- For a team committed to running the ball, a true fullback is required. I don’t see Michael Robinson clearing out linebackers like he needs to—given the youth of the line an experience battering ram of a fullback would be a nice pick-up. Maybe this type of player will be available when teams cut down to 53. I miss Mack Strong.
- The O-line needs to learn pass protection. And fast. It is hard to evaluate a QB when he is constantly under fire.
- On first and goal at the two, why run essentially the same play to the same guy 4 times in a row. Maybe they are looking for a short yardage back and learned that Forsett is not that guy. While I love his effort, Forsett makes no sense at the goal line. Why not mix it up a bit and use some of your team speed to the outside?
- Curry needs to get his head in the game . A couple plays really stand out: Curry bites on a inside fake and complete loses contain on the edge. The Vikings gain a bunch of yards and Curry looks foolish for over-pursuing the play. The personal foul (helmet tossing) is plain stupid. I know it is the pre-season, but I am not impressed with this guy. Leroy Hill looked good. He looks leaner than before.
- I really liked the toss-sweep in the 3rd quarter. After watching so many inside power runs that weren’t that successful, it was refreshing to see a lineman and the fullback pulling left and getting out in front of a play. The sweep went for six, and I hope we see more of this.
- Charlie looked good again. He is stepping up to the snub of not having an open competition. I am becoming curious to see how he would do with the starters. He is getting better o-line play than Tarvaris.
- Jeff Reed wins the kicking job before kicking in a pre-season game.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Better Late than Never
A few thoughts from the game:
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Friday, August 19, 2011
5 Things to Watch for vs. Minnesota
1) Quarterback play. According to PC, Tarvaris will play at least for a half. Will he look the part of a starting QB? He will have more WR options this week, so hopefully that will help. Will his play make it obvious as to why he has been named the opening day starter? Will CW and Portis look good in subsequent games?
2) Offensive line. Can Tyler Polumbus keep it together? I am interested in watching the rookies on the right side to see how they are functioning. Is the run game improved? How is their pass protection?
3) Depth at cornerback. How well do the tall rookies need to play to displace KFJ from the starting 11. Walter Thurmond is still hurt and won't play so Sherman, Browner and Maxwell are the ones to watch.
4) Defensive Line. With Colin Cole on the PUP and Chris Clemons injured, who will step up and get some penetration? Red Bryant is back, will he make it through the game healthy?
5) The most heated competition: kicker. Jeff Reed will be kicking this week, can he get a touchback or two?
It should be a nice night at the Clink, regardless of what happens on the field.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
The Seahawks Lead The League In...
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| Our newest Seahawk, Atari Bigby. Jersey number: 10. |
- Atari Bigby
- James Carpenter
- Colin Cole
- Kennard Cox
- Marshawn Lynch
- Sidney Rice
- Richard Sherman
- Isaiah Stanback
- Earl Thomas
Robert Gallery and Charlie Whitehurst have hair that is certainly braid-eligible, but they haven't got the memo. Yet.
Slow news day, if you hadn't noticed.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Great Rookie Class or Major Rebuild? Yes.
I am not sure if the Seahawks have one of the best front offices in the league or this team is going though a major rebuild. Come to think of it, it's not about the "or" it's about the "and." This is a great rookie class and many will have an immediate impact because this is a roster overhaul.
It looks like the 1st and 3rd round picks will be day-one starters and most (if not all) of the remaning 4th-7th rounders are having an impact in practice and are likely to make the team. KJ Wright, Richard Sherman, Mark Legree and Malcolm Smith all seem to be playing well and could see the field this Fall. This was a draft that was pretty well ripped by the national media (especially Tent Dilfer) which leads me to think that John Schneider and team have a strong eye for talent and the Seahawks mission is to get younger and give these kids a real shot. They will make mistakes but it will be fun to watch their development.
