Seattle is concerned that the New England Patriots, which has been under siege because of the deflation investigation, could rally behind the controversy.

“It’s common when you feel like you’re under attack that it draws you closer,” Seattle coach Pete Carroll said. “I think that’s pretty common. I would expect those guys, they’ve been around a long time, and I would think that they would rally together like you would expect.”

Seattle had to deal with a distraction heading into last season’s Super Bowl. After a win over San Francisco, an over-hyped Richard Sherman an emotionally-charged that seem to rattle some folks football sensibilities.

“We understand that they’re dealing with a distraction that they don’t want, but I’m sure that they’re doing it really well and they’re handling it in the best way possible,” Carroll said. “That’s all you can do right now.”