"I'm real surprised about that. Never anticipated that would happen" Pete on 15 points in 2 games
— Dave Softy Mahler (@Softykjr) September 18, 2016
The Seahawks have a problem at the moment and it’s called ‘offense’.
In eight quarters they’ve managed one desperation touchdown drive to avoid a second consecutive 0-2 start. While the defense is playing brilliantly (19 points conceded in two games) the offense can’t even muster up an average supporting act.
Injuries are an obvious issue.
Russell Wilson put in a reasonable performance considering he’s nursing a sprained ankle. Yet it’s clearly impacting his ability to move around, make plays with his legs and extend plays/drives.
Thomas Rawls, Doug Baldwin and Tyler Lockett left the game at various points due to injury. Germain Ifedi remains out and his replacement J’Marcus Webb was questionable but played. C.J. Prosise missed the game with a wrist injury and Nick Vannett is still out.
Jimmy Graham is also still feeling his way back into football after recovering surprisingly quickly from a serious knee injury.
None of this is helping an offense which is capable of brilliance when there’s a rhythm (weeks 11-17, 2015). Unfortunately when things aren’t working — this is the result.
When other teams have an off day they usually end up on the wrong end of a hammering. It’s to Seattle’s credit that this ugly 9-3 battle is about as bad as they can possibly play and yet they were driving with an opportunity to win at the end.
They need to get healthier and find some production if they want to avoid 2-2 or worse with the battling 49ers and the impressive Jets ahead of a week five bye.
The surprising thing is the running game. In back-to-back weeks it’s never really been established. Christine Michael went 10-60 and Thomas Rawls, before the injury, had -7 yards on seven carries. It’s putting a lot of strain on Wilson to be the offense at the one time in his career when he’s most in need of help. The Seahawks are struggling to set the tone and are being forced into situations (3rd and long) that are not kind for an injured quarterback.
There were also a lot of basic errors in this game. The Cassius Marsh facemask at the end took time off the board and almost ended the contest just when the Seahawks were about to get the ball back. There were a lot of ticky-tacky penalties too but also some costly, avoidable ones. Christine Michael’s fumble was the finishing touch to a disjointed performance.
People will talk about the O-line performance. This was never going to be a kind match-up against an elite front four — even if they had a top-10 pick playing instead of Bradley Sowell. More concerning than the pass-pro is the teams inability to consistently run the ball.
Seattle ended 4/13 on third downs and actually had more net yards than the Rams (306 vs 283). Yet L.A. managed to find the chunk plays to get into scoring position.
There were some positives. Jimmy Graham looked sharp and will be needed as an outlet for Wilson until he’s healthy. Tyler Lockett looked explosive and almost led the comeback with the 53-yard grab downfield late on.
Frank Clark had two more sacks, Marsh should’ve had one but for the penalty and Michael Bennett had one too. For some reason this pressure isn’t leading to even a sniff of a turnover. It’s puzzling why, in two games against bad offenses, the Seahawks have barely looked like taking the ball away.
The key next week has to be to establish some offense in particular the running game. For years the Seahawks could lean on Marshawn Lynch and the run to set the tone. They have to ensure that’s still the case with Wilson injured.
Couldn’t agree more about the run game. Teams will start loading the box if they don’t get it going.
Why would they load the box if they don’t need to worry about the run?
Why wouldn’t they load the box?
They’ll load the box and dare a hurt RW to beat him with his feet or force their nonexistent running game to try and run.
Rams were playing a lot of 4 man fronts and they were able to stop the run while getting pressure on RW. Same with the Dolphins. There’s no need to load the box if we’re still not able to run.
In my opinion, 15 points in 2 games is worrying no matter what teams we play. What is important to note is that even with our dumpster fire of an O-line in 2015, we still managed to score at least 13 points per game. We’ve now scored less than that twice already.
From a quick check, the last time we’ve even come close to starting this badly offensively was in 2011, where we scored 17 points in 2 games. I’m not sure whether it’s a scheme or coaching issue, but adjustments need to be made.
Russell Wilson is also basically playing on one leg.
We can over-analyse this to death. The simple fact is the Seahawks have faced an unreal amount of injuries on offense in the first two weeks of the season — and the one they simply cannot afford is the QB.
How many times did he scramble today with an angle on the defender, green grass in front of him, but a instead of chunk plays they were 2-5 yard gains?
Can’t run the read option because he isn’t a serious threat.
Can’t move around the pocket, can’t extend plays that lead to defensive breakdowns.
Him being hurt has changed everything offensively.
It really looked it was effecting his downfield accuracy and strength as well. Several throws off the mark, and as noted by the Fox crew, the Lockett bomb was on a great adjustment and body position, as he was running a mid post and had to adjust back to the sideline to make the catch.
Wilson hit 2 long bombs to Lockett and should have been 3 if not for an extremely ticky tacky OPI call. That’s more long fly routes he’s connected on in a game than I remember in recently history. Seems like throwing the long ball is the ONLY thing Wilson is doing well right now.
Yes, but that last Lockett pass is a sure game winning TD if a) Wilson throws the skinny post and b) Wilson doesnt hang the ball up in the air forever, making it a jump ball that is sure to get the WR tackled on the spot.
Same old thing we’ve seen from Wilson his whole career–he cant often hit a guy in stride running downfield. He throws jump balls short and gives the beaten DB time to catch up.
Usually it appears he’s coached to do that, Sunday it may have been that he threw the wrong route and/or his bum ankle affected his throwing motion and accuracy, since he had several passes that sailed on him.
“Him being hurt has changed everything offensively.”
Yup.
I would agree.
But then I would also stress that it actually SHOULD have changed everything offensively. As in we should have planned an offense that is — well more like every other non mobile QB in the league that is capable of scoring 13+ points in a game.
The reality seemed to be that we resigned ourselves to being incapable of changing what we do to account for the injury itself. What happens as Wilson’s career moves along and he actually does lose that explosiveness? Due to a combination of age and wear? At some point he’s not going to be able to act as a cheat in the run game. And he’s not going to be able to play the act of Houdini with great results. He’s actually going to have to play QB like many/most QBs in this league.
We kind of started to see it. Those last second flip plays to outlets before he crossed the LOS. Although there was one glaring opportunity missed where Michael was wide open in the middle of the field when the LB on coverage broke down to stop Wilson for a short gain on 3rd down.
Honestly, I went into this game thinking it would be a very real opportunity to see where Wilson has progressed as a pure pocket passer. Thinking that the body of work from the tail end of last season boded well for us having real success without having to rely on Wilson’s mobility. But that hope was dashed repeatedly.
I still love his toughness. But I’ve also long wondered what the long term outlook is for Wilson. Franchise QBs are playing into their late 30s. But they do so without the benefit of top shelf mobility and elusiveness. If Wilson is to be effective into his early thirties, then he has to be effective pretty much with the limitations he had this past Sunday.
This has been a long standing narrative for him even before he was drafted. And this game was really the first game we’ve seen of what Wilson may very well be in 4 years’ time. Maybe not to this degree of limitation. But certainly something close. As it stands now, I’m not seeing that there is a great deal to take away from the final 7 game stretch of 2015. That performance is very much looking like a streaky fluke.
I agree that him being hurt changed everything offensively. But yet, it didn’t seem like anyone on the team got that memo and actually changed anything.
If Wilson’s injury changed everything, then why did nothing change in our offensive gameplan?
That’s the problem I and presumably many others have with this game. We knew we had a QB that was no longer a RO threat to run or get out of trouble, yet it was the same old slow developing pass plays and maddeningly inopportune run play calls, with some actual doomed RO keepers thrown in for bad measure.
Where was Jimmy Graham in the red zone? Did he even get one RZ target? Not that I recall. I remember Kearse getting pwn3d in the end zone on the same play Baldwin scored last week, but no Jimmy. Why are we paying this guy? Either use him the way we were told he would be used from the beginning or cut him and invest in a real OL.
I was hoping to see the quick passing game that we dominated with the second half of last season. That would have been perfect in this game with Wilson’s limited mobility. But now it’s looking like we will flush half the season down the toilet “doing what we do” before being forced again to do what actually works.
“If Wilson’s injury changed everything, then why did nothing change in our offensive gameplan?”
It was very clear to me that their entire game plan changed to compensate for the injury.
Please elaborate, because all I was was the same stagnant scheme that lost us the first half of last season, and none of the quick slants and screens that finally turned it around from the Stealers game onward.
“I saw”, even.
No read option. Wilson restricted to a pure pocket passer. Go routes galore to try and win downfield and avoid needing to hang in the pocket too long.
It really makes me laugh when people overreact and refer to this offense as ‘the same stagnant scheme’. It’s an offense that has been prolific, productive and Championship quality for years. The QB gets injured, a whole host of others are hurting too and suddenly the sky is falling.
I saw a little RO, perhaps not by design but there nonetheless. And on the contrary, go routes are slow developing plays requiring hanging in the pocket, the opposite of what we needed. Our offense was not prolific or championship quality at all the first half of last season, until we started doing what we should have done Sunday – the short, quick passing game. This is a stagnant offense right now and it starts with a scheme that made no visible effort to work around Wilson’s current limitations. There should have been zero slow developing plays called all day, and instead we got them in heaps, along with predictable running plays that played right into the strength of the opponent. No tosses, no screens, just our same old vanilla zone stuff that the Rams chewed up and spit out, especially now that backside cuts are not allowed.
As for the injury, if Wilson is well enough to take the field, then there can be no excuse for 15 points in eight quarters. If Wilson’s ankle is the reason for that unacceptable number, then he needs to sit and heal in lieu of Boykin, who couldn’t do much worse, honestly. If his ankle is not the reason, then there are serious problems that must be acknowledged and somehow addressed.
It’s a mistake to assume a go-route is a slow developing play. Wilson was throwing a deep fade and getting the ball out quickly and challenging his WR’s to win 1v1 (which they did consistently). They hit on a number of these plays and would’ve had two more but for some terrible refereeing calls.
There were plenty of short quick passes on Sunday.
And yes — Boykin could do a lot, lot worse.
Those adjustments aren’t enough.
Doesn’t matter how injured you are, 15 points in 2 games isn’t going to cut it.
Only the 3rd time since 1968 that a team wins a game without scoring a TD.
Are the 49ers more talented than the hawks?? if not, then the coaching and scheme allowed them to drop 28 on the rams, and score more points against Carolina than the hawks managed to score against them in either game last year.
The Patriots found a way to go to Arizona with no brady, no gronk, missing both starting tackles with a QB making his first NFL start and get the win on the road. Then scored 31 against the dolphins with a 3rd string QB playing half the game.
If the players can’t execute the plays being called, regardless of the reason, then the coaching staff needs to figure out what they can do to get them back on track.
the sky may not be falling, but losing a winnable divisional road game could certainly affect their playoff seeding come end of the year.
“Doesn’t matter how injured you are, 15 points in 2 games isn’t going to cut it.”