In terms of the undrafted rookies that were signed as free agents, it seems like three of them may make the team. Three. That is unheard of in recent memory. I think there are 4 with a legitimate shot of making the 53. Josh Portis is the leader in the clubhouse. He is the 3rd quarterback and I don't think he would clear waivers to make it to the practice squad. Former Boise State Safety Jeron Johnson is probably next likely. Pierre Allen and Doug Baldwin are having fantastic camps by all accounts, but both play very crowded positions.
The only undrafted players I can remember in recent memory that made the opening day roster were CJ Wallace and David Hawthorne.
Even most of the Free Agents they signed from other teams are young. This is a nice change from signing overpriced players whose best years were behind them.
The willingness to potentially keep a slew of drafted and undrafted rookies leads me to believe that this is a major rebuild as PC and JS are building a team in their image. This looks to be a great rookie class and it needs to be. It is big and agressive. The Tim Ruskell teams were undersized and based on finesse, which when all the parts worked in unison made for some pretty entertaining football. The only problem was that since 2006, a lack of talent at some positions caused many others to be exposed.
It looks like the 1st and 3rd round picks will be day-one starters and most (if not all) of the remaning 4th-7th rounders are having an impact in practice and are likely to make the team. KJ Wright, Richard Sherman, Mark Legree and Malcolm Smith all seem to be playing well and could see the field this Fall. This was a draft that was pretty well ripped by the national media (especially Tent Dilfer) which leads me to think that John Schneider and team have a strong eye for talent and the Seahawks mission is to get younger and give these kids a real shot. They will make mistakes but it will be fun to watch their development.
In terms of the undrafted rookies that were signed as free agents, it seems like three of them may make the team. Three. That is unheard of in recent memory. I think there are 4 with a legitimate shot of making the 53. Josh Portis is the leader in the clubhouse. He is the 3rd quarterback and I don't think he would clear waivers to make it to the practice squad. Former Boise State Safety Jeron Johnson is probably next likely. Pierre Allen and Doug Baldwin are having fantastic camps by all accounts, but both play very crowded positions.
The only undrafted players I can remember in recent memory that made the opening day roster were CJ Wallace and David Hawthorne.
Even most of the Free Agents they signed from other teams are young. This is a nice change from signing overpriced players whose best years were behind them.
- Sidney Rice, 24
- Zach Miller, 25
- Alan Branch, 26
The willingness to potentially keep a slew of drafted and undrafted rookies leads me to believe that this is a major rebuild as PC and JS are building a team in their image. This looks to be a great rookie class and it needs to be. It is big and agressive. The Tim Ruskell teams were undersized and based on finesse, which when all the parts worked in unison made for some pretty entertaining football. The only problem was that since 2006, a lack of talent at some positions caused many others to be exposed.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
One Less Lawyer to Worry About
While I got a kick out of the first name Lawyer, it is always nice to add an Atari to the mix. Missile Command anyone?
Ink is Permanent
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| Remember this guy? |
I was hoping that a certain cornerback, nicknamed KFJ (the F is for Friggin', thanks Hank), would be on a ticket so that this timely release would be imminent. Oh well.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Practice Cancelled?!?
So the Seahawks have been practicing for all of two weeks and Captain Khaki (er, Pete Carroll) cancelled practice this afternoon. He says the boys are tired. What makes no sense is the fact that they no longer "hit" twice a day and that most of the practices are essentially walkthroughs with shoulder pads and helmets only. I would hope that such a young team would take advantage of every allotted opportunity to be on the field given the new offense and the youth of this team. Oh yeah, tomorrow is the players day off as stipulated in the new CBA. This is not your father's NFL.
I sure hope we see a full half of the offensive starters Saturday night. They need the work in the new system and it would be nice to get a feel for how Tarvaris manages the game under center. In the next two games I would like to see:
I hope T-Jack can excel in this offense as I love his speed, but I didn't see much poise last week when pressured. There will be pressure with a right side of the line being rookies and a Tyler Polumbus in for Okung. If, after game 3, Jackson seems behind Whitehurst, then it's time for a switch and CW can start the last preseason game and head into the season as the starter. I liked the way Whitehurst hung in the pocket last week and made the pass, while Jackson seemed to panic too quickly. It's probably not a fair comparison as Stanback and Tate are not exactly elite receivers.
