I was invited to appear on another Field Gulls podcast this week specifically to talk about the draft and my mock draft last week. There’s a bit of Seahawks talk at the end too. Check it out below.
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Someone tell KA that high draft picks do not equal quality draft picks.
It’s better to keep a coach than a manager in my mind. The manager fills the coaches needs. If a coach is losing every game, he isnt getting what he needs.
I always go back to something PC said about high round picks compared to mid, late, or UDFAs.
‘The learning curve is the same for everyone coming into the league.’ Should it be higher for blue chippers? Probably. But it ain’t guaranteed.
You mean lower?
Mathematically he just has too, right?
I think its interesting the way we value first round status and heap the expectations on a player.
Look at the difference in expectations between Pocic and Ifedi!!
Some people talk about Ethan like he’s some kind of steal/gem/coup, while they fail to even present an accurate picture of who Germain even is while burying his plus play behind team failures.
We knew he’d be penalized. Read my piece from 18 months ago talking about the intelligent freak athlete.
But blaming scheme and personnel inconsistencies on individuals is just dumb.
Even moreso when youre talking about players drafted within 32 picks of eachother.
Who is Ifedi? He stands out for all the wrong reasons. Seattle can’t be happy this dude is about to set a league record for most penalties in a season.
He’s alwyas been frustrating as a pass protector and notice how all the chunk plays in the running game come behind the left side and Britt?
+1
Weird question, might just be me, but to my eyes it looks like seattles WRs cant get open quickly? Why is that? They are super fast, every one of them basically is a speed demon or quick twitch monster. Why does it seem like they are never open when every other team has open receivers almost immediately? Why do we need the scramble drill so much? Is it play calling? Russ just not trusting them? Im at a loss trying to figure this out. Rob or Volume12 any ideas? Or anyone else for that matter?
I have noticed that Russ has missed the chance to throw to open receivers at least a couple times a game as well.
I think its a few things. Scheme wise, they are generally looking for the big play when they isolate one WR whereas on other teams it is part of their game plan to throw isolated slants (Jefferey for PHI, Adams for GB). Throwing slants in particular also leads to issues with Russ height. He requires a vision window to throw inside that is not impossible but harder if you have tall OL or opposing DL. Most QBs (Brady) like to put the slant low and inside so that its a catch or incompletion. Again height helps you generate a downward plane to better make this throw. I think they are more comfortable throwing the out routes because of this. You almost never see a short crossing route out except off of the occasional rollout. As much as we go deep you figure the 10 yrd comeback would be there all the time.
I would argue that Doug can get open extremely fast, and PRich (as demonstrated on the 4th down non-call) can as well. I think it’s more a design thing than a skill/talent thing. Pete believes in taking shots around the 40 yard line, and to him, a passing play that is explosive (> 15 yards) is worth far more than dinking and dunking.
Combination of a few things.
The scheme, Russ has a habit of locking onto his 1st read if he can’t scramble, and the pass protection has shook him to where he sees ghosts back there and has to create opportunities. How can he even begin to see open receiver when he’s running around for his life?
Its amazing what he’s able to do with one of if not the worst rushing attack in the league and an O-line that can’t seem to string together consistent protection.
Without a run game teams can tee off on this offense. If we don’t respect the run, why would NFL defenses? And this allows D’s to drop in an extra defender into coverage.
Finally, after an absurdly-bumbling, tumbling season, we are down to a must-win game. Fittingly, it is against the Rams, so basically we are back where we started, needing to beat the Rams and the rest of the season has hardly mattered.
Football is in trouble, and this turmoil is reflected in the Seahawks. Not only are concussions serious long-term threats to the sport, but the political demonstrations (absurdly allowed in the workplace, unlike any other job), ragged play on the field, and the abysmal officiating, have caused ratings to be down 30%. Watching the Seahawks has been ugly, but so has the rest of the league been as well. The NE loss to the Dolphins, and the Wentz injury, leaves everything wide open, anyone could win, including our stumbling Seahawks.
Every team is going to get upset at some point in the season, but the Seahawks have lost too many times to inferior teams. Only the losses to Green Bay and Atlanta were legit defeats, and each of those swung on one or two plays. The other losses, to the Titans, the Redskins, and the Jags, should have been wins. The blame for these three losses is primarily poor coaching. Both the offensive and defensive schemes are sub-par compared to the best schemes from the best coordinators; and the ragged play, the mistakes, the penalties, are also the result of undisciplined coaching. The emotional turmoil of this team, vividly seen at the end of the Jags game, is a result of the players losing confidence in the schemes, knowing that they are losing games they should be winning.
There have been positives… Russell Wilson is playing brilliantly, and the Seahawks would be a losing team without him; the same for Bobby Wagner; and John Schneider has responded to team needs by acquiring Duane Brown and Sheldon Richardson, two huge upgrades. Without these achievements, this season would already be lost once again by the injury bug on defense. Since our Super Bowl win, injuries (primarily in the LoB) have cost one or two more championships. The only coach in the past ten years who could overcome devastating injuries is Belichick, and we just have to grit and bear it.
So, a must-win against the Rams, with no rational person able to claim any idea of how this game will go. A win over LA, and another must-win over the Cowboys, and here we go, crazy things happen…
Isn’t it so ironic… A couple months ago vs. Rams we are confident in our ability to shut down Gurley and worried silly about their DL completely wrecking us, and now it’s the other way around. 😃
Got any link substantiating your 30% reduction in TV ratings?
I waited a couple of days to cool off after Sunday. That was possibly the weirdest game I have ever seen from the modern day Seahawks. A total contradiction. We saw the grit and never-say-die attitude that has made these guys so great and also witnessed things that had me as disappointed as I can get watching football.
On the positive side, Russell Wilson is the best player to ever wear a Seahawks’ jersey. He just is. The OL to my eye actually played their best game of the year considering the opponent (I haven’t seen all the games). We came back and had a chance to win in what appeared an unwinnable situation… Again! It’s why I always stick it out until the end with these guys.
Oh damn do I miss Cliff Avril. Losing him to a concussion cost us one Super Bowl already and he sure would have helped Blake Bortles remember that he is Blake Bortles. Jimmy Graham is 2nd only to J Lane on my maximum frustration list. Is there any fight in there Jimmy!?! Judas F’in priest we need you to bring it man. The scene at the end of the game just shows who we are vs who we were. Luckily no one is suspended for next week.
Beat the Rams!!!
Anyone else come to realize we have no quality depth at LB? Does anyone see that being a problem? Not much youth at the position. This Sunday against the Rams, potentially Bobby and KJ might not play. You might could argue we do have quality depth at the position but not youth. Dline has youth. Secondary has youth. Could they prioritize LB in Free agency? Could they look to find a 2nd round stud in the draft? Example; Myles Jack, Jaylon Smith, Deion Jones, Su’a Cravens, Reggie Raggaland, Erik Kendricks, Denzel Perryman,
Would love to see the take a flier on ex Husky Azeem Victor if he gets his life in order off the field.
I hate to say it but if Wags and KJ are out I give us less than 20% shot.
Rob you have done it again. Truly I thank you, the gratitude I have for being able to come to this website.
My pleasure, thanks for reading