Here’s an open thread for today’s game, plus some thoughts…
— This should be a relatively straight forward win. The Panthers have fired their coach early rather than allow him to end the season. Kyle Allen has regressed after a bright start. Last week not even Christian McCaffrey could have an impact in a blow-out win for the equally hapless Falcons. Yet the Seahawks are decimated on defense — missing the two pass rushers they placed their faith in this year (Clowney & Ansah), their best cornerback (Griffin) and a useful starting linebacker (Kendricks). There’s a huge responsibility on other defensive players to step up today.
— The offense has to get right. For a while I questioned whether the 49ers were peaking too early. Instead they’ve found a second wind. The Seahawks similarly need to find theirs in the next two games. Russell Wilson has toiled a bit. Tyler Lockett has suffered with injury and illness. They desperately need to show they’re capable of regaining their early season form ahead of a vital rematch against the Niners and the playoffs. That means effective running, explosive plays in the passing game and no more fumbles.
— All week I’ve just assumed the Seahawks would win this game. It’s an ideal time to play Carolina. The loss last week against the Rams should be a kick up the arse. The injuries might be an equaliser but the difference’s between the teams are stark. Seattle has everything to play for, Carolina doesn’t. The Seahawks have an elite franchise quarterback, the Panthers have a backup plunged into action. The Rams loss should re-focus minds while Carolina’s players will be wondering what the future holds with Ron Rivera fired. Yet the Seahawks all too often make games a tight struggle. They need to flex a little bit today, even with all the injuries, and show that they’re ready to get back in contention for the NFC West title.
— This is an interesting article by Adam Schefter, discussing how the tight end market will be re-set in the off-season. Several big names will be talking contract in the new year including George Kittle, Austin Hooper, Zach Ertz and Hunter Henry. It’s a situation for Seahawks fans to monitor. The team will add a TE at some point this off-season. They need significant insurance for Will Dissly given he’s suffered two major injuries in consecutive seasons. Apart from that, their depth is practically non-existent. In the past they spent big money on Zach Miller and traded for Jimmy Graham. This is a position they clearly value. Another big addition or trade could be on the cards again. Failing that — as noted previously — keep an eye on Hunter Bryant. He’s inconsistent at times and has had drops but his blocking experience at Washington and X-factor ability as a receiver could provide a more cost-effective solution. They’ll do something at this position in the off-season, guaranteed.
You can now support Seahawks Draft Blog via Patreon by clicking the tab below.
Hawks 31 Panthers 17 this will be a coming out party for Ugo amadi…gets his first pick and forces a fumble on special teams…while doing an adequate job on McCaffrey…
Damn dude…almost got it right. Almost-pick and +7 points for the Panthers, -1 missed extra for us, but it’s pretty close 🙂
Yeah…I should have burned some more sage…
Woof… Russ got drilled there…
Tough kid, he’s a resilient guy
Christopher Carson is a M-A-N
All that green you just know it’s 6
lmao. DOINK
Lockett looks healthy again
Atta boy DK
Aww Fant so close with the toe tap.
They.cant.cover.mans
DK went up, what a great 1st quarter of football
Finally DK high points a catch! And for a TD too!
That was a picture perfect example of highpointing the ball…great sign of things to come
Lol you can tell he’s been working on it. That’s why I’m not too concerned about him fixing his weaker points. My man has the drive to be a great one.
+1
So impressed with his maturity
DK been reading SDB and high points (and bobbles…) a ball just for Rob.
Watching NFL games has turned into me trying to shoehorn soccer into it. Insufferable
Poona w the Hawk tackle
Damn Poona!
Carolina has so much speed with Moore, CMC and Samuel
B A S E D
It’s odd. I went into this season thinking we had the best set of linebackers in the league, but they look like a sieve today at the second level. Just like last week.
Barton has the athletic chops but’s le the experience to diagnose a play and put himself in a position to make the stop. But he’ll get there. Meanwhile KJ (and to a lesser extent Bobby) look slow. Really slow
*but he lacks the experience
They obviously watched the Rams game. Carolina picking up big yards with receiver sweeps.
Dafuq was that play?
What a f***ing catch! My god
Unleash the beast that is FLASH
There we go! Flash! Ah ah!
