Bobby Wagner

Looking at the Seahawks’ Core aka A Guide to Buying the Right Jersey

Posted on January 20, 2013 by 12th Man Rising

Jan 13, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) warms up before the NFC divisional playoff game against the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports

As the season comes to an end, it comes time to reflect on not only what happened in 2012 but Seattle’s outlook for the future. I suppose I could save you and I some time and say that the outlook is “bright” and/or “good” but I tend to be a more thorough person than that. When looking into the crystal ball at a team’s future you have to evaluate their “core”. If the core is too old or too flawed then the team is likely to struggle down the road, unless it can find new core players, probably in the draft, to build around.

When we talk about the core and core players it’s hard to know exactly what it is we are talking about. Usually a core player is someone worth building around; someone you know is going to stick around for a while. As is always the case, the contract is almost as important as the talent level. It’s hard to think of someone as part of the core of your team if they have an expiring contract, unless the plan is to franchise tag them every year like the Seahawks did with Walter Jones for a time. To summarize, the two major criteria for a core player are talent and a contract.

That being said it has always been a bit of a feel thing for me. Similar to how some players feel like Hall of Famers and some don’t even when their objective differences might be slight. That ambiguity is why I’ve developed a mental exercise to determine who the core of this team is. I simply ask myself, “would I consider buying that X player’s jersey?” and if the answer is yes they are probably a core piece. This is particularly pertinent to my life at the moment as my most up-to-date Seahawks jerseys are a Ken Hamlin jersey and a Shaun Alexander jersey. I understand that everyone has their own thoughts on jerseys and some people just buy their favorite player’s jersey but considering the expense, and my desire for the jersey to remain current for as long as possible, I’ve always considered it a big commitment/something worth putting a lot of thought into. In the case of Ken Hamlin I gambled and lost (largely due to very unfortunate circumstances) in 2005, thinking he was a core Seahawk coming out of his 2^nd year on the way up. I don’t want to get burned again.

As a result this article can either be seen as identifying/evaluating the Seahawks’ core or a column on jersey buying advice. Whatever floats your boat….. We’ll start on offense.

OFFENSE

Firstly, I’d put a disclaimer that I haven’t included o-lineman here, mainly because very few people seem to buy those jerseys. That being said Okung and Unger are both absolutely jersey worthy core players but if I had to choose I’d go with Unger because of his less scary injury history.

Russell Wilson: Wilson was the 4^th ranked passer in the NFL as a rookie. He also was ranked 4^th in the all-important yards per attempt statistic. He tied the rookie record for TD passes, without setting any records for interceptions like a certain Peyton Manning did. Wilson was also a fantastic runner which opened up some deadly read-option looks for this offense. His game isn’t perfect and he may suffer through some struggles down the road and a little bit of regression to the mean but I can’t conceive of a single reason not to not only consider him part of Seattle’s core but its most important part and to be very happy about this fact. Gushing over. Verdict: I would be proud to don his jersey.Wilson is the present and future.

Marshawn Lynch- To put it succinctly Lynch is a definite yes. Even so, running backs break down like it’s nobody’s business and Lynch does take a pounding so it’s not as much of a slam dunk as you might think. The thing is his accomplishments with the Seahawks so far and his superstar Beast Quake moment are already so legendary that his jersey would be a credible one to own 20 years from now even if he had a career ending injury tomorrow. In terms of his real life value to the Seahawks, he is under contract from three more years and is still in his prime (26) so he’s very much a core piece. Verdict: Yup.

Sidney Rice- Now we are out of the obvious candidates things get a little bit tricky. Rice is 26, he’s under contract for 3 more years, he’s Seattle’s #1 receiver and he’s good so all signs point to a yes here. The problem is twofold. Firstly, Rice has been immensely injury prone and that could severely alter his career path making your Rice jersey look foolish in the years ahead. Secondly, wide receiver is a position group that the Seahawks are trying to improve, probably fairly aggressive and possibly with the addition of another big-ticket free agent acquisition like Dwayne Bowe. It’s not so much that Rice is likely to be displaced or dislodged as there is a risk his importance diminishes over time. The development of Golden Tate could also be a factor. Verdict: Rice is a great receiver, but I can’t bring myself to confidently identify him as a core player for the Seahawks or purchase his jersey. Which hurts because I really like Rice.

Honorable Mention: Golden Tate- Although Tate is two years younger than Rice and seemingly on the way up you are banking heavily on a fair amount of additional development by calling him a core player. Also he hasn’t signed a contract extension and has yet to reach the level of value to the team wherein said extension is an inevitability.

DEFENSE

Richard Sherman- There is a strong argument to be made that Richard Sherman is the best player on the Seahawks and at 24 he’s clearly a core piece for the future. My only concern is that he is only under contract for two more years but he’s a player that I’d seriously consider extending this off-season even though the first team all-pro has so much leverage coming off a great year. I think a deal gets done; I’m not suuuure I’d buy the jersey until it does but that’s probably overly cautious on my part. Verdict: Love Sherman, he’s incredibly important to the club and his jersey is a must-own.

Earl Thomas- Everything that I just said about Sherman applies to Thomas. Thomas is actually younger at 23 even though he has played an additional year in the NFL. He is a two time Pro Bowler at 23 and despite being posterized by Jacquizz Rodgers last week is an essential core piece. Same contract situation as Sherman although his lofty draft status has him far better compensated at this moment, likely making an extension less of a priority. Verdict: Earl Thomas is a fantastic player and wearing his name on your back will only make you a better person by extension.

Bobby Wagner- He’s already a great anchor for this defense and there is no reason why he shouldn’t get better and better with experience. An underrated find by Pete Carroll and Co. Absolutely a core player and not a free agent until 2016. One of the best players on arguably the best defense in the league already. Verdict: Buy the damn jersey

Brandon Browner: Although controversial in his playing style Browner has been undeniably effective since making the leap from the CFL to the NFL. He does play second fiddle to Sherman to an extent but is a Pro Bowl corner in his own right coming out of only his second year. This all sounds promising but there are two issues. One is that Browner turns 29 this year playing a position at which it is difficult to age gracefully. The second is that his contract only takes him through 2013 (to be fair he’ll be an RFA after).Browner is going to command big money, money that the Seahawks may well be saving for Richard Sherman. I can’t say with a great deal of confidence that Browner will be in Seattle in 3 years and even if he is he will be 31 and likely not quite what he once was. Great player, not a core player. Verdict: I’d steer clear of a Browner jersey, though you could do a lot worse.

Kam Chancellor: My personal favorite Seahawk. This one hurts. Chancellor is only 24 and has a Pro Bowl berth to his name in 2011. The problem is he’s only signed through 2013 (followed by UFA unlike Browner), I’m inclined to think that he’ll get an extension but unfortunately that isn’t the only problem. At this point I’m not exactly sure how good Kam Chancellor is. Aside from a couple of highlight reel hits he wasn’t a big factor in 2012. Chancellor did very little in coverage this year with his INT’s falling from 4 in 2011 to 0 in 2012 and his PD’s dropping from 12 to 4. He wasn’t a liability he just wasn’t a game changer. Verdict: My heart says, “yes, yes, yes, yes, yes” and my head says, “no”. Regardless if I see someone in a Chancellor jersey my going in assumption is that we will be best friends.

