It’s time to be honest about the state of the Seahawks

Go and listen to this weeks Brock and Salk podcast.

Here’s the link.

You will not hear better analysis on the Seahawks.

Every relevant topic is covered. No punches are pulled.

It’s exactly the type of conversation we need to be having.

Here’s an image that pretty much sums up the rest of the Seattle media currently:

They’re very prepared to get worked up about a decision to punt at midfield at the start of the second half in a four point game. In the grand scheme of things, that is a total irrelevance. It’s meaningless.

On a list of worthwhile topics to discuss, it’s about 79th in the pecking order.

Where was the serious analysis of Seattle’s hapless off-season (which some referred to as ‘fantastic’)? Where are the serious, probing questions about the fact this team has the worst defense in the NFL?

Why hasn’t anyone put to Carroll how they can be this bad on defense after spending $50m and using three first round picks, a second round pick and three third round picks?

Why hasn’t anyone asked about the 1-5 run in the NFC West? Or the 1-5 run against the Rams? Or the all too frequent out-coaching that has been extremely evident in the second half against Arizona and the full games in Buffalo and LA?

The defense is totally broken. The spirt and toughness that was so crucial in the early Carroll years seems to be completely gone. Jamal Adams tweeted, ‘we all we got, we all we need’ after the Buffalo game. It was insulting to use that term, made famous by Red Bryant and the band of brothers from 2010 onwards.

You don’t get to say ‘we all we got, we all we need’ after that disgraceful showing against the Bills.

This video published today highlighting Seattle’s issues on defense is an absolute horror show:

It’s stunning just how badly called, organised and executed the defense is. It’s hopeless. It’s absolutely hopeless.

There’s a lot wrong with the Seahawks and yet sometimes, you’d hardly notice.

Brock and Salk, thankfully, still do a weekly podcast. It’s manna from heaven. A proper, adult conversation covering the important topics involving this team.

No shirking. No hiding.

They compared the current defense to the Jim Mora 2009 season. It’s totally fair. In fact you could argue that if the 2009 team had Russell Wilson and D.K. Metcalf — they’d probably be 6-3 or somewhere close to it too. The quarterback, as badly as he’s played in the last month, masks many blemishes.

Here’s something else Brock Huard said that stands out:

“Pete, if I was sitting with you on a Monday, I’d say, ‘Pete, why and how has your team morphed into such a finesse football team that gets punched in the face consistently?'”

It’s a fair question. One that should be asked.

Ruffling a few feathers is what you’re supposed to do in the media. The industry isn’t there to accommodate you. It’s not an extended vacation, where you get to bask in the glory of doing a cool job.

You’re there to get answers. To push and probe. To point things out.

People won’t like it. You might put a few noses out of joint. That’s part of the business.

It’s not like the Seattle media are being fed a long list of breaking stories either and need to protect a source.

So far this year we’ve had multiple occasions where Carroll has received gushing, uncomfortable praise from a radio host. Bobby Wagner hasn’t had his performances challenged, rather he was asked whether he believes a handful of journalists could beat several highly athletic pro-athletes in a basketball game. Last week Brian Schottenheimer was asked what sauce he likes on a hotdog.

Today, Carroll was asked who picks the jersey colour for each game.

I appreciate not every question can be a gruelling, direct fastball. I’m also well aware how difficult this job can be. Finding the right balance between maintaining a relationship and being seen to hold people to account isn’t always easy.

Surely though we’re well past the point of a few more difficult questions needing to be asked? Again, watch the video above. How is anyone getting away with an easy ride for this?

Assuming Carroll or Wagner or Russell Wilson won’t answer in a satisfactory manner isn’t an excuse. You’ve still got to be seen to be asking the questions.

I suspect Carroll would be more than willing to be challenged. He’s worked in New York, Boston and LA. This isn’t his first rodeo.

Thankfully Brock and Salk were willing to have the kind of debate we need to be having.

I said in my own podcast yesterday that I think the Seahawks will beat the Cardinals on Thursday (the video is at the bottom of the article). I don’t think it’ll change anything though.

The state of the franchise is completely up in the air. The defense is a shambles. The identity of the team is kaput. Carroll reset in 2018 in an attempt to regain an identity. Three years on, this couldn’t look less like a Pete Carroll team.

They are finesse. They aren’t hitting anyone. There’s no attitude.

The way the team has been built has been poor. The scheme calls for pressure with four and yet despite insisting fixing the pass rush was a priority this year, the main moves were to swap Jadeveon Clowney for Benson Mayowa, re-sign an ageing Bruce Irvin and then trade up for a pass rusher who missed the Senior Bowl and combine with a serious injury (and he remains injured).

The way they’ve invested their money and used their picks is confusing and deserves to be questioned, challenged and analysed. It’s no longer good enough to point to the team building work between 2010 and 2013 and give this front office a pass.

Regardless of the result on Thursday night — the Seahawks do not look like a team primed for a long playoff run.

If they lose you could argue they’d be in a crisis — enduring a three-game losing streak and a 1-4 run, with a two-game gap between Seattle and Arizona for the NFC West lead. As noted many times, winning the division once in six years shouldn’t be acceptable with the quarterback advantage Seattle has.

Yet if they do win the game — there shouldn’t be any sugar coating this situation. Even if they finish 11-5 again, it’s abundantly clear that in the coming off-season major decisions need to be taken.

Nothing should be off the table. They need to be ruthless and pro-active.

Carroll isn’t going anywhere as we discussed on Monday. Therefore he should be open to major, significant changes to the coaching staff which include ceding control of the defense to a proper coordinator.

No longer can we see Tre Flowers sitting 15-yards off a receiver despite having safety help. No longer can young players come into the system, drift through their rookie contracts and then depart with minimal development. No longer can the terrible communication and blown assignments continue.

A new, expert staff is required who can teach and install a scheme that is executed with detail and precision.

In terms of personnel, some big calls are required. Is Bobby Wagner worth $18m a year? Be honest about that. You just spent a first round pick on a middle linebacker. Be prepared to move on if needs be. Is Jamal Adams a proper fit in this defense? Is he going to be worth the massive contract he will covet? If the answer is no, you have to be prepared to salvage what you can and trade him.

You’ve got to be realistic about your core. The only players you can say are part of it, with any seriousness, are Russell Wilson, D.K. Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, Duane Brown and some of the younger guys like Damien Lewis and potentially Jordyn Brooks. Chris Carson would be on the list but you need to decide how much you’re willing to commit to him.

The rest? It’s all up for debate. Nobody on the defense is playing well enough to justify being safe.

Quandre Diggs needs to go. Quinton Dunbar needs to go. Shaquill Griffin? You can’t pay him big money. Every member of the defensive line should be on borrowed time with the exception of Poona Ford. Carlos Dunlap deserves an opportunity to prove his worth but the reality is he’s 32 in February and has a big cap hit in 2021.

You’re staring at a massive defensive rebuild — in terms of scheme, staff and personnel.

Let’s just be honest about that. It was good that Salk brought up Wagner’s future. The simple fact is, you might just have to move on. Ditto with Adams. If he was a safety you drafted playing this way as an effective blitzer but not a lot else, it would be fine. But you traded three good picks and a player for him. He needs to be a defining player on the defense. A total game-changer. I’m afraid, so far, he simply isn’t. The sacks are nice but the defense still looks appalling, you have to go against your scheme to be aggressive and blitz him and as a coverage man, he’s not an upgrade on Bradley McDougald.

He’s got seven more games to prove his worth or it’s time to bite the bullet and get what you can. You can’t compound the issue by paying him the $15-20m contract he will expect and that you’re duty bound to give him after trading away so much.

Going into the off-season and swapping Ken Norton for Gus Bradley or Dan Quinn, then papering over a few cracks with a few neat-and-tidy free agency moves and a limited draft class, before repeating the same season in 2021 that we’ve seen since 2015 shouldn’t be acceptable.

Short of a turnaround this season so unpredictable it would be staggering, this is the reality of where the Seahawks are. You don’t have to wait until January to have this conversation. We can have it right now.

Some people won’t like it. Avoiding difficult topics is a classic human trait. A lot of people don’t want to recognise issues because you have to confront them. It’s easier to sit back and hope things are actually OK. Or you can undermine those who do want to have the tough conversations. That’s easier than actually having to debate the valid talking points.

Really it comes down to this. If you want a serious football team who actually makes Super Bowls and wins things, we all need to be realistic and honest about where this team is. That includes the football operation, the media and the fans.

At the moment, the Seahawks are a long way away from the Super Bowl. Everything is on Russell Wilson and as we’re seeing, it’s not sustainable. You cannot build your team this way — with a horrific defense and a one-dimensional offense — and hope to succeed for more than the odd flourish here and there.

There are serious weaknesses littered throughout the roster. Many personnel mistakes have been made. The coaching staff needs to be better and fresh ideas are required.

Major surgery is needed. A few band-aids are not enough.

The sooner we all recognise that the better.

If you missed yesterday’s podcast previewing the Arizona game and discussing other topics such as Chris Carson’s future, you can watch it here:

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622 Comments

  1. Uncle Bob

    None of what you say Rob is particularly shocking. Journalism of an overall quality in the US has been on the decline for decades. The changes to business models for revenue driven by the wholesale changes brought on by the internet formatting/access only applied more pressure on the entire industry. As for the Seahawks, sure we should be talking about changes necessary, and now rather than after the season is reasonable. But we’re just fans, we have no control on what the team actually does. They hopefully are having serious “what moves do we need to make?” conversations among themselves. One of my favorite sayings is “Luck occurs when preparation and opportunity converge.”. What many refer to as luck is anything but.

    In my youth, part of what I did with my efforts was to learn from successful business owners/operators what they did well and what went wrong with an eye to why things went wrong. When I did my own business thing I acknowledged the gifts of experience those folks passed on to me, and I’ve tried to pass on as well. One of the more successful folks was constantly searching for personnel even though he had a fully staffed and very successful operation. When asked why he was always looking he bluntly said, “In each department you’ve always got a lowest performer. If you want to remain successful you need to constantly bring in higher performers. Even if your lowest performer is at least good, you need to strive for better.” We then went on to talking about the importance of training those folks up as well, which is a mixed bag of results in turn. His did the ruthless approach you call for in this piece. If the Seahawks are going to make any meaningful changes in both coaching and playing personnel they should already have their prospects identified so that they are prepared to move in as soon as the opportunity presents (luck/preparation/opportunity). Contracts are a slight impediment to the timing, but not the preparation. Sadly I’m not optimistic that they have been preparing ahead of time. Proactive or reactive? Sadly I’m more inclined to put them in category two.

    • Rob Staton

      “As for the Seahawks, sure we should be talking about changes necessary, and now rather than after the season is reasonable. But we’re just fans, we have no control on what the team actually does.”

      I never implied fans had ‘control’ on anything the team does.

      That wasn’t even hinted at in the piece.

      • Uncle Bob

        Chill, the next sentence following what you quote is the closing of that thought loop.

        • Rob Staton

          I’m perfectly chilled. The next sentence is this:

          They hopefully are having serious “what moves do we need to make?” conversations among themselves.

          I’m not sure that changes anything with regards to my reply. I took a slight issue with the line I originally quoted because I never implied fans had any control.

          • Ok

            I’ll push back a little further and say that while the fans don’t have control in the operations, consumers of a product can influence an organization, in my opinion. Rob wasn’t saying this, but I am, and that’s that the blind fan mentality just helps more of the same. Now it would take a lot of people, and the media being really loud, but pressure needs to be applied in some way. Wilson is a noted ‘social media addict’, he starts getting roasted continually he’s going to want somethings to change*. How Pete Carroll got extended for five years, while failing his primary objective (win the division) with a league wide top 5 qb….well I don’t think the fans in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Alabama….I don’t think those fans would be quite as complacent as we are here.

            Shoutout to Rob for being in front. Again. And staying the course with all of the ridiculous noise from those claiming everything is fine.

            *increasingly, for me, I don’t see a way out of this hole for the hawks for 3+ years, without trading Wilson. I have no idea what compensation would like, but there isn’t a way out without draft picks. The Jamal trade looks shocking. Russell has a no trade clause, but I don’t think he wants to waste his best remaining years waiting for this to turn around, he could be agreeable. Goes without saying anyone else should also be available for trade/cut. Watching the dolphins, the Cards….I’m just so jealous, and that’s not because of the qb’s, it’s the defense, the energy/vibe/wave/juice. It pops. We look lifeless in comparison.

            • Michael Wood

              And there is the start of the problem….when the team paid Wilson 35 million a year with a no trade clause then future was written. A team CAN NOT pay 3-5 players over a third of the cap and expect to compete over time. It is ironic how sooooo many fans can’t wrap their heads around the concept of if you pay a lot to a few, see pay Clowney 20 million argument, there isn’t much left to pay the other 40+ spots. Is Wilson, Wagner, etc. worth the lofty contracts….NO and they never were going to be worth them because of basic logic. 3-5 high paid players don’t win games 22 players working as a group win and create value.

              • Rob Staton

                They spent $50m this year.

                No excuse.

              • dcd2

                It can be done if you draft well and don’t trade away all of your most valuable picks. Also if your players actually improve and don’t regress from year to year.

                Older guys are going to lose a step, that’s a given. But our player development has been garbage and our drafting, just as bad. Tack on some injuries and bad in-game coaching and you get what we have.

                We’re paying RW $31M this year. The Steelers are paying Ben $24M. That is the difference of Greg Olsen. Take Olsen off our books and swap the entire Steelers team for ours and except QB and we have a much better team and $3M extra in cap.

                The difference is that the Steelers have drafted, developed and coached better than we have. It’s not just – You can’t pay a QB top money and compete.

                • Ok

                  True! I don’t think it’s Wilson’s contract that holds the hawks back. My reasoning behind trading him fro draft picks is that the roster is so bad, and needs to be fixed over time with the draft. Can’t do it without picks. The drafting has been pretty ineffective though, so hard to have much faith. The same thought process rolled the dice on DK and Darrell Taylor (I think Rob already pointed this out earlier in the year). One worked out, one hasn’t. Hard to say you want just the DK result and not the Darrell, goes hand in hand to me.
                  Anyways, hawks need picks. A lot of them. The roster doesn’t look close.