Wilson is the best deep ball thrower in the game. And it’s not even close
He’s slingin’ it today.
Ifedi looking rough so far.
He is has been better this year but I have no idea how anyone could sign him to a big $ deal.
Saved by the flag
Flag on Ifedi, gets walked back into Russ’s lap on that fumble, no movement the next snap where they lose yards on a Carson carry. Was not a pretty drice for him at all
All Lockett does is…
Carolina’s gameplan is clear today, stretch our LB horizontally with the end arounds and feed CMC.
A better team would beat us all day long because of our personnel. The rams did.
They need someone to set the edge on those end arounds and jet sweeps. Is Collier really that far behind?
I really think we just need more DBs on the field
Is Marquise Blair really that far behind
Get BBK in there for some more sideline to sideline speed?
I suppose? It’s not like our LBs are slow but it’s about spacing and mismatches. Either a coverage guy to let McDougald get in the box or a dude w some sand that isnt a liability.
I get you want to use your talent at LB, but what is it doing for us
I dont know how that helps when you know as well as I that you stop those designed runs up front first and foremost.
TBF, the guy who only started 1 season (Collier) was always gonna have a steep learning curve.
Big DB at LOS
Rasheeem!!
This is exactly the kind of pick up game we needed for the offense. Needed this pick me up after last weeks awkward mis-step.
Green has really stepped up this year. We can only hope for the same from LJ next year
Green is 2 years younger than Collier
I honestly forgot about that… I hope he takes the off season seriously and gets in NFL shape.
Urban Meyer gonna end up in DC w/ Haskins and McLaurin?
Between Snyder and Allen I’m not even sure Belichick could succeed
Russell needs to keep it one of these times. C’mon man
I really wish we still used him on designed runs more
Part of me really misses scrambling Russ. The other part is glad he’s really more of passer these days cause everytime he gets tackled I pray to every god known and unknown to man that my boy is okay.
Looked like Ifedi got away with an early jump off the snap. Not his best outing so far today
Wagner is JAG. They just can’t put a body on Mcaffery…shame
!!!!
Hot take
Yeah just another guy…lol
How’s that take holding up?
He still is this season. one or two plays does not change much. He is being paid #1 Money at his position.
Leading in tackles does not mean much if you give up yards and then make a play…
Is that Amadi in at nickel?
Yes
Russ is maddening at times and result is a fumble
The dude totally touched prosises foot
Yep
That one’s for you, Rob
Unbelievable
What a huge mistake. It’ll be a big deal if we can hold them to a FG before the half. CAR get the ball to start the 3rd quarter
Ground can’t cause a fumble or did the NFL change that rule too?
Wasn’t ruled down immediately
Why do some defenders go to the ground on an open field tackle? Horrible form
BWaGz iS TrAsH!
That aged poorly
😳🙄😂
It happens. I’d be nothing if not embarrassing.
I honestly don’t get the criticism Wagz has got this year.
I don’t either. For a guy that leads the league in tackles he gets a lot of sh**
Great play by Wagz!
BWagz!
Dime look 👌
Can we please shore up the pass pro this off-season? 🙏
This is a talented crop of OTs. Draft wise. Add one.
Also a good crop of centers
Facts.
I’d be all for Seattle double dipping on the D and O lines.
Have to add something to the TE room imho
If Jamarco Jones can add 10-20 lbs in the offseason then he’d be a great future option at starting LG or RG.
Fluker is a one dimensional OG. Good in the run game but bloody awful in pass pro
Only a couple of nitpick criticisms in the first half:
–McCaffrey should be shadowed better coming out of the backfield (he’s about the only thing they have that can beat us)
–Pass protection a little weak
–RW holding onto the ball a little too long at times
Just don’t play dumb and let us end our road record at 7-1.
I just can’t comprehend why are they not throw 2-3 guys on CMC, 2 on Moore and just blitz the sh..t out of the Panthers QB? The dude can’t handle pressure (as most young QBs), and they only have 2 really legit weapon.
Put Barton, McDougald/Lano and Bobby/KJ on CMC (not exactly man, but more like a spy), glue Flowers with safety help on DJ, and send Shaq/Bobby/King/Amadi on a blit
LB corps has become a weak point rather than a strength… they are picking on them all day
No speed or explosion there. K.J. is a 5.0 40 guy if that. Bobby just looks like he’s lost two steps this year. I just don’t see the explosiveness out of Bobby anymore.