It kind of does matter when you’re Head Coach says he wants to be the best scrambling team in the league, the offense is set up around the mobility of the QB and he’s basically playing on one leg.
We’re two weeks in. People need to chill out.
Even with the ankle injury, RW is a beast. That stiff arm to Ogletree was a warrior’s effort.
I think he only picked up 2 yards, but the effort was still there.
I was in full dickhead move but laughed/yelled at the tv during ogletree’s dance after that play while still on the ground. If you don’t get a sack and you nearly get rolled over by an injured qb…doing a little jig is out of the question.
That play in particular, at least for me, sums up the Rams giddiness when they play the Seahawks.
Oh yeah. How many other QBs would be out there on one leg in week 2?
Don’t know why they even tried to run the read option at all today. It’s a waste of a play
They ran it once early, got not much.
Hi Rob, I do agree that injuries play a part of why the offense hasn’t been clicking very well. However, I would argue that the Patriots have suffered a similar amount of absences in their offense (no Brady, Gronk, or Solder), and still managed to drop 23 on Arizona and 31 on Miami.
By most advanced metrics such as DVOA, our offense has been consistently top 10 to top 5 throughout the past few years. With Wilson’s injury, we’ve averaged barely over a touchdown per game. Small sample size? Yes. Could I be overreacting? Definitely. Could the high ankle sprain be affecting Wilson’s throwing ability more than that was let on? Absolutely.
However, the implication that our offense could be permanently crippled without Wilson’s ability to create magic in the backfield by dodging 1-2 rushers and buying a couple extra seconds is frankly, terrifying. If we have such a reliance on Wilson’s scrambling to make everything work, I’m not to sure what to think, considering that I can’t think of any other team that needs this on a semi-regular basis.
It doesn’t help that the O-line that held such promise during the preseason has resulted in regression in run-blocking, and only a mild improvement (at least to my eyes) in pass-blocking. Ifedi has been out though, so I’m willing to give them some benefit of the doubt on that front.
I’m understand the fact that under Carroll, the Seahawk’s offense tend to start slow and finish strong. What I’m concerned about is that this offensive start has been much worse when compared to any other first two games in the Russell Wilson era.
They’ve also never faced off their first two games against defensive lines as stiff. The early season OL performances were entirely predictable looking at how raw our line was and how fierce the DL strength of our first two opponents were. Nor is it going to get a lot easier with the Jets up next.
And no other team has a player that is mobile quite like Wilson except Carolina. I could see Cam struggling without his legs.
But Carolina has an excellent interior line. We have raw guys trying to learn their positions and a 1st round pick nursing injury.
Nice points, Nate. I hear you.
I would argue that its a coaching issue. When a team has that good of a defensive front all of your plays should revolve around gaining short yardage and wearing the defense out not calling go routes every passing play. Bevells scheme is hugely vertical yes but the offensive game plan was disgustingly inept. Had the Seahawks employed the short passing game like chip kelly did the week bfore and employed more 5 wide sets to take advantage of the rams weak secondary the game is a different story
Time to drink the pain away
Such a bleary game
Here’s a question. Does a 100% RW = WIN? I honestly don’t know. I mean I’m just tempted to say that Fischer has our number no matter the circumstances. Every one of the recent matches VS the Rams are close. So I’m hard pressed to say that it’s OLine problem or RW problem or Playcalling. But for whatever reason, we can’t get it done. I didn’t expect us to beat the Rams 28-0, but this team has just as much talent, if not more than the 9ers, so I’m POd to see 3 points on the board. I see us barely squeak by the Fins, and then the Pats light up the Fins before the QB gets hurt….W/O Brady and Gronk. Yes, that’s kind of knee jerk reaction to say that, but I’ve been under the consistent presumption that the Hawks play up or down to their competition. I just don’t know what it is…..nor do I claim to remotely know the answer. But I have time believing that it’s just an OLine problem or RWs ankle. The defense kept it to 9 points. I don’t care whether you’re the Rams or Browns or Pats or GB, I’ll take that from the D week in and week out. We have too much takent on Offense, even with a hobbled RW, Rawls and Graham to put up 3 points. Sorry, I know it’s not the end of the world and were 1-1, but a game here or there is all the difference.
Does a 100% RW = win?
You win the award for best question of the week.
Injuries happen to every team in the NFL, including qb. If RW plays hurt the entire season, does that mean the season should be thrown into the dumpster? A lot of just about everyone who suspected the oline would cost us the game, or season, are patting themselves on the back about now. I wasn’t one of them, but I can’t argue with them.
The fact is, they lost to a team that is in their heads. They lost to the mighty Case Keenum, who, great seattle defense or not, left a lot of points on the field after hurting us with numerous deep shots. The Rams deserved to win. The Rams were the better team. Am I surprised? Not in the least. I watched this game with a strange calmness as it unfolded, expecting us to lose to the one team that owns us lock stock and barrel. You shut down Todd Gurley you should beat this team, and they couldn’t do it.
Whether the oline is at fault, rW is at fault, coaching, whatever, I will say this: Brad Sowell is a horrifying LT. End of story. We’ve seen it and need no more proof. I never thought I’d see a worse tackle than Paul McQuistan or the rookie Ray Roberts, but I think we’ve found him.
It seemed like Sowell had a false start on almost every snap as well, even if he was only called for one (two?).
I noticed that too
A quick start off the snap is pretty common with left tackles. Not unique to Sowell, and usually not called.
Okung was always doing it. Sowell has to as well, or he cant keep up with decent DE’s.
And there’s part of the problem: expecting the running game to “set the tone” against the Rams.
Disagree all you want, but it IS possible to use the pass to set up the run. Game after game against LA we try to out-physical a line that can’t be out-physicaled. Game after game against LA, most of our pass plays are of the long-developing variety instead of the get-the-ball-out-quick types that get a Defense on its heels. When we throw quick, we move the ball. It opens up the run.
It’s our stubborn failure to adjust our attack vs. this team that hurts us most. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.
I didn’t make any mention of the pass or the run setting up the other.
The Seahawks need balance more than anything and they didn’t have that today.
I didn’t mean you literally. I just meant every time this discussion comes up, the usual response is “we’re not gonna change who we are, we run the ball.” I’m only saying there is more than one way to go about establishing running lanes, but we only seem interested in out-smash mouthing the Rams.
Could not agree with you more, as far as I’m concerned the entire O to include coaches should be walking back to Seattle.
We don’t adjust anything. Ever. And that is what’s most frustrating with this team. The whole philosophy is to line our 11 guys against your 11 guys and may the best talent win. Well that just doesn’t work anymore. You want to know why the Patriots and Belicheck have been on top for the last decade? It’s because the team adjusts their offensive and defensive gameplanning week to week to exploit the opponent’s weaknesses. If they play a game against a team with a weak secondary, they pass the ball 40+ times. If they play a team with a weak DL, they pound the rock the entire game with Blount. We don’t do anything of the sort, and it’s maddening.
PC is incredibly stubborn.
He was the same way at USC. Pound the ball all game long, take deep shots all game aggressively, let the defense keep the offense in the game, and 9-10 penalties a game.
Just the way he is.
I agree Jon. We know what the Rams do, yet we hit our head against a brick wall over and over
This sentiment is my biggest concern about our chances this year. As good as Pete is in the “macro” or big picture sense, there are times when it seems like we are simply getting out coached the last year or two.
this is a great point, the defense seems to not falter due to this philosophy (due to the pure talent) however the offense is not even in the same world as the defense, and this is the result
Two things to me about the running game:
– Rawls is my favorite hawk, but damn, Cmike looks faster, quicker, and more explosive. Just an observation.
– Cmike, I’ve sung praises of you all preseason. But that fumble, that is why you are a backup. It was a great play by the defender, so what. You can’t fumble in that situation with the game on the line. You just can’t.
I think RB is a big need.
They need someone they can lean on. Not to the extent of Lynch obviously.
I can’t believe its cone to this but I’m looking real hard at Rb’s this year. Cmike is basically an explosive turbin to me and I missed all of last year but something’s up with Rawls…maybe he comes back to what I read about last season…..but two games in its not looking so hot
I agree. Though of his 6 starts last year not including when he was injured, 2 of those games he really wasn’t that great, averaging under 4 yards a carry with 2.82 against Detroit and 3.86 against Pitt. We really need to see him assert what he saw last year before I wave the white flag but damn.
Collins looked so bad in 2 touches yesterday. And now he’s the number 2 back. Cutting Pope for Collins doesn’t look like a great move now.
What I mean by that is that between CMike and Rawls, CMike has had more success this year thus far because the DL is pinching the gaps and CMike is explosive enough to find a hole or bounce outside or run something designed to take him to the perimeter. That is virtually the only running game right now without the edge defender honoring the zone read. Pope had that explosiveness while Collins definitely does not. Yet Collins is now our change of pace back.
It was critical fumble, no doubt. But the bigger issue is we seem content to call a game that slogs though 3 quarters before switching to a quick-hit offense in a furious attempt to win one final possession.
Couldn’t agree more. One series of plays defined it all for me. Cmike breaks off for something like a 20 yard run. He goes out to get a breather. Two dive plays into the line with Alex Collins. Two fucking dive plays. Sets up a nice 3rd and long. Punt.
Baffling.
That was the exact same convo my buddies and I had while watching the game. You get a little rhythm w C Mike, Rams are on their heels a little and then two freaking dive plays w your rookie be who didn’t even suit up the prior week? Baffling, maddening – bottom line it wasn’t good!
I hated when they cut Pope for Collins at the end of preseason. Hate it even more now that Rawls is hurt again. And Pope also had ST value as a returner. Prich and Sherm on returns? Ugh.
Yes, Michaels is getting yards even with bad run blocking. And I dont blame him for his fumble–Lynch fumbled a few times in bad spots doing the same thing. He’s done a great job with ball security aside from that play.
For whatever reason, Micheals is working well with this line. He needs 25 carries a game, period. No point in beating up a clearly deficient and now injured Rawls, nor in sending Collins out there. Micheals makes something out of nothing, but Collins cannot do anything unless he has a lane to run through.
Micheals needs to be our lead back. He’s earned it.
I’d like to point out that SF out-physicaled the hell out of that line last week.
Otherwise I agree with you. We don’t use any motion, no motion to crack-back, very few screens to the backs or TE’s. No fake end around into PA. Just very little of the things most teams do to counter a aggressive D coordinator like Gregg Williams.
But as ROb stated there was no ballance. That makes It two weeks in a row. If you have a Rb that is getting 8 plus gains and avg 6 yard a carry then you ride him till he’s just under 4 yards. Especially if your Qb is banged up and your line is banged up, and your WR’s are banged up.
I didn’t say the Rams d-line couldn’t be out-physicaled. I said WE can’t out-physical them, yet we try and try
The 49ers blew out the Rams 28-0 last week. The Patriots drop 30+ on the Dolphins today.
