John Schneider
Seattle Seahawks Draft Christine Michael
January 19, 2013; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; West running back Christine Michael of Texas A&M
The Seahawks have finally made their first pick in the 2013 draft. It just took until the final pick of the second round to get here. With that pick, Seattle took Christine (pronounced Chris-TIN) Michael, a running back from Texas A&M. Chances are you’re wondering who the hell that is. Allow me to enlighten you.
According to NFL.com, Michael’s strengths include a “low center of gravity” but with a “thickness throughout his frame to take and give out punishment.” He has more speed than one would think when he is able to break open as well. Overall, Michael is a bruiser that will be a nice compliment to Marshawn Lynch and Robert Turbin. Both Lynch and Turbin are hard to bring down, and Lynch will occasionally level a tackler, but Michael has the ability to straight damage some defenders. Michael is also a good blocker that is able to lead the ball into the second level.
According to CBS Sports, Michael started 2012 rated by some as the “top senior running back in the country.” Attitude issues, however, took him out of the starting role, and the spotlight, which is probably a big reason he was relatively unknown and is yet another “what the what” pick by Pete Carroll and John Schneider.
Michael has had injury issues and missed the ends of both his sophomore and junior year. He broke his right leg in 2010 and the following season he tore his ACL. However, in 13 games he ran for 1,530 yards and 12 touchdowns. If he can check his attitude issues at the door and stay healthy, Michael should have an opportunity to contribute greatly in Seattle.
If Seattle starts utilizing a running back by committee approach it could be a very different dynamic on offense and make them harder to prepare for and defend. Diversity is a killer.
Another thing that I just thought of is whether or not Seattle might consider lining up Michael at full back and getting all three backs (Lynch, Turbin, and Michael) on the field at the same time. This could also give Seattle more flexibility when it comes to dealing with Michael Robinson’s contract.
This pick could also have fantasy implications as it might limit carries by Lynch.
No matter what, I think we should all get #inpcjswetrust trending because I expect a lot more unexpected picks out of Seattle for the rest of the draft.
Tags: Advanced Analysis, Christine Michael, featured, football, Individual Prospects, John Schneider, Marshawn Lynch, Michael Robinson, News, nfl, NFL Draft, Pete Carroll, Popular, Robert Turbin, Roster Moves, Seahawks
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Seahawks…What a difference a year makes
Dec 23, 2012, Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider looks at the Seahawks bench in between during the fourth quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Given the Seahawks lofty status of playoff team and being ranked as the 2013 preseason NFL’s best team, it’s easy to forget where this team stood last year at this time, a week before the draft. Here we are in mid April again, wondering who the Seahawks may draft starting with the second round after having traded their first round pick to Minnesota for Percy Harvin. The Seahawks are widely said to have “won” free agency after having gone blow for blow with the San Francisco 49ers in signing big name players. And the likely answer to the question; “who will the team pick in the second round”?, is a resounding – “Who cares? Let’s PLAY”!
The team has already improved itself so much that any player they pick up in the draft will be the sprinkles on the frosting of the cake. In one year the team has gone from just recently having achieved the “respectable” moniker, to “Super Bowl favorite”, and that’s BEFORE the 2013 draft even takes place! There is really some question as to whether any draft picks will even make the team. While the draft may seem a bit anti-climactic after the free agency blitz the team just put on, just remember it was exactly a year ago we were almost positive Matt Flynn would be the Hawk’s starting quarterback in 2012. In other words, with John Schneider and Pete Carroll calling the shots, expect the unexpected. Expect a player or three who can not only make this team, but who can make this team better.
Just for fun, let’s review a few stories Seahawks fans were reading and hearing about their team exactly one year ago.
- Fans of the Seahawks were being told by football writers that;
- We should take heart in the fact that although the Seahawks started 2011 with a 2-6 record, they finished well with a 5-3 record and matched their 2010 mark of 7-9.
- The Seahawks of 2011 were competitive in all but one of their losses.
- The Seahawks had released their big 2011 free agency catch Robert Gallery.
- Excitement for the “two tight end set” grew with the signing of tight end Kellen Winslow from Tampa Bay.
- The team had released and re-signed Marcus Trufant.
- The team was happy to have locked up Marshawn Lynch for the next 4 years and Red Bryant for 5 years.
- Breno Giacomini had done such a good job filling in at right tackle for the injured first rounder James Carpenter, he was re-signed and talk began of moving Carpenter to the guard position.
- The names Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor, Brandon Browner, and Earl Thomas were not yet “household names”, much less the “best secondary in football”.