              • AC12THMAN

                Paying Wilson was absolutely necessary,he’s a hall of fame QB. This team would most likely be winless without him. I do think trading Clark and paying Bobby and Reed was a mistake,to go along with many other mistakes over the last 3 years. I agree with Rob that a complete overhaul on the defensive side is necessary,from coaches to players. I think if Pete has the courage to break from his system and bring in a coordinator that can run a system that highlights Adam’s skills we can still salvage something from the trade,otherwise as Rob said it’s time to get what you can and move on.

  2. MilesMorales

    Just an idea but what do you think of getting Saleh as DC with the option to become HC after Carroll?

    • Rob Staton

      They won’t change the HC

      • MilesMorales

        Not now but in a few years

        • Rob Staton

          Well let’s consider potential coaching candidates in a few years.

          • MilesMorales

            But could he be someone they potentially look at as DC?

            • Rob Staton

              No because he is SF’s DC.

            • Pran

              why would any want to jeopardize career with this roster.

    • GoHawksDani

      I would love Saleh but they won’t offer HC and he won’t come as DC

  3. Big Mike

    Absolutely ractive Uncle Bob. The trade for Adams speaks loudly to this after the failure to truly improve the pass rush.

  4. kevin mullen

    There’s definitely a lot less dawgs on this team than in year’s past. Without realizing it, we are a finesse team.

    I think the key (and there’s several keys btw) to this mess has been the bad drafting in the first rounds (or getting too cute and trading back every damn year just because of “value”). Sometimes we just need to get a mother-effer and trade up in the first round.

    • Big Mike

      Their draft process is definitely broken. Changes somewhere need to be made or if you prefer “major surgery” as Rob put it needs to be performed on that process. Will it happen? I have doubts any major surgery will happen anywhere in the organization for the reason I posted below.

    • Alex H

      F it. Just get Scot McCloughan back. There’s been a clear downward trend on their drafts after he left. We still have hits like Clark, Lockett, Metcalf, but we have many more misses than we did in the past.

  5. Big Mike

    Rob said: “major surgery is required”. Could not agree more whole heartedly. The big question to me being is Carroll humble enough to admit to himself mistakes were made (Wagner extension sadly, Adams trade, etc.) and then let the world know he made them by moving on from said screw ups? A pertinent question especially considering he at present is accountable to no one. I have serious doubts myself.

    • dza990

      Carroll needs to read his own book again.

      • Chris

        Another major point of contention that I think a lot of people are missing, and is somewhat covered in the mention of picks drifting through their rookie contracts… Why did they stop putting the talent they believed in the most on the field, and instead put people on the field who have been in the system the longest? It led to the Diggs trade, why did they stop letting people learn on the job? Kam played a fair bit in his first season as a 5th rounder, Blair should have been playing from week one last year instead of Tedric. We already knew what he was, and just because he displayed interesting facets in practice, in game situations, time and again, he was just not capable.

        They are stunting their own players development by forcing them to only get practice snaps until they show in meetings and practices that they execute the scheme perfectly. While yes this is somewhat important, playing LIVE GAMES, against REAL OPPONENTS, shows what you’re made of… You can correct mistakes in practice, you can teach strategies to avoid mistakes in meetings… You put the BEST TALENT on the field always, players who can meaningfully affect the game by making plays… Limiting your talent by keeping them off the field, compounds the issue when you have players with less talent, making the same mistakes we have seen the last few years and making zero plays that affect the outcome of the game… it is a net loss.

  6. Spencer

    Should be an interesting offseason, Simple bandaids and retooling aren’t going to cut it anymore, another unloading like 2010 would be interesting.

    • Rob Staton

      It won’t be like 2010. That was expansion franchise level rebuilding.

      This will likely be 2018 on steroids. With Russell Wilson they can’t afford to spend three years reaching a reset crescendo. They need to put together a defense that can succeed in 2021.

      • hawkfanforetenity

        Russell has increasingly put pressure on the team this last year to be better. The media may not hold Carroll and the team accountable, but it does give me some hope for the future that Russell isn’t content with the status quo. If he’s been giving the tacit green light for his media friends to vent, he must be also applying pressure behind the scenes as well. He’s the most powerful voice in the franchise, outside of Carroll, I don’t think bringing back the same defense next year with a Dan Quinn type as DC is going to be acceptable to him.

        • Rob Staton

          A good point

        • Simo

          It’s a really good point you make about RW’s involvement, and a very interesting question, “how much influence does/will he have?” It would also be nice if some of the other team leaders (Brown, Wagner, Lockett, DK even) expressed their opinions about the state of the team, and what they think needs to happen. Who else is going to do this? Not ownership, or the team friendly media, not the current coaching staff!

          Not sure how things will go in the offseason, but clearly some very tough and difficult decisions need to be made regarding the future direction of the team.

  7. cha

    Well said Rob.

    The local media thoroughly deserve to be called out for their lazy, fawning questions. To add to the list, Gregg bell asked RW about being named an honorary Harlem Globetrotter.

    Bobby Wagner’s ‘so we’re 6-3 it’s not like we’re 3-6’ answer yesterday was extremely disappointing. He was dejected and angry about the defense even when the team was unbeaten. What has happened to him in the last 4 weeks? Has apathy taken over? Has he been instructed to stop being so negative in his comments to the press and that’s the best he can muster? And how is that an acceptable answer for a guy helming the worst defense in the nfl?

  8. Denver Hawker

    Sad trend occurring here in Player of the Week:

    Week 1: Russ
    Week 2: Dickson
    Week 3: Russ
    Week 4: –
    Week 5: –
    Week 6: bye
    Week 7: Kyler Murray
    Week 8: Wagner
    Week 9: Josh Allen
    Week 10: Leonard Floyd

    Started making regular appearances in a good way, not appears weekly in a bad way. I’ll put some money down on Kyler for Week 11.

    • Jace

      I feel like week 5 against Minnesota should be DK. 2 TD’s including a huge catch on the last drive and the game winning TD on 4th down.

      • Denver Hawker

        If he didn’t get injured, it would have been Dalvin Cook.

  9. Troy

    As much as i love Bobby, how many games has he earned his money this year? I can only think of one game, every other one the performance has seemed meh. You don’t pay 18 mil for meh.

    This defense 100% needs a rebuild, I like Poona, I like Adams (if they can find a role for him), and that’s about it. We either need to try and trade Bobby (improbable because of his contract), or just straight cut him so we can upgrade our defense in free agency since we lack so many draft picks next year.

    • Rob Staton

      They need to build a great D-line.

      Forget every other positions, apart from potentially cornerback, until you’ve sorted the D-line.

      I’ll happily roll with Marquise Blair at one safety spot and someone like Keanu Neal next to him, if the price is right in FA. I’m not paying Jamal Adams $18m to blitz — replacing one sunk cost (Wagner) with another.

      They need to stop putting the cart before the horse, pumping resources into linebacker and safety. Sort the D-line out.

      • BruceN

        “They need to stop putting the cart before the horse, pumping resources into linebacker and safety. Sort the D-line out.”

        Agree with you there. LB to me is lower in the pecking order after DL and DB positions. I was shocked going after a LB in the 1st. If we did it as a replacement for Wags, then rip the band aid. Unfortunately cutting him in 21 will have a $7.5M cap hit and then it goes down to $3.7M in 2022. I thought that would be the year but if he continues to play at his current level his $17M (minus the dead cap) can be better spent elsewhere in 2021.

        Overall, I still think this defense is not playing up to the level of the players. The scheme leaves a lot to be desired, we play tentative and passive without attacking mentality and a purpose. It screams no confidence.

        • Rob Staton

          After watching Brett Kollman’s video, it’s pretty clear they have absolutely no idea what they’re doing in terms of scheme, game plan and adjustments.

          Absolutely hopeless.

          • DougM

            He thinks it’s fixable but will be very difficult. It looks like the players need to take it upon themselves to be putting more work in, perhaps spending much more time together in the film room.

            • Rob Staton

              Anything’s fixable.

              If the wheels fell off my car, technically I could fix it. I don’t know a thing about how to start but I suppose I could get lucky.

          • Tim

            I’m also checking out Brett Kollman’s video. It’s quite illuminating.

            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1N5t_xrujo

            Rob, I’m glad you saw it.

          • Glor

            Watching that video was so depressing… How have we not fired a bunch of people already..

      • Elmer

        Yes, thank you. It’s good to explain HOW you would get to a competitive defense in 2021. D line and CB for sure. Obviously the 2021 draft isn’t the answer, neither are injured veteran FA retreads. The team must wisely choose which assets (players) to part with in order to acquire the needed (physically, mentally, emotionally) player talent. By no means an easy task.

    • Adog

      They never should have resigned him in the first place. I said it then and I’ll say it now…you don’t pay linebackers who can’t rush the passer that type of money.

  10. Big Mike

    One thing that makes me skeptical that Pete will admit the trade for Adams was a mistake was the situation with Eddie “Fast Food” Lacey. Pete stayed with him far too long when it was already obvious to anyone with a set of eyes that Chris Carson was the easily superior RB.

    • Rob Staton

      To be fair, Chris Carson got injured in week four in 2017 and missed the rest of the season. So I don’t think it’s fair to say Pete stayed with him far too long.

  11. Strategicdust

    I think a number of us saw this coming after the poor offseason they had but you have put it all together very nicely, Rob. The main problem I see with getting this fixed is the continuation of Pete and John who got us here in the first place. How much change can we really expect from people who think “we just need to get better” and staying too loyal to “their guys”. The people making these decisions are a big part of the problem and it’s not realistic to think after 10 years they’ll really change their approach to these issues. Without having an active owner to account, I don’t see Pete giving up control of his defense to anyone. The bandaid philosophy along with the sign a bunch of low cost line players and hope for the best off-seasons followed by the panic trades to make for those off-seasons are likely to continue.
    This off season will once again be critical. With depleted draft choices, a restricted salary cap and numerous holes to fill, there’s a very good chance a number of players will either be traded or released. Identifying who the core players are and who has trade value ( and getting the most out of that trade value) will determine the course of this franchise for the next 5 years. It’s time for some newbb CB people making those choices.

    • Rob Staton

      Pete has said in the past it’s never too late to reinvent yourself.

      They can make it right but they have to be completely honest with themselves.

  12. Dave1401

    We desperately need Darrell Taylor to pan out at this point. I think one of the biggest disappointments this year for me has been Jarran Reed. He’s supposed to be a leader, supposed to be a force in the middle. Been absolutely invisible this year. At least its only a 2 year contract

    • Spencer Duncan

      I think him and Poona have looked alright in the middle, especially considering there’s been absolutely no pressure coming from the outside of the line. They’re far from the problem, although I agree I wouldn’t pay Reed as much.

    • SteveLargent80

      Reed is top five in PRWR for defensive tackles. Poona and Reed have actually been pretty good

  13. STTBM

    Rob, I agree with most of your take. There’s nothing wrong with calling Seattle to task. I’ve been grumbling about their drafts, trades, and free agency bungles, not to mention the propensity to hire old cronies and yes-men as supporting coaches rather than promoting or hiring young up and comers for years. Perhaps I jumped the gun, but there’s certainly nothing wrong with you waiting to make similar judgements until this last off-season. You are more careful than I in calling Carrol and Schneider out. And you do a far better job diagraming how you arrived at your conclusions.

    And those that don’t like your tone or message on this are simply ridiculous. This isn’t a fanboy site, that’s not what you do. Your tone and content on this is utterly appropriate and in my opinion, spot on.

    The total lack of meaningful questions or criticism of Carrol and PC by local media is baffling and aggravating to me. It’s disgusting. It’s driving me crazy the lack of spotlight on Norton and his 5 1/2 years of always declining performance as DC for two teams. Carrol, JS, and the assistant coaches also have been given a free pass until now. Just asinine.

  14. cha

    Quick 2021 Offseason Primer

    $19.268 million cap room per OTC

    34 PLAYERS UNDER CONTRACT FOR 2021

    Offense: 15

    QB-(1) Wilson
    RB-(3) Penny, Homer, Dallas
    TE-(2) Dissly, Parkinson
    OT-(2) Brown, Shell
    G-(4) Lewis, Haynes, Warmack, Jones Simmons (ERFA)
    C-(0)Fuller(RFA)
    WR-(3) Lockett, Metcalf, Swain Hart (ERFA)

    Defense: 16

    DE-(4) Dunlap, Green, Collier, Robinson, Taylor
    DT-(1)Reed Poona (RFA), Mone (ERFA)
    LB-(4) Wagner, Brooks, Barton, BBK Shaquem (RFA)
    S-(2) Adams, Diggs Neal(ERFA)
    CB-(4) Flowers, Amadi, Reed, Blair Stephens (ERFA)

    ST: 3

    ST-(3) Ott, Myers, Dickson

    RFA (3): Poona, Shaquem, Fuller
    ERFA (5): Simmons, Hart, Mone, Neal, Stephens

    Player Extension Targets
    Duane Brown, $11m savings available
    Tyler Lockett , $10.3m savings available
    (note: full savings not available if extended, call it 1/2 of what’s available at best)

    Potential Cuts/Trades/Restructures/etc
    Jamal Adams, $9.86m savings available
    Carlos Dunlap, $14.1m savings available
    Bobby Wagner, $9.65m savings available
    Jarran Reed, $8.475m savings available
    Quandre Diggs, $5.5m savings available
    Brandon Shell, $3.5m savings available

    Wildcard to get some cap room
    Russell Wilson carries a $32m cap hit and has restructured to make room in the past

    Current PS not contracted but may be in play for 2021:

    RB Alex Collins
    DT Snacks Harrison
    WR Cody Thompson
    WR John Ursua
    WR Aaron Fuller
    TE Stephen Sullivan
    OT Chad Wheeler
    OT Tommy Champion

    UFA

    QB – Smith
    RB – Carson, Hyde
    FB/ST – Bellore
    TE – Hollister, Olsen
    WR – Dorsett, Gordon, Moore
    C – Pocic
    G – Iupati
    OT – Ogbuehi
    DE – Mayowa, Moore, Jackson
    LB – Wright, Irvin
    CB – Dunbar, Thorpe, Shaquill
    S – Hill

    Current Draft Picks
    2, 4, 5

    Potential 2021 Comp picks
    none per OTC

    Traded
    1,3 (Jamal Adams Trade)
    6 (Stephen Sullivan Trade)
    7 (Carlos Dunlap Trade)

    Note: They got a 7th from Detroit in the Diggs Trade, and traded their 7th conditionally to the Jets for Parry Nickerson, who was cut 10 days later. Not sure if the conditions were met, if anyone has information feel free to share. So they might get that 7 back, and then there’s the question of if the 7th traded to Cincinnati has a condition that it’s the better of Detroit’s or Seattle’s native pick.