Honorable Mentions: Basically every starter on defense was considered here but most had enough red flags to not be worth delving too far into. Here’s a quick summary.

Chris Clemons- too old, current nasty injury

Red Bryant- not a game changer this year, not convinced they won’t dump his hefty contract at some point

K.J Wright & Brandon Mebane- check all the boxes in theory but neither are quiteee good enough. As I said this is a bit of a feel thing.

Bruce Irvin- too large a range of outcomes for his career, still a complementary player

Overall there are a lot more options on defense than offense which really shouldn’t come at a surprise given the way this team is designed. At the end of the day we wind up with a “core” of Wilson, Lynch, Wagner, Sherman and Thomas, to which you can add Unger and Okung. None of these players are above the age of 26 and 5 of the 7 have made Pro Bowls. That sounds like a pretty impressive core not only for 2013 but for many many more years as well. Not only are these players in their prime but they are also still developing and getting better. I’m not sure if you guys know this but this Seahawks team is really good, and it’s going to be really good for a while. Having done all this I don’t know which jersey I would buy, but that’s sort of a first world problem. The fact there are too many great players on my favorite team is something I can live with.

Tags: Bobby Wagner, brandon browner, Earl Thomas, featured, football, Golden Tate, K.J. Wright, Kam Chancellor, Marshawn Lynch, Max Unger, nfl, Popular, Red Bryant, Russell Wilson, Seahawks, sidney rice

Posted in: Seahawks | No Comments »

Revisiting the 2012 NFC West Predictions

Posted on January 3, 2013 by 12th Man Rising

With the regular-season over, I thought I’d look back at the predictions I made before the regular season started. This was the first time I’d done NFC West predictions and it was more difficult than I thought it would be. Even reading the hometown newspapers and scouting the team’s fan websites, getting the predictions right for a team over an entire season was a lot harder than picking week to week game winners or managing a fantasy team.

One of the things I wasn’t able to predict was what a powerhouse the NFC West would become throughout the season. From teams like the Cardinals starting off 4 and 0, to the scrappy repuation of the Rams, to the “team that no one wants to play” nickname that got hung on the Seahawks to the flawless defense of the 49ers… The NFC West definitely made a name for itself this year. So let’s look back and see what I predicted!

Number 4- Arizona Cardinals – Even their own fan base is down on the Cards. With a tough schedule at the start including Seattle, Philly and New England, the Card’s iffy QB and lackluster O-Line will be challenged as they come out of the gate. Even the end of the season schedule does them no favors with an away game to Seattle, playing Chicago and Detroit at home and then finishing at San Fran. This team will be truly tested. Expect to see Kalb playing again as Skelton struggles. Even with a few surprise wins during the season, the Cards will be in the bottom of the NFC west this year.

Note: I’ll take this. The cards did have some surprise wins but their schedule and QB injuries were far more than they could handle.

Number 3- St Louis Rams – The Ram’s youth as team remains a question mark for this season even as QB Sam Bradford settles into his job as somewhat of an elder statesman as a two year man. As the youngest team in the NFL, there have been plenty of jokes regarding Fruit Loops and Cartoons at the hotel… But, this team has done a drastic restructure and is prepared to live with the consequences. There are 17 rookies on the St. Louis Rams’ opening day roster, seven more players age 24 or younger and 31 in all on the 53-man roster who were not with the franchise last season. Expect to see flashes of brilliance as well as plenty of penalties in the first part of the season as the team gels. The Rams will finish behind the dual powerhouses of Seattle and San Fran.

Note: I’ll take this one too! The Rams did show flashes of brilliance and despite the strong efforts of Sam Bradford they did finish a good distance behind Seattle and San Fran (Although their gutsy play against San Fran got them the tie this year, which was very impressive!)

Number 2 – San Francisco 49ers – While there are any number of claims that the opening 49er/packer game may be a preview of the NFC playoff, there are those in the club house wondering if things will go as smoothly this year as they did last year. In an effort to keep their NFC west champ status, the 49ers brought in Moss and Manningham to help Smith improve his passing performance that was 29th out of 32 last year. With a top ranked D to fall back on should offense become stagnant, expect the 49ers to be competitive. Their real challenge will be remaining consistent as 4 of their last 6 games are on the road. Their D will keep them in 2nd place behind the Seahawks.

Number 1 – Seattle Seahawks – After the changes made in the off-season, it’s hard to say the Hawks won’t take their division. Unlike other teams wondering which QB to start, Seattle has two excellent options instead of “the lesser of two evils”. Russell Wilson has shown excellent skills and preparation and has a fascinating group of receivers to throw to including free agent Braylon Edwards who was sterling in preseason. Factor that in with the improved O-line (Hello JR Sweezy!), the improved running game (Mr. Turbin) and the strength of the Hawks D, and you have the team most likely to win the west! While their passing D was ranked 11th last year, expect that to be even more improved this year with the addition of Bruce Irvin and his outside speed when he rushes the passer. The Hawks secondary is loaded with pro bowl level talent (Earl Thomas, Richard Sherman, Brandon Browner and Kam Chancellor – otherwise known as the Legion of Boom) and should give opposing QBs nightmares. Expect the Seahawks to take this division despite closely contested games with the 49ers.

Note: I totally got the order wrong between San Fran and the Seahawks. I knew it would be close but I erred on my estimate regarding how long it would take Russell Wilson to become proficient. I also missed the contribution Bobby Wagner made and I didn’t consider that the 49ers wouldn’t start Smith as QB all season. Even with those miscalculations, I was only off by half a game on the final result.

It will be very interesting to look at the NFC West prior to the beginning of next year’s regular-season. With the Cardinals replacing their coach, I’m looking for a lot of changes with that team. The Rams should further solidify and I look for them to play their division even tougher than they did this year. The Seattle/ San Fran rivalry should continue to fuel fan bases in both regions. Expect gutsy, hard-hitting, take – no – prisoners games between these two franchises next year.

If you had to pick a division winner for next year right now, who would you pick?

Tags: Bobby Wagner, brandon browner, Bruce Irvin, Earl Thomas, featured, football, JR Sweezy, Kam Chancellor, nfl, Popular, Richard Sherman, Robert Turbin, Russel Wilson, Seahawks

Posted in: Seahawks | No Comments »

Grading The Seahawks After The Rams Game:

Posted on January 1, 2013 by 12th Man Rising

Dec 9, 2012; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman (25) is accompanied by safety Kim Chancellor (31) and free safety Earl Thomas (31) on a 19-yard interception return for a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports

The Seattle Seahawks finished the 2012 season on a winning note. This game did not come as easily as the past 3 games have. The St Louis Rams made this game very difficult for the Seahawks. But in the end the home team Hawks came away victorious with smart hardnosed football and great Halftime adjustments.

Offense B-

After the last 3 games this game on the outside looks like a complete failure. Although, we have to keep in mind that we will not win every game by 30, 40, or even 50 points. Offensively the Seahawks struggled to contain the Rams pass rush. The Rams did not have to throw a lot of blitz packages at the Hawks; they were able to create pressure that Russell Wilson hasn’t had to deal with in over a month. Wilson was bottled up and Chris Long forced Wilson to step up instead of being able to roll out of the pressure. The Seahawks Offense allowed a season high 6 sacks.