We managed a total of 15 points against those same two teams.
This is beyond pathetic or abysmal. For the life of me, I cannot understand why the coaching staff is content with playing conservatively football for three and a half quarters before letting Wilson loose to save the team. This is complacency and ineptitude at the highest levels. You’re telling me an offense with Wilson, Baldwin, Lockett, Graham, and Rawls can only manage 15 points in four quarters? Give me a break.
Not to mention the absolute fallacy of excusing the continuous losses against the Rams. “Oh, but they always play us well!” So what? Are we supposed to just be okay with losing to a mediocre football team? The coaching staff got outprepared and outcoached once again; we haven’t won against a mediocre football team since 2014. That is absolute garbage.
We’ve stopped being a team that punished the opposing teams to a team that makes excuses and is complacent with the status quo. The bully attitude and swagger that this team had is completely gone. I haven’t felt this disgusted at the coaching staff and the offense in a long time. This is 2011 Charlie Whitehurst level bad. There’s absolutely no excuse for putting up 15 points in 8 quarters. The complete lack of preparation by the team, and the constant playing down to our opponent’s level is pathetic.
and have become a team that makes excuses and is complacent with the status quo.*
It’s one loss, dude.
The Pats also gave up 24.
You have to analyze the whole picture though. We EASILY could be 0-2; who knows how the Miami game would have turned out if Stills hadn’t dropped that easy TD pass? At this point, I don’t care about our record. All I see is 15 points in 8 quarters. That’s absolute garbage, no matter who you’re playing. To say that it’s just “one loss” is ignoring the complete ineptitude of our offense. That’s just my take.
I don’t understand why people are getting so het up about two weeks’ worth of football with the team at 1-1.
i mean yes its two games in but 15 points in 2 games, that is a huge red flag. The injuries are really the only thing you can point to and say, well this is an excuse for their performance. I am of the belief that a hobbled Russel Wilson cripples our offense….why? No threat of read option, no threat of extending plays, no threat to bust a run or have a crazy busted play. A hobbled Wilson can not compensate for our shit oline and shit Bevell playcalling.
I think it has to do more with the teams we played. This week the Dolphins game up plus 20 to a back up QB, and the week before the Rams did the same.
I’m chill because this is the same thing that happened last year and I have faith we can adjust. But I completely understand the frustration.
It isn’t just the 15 points – or that RW is hurt. It is that every season I hope the offensive line will improve and the offense will have a strong start. And every season they start at square one looking horrible and then gradually improve to being normal at mid-season. Just once I would like to see them start like New England or Denver does.
New England and Denver has the same number of Super Bowl titles as Seattle in the last three years.
I have to laugh when I read stuff like this. The grass is always greener.
For the last 4 or 5 years I’ve been very consistent in saying the offensive looks poor and they are starting at square one again. I don’t know why the Seahawks can’t start a season looking somewhat like the team that was playing at the end of the last season. A lot of it is probably the offensive line – which certainly has changes in 4 out of 5 positions. Every year we have started with an offense that looks terrible and they have gradually improved into acceptable form. Hopefully they will finish strong this year. That is reality.
Pats gave up 24 with Jacoby Brissett. Which changes everything. Their D got conservative, looked like garbage for the entire 2nd half. Nevertheless, they did enough to win. And as pointed out by others, Belichick always game plans and schemes.
I am increasingly frustrated with Pete and the coaching. They don’t have the pure talent and power they had, that allowed them the luxury of simplicity.
It’s a good job you’re here to tell them what they’re doing wrong Steele.
Miami played us last week. Every team that plays us loses the next week. Miami wouldnt have given up so many points to NE and their backup qb’s if they had played the Browns last week.
Just saying.
This just illustrates the inferiority of Bevell as a game planner to me. We had a crazy good quick passing game that finally started to utilize combo and rub routes to present an open player for a small to medium gain almost immediately and we went away from that in the playoffs and haven’t even attempted to do it this season when we’re facing a defensive line that has eaten our o-line’s lunch every damn game for 5 years.
Wilson is hurting and needs to get rid of the ball and either he’s holding it hoping for a big play or they’re just not calling/scheming any quick hitting routes for him (I can’t tell for sure, I don’t have all-22 access). Either way, this is concerning and needs to be fixed or else it’s going to be a frustrating season.
Also, what happened to our defense getting turn overs? I know those are hard to predict, but I feel like it’s been a season and a half since we had a game where we got 2 or 3 takeaways…
I fault Russell for consistently keeping the ball instead of dumping it off to the RB. He’s always done this but it’s more glaring when he’s injured and unable to get meaningful yardage with his feet.
I’d agree but today it seemed that it was obvious when the rb was going to block to set up a deep developing pass. I would like to see some quick dump offs with fake blocks just over the defenders on blitz like they use to with marshawn.
Rob, I know it’s only two games and one loss. But the pattern has been the same for this offense for as long as Bevell has be OC. At some point will Wilson and the offense get going, yes and by the end of the year they will probably be in the top 15. However, there are way too many games like this. Way too many bland game plans. Way too many times no ability to adjust. Enough with the injury excuses or it’s just one game. This offense under Bevell is hit and miss and way too many times it misses.
Here’s another pattern though — consistent playoff appearances, +10 wins, ranking in the top-10 per Football Outsiders, #1 overall team on Football Outsiders for four years…
Best positioning yourself for critical home field advantage would be a nice pattern too.
They’ve had homefield in two of the last three seasons.
Yes, and dropping games to inferior opponents isn’t the way to achieve that.
But might we STILL have those wins etc if Seattle managed to move the ball a bit in the first half, consistently, and managed to score at least one or two TD’s per game in the first month of the season?
I dont think they have to spend the whole first half sitting on their hands offensively to win a game, to wear a D down, or to do what they do. The first half and early season struggles on offense arent something they win BECAUSE of, but rather something they win DESPITE.
To show you what an old-timer I am, I have seen the veer-option, the I, the power I, the wishbone, the two-back pro set, the hurry-up spread option, and the quick release underneath passing game. A number of high schools around here still run the wing-T, and I fondly remember the Green Bay sweep. Every one of these developments, when properly run, overwhelmed defenses for a few years, and their leading coaching proponents were lauded as geniuses.
Then, as suddenly as it began, the innovation hit a brick wall, not grind to a halt, but literally hit a brick wall. Defensive coordinators figured these innovations out, changed personnel to fit the new defenses, and a team that scored 40 points per game two years earlier suddenly was losing 9-3. The self satisfied smirk of the coaching genius was replaced by the blank stare, in disbelief that the perfect formula no longer worked, even a little bit.
The best coaches, surprise-surprise, adapt. Do the Patriots still run the same offense they ran twelve years ago? Does Alabama still run the pro style offense that won them a national championship just three years ago? If the answer was Yes, Belichick and Saban would be selling used cars.
Tell-the-Truth Tuesday = defensive coordinators have caught up with the Seahawks power run game/deep strike offense. They have done so by developing D Lines that are so superior to our O Lines that we can fairly be accused of impersonating the French Maginot Line. They live on our side of the line of scrimmage and eat our lunch.
The elite offensive coordinators have adapted to this development of superior D Lines by going to a fast-paced underneath passing game. Their QBs get rid of the ball so quickly that the D Line can’t get to him in time, and they don’t bother with the run game, since their O linemen can’t possibly block the Aaron Donald’s of the world, anyway. This completely negates the superiority of the D Lines.
Of course, in time, defensive coordinators will adapt to this new-fangled offense, probably by going with a three man rush and flooding the underneath zones. But for now, you choose: stay one step behind and lose ugly with increasing regularity; or get one step ahead and let your superior QB talent win again. Adapt or die.
Pretty easy to defend and scheme against this offense right now with RW hurt.
The one trick Seattle had that no one, coach, coordinator,or defense will ever adjust to is a healthy RW back there scrambling, pirouetting, and creating controlled chaos.
He’s the ace up the sleeve. And with no RB to lean on…?
A healthy Russell Wilson scrambling is not the offense that can win you a super bowl, as we saw last year. So the injury excuse can only go so far. At some point, this team needs a structured offense which involves trusting your 20M QB reading defenses.
Wilson’s throwing is also affected. He can’t plant his right foot properly. I do think they are adapting the offense (a bit), but Wilson being healthy is key. Big Ben was injured a lot last year, and the offense wasn’t very adaptive without him. I agree a bit with your original comment, but I don’t think we’ve seen this year’s version of the offense quite yet (setback due to multiple injuries).
*James original comment
A healthy, scrambling RW with a run game is the foundation in offense to a SuperBowl.
He covers up for so much of what we’re seeing from this O-line currently.
Sorry you guys think he’s gonna become this statue-esque pocket passer.
Well said. Hope this loss shakesthingsup. Better to have this type of loss early in the season.
Hope Baldwin ain’t out too long.
Good thing Jimmy seems to be getting going, and where would this offense have been without Lockett today? Special.
Shoulda said hope he isn’t out at all.
I’m very disappointed but not jumping off the cliff. I hope on tell the truth Monday that PC also takes a hard look at himself. This team has to find a way to play great interior defensive teams. Those teams are not scared of us, nor should they be. It’s up to PC and his staff to go to the drawing board and realize the road to the super bowl goes thru the type of teams we hate to play. Carolina is waiting in the playoff lineup, should we get there.
Darrell Bevell had Jimmy Graham pass blocking inside the Rams 10 yard line today. Not run blocking, PASS blocking. We pay him $10 million a year to catch touchdowns. We pay our entire OL less than Graham, yet there he is, pass blocking. Being prevented from doing what he does best by his own offensive coordinator.
You would think that Bevell would have known that this would be a low scoring game. Perhaps a field goal contest. Every trip to the red zone should be viewed as the last one you will get. Yet he lines up Graham as an H-back to pass block instead of trying to get him in a one-on-one match up.
Yes, our OL and QB were banged up. Yes, the Rams defense matches up well against us. But there’s no excuses. With teams like Carolina, Arizona, and GB there is no room for error. And no room for averaging 7.5 points a game.
Mass protect vs the Rams front four is hardly an idea pulled from the back of the playbook.
But how many games with max protect do you do against the rams before you utilize other concepts? I get Russell is hurt but the rams get after him year after year with pressure.
Listen I’m no OC and I’m squarely in the middle on bevell but there have got to be other approaches against teams with good d lines or they’re going to get worked by the rams again, the jets, etc.
I don’t know — but you asked why Graham might be blocking in certain situations and I think against the Rams, mass protect is not implausible.
I understand the need for the mass protection. And, to Graham’s credit, his blocking actually seems to be decent. I understand that you will have to make some concessions in your play calls, and you won’t always get the matchups you want. But when in the red zone, in a game where you have to know you might not get many opportunities, why not put Graham in a position that allows him to play to his strengths?