- Matt Flynn was the “crown jewel” of the Seahawks free agent class. His position with the team would require him to beat out Tavaris Jackson and whatever rookie quarterback the team may pick up in the 2012 draft. Consensus was the QB job was Flynn’s to lose. Nobody, except for a few die hard college football junkies or Wisconsin fans had ever heard of Russell Wilson…
Seahawks fans should understand it’s OK be excited about the 2013 draft, even without a first round pick. Last year the team picked up a franchise quarterback, a starting linebacker, an excellent backup running back, and a future starting offensive lineman converted from defense…all AFTER the first round.
Tags: featured, football, John Schneider, News, nfl, NFL Draft, Pete Carroll, Popular, Recaps, Seahawks
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John Schneider On His (Rare) Draft Failures
Feb 21, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider speaks at a press conference during the 2013 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Yesterday afternoon, I caught part of a John Schneider interview on the radio. (I can’t remember which station, but I’m sure someone will find it for me post a link in the comments). He didn’t say much, but there were two things of note:
1) He jokingly said that the staff was planning on sitting around and watching Percy Harvin highlights on youtube during the first round od the draft. I can actually see them doing this, but I bet that NFL Films would be capable of providing a higher quality video than anything they’d find on youtube.
The Seahawks lack a first round pick, and lack all motivation to trade up for one. Other than fielding a few phone calls from teams trying to do some pre-planning for the late 2/early 3 part of Friday, there isn’t all that much for Schneider and company to do during Thursday’s portion of the draft.
2) Schneider talked a bit about couple of his draft failures. He obviously didn’t name names, but he did offer explanations:
- He compared a player to one he had before, but their hearts weren’t the same
- Taking a player who was productive, but lacked football confidence
It is interesting that both mistakes were misreads of a players mental state, and not poor scouting of their physical abilities. This is one of those aspects that of the scouting process that many fans seem to miss. It’s not all just about what you see on the tape. The interview process is an essential part of finding great NFL players.
I have some ideas about who he might have been referring to, but that speculation will have to wait for later.
Tags: featured, football, John Schneider, nfl, Popular, Seahawks, Seattle Seahawks
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Seattle Seahawks – It’s More Than Just Football
I love football.
Actually, the truer statement would be: I love all aspects of football, from the coaches to the actual game, to the players, their back stories, their off season adventures and their charitable interests.
Last year around this time, I wrote an article about John Schneider and his wife and their fund raising event for Autism in honor of their son. As a manager at a Seattle area not-for-profit that helps people with disabilities, I was thrilled to see the kind of exposure the Schneiders were able to give Autism. As the mother of a child with Autism, I was moved by their desire to help other families with the significant costs of therapies for children with Autism.
I ended the article with the comment that for many of the players and personal in the league, the game is about more than football. This year, I’d like to shine the light on a few more stories that make the game about “more than football.”
Just last week, OL John Moffitt launched a clothing and accessory line called Moffitt Merch. While many players have shirts and other merchandise available online, the Moffitt Merch line is special.
Like many football players, John has a Twitter account (@moffitt74). In the course of entertaining the 12th man on Twitter, John met a couple of guys called Ian and Dave. Together they came up with the concept that while a Moffitt Merch clothing line would be great, it would be even cooler to give all the money away. And so, the purpose of Moffitt Merch is to raise awareness and help the needy of Seattle. Thus, all proceeds from Moffitt Merch benefit Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission.
Simple. Brilliant. More than just football.
You can find Moffitt Merch online on Twitter (@moffittmerch) or on their website at www.moffittmerch.com.
Yes, I’ve already ordered my shirt. Because you know Moffitt is my homeboy!
Tags: featured, football, John Moffitt, John Schneider, nfl, Popular, Seahawks
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John Schneider’s Dwindling Shopping List
Jan 6, 2013; Landover, MD, USA; Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Alan Branch (99) celebrates pressuring Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III (10) during the second half of the NFC Wild Card playoff game at FedEx Field. The Seahawks won 24-14. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports
With free agency winding down, especially for the Seahawks I would imagine, it seems about time to take stock of where Seattle sits heading into the draft. It’s no secret the Seahawks are a good team, no amount of east-coast bias could blind the football world to that fact. The Seahawks may well be a great team, in fact I have them in the top five as we stand at this moment. As a result, this article is going to be much shorter than it might have been in previous years. Today what I’m going to examine is remaining areas of concern for the 2013 Seahawks. We are a couple of draft picks and perhaps a few bargain bin free agents from a final roster at the moment and with any luck these shockingly few holes will be filled come the regular season. The following is an account of what’s missing/a shopping list for this front office:
#1: A starting quality DT to pair with Brandon Mebane
This need might be satisfied in a fairly anti-climactic manner with the return of Alan Branch but that is no guarantee. Branch is only 28, he’s available, and he’s probably relatively cheap. None of that is anything to sneeze at. Additionally he has started 31 of 32 games for the Seahawks and provided four sacks and solid run stuffing during that time. This is also noteworthy. Contrarily Branch only had one sack and one tackle for loss last season compared to three and five in 2011. Branch is a known quantity but he’s far from exciting and most definitely upgrade-able I wouldn’t be surprised if Seattle brought back Branch but I also think there’s a good chance they draft a DT with one of their first two picks in the draft. These scenarios are far from mutually exclusive as you can never have too many quality defensive linemen. It’s important not to forget about Jaye Howard who failed to make an impact last year but was a fairly well regarded prospect coming into the draft and could always surprise.