    • Troy

      Thanks for gathering this all together Cha.

      Funny, from their list of UFAs, I only see Pocic as a must sign. Carson would be in that category as well but due to his injuries I put him in the tier slightly below that. After those two tho? I don’t see anyone as a must sign, especially on the defense. This is sort of good news, as it means we could really pursue a HUGE defensive reset this offseason. Poona is an obvious keep as an RFA.

      Bring in a new DC, bring in lots of rooks/hungry vets, let all the trash go to the wind.

    • Kendo

      Thanks for the info. This certainly paints a dark picture for the team’s future. $19 mil and hardly any picks in the draft leaves me feeling like the team will continue to descend. So much confidence in the team’s future has changed since the end of last season. It looked like they were primed to take the next step and get back to the top of the league. They really screwed up this offseason and as if that isn’t enough it looks like their trade for Adams negatively impacts the next couple off seasons.

  15. JLemere

    Well if the defense does start over, they might be investing $$$ into the secondary then they would pass rush. NE runs cover 1 (man coverage corners and deep safety zone), BAL runs cover 1 and 3, and PIT is the most flexible as they run Cover 1, Cover 2 (Both safeties play zone and corners play man), and Cover 3 schemes. NE invested in Stephon Gilmore, BAL invested in Marcus Peters and Marlon Humphrey (also Earl Thomas before the meltdown), PIT invested in Minkah Fitzpatrick and Joe Haden. If not, then they should look at SF and WAS defenses who invested picks and $$$ on the d-line.

    But Rob is right: Quandre Diggs needs to be gone from the roster. NE, PIT, and BAL all have a deep safety that makes their defense works. Diggs doesn’t give that same impact and that will definitely be a priority regardless if they are secondary or pass rush focus. If SEA gets rid of Adams, Diggs, Wagner, Reed, and Dunlap SEA would get roughly up to 65 million in cap space. Won’t fix the defense in one offseason but can get a good start on the rebuild.

    • Rob Staton

      Pittsburgh and Baltimore also have pumped major resource into their D-lines.

      • JLemere

        For PIT it was via draft with Cameron Heyward, Stephon Tuitt, and Isaiah Buggs. For BAL they drafted Branden Williams and then signed Derek Wolfe in FA and traded for Calais Campbell. And both cover the costs by getting young on their linebackers. Both have starting inside linebackers on rookie deals.

        • Rob Staton

          Baltimore also franchised Judon and traded for Ngakoue. Pittsburgh have paid big money to keep their pass rush and DL together.

          You can’t argue that they haven’t gone big up front.

          • JLemere

            Only team who doesn’t do that is NE which is interesting.

            • Rob Staton

              NE has spent a lot of picks up front.

              • JLemere

                But when they got their hands on a great player like a Chandler Jones or Trey Flowers, they don’t spend the $$$. They only spend it on the secondary, ILB, and OL.

                • Rob Staton

                  Chandler Jones had some off-field concerns and they decided to trade him after acknowledging internally they weren’t going to re-sign him. That was a mistake with hindsight but they’ve done that with all sorts of players — including Brandin Cooks and Jamie Collins recently.

                  Trey Flowers got a record-breaking contract in FA. I wouldn’t have paid that either.

      • JLemere

        The point I’m trying to make is this: SEA will need to pick an identity either in the secondary or on the D-Line. Personally, I would prefer D-Line, but with Carroll being a secondary guy and I still don’t trust him to adapt, he will probably go the secondary route. If that is the case, they should focus on NE’s scheme.

        • Rob Staton

          No, they don’t have to pick an identity.

          They don’t have to choose between the DL and the secondary.

          Believe it or not it’s possible to address both areas.

          • JLemere

            Not in one offseason no.

            • Rob Staton

              Course you can. With the right resources you can do anything.

              • JLemere

                Replacing 10 starters (if you make the necessary cuts/trades to build up the cap space) in one offseason is too unrealistic. It’s at least two offseasons and maybe 3 depending on circumstances. But if SEA commits to an identity in either the secondary or the d-line, it could push the defense to the middle of the pack, which is better where the defense is currently, which is an organizational win and at least puts them on the path to success.

                • Rob Staton

                  I never said they had to replace 10 starters.

                  Look, they don’t have to pick ‘D-line or secondary’. That’s simply not true. You can improve both areas. It doesn’t have to be one or the other.

                  • JLemere

                    Ok let me ask this then. If we left the 4-3 cover 3 defense and lets say we go to something similar to NE’s 3-4 cover 1 defense, how many starters from 2020 are you keeping for 2021?

                    • Rob Staton

                      Don’t know

    • Spencer Duncan

      I’d look into restructuring Wagner, Reed and Dunlap and see if we can get them on more affordable long-term deals. They’re all still productive players, just not worth the salaries they’re receiving. Maybe even look into extending Duane Brown to prorate the salary over a few more years. Best case, he plays well into his old age, worst case, he retires and takes those years off the cap.

      I’d give Adams another year to prove that he can fit. He was a defacto superstar with the Jets, and if Pete brings in a new DC maybe he’ll have a vision that can fit his skillset better – or at least another year to see what went wrong in the film might convince Pete to make some adjustments. It’s not a sunk cost yet, lets not give up on the huge value we got with such little return for the investment.

      Diggs can go as he can be replaced by Blair or via competition from a draft pick or FA.

  16. MoBo

    Brett Kollmann breaks down our defence pretty good in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1N5t_xrujo
    So many mistakes on every level

    • Denver Hawker

      He makes great breakdowns. My biggest takeaway is Norton needs to go and each player on defense needs to be evaluated if they are capable of performing their assignments.

    • Volume12

      100% agree.

      The scheme is played out. They aren’t having fun. It’s a copycat league. Everyone has seen it or adapted it and found the holes in it.

    • Rob Staton

      I stopped it after two minutes to write this comment.

      He’s wrong that ‘pass rush isn’t the problem’. It’s far from the only problem but it is a big one. But no doubt people will relay that quote back to me and others for the rest of the season now.

      They are creating the pressure he references via PFF because they are blitzing on over a third (34.2%) of their defensive snaps for the season. The fact that they have to blitz to make up for the crappy four man rush is one of the reasons their scheme is collapsing and everything looks disjointed and hapless. This scheme isn’t aggressive like this and I can’t help but imagine it contributes to some of the flawed, blown coverages. They have never blitzed at this rate before. The scheme is not set up to blitz like this.

      I appreciate he might not notice that not living in the Seattle bubble. And although I don’t doubt he’s put a ton of work and effort into this video, I suspect he hasn’t trawled through the whole nine games in All-22 in the space of a week for an 18 minute video where he just needs to look up the specific plays that are listed as problematic on the listing.

      I’m going to watch the rest now.

      • Henry Taylor

        To be fair to Brett he does talk a lot about how the blitz is creating problems, and points out that they’ve been getting sacks the last couple weeks without resorting to the blitz.

        He’s also still wrong that the pass rush isn’t the problem, the coaches are now just compounding the problem with terrible game planning and predictable play calling.

      • DougM

        He also does a 2 hour weekly podcast with EJ Snyder, a Chicago fan who lives in Seattle, covering all the games of the previous week, called Bootleg Football Podcast.

  17. cha

    So let me see if I have this right.

    NYG having OL issues, including development of their prize draft pick.

    NYG decide to bring an outside OL consultant in to work with the OL.

    NYG current OL coach reacts so badly to that decision, they fire him and replace him with outside consultant.

    Really, really, really makes you think.

  18. Volume12

    How much would it take to get Jim Leonhard away from Wisconsin and bring him in as DC? He brings the same intensity to his defense as he did when he played in the league. Puts his guys in the right position to make plays.

    • Volume12

      He’s young, fiery, his LBs always excel. Exactly what Seattle needs IMHO.

      • Gohawks5151

        He’s good name to know. Been really successful the past few years.

    • Troy

      I could be wrong but I think the only way successful college coaches get lured away from college to the NFL is when they are offered head coaching gigs. He might see it too much as a lateral move to only be DC, unless he was told he would be headcoach in X time, etc

  19. Gaux Hawks

    off subject: any update on penny? doesn’t he have to practice this week in order to play this season?

    • cha

      My understanding of PUP is it’s after Week 11 a decision has to be made to start officially practicing him, and then they have 3 weeks after that to decide whether to put him on 53 or IR him.

      There’s a possibility they practice him but limit him to jogging to satisfy the procedure requirement, and then immediately put him on IR and make use of the new COVID IR rules to just stash him for late season/the playoffs.

  20. Gohawks5151

    I opened my phone this morning to find an article that said the Seahawks and Niners may end up in a bidding war for the services of Dan Quinn. Yeesh. I have really loved seeing what the defenses in New York and Miami have done. They seem organized and put the players in a position to succeed. Such a difference to what we have seen in the past. The LOB was a showcase of superior athleticism and mind set, in a simple scheme. They don’t have the horses for that anymore and its time the scheme work for the players, not the other way around. I would like to see if we could steal the D coordinator for the NY Giants. I forget his name but he is a Belichick and Steve Spanuolo understudy. He has a varied scheme that would be great. Jerod Mayo is another one you might want to jump on now too. Played and coaches for NE. Splitting defensive duties with Belichicks son (the mullet one). I’ve read how much they like him. Could be another Vrabel.

    I am a big “let the kids play” guy. The majority of the guys to flash Sunday were young guys. I think you got to say goodbye to Diggs, KJ, Irvin, Mayowa on D. Maybe even Reed in you can get a replacement cheaper (Sheldon Rankins). Maybe Dunlap too if you can’t spread that money out for another year or so. Time to turn it over to Blair, Brooks, D. Reed, Amadi, Poona, Mone, Robinson and Taylor (hopefully). Supplement D line with FA. Keep Shaq on a medium deal. I do not think they will get rid of Bobby and I’ve been back and forth on it.

    Adams is the big question. At 24 he is still young enough to make big steps. Pete can still help him in learning coverage and a new D staff could help too (Or Kris Richard). But Pete has to sign off on building a defense largely around his strengths with other personnel supporting his weaknesses. That may mean other changes like changing the mold of the CB’s he likes. DJ Reed is not a classic outside corner but played about as good as anyone has all year. That is a huge ask of an old coach. So it may be that they get rid of Adams. It would be a shame though since there seems to be so much untapped potential

    • Volume12

      I thought Brooks played really well. Like his traits.

      • Rob Staton

        Brooks had a 47.2 PFF grade for the game.

        I know people have highlighted some nice plays on twitter but overall was his performance actually that good? That’s not an iffy grade, it’s a terrible one.

        • Matt

          Not to pile on Brooks, but outside of 1 play, his “good plays” were in very predictable run situations with the Rams clearly milking clock. I’m not impressed with that.

        • Volume12

          Respectfully disagree w/ PFF.

          Is he perfect? No. Not by any means. He could be more consistent. However, he’s flashing in a big way for me. I like his size, play speed, moves well, likes to mix it up, starting to get better in coverage. All that stuff. Things are beginning to click for him.

          • Gohawks5151

            There is a video floating around of some good plays he made in coverage last Sunday. The ones that he reads play action, drops and takes on the second guy in his zone are pretty impressive. He gets Goff to double clutch the throw twice. In the games he has played he also flashes knifing through blocks and making a tackle down the line. He is a rookie. He is learning and is gonna have ups and downs as they all do. People want to throw around Patrick Queen’s name but he got beat twice in coverage, one for a TD. Not a finished product.

        • DougM

          Patrick Queens grade for the year so far is 28.9. Seems to be a learning curve for most of these young guys.

        • SeattleLifer

          I just don’t get those who think Brooks is looking good/great. He’s all but invisible(and not in a good getting his job done way), does’nt flash much of anything that catches your eye or makes you say niiiiice, rarely if ever makes any plays in the back field and lastly as a first round pick LB even took a number of games to get into the starting lineup. Heck even his ‘big’ play from last Sunday where he broke up the pass was meh as realistically he was late reacting/getting to the ball.

          • Magmatizer

            I’m not going as far as to say he’s good yet, but Brooks has had flashes. That breakup over the middle was great, and one of the few legitimate hits the defense has managed to deliver. He also picked up a deep crossing route on the play that Adams got the strip sack. He has shown that he has the traits to be solid, and hopefully progresses with more games played.

  21. Matt

    Fantastic write up Rob.

    The media…the problem with the media extends well beyond sports. Most media members view their job as a way to get with the “in crowd,” it seems. I don’t care if it is sports, politics, etc; it has become a cheerleading organization for people who wouldn’t “belong” otherwise. That doesn’t apply to all journalists, but far too many these days.

    The defensive side of the ball needs to be blown up, to your point. Wholesale changes which includes dumping Bobby, Jamal, Diggs, Reed…get any draft capital you possibly can for those 4.

    I think they also need to go to RW and say, give us 1 year to get this thing right. Meaning, 2021 could be an ugly but very necessary year. Let him “cook” while you continue to rebuild the defense with the aim of having a far more balanced team for the 2022 season. Would he go along with that? WHo knows.

    What the Seahawks absolutely CANNOT do is go the band aid approach. They have to make the tough moves. Too many years of avoiding the tough decisions.

    • Simo

      Matt, you might be right when you suggest that the entire defense needs to be blown up and built from scratch. But how realistic is that really? Especially in a single off-season? Can you really expect to find anywhere from 5-10 new starters that quickly?

      I’m on board with trading Jamal, but only if they can get back around 75% of what they gave up, say a R1 and R2 pick, and maybe a young player as well. Not sure if that will be possible after the poor overall defense has really accentuated his weaknesses (coverage). I’m also okay trading Bobby, although it wouldn’t be easy and won’t feel good. Diggs is fairly easily replaceable, same with Reed and pretty much all the rest.

      If I’m Russ it’s gonna be tough to sell me on this plan you proposed based on what I’ve seen happen over the previous 2-3 years, but it may be worth trying or he’s likely to walk once his current contract is up!