Put Willson, Williams, or even the FB back there to block. Having Graham pass block down in the red zone instead of lining him out wide just seems like a gross underutilization of his skill set. At some point I just think that it isn’t rocket science. Let your guys to what they do best, and put them in a position to help you win the game. Using JG to pass block in the red zone seems like a gift for the defense. It’s only one part of one play, but it’s those little things that add up to make one question what the heck our coaches are doing.
You have a good point Lil. Graham has just recovered from a major injury. I don’t want him blocking a charging defensive back, he could get hurt again, or some other linemen might roll into his legs. Better to use him as a receiver where he has a chance to change the score.
He’s much more likely to be injured catching a pass (see: the tackle where someone hit his knee and he flew up into the air) than he is blocking someone who is 50lbs lighter than him.
Graham isn’t 100%…and it’s not like they ever got close enough to the end zone to utilize him properly. By the time GB, Arizona, and Carolina come up Wilson SHOULD be healthy. 2013 is the only year under PC were I don’t remember the season starting slow and mediocre (and that Houston game was a barfight that could have gone either way).
Don’t mind him blocking but I’m just baffled they never tried to go to Graham in the end zone rather than throwing to already covered receivers.
This was probably the most frustrating Seahawks game I’ve watched, which is saying something because this team is not immune to ugly starts. That said, there are a few things I just don’t understand and am worried about.
1) Why keep running into a brick wall? We continued to run in situations where one could almost call a no gain or loss before the play even started. Am I saying never run? No. But it felt like Bevell simply said, “Let’s just start with 2nd Down and 12.” Hindsight is 50/50 but the game plan looked terrible and the usual adjustments didn’t happen.
2) The defense continues to suffer critical breakdowns at bad times. Another few major 3rd down conversions that should not happen versus a truly atrocious offense.
3) Why can’t this league get officiating right? It will never be perfect, but today was atrocious. So many game changing calls on plays/instances that didn’t affect the outcome of the play. The NFL is going to hurt it’s brand by calls similar to the Marsh play.
4) RW is very much hurt. He looked like a shell of himself (not his fault). He looked like he could hardly plant on the right leg which really affected some pass plays that could have been big.
5) I’m not freaking out, but I do find this to be a very troubling trend. It really can’t be emphasized enough, how truly terrible the Rams are. The 49ers took them to the woodshed on offense. We could barely function.
To answer question 3?
Parity. It drives ratings which leads to $ for the shield and Goodell’s pockets.
3 OPI’s on us, not one on LA, and they don’t call Britt for doing the same thing Lockett did.
It’s gotta go both ways.
Dang I was saying the same thing about Britt. There was no difference between the two. Very frustrating.
1) Seattle seems to “test the waters” on their opening drives.
2) I agree with your sentiment, but not your conclusion. Big giveaway plays happen to every team every week no matter how good their defense is. There were five or six plays like that by both teams today. Bad teams can make plays too.
3) What Volume12 said.
4) I think that is the main reason the offense looked so bad today. No run game was also a culprit, but Wilson the way he is causes problems. Let’s hope he has no setbacks.
5) Me neither, but honestly I expected a terrible game. RW is key to how the offense functions. If he’s injured, then the whole offence is gonna look like hell. That, and the Rams play like monsters whenever the Hawks come to town…for some reason.
So far this year the hawks are probably the worst team in the league. Obviously it won’t stay that way but are oline is needs major work.
“So far this year the hawks are probably the worst team in the league.”
WTF?
From what I seen its true. Would of been the rams but can’t say that now.
That’s silly.
How is it silly? There’s literally no way we can say we’re better then the rams this year.
Well we’ve given up less points then them….that’s one way we’re better
Hahahahahaha oh my god robs WTF? comment the funniest thing I have encountered all day
I agree lol I believe he thinks I’m saying they are worst when I’m saying there playing the some of the worst ball in the league. I’ve only watched the games on local TV and the hawks impress the least.
It is not silly. This team has serious problems. In 2 wks, they are among the worst in many categories.
Well the audactity someone has to say that seahawks are the worst team in the league blows my mind when there is cleveland and chicago who should be considered the leagues worst this seahawks team as shaky as they have looked are a top 10 team whether they are at #10 or at #8 is merely a matter of opinion but we cant not write the seahawks off after 1 week 2 loss. Things will be fixed I dont know if it will be soon but even if we have another 10-6 season which is very likely, we will still be in the playoffs
Can*
a week 2 loss*
It really is very very silly. In fact ‘silly’ is a kind way of putting it. Total utter nonsense would be more on point.
Whatever team you say has played worse to this point there will be just as much stats to say they haven’t. The only way you can say it’s nonsense is you bring history or talent into the equation but that hasn’t got use playing good ball.
You must not have seen many other teams
Oh boy. We give up one TD in two games and we’re the worst team in the league?!
We have one of the worst offenses, despite having a LOT of talent. But its two games in…lotsa time to get back on track.
Still, the offense IS abysmal through two games, and other teams are playing with their second or third qb (Vikings, Pats) and beating teams by a good margin that we barely squeeked by with our starter.
So our offense is one of the worst in the league through TWO GAMES. But the talent remains, so as long as we get Wilson healthy, Baldwin isnt broken, and Bevell pulls his head out we will be fine.
When we only two games to go on its the only thing we can judge though. Are doing isn’t making up for are offense
Wow, the shade is real today!! I don’t think I’ve ever seen this amount of salt on the blog… except for maybe the Carolina game last year. I agree with Rob about the running game (especially with Wilson limping around), I think Rawls was with rushed back to quick, or has simply lost his touch, and CMike looked good…sometimes. Other than the running game being nonexistent I really think the offense looked about as good as it could with Wilson the way he is. The second I heard the details of Wilson’s injury I knew they’d probably lose this week. I wasn’t expecting 3-9, but it didn’t surprise me. The defense was great, their big chunk giveaways are somewhat forgivable when you consider Gurly was shut down for the most part. If Wilson were healthy, or if the running game was more active I think they could and probably would have won the game. This was a bad game, but everyone should have been expecting a bad game the second Wilson was injured last week. 1-1 with injuries is not a panic mode situation. Same with 2-2. Now 1-3 or 1-4 would be a panic mode situation. Go Hawks!!
There is no excuse for this pathetic offence. Injuries are just an excuse. What about last week? What about the Rams, Vikings game at the end of last year? It’s possible the second half last year was a fluke. After all, they did beat up on some bad defenses during that run. I don’t believe that getting injured rookies (ifedi, vannett, Procise) who have never played is magically going to fix things.
Part of it seems to be scheme driven. They don’t trust Russell to take over the offense. The running back by committee isn’t working. It now looks like keeping Collins might have been a mistake. Collins needs to be the primary back to be effective whereas Pope would likely fit in the committee better.
The problem isn’t that they had a bad game. It’s that they have had many games like this over the past year and they don’t have a counter to it. It might be that Bevell’s offence has run its course & it’s time for a change in scheme. Think how Todd Haley changed the Pittsburgh offense? This is the first time I’m doubting Bevell but it’s high time he developed a counter to when his garbage oline isnt working.
How do you fluke half of an entire football season?
Yes defenses adjust. Think 2012 RG3/2014 Bradford?
I believe either Wilson takes the next step in terms of reading defenses & adjusting plays. Or we become the steelers of early 2010s; good enough but always outplayed by better coached teams like Ravens/Patriots; depending on lights out defense that is just a step too slow to carry the entire team.
So Wilson’s record breaking run to end last year is to be written off because we lost to the Rams on a day when half the offense, including RW, was banged up.
I might leave the internet for seven days and come back when the Seahawks beat the Niners.
I am not saying his run should be written off. I’m saying that I’m not sure if he can consistently read defenses/adjust protection/etc. The sample size is too small for half season. And the last four games have been awful (Minnesota, Carolina, Miami, Rams). They had half a year to plan for the Rams. And year after year, they perform the same old dance.
Another way to look at it is aka the Packers defense. Year after year, their defense has been overwhelmed by read option. What do they do? They double down on Dom Capers. I want to see if the Hawks can adjust & fix their Achilles heel when 1) Wilson gets bottled up 2) Defense cannot generate pass rush & the short passing game carves up their zone.
Defense has at least 3 sacks today.
With a cover three the underneath will always be open. We just prioritize defending the deep ball.
When Seattle gets torched for 50 I’ll be worried
When we get torched for fifty I’ll be worried.
Losing by 6 on field goals with a turnover on the final drive.
Not a team that’s down and out by any stretch.
Our gameplan was working.
Our back-up RB ran for 80 at 6 a clip.
This was their Home Opener.
This was the rams super bowl.
Gurley guaranteed a win, not like he did much in it.
These 9ers are gonna get blown tf out.
For my money our team is the grittiest in the league.
Comment fail
Some things are very clear to start the season
#1 The defense is a fantastic unit once again and the emergence of Clark and Marsh give me hope for improved pass rush depth as the season progresses.
#2 Jordan Reed was a steal in Rd #2 and is the ideal replacement for Mebane. He and Rubin will anchor a strong run D the next couple of years.
#3 Where are the Turnovers?????? The LOB made its name on turnovers and big plays. 2 games and 0 turnovers has to be a concern.
#4 We finally see how Wilsons incredible mobility has compensated for a horrendous OL the last two years and is a viatal part of this offense. If his mobility if affected all year because of this injury the offense will struggle mightily.
#5 Goes with out saying but this OL is an unmitigated disaster so far. Ifedi’s return gives some hope along with the play of Britt at C but Webb was a terrible signing and Sowell is not a starting LT. The team pinned its hopes on Gilliam stepping up to play LT and so far that decision was a big mistake and ruined the off season plan for the OL.
#6 Rawls is not the same back we saw last year. Keep him out till fully healthy IMO. I have seen not an ounce of burst in 2 games that was his hallmark last year.
#7 Frank Clark is a beast
#8 Injuries are killing us on offense. I hope the return of Ifedi, Vannett and Prosise in the next couple of weeks will help. Most importantly I pray Russ and heal up and become the player we know and love.
1-1 after two weeks sucks given who we have played but that is par for the course for this team. I still have great faith we can turn the Offense around as long as Russ gets healthy.
#3. Opposing offenses are sticking with the high-percentage quick passes against our defense. They’re totally going to be happy doing that if the game remains close.
The offense needs to score touchdowns. Go up by 14 and you put pressure on their offense to take more risks.
That is a very vaild point. There have been very few high risk or over the middle passes in first two games for sure. Still not to come up with a fumble or even a tipped ball or something is surprising.
I’m going to take a contrarian view of Sowell. The offensive line as a whole is pretty bad. Was Sowell worse then the rest of the line? Are there any stats? I didn’t see many plays where he was beat. Yes he started too quickly a few times, but all left tackles seem to jump a 1/4 beat faster then the rest of the line. They have to if they are going to block the DE.
It’s a shame, they had such high hopes for the line – or at least for the middle three. Hopefully Ifedi will firm up the middle.