Russell Wilson still was able to control the tempo of the game in the 2nd half by again not turning the ball over and throwing the ball 15-19 for 250 yards with 1 touchdown (tying the rookie mark for touchdowns with Peyton Manning at 26.) Wilson also added 58 yards on the ground and 1 rushing touchdown (Wilson had an opportunity to set the mark for rookie touchdowns but selflessly ran the ball into the end zone.) The Seahawks used a lot of bootlegs and rollouts in the 2nd half to give Wilson the added time that he needed.

Marshawn Lynch was in full out Beast Mode in the 1st half of this game. At one point he had 7 carries for 70 yards, and he finished the game with 100 yards and 1 touchdown.

Defense B

The Rams game was another very strong game for the Seahawks Defense, the secondary played outstanding. Richard Sherman again was very dominating in his performance and had the game icing interception late in the 4th quarter. It will be interesting to see what the Seahawks do with Jeremy Lane who started another game and again looked good. He will lose his starting spot to Brandon Browner as he returns from suspension although the game experience Lane has gotten the last month will hopefully show with the other injuries in the secondary. Marcus Trufant had a great pass deflection in the end zone although he seemed to be terrorized as the nickel corner with all of the underneath passes that the Rams threw.

Bobby Wagner again had a strong 10 tackle day, and he has positioned himself to have a shot at Defensive Rookie of the year after having 140 tackles on the season to go along with 3 interceptions.

It has become increasingly obvious that the biggest issue on this defense is the lack of a consistent pass rush. Sam Bradford seemed to have all day in the pocket and the Hawks didn’t get a single sack. Chris Clemons and Bruce Irvin are clearly the only consistent pass rushers on this front 4 now that Jason Jones is on the IR. If our secondary was not as strong as it is this issue would be even more obvious then it was against the Rams.

Special Teams B+

Jon Ryan had a punt that was not blocked but extremely rushed that ended up giving the Rams decent field position in the 1st half on one drive. Steven Hauschka continues to have a accurate leg within 50 yards, he was 2 for 2 and 2 extra points.

Leon Washington again continues to scare Seahawks fans when runs his kick-offs out of the end zone from 9 yards deep. Although, he offers so much excitement and big play ability that we have learned to live with it.

It is important to start talking about how great our kick coverage has been. Out of 5 punts, Danny Amendola was only able to return 2 of them for 8 yards. This has been a huge upgrade this year that has gone unnoticed but has helped out in the field position game all season long.

Wrap Up

This was not the blowout that Seahawks fans have grown accustomed to in the last month. But this was a good eye opener with the Playoffs right around the corner. The Seahawks will have their work cut out for them this week and a hard fought win like this should show them that they can win on both spectrums. #InRusswetrust (Russell Wilson)

Tags: Bobby Wagner, feature, football, nfl, Popular, Russell Wilson, Seahawks, Seattle Seahawks

Posted in: Seahawks | No Comments »

Seattle’s 2012 Draft Class: The Key to the Seahawks’ Ascendance

Posted on December 28, 2012 by 12th Man Rising

Dec 9, 2012, Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks defensive end Bruce Irvin (51) defends against the Arizona Cardinals during the third quarter at CenturyLink Field. Seattle defeated Arizona, 58-0. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

With the regular season swiftly coming to a close, Seahawks fans have to be fairly satisfied with where Seattle sits at this point in time. In fact it would be fair to say that the Seahawks have been surprisingly good this year. We all knew about the elite defense but the young offense under the direction of Russell Wilson has exceeded expectations by improving steadily throughout the year. We are at a point now where the Seahawks offense is excelling, coming off three straight 40+ point performances. The Hawks have scored the 8th most points in the league and allowed the least suggesting that they are one of the top teams in the NFL. Not many would have seen the Seahawks as an elite squad going in to 2012, including yours truly who would have filed them under “decent, exciting, but flawed”, a category that includes a good portion of the league. I could have written an entire article outlining just how great the 10-5 Hawks have been, especially recently, with the headline “Wow these Seahawks Sure Are Great!” but somehow I think that would have lacked analytical depth. Instead, today I tackle what I consider to be the biggest reason why the Seahawks have been so much better than expected this year: the contributions of the 2012 draft class.

Now, before we get started, I thought it might be nice to refresh our collective memory as to how Pete Carroll and John Schneider’s draft was received by pundits at the time. I do this to highlight the folly of trying to analyze drafts before any of the players play a down in the NFL, and also to show how the Seahawks succeeded by flying in the face of conventional wisdom and the consensus of the scouting community. Below are a couple quotations slamming our 2012 draft class.

“Their entire draft was one shocker after another.”- John Czarnecki- foxsports.com (too be fair he did give a B grade)

“The Seahawks went bonkers and picked Bruce Irvin at 15. Could he develop into a solid pass-rusher? Sure, but this was a spit take-inducing selection. LB Bobby Wagner (47) and RB Robert Turbin (106), both from Utah State, will help, and QB Russell Wilson (74) has a bright future, even if Seattle didn’t really need him. Everything else was … very … blah. Grade: C”- Chris Burke- si.com

“It is hard to look past Bruce Irvin at 15th overall. Irvin is one dimensional and while he does that one thing really well, it is not the more complete player teams hope to find in the 1st half of the 1st round. Seattle did little post-Irvin to make up for the blunder in the subsequent rounds. Grade: D-” – Jonnie Stoneberg- fftoolbox.com

Not all reactions were openly hostile, but even the biggest fans of the draft class seemed to have a “wait and see” attitude about it. Hindsight is 20-20 and there are some intelligent football writers quoted here; my goal isn’t to try and expose them as frauds or poor prognosticators. Instead I just mean to show that the perception and the reality about the 2012 Seahawks draft class ended up being extremely divergent. As a result, one of the reasons the Seahawks have been so much better than expected this year is because their rookies have exceeded expectations by such a significant margin. Let’s take a look at what this underrated draft class has done for the Seahawks in 2012:

1st Pick, 1st Round, 15th Overall: Bruce Irvin.

I wrote an article earlier this year saying how Bruce Irvin has been pretty much exactly as advertised (http://12thmanrising.com/2012/10/10/he-is-who-we-thought-he-was-an-early-take-on-bruce-irvin/) and it think it pretty much holds true at this moment. Irvin has 8 sacks and 17 quarterback hits but offers little else other than pass rushing so far (16 total tackles, half of which have come on his sacks). He is a raw, pure, undersized pass rusher so this is not altogether unexpected. Irvin has met expectations and been productive without being an absolute stud. Considering how many thought he would be a bust it would be hard not to qualify this pick as a success.

2nd Pick, 2nd Round, 47th Overall: Bobby Wagner

Speaking of absolute studs….. Bobby Wagner. Wagner has made some big plays this year with 2 sacks and 3 interceptions but more importantly he has been a consistent and intimidating presence stopping the run. Wagner has 129 total tackles, 9 for a loss and a tackle factor of 1.50 (tied for 6th in the NFL). Wagner has been the unsung hero of the Seahawks defense in my opinion and has to be one of the top candidates for Defensive Rookie of the Year. Big win for Seattle’s front office.