Seahawks in the news:
Mike Florio's PFT Live interview with GM John Schneider
The mystery, wrapped inside the enigma that is Charlie Whitehurst by Danny O'Neil
The real reason fans bring binoculars to games
I sure hope we see a full half of the offensive starters Saturday night. They need the work in the new system and it would be nice to get a feel for how Tarvaris manages the game under center. In the next two games I would like to see:
- Q1: Jackson
- Q2: Jackson
- Q3: Whitehurst
- Q4: Portis
I hope T-Jack can excel in this offense as I love his speed, but I didn't see much poise last week when pressured. There will be pressure with a right side of the line being rookies and a Tyler Polumbus in for Okung. If, after game 3, Jackson seems behind Whitehurst, then it's time for a switch and CW can start the last preseason game and head into the season as the starter. I liked the way Whitehurst hung in the pocket last week and made the pass, while Jackson seemed to panic too quickly. It's probably not a fair comparison as Stanback and Tate are not exactly elite receivers.
Seahawks in the news:
Mike Florio's PFT Live interview with GM John Schneider
The mystery, wrapped inside the enigma that is Charlie Whitehurst by Danny O'Neil
The real reason fans bring binoculars to games
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Pre-Season Game 1--San Diego
After 15.5 hours of travel Thursday, I arrived home tired to watch the game on the DVR.
General assessment: While I was hoping for some flashes of offensive brilliance from the starters, this wasn't the case. Maybe it was because the top three WRs were not dressed, maybe it was because Okung only made it through 4 plays, maybe it was because they are installing a new offense for the third year in a row...whatever the reason. The Hawks looked a lot like they did last year. Poor pass protection, no separation for their receivers and a genuine lack of playmakers. Maybe this will change when the o-line gels and Rice and BMW are in at WR. I sure hope so. The run blocking looked improved. Hopefully this will only get better. It would be nice to have a true fullback who can block. I am not sold on Michael Robinson in this role.
Defensively, Kelly Jennings reminded me of...Kelly Jennings. Ack! He is too small and too out of position to play regularly. Hopefully Walter Thurmond will be healthy enough to win the spot. Browner and Sherman looked good (and tall) in the second half. Let's hope they continue to impress. Kam Chancellor made an impact with a couple of stops against the run. Wilkerson did the same getting in the backfield a few times.
Quick thoughts:
1) has anyone seen Red Bryant? His injuries are always an issue and I have a bad feeling about him again.
2) has anyone seen Russell Okung? His injuries are always an issue and I have a bad feeling about him again. Ugh.
3) it would have been nice to see more of Tarvaris. He knows the system, why not play him more? Whitehurst is new to the system, yet he played the most.
4) Josh Portis (once he settled down) is pretty dynamic. I would like to see more from him. His upside seems large..
5) I would like to see the big, young corners Browner and Sherman get some time with the first team. If they can play then we can get rid of Jennings.
6) Coutu can't kick it deep enough even with the extra five yards. Let's hope Jeff Reed can.
7) Not sure what is up with John Carlson, but his blocking is horrendous. Maybe he wants to get traded, who knows.
General assessment: While I was hoping for some flashes of offensive brilliance from the starters, this wasn't the case. Maybe it was because the top three WRs were not dressed, maybe it was because Okung only made it through 4 plays, maybe it was because they are installing a new offense for the third year in a row...whatever the reason. The Hawks looked a lot like they did last year. Poor pass protection, no separation for their receivers and a genuine lack of playmakers. Maybe this will change when the o-line gels and Rice and BMW are in at WR. I sure hope so. The run blocking looked improved. Hopefully this will only get better. It would be nice to have a true fullback who can block. I am not sold on Michael Robinson in this role.