On another note the Vikings D is legit. That is a solid team and I fear them more than GB this year.
One things is pretty clear from the first 2 weeks of the season. The #1 goal in free agency and the draft should be to find a component OT.
IMO, while the defense is generally on point and effective, what made Seattle amazing in ’13 was the ability to generate turnovers. Without evidence, I’m guessing teams have scouted the Hawks after four years of a similar scheme to be able to at least play it safe. Game plan to get it down to the wire and have a puncher’s chance.
Those of you who know, how many wrinkles have the defense added over the last four years?
Turnovers seem to be the difference between greatness and this gristled maintenance of excellence that’s nonetheless evidence of slight decline.
Run blocking was the o-line’s issue, more so than pass blocking… too many runs for loss of yardage, too many 3r d and longs. The long fields didn’t help, but c’mon, score more than 9 points. This is not a playoff team in my mind, they would have to prove otherwise as the weeks go on.
The Seahawks are a great football team. they have the makings of a team – when gelling together- that can be something special. This was a purely defensive struggle on both sides of the field, and I think the Rams escaped this one with a couple ref calls and big plays. Our offense needs time to heal and right themselves.
Clark and Reed looked fantastic. Marsh had another huge sack that turned into a nightmare with an unlucky ticky tack facemask. The front 7 is as good as it’s been IMO. Shead had a really rough game. I think he’s too limited physically to be a good corner in this league. He’ll be passable this year but you can bet that smart offensive coaches will be scheming around him in the future. The big plays given up in the passing game were made up for with shutting down Gurley.
I definitely overreacted when I said the defense sucked. It’s too bad their performance these first two games will go unnoticed because of how bad the offense is. I’m still optimistic because defense wins titles. The Broncos won a Superbowl last year with a barely passable offense. The Seahawks offense isn’t even that yet, but it will improve. We’ll see what happens.
The 3 best teams in this league right now are the patriots the broncos and the vikings in that order.
Nah. Vikings are average. Patriots, yes, but not with Brissett. Broncos are overrated. It’s too early. Nobody looks that good, frankly.
Hahahaha vikings average? They lost their starting quarterback and 2 weeks later they beat the packers? I watched them play tonight they are a top 3 team
The vikings are easily one of the leagues top three teams.
Vikings are the best NFC team IMO, but the AFC is pretty far ahead. Patriots/Steelers/Broncos are all better than what the NFC has to offer.
I would take the vikings over the steelers.
Thank you both, I agree! I have the steelers at #4 just behind the vikings and #5 #6 #7 would have to be panthers packers cardinals but not necessarily in that order I just think those 3 teams should fill up the 5,6,7 spots.
Russ was bad. Our offense stinks. Russ not distributing the ball the way he needs to, And it’s not just injuries. We stunk last week before Russ, Doug, or Lockett were injured. Russ needs to accept that he can’ t extend plays right now and just hit his checkdown guy.
Kearse is not good enough. I’m okay with him as a guy on the team, he’s useful. But he’s not a good enough outside receiver.
Sowell is bad. Don’t know if you guys knew that. Gotta question Bevell here as well. So many times on big 3rd-down or red zone plays I was looking to see Graham split wide or in the slot….nope. ‘Course not; all that talk about using him better was just BS, I guess. Like Cable saying the line is doing a good job. Like excusing our OL failures by talking about how all we give poor Tom is a UDFA at LT, a 7th-rounder at RG, etc., which conveniently ignores he’s got his hand-picked 3rd and 4th rounder that could be playing those spots instead not playing because, funny thing, turns out they can’t play.
Clark is really good.
I am wondering if Sowell is bad or the offensive line as a whole is bad? Does anyone have stats on Sowell? I saw a few false starts but overall he seemed to be doing his job yesterday.
Playoff predictions:
AFC:
1. Patriots
2. Steelers
3. Texans
4. Broncos
5. Jets
6. Bengals
NFC:
1. Vikings
2. Panthers
3. Cardinals
4. Eagles
5. Packers
6. Giants
Don’t see seattle making it far this year. My predicted record is 7-9 at this point.
Eagles will fall off as will the jets another 10-6 wild card and we are in the playoffs
Way too early, but I’d say:
AFC
1. Steelers (scary team, barring injury)
2. Patriots (they have to go through too many transitions this season…they’ll probably lose games in the process)
3. Broncos (defense)
4. Texans (barely)
5. Cheifs (could be in the Broncos spot)
6. Jets (they’ll definitely drop a few…or they could dethrone the Late, who knows?)
NFC
1. Panthers (still the “bullies” in the NFC)
2. Seahawks (yup, even after today’s game I not only think the Hawks will be in the playoffs, but also win their division)
3. Vikings (they’re gonna win some and lose some…two games isn’t enough to make me think they’ll the #1 seed)
4. Eagles (Wentz ain’t half bad…Eagles out duel the Cowboys at some point)
5. Cardinals (looking at the schedule, the Hawk’s defense, and using history I think that the Cardinals look great for 3/4 of the season and then lose a bunch near the end)
6. Packers (they don’t look too hot, but it comes down to the second game with the Vikings)
As for the Hawks:
49ers-W (defensive slugfest)
Jets-W/L (depends on Wilson’s and the team’s health…probably a loss)
Bye Week-Heal and practice
Falcons-W (if it were in Atlanta it might be different)
Cardinals-W (close 7 point game… pressure on Palmer)
Saints-W (high scoring game for both teams)
Bills-W (competitive game, but 4th quarter domination by the Hawks)
Patriots -L (Brady will be back in force…but Seattle’s love being underdogs)
Egales-W (Wentz will have noise problems)
Buccaneers-W (the timezone will mess up the early game, but Winston will throw 5 picks)
Panthers-W (close game…last minute field goal)
Packers-L (cold game, could go either way)
Rams-W (payback… barely)
Cardinals-W/L (they might be playing for their lives or simply trying to make sure Seattle doesn’t win the division, but I expect the Hawks arde hungrier at this point regardless)
49er-W (chippy game…could have divisional implications, so I’d say the Hawks fight for it harder)
12-4 maybe 11-5…I think the bye week this year is actually useful. The 49ers will be playing a little to big for their britches, and the Jets offense is gonna have a uphill battle. After that it’s simply about staying healthy.
Disclaimer: This is all based on gut feelings, and Wilson being 100% after the bye week.
Holy freak out session. Early season and a very young team, with a bunch of injured vets. Oh yeah, don’t forget this was the Rams homecoming LA and the one game the player were going to show up this year. My biggest gripe is playing Wilson at half strength in this game, and not just realize it was going to be a slug fest and put in the rookie and be able to run read option and just get Wilson healthy. Why even have a back up, if in no circumstance would they play. I also probably would not have Graham blocking much quite yet, but I’m no Doctor so whatever they think. Rawls isn’t quick enough for teams like the Rams, and this should be where C-Mike and Prosse really shine once the team hits stride. Wow 12s a little surprised last weeks optimism went away that quick. This is the one game this year I new we would lose, calm your tits fair weather fans, that was there super bowl not ours.
Frank, you are saying that Vikings and the ‘9ers have less team speed then the Rams. Rawls lateral quickness is the best out of all the ‘backs and that translates into his explosive cuts. You are saying that the shoestring tackle that stopped Locket from scoring in the 4th wouldn’t have happened if it was the backup throwing the ball to him. Sure maybe the fans on here are a little too passionate at times, but the say we KNEW we would lose a game to a team who failed to muster up 3 points last week is a little apathetic.
I was expecting a loss…not 9-3, but I still expeted a bad loss. Wilson’s ankle sealed it for me.
Rawls USED to have great lateral speed. He sure didnt show much this week. He ran sideways and got run down by D-linemen and backers. He looked slow.
Rawls’ injury may have robbed him of what made him special. Time will tell, but for now he doesnt look like the same guy–even before his injury.
Count me in as one of the minority of fans not freaking out. No doubt this is a rough start to the season. But folks, it’s early. Really, really early.
One major frustrating issue I see in Wilson’s development or lack of is how he handles a pocket. Just like last year he is getting happy feet if the big strike isn’t there. I believe he either cant see or has to be controlled within the scheme. Yes, we still have line issues, but watch the film last year and then watch these first two games. The early games last year the calls and his decisions were/are the same.
Today’s result isn’t a surprise. We got beat, plain and simple. It’s the Rams, it happens. It’s not the end of the season. Being that we have a virtually brand new O line again I had no reason to believe that we would start much quicker than last season. What’s important is that there is a similar metamorphoses to last season where things come together on offense and we make a playoff push. Players will need to heal and gel. Our core guys have done this for 4 straight playoff appearances together. Though home field helps tremendously these guys can still make it happen.
I do agree with others regarding the “best” coaches though. You’ve got to be able to adapt game plans week to week and within games and get creative. Stubbornness doesn’t serve.
Seattle’s coaching staff showed little adaptation, and poor gameplanning.
NE won big with their third qb, against a team we couldnt put up two TD’s on–because their staff adapted in-game AND had a great gameplan. (ALso, the Curse of Playing Seattle took effect–every team that plays us loses the next week cause we beat them up, win or lose).
New England won by seven points and their offense was shut down with their third QB.
Let’s not twist the facts.
A few thoughts.
1. Christine Michael, again, is showing some really positive stuff running the ball.
2. When this offense goes up tempo, they move the ball.
3. This defense is going to keep us in A LOT of games. Clark is becoming a beast with a plan. Reed is a beast, and once he gets a plan, watch out. Add Bennett, Avril, KJ, Wags, Sherm, Earl, Kam, and others.. yeah, I’m not sweating things too much.
4. All 4 of the starting OL are either new to the team or new to their positions on the team. Not the best recipe for a quick start out of the gate when the real season bullets fly. Still, they are playing A LOT better than the OL did at this point last year, and we are playing without of first round pick.
5. Russell Wilson. Yes, he’s limited right now. Essentially, he is playing on 1 leg, but IMO, a one legged RW is still better than a lot of QBs in this league, and if it wasn’t for some very lopsided OPI calls, and a few other things, it looked to me like he was well on his way to leading this team to a few more scoring drives than what the final score showed.
6. I think PC is apt to adapt when he has to. PC and Bevell adjusted the offense to quick passing out of necessity last year, and as memory serves, I think it kinda took off with some nice results, and as memory serves, there really wasn’t that much read option involved, it was kinda more sparingly used. Quick passes from the pocket.
7. Folks, relax a little. If I were a betting man, I’d wager that this team is going to bounce back nicely against the division rivals of Santa Clara pretty well next week. 2-1, with a tough loss to the Rams won’t seem near so bad next week.
8. Go Hawks
All very vaild points C-Dog. Not time to panic yet but Wilsons health really is the key on offense I think.
It’s an issue that they have never faced before, for sure. However, maybe it’s my “action green” colored glasses, but I saw things in this game where I think they can win with a gimpy RW in the pocket. They are good enough to do this. He is good enough to do this.