3rd Pick, 3rd Round, 75th Overall: Russell Wilson

What else can be said about Russell Wilson? Even the most optimistic Wilson supporters could not have seen the season he has had coming. The diminutive QB has not put up massive yardage totals like Andrew Luck due to the run-heavy offense Seattle runs but he has been very efficient and effective. Russell Wilson has been deadly in the redzone and stands to tie or break the rookie passing TD record as he sits only 1 behind Peyton Manning’s 26, set in 1998. Wilson has also been great running the ball, especially using the read-option, with over 400 yards and 3 touchdowns. He has been all Seahawks fans could have asked for and more and I’m going to stop right there before I start to sound like John Gruden.

4th Pick, 4th Round, 106th Overall: Robert Turbin

Turbin, or the Sea-Hulk, has been an excellent addition to the Seahawk’s offense. He has brought a powerful, almost Beast Mode like, presence to the running game whenever Lynch is on the sidelines. As the Seahawks have been making a habit of blowing out opponents, Turbin’s role has only been increasing. With 4.6 yards a carry and surprising effectiveness in the passing game, both blocking and catching, Seahawks fans can be very comfortable when Turbin enters the game. What he lacks in breakaway speed he makes up for in virtually everything else. I’m convinced Turbin could start for quite a few teams in this league and he is both an effective role player and a premium Marshawn Lynch insurance policy. Quite the 4th round find.

5th pick, 4th round, 114th Overall: Jaye Howard

Howard is the first pick that could be considered even remotely disappointing. Considering he is the 5th pick in this class that is really saying something. At the time Howard was considered a value choice with some real upside but while he remains on the roster but has yet to crack the DT rotation. On his Wikipedia page under professional career all it says is, “He was selected in the fourth round, 114 overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft.” Enough said.

6th pick, 5th round, 154th overall: Korey Toomer

Toomer did not make the 2012 Seahawks and was considered a fairly questionable pick at the time making him the first official bust of this class.

7th pick, 6th round, 172nd overall: Jeremy Lane

Lane was drafted to be quality depth and that’s exactly what he has been. With Browner out Lane has started two games and has shown himself to be a physical corner in the classic Pete Carroll style. I wouldn’t be surprised if he has a bright future in Seattle showing Pete Carroll’s knack for finding quality defensive backs in the later rounds. Alternatively, I wouldn’t be surprised if he fades into obscurity, because it can really go either way with depth players like Lane.

8th pick, 6th round, 181st overall: Winston Guy

Guy has appeared in only 2 games and has settled in as the 5th safety on this team. Seeing as NFL teams don’t necessarily carry 5 safeties Guy will have to show something during training camp to stick on the team next year. Hard to call him a bust, we just don’t know what he can do. At this point in the draft it’s hard to expect a lot and to be fair to Guy he has managed to stay on the team which isn’t nothing.

9th pick, 7th round, 225th overall: J.R Sweezy

This former college d-lineman started two games for the Seahawks this year which was a fairly remarkable story in and of itself. Sweezy flashes impressive physical tools but looked shaky at times during game action. That being said, you don’t expect a lineman drafted in the 7th round to be an effective starter as a rookie, especially if he is new to the position. Sweezy is an intriguing developmental project and has a chance to stick around if he continues to improve. Hard to ask for more from a 7th round pick

10th pick, 7th round, 232nd overall: Greg Scruggs

The Mr. Irrelevant of Seattle’s draft class has been a useful component of Seattle’s defensive line rotation. Scruggs has shown some ability to bring pressure up the middle on passing downs with 2 sacks, 6 quarterback hits and a deflected pass in fairly limited duty. Scruggs is no star but getting any contribution from the 232nd player picked in the draft has to be considered a bonus.

It is apparent that a major factor in Seattle’s rise to prominence in 2012 has been the contribution of its outstanding rookies. The Seahawk’s 2012 draft has the potential to go down as franchise changing or even historic if these players can keep improving and reach their full potential. A lot can happen and it remains very early to judge this draft class but it seems the Seahawks have added a great deal of high quality young talent in 2012 which not only accounts for their surprising level of success this year but could also be the catalyst for a string of winning seasons in Seattle.

Tags: Bobby Wagner, Bruce Irvin, featured, football, Greg Scruggs, J.R. Sweezy, Jaye Howard, jeremy lane, korey toomer, nfl, NFL Draft, Popular, Robert Turbing, Russell Wilson, Seahawks, Winston Guy

Posted in: Seahawks | No Comments »

Bobby Wagner’s Rookie Season: A Tatupu-esque Feat?

Posted on December 11, 2012 by 12th Man Rising

As promised in my “matchups of the game” piece this week where I embarrassingly predicted a close Seahawks win, this article is dedicated to making a comparison that I’m surprised hasn’t come up more this season, the comparison between Bobby Wagner and Lofa Tatupu in their respective rookie seasons. I realize that there was a time when Lofa Tatupu was absolute royalty around here and he led the Seahawks defense that helped them reach the Super Bowl in 2005. As such the bar is high. The thing is the more I looked into this comparison the more it seemed like a logical one. Tatupu and Wagner were both drafted in the 2^nd round (45^th and 47^th respectively) and both immediately established themselves as core pieces of not only the defense but the team as a whole. Both MLB’s are slightly undersized at 6 feet tall and under 245 pounds (Tatupu was 238, Wagner is listed at 241) but have compensated with quickness and fantastic instincts. Wagner is a little bit faster than Tatupu was but their profiles are very similar. Part of the Tatupu legend is that he came in and asserted himself as a leader on day 1 and while the same cannot quite be said of Wagner it’s clear that he is a key to making this defense work. Below is a chart comparing their basic stats, keep in mind that Wagner has 3 games to play and seems to be cranking up his pace down the stretch, 3 INT’s in the last three games being an example.

Player	Total Tackles	Solo Tackles	Assists	Interceptions	Interception Yardage	Sacks	Pass Deflections
Lofa Tatupu	105	86	19	3	55	4	10
Bobby Wagner	109	67	42	3	55	2	4

This paints the picture of two players who are not so far apart. The identical interceptions and yardage is kind of eerie actually, although Wagner had one pick stolen from him due to a questionable penalty. Tatupu eclipses Wagner in Sacks and Pass Deflections aka the J.J Watt categories but Wagner has not been asked to rush the passer extensively this year. Wagner has been a more prolific tackler especially when you consider that he has 3 games remaining this year. Looking at these numbers alone Tatupu appears to be the more effective player, although not by a ton. Where the comparison gets interesting is when we delve into the more advanced statistics a little bit courtesy of advancednflstats.com. I have provided most of these statistics on a per game bases to help mitigate the difference in playing time between the two players.