      • Jordan E

        100% Agreed. Consider the Hawks recent track record of draft picks too. Is it worth blowing everything up to draft a bunch of rookies who will have less tape on them due to covid? Do we trust that we can get easily get guys like Bobby, Jamal and Reed?

        Im all for redesigning the defense, but I dont see why that requires getting rid of these great players. The fact that all of them and not one of them are doing poorly really reflects a problem with the scheme imo not all players suddenly performing very poorly.

  22. jed

    What I really miss from the Seahawks is that “pissed off for greatness” attitude. From the outside perspective, that attitude was lead by Sherm, Kam, & Doug. Marshawn was the baddest man on the field. Browner was a dangerous, unstable man. Add in Clemons, Bryant, Tate, and a few others I can’t remember now and that was the meanest, most arrogant team out there.

    Now, I don’t want guys that beat women or are attempted murderers, but angry, aggressive alphas is what I want in a football team. I have no interest (or opportunity) in spending any time with them on a personal level, so I don’t care how nice they are. The Seattle media folks may care cause they have to deal with them frequently, but I don’t.

    This Seahawks team reflects Russell Wilson. His public personality could have been created by a corporate executive board where all the members are there because their daddies had money. It’s awesome that Russ spends so much time at the Children’s Hospital and is building a school for poor Seattle kids. But, Marshawn does a ton of great work for his community too and doesn’t come across as Poochie. Again, no real insight, but I bet that’s why Sherm & Doug couldn’t stand Russ.

    The Rams game was the first time in years where I purposefully scheduled something else to do and I’m glad I missed most of it. I’ll watch Thursday to see if this team has found their stones, but I’m not expecting much. Even if they do, I wouldn’t expect it to carry into the Eagles game.

    • Jordan E

      I think it was perceived inauthenticity from Russ and favoritism from the coaches. The final straw really though was the SB loss. Even as a huge Hawks fan, it looked obvious the coaches wanted Russell to be the hero of the game and throw the pass which cost us the game. I’d be pissed too if i was in the locker room and my boss lost me the championship because he wanted his favorite guy to be the mvp instead of win the SB.

      We had beast mode who was still in his prime. Pats were on the ropes. Early down situation… why not run it from the 1 yard line with BeastMode? Instead throw a pass to not ADB but Ricardo Lockette?? When has he ever made that goal line slant pass?

  23. Adog

    While many pine for a defensive guru to provide some check and balance to Carrol, I think it is time for Carrol and schneider to end/modify their partnership. Their hits and misses in the draft have been well tread here, yet it’s their comfort level with each other that leads to stubbornness in their evaluations of played and that leads to ineffiency overall. Nothing short of the super bowl…they need to bring in another gm to either partner with or replace schneider. The last player they drafted that was out of their preferred attributes was d.k Metcalf.

    • Rob Staton

      D.K. Metcalf ticked every box they look for in a receiver.

    • DougM

      They were lucky to get DK. They should have taken him with their 2nd pick and not wasted a pick trading up.

  24. Brik

    It sucks that I work weekends so I don’t get to see as much of what is really going on with our defense. From what I do see though, our defense is just playing flat. It has started to bleed over into the offense. I keep hoping that with some time together they will gel and start looking like a solid defensive unit. Sometimes it just doesn’t happen though. I’m sure some Hawks players weren’t happy with the trade for Adams, even if he is a better player overall, Mcdougald was friends with them. Stings a little bit when your buddy is traded away. Then they have a scheme with people all over the place. It’s like no one knows what is going on, so they are playing on their heels. Carrol is used to teaching an attitude more than any actual defensive philosophy, play hard and fast while the X’s and O’s were simple. Now he is trying to put some scheme into place, and everyone is thinking more than they’re playing. I believe it’s possible to make this defense great again, but I’m not completely sure how to do it.

  25. Rob Staton

    You have got to be kidding me.

    Carroll today was asked who picks the jersey colour for each game.

    Are the Seattle media taking the piss?

    • Gohawks5151

      Yes

    • cha

      And then the followup. “Pete do you like the green unis?”

      //facepalm

      • Rob Staton

        Embarrassing.

        • cha

          Sorry I can’t let this go.

          No mention of his questions about the uni’s in M-S-D’s twitter timeline. But plenty of dictation of PC’s answers about player injuries, etc. So, let me get this straight. You have a living breathing chance to talk to the Director of Football Operations. So, not only do you ask him 2 ridiculous questions, you can’t be bothered to post the answers on your timeline for your readers, but are more than happy to convey answers to other reporter’s questions that are far more relevant?

          He’s taking a piss.

          • Rob Staton

            The piss has indeed been royally taken.

          • dcd2

            Exactly. Such a waste of air, these press conferences.

          • downtownjewelrybryan

            yes. the worst.

    • BruceN

      Didn’t you find a bunch of questions last week ask of one of the players (Adams or Dunlap) about his man purse and where he got it interesting? I thought he said Argentina. I found it quite fascinating. More interesting discussion than the state of our defense. //firm slap on the forehead…

  26. cha

    Neko Thorpe on IR, Phil Haynes activated

  27. cha

    Seahawks PR
    @seahawksPR
    .
    @Seahawks
    S
    @Prez
    has 5.5 sacks this season. The last time a defensive back led his team in sacks was New Orleans’ Roman Harper in 2011 (7.5 sacks). #GoHawks

    Also notable: New Orleans was 29th in passing yards allowed that year as well.

    Swing and a miss, Seahawks’ PR.

    • Rob Staton

      Whoever posted that on twitter, should be made to do 100 push ups.

      • cha

        You’re right though, Rob. Anything @Seahawks, @SeahawksPR, @PeteCarroll post on Twitter is getting met with a hailstorm of responses about the defense, the pass rush, fire KNJ, etc.

        The worm is definitely turning. Now if we can only get the press corps to actually finger the pulse a little.

        • Rob Staton

          No Cha.

          We must know about the jersey’s,

          And Brian Schottenheimer’s hotdog.

          And whether Joe Fann and Michael Dugar are better at basketball than Bobby Wagner.

          This is what matters.

          You’re out of touch.

          • cha

            I’ve always been a card carrying member of the lunatic fringe.

            • TomLPDX

              Nice reference to the Red Riders!

              • Big Mike

                Well Life Is A Highway after all.

                • TomLPDX

                  Yes it is…and we know you’re out there! Good one Big Mike!

                  • Big Mike

                    Thanks Tom and likewise. Your music knowledge is top notch.

    • Simo

      Embarrassing really!! It’s like boasting that the leading rusher on your team is your wide receiver or that your punter makes a lot of tackles.

  28. cha

    Wed Press Conf w PC

    “Thursday is a challenge, doing it a long time though. We’re ready to go. Difficult team we’re playing. A lot of juice on offense. Kyler Murray fantastic FB player. Lot of magic to him. Quick turnaround, guys fired up to go for it, guys love playing Thursday night.”

    [Jackie] Kyler Murray running game? “Portion of their game with him, reads and draws. So quick. Biggest problem is when it’s a pass and he makes space on edge and in the middle. He’s very bursty [ed yes he said bursty]”

    [] DJ Reed? “Been in meetings just not in field. Get excited when we see him, good feel, excellent burst, catchup and change direction really exciting. Kickoff R shows his nature. Really excited and looking forward to seeing him play again.”

    [Curtis crab] RBs Hyde and Carson? “Hyde looked strong. Carson wait until tomorrow to figure out, real close, feeling really good Hyde will be out there.”

    [tim] Pocic concussion protocol / Fuller ankle? “Hasn’t finished yet as far as I know, but it’s way better. Short week didn’t give him chance. Fuller be ready to go on game day. Prep on the side, rested him this week. Will be ready.”

    [brady] Lockett? “Worked well, looked fine. I don’t think any doubt he’ll play. See after today.”

    [bob] Moore and Swain this year? “Right there for us. Tough, take adv of opps. DAvid’s got some style, toughness of Swain we love. Blocking, ST. Really well. When they don’t get the ball, willing to give great effort.”
    [bob] Homer who blocks if he can’t play? “We’ll show you what we doing tomorrow. Doubtful for him tomorrow.”

    [Gregg] Fuller sprain? “Tough finished the game. Tough it out, did in game, proud of him.”
    [Gregg] Lockett if this was a sunday game? “Had to hold him back today, looked good.”

    [Michael shawn] Which jerseys they wear? “Leave up to captains.”
    [Michael] Green tomorrow? “I like it. Looks good.”

    [joe fann] Diggs play this year? “Good FB player, doing really well. Not missed many opps, physical, on point, leader out there. Terrific FB player.”

    [Curtis] Haynes fit in mix? “Playing guard, can play C also. Utility guy. Good return, excited for him. Ready to jump in there if we need him.”

    [aj] DK and Tyler involved early? “Get them both involved to get that accomplished. 17 passes between the two of them last time we played. All we care about. Not trying to feature anybody. Move FB make yards, score points. Always intent. Very much in plans both to be involved.”
    [aj] Russ not overcomplicate things? Process like this before? “Yes, we have been through it before. Always comes back to doing what you’re good at, staying with that. Not trying to do more. Really looking forward to his play this week. He’s prepared really well.”

    [tim] COVID intensive protocol? [cha ed-ugh]

    [corbin] Penny & Taylor? Back after this game or long term? “Getting to verge of those guys coming back. Both running hard, wearing out the trainers. Have to close in on being absolutely ready to do FB movements and FB reactions. WEek to week as we’ve evaluated. Week or two away from these guys, possibly next week, really excited. Have a decisions to make and want to make sure they’re the right ones in regards to rehab.”

    • Rob Staton

      I’ve already mentioned it once.

      But asking Carroll about the jersey’s today… FFS.

      • dcd2

        Imagine being in a press conference; allowed one question, and that’s what you go with.

        Or asking about COVID for the 50th time.

        MSD and Tim really stepping up their games.

        I am surprised (kind of) that Pete heaped a bunch of praise on Diggs. He’s looked worse than last year IMO.

    • Chase

      Encouraging news for Penny and Taylor, if true. Although I am prepared for not seeing them take a single snap.

      • Big Mike

        Pete speak imo. Penny 2-3 more weeks. Taylor, maybe the last 2-3 games of the season.

      • cha

        The thing that really concerns me Chase is PC talking about “Football movements.” You don’t rehab for months and months and months, then work on “football movements” for 3 or 4 practices and then get put into games at this level.

        PC in the past has said with seriously injured players coming back, he wants to see his guys practice for 2 weeks before considering playing them in live game action.

        So “football movements” normalized for at least a few practices, probably a couple week’s worth of practices with pretty strict limitations, and then a couple weeks of full practicing, puts us at about Week 14 or 15 at least.

        • Rob Staton

          I don’t think we’ll see either player this year.

          Maybe Penny if they have another RB crisis later in the season.

          • cha

            That’s another area PC should be challenged on. When he talked a few weeks ago about Taylor not being able to change direction, but wasn’t too far off front returning, you’d think any reporter worth his salt would have done a little research and discovered not being able to change direction athletically signals the player isn’t close to being ready, and then challenged PC’s assertion on the timeline.

            • cha

              I’d give real money for a reporter to say in their best Darth Vader voice…”The Emperor fanbase does not share your optimistic appraisal of the situation.”

            • Rob Staton

              Or when you ask for Carroll’s opinion on Quandre Diggs, and Carroll says he’s amazing and playing really well, wouldn’t it be worth following up to see if Carroll sees any way he might not quite be performing?

              You know, given that he’s been utter shite.

    • Uncle Bob

      If folks enjoyed the analysis in the Kollmann vid “Legion of Room” and the indictment of the coaching staff inadequacies in particular, go to his You Tube page and watch the “Worst to First” vid. It will give some insight into how a functional DC struggles to build and coordinate his unit to make improvements. Within the flow of information you might glean some feeling for why Vance Joseph and his group are the ones that started RWs cascade of misery the past 3 games and likely tomorrow night. Injuries on the Cards might slow that defense down, but it won’t be incompetent coaching that hurts them.

  29. cha

    Have we heard anything about the practice squad activations?

    Snacks I’m guessing has to be one with Mone on IR.

    Collins and Stanely have used up their 2 games already.

    Maybe we’ll be treated to the Stephen Sullivan Experience again.

  30. Paul Cook

    Good write up. I agree with most of your take on the matter.

    But I will attempt to give a short term positive and hopeful spin to the rest of the season.

    1) The Seahawks start getting increasingly healthier in the coming weeks. Players like Carson, Greene, Mayowa start to return

    2) The defensive line starts to play better than it has the entire season. Ford, Mayowa, Dunlap, Reed, Harrison, Greene, Collier, etc…start to play increasingly better as a unit than they have until now and become an adequate defensive line by season’s end

    3) The secondary also starts to get healthier and they develop something resembling a chemistry as they head late into the season

    4) LB corp plays well enough

    5) Offense continues to show its dominant ways as early in the season, but with a more balanced attack between running and the long and short passing game.

    6) We peel off 5 wins in a row starting Thursday night and move into the top seed of the division at 11-3

    7) Team starts getting confident and something resembling an indentity heading into the last tow games of the season where the division title and #1 are on the line. A real excitement brewing in the city and on the team

    8) With Drew Brees hurt, likely the Packers and Bucs are the teams to beat for the NFC title. If we get the #1 seed, we may only have to play one of them, beat one of them to get to the SB

    9) Basically speaking, the mess we are seeing now gets about as good as can be expected and the rest of the NFC has their problems too

    10) We improbably end up in the NFC championship playing GB or the Bucs and just simply play a great game that day and win

    Or something like that…LOL

    • BobbyK

      I love having HOPE! Life sucks without it. I’m glad life doesn’t suck! What you write above could happen, even if improbable. But I like it. Whenever I think something can’t happen (I’m searching for reasons to have hope), I think back to the Indianapolis Colts rushing defense in 2006. They sucked and after Bob Sanders came back they stormed through the playoffs with the defense leading the way and that was Manning’s only SB in Indy. So you’re saying there’s a chance…

  31. JW

    Love brock and Saulk, they are the only ones i listen to from 710 anymore. Danny and Gallant is trash, and their attempt at interviewing PC is abysmal. I thought there was a time that Danny was filling in for Brock and he actually did ask PC good questions on his Monday show? maybe I’m wrong.