I’m not on a “fire anyone” train, as we all know from past years that it takes time for our team to get clicking and history cannot be denied as the results have come. Sure, we would like it to happen sooner and avoid embarrasment at the hands of crappy teams, but it is also part of how we stay young, figure out the right players to have on the field, and bond to get stronger mid-late season and in the playoffs.
That said, it certainly is frustrating to watch our offense keep trying over and over the same play calls that have not only failed, but that we know from the get-go have little chance to succeed against an excellent D-line. (Finally got some momentum in the run game, then kill it with two Collins dives up the middle, for example). Why run right at their strengths behind our greatest weakness?
Does anyone know why don’t we try any screen passes? Among the obvious and expected weaknesses for what we have chosen to invest at OL, isn’t their great asset that they are arguably the most athletic unit in the league? So to slow down a great penetrating DL, why not let them rush by (they are already doing that part quite effectively anyway…), toss it over their heads to the RB, and let that über-athletic OL run down the field and smash the LBs/DBs?
I know part of our gameplan is to try and be the “bullies” and simply dare you to stop what you know is coming, but is there perhaps even a certain lack of humility to just give up on that when it is obviously not working and play to our OL’s strengths?
Thanks for hearing me out.
Oh, and not tossing it up for Graham, or even having him go out for a pass in the red zone (even if only as a decoy to draw coverage): this and the above are the two things that, even with the utmost belief and good will in our coaches, I just don’t get.
I thought it was going to be McEvoy and Graham lined up out wide on either side in the red zone to create mismatches. If you want an extra blocker, maybe use Brandon Williams and not your $8m red zone weapon.
Exactly. But QB Coach Carl Smith is so conservative, he doesnt coach his QB’s to throw guys open in the Red Zone.
The brought Graham in to help in the Red Zone, but I have yet to see them run a slant or skinny post or post, and throw the ball up for him to get. Just the Corner fade route that Wilson cant throw accurately…
Its a total disgrace they arent utilizing him. Drew Brees must be incredulous…
I suspect we are going to see much more Jimmy Graham moving forward.
Totally agree with you on the predicablity of the O play calling at times. This is kind of the most frustrating thing for me. I would love to see that Oregon Duck run play from the 4 WR stacked look completely taken out of the play book. I don’t think I have ever seen them pass out of that.
Like I said in an earlier post, I think this team does adjust when things aren’t working. Things just didn’t happen yesterday and it’s all compounded. I think they bounce back this week against an improved 49ers team.
Sea Mode could not agree with you more on both points, we lack real offensive miss matches right now you have a weapon in Graham they need to use him more effectively even Luke Wilson for that matter. A few screen passes to both slow down the rush and tire them out a bit would be nice too.
Regarding the lack of turnovers: There was a study I read (trying to find it) that compared turnovers forced and the game score. The findings were that a large percentage of turnovers are forced when the opposing team is trailing. This obviously makes sense. Teams that are trailing take more risks or extend for extra effort yards. Doing so increases the chances of a pick or fumble.
The study was in response to the Cowboys turnover differential last season. (-22) Looking at the historical data, it makes sense the Cowboys had such a terrible differential. There’s obviously some skill and luck that effect turnovers caused, but the fact that the Cowboys rarely had a lead and were usually playing from behind meant that they weren’t putting the pressure on the other team. Instead they were the ones that had to push to come back and thus increased their chances of turning the ball over.
At the end of the day, through the first two weeks, seattle’s offense hasn’t put the team in the lead. The opposing team has had no sense of urgency and has had the luxury of playing it safe. The odds of the defense forcing a turnover in that situation is pretty low.
Does anyone agree with me that Wilson should have sat this game? I’m more worried about longer term – either reinjuring the ankle or keeping it from healing which would extend this version of Wilson longer into the year. If Boykin had played, could we really have done worse than score 3 points and lose the game anyways? And Wilson would be a week closer to being himself. I’d rather lose a few games now and get Wilson back 100% after the bye than have him go out there and play sub-par, lose anyways and potentially reaggravate or prevent healing for some or most of the year.
Yes, I agree. We managed 3 points with him–Boykin could have got us that.
And Wilson has a high ankle sprain, whether they admit it or not. It will only get worse with the beating he took on Sunday. High ankle sprains can linger, and can ruin a players agility.
I think, ideally, they would have sat Wilson if they felt there was a backup on this team that could go down to the Coliseum, play against that defense, with 90 thousand hyped up fans, and give us a decent chance to win. I question whether they feel Boykin is ready for that. I think they felt that RW showed enough against the Fins, that he could gut through this game and give us a chance to win, and he did, in the end, we were in this game with a chance to win.
I think their idea might have been to get up by a couple of scores in the first half and then rest Wilson in the second half. The Rams were bad enough the week before to hope for that.
Either way, I agree. I guess that early bye week that everyone was complaining about will actually be coming in really handy. For others too, esp. Ifedi.
I agree, why sit out other players but not the QB? It is a long season and he deserved at least two weeks of rest. Playing with this injury not only hurts the team but it may permanently hurt RW career. Boykin should have started, and he should start next week for the same reasons.
When we get torched for fifty I’ll be worried.
Losing by 6 on field goals with a turnover on the final drive.
Not a team that’s down and out by any stretch.
Our gameplan was working.
Our back-up RB ran for 80 at 6 a clip.
This was their Home Opener.
This was the rams super bowl.
Gurley guaranteed a win, not like he did much in it.
These 9ers are gonna get blown tf out.
For my money our team is the grittiest in the league.
One TD in eight quarters. No run blocking at all. Wilson gimpy, with an injury that could linger. Ifedi out for weeks. DBaldwin with a back hurting and a possible knee injury (praying its minor). Graham gimpy. Rawls looking lost, slow, and once again hurt. I’d say there is plenty to worry about.
This time last year the linemen couldnt figure out which play they were all running, this year they seem to have the play down, but cant block their man. To me, thats a bigger concern–you can expect guys to learn their plays as the season goes on, but if you cant block your man, you cant do anything, and that problem may not go away.
I really thought Webb would be better. He is awful. And Sowell is what I thought he was in the offseason–a step below Paul McQuistan.
Our gameplan was NOT working. They mustered ONE drive–and that only due to big penalties on the Rams–until the final drive of the game, and that drive only went anywhere due to Tyler Lockett.
25 QB’s in the league hit Lockett for a TD on that throw. Wilson throws the back shoulder fade instead of the Post Lockett was expecting, and hangs the ball up there, giving the DB time to recover and tackle Lockett.
As he has often done in his career and as he did repeatedly in this game, Wilson hung a ball up too long and turned a huge catch-and-run into a catch-and-get-tackled.
For all the money he just got paid, I expected more. Still, he’s hurt and that might explain some of his off throws. But I still think its coaching from Carl Smith that is stunting his deep ball growth. All too often, Wilson throws a rainbow jump ball, rather than hitting his guy running downfield for an even bigger gain. That is what he’s coached to do, and I hate it.
We had Lockett open for TD’s and Wilson threw a jump ball rather than hitting him in stride so many times last season–most notably in overtime vs the Bengals on a route that was a sure TD and would have won the game.
“Injury, Injury, Injury, Hurt Hurt Hurt
Here’s why our game plan sucked and Bevell is garbage”
I agree with all your points, Kenny.
This is what losers say. Over and over again.
You know, Seattle has a lot more going wrong than just the O-line.
In the second half, Michael busted a big run. What does Seattle do? Take him out of the game for two plays, whereupon they run Alex Collins TWICE in a row up the guy…for ZERO yards.
I get that the line isnt great in pass pro, and with Wilson gimpy and playing the fantastic Rams D, you want to be cautious. But once again, Bevell and company were far too conservative and it backfired horribly. On third and ten they sent Micheals in, and Seattle once again failed in another third and long attempt and punted away any momentum from Micheals big run.
Bevell is occasionally brilliant, but all too often far too conservative with his playcalling. And the worst part is that despite conservative playcalls, Wilson still took a massive beating.
In our only Red Zone trip of the day, Seattle pulled its starting WR’s and had Paul Richardson and WILL TUKUAFU out there. Seriously, Tukuafu running a passing route, not just a FB to the flat thing…ANd he looked like what you’d expect, a whale on the beach. Give me a freaking break! That isnt innovation, thats idiocy! Not having Graham, Baldwin, Lockett and Kearse onfield in that situation is mind bogglingly stupid. And a total failure, as Wilson threw it away for an incompletion.
Michael tapped out. They didn’t take him out.
That was what I saw. I turned to my wife at that point and said, “here is where we are going to miss what #24 really brought to this team.”
yeah why the h-e-double hockey sticks was Tukuafu split wide (not to block for a WR screen) and was actually a read on that play
What I really hate is all the sportswriters blaming a loss of Lynch for our offensive struggles, and saying we dont have a lead back. Uh…Micheals is averaging nearly 5 yards per carry, finding room when Rawls cannot. All this despite the Elephant in the room–an offensive line that stinks in pass pro, but also stinks in run blocking, its supposed strength.
Micheals deserves the lead back role. Seattle is just screwed they put too much stock in Prosise as a third down back, and now he’s busted his wrist and cant do the job. Micheals is doing well as a third down back and carrying the load, but if Rawls cant get back to last years form, he’s going to have to be an Ironman. Collins looks like total crap, he has no speed or agility to speak of. Of course, the line didnt block anyone on his two carries, so perhaps he will show something once the line figures it out.
Michaels isnt perfect, but he runs hard, he makes something happen with little better blocking than Rawls, and despite a few mistakes, seems dependable and on-task. He averaged 6 yards per carry with little blocking! Rawls all too often ran sideways and couldnt get out of his own way. Micheals is the man, believe it or not. Now we just need Pope back because if he carries the load, we need a third down back bad. And we dont have one.
Zac Brooks anyone?
C-Mike is nice as a no. 2. He’s definetly been the most impressive back of the 2, but they do miss Lynch. Now that Prosise is hurt they’re asking alot out of C-mike to also be the 3rd down back.
He’s consistently leaving big yards out there. Not a clutch back. And doesn’t appear ready to pick up the slack when needed.
I think Wilsons biggest problem isnt his injury, its that he doesnt seem to have acknowledged to himself that its limiting him. ON many plays yesterday, it seemed he thought he could do the same stuff he usually does–run horizontally at 3/4 speed while looking downfield, etc–but due to his ankle, he was slow and got caught from behind. All too often, he didnt seem to take into account his reduced agility and speed, and it ruined plays. He took too long to make a decision, believing he was still fast enough to buy time–but he wasnt.
If he’s going to play hurt, he needs to play within himself. Otherwise, its not going to work and we may as well go I-formation all game or bring in Boykin and let Russ heal on the bench.
The #1 thing that annoys me about Russ is that whenever he steps up into the pocket, he always does so as a running back. Keep looking downfield man. However, he did a great job of presnap manipulation of the Rams front 7. They gave away a lot of their blitzes, however it also backfired a few times with false starts. Did I mention how bad our offensive line is?