Did Diggs get hurt?
Nice FG 😒
I do NOT want this to be another heart-attack game. Put this team away.
This offense can’t shut the game.. shit. At least a blown out here and there can get rookies and young guys game time…
It’s on the coaches and the culture. No-balls Pete and Schotty are too risk-averse to slam the door onto the opponent’s face. Pete had the strength to close games with BAMF, baller, chip-on-their shoulder guys.
Russ, Bobby, Lockett, KJ, Reed, McDougald…these guys don’t want to massacre the opponent, kill, stomp them into the ground, make them cry. They just wanna win. Which is a bit weak attitude imo.
If you’re up 20 points and only 2 minutes til the end the opponent cannot win. If you’re only up by 2-3 points, it’s still a game. It’s a mistake
For those hoping for a blow out….. when does that happen with this team. Let’s just get the W and get out with no big injuries
When you play so close and tough instead of blow outs especially when you can.. chances of injuries are more.
We’ve seen this team play close almost the entire PC era so I think we know by now how we win games. Whether we like it or not this is the reality we live in with this franchise.
You can’t let teams keep hanging around. We’ve dodged too many bullets playing this way.
Thanks heavens for that INT. Now get that TD and make it a three score game.
There we go. Big turnover
KJ coming up big when they needed it the most
WTF is that?!?!!
Shit the bed and scrape though.. every week .. lol
Have to seriously doubt this teams playoff ability seeing these last few games.
They’re 23-10 up on the road.
Why in the hell do you do a trick play when you’re winning the game against a weaker team? Good Lord! This team just doesn’t know how to put a team away.
Not a fan of that shit there.
Have one of the best QBs in the league.
Why on Earth is Josh Gordon throwing the ball.
Good grief.
ugh
Hey that Int is not on Russ at least..
The old age got to Pete. I love the guy, but seriously the worst at when and how to take risks. He has no clue…zero.
But Gordon threw a pretty tight spiral. Too bad the aim was off
Don’t talk such ageist rubbish.
Every time a play doesn’t work we don’t need to act like the sky is falling.
Silly
KJ again!
Ha ha 2 INTs for KJ!
These LBs are really struggling to make plays for us aren’t they…. pound that rock.
Go for it Pete what do we have to lose
Damn right he should have gone for it. This team needs to learn how to put a team away.
All I could think about was Lamar and the ravens confidence and will to go for it in that situation and wish we had that.
The game?
Lack of TE and RB depth (Procise back to bubble wrap) catching up on Hawks..
An EFFING FG! Is that all after two INT’s? Ridiculous.
Calm down.
Be happy.. if it’s a starter QB on the other side we would have been praying for a win some how.
That’s not a TD wtf are they so happy about…
Aaarrrrgggghhhhh! Amadi
Adog called it!
Such a presence of mind.. we got a guy who can ball on defense.
Well, maybe not. Close though
That’s a bad call .. forget what rules say. He has the ball in control, making a move, ball was punched out and recovered
No catch no TD. Helluva play by CMC
This reminds me of the Philly game. This tram is practically begging us to mercy kill them.
Finish this off with Christopher
A long scoring drive here will put this game out of reach for the Panthers
Despite the non-pick 6, that’s still promising from Amadi. I have high hopes for him at slot/nickel.
Now this one you kick.
Lockett couldn’t have leaned forward a little more?
Bad challenge. Should have just kicked the FG
Was gonna call the TO anyway probably
Carson is a BAMF
CC is a man amongst boys….. when he doesn’t fumble lol
2 yds shy of another 100 yarder
What a god damn power move
He never stopped thrusting with his legs. Pure power
💪💪
Took too long for my tastes to finish off this hapless opponent. But we finally did. Back home for at least three weeks now.
Christopher Mother Frickin Carson!!!
Oh no. No, no, no
That’s like the 4th or 5th time we’ve made the same comment today 😂
Great minds think alike 😉
No no no no
nonononono
please just be a scare. good to see him walk off
Thankfully he’s walking, but I’m still worried about Bobby man. He’s already looking his age this season. Dont need these dents to build up.