    Honestly the Seahawks these days are a hard watch. akin to watching the cowboys last couple of years with a prolific offense only to have a terrible defense. There is hardly a running game, or at least one that is intimidating. The London game a couple years ago, where the first drive was like 8 runs in a row set a statement for that entire game.

  32. Sea Mode

    The League gonna give us an extra draft pick for winning at COVID lol?

    • BobbyK

      Would probably blow the pick anyways.

  33. Sea Mode

    I’ll have to listen in to find out what makes to our think we will beat the Cards. I feel one of those “Rams game” shellackings oncoming.

    • Paul Cook

      It’s been a weird year, especially in the NFC. Teams that have looked really good one week have turned around and put up a stinker the next, and vice versa. Hopefully that happens for us on TNF.

  34. Sea Mode

    Let me guess, Sea Bass next in line to pay the NFL Network promotion fee?

    Tom Pelissero
    @TomPelissero
    ·4h

    Another free-agent specialist who’s in shape and waiting for an opportunity: Veteran kicker Blair Walsh, who’s working out in San Diego under the watch of John Carney. Walsh always has had a big leg — here he is hitting a 55-yarder with plenty to spare.

    • cha

      Love the insinuation that Walsh’s leg strength was the problem all along.

    • JW

      but did it go through the uprights?

    • Denver Hawker

      The Blair Walsh Project could be one of the best low budget returns of all time in the industry.

      • Jordan E

        John Schneider is that you?

  35. Sea Mode

    Brilliant!

    Also, V12, that peach of a closing paragraph is for you! 🤣

    https://www.barstoolsports.com/blog/3099285/jaguars-fans-team-up-with-bears-lions-and-packers-fans-to-send-yannick-ngakoue-to-the-pro-bowl

    • Big Mike

      Amazing

  36. ScottS

    Let’s be honest again. Watching Trey Flowers try to cover DeAndre Hopkins tomorrow is going to be an ugly sight. I’m really not looking forward to that at all.

    • BruceN

      It will be scary. On the positive side, I have Hopkins on my FFL team.

      • BobbyK

        I usually don’t start Christian Kirk at WR but I am with him going against the Seahawks!

        • BruceN

          Every opposing receiver is a must start playing against the Hawks. Sadly.

    • Pran

      Look at bright side..He can only gain so many yards. We don’t have a lockdown QB.

  37. Forrest Stump

    How many times can one man write the exact same article?

    • Rob Staton

      How many times can one man tell you to piss off.

    • Big Mike

      How many times can hundreds of men hide their heads in the sand and pretend a defense that’s on pace to be THE WORST IN NFL HISTORY isn’t a gigantic problem?

    • Big Mike

      How many times can hundreds of men come to a free blog run by someone on their own time and cry like bitches cuz said person doesn’t write what thy want to hear?

      • Troy

        Lmao dunked on his ass!

        • Big Mike

          Well……….I am 6’6″ and in my playing days I could dunk rather readily including behind the head 180s. Nowdays? I’d be lucky to touch the rim LOL

          • pdway

            user name checks out.

            • Big Mike

              🙂

  38. Hoggs41

    With all this being said we just need a win tomorrow. Get a mini bye to get some guys back and let the cards fall where they may. I also think Brock and Salk are tough when they arent doing the Monday morning interview. They werent tough like that to his face.

  39. LongDuck

    What is Bobby Wagner worth? Bobby could have his best stat year this year, at least it looks that way.

    • LongDuck

      If traded in 2021 a team gets him for $9.65 & 2022 it’s $16.5. How much do stats matter?

  40. BruceN

    Niners claim Takk 🤦‍♂️

  41. Aaron

    Hey Rob, how do we get you a press pass so you can start asking these questions to the Hawks players and coaches right the freaking now???

  42. cha

    Simms breaks down the Rams game with some great insights.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Go0vMqnNC0w

    He breaks down very likely what PC was talking about when he said they had a missed coverage that probably should have been an INT instead of a big play for the Rams:

    https://youtu.be/Go0vMqnNC0w?t=987

  43. cha

    Simms breaks down the Rams game with some great insights.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Go0vMqnNC0w

    • cha

      He takes a look at a play PC probably was referencing that should have been an INT if the defender does his job, but instead is a big play for the Rams:

      https://youtu.be/Go0vMqnNC0w?t=996

      • dcd2

        If that’s the play that was to Kupp on the first drive, I have no idea what Flowers was doing. He doesn’t seem to understand his responsibilities at all. Diggs technique was awful as well. He got completely turned around and left in the dust.

        Small wonder Kupp was open by 10 yards (40 yards down the field).

        • Rokas

          I am so done with Tre Flowers. It was a fun to observe his “progress” when he was a rookie, but in his 3rd year he should have no business starting in the NFL as a corner.

          • Rob Staton

            It’s pretty clear by now that he has no business being anywhere near the NFL as a cornerback. A failed project, unfortunately.

            • Big Mike

              Yep and Diggs playing that poorly may be an even worse situation. He’s a vetr in his natural position.

      • SeaTown

        To quote Rob: Jesus wept 🙁

    • Hawks_Gui

      We can`t watch this and not see how bad coached this Defense is. Rookie mistakes with basic coverages, bad game planning, no adjustments, and so much predictable

  44. Scot04

    Was thinking with Mayowa coming back and Pete stating he sees Dunlap as a Leo how this hurts our pass rush by push Alton Robinson down. I hope Pete realizes Dunlap has played the 5 tech and is good against the run. Leave Alton and Dunlap starting together. Let Mayowa and Collier rotate in and out. They really need to figure out how to get their best players on the field and the best way to use them. Him making it sound like Dunlap, Mayowa, and Alton are strictly all Leo seems like a poor way to fix our biggest problem. I agree with what Rob said previously. Get your best passrushers out there. Do something different because our current game plans have been bad. Other than maybe game one, when no one expected us to blitz. Teams have obviously figured us out on both sides of the ball.

    • CaptainJack

      Eh, Alton Robinson hasn’t done much the past few games. Defense is just as terrible when he plays vs when he doesn’t play.

      • Scot04

        I just don’t think Mayowa is much of an upgrade. So why not stay younger with potential for upside.

  45. Gary

    “Even if they finish 11-5 again, it’s abundantly clear that in the coming off-season major decisions need to be taken.”

    – Any concern that finishing 11-5 leads to the risk of being deluded into believing that we’re close and that all the changes you’ve suggested aren’t needed, and that we’d be better off losing out so that Positive Pete can no longer deny the obvious?

    • SeattleLifer

      Very legitimate thinking Gary. I could very well see Pete and John over looking a historically bad defense and a cupcake schedule and thinking the are just a few tweaks away from greatness if we were to finish 11-5. I personally would’ve been all in for losing our close games and having a losing season(better draft picks and a big dose of reality for Pete and co.) – if we had’nt traded our 1st and 3rd round picks away….

    • Rob Staton

      I’m definitely concerned by that

    • Gohawks5151

      The court of public opinion is starting to turn on them though. National media is picking up some of this stuff too. You can’t tell me Jody Allen and her advisors aren’t hearing this either. Despite the record I think the noise will be too much like when they got rid of Cable and Bevell. Ivan Lewis should go too. They are one of the most injured teams of the past 5 years. It may not all be his fault but they need to exhaust all options to keep these guys on the field.

      • Big Mike

        Hope you’re right cuz I agree it’s a valid and logical concern.

      • pdway

        can’t imagine the D doesn’t get an overhaul in terms of coaching, and what they can personnel-wise. it’s been a disaster, and well-recognized as such. we’re going to end the year w a top-5 offense, w a top-3 QB and a burgeoning superstar at WR. the team weakness seems even more obvious than it was last season.

  46. Kenny Sloth

    Mardy Bum is a banger

  47. Tree

    I think all these things are true:
    -This is the best Seattle sports blog hands down
    -Norton and Ivan Lewis (injuries follow him everywhere) were bad hires at the time and continue to be
    -Adding a CB, TE, Center, RB, Multiple DEs, LB, etc were not dumb moves (depth and competition matter). Injuries (especially at RB) derailed the team last year and are again.
    -Most of their depth moves have not worked out (Hyde hurt, Olson and Dunbar not playing well and/or injured, etc)
    -Overpaying Clowney, Fowler, or Quinn (guys I wanted at the start) were losing football team moves. We got a similar player in Dunlap at a fraction of the cost by being patient
    -CB and not DL has been the biggest problem on D
    -Losing Irvin and Blair really hurt since they are physical and fast and could have helped define the personality of this defense
    -I still think 12-4 is our record and this team will get better with time to gel and key guys coming back from injury (at our current weakest positions) and we could win the SB this year (we just need to average on D which statistically we have been through three quarters at least through much of the year)

  48. pdway

    how am i gonna get any work done today guys . . . focus lost in nerves about the game . . . feels a lot like a playoff game in terms of stress/anticipation . . .

    • Rob Staton

      I’m quite neutral about this game.

      I think Brett Kollman’s video finished off any lingering hopes of a successful season.

      • pdway

        keep hope alive . . . we should have beat the Cards in AZ just a couple weeks ago . .. Russell will be Russell again if he gets some run support.

        But if we lose tonight . . .no bueno

        • Rob Staton

          I don’t think it matters pdway.

          You can’t win three playoff games then a Super Bowl when you’re defensive backs can’t even execute basic scheme concepts. You can’t win key games when you’re running the same blitz back-to-back. This is the least organised, most disgracefully set up defense possibly in the history of the NFL. It’s embarrassing.

          Unless Ken Norton goes, nothing will change this year.

          • pdway

            haven’t watched the video – will try to get to it today.

            but disorganized and predictable seem like apt adjectives for the defense this year. i keep seeing Diggs, for example, and he doesn’t look slower or less of an explosive hitter, but he always seems out of sorts position-wise. Adams too in a sense (when he’s out there). And when I re-watched the Rams game, there was a reason their blitzes got home, and it’s because they came from different places, different players, and w different timings (i.e. some immediate, some delayed).

            And so it begs a question – apart from the D-line – is it possible that it’s more our coaching/scheme, than it is strictly personnel, that needs to change to see significant improvement?

            • Rob Staton

              Yes, definitely.

  49. Sea Mode

    ESPN cover story on DK:

    https://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/30330511/dk-metcalf-chasing-glory

  50. cha

    Ian Furness

    @IanFurnessSea

    So the embargoed story of the Century Link name change to Lumen Field is no longer embargoed until 9.. so there you go, #Seahawks stadium has a new name. Lumen.
    T-Mobile. And Climate Pledge. The three venues in Seattle. Pop quiz later. Bonus points for Kent/Everett arena names.

    8:55 AM · Nov 19, 2020

    Choose your joke!

    cha joke 1: So now we can call it The Loo (that ones for you Rob)

    cha joke 2: “So Pete, you just lost because half your starters got hurt, RW threw 2 interceptions and the defense couldn’t catch COVID if they tried. My question is…how hard is it going to be to not call it CenturyLink Field anymore?”

    cha joke 3: Some kind of Action Green is So Bright/Lumen Field blinds the opponents crossover

    • DriveByPoster

      The future looks bright…

      [tumbleweed]

      I’ll get me coat!

    • Scot04

      So LumenLime Time…In our action green

    • Big Mike

      Damn cha you’re too fast. I was coming in here to post that the next press confrence with with PC will be all about the name change.

      • Big Mike

        And I literally LOL’d at “The Loo”

      • cha

        It’s low hanging fruit these days.

    • Aaron

      So if the Hawks crap the bed tonight we can say they went to “The Loo”…lol!!!

    • downtownjewelrybryan

      6:20 kickoff at the LEMON

    • cha

      In all seriousness, how did no one come up with “Paul Allen Memorial Field” or something like that?

      • Paul Cook

        Really. This guy saved the franchise, got that filed built, made all our facilities state of the art, and brought this franchise to levels it had never seen before. I know money plays a part in these licensing things, but there are exceptions to this, and this should have been one of them.

      • Big Mike

        That doesn’t come with a corporate sponsorship

        • dcd2

          Ya, CenturyLink rebranded as Lumen a couple of months ago. Same company, and still under same naming rights agreement. They just re-did the naming rights deal a few years ago through 2030-something.

          • Kenny Sloth

            Lumen Park has a much better ring than Lumen Field to me

            I really want the Sounders to build a smaller soccer specific stadium in the city.

            Tacoma is (hopefully) building one right by Cheney but I dont think anything is in the works for the Sounders

  51. Paul Cook

    Josh Gordon must have done something wrong since his last suspension. Something’s not adding up. Did I miss something?

    The defense is a hot mess. I’m not sure if injuries or scheme is the bigger problem now? I go back and forth between these two misfortunate circumstances.

    The question in my mind now is IF you had everyone healthy in the secondary, who would be your starters, and how would you utilize them? Would your CB’s be Griffen, Amadi, and Reed? Thems mine now. As for safety, I don’t know what to make of it. Adams is a supreme physical talent (when he’s on the field), but he’s blown a good share of coverages. Sometimes I think they should make him a rush linebacker and put in that Oneal guy on certain downs on the back end. Diggs has been disappointing and I’m not sure why.

    They have to figure out what to do with what they’ve got now on D. There are times when I think the only guy who’s consistently playing with enthusiasm is Amadi.

    • Chase

      “The defense is a hot mess. I’m not sure if injuries or scheme is the bigger problem now? I go back and forth between these two misfortunate circumstances.”

      I don’t think the injuries are the biggest of the issues. 49ers are littered with injuries and are still a formidable defense. The scheme the hawks employ is based of doing your job. Obviously the more talented and experienced guys give you a better chance to win, but even those players are blowing their assignments. This is a defense that lacks discipline and accountability. I personally think the only chance you have at improving this defense is firing KNJ, and hopefully that lights a fire under this defense. But no matter what every option seems like it would be a dollar short and a day late.

  52. JLemere

    Greg Cosell from NFL films on Colin Cowherd: Jamal Adams is a glorified linebacker.

    So technically we are a 4-4-3 defense in base and 4-3-4 in nickel compare to normal 4-3-4 and 4-2-5 in nickel.

    • Rob Staton

      Here’s the link:

      https://youtu.be/z-p-ZbashaU

      • Scot04

        And we thought we already had enough resources put into Linebackers. Add two 1sts & a 3rd for our glorified LB as icing on the cake.

