Patriots lost to
the New York Giants in Indianapolis in 2012.
Avril picked up a sack in the Seahawks'
win over the Pack, helping his team come
back from down 16 at the half.
Ninkovich was a pest for the Colts' An-
drew Luck, knocking down a couple passes to
limit Indianapolis' offense.
"Rob (Ninkovich) and Chandler (Jones) I
thought both played well, they gave us good
pressure off the edge," New England coach Bill
Belichick told media after the win, according
to the Boston Herald. "We tried to make it hard
for (Andrew) Luck to step up in the pocket, but
he's a great player. He got out a couple times
and he's a tough guy to handle, but we com-
peted well."
Avril and Ninkovich, part of Purdue's "Den
of Defensive Ends," had solid seasons.
Avril, a seventh-year pro, had five sacks
during the regular season, with a forced
fumble and 23 tackles. Ninkovich, in his ninth
season, had eight sacks and 62 tackles and an
interception.j
TWIN CITY DODGE P R E S E N TS : B O I L E R M A K E R S I N T H E N F L
Ends Meet In The Super Bowl
New England Patriots
Patriots' defensive end Rob Ninkovich was a menace on Sunday night, forcing the Colts'
passing offense to scramble frequently.