Player	Positive Win Percentage Added	+Win Percentage Added/G	Positive Expected Points Added	+Expected Points Added/G	Success Count	Success Count/G	Tackle Factor
Lofa Tatupu	1.24	0.08	59.1	3.11	80	5	1.04
Bobby Wagner	1.65	0.13	52.9	4.07	66	5.08	1.46

By these measures Wagner seems to be the more effective player. The most significant difference seems to be the tackling where again Wagner excels by producing 146% of the tackles of the average player at his position to Tatupu’s 104%. It should be recognized that Tatupu’s statistics here are excellent but Wagner’s are simply off the charts. There isn’t a single metric here that Tatupu edges out Wagner on unless Wagner falls off a cliff in the last three games and isn’t able to bring up his +EPA or SC. That being said these statistics aren’t perfect. +WPA is a very context dependent stat which is better for telling the narrative of a game than truly evaluating individual players. Also both +WPA and +EPA are based solely on plays that are a positive for their team. This caveat is designed to prevent players from being penalized when making good players on plays that are negatives for their team such as diving tackles to prevent the offense from scoring after a big gain. As a result these statistics are more a measure of play making ability than consistency or mistake free football. None of these stats are perfect, but Wagner’s dominance across the board in more advanced statistics cannot be ignored.

This article was not crafted to show that Wagner is having a better rookie season than Tatupu had or to try and figure out exactly who is better and by how much. I wrote this article to demonstrate that Wagner is having a season in the same league as one of the most successful Seahawks rookies of all time. Tatupu brought things to the table that cannot be quantified in these charts and he and his 2005 season will live on forever in the memory of Seahawks fans. I have no interest in trying to tarnish that. The purpose of this piece is to demonstrate that Bobby Wagner is special, more so than people realize. Perhaps another Super Bowl run will be needed for Wagner to get Tatupu-like recognition, but even if the Seahawks don’t make a Super Bowl run this year we ought to appreciate the remarkable rookie performances we are seeing on this team from Wagner to Russell Wilson to Bruce Irvin. I know we are all focused on the present and the 2012 playoff picture but whatever happens this year the future is bright in Seattle and Bobby Wagner is a big reason why.

Tags: Advanced Analysis, Bobby Wagner, Bruce Irvine, featured, football, Lofa Tatupu, nfl, Popular, Russell Wilson, Seahawks

Posted in: Seahawks | No Comments »

Week 14: Matchups of the Game

Posted on December 9, 2012 by 12th Man Rising

Sep 2, 2011; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks defensive back Walter Thurmond (28) jumps on the ball after fumbling it during a punt return in the 2nd half of the preseason game against the Oakland Raiders at Centurylink Field. Seattle defeated Oakland 20-3. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

With last week’s enormously satisfying victory over the Chicago Bears on the road the Seahawks sit at 7-5 with a favorable schedule down the stretch and a good chance at making the playoffs. The thing about a favorable schedule though is that you have to win the games you are expected to. No games are given to you, especially not divisional matchups. Although the Seahawks are favorites in this game the Cardinals have beaten them this year and possess a fairly solid defense that could give Russell Wilson and company some troubles. Even so one would have to have a fair amount of confidence in this game going to Seattle even with Brandon Browner (wisely I’d say) dropping his appeal and serving his suspension. Let’s look at some of the big matchups for week 14.

Matchup #1: Walter Thurmond vs. Andre Roberts

My assumption would be that Sherman will shadow Larry Fitzgerald who remains extraordinarily dangerous despite pedestrian (to put it nicely) QB play in Arizona. That leaves Thurmond on the underrated Andre Roberts. The third year WR out of Citadel is averaging 58.1 yards per game through the air which would put him on pace for 930 yards in a 16 game season. It is not a total to sneeze at from a 2nd WR. It is a total that neither Sidney Rice nor Golden Tate can match this year. This is not to say that he is more talented than the Seahawks starting duo but it does give a sense of perspective. Thurmond will receive his 5th NFL start and play in his 22nd game in 3 years with Seattle. When he was drafted I was very high on Thurmond’s potential and remain so but his status as a constant injury risk and the ascendance of Seattle’s big time corner duo has taken some shine off Thurmond. This is a good opportunity for Thurmond to step up and help the Seahawks into the playoffs while they lose their defensive playmakers to suspension. No better time to start than today.

Matchup #2: Russell Okung vs. Sam Acho

This matchup brings us back to the difficult week Okung had with penalties in the opener in Phoenix. Okung seemed to struggle with Acho’s explosiveness and while Acho does not have nearly the strength of Okung his quickness seemed to give the big OT fits. It should be noted that the Seahawks LT was battling injuries at the time so perhaps with the playing field leveled we will see a more solid performance. I both hope and expect so. Okung is a great talent and Acho is an underrated one and seeing these two do battle will be one of the pleasures of the game for the viewers at home. More so the Seattle viewers I expect as I see Okung making good in this rematch and Russell Wilson making Okung look good with his elusiveness even if he slips up once or twice.

Matchup #3: Bobby Wagner vs. Beanie Wells

I don’t know if Bobby Wagner is going to win defensive rookie of the year but I do know that he best be in consideration. Wagner seems to get better and better every week and there seems to be very little limit to what he can do. Not since Lofa Tatupu have we seen a rookie linebacker with this kind of immediate impact (More on that comparison next week. I usually don’t like to give away future posts but there you go.) and I recall spending a really really high pick on one a few years ago, some guy who was recently cut by Oakland if memory serves… Wagner is not producing gaudy numbers but the advanced stats guys are taking notice and perhaps more importantly it’s simply evident when you watch the game. Today he will be looking to hunt down Beanie Wells whose career really has not unfolded in the way one might imagine given the promise he showed at Ohio State. Even so Wells was very effective last year with over 1000 yards, 10 touchdowns and a respectable 4.3 yards per carry. He really hasn’t brought that effectiveness into 2012 where he’s averaging 2.6 yards per carry. I wish him the best of luck with Mr. Wagner but I really don’t think it’s his day.

The Seahawks are probably in for a tougher fight than you might expect but this team tends to play close games. As fans we have to embrace that. It’s better than being a Patriots fan (as is quite literally everything). We are getting nail biters every week and that’s what makes being a fan fun. So let’s have fun today even if there is a little stress thrown in there as well. The 2012 Seahawks are not for the faint of heart.

Tags: Andre Roberts, Beanie Wells, Bobby Wagner, featured, football, nfl, Popular, Russell Okung, Russell Wilson, Sam Acho, Seahawks, Walter Thurmond

Posted in: Seahawks | No Comments »

5 Keys to the Game: Week 6 – New England Patriots

Posted on October 12, 2012 by 12th Man Rising

It’s a grey, rainy fall day here in the great Northwest and we’re now two days away from what may be the most telling and important game of the season thus far. And it’s no cake-walk. Here comes Tom Brady, and the New England Patriots. Let’s have a look at a few things that could end up being the difference in Sunday’s big matchup.

1) A Lasting Impression

Oct 30, 2011; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Mariners pitcher Felix Hernandez raises the Seattle Seahawks 12th man flag before the NFL game against the Cincinnati Bengals at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

- “First impressions always last” they say. Well, here’s to creating a lasting one for Tom Brady, who has never played in Seattle in his 12 NFL Seasons (Matt Cassell was manning the post in the 2008 season when Brady was IR’d with a knee injury). While Brady has certainly played in hostile environments before, it’s even more crucial that the 12th Man be in full voice come Sunday as the Patriots look to utilize their hurry-up, Oregon-esque type offense. The inability to change plays at the line, and an overall sense of confusion will only help tilt the scale of momentum in the Seahawks favor. Even more-so, the Seahawks ability to force the Patriots to huddle, thus allowing them the ability to substitute in personnel packages, will be vital to their success.