        • Rokas

          loved that sincere Cosell’s lough when Cowherd noticed, that Adams and Dunlap should make this defense at least stomachable.

    • JLemere

      BTW, Cosell said Adams would be a better fit in NE defense.

  53. Paul Cook

    I think the Hawks have to think outside the box now on D. But I don’t think KNJ or PC is up to it. Just make Adams a rush LB on second and long or third down replacing one of the other LB’s. Then put in another safety. They’ve just got to get their best rushers on the field near the line of scrimmage on second and long and third down without sacrificing numbers on the back end.

    I don’t know. They have to situationally scheme with what they’ve got.

    • Scot04

      If Pete could let control of the defense go, maybe Steve Belichick would fit as next years DC.

      • Gohawks5151

        Don’t think he leave his dad. That’s why I mentioned Jerrod Mayo a few articles back. They have essentially been splitting the same role.

        • Rob Staton

          If you want a Belichick protege, Matt Patricia will be fired soon.

          • Scot04

            I don’t think it needs to be someone from the Belichick tree, but I do think coaching changes are a must. We can’t keep repeating these last two seasons on defense.
            Coaches, system, players to fit.

            • Rob Staton

              Agreed.

          • TomLPDX

            Serious question Rob: I don’t like Patricia the Lions HC, but I never studied him as BB’s DC and don’t have any idea how he performs there. Do you think he would be a good DC for the Seahawks?

            • Rob Staton

              I think he was massively overrated as a DC

              • TomLPDX

                Would it be like the situation that KNJ is in with Pete where Ken does Pete’s scheme in that Patricia did BB’s scheme?

                I wish we could get our hands on Brian Flores, not as the DC but as the HC! So impressed with him right now.

                • Rob Staton

                  Yes probably.

                  It’s hard to find a guy like Flores unless you’re willing to make him a Head Coach.

  54. dcd2

    Came across this interesting group of stats, that might argue for slowing down the pace of the game. The Pats are one of the slowest playing teams in the NFL and have a defense that ranks in the top half of the league in most stats in aggregate.

    If you look at their stats on a per play basis, they are awful.

    Yards per pass attempt: Last place
    Yards per play: Last
    Pass success rate: 31st
    Defensive DVOA: Last
    Pass DVOA: 31st
    Rush DVOS: 30th

    The best way to keep our defense from being abused is to keep them off the field. Going to be tough w/o Carson in this one, but going forward… maybe we can slow the game down a bit on offense and improve the D, by simply keeping them off the field.

  55. David

    The Jamal Adams trade is still such a head scratcher. Adams makes sense if you have an in the prime earl thomas at FS to cover the back end. Brooks makes sense as a pick if you’re replacing Wagner now, but why keep Wagner? Just so many baffling, flailing decisions

    • Rob Staton

      The worst off season of the PCJS era.

  56. Turp

    Great podcast, thanks for calling that out Rob. Huard nails it.

    Jamal Adams trade makes no sense. We draft a WLB in the first round – while already paying starter money for KJ – and then spend an immense amount of draft capital for a safety who can’t cover. As a result, we need that safety to set the edge, like he’s also a WLB. Pretty amazing to me how we intentionally blocked our first round pick on multiple levels. Why draft a WLB then? Why pay for another one in the wrong scheme?…which leads me to:

    I think you are right about Adams, he’s built to be a rover in a 3-4 where he does not have to set an edge. He seems like such a terrible fit for a 4-3. Higbee did pile drive him on that play on the first drive. It makes as much sense as trading for Jimmy Graham and then expecting him to block like a Y tight end.

    Just a completely inept plan, if there was ever a plan…

    • Rob Staton

      Agreed

    • hawkfanforetenity

      I think Adams is a good player, an all-pro in potential. But it seems he really is scheme dependent and doesn’t transcend the scheme. The question I’m mulling over is whether he is a good enough talent to build your defense around, making him the focal point of it, because that seems to be the only way to optimize the return on this trade.

    • Gohawks5151

      Should have traded for Minka Fitzpatrick last year… I still keep thinking that Adams is young enough to make a big improvement to his weaknesses. Greg William’s plan for him was pretty much, “Go get em”. Pete can actually teach him about coverage. Kam got better in coverage over time. In the mean time, you are going to have to plan around his deficiencies. Bigger changes to the defense next season can further help too.

      • Rob Staton

        A trade for Fitzpatrick was virtually impossible.

        Pittsburgh were offering what looked like, at the time, a top-10 pick. Big Ben was hurt and the Steelers, if I recall, were 0-2.

        Seattle couldn’t compete with that.

  57. cha

    Ian Rapoport
    @RapSheet

    The #Seahawks placed CB Quinton Dunbar on Injured Reserve, activated DT Damon Harrison and RB Bo Scarbrough from the practice squad.

    1:02 PM · Nov 19, 2020·

  58. TomLPDX

    Yet another distraction for Russ…

    https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/11/19/russell-wilson-will-be-executive-producer-for-football-film-set-in-late-50s/

    I hope he still wants to play football one of these days…last I heard he was a pretty good QB!

    • Scot04

      Plus him and DK chasing the record for most TD’s between QB and receiver. How about just trying to worry about winning the Football Games.

      • TomLPDX

        What ever happened to the mantra “we need to go 1-0.” Seems they’ve lost sight of that.

    • Kenny Sloth

      This is a non-issue. It’s good for athletes to have hobbies.

      Some play fortnite, some bottle perfume and make movies.

      People make way too much of this dude just living his life.

      I wonder if Patriots fans hated all of Brady’s side hustles

    • Robert Las Vegas

      Does anyone know that America team the Dallas Cowboys haven’t made it to the NFC championship game in 25 years true story 1995 was the last time.thats a long time . Maybe Jason Garrett wasn’t the problem.even though they had a the best offense line in football a few years ago couldn’t get past round 2.overall I am pretty satisfied with offense line this year. about Mike Solari i have no problem with.and just think in the upcoming 2021 perhaps o line won’t be number 1 priority

      • Kenny Sloth

        It’s honestly the coaching on defense. The secondary hasn’t been integrated at all. The injuries have hurt, but you see Dunlap able to come in and contribute to a new DL.

        The staff is bloated, nepotistic, regressive, and stale.

        It sucks that the defense has been so bad that you cant see all of the hidden value special teams has provided. They’ve been phenomenal and deserve more praise/attention.

        • Chase

          +12

  59. Chase

    Rob, I’d say the three main issues on this defense are personnel, coaching, and scheme. If you had a pie chart how would you divvy up the percentage between the 3?

    • Rob Staton

      Coaching is the worst aspect I think.

      Then personnel.

      Then scheme a distant third. San Fran took this scheme to the Super Bowl a year ago.

  60. Kenny Sloth

    I wonder if Patriots fans ever hated Belichek and Brady as much as some Seahawks fans hate Pete and Russ.

    Why I’m so into soccer now. Feels better to be a supporter than a fan

    • CaptainJack

      Comparing Carroll and Russ to Belichick and Brady is hilarious. Good joke mate.

      • Kenny Sloth

        All I see are 4 first ballot HoFers and 1 hater

    • CaptainJack

      Belichick just took out Baltimore with a roster of nobodies.

  61. Mark Dickinson

    I’m still going to stick to my pick when the year started. Seattle wins this exciting game. Its Thursday Night Football and RW does like to shine. We go to 7-3 and make it a more exciting NFC West Division. Its a cold, wet night outside and they are at our House. Its a game that will have a lot of talk about till Sunday. RW backyard football pulls it off tonight.

  62. CaptainJack

    The “lum” is such a pathetic sounding name it fits this team perfectly!!! WTF goodbye century link…

    • jopa726

      I wonder who will be the first sports reporter to write “Hawks Take Dump at the The Lum, Lose Another Game”?

  63. CaptainJack

    By the way to Kenny Sloth… saw some studies done about a potential MLS field next to the experience music project where memorial stadium is now. I’ll look for that study and share when I find it.

  64. Rob Staton

    Damien Lewis is starting at center.

    That’s despite Carroll announcing Jamarco Jones was the backup center earlier this week.

    So between Monday and Thursday, they decided Jones wasn’t good enough and now the best plan is to move the top performing right guard to a position he’s never played before.

    FFS.

    • TomLPDX

      Be ready for a cluster Fu#K tonight. It won’t be pretty.

    • CaptainJack

      Anyone know the last time Damien Lewis played center?

      • CaptainJack

        Adam Jude is an underwhelming reporter, but if he has his information correct this time….

        https://twitter.com/A_Jude/status/1329582571550769152

      • Rob Staton

        The last time Damien Lewis played center is also the last time Donald Duck played center.

        • Kenny Sloth

          Ah yes, Disney Interactive Studios 2002 hit game Disney Gridiron Toons

          The trick is to put the little mermaid at FS

    • Hoggs41

      Or that was the plan all along and they didnt want to show it.

      • Rob Staton

        I’m not sure there’s any advantage to be had by tipping to the Cardinals which of your players who’s never played center before will be starting there on Thursday.

  65. CaptainJack

    I feel no excitement for this game really. Lots of shit going on in the world, feels like everything’s going to crap. Not getting political at all just feel overwhelming negativity. Too bad Pete Carroll can’t get his head out of his ass and call a proper football game and give this fan base a ray of hope.

    • Rob Staton

      Same. Can’t remember the last time I was this ‘meh’ ahead of a game.

      Probably 2009.

  66. Rob Staton

    The pre-game talk, as with all the national media talk in the week, is all about Kyler Murray.

    He’s the exciting, dynamic player people are waiting to watch tonight.

    They’re calling him a MVP candidate. That was Wilson in the first few weeks.

    That should be eating Russell Wilson alive.

    • Kenny Sloth

      Ready for a primetime shootout to reignite the MVP talk in Russ’ favor

    • cha

      It should. RW has played like garbage the last 2 games.

      • charlietheunicorn

        Time to shine.

        OC needs to figure out ways to get DK the ball… scheme.. etc, without him being held out most of the game.. way too important threat onm the field to allow to be neutralized.

      • Rob Staton

        It’s incredible though when you think about it.

        This isn’t even being billed as Wilson vs Murray.

        It’s being billed as the Kyler Murray show on Fox.

    • Ok

      I hope it does bother Russ. I hope Wilson gets over this seemingly prideful moment, and goes back to being just him. Too much chasing.

  67. charlietheunicorn

    Ok, my eyes didn’t deceive me… Lewis is starting at center. For a second I was like, wth is this snapping to RW pregame thing….. 2020. I swear, the one unit reasonably functioning on the Seahawks (OL) now has moving parts and potential issues. 2020. The CBs and RBs have gotten hammered by injuries…. did they change strength and conditioning coaches within the last year or so…. seems to be a lot of injuries in these sets of players …. or more than I recall in the past. 2020.

  68. charlietheunicorn

    Qwest, Century Link, Lumen Technologies…..

    a new happy name on a company with awful customer service.

    What do they call that, “putting lipstick on a pig”?

  69. cha

    That was nice.

    Very, very, very nice.

    • Rob Staton

      Much better

      • Bmseattle

        Didnt we have a great opening drive last week, too?
        Hope we can keep it up.

      • cha

        RW cool, calm, in control, decisive.

        And hey Joe Buck, who was that 2 steps behind DK on the TD? Why it’s Budda Baker, the Greatest Defensive Player in the History of the NFL.

  70. Pran

    Offense is usually better on opening drives.. will see what happens next when defense starts adjusting

  71. Rob Staton

    Feels like a lifetime since Seattle applied some scoreboard pressure.

    Make it count.

  72. cha

    Smart play by Dunlap. Contain, contain, contain.

    • cha

      Wow! 3 and out!!

    • Rob Staton

      Rubbish from Kyler Murray too.

      Looked jittery on all three plays. Trying to move around too much. Hope he does that all night.

      Scoreboard pressure guys… make it 14-0.

      • Derek

        And no blitz on 3rd and 7? Also, playing with some energy? Not bad, so far.

        • Rob Staton

          It’s almost like we’re watching a NFL team.

  73. Bmseattle

    Flowers – 1
    Hopkins – 0

  74. Tecmo Bowl

    Looks like a completely different team thus far.

    Go Hawks!

  75. Troy

    I was sure we were done for at the 3rd and 7 but we held them! Man, defense keep this execution up please.

  76. Rob Staton

    Budda Baker is awesome.

    But if you’re going to point out everything he does well, TV broadcast, let’s also acknowledge that DK Metcalf had his pants down for the TD.

  77. Rob Staton

    Nobody holds onto the ball too long like Russell Wilson.

    • cha

      5 rushers and 7 blockers and 3 seconds holding it for RW on 3rd and 2.

      None of those things belong together.

      • Big Mike

        With that many blockers though how many people in the pattern and was anyone open? Egbin said he might have had someone right before the sack. I personally would rather eat it then throw the interception.

    • Troy

      Ya he seems incapable of throwing the ball away.

      Also, how much you want to bet that play of him throwing an INT when he had an easy first has been burned into his brain the past few days? I think that’s explaining more of his runs this game

    • Pran

      3rd and short, blitz coming, held too long, no hot route…Russ jittery..

    • Rob Staton

      But I don’t understand the play call either. You need two yards. No underneath check down?

      • Big Mike

        This

    • James Cr.

      Still looking for a big play instead of 4-5 yards

    • Bmseattle

      We just needed 3 yards, too.
      Quick pass would have worked just fine.

  78. downtownjewelrybryan

    these guys have injuries on the d-line…i trust hyde to get 2 there

  79. Trevor

    So weird watching games with no fans and energy in the stadium. Sucks really.

  80. Rokas

    Was it a classic Schotty’s 2 man route which takes 5 seconds to develop on 3rd&2?

    • Rob Staton

      It appears it was

  81. cha

    Wow. Well done D.

    Offense, give them some more gas. C’mon boys.

  82. Rob Staton

    Bloody hell, there’s a defense on the field.

    • Rob Staton

      The key, of course, is to be able to handle when Arizona work out what we’re doing.

    • James Cr.

      So we know it is possible!

  83. Trevor

    Dunlap has looked good IMO.

    • Volume12

      In on 3 big plays

  84. Volume12

    Dunlap came to play. He looks energized

  85. Bmseattle

    Crazy how much more energy the defense is playing with.

