Room for Improvement

We knew that our Seahawks were a young team and with youth comes mistakes, but as a fan it is difficult to watch a team that is penalized this much. The coaches really need to clean up the penalties, it feels like a Raiders game!

We have also seen clock management problems twice this year (that have cost us points)--another inexcusable thing for a coaching staff. This team has looked disorganized getting out of the huddle and had to burn time outs unnecessarily.

A team with a small margin of error cannot make these kinds of mistakes and win.

Speaking of winning, if the Seahawks want to do it again, then they need a running game. I don't see any holes and I felt sorry for Lynch as he was literally getting his helmet ripped off yesterday (which according to the refs is legal as long as you use two hands).

Charlie! Charlie!

I think we've heard the last Charlie! Charlie! chants at the Clink for a while given his pathetic performance today. He fumbled twice (1 lost) and was sacked three times. Here is his line for the game:

Week 6, Draft Watch

If the season ended today, Your Seattle Seahawks would be sitting in the 10th position come next April. I see their draft needs being: Quarterback, Defensive End, Cornerback and Defensive Tackle. A lot could change based on the next 11 games, but that's where I would rank draft needs today.

This Trojan performs under water. 

Who was drafted in the 10 spot in some previous drafts, you ask?


2011--Blain Gabbert (#3 QB taken)
2010--Tyson Alualu (#3 DT Taken)
2009--Michael Crabtree (#2 WR taken)
2008--Jerod Mayo (#3 LB Taken)
2007--Amobi Okoye (#1 DT taken)
2006--Matt Leinart (#2 QB taken)
2005--Mike Williams (#3 WR taken)
2004--Dunta Robinson (#2 CB Taken)


Not exactly an all-pro team, as can't miss prospects can always miss (Mr. Kiper, please meet Mr. Curry).

Thoughts on the Browns Game

I think many people in the Seattle are penciling in a win for the Hawks on Sunday. I am not so sure. Cleveland is a 3 point favorite, being that home field is usually worth 3 points, the teams should be evenly matched. My concerns:

1. Injuries to Heath Miller and Max Unger could hinder offensive line play. It looked as though this group was turning a corner, without these two will they take a step backwards?
2. The Browns have the 4th best passing defense in the league and the 27th rushing defense. The Hawks will need to run the ball regularly as yards maybe more difficult through the air. Hopefully the no-huddle will loosen up both areas.
3. When Cleveland has the ball, they have not been a consistent running team but are moving the ball in the passing game. Their o-line has not given up many sacks (only 9), so if Seattle can't get pressure on McCoy, then the pressure will be put on the young Seattle DBs. McCoy has used many targets this year so far and I would expect to see him mix it up on Sunday.
4. Special Teams. Josh Cribbs is always a threat, let's hope he doesn't pull a Ted Ginn.

We all know that Seattle is not a great football team, but a win this weekend is what they need to become a good team. Beating the Cleveland's and the Cincinnati's of the league is how they go from being 5-12 to 8-8 and competing for the NFC West title again.

Legalize It, Don't Criticize It

With Congressional approval ratings nearing the single digits and the "super" committee floundering, now is the time to legalize (and tax) sports betting. Will it solve our country's fiscal woes? No. But it won't hurt either.


News alert to congress: Everyone is betting anyway (illegally). It makes no sense that it is legal in one state and not the other 49.

Our congress needs to wake up on this non-issue. There is no controversy here. The government already allows certain forms of legalized gambling in the form of Lotteries and Horse Racing. Why not sports betting?

As an adult, I should be able to login to a website and place a bet with the click of the mouse. Other countries allow it, why can't we? Here's a safe bet: congress will do nothing.

End of the line for Trufant?

With Marcus Trufant going on IR today, his 2011 season is over. Enter Walter Thurmond.

Given the fact that he will be 31, and have a huge a salary in 2012 (7.3 million including a workout bonus), I think he played his last game as a Seahawk. I can see the team cutting him in the offseason before any bonuses are due.


He will have missed 17 games since 2009. 


His play is solid, but hardly spectacular. He has always been a steady number 2 corner on a team that needed him to be a number 1 corner. He regularly keeps the receiver in front of him, but rarely breaks up the play. Football Outsiders breaks down the top 10 cornerbacks in 2010 in 3 separate categories (success rate, yards per pass, yards after catch), Trufant does not make the list in any category. They also break down the worst 10 corners in each category and he doesn't make the list there either.