2) Press Em’
- New England loves to utilize the middle of the field with Wes Welker and then push the boundary with its quick, yet powerful tight ends. They’re never really one to try and stretch the field, unless teams are willing to give them that. With Brandon Browner and Richard Sherman matched up on the likes of Deion Branch and Brandon Lloyd, it will be key that the Seahawks make it as difficult as possible for Wes Welker, Rob Gronkowski, and Aaron Hernandez to catch dump-off passes and run the field. This can be remedied with a good hard jam at the line of scrimmage. Marcus Trufant may be in for the fight of his life come Sunday, and the Seahawks will need him to show flashes of his old self to come out with the upper hand. Trufant’s ability to press Welker off is routes, and disturb the timing between he and Brady, will only make it more difficult for New England to get into any sort of rhythm offensively. As for Gronk, and Hernandez (it’s worth noting that both are on New England’s injury report. If that’s ever worth a shred of truth), look for Seattle to capitalize on its overall speed and reputation for nastiness to create mismatches and hesitation in what hopes to be some key opportunities for turnovers. Imagine a stumbling Gronkowski, after a good Wagner jam, breaking into his out-route as a streaking Earl Thomas snags a wet football out of the air and is gone for six.

3) Forget me Not!
- Ok. We all know New England looooves to throw the football. But let us not forget that the Patriots are also the 3rd leading RUSHING team in the NFL. While the aforementioned keys are in relation to the Pats passing offense, let’s not be forgetful of what Bolden and Ridley have been doing to its opponents on the ground this season. This goes back to Seattle’s ability to get their correct personnel groupings on the field, which ties back to the ‘Hawks forcing New England to huddle. It’s been said that the Patriots have simplified their calls at the line of scrimmage down to ONE word. This means that at no point between plays can the offensive package that is on the field for New England be able to hear ONE word out of Tom Brady’s mouth. Easy enough, yeah? Well, without risking the voices of 70,000 Blue Bloods and thus making for a very hushed Monday, this writer believes Pete Carroll, Gus Bradley, and Co. will implement a mix of the run/pass packages we’ve been seeing thus far into a more “base” package which can remain on the field for long periods of time. That means Bruce Irvin on run downs, and Red Bryant on pass downs. Thankfully, the ‘Hawks have great depth on the D-line. They will need every last body come Sunday.

4) Keeping Pace
- All week, not only my own, but a host of voices have discussed, dissected, and diluted the Seattle Seahawks quarterback situation. Is Russell Wilson the answer on a team that has so much in place? Should Matt Flynn be given his shot? In the past weeks, we’ve watched this young talent grow, albeit slowly, but certainly he’s grown. Now, does this growth translate to the Seahawks sticking to their guns and gutting out victory after victory with Wilson at the helm? While stock in men’s hair color may certainly be at a quarterly high, it doesn’t change the fact the ‘Hawks are 3-2. Some say, “We would be 5-0 with Flynn”. And others, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. While I can realize both arguments, my ultimate litmus test will be this game right here. Can the Seahawks keep pace with the high-flying Patriots? If their feisty, hard-as-nails defense tires and New England drops a couple TD’s, can the Seahawks offense keep pace? Most would emphatically say no. But not Russell Wilson. Not Pete Carroll. No No. They’re singing a different tune. Maybe this Sunday the choir will be harmonious and bellow out an offensive masterpiece that emulates “Joyful Joyful”. If they can’t keep up, and Wilson continues to struggle on 3rd down, then, well, the song may change altogether. And the Matt Flynn choir may be asked to step in…

5) Bring the Rain!
- As I’m certain most readers know by now, Fall in Seattle is officially here. Which means rain, rain, with a slight chance of RAIN. And not the Skittle Reign we all know and love. But the good ole’ fashioned 52 degrees, can’t –even-tell-it’s-raining-because-I’m-so-dang-used-to-it RAIN. This is Seattle. And while we see the cruise ships sail off to their home ports on the horizon, and the last of the summer tourist run under their fleeing umbrellas to catch the last flight home, New England is coming to town. On Sunday, under the drizzle and sweat from the sky, the 12th Man will bask in its long lost friend. The ‘Wolf Grey’ in their new uniforms will match the weeping sky as the true feeling that has been so familiar, so close, but seemed so far away comes home to us. Football is back in Seattle. And on Sunday, against the best offense in the NFL, this writer says, let it pour my friends. Let it pour.

Tags: Aaron Hernandez, Bobby Wagner, brandon browner, Brandon Lloyd, Deion Branch, featured, football, Marcus Trufant, nfl, Richard Sherman, Rob Gronkowski, Russell Wilson, Seahawks, Seattle Seahawks, Tom Brady, Wes Welker

Posted in: Seahawks | No Comments »

Week 3:Matchups of the Game

Posted on September 24, 2012 by 12th Man Rising

August 18 2012; Denver, CO, USA; Seattle Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner (54) in the fourth quarter of a preseason game against the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-US PRESSWIRE

I don’t recall the last time I’ve missed a Monday Night Football Game of any description, especially one involving the Seahawks. I always enjoy when the Seahawks get a chance to gain some recognition from the rest of the football world because said recognition is often denied to them due to geography alone. Perhaps for this reason the Seahawks are extra motivated on Monday Nights as they have a very good record in the national showcase games at 13-8. I’d be more inclined to chalk it up to an irrelevant stat based on a small sample size, but that’s just the kind of guy I am. Tonight the Seahawks face an intimidating challenger in the Green Bay Packers but if they pull off a victory they are sure to turns some heads around the league. The matchups below could be essential if Seattle hopes to pull the upset.

Matchup #1: Max Unger vs. B.J Raji

I have to admit the State Farm commercials with B.J Raji have endeared me to the man but on Sunday he plays the role of hated rival and Max Unger will have his hands full with this 6-2 334lb monster. Raji is one of the rare nose tackles that can not only disrupt the pocket but really get after the quarterback as well. He had 3 sacks last year and an excellent 6.5 in 2011. Raji is shorter, stouter and stronger than Unger who will have to stay low or risk getting blown into the backfield. Unger is a very capable center but this matchup does concern me as Raji can be such a dominating force in the middle. Expect Unger to receive help from his guards on a lot of plays. In fact it occurs to me that this is the sort of game where it would be a nice to slide a bruiser like James Carpenter into the lineup at guard but unfortunately he is a week away at the very least. If Unger he can’t move Raji during the course of this game Lynch’s running between the tackles could be in serious jeopardy.

Matchup #2: Chris Clemons vs. Marshall Newhouse

Full disclosure: I have multiple good friends who are Packers fans. I’m sorry. These things just sort of happen. Now that I’ve gotten that off my chest I can say that Newhouse is much maligned in the Packer community. Having seen quite a few Packers games I can safely say that the Packers LT is nothing special and leave it at that. If Aaron Rodgers is consistently given time in the pocket he is capable of picking apart even the Seahawks excellent secondary. Stopping this from happening is where Chris Clemons comes in. Although Clemons does have a sack this year he has been fairly quiet and not the disruptive presence we have come to expect. This would be an excellent game for Clemons to get his season really started both in terms of Seattle’s need and his matchup. Add in a little help from the 12th man to give Newhouse trouble getting off the line and you have the recipe for a productive day.