Defensively, Kelly Jennings reminded me of...Kelly Jennings. Ack! He is too small and too out of position to play regularly. Hopefully Walter Thurmond will be healthy enough to win the spot. Browner and Sherman looked good (and tall) in the second half. Let's hope they continue to impress. Kam Chancellor made an impact with a couple of stops against the run. Wilkerson did the same getting in the backfield a few times.
Quick thoughts:
1) has anyone seen Red Bryant? His injuries are always an issue and I have a bad feeling about him again.
2) has anyone seen Russell Okung? His injuries are always an issue and I have a bad feeling about him again. Ugh.
3) it would have been nice to see more of Tarvaris. He knows the system, why not play him more? Whitehurst is new to the system, yet he played the most.
4) Josh Portis (once he settled down) is pretty dynamic. I would like to see more from him. His upside seems large..
5) I would like to see the big, young corners Browner and Sherman get some time with the first team. If they can play then we can get rid of Jennings.
6) Coutu can't kick it deep enough even with the extra five yards. Let's hope Jeff Reed can.
7) Not sure what is up with John Carlson, but his blocking is horrendous. Maybe he wants to get traded, who knows.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Week 2 Assessment
Prediction: 5-11
Reasoning: Huge lack of leadership on Defense. The loss of Lofa and Lawyer Milloy means that the defense lost both of its leaders. Granted the defense wasn’t any good last year, but with all the youth out there, it is good to have a stabilizing force or two. Now that both are gone, I get the impression that they are completely embracing the youth movement this year. We are going to see a lot of mistakes with some flashes of brilliance as well as the chance of drafting a very good QB prospect EARLY in the first round.
The Hawks just re-signed Kelly Jennings, which tells me that their secondary will be no better than last year. Ugh. I would like to see Walter Thurmond play more as well as the rookie from Stanford. They could trade for Asante Samuel but I don’t think they will want to give up future picks. Same goes for Osi, who will cost a lot and at 30, won’t be around that much longer (especially when the team is probably 2 years away from being good). Colin Cole’s ankle is an issue, if he gets PUP’d then there are some serious depth problems in the middle. I like the signing of Mebane and the acquisition of Branch from AZ. The first string D-line looks good (Clemons-Branch-Mebane-Bryant) but after that we are in big trouble.
It is hard to say what the offense will look like until they get some of the news guys on the field, but they seem to have some playmakers (Leon Washington, Rice, Tate) as well as a young (but BIG) line. If the line can pass and run block there is a hope that they will be able to move the ball.
Health is a big issue for this team, as I don’t think they're very deep.
Reasoning: Huge lack of leadership on Defense. The loss of Lofa and Lawyer Milloy means that the defense lost both of its leaders. Granted the defense wasn’t any good last year, but with all the youth out there, it is good to have a stabilizing force or two. Now that both are gone, I get the impression that they are completely embracing the youth movement this year. We are going to see a lot of mistakes with some flashes of brilliance as well as the chance of drafting a very good QB prospect EARLY in the first round.
The Hawks just re-signed Kelly Jennings, which tells me that their secondary will be no better than last year. Ugh. I would like to see Walter Thurmond play more as well as the rookie from Stanford. They could trade for Asante Samuel but I don’t think they will want to give up future picks. Same goes for Osi, who will cost a lot and at 30, won’t be around that much longer (especially when the team is probably 2 years away from being good). Colin Cole’s ankle is an issue, if he gets PUP’d then there are some serious depth problems in the middle. I like the signing of Mebane and the acquisition of Branch from AZ. The first string D-line looks good (Clemons-Branch-Mebane-Bryant) but after that we are in big trouble.
It is hard to say what the offense will look like until they get some of the news guys on the field, but they seem to have some playmakers (Leon Washington, Rice, Tate) as well as a young (but BIG) line. If the line can pass and run block there is a hope that they will be able to move the ball.
Health is a big issue for this team, as I don’t think they're very deep.
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