All in all, he has been a class act and a leader on a young team that needs leaders. Not to bad...even for a Coug!

A Look Back at First Round Picks

The best teams get the most out of their picks in the top three rounds. High picks are supposed to make pro-bowls or at least become steady starers. Here is a look at the last 10 first rounders for the Hawks.

2002--Jerramy Stevens, 28^th overall pick. 

            201 career receptions, 202 career arrests. Out of NFL, 2010.

2003--Marcus Trufant, 11^th overall pick. 
            Longtime starter, 1 pro-bowl, 2007. Current member of the Seahawks.

2004--Marcus Tubbs, 23^rd overall pick. 
            29 games due to injury shortened career. Out of NFL, 2007.

2005--Chris Spencer, 26^rd overall pick. 
            Mediocre starter on bad Hawk O-lines. Current reserve Guard for Chicago.

2006--Kelly Jennings, 31st overall pick. 
            Mediocre starter on bad Hawk secondary. Current reserve for Cincinnati.

2007--No Pick. Traded to New England for Deion Branch

2008--Lawrence Jackson, 28^th overall. 
            2 lackluster seasons with Seattle. Traded to Detroit and is in their rotation.

2009--Aaron Curry, 4^th overall. 
            2 underwhelming seasons with Seattle. Traded to Oakland for 2 late rounders.

2010--Russell Okung, 6^th overall.
            Immediate starter, unfortunate injuries. Current member of the Seahawks.

2010--Earl Thomas, 14^th overall.
            Immediate starter, flashes of brilliance. Current member of the Seahawks.

2011--James Carpenter, 25^th overall.
            Immediate starter, making solid progress Current member of the Seahawks.

The tally: 1 hit, 7 misses and 3 that are too early to tell (but look promising).

With the 4th Pick in the 2009 Draft...

The Seahawks select: 2 conditional late round picks.

While I was a big fan of the pick when they made it, what a colossal bust it turned out to be. Various coaching staffs tried Curry in a number of roles to see where he would thrive and the results were poor on all counts. He routinely was out of position and missed tackles.

Big Busts

I remember watching his debut and expecting to see this amazing flash of football brilliance and it never happened. He was expected to be an impact player and never was. The lesson is that all the athletic ability in the world only gets you to the league, hard work and football IQ is what makes a young talent succeed (and some HGH, of course).

Doug Baldwin is the antithesis of Aaron Curry. Undrafted, undersized, a little slow, but hardworking and smart.

The Razor's Edge

The margin of error for the Seahawks this year is razor thin, as I don't see them blowing anyone out and to win regularly they have to play almost perfectly. Unfortunately, young teams are mistake-prone and the Seahawks have proven so, thus far.

I am fine with players learning on the job--take the offensive line--they have had rough patches, but they seem to be making progress.

What I can't stand are the mental mistakes. Stupid penalties: offsides, false starts, encroachment, excessive celebration, etc. I also hate to see two wasted timeouts because of personnel issues. Bad coaching decisions don't help either (see prior post).

This team that needs everything to go right for them to win.

The Last Two and a Half Minutes

As I was sitting at the Clink watching the clock tick down from 2:30 to 2:00, I thought "why not use the last timeout?" Instead the Falcons were able to run off an extra 30 seconds before the two minute warning. Given the fact that the game ended without using the timeout it was a 30 second waste.

On first down from the Falcons 45 Jackson spikes the ball to stop the clock. Again, why not call the timeout after Miller makes the catch and save first down. The wasted down ends up being pivotal as the Hawk do not run out of time, they run out of downs! Ack!

I also thought that if PC knew he was going to attempt an impossible kick on 4th down, then why not run the ball on third? They had the timeout. A running play (perhaps a draw) would have caught the Falcons off guard. If it gains 5, then a 56 yarder, while still unlikely is worth a shot. Maybe Forsett gains 10 and then you are staring down a 51 yard kick. Who knows?

If The Season Ended Today

Reunited and it feels so good?
From left to right: Peaches, Herb.

With the sixth pick in the draft, the Seattle Seahawks select...

Here is the current draft order:

1. Rams
2. Colts
3. Vikings
4. Dolphins
5. Cardinals
6. Seahawks
7. Chiefs
8. Eagles
9. Broncos
10. Panthers