  86. Big Mike

    Is that the 1st back-to-back 3 and outs this defence has produced this season? I know one thing I’m seeing actual effort out of them for a change

    • Trevor

      How was that a hold on Lewis he got run over and never laid a hand on the guy.

  87. Trevor

    I think Collier needs to be a 3 tech next year and forget being a DE where he is not twitchy enough even as a 5 tech. Whenever he flashes it is when he moves inside.

  88. Derek

    Have not seen this much energy from the defense in a long time, maybe the San Francisco game a little. Keep it up!

  89. Jonas Andersen

    Amadi flashing from time to time. Feel like he is one to keep developing and building with for upcoming reboot. Everyone feeling it tonight tho.

  90. Rob Staton

    Joke of a holding call on Lewis.

    • Scot04

      He gets run over and that’s a hold. Horrible call

    • Volume12

      Awful. And then a no call on Hyde?! Come on

    • cha

      I don’t get it.

      and then a no call on Simmons on the next play.

    • Pran

      2 big calls against Seahawks in 2plays… looks like Refs need to be taken care too.

    • Trevor

      He was off balance and got run cover. Never got a hand on the guy. I thought they were reducing holding calls this year then they call that?

      Does any sport have worse refereeing than the NFL?

    • BobbyK

      Terrible call. Changed the entire game right now.

      • Bmseattle

        Yep…could have gone up by 14, and had all the momentum.
        Now Arizona is primed to score instead

  91. Bmseattle

    Just a terrible call!
    And what a turn of events as a result

  92. Jonas Andersen

    At least stripes didnt feel like making and obvious PI the next play for makeups.

    But what a getoff by DK against PP! Shame.

  93. Big Mike

    So let’s see a terrible holding call followed by no pass interference On the next play when their guy clearly hit the receiver before the Baul got there and then they call a ticky tack personal foul penalty costing Seattle 15 yd way to take over the game refs

  94. Rob Staton

    Jamal Adams SMH

    • Bmseattle

      20 million

    • Big Mike

      Two 1sts a 3rd and a decent safety

  95. Dand393

    Looks like we’re battling the refs as well

  96. cha

    Looking for more Jamal.

  97. Rob Staton

    That call on the hold has really pissed me off.

    You’re going to take a 40 yard play off the board for that? A guy getting run over?

    That’s a disgrace.

    • Big Mike

      It has completely changed how this game has gone. Seahawks were already in field goal range and could have been ahead 14 screwed by the raf’s

  98. Pran

    Terrible waste of opportunity by offense. D got two stops which a god send these days and O could not take advantage.
    It sucks that they are leaving middle of the field waiting for long developing plays.

    • Rob Staton

      It wasn’t a waste by the offense.

      It was all on the refs.

  99. Rob Staton

    I see the defense is back to that winning combo of a blitz and soft coverage.

  100. Scot04

    Yep. We should have been up by atleast 10points

  101. Rob Staton

    Fantastic coverage by Jordyn Brooks vs a slow tight end….

    Not.

    • Bmseattle

      And Diggs couldn’t quite make it over there to help out.
      We need a FS

    • Pran

      Brooks is lost and slow.. isn’t he our speedster LB.

    • Matt

      Looking like another barely serviceable 1st round pick on the defensive side of the ball.

  102. James Cr.

    So our defense was playing well, and then we start blitzing.

    • Bmseattle

      We’re the only coaching staff that “udjusts” away from a scheme that is working, to one that isnt.

      • Pran

        Proactive adjustment

    • Rob Staton

      Yep

  103. Big Mike

    So we are in easy field goal range if they don’t make that terrible holding call possibly score a touchdown and go up by 14 instead they changed the entire game with one bad call

  104. Scot04

    Touchdown. But they should leave it a turnover to even out the calls 🙂

  105. Bmseattle

    Ugh!
    Cant miss those easy conversions!

  106. Rob Staton

    Bloody hell.

    We’ve had 10 years of this. Not getting the call in and having to waste a timeout.

    Right after a blown easy conversion too.

  107. Rob Staton

    A quick, easy throw!

    We can actually do it!

    • Rob Staton

      And a running game!

  108. Trevor

    Finally a sensible play call on 3rd down when they see a blitz.

  109. Trevor

    Every sack tonight has been on Russ IMO.

    • Rob Staton

      Yep

  110. Pran

    Looks like Refs always are a yard short picking the spot

  111. cha

    Offense is working tonight!

    • cha

      I really like the up tempo. The Arizona defense doesn’t seem to be able to adjust or get set.

  112. Rob Staton

    Oh good. Jason Myers has decided to spoil a very enjoyable TD.

    • Big Mike

      Very high snap

    • Bmseattle

      “Short lived pleasures” will be the title of the 2020 Seahawks season video.

  113. Troy

    Our running game has been way better with Hyde back…we really missed not having out top RB options

  114. Ky Swift

    A heads up play by DK to get inside the numbers coming back in the game. Could’ve been costly

  115. Trevor

    Locket is incredible really. One of the smallest WR in the game but he is ridiculously good in the red zone.

    • Rob Staton

      Special player

  116. Ben Ft. Worth

    Dang it Myers!!

  117. Pran

    Rob, do you know why my posts are being flagged for moderation.

    • Rob Staton

      I don’t. I’m aware it’s happening but you’re not on any moderating list.

  118. CaptainJack

    Russ needs a strong running game to be successful, this game is a good example

    • Trevor

      Agree 100% it is clear as day and always has been that way.

  119. James Cr.

    No blitzing please KNJ!!!

  120. Trevor

    Myers is absolute money from 50+. PAT not so much.

  121. Kyle R

    I just about cried with joy when I saw the screen pass for the third down conversion. We need to do more of those for the love of God.

  122. Rob Staton

    Murray looks like he’s going to leave the game any second.

    • Trevor

      The way Collier landed on him I would say it is definitely an AC joint should strain. Will be interesting to see if he can get anything on this throws. Might not need to if he can check it down and gain 17 yds.

  123. Rob Staton

    2nd and 16.

    Tre Flowers.

    Converted.

    • Bmseattle

      What a terrible angle.
      Just tackle him!

    • Rokas

      That man is always on skates.

  124. Pran

    Flowers is a decent backup.

  125. downtownjewelrybryan

    damn…not poona

  126. Denver Hawker

    Flowers is an abomination. He had outside contain in zone coverage and takes the inside angle to make the tackle giving up another 10 yards. Very simple assignment for this scheme that he can’t even execute.

  127. 12th chuck

    how many cb are on other teams practice squads that ae better than flowers.wtf

  128. Dand393

    Is there honestly no one better then flowers we could put out there he is just garbage

  129. Big Mike

    Flowers had inside help, totally out of position

  130. Rob Staton

    What exactly was Jamal Adams’ plan on that blitz?

    Find the longest route to the QB and take yourself out of the play?

    • Trevor

      And in a lane that someone else is already rushing.

    • James Cr.

      He did it again. That is on the coaches IMO.

    • Denver Hawker

      I’d like another look, but looked like they brought 2 and the other guy took the inside lane. Adams hesitated and was left in no mans land. If Murray backed up or scrambled with the inside pressure, Adams would have made a play. Instead cards picked up the inside blitz and Murray stepped up in the throw.

  131. Pran

    25 yards to go..no problem.

  132. cha

    Kyler won’t be running much tonight.

    Offense is conceding dumb penalties.

    And the defense STILL can’t take advantage.

  133. Ben Ft. Worth

    1st and 20, then 3rd and 8, good Lord.

  134. bootfall

    That was 2019 Quandre Diggs right there!

  135. Troy

    Wow, HUGE hit by Diggs! Where you been at Diggs????

  136. Jonas Andersen

    Can we move Reed in as starter over Flowers, please

    • Rokas

      Yep. Needs to be done when Shaq comes back.

  137. Trevor

    The Hawks need to end this half with this drive. Can’t have a 3 and out. Don’t want to see the Defense the rest d the half. Please

  138. downtownjewelrybryan

    rich homie quandre

  139. Ok

    Diggs hit was great. Dunlap looks nice. Adam’s blitz was terrible. Dj Reed is playing decently.

  140. cha

    RW’s checkdowns to inside runs are working extremely well.

  141. Rob Staton

    David Moore should’ve got that. Poor.

    • CaptainJack

      Never was satisfied with him as a wide receiver #3. Game is way closer than it needs to be.

    • Jonas Andersen

      He just needs to punish his body for that 1st in a straight line. Sloppy, when you are battling for snaps.

    • Pran

      Last week also there was a play where he could have picked 1st down by falling forward instead dances around slowly only to be tackled.

    • Trevor

      Awful play. If he is playing ifor The Patriots he would not see the feild the rest of the game.

      • Rob Staton

        I would’ve kicked him up the arse for that.

  142. cha

    Dumb mistake by David Moore. Talk about not being aware.

    • Rob Staton

      Utterly stupid.

      • cha

        You keep letting this offense have chances / putting the game on your D, and….

  143. Pran

    That’s one of the dumbest plays by Moore. So casual and lazy..boy wish he can take next step ..disappointing.

  144. Trevor

    Why is Moore run out of bounds instead of trying to convert the 3rd down?

    • Lewis

      Why don’t he turn inside? The mind boggles. He has to know the down and distance

  145. Rokas

    I hate to be that guy, but these mini mistakes are pounding like last against Arizona.
    Won’t we be left wondering again, if even “one of these” goes our way, we win?

  146. Big Mike

    Poor effort by Moore play through until the whistle even if you think there was a penalty because there wasn’t

  147. Scot04

    How can moore not know where the 1st down marker is. Inexcusable

  148. Rob Staton

    Absolutely fantastic by KJ Wright.

    Superb agility.

    • cha

      Adams faked out of his jock again.

    • Gary

      If the Hawks score any more points in this half, you can thank KJ.

  149. Scot04

    Great play by KJ

  150. downtownjewelrybryan

    jack and the beanstalk

  151. Max

    Thank god we used that dead ball time out

  152. Trevor

    Moore and Murray trade dumb plays luckily for us.

  153. Trevor

    Feel bad for Lewis he is in a tough spot tonight and you can tell he is really uncomfortable.

    • Rob Staton

      Should’ve had a center on the PS.

      It’s a specialist position. Tough ask to make a rookie guard do this.

      • Scot04

        Amazing job so far for never starting at center before tonight

        • Lewis

          Agreed. Some penalties on him, including the false start called on Brown, but a heroic job so far, really.

      • cha

        Before the ink on the Finney trade was dry.

  154. cha

    OK RW you’re doing good but now it’s time to look downfield.

    • Rob Staton

      Well… he just audibled to a run…

      • cha

        Is he gun shy?

        Is he protecting a 13-7 lead by playing for a FG?

        • cha

          Nevermind

    • Bmseattle

      A good time to give DK a chance here

  155. Gary

    So sick of Positive Pete’s careless disregard for the value of timeouts.

  156. Kenny Sloth

    Greg Olsen getting pushed in the dirt

    • Rob Staton

      A truly rubbish signing

  157. Scot04

    Metcalf has to catch that ball

  158. cha

    There’s a Metcalf drop. Alright DK you get one.

  159. Rob Staton

    Good first half.

    Some sloppy moments (capped off by DK Metcalf heading the football).

    But they look so much better on defense and the offense is far more balanced.

    • Lewis

      Yeah. Hyde has played well, and Bo and DJ each had a nice run

    • Scot04

      Now comes halftime adjustments. Which head coach will do a better job. So far atleast our team looks like it was well prepared.

      • Pran

        History tells Pete won’t when he has lead

  160. Rokas

    DK drop was like in madden you switch the user but don’t press the catch button in time

  161. Ukhawk

    Playing like their jobs depend on it

    • Sberry72

      Murray looks compromised but the defense looks almost average!

  162. Trevor

    I know Murray is playing hurt but outside of Flowers and Adams that is the best our defense has looked all year IMO.

    • Simo

      Amen brother! Hope they can keep it up, look much more aggressive and focused!

    • 12th chuck

      adams looks lost, flowers is terrible as usual

  163. Trevor

    Greg Olsen signing reminds me of Ziggy Ansah last year. Once great players coming off injuries and getting one final payday before heading off into the sunset.

  164. Paul Cook

    Why can’t RW find that quick check-down receiver to unload to? Is there one even there? Sometimes I can’t tell.

    Looking like a win tonight. If we can pull this one out, we get just about another bye-week to get healthy, and then the easiest four-in-a-row on our schedule.

  165. Troy

    It’s nice to see Dunlap consistently winning his match ups

  166. CaptainJack

    13-3

  167. cha

    Oh Diggs. That’s a killer.

    • Robbie

      Wasn’t needed at all….ridiculous

  168. Rob Staton

    Why did Diggs do that?

  169. Leonardo

    We’re playing some of the best football we’ve played all year, but we’ve also made some of our stupidest plays of the year too. We can never just play four quarters of good football

  170. Pran

    D is back… maintaining 10 yards distance. Two dumb plays two drives…

  171. Rob Staton

    What’s the point of having Adams up at the LOS, dancing on the spot instead of blitzing? Either blitz or cover.

  172. Hawks4life

    Was about to say the same thing lol

  173. Pran

    Flowers disgusting… on a Blitz where is need to play deep.
    Wagner and Diggs. Same stupid penalties like last time.

  174. Rokad

    Giving arizona the rope. So frustrating.

  175. Rob Staton

    We’ve given up 64 yards in penalties.

    And the refs also took away a perfectly good 40 yard completion.

  176. Paul Cook

    Why is this drive still alive?

  177. CaptainJack

    Knife meet butter

  178. CaptainJack

    I can’t stomach another Murray led comeback

  179. 12th chuck

    bogus call on Diggs

    • Simo

      Dumb play by Diggs, wasn’t necessary at all. Cost them 7

    • Trevor

      Keep saying it but Collier needs to be a 3 tech not a DE. He flashes when he lines up inside.

  180. Leonardo

    Our blitzing is just so…bumbling. No deception, no urgency. It’s just Adams hesitantly dancing around like a shadow-boxer while the secondary cedes 10 yards of space. It seems like we’re trying to showcase Adams instead of playing the scheme we’ve been practicing for a decade.

  181. downtownjewelrybryan

    kyler throwing to the left side (flowers) is too easy. why haven’t we adjusted?