Fun trivia fact about Marshall Newhouse: He was drafted with the compensation pick the Packers got for losing the incomparable Colin Cole to Seattle. I had an irrational and heartbreaking love of Colin Cole due to the fact we share a hometown and his name coming up in my research of this piece just made me sad at his disappointing stint with the Seahawks all over again. Thanks a lot Marshall.

Matchup #3: Bobby Wagner vs. Cedric Benson.

The RB vs. MLB matchup is not a direct matchup in the sense that the players do not line up across from one another but a good MLB will be involved somehow on most running plays. Wagner has the speed to epitomize the term “sideline-to-sideline” and I see him having a monster day hitting Benson. I always enjoy watching power backs but at this stage in his career Benson is just plain slow. He has a career yards per carry of 3.8 and his last two years in Cinncinati that number was 3.5 and 3.9 respectively. I’m not going to read too much into the 3.4 he has posted so far with the Packers except to say that he hasn’t suddenly found new life or a new gear. Wagner has been primarily deployed as a run stopper so far as K.J Wright excels in pass coverage and Leroy Hill has been most likely to rush the passer. Today he will use his 4.45 speed to swallow up Benson at every opportunity. The only thing he has to worry about is making sure he wraps up because Benson still packs a punch and can break tackles and punish defenders. Shutting down the Packers running attack game is far from priority number one in this game but it couldn’t possibly hurt.

This is exactly the sort of game the Seahawks need to win if they want to win a division that seems to be improving by the day. It’s not going to be easy and they will likely need a couple of things to break their way to make it happen but it’s not as impossible as most Packers fans seem to believe. The one on one battles above are just a fraction of the team wide effort, discipline, and execution Seattle is going to need to win tonight on Monday Night Football.

Tags: B.J Raji, Bobby Wagner, Cedric Benson, Chris Clemons, Colin Cole, featured, football, Marshall Newhouse, Max Unger, nfl, Popular, Seahawks, Seattle Seahawks

Posted in: Seahawks | No Comments »

Strength Up the Middle and The 2012 Seahawks

Posted on September 18, 2012 by 12th Man Rising

Sept. 8, 2012; Glendale, AZ, USA; Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Brandon Mebane (92) celebrates after recovering a fumble during the first half against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-US PRESSWIRE

One of my biggest pet peeves in life, and there are many, is sports clichés. Most of them tend to be based on fragments of facts that may or may not be true and they are repeated over and over to the point that they merely fill space as opposed to offering any kind of insight. I am not making this point because I am on the verge of a ranting article about some of the things that sports commentator say that drive me crazy. Someday I may write that article. In fact, someday I probably will. What compels me to write this piece today is the fact I have actually found a cliché worth contemplating and investigating. You often hear about strength up the middle in every sport from football to hockey to baseball. I think the importance of strength up the middle or building from the inside out varies from sport to sport, but the more I thought about it the more I think it applies to the Seahawks this year. “Up the Middle” positions on defense, DT, MLB and S, factor on every play either by attacking the pocket or by ranging sideline to sideline and without them a defense can be worn down by bruising inside runs as well as TE seam routes. On Offense these up the middle men are the center, the quarterback, and the backfield. The 2012 Seahawks blueprint calls a power running game, efficient passing and stuffing the run on defense to make offenses one-dimensional. As such I thought I’d evaluate the Seahawks up the middle talent to see if they have the personnel for this strategy, starting with the offense.

Center- Max Unger

When Unger started all 16 games as a rookie in 2009 at right guard, reviews were mixed. It is always impressive to see a rookie come in and establish himself as a starter immediately but Unger seemed to lack strength and looked over matched in many games. Unger missed all of 2010 save one game but came back strong last year. Returned to his natural center position Unger looked beyond competent and seemed to be a totally new player. This off season the Seahawks rewarded him with a multi-year extension and clearly see him as a core player. So do I. If the Seahawks are going to roll with an undersized quarterback they will need an interior line that can keep passing lanes open. Unger can do that and is someone who the fans should be comfortable with at center for years to come.

Quarterback- Russell Wilson

Most things I’ve said about Wilson in the past have raised the ire of people around here so I’ll keep it short. Wilson is talented and athletic and seems to have rare poise for a rookie QB. He may be the “quarterback of the future” this franchise so desperately needs. He may not be. It’s too early to make a definitive judgment either way. Of all the players I will discuss in this article Wilson is the biggest question mark, through no fault of his own. Time will tell.

Fullback-Michael Robinson

In today’s passing heavy NFL the lead-blocking fullback is something of a dinosaur. However, like many Seahawks fans that enjoyed Mack Strong for so many years, I continue to live in the past. I love the old-school I-Formation power runs and Robinson is one of the best at leading the way. Robinson was a Pro Bowler last year and appears to be a leader on this team despite the fact he only ran for 7 yards last year. He’s one of those players whose value is pretty difficult to quantify but I’m pretty sure Marshawn Lynch would tell you that this guy is plenty valuable. That’s not even mentioning special teams contributions. My one complaint about Robinson’s game is that the Seahawks don’t use enough trick plays involving his passing ability. Hard to blame Robinson for that though.

Running Back- Marshawn Lynch

What is there to say that hasn’t been said? Lynch is everything you want in a power back and more. When running backs are said to “punish” defenses it is always a hyperbole unless it is being said about Lynch. There is no need to gush further except to say that Lynch fits this team perfectly and there is nothing to worry about at the RB position.

The offense is pretty set up the middle, but what about the defensive unit that has been so stellar so far?

Defensive Tackle- Brandon Mebane

Mebane is the sort of player you plug in your lineup and forget about. After a sophomore season that saw him rack up 5.5 sacks it looked like Mebane was on the way up as a pass rushing tackle but that never really ended up being his niche. Instead Mebane has settled in as an all-around DT who is more of a pocket collapser than a pass rusher per se. Mebane is unlikely to put up big numbers individually but he can help other defensive lineman by wreaking havoc on the other side of the line of scrimmage both in run support and in terms of pushing the pocket. At 27, the recently re-signed Mebane has a lot to offer the Seahawks over the next few years.

Defensive Tackle- Alan Branch

Impending free agent Alan Branch is possibly the most underrated player on the Seahawks defense. Branch is a dominant run-stuffer and if the Seahawks fail to resign him this off season they may see their success against the run suffer into the future. Branch registered 3 sacks last year but that’s not his job. The 6-6 324 pound defensive tackle is built to stop the run and there are very few people who can do it as well as him. At 27 he has good years ahead if the Seahawks should choose to resign him.

Middle Linebacker- Bobby Wagner

The 2012 second round pick out of Utah State has looked the part of a starting MLB in the NFL so far. He isn’t huge but he is fast and hasn’t made many rookie mistakes just yet. Much like Russell Wilson he has not played enough for us to have a complete read on him but I’m inclined to believe the kid can play until proven otherwise. The last time the Seahawks drafted a 2nd round MLB who started right away that seemed to go alright….Linebacker is a position where rookies tend to be able to contribute and we are seeing that from Wagner so far.