Well, on one play that led to my above comment, he ran at 3/4 speed (which with his injury now is 1/2 speed) to the right side of the offense, looking downfield all the way (DEEP downfield, too)…and got ran down and sack/fumbled from behind. In that instance, he was looking downfield and NOT being a RB, and also not taking into account his newfound lack of speed/agility.
Pre-snap reads are a game. Sometimes its a fake blitz, sometimes the guys faking arent the ones blitzing…its a guessing game, and you cant win em all. Even Hass admitted as much, and he was one smart qb. No matter how you study, you arent going to be able to guess where the blitz is coming from every time.
One thing that has always baffled me is that we consistently talked about how well are team blocks the run that this is there strength. We are one of the better rushing teams for one reason and one reason only, and it’s not beastmode although he did help.
We have always had a great run team because we have an agile QB who does 2 things, he is able to make positive gains when nothing is there, and above all else he threatens the edge on every play. Leavening seams open, it’s never been are great line push or this genius of Cable.
Remember when everyone thought Chris Johnson was the second coming of OJ in Tennessee , it was the same thing they had a mobile QB (Young) threatening the edge, and Chris would get a little seam and hit a HR. Young goes away and Johnson is just another RB.
I disagree, our run blocking is significantly worse than it was last year. Sowell should not be in the NFL, and Webb shouldn’t be starting. Those were two disastrous free agent signings. Gilliam seems to have regressed as well. Ifedi will help but the tackles are going to be a big problem all year.
But that’s no big deal because RW can escape from… oh, shoot…
Not sure what your disagreeing with? Seems we both think they suck
I just disagreed with your point that it was Russell’s agility that drove the run game. The O line has always been pretty good at run blocking, but it’s pretty bad now. Russell helps but the read option hasn’t really been a factor for a while now.
Although not always used the read option is game planned for by everyone who plays us, and keeps everyone pursuit to the RB some what tempered, just my opinion.
Yes, but great coaches adapt. Ours havent.
Offense is a synergy, and right now ours is all out of whack. Hopefully they begin to click, but it will take better line play (Come on Ifedi!), and the coaches figuring out how to get Wilson to pass efficiently without his usual wheels.
I don’t usually post & usually love to read the comments on this blog. Great job Rob. Today I am surprised at the overreaction by so many fans to 1 loss. Especially as this loss is compounded by Wilsons and Ifedis Injury’s. Right or wrong the Hawks have built a team by paying their stars, and going for a cheap OL. This works because of the QBs wheels. Ifedi is also a stud Run blocker. Vannett a blocking TE is also injured, Prosise the third down back injured. Most of those Injury’s took place in either the last preseason game or the the season opener. The first two injuries strike to the heart of the offenses ability to function. They are also tight against the salary cap.
I think the team is doing an amazing job in tough circumstances. Is it pretty, no. Does it have the result we want- not yesterday. But you can’t judge this team with Wilson and Ifedi injured , as if this is the team that was built. Go try to run or do anything with a high ankle sprain.
Did the Seahawks gambled on the backup quarter back situation and lose , well maybe , that’s what it looks like.
Lastly LA is built to beat the Hawks as NFL is all about match ups. This was never going to be a pretty game .
This is a long season and I am grateful for the early bye. Go Hawks.
Other thoughts around the NFL:
– Still upset about keeping Richard over KNJ? The Raiders have the worst defense in football after 2 games, despite spending a lot of money in the off season bringing in big names. I’d much rather struggle on offense than on defense to be honest.
– I think there is a big 3 right now, and they are all in the AFC. The Steelers, Patriots, and Broncos all have tremendous rosters and/or superior coaching. The Steelers in particular are nasty. Their offense is as elite as ever, and the defense looks to have been shored up over the course of one off season.
The Texans and Vikings are right there. The Vikings remind me of the 2013 Seahawks in a way, their defense is young and dominating and they force turnovers. Call me crazy but I don’t think an injury to ADP will even affect them that much. He has been a non factor so far and even last year, he wasn’t a huge factor in their biggest games.
– The Packers have been going through an offensive slump for a while now. Teams are pressing their corners and bottling up Rodgers, and honestly Rodgers doesn’t look right. He is missing passes he always makes, and he’s been missing those for a good number of games.
– The Panthers defense is bad. Has there been a bigger downgrade in a unit over the course of this off season? Their defensive line is getting no pressure at all (Short had 12 sacks last year… obviously that isn’t sustainable), and their secondary is atrocious as you would expect.
– If I were a betting man, I would put money on Minnesota and Arizona grabbing the 1 and 2 seeds in the NFC. The Seahawks, Panthers, and Packers all finish around 10-6/11-5 and lose in the playoffs. No idea who wins the NFC East.
– If the Rams are in our heads, what is Pittsburgh to Cincinnati then? The Bengals just cannot beat them.
I just want Quinn back. Badly.
Bradley can suck eggs. I wished him well, but was glad to see his Cover 2 Prevent leave town, and he stinks as a HC.
Quinn’s defense isn’t exactly shutting teams down in Atlanta. Agree about Bradley. he’s bad.
You bring up a great point.
Rather be a great defense or a good offense? Like you, I take the Defense every day of the week. Now, obviously we gotta score more, but that’s been beatin’ over the head enough.
I like what the Giants are doing defensively. Spending $200 mil usually backfires, but they seem to have found the right group of guys. Their a couple pieces on offense away from being one of the better teams in the NFC.
They’ve been the biggest surprise so far IMO.
I’d take great defensive play each and every game, hands down. This is why I am not stressing so much.
If a player comsistently put a performance on the field that Cable has, he’d be cut.
We’re just looking for average here, man. Just don’t be a disaster. That’s the standard you have to meet. Average.
And enough with the positive talk, mr. Cable. No one believes you anymore.
Ah, back to the Cable bashing now. At least it gives Bevell a break for a few minutes.
Hawks forfeit their 2017 5th round pick, one 2017 OTA and PC and team fined big $ for offseason violations per ESPN.
What are those violations?
“on June 6, 2016 OTA day, players engaged in aggressive on-field physical contact which is expressly forbidden”
Never mind. Figured it out.
So, we’ll have more than likely…
1st
2nd
3rd
4th comp
5th comp
6th
7th Norwood trade
2 guys ran into each other and knocked noggins…. and it is 1 week of OTAs
Our defense is bad? Why? How?
Pts allowed- #1
Yds allowed- #1
Pass yds allowed- #5
Rushing yds allowed- #3
3rd down %- #2
8 sacks (shoulda been 9) in 2 games
CB Richard Sherman has allowed 0.15 yards per coverage snap. Next best ain’t even close at 0.41. He’s given up 2 catches for 10 yards. He’s regressing! ?
It’s not bad but it’s not good enough to compensate for the offense. That is why it appears worse than it really is. Not clutch.
It is good enough to compensate for the offense. They keep the offense in every single game.
If some fans are expecting this defense to be like 2013. Sorry. It’ll never happen.
TO’s would be nice sure, but how many defenses can play this way and be this good without them. What happens to Minnesota when the TO’s stop? Because they will.
Remember KC 3-4 years ago? Started off 9-0 because their defense created TO’s and scored defensive TDs. What happened once they stopped? 1-6, and barely got into the playoffs.
And when the TO’s do come for our defense, they’ll come in bunches.
Point being, there’s only so much a defense can do.
Can’t rely on TO’s, because they won’t always come. But, you can rely on your defense.
The defense is playing fine… actually it is playing better than I thought it might early. They have given up very few points, even when given poor field position or a short field to defend. They have given up FGs, when TDs could have been had….. and they have been clutch on 3rd down and 4th down plays so far.
TE’s and WR hitting on out and up routes are a problem around 15 yards around the field.. but that is the soft place playing their defense, you will have to live with it.. if you can constantly keep RBs under 60 yards a game rushing (or ineffective).
Yeah, Shead struggled yesterday. No doubt about that. He’s probably the weak link right now, but that’s something they might have to address this off-season. Or things start slowing down for Shead.
Like ya said though, every defense has a weakness. Even the great ones.
I think the only obvious difference on Defensive besides some of the pressure up the middle is only one thing, takeaways. Reason one- we haven’t scored any points to force the other team into taking chances. Reason two- nobody is throwing at Sherman anymore because he’s so damn good. Not only did Sherman get mad interceptions he also helped Earl by tipping the ball alot due to his length. Once our offense gets going it will obviously force turn overs!
Go Hawks!
The defense has been pretty consistent in terms of raw yards allowed yes. And the sacks so far are not bad. But for over a year the turnovers have been quite underwhelming. Hardly ever see any interceptions or recovered fumbles/strips anymore.
Where is the attitude? The Seahawks just seem to have lost their mojo. When you play tired, you cannot beat anyone? When I saw PC screaming at the refs as he ran into Kearse near the sideline, I thought where is the fire in the players. Kearse looked TIRED! He had his head down and just walked off…
Rob, I had a question for ya last night, but decided to wait until everything cooled down and a lot of fans backed away from the edge of the cliff.
Went back and watched the run game last night (watched some college RBs too) and I notice Seattle not running much ZBS.
Do you think with the rule changes regarding cut blocks and what not, that this team could be struggling to adjust?
And I know they’ve always been a mix of zone and power, but could we see them perhaps target O-lineman in the draft differently due to this?
V 12, veery interesting observation there! I havent had the capacity to watch either of these games, but am really interested to hear Rob/others weigh in on what you have speculated on. I trust your saavy eye and sage opinions-sort of like Robs right-hand man around here. Keep up the good work lads. Go Hawks! Cheers.
Just got on to see if the cliff jumping was over??
Some of the most entertaining reading on the internet happens after a seahawks loss.
One of my main takeaways from the first two games: Kam Chancellor appears to be a shell of his former self, and I’d happily trade him for some offensive line help or draft choices, if possible.
Either way, his ability to deliver big hits, get picks, and enforce the middle of the field seems to be gone.
I couldn’t agree more. Trade chancellor for a pick and start McCray.
That’s a new one! Hahah
Oh my goodness, give it a couple more games. These guys are extremely prideful and they’ve only given up 1 touchdown and 4 fieldgoals. Yeah it’s frustrating not seeing them be what they’ve been in the past but we’ve been spoiled as Hawks fan’s!
Go MF Hawks!
I don’t think (at least not me) am not jumping off the cliff. It’s frustrating watching the same problem over and over. As much as I dislike BB, his team continues to adjust to the game, not only by season, or by game, but by quarter and even series. They have injuries and continue to not make excuses. The Hawks have lost 4 in a row to LA/ST, find a different way to win.
The 49ers could easily beat us. In fact I envision a shutout or only holding us to 6 or 7 points.