With Griffin being out I’m surprised Carolina hasn’t tried to exploit that more. Prayers up for Bobby thankfully it’s an ankle and not his knee
McCaffrey is so, so good. What a weapon.
IDK about that call on 3rd & 5. Not feeling it.
Agreed. Just get the 1st and run it out
I just wanted to make them burn their last TO there myself.
SEA defense is way too soft to close out this game
WAY
As is tradition
Boy. This D not only misses Clowney, but Shaq too.
84 yds in under 2 minutes
This is why we can’t have nice things
Giving up 27 points by not being able to take out the only one good player on that offense..lol. Rams scored only 28. Defense is super bad offense is plain bad
Offense is plain bad… elaborate. It’s not perfect but they did a fine job today
They struggled after losing Diggs, just fell apart when Wagz left. MLB + FS leaves a headless defense.
Weak a** call
JFC
How do you get a holding penalty on a one yard run? Egads.
Lockett is shmoney
That’s the game
IDK. I think that penalty made it so they couldn’t run it out.
1 more 1st down.
There it is!
Carson MVP today. Absolute beast.
That graphic about more 100+ yd games than McCaffrey was nice.
The fumbles were concerning to me, but I never thought for a minute that we could do without him as our bell cow this year.
Hands down. Tremendous performance.
A healthy Lockett makes this offense look completely different.
Undeniably
His ball security changes are obvious, to the point of occasionally losing a bit of shake in some runs, but when there is any contact he is wrapping that thing up.
game
11-3 over all. 7-1 on the road. Controlling their own destiny in the conference. Damn
Fingers crossed for the Falcons of old to show up for one game today.
+1
11 wins was my max for this team this year, 11-5 and a wild card team. We’re gonna do that and possibly more. We do need Clowney back soon and Kendricks. Other than that good game.
EAT IT REFS WITH YOUR DUMB FLAGS AND PANTHERS WITH YOUR DUMB STUPID RUDY COMEBACKS.
Sorry fired up with Carson running over guys to seal the game.
I guess as a o lineman, you cant push someone down anymore.
Seattle recorded 3 qb hits. Gotta address pass rush.
Now can comfortably sit back and watch the Rams and Cowboys, etc…
1, Wow Carson played a great game
2, Russ probably lost the MVP chance, but today he played like one
3, So many injuries…it’s crazy. Hope most of the guys can come back at least for the niners game
4, Lockett is a golden god
5, Wanna see MORE Gordon, Homer. Gordon almost catched everything. I know, he got here mid-season, but he’s talented, and runs crisp routes, has good hands. Why not target him at least 3-4 times in a game? And Prosise sucks. Homer had a good fake run, awesome ST guy, looks like McAffrey 😀 Not a CC2, but he could be a Sproles-McAffrey type of quick back who can get skinny, and also used in screen situations
6, Green is not a game wrecker, but he seems like have some good value as a rotational DE
7, Really mad-sad about the injuries, but to be positive, I was pumped to see some Amadi, Barton, BBK, Blair, Homer, Collier snaps. These guys need gametime experience. I hope everyone will get better soon, but I’m a bit intrigued about Amadi, Barton, Blair and Homer. I think with more experience, these guys can be a vital part of the roster.
8, I’m a bit humbled regarding KJ. I throw some shade on him…and while yep…he’s old af, and have some bad missed tackles, he played great today. The 2 INTs was cool, but the tackle against McAffrey was even better.
9, With that said…I think Barton (and Amadi) just need to take a medium step to be amazing playmakers. With them reading offenses a bit better, reacting a bit faster, they might be a turnover machine in the future
10, A win is a win, but this sucked a bit by the team not able to close the game at around 30-10 or 30-17. And the injuries piled up crazy on the D#. Yeah, and I was not a fan of Pete’s risk-averse game-call, or constantly dialing up deep shots (maybe that’s on Schotty and Russ too). I know…Russ had a nice stat sheet and Carson had too, but without forcing deep throws it might have been even prettier for both. Or at least would’ve made their life easier.
If I were the Hawks FO, I’d probably sit every starter who has a decent backup and has some injury issue vs the Cards. We need to get as close to healthy against the 49ers as we can
Thanks for nothing Atlanta.
Well this didn’t age well.
On the contrary… it aged very well!