Strong Safety- Kam Chancellor

Full disclosure: Kam Chancellor is my favourie Seahawk. The way he brutalized the Cowboys receiving core last week was a sight to behold. Chancellor combines vicious, violent and borderline illegal hits with responsible coverage that sees him get burned deep far less than one would think for a player his size whose straight line speed doesn’t compete with top receivers in this league. Chancellor went to the Pro Bowl last year and could end up becoming a perennial Pro Bowler if he keeps up his play. Even if he doesn’t he will be a rock solid contributor who is an essential partner in possibly the best safety tandem in the NFL.

Free Safety- Earl Thomas

Not only is Thomas a Pro Bowler but he might well be the best player on the Seahawks. Thomas’s expansive range covers for the mistakes of an aggressive secondary and prevents opposing offenses from beating the Seahawks deep. Thomas is also a strong tackler who throws the occasional highlight reel hit in for variety. I would be surprised to see him reach the Pro Bowl any less than five times in his career. At 23 he is already a franchise cornerstone, one of very few safeties who can say that. There is no player on this list I am more confident in my praise of than Mr. Thomas. He has started 34 games in a row and Seahawks fans should hope that he can draw that streak out to Cal Ripken-esque proportions.

Overall it appears that if strength up the middle is important to success in the NFL then the Seahawks are in good shape, not only now but into the future. The oldest player on this list is Michael Robinson at 29 and Alan Branch is the only one with a contract expiring soon. As such, it appears that the literal core of the Seahawks is both stable and promising. Unfortunately there are premium positions that are ignored by this analysis: OT, DE, CB (to be fair there are very few complaints here) and WR, but for a physical run-first team it is encouraging to know that these Seahawks can enforce its will between the hash marks.

Tags: alan branch, Bobby Wagner, Brandon Mebane, Earl Thomas, featured, football, Kam Chancellor, Marshawn Lynch, Max Unger, Michael Robinson, nfl, Popular, Russell Wilson, Seahawks

Posted in: Seahawks | No Comments »

12th Man Mailbag

Posted on August 9, 2012 by 12th Man Rising

I get a lot of questions from fellow members of the 12th man. Mostly these are on twitter, and I answer them there, but sometimes I wish I had more than 140 characters to answer them. I also occasionally get a few that come in via email, and no one ever gets to see those.

Well, there’s an obvious solution to this problem, and that to answer these questions here on the website. I’m going to be answering questions like this about once a week for the foreseeable future. I

How are our young linebackers looking? -Ricefield via comments

Bobby Wagner looks solid, and will be the starter at MLB this year. Don’t expect him to play the position flawlessly though. He’s still raw, but learning quickly. Remember that even KJ Wright didn’t become a starter until week 3 last year, and he really didn’t progress from “capable” to “genuinely good” until about week 8. Wagner will require patience.

Korey Toomer has been a big disappointment so far. There’s no chance of him starting, and might only make the team because he’s athletic enough to be a standout special teams player. Hopefully he can turn his athleticism into potential production at some point, but it wont be early this season.

Who’s the nickel back this year? – Jason via email

Good question, and not as easy to answer as you might think. The Seahawks have 2 separate nickel defensive backfield looks. one with a safety, and another with a corner. The safety nickel will be Winston Guy, and I expect this to be the look that we see the most this year in terms of the nickel, probably 25-30% of the total defensive snaps.

The 3rd CB isn’t as easy to call. Marcus Trufant was probably the favorite before camp, but he hasn’t looked at good as you’d expect. Still, he’s an excellent tackler, and the only CB on the team that can play zone coverage competently. Tru has also gotten some work as the safety nickel back, so there’s some versatility there.

Roy Lewis is probably the fan favorite to win the job, but he had it last season and really struggled. He’s looked pretty good, but not great, in camp. He has to show that he’s improved significantly from last season to show he’s worthy of the job. He’s also healthy this season, and wasn’t last year, so there’s definitely hope, and that’s why he’s my favorite to win the job.

Walter Thurmond would be the ideal choice if he was healthy, but he not, and he wont be until at least week 6.

Can TO and Edwards both make the final roster? – Andrew via email

Sure they can, but I don’t think they do at this point. Rice, Baldwin and Tate all seem like locks. That means there’s just 3 more spots, and 10 people vying for it. If you keep both Edwards and TO, neither of whom will play special teams, then you’re limiting your roster to just 1 WR who will play special teams, and the same 1 spot on the roster for a young developmental player.

So while, yes, I do think it’s possible, I don’t believe that both TO and Edwards make the final roster.

If you have a question for next week’s mailbag, send it to 12thmanrising.fansided@gmail.com

Tags: Bobby Wagner, Braylon Edwards, featured, football, korey toomer, Marcus Trufant, nfl, Popular, Roy Lewis, Seahawks, Seattle Seahawks, terrell owers

Posted in: Seahawks | No Comments »

Seattle Seahawks Camp: 5 Questions – Revisited

Posted on July 31, 2012 by 12th Man Rising

About a week ago, I listed 5 things that we should look for during the first few practices of training camp. Well, now that we’re through the first few practices, I thought I’d check in on what we saw and see if there were any answers to questions that needed answered.

Dec 24, 2011, Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin (15) dives for extra yardage after making a reception against the San Francisco 49ers during the second quarter at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-US PRESSWIRE

1) How many snaps does Doug Baldwin get on the outside?

Some, but not that many. It’s clear that Baldwin is going to be the team’s slot receiver again in 2012. Even with Sydney Rice and Antonio Bryant both out with injuries in the early going, Baldwin isn’t getting a ton of looks on the outside.

2) Who’s calling the adjustments for the defensive front 7?

Bobby Wagner appears to be. The kid is going to be the starting middle linebacker, and the team is preparing him for the roll. All the talk of KJ Wright making the defensive calls appears to have just been talk. Wagner is putting in all the work.

3) What personnel groups are on the field the most?

Really tough to say. Kellen Winslow has only participated in one practice, and he lined up on the outside a lot, making it difficult to tell the deference on personnel groups on the fly, especially at the speed at which the practices have been going. My impression has been that there have been more 3 WR sets than 2 TE sets, but that could easily be wrong at this point. We’ll have to keep watching.

4) How much is the Seahawk defense in the nickel?

Quite a bit. The Seahawks have had 2 separate looks in the nickel; one with 3 safeties (mostly Winston Guy) and one with 3 corners (Marcus Trufant more than anyone else). The Seahawks have employed these sets about 40% of the time in 11-11 on drills.

5) Who’s not on the field?

The players I was worried about last week have all been on the field to start camp. John Moffitt, Russell Okung, and Dexter Davis are all practicing without restrictions. Chris Clemons signed that big extension and thus there was no reason for him to hold out. The only key player who hasn’t participated fully is WR Sydney Rice. The players who are on the sidelines are ones that weren’t expected, like wide receivers Antonio Bryant and Jermaine Kearse. There also haven’t been any major injuries yet during camp, which is a good thing.

Tags: Bobby Wagner, doug baldwin, featured, football, nfl, Seahawks, Seattle Seahawks

Posted in: Seahawks | No Comments »