Wilson hobbled, Ifedi still out. Baldwin beat up. Rawls beat up. Sowell and Glow have played horribly, Webb and Gilliam not much better. Entire line unable to run block. Lockett shaken up. Vannet and Prosise both out. Graham still coming back from injury. Michael still making mistakes and slipping. Collins looks horrible just like he did in the season. Something works on offense and then it seems we immediatly move away form that direction. The wideouts aren’t playing cleanly.
Graham is being misused again. Williams can’t catch the ball. Richardson has lost a step in terms of speed it seems, and isn’t getting looks. Kearse has been playing poorly recently.
How are we going to score exactly? The defense hasn’t been forcing turnovers. No one throws to Sherman anymore so he isn’t getting interceptions. Shead doesn’t turn to locate the ball. Chancellor has been piss poor in coverage recently and Thomas has disturbingly regressed form the player he once was. The defense is still *good*, sure… but we have played bad bad offenses and aren’t getting consistent pressure and we are getting beat in one on one matchups with Shead?/Chancellor/morgan and whoever, allowing big passing plays.
So who is going to score next week? The week after? How will we beat the jets with all their receiving weapons if we can only score 7 points a game? We won’t be able to climb out of a 1-3 hole. Not with carolina, arizona, new england, atlanta and green bay all down the stretch, not to mention st. louis again.
I’m ready to wave the white flag on the season. Hopefully the hawks make me look stupid in the next couple of weeks.
7-9? we would be lucky to go 7-9. But i would rather go 1-15 and draft fournette or garret.
I think there is definitely a chance we could be due for an off 7-9 season, or worse. I think we can also be in for a 10-6 or better playoff run.
It’s only two games.
I think the Seahawks can and likely will take care of the 49ers this week. I think we will likely see a WR added to the active roster, probably keeping more active on game day now. The offense was hampered by the limited amount active when Baldwin and Lockett were out.
The 49er DL is not as strong as the Rams or the Dolphins, that should help the run game. The main reason I am not pushing the panic button yet is that, while this is a young roster, there is a lot of quality veteran players who have been through this kind of grind before.
IMO, it’s way too early to panic right now.
Only way we go 7-9 or worse is if Russell Wilson gets hurt. Actually, more like 9-7 or worse. No way we win less than 9 with a healthy RW and this defense.
RW is currently not healthy and will likely have lingering effects throughout the season.
The Offense will look better when 1. Ifedi is playing RG, 2. CJ Procise is playing, 3. Rawls is on the field and playing, 4a. The OC decides to give more touches to the TEs in the short passing attack and 4b. The RBs get utilized in the passing game. The defense is built to win a championship….
Wilson’s injury is the only thing that could end up being devastating. The early bye week might really help us out there. Gotta get there and be at least 2-2. Hopefully he came out of the game ok and his ankle’s doing better.
Graham is almost there. Rawls needs to not be playing until he’s truly ready and good to go. Michael can handle the workload, should be getting 20+ carries. Fumble doesn’t bother me, he had that thing wrapped up. Great play by the defense.
Jesus dude. You make it sound like we aren’t going to score an offensive touchdown this year at all. What happens if we beat the 49er’s 28-7?
I’ll dance a jig!
Well of course I will be happy if we soundly defeat San Francisco. But i will not be surprised at all if ur offense struggles mightily and it’s another very low scorer that comes down to a field goal or two.
Shameless Stanford Homer..
Christian McCaffery would look good as a seahawk.
Bonus- Sherman wouldn’t be back catching punts…
🙂
Bevell would have him pass blocking in the red zone, or playing FB.
Let’s not turn things to Bevell all the time.
I’ll take Christian all the way. What a weapon!
Our offense definitely needs another weapon.
Receivers to continue to watch this season:
Bigger Names:
Corey Davis from Western Michigan
KD Cannon from Baylor
James Washington from Oklahoma State
More under the radar type guys:
John Ross from Washington
Zay Jones from Eastern Carolina
Chad Hansen from Cal
Amba Etta-Tawo From Syracuse (transferred from maryland)
Cooper Kupp from Eastern Washington
Jermone Lane from Akron
James Quick form Lousieville
Tim Patrick from Utah
J’Mon Moore from Missouri
Cody Thompson from Toledo
I don’t get why you think our offense needs another weapon. You have Paul Richardson as a 4th stringer. 4th string! You have a raw talent athlete like Prosise who looks like one of those guys who could take it to the house every time he touches the ball. You have Jimmy Graham at TE. You have two rbs, Rawls and Cmike, who could be elite if given the carries. Baldwin is a bonafide #1. You have Tyler Lockett. I’m not head over heels for Kearse, but his deal is cheap, and RW loves him. And best of all, you have RW, a franchise qb.
What this team needs is TIME. And a left tackle. No one can convince me that Sowell is or should be a fixture at that position.
Interesting interview with Ray Roberts on 710 today. He didn’t sound too optimistic about seattle’s oline and basically summed it up by saying that as a rookie (and he was Brad Sowell terrible back then) he spent the first 6 games trying to figure out the team, the playing style, the speed, etc and his natural talent didn’t show for the entire time. He thinks that’s the problem with all 5 spots on our line.
Thinks RW is about 50% right now.
It’s pretty much like last year. We have to survive the first half with a decent enough record to have a playoff shot as the line jells. Now, here’s where I think seattle should look to the future now since everyone is basically a rookie and is going thru growing pains. Start Fant in place of Sowell. See what he has. See if he is the future to determine whether the draft or FA is where you have to go to get a LT. It can’t be much worse than Sowell, frankly. And he is not the future.
I doubt Sowell is on the team next year. So start your potential future right now, let him grow with the others, and see if he has what it takes. Make Sowell the utility backup.
Bradley Sowell is nothing more than a journeyman guy you use in a pinch. He is not an NFL caliber left tackle. Unfortunately, athletic left tackles don’t grow on trees. So what do? I tend to agree it’s time to start George Fant and see what he can do under fire. Can it be worse than Sowell? Doubtful.
Long-term, I am not sure Tom Cable is the answer for this team. They definitely need to continue providing whoever the coach is with actual talent — not some converted defensive lineman who blows up the ratings.
If you’re not going to trade for a proven talent like Joe Thomas, then keep spending real draft capital on lineman.
I am concerned by the time Seattle has a good line, Russell Wilson will have been crushed.
Hawks defense worries me too. Where are the turnovers? Interceptions, fumbles? The Hawks need their defense to come up something while the offense is discovering fire and learning what pass blocking is.
Starting Fant would be bold. Kind of giving up on the season… like let’s just use this year to develop all the rookies for the future.
I don’t think it would be giving up because I don’t think the delta of Sowell over Fant is all that much, if there is any. But it would give them insight into a player that may or may not be a long term solution at the position. And after three games he’s totally in over his head? You can still go back to Sowell. Or by this time you could try Gilliam there and move Webb to RT.
I just can’t see a future beyond this season with Sowell at left tackle. Do you want to spend draft capital on a LT without knowing what you have in Fant? I didn’t think much of this until hearing Ray Roberts on the radio this morning. The way he talked about all 5 players basically thinking, thinking, thinking and it will take at least half the season before the thinking comes together and the natural talent they’ve been drafted for can come out.
If Sowell is already a matador, I just can’t see where Fant would be such a downgrade and at least you find out something about a guy.
my favorite thing is the over reaction to peoples over reaction about the game/season. its pretty natural to be pissed when your team plays like crap. especially over the last few games(including last year). and when the teams youre barely beating or losing to are pretty chump teams. I for one do not think the season is lost, and I don’t believe anyone should be fired. but I can certainly understand the frustration of some fans. we have not looked very good on offense at all. RW is hurt both no e and Baldwin got dinged up and the o-line doesn’t look much better. I’m curious what some people expected to find in the comments section? “oh we looked great but lost a toughy oh well!!” that’s not gonna happen. personally I’m not surprised by the negative comments about the game, but I am surprised by all the smart ass responses by a few. especially on THIS blog! just like the season so far lets try to keep things in perspective.
go hawks
Packers also lost to a division rival. On the road. Off a turnover on a last potential game winning drive. So much for the playoffs, Green Bay. See you next year!
The vikings are not the rams. Vikings a top 5 team in the league. rams a bottom 5.
Settle down. With Bradford and no Peterson? They seem pretty similar to me (especially now that they have Bradford). This is still basically the same team we blew out 38-7 in December in Minnesota, right??
Rams are top 5 when they play us. If the Rams played that way against everyone they’d be 11-5 and no one would want to play them in the playoffs. I almost think Jeff Fisher has a clause in his contract that says, “Just beat the seahawks every year and you’ll be renewed forever no matter how good the team is.”
“C.J. Prosise missed the game with a wrist injury” ~ Rob
I think his absence was huge .. he really is a spark plug for the offense. He has duel threat capabilities and can move with the ball in his hands. The three headed rushing attack turned into the C Mike show, due to the Rawls injury. I also thought he ran decently, so that was encouraging. The fumble at the end of the game was disappointing, but he took a severe shot on the play. I also question why he was not involved in the passing attack a bit more… swing passes or screens.. etc.
He hasn’t done anything yet…
I thought he showed a lot of promise in college, but didn’t really peg him as an option mostly because I thought hed go earlier.
I was pleasantly surprised and quite excited when we did pick him up, but he had quite a few injuries in college as well.
Maybe he’s too much receiver to play RB.
Maybe he’s a career third down guy. Nothing wrong with that.
Some of our fans really baffle me!
I’ve read this 20 times today between here and fg.
“He’s hurt he’s hurt he’s hurt he’s hurt
And these guys were all out with an injury.
Fire Bevell”
Hahahah. And the crazy part is the guys on here are so smart they have me like nodding my head like. Yeah. Wtf. That was bull! And this always happens. Then I remember
Lost once again by less than a touchdown. Defense was undeniable.
Christine Michael looks strong.
We were missing these people for some or all of the game *Deep breath* Germain Ifedi, CJ Prosise, Thomas Rawls, Tyler Lockett, and Nick Vannett and had messed up parts on *deep breath again Russell Wilson, Jimmy Graham, Jmarcus Webb, and Doug Baldwin
I know I listed three rookies there but all were decently high picks and were expected to contribute going into the season.
Also our all pro returner and our ELITE slot receiver
Our pro bowl bell cow
Our Superstar QB’s ankle
And had two RGs with ankles that hindered their contributions.
Again, this was the Rams super bowl
And don’t get me started on the “Play Boykin”‘s!!
And to think, right now, out of 15 rookies, 2 have contributed due to those injuries.
Reed and Powell (STs).
We’ve yet to see what Ifedi, Prosise, Vannett, and QJeff can bring to the table. And of course we’ve got Fant and Odhiambo getting what appears to be ‘red-shirt’ years.
I like that they’re bringing Jimmy along slowly. IMO he’s primed for a huge game one these next 2 weeks.
Hawks lose a 5th rounder because of OTA contact…
Again?
Yep! We risk forfeiting a draft pick of a higher round of penalized again