  182. Big Mike

    We do nothing but constantly shoot ourselves in the foot

  183. KennyBadger

    Stop blitzing adams. Stop it.

    • Lewis

      You’d rather have him in coverage?

  184. Jonas Andersen

    That penalty on Diggs is ticky tacky for me. Seems like refs feel DB’s must have some pre-knowledge on wether it’s a catch or not. But I guess they just always call that.

    • Volume12

      Wasn’t needed, but it was weak AF. Guess DBs can just let receivers & TE’s come across the middle now. It’s in the rule book. You throw hat kind of pass, you risk those hits. Or used to anyways

  185. Denver Hawker

    Really loving the DJ Reed pickup. He’s energetic and brings an edge to the defense and special teams.

  186. CaptainJack

    Catch it big man

  187. cha

    Gotta say, the play calls, the tempo and the RW audibles seem to be really keeping the Cardinals defense off balance.

  188. cha

    Wow. Kirkpatrick blew that one. Now MAKE THEM PAY, RUSS.

    DAGGER.

    NOW.

    • cha

      DAGGER! NOW!

      HYDE!!

  189. downtownjewelrybryan

    you know carson’s at home HYPE!

  190. Denver Hawker

    Hyde called his own number there- love it.

  191. Rokas

    A bit of justice served

  192. Trevor

    My favorite red zone touchdown this year.

  193. JC3

    Hype’s hit was the best hit for the last 3.5 weeks.

    • cha

      Perfect timing and placement too. After that dustup, to clean Peterson off of DK.

    • Derek

      Love how DK set him up with it like a volleyball set lol

  194. Bmseattle

    Say what you want about letting Russ cook…a successful power running game really energizes this team.

  195. Pran

    DKmode.. Seahawks new leader!

  196. Ok

    I want the hawks to win this game. But this has already been so refreshing!! There’s some violence, some spirit, some juice. DK has had two baaaaad drops, but he’s battling, blocking and sticking up for his team. Dj reed is running to the ball and hitting when he can. Hyde rolling.

  197. AlaskaHawk

    Good to see the offense bouncing back. What a difference Carlos Hyde makes – punishing hit.

  198. KennyBadger

    If only someone would have commented on how important the running game is. 😉

  199. Ky Swift

    CONTAIN JAMAL

  200. Bmseattle

    Is this when they realize they can throw it to Hopkins every play?

    • JC3

      So sick and tire of this pass defense.

  201. Pran

    There is no one in 10 yards around Hopkins every play. Murray can forget playbook and just throw to him all day.

  202. Denver Hawker

    Something about the pace of this game that feels different. Refs playing a role, but I think it’s the run game and Russ’ scrambles. Slowing it down, keeping the defense fresh. The D is also doing a better job of keeping it underneath and not allowing Murray to run.

  203. Pran

    19 yards….. this D is dead and disgusting against Murray with one hand.

  204. Rob Staton

    Tre Flowers… deary me

    • Bmseattle

      Gives up the pass, then misses the tackle.
      Great.

      • Rokas

        It has to come to the wire, doesn’t it?
        Even when it lookd that Arizona has no business going to to to with SEA.

    • downtownjewelrybryan

      ive never seen someone get worked so bad

    • pdway

      he’s a huge liability

      so soft in coverage. has no business being on the field.

  205. Rob Staton

    The defense is still crap.

  206. Denver Hawker

    Pete Carroll looks jaundiced.

  207. cha

    What is the point of Jamal Adams?

    Honestly?

  208. Pran

    They didn’t pull Dunbar and not pulling Flowers now. Put DK on in his spot if u don’t have one FB player to turn to.

  209. Rokad

    Flowers will make me cry one day

    • pdway

      worst player who see field time for the hawks.

  210. Derek

    Hello darkness my old friend.

  211. Scot04

    Adams of the edge just seems like a waste of a player. Seems like every play he blitzes from edge gives the other team a big play

    • Rob Staton

      He’s done nothing in this game that Bradley McDougald couldn’t have done.

      • Lewis

        Well, he’s earned a lot more money, so that’s one thing.

  212. Big Mike

    Hot knife, meet butter.
    If we just stop them on this drive we have a chance to get a touchdown and basically put the game away and the defense is utterly incapable

  213. Bmseattle

    Another brilliant call by Norton.
    And Adam’s was floating around, doing nothing.

    • Scot04

      I’m guessing Carroll called it. Very similar call to last week vrs Rams

    • Big Mike

      Brilliant
      Now that’s the defence we’ve come to know and love all season

    • Pran

      And none touched Murray or Edmond…that’s the beauty of the call.

    • JC3

      Murray suck this game and that play was the easiest pass of the century as no one is a mile near Edmond.

  214. cha

    What was Adams’ assignment on that play?

    Yeah, turn around and throw your hands up.

    • Rob Staton

      He just seems to do what he wants most of the time.

      • James Kupihea

        Makes you wonder what happened to “keep everything in front of you”….

      • Pran

        It must be part of the trade deal.

    • bootfall

      If not the spy, then some other role that I’ve never seen before.

  215. Ok

    Ooooof. That has to be on Adam’s. Somebody else said ‘the obj of defense’. Bradley come back!!

  216. KennyBadger

    A nice long touchdown drive. And we can talk about the gahbidge later…

  217. Pran

    Look on Pete’s face says it all. No clue what is going on and what to do. Just go away Pete with your buddies on team.

  218. Hoggs41

    This game should be a blowout.

  219. Rokas

    We can not afford not to score here

  220. Leonardo

    Next time we see Olsen he’ll be in a suit in the MNF booth

  221. Rob Staton

    Cue the long, time-consuming go-ahead Arizona drive.

  222. Ben Ft. Worth

    Come on defense!!!

  223. Big Mike

    And now they will run through our defence like a hot knife through butter again and we will be behind

  224. Pran

    Backed up 5 yards..drive is dead. Murray is lucky to play against our D..keeps converting 20 yards backed up.

  225. Scot04

    So far it looks like Arizona was the team that made all the proper adjustments.

  226. Rob Staton

    You’ve got to make that mistake from Murray count

    • Rob Staton

      Well done

    • Scot04

      Yes…… yes yes

  227. Matt

    No matter the outcome – this season just feels over already. This Cardinals team is just not very good and Kyler is clearly hurt. Neither of these teams pose a threat in the postseason.

    I think it’s becoming brutally obvious that we are just a middle of the road team that happened to have an easy schedule thus far.

  228. Derek

    “Well let’s just pass it back: we don’t make as many mistakes as he does.” I’m Pete.. I think Gregg would agree this didn’t age well.

  229. KennyBadger

    Shit.

  230. Rob Staton

    Credit where credit’s due… L.J. Collier with a HUGE play.

    • Scot04

      Very nice up the middle pressure

    • cha

      See Rob I told you Collier was a stud. I’ve been singing his praises for years!

      [posts not found]

  231. Benjamin Davis

    Lando Calrissian – “YEEEAAAAAAAHAAAAAWWWWWW!!!!!!!”

  232. cha

    Wow!

    Safety!!

  233. Volume12

    Keep playing Collier at 3-tech. 🙏

    • Matt

      He could actually become a decent little player at 3T. He cannot play on the edge.

    • Scot04

      He looks much more effective inside thats for sure

    • Trevor

      Agree 100% Vol been saying it since last year. He flashes when they move him inside.

    • CaptainJack

      Never looked like he belonged on the edge

  234. spartacus

    thank you Sweezus

  235. Rokas

    Too much of a beast…your LJ Collier ladies and gents!

  236. JC3

    OK, Norton is safe on this drive but he really didn’t do anything………..
    Sometime luck is part of the talent too.

  237. Donovan

    So, while Collier may not possess athleticism to be a rush end, can he be an effective interior rusher on passing downs?

    • JC3

      Situation pass rusher @ 21 picks while no true CB on the team?

  238. Big Mike

    Now get a damned touchdown and put the game nearly out of reach

  239. Troy

    Watched football for 20 years, never seem a hold in the end zone that resulted in a safety. Crazy

  240. Hawks_Gui

    Shell is a big loss

  241. Denver Hawker

    Damn. Losing Shell is a big loss. He’s been solid this year.

  242. Bmseattle

    Amazing to say,but losing shell feels like a big deal

  243. cha

    Kyler can’t lead a drive if the Seahawks have the ball, right?

    Score not important, only time important.

  244. Pran

    Bo running style similar to Henry. Keep feeding him..

  245. Lewis

    Yo, Look at Bo go!

    • Lewis

      I just HAD to say something…

      • JC3

        Pull his hummy.

  246. CaptainJack

    Penny please come back

  247. cha

    That’s what I’m talking about. A cute little easy play on 3rd and 2. Why does everything have to be so hard?

  248. Robbie

    Heyyyy…..a play called I liked.

  249. Robbie Williams

    followed by a call I hate…great.

    • cha

      Why can’t we have nice things, Robbie?

      • Robbie

        Man Cha….I don’t know. We try to get to damn cute and it’s way to high risk to do that.

  250. Rob Staton

    Why the hell are you risking a pitch?

    • Rob Staton

      And why has Arizona wasted a challenge?

      • Bmseattle

        Two excellent questions

        • Matt

          Neither of these teams scare anybody. This is just an ugly football game between 2 mediocre teams.

          • AlaskaHawk

            It stopped the clock.

  251. Pran

    They read that play call from get go…bad call and execution.

  252. cha

    Blow to the head anyone?

    • Rob Staton

      Per the rules it probably should be given but I’m glad it wasn’t.

    • Jonas Andersen

      Callable.

    • Lewis

      If he were Brady, the field would be littered with flags…and hats

  253. Scot04

    Another hit to Wilsons head without a penalty

    • BobbyK

      I was so mad! Wouldn’t have let that slide by with Brady!

  254. Rob Staton

    Oh good… it’s down to the defense…

    • cha

      4 man rush and everyone else 10 yards off. Great.

  255. Bmseattle

    Russ leads the league in uncalled hits to the head

    • Big Mike

      Bud Dupree doesn’t like your post

  256. James P Kupihea

    Nobody calls shots to Russ’ dome… I swear.

    • Big Mike

      If I didn’t know any better I think they purposely were trying to keep viewers engaged.

  257. Pran

    Here comes touch football …

  258. Rokas

    If it’s overtime, i am going to sleep. Can’t believe i would ever even consider that.

  259. cha

    DUNLAP!

  260. Rob Staton

    Phew

    • Big Mike

      Ditto

  261. downtownjewelrybryan

    CARLOS GUNCLAP!!!!

  262. Bmseattle

    So…the 3 man rush is the key!

    • Scot04

      Lol

    • Lewis

      Imagine that, the defense holds up better against the pass when there are more than 3 back there.

  263. Denver Hawker

    Huge win! D stepped up and Russ didn’t have to cook.

  264. cha

    That image of PC jumping into Dunlap’s arms….

  265. AlaskaHawk

    Nice to see the defense step up again!

    • Ok

      So thirsty

  266. charlietheunicorn

    Game Ball – Lewis for playing center

    • Lewis

      Absolutely. But can we get Pocic back soon?

    • Scot04

      Yes. Amazing game by him

    • Big Mike

      Agree. Itll be interesting to find out if he ever has played the position before period a rookie to do that and play decent, Hell of a job

      • charlietheunicorn

        He had a few problems, but for playing in the NFL and having not really played the spot… not his natural position… and the rushing attack got going and RW only got sacked 4-5 times…. mostly coverage sacks…. very impressive.

      • Scot04

        Probably high school. We seem to like to let rookies do that this year

    • Denver Hawker

      Dunlap and Reed played well on D, especially Reed.

      • charlietheunicorn

        I could have sworn the played Dunlap and Reed on the outside (DE) and played other guys in at DT… instead of Reed playing DT for decent number of snaps during the game.

  267. charlietheunicorn

    Best game to root on the team during this season.

    Offense
    Defense
    Special Teams

  268. JC3

    Talent level wise, a 7 round trade off is the player on defense, stunning.
    I will trade the entire defense for Buggles’ or Jets’ D.

  269. Big Mike

    Outside of the dumb penalty it was quandre Diggs best game of the year

    • charlietheunicorn

      Secondary appeared to play more disciplined throughout.
      He lit up 1 guy and almost lit up another guy….. was in on multiple deep passes.

      Agreed, the Diggs we need.

      • JC3

        He might get fine this time.

      • Jordan E

        Clean hit. Such BS. If he catches that its a great catch, but if Diggs hits him its a penalty. Totally clean.

  270. Hojo

    Great bounce back win. Love to see the balance on offense and some improvement on D.

  271. charlietheunicorn

    Licks chops… rest of the way against “subpar” teams… “easiest schedule”…. fatten up!

    (I know this is not true, but at least some hope now.)

  272. Jordan E

    WOW! Now that was a SEAHAWKS GAME! Good Defense, balanced offense. If DK woulda caught that in end zone too russ would be at 3 TD

  273. charlietheunicorn

    Sacks / TFL / PDs / QB Hits

    3 4 4 7

  274. charlietheunicorn

    Was it my imagination or did the defense bring some fire and bully the Cardinals for stretches in the game? Attitude was one of my big takeaways from the game.

  275. Brik

    First full game I got to watch. The defense was on point for most the afternoon. Pretty sure that was Jamal Adams not paying attention on that one TD pass. Starting to think he’s the reason the Jets had blown plays on defense, for everything he does he also makes bonehead mistakes too often. Less pressure on Russ to perform, maybe Hyde was a better pickup then I thought. Bo looked decent, there’s something I don’t like about him though, can’t put my finger on it. Kyler Murray wasn’t 100%, but it didn’t look like he lost any range or anything like that. Looking at the big picture, I don’t think either team was actually playing at it’s best. Or maybe that’s just what it looks like when the defense actually do their jobs.

    • Big Mike

      I would trade Adams for whatever I could get or switch to a 3-4. I expect neither.

  276. CaptainJack

    Need Tampa Bay to come through… go buccs baby

  277. Gohawks5151

    Finally completed the circle

  278. charlietheunicorn

    Holy S**t, only gave up 304 yards tonight

    150 yards under average!

  279. Big Mike

    Still pissed at the refs for the phantom hold in the 1st that cost us at least a 10-0 lead if not 14-0

    • Brik

      Yea they definitely made some BS calls that hurt us, I know there was a couple more but I’m just happy we won so I forgot them.

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