The Facts: Matthews, the 6-5, 220-pound wide receiver, hopes he can capitalize on his surprising Super Bowl performance (four catches for 109 yards and a touchdown) and take up where he left off. “My expectation is to compete and play as hard as I can and give a great effort for the team and help us win,” Matthews said. “My expectation is for us to win. Our defense is No. 1 is the league. I believe wholeheartedly that the offense can be No. 1 in the NFL. We just have to work really hard. We have all the key parts.”
Diehards Line:
As ESPN.com's Terry Blount notes, Matthews went from a man who never had caught a pass in an NFL game to a candidate for the Super Bowl MVP award until the fateful play at the end (the game-saving interception at the goal line for New England) that broke the hearts of Seattle fans. Until that moment, Matthews had gone from obscurity to one-night stardom on the biggest possible stage. It’s quite a story for the 25-year-old, former Canadian Football League player who was cut by the Seahawks at the end of the preseason last year. The team signed him to the practice squad, but he didn’t make the 53-man roster until December. Once he did, Matthews found his place and got his chance in the NFL’s biggest game. He hopes it’s only a glimpse of things to come.