#2: A starting quality OLB to go with Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright
This is the second biggest hole I see on the Seahawks right now and I’m not entirely sure there isn’t a viable candidate on the roster at this moment. That says a great deal about this team. Malcom Smith appears to have some talent and impressed me in his brief 3 game stint as a starter last year. Am I comfortable going in to the season with him as the starter though? Not without a serious back up plan. If the Seahawks insist on being boring I’m sure they could bring back Leroy Hill although he is far from the explosive talent he once was. My best guess is Seattle drafts an OLB in either the 2nd or 3rd round has him battle Smith for the job, with Smith likely returning to his role as a backup.
#3: A slot cornerback
Richard Sherman and Brandon Browner’s success as a corner tandem is well documented but in the today’s pass happy NFL you need three quality corners on defense. Trufant was fairly underwhelming last year and seems unlikely to be brought back in 2013. Walter Thurmond III is probably capable of playing this role but he simply cannot be counted on to stay healthy. Jeremy Lane is also a player who conceivably could be the guy for this spot but I see him as more of a backup on the outside with his size and lack of elite quickness. There are question marks surrounding both internal options and a couple interesting guys floating around in free agency (ie. Charles Woodson, Adam Jones, Tracy Porter) but they are probably cost prohibitive for a team that has been spending a surprising amount of money lately. The most likely scenario is Seattle tries to see if one of their two guys can stick as the third corner and takes a chance on someone later in the draft as well, as they are wont to do.
#4: A starting right tackle
This is where the shopping list enters pipe dream territory. Breno Giacomini is almost certainly the starting RT for the Seahawks in 2013. The problem is he’s not very good. He’s probably not the worst starting RT in the league but his inconsistency and stupid penalties are cringe inducing at times. There are some quality OT’s available in free agency at the moment who would represent a significant upgrade (Sebastian Vollmer and Andre Smith jump to mind) but they remain firmly outside Seattle’s price range barring any major cap casualties. Quality offensive tackles don’t last long in the draft so I doubt an immediate starter can be found late in the second round, but you never know. Unfortunately I think Giacomini is the Seahawks’ only realistic option at the moment.
Lists of five are much more aesthetically pleasing than lists of four but I really can’t think of anything else the Seahawks truly need. Quarterback? Check. Runningback? Check. Wide Receiver? Pretty impressive with the addition of Harvin. Tight End? Fine presuming Miller is sticking around, which he seems to be. Even the offensive line is has two Pro Bowlers and quite a few options at guard with upside. The Seahawks have also loaded up on pass rushers and they already had a stacked secondary so I really don’t know what else they would desperately desire. Quality depth is a must and that’s largely what this draft class is expected to provide, but by and large the Seahawks are set. Being a Seattle Seahawks fan at the moment feels like being a spoiled child who can’t even think of what he wants for Christmas because he has everything. Everything can always go wrong at the drop of a hat (and in my experience as a sports fan it does 85-90% of the time) but we are looking at a pretty strong squad heading into the 2013 draft. It’s a good thing I wrote this article now because knowing how well this front office drafts there might be nothing to say on this topic come April 28th.
Tags: alan branch, featured, football, jeremy lane, John Schneider, News, nfl, Pete Carroll, Popular, Seahawks, Walter Thurmond
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How the Proposed Running Back Head Lowering Rule Could Sink the Hawks
Imagine yourself at a Seahawks home game, early in the season. The Seahawks are driving for a go-ahead score with minutes left in the game. The hand off goes to Marshawn Lynch at the opponent’s 40 yard line. He tries the middle, bounces to the outside, and breaks loose in the defensive backfield. He’s at the 30, the 20…cuts back inside….he’s at the 10 yard line. Finally, a linebacker, a safety and a corner converge on him at the 8 yard line. But Lynch smells the end zone and gives it that “Marshawn Lean” to try and knock that safety out of his path. Marshawn puts his head down, destroys the safety and rolls into the end zone carrying 2 guys on his back. “TOUCHDOWN SEAHAWKS!!!”, shouts Steve Raible at the top of his lungs. The crowd jumps to it’s collective feet cheering wildly! Then Raible says; “Hold on a minute, there’s a flag down on the field at the 10 yard line…Oh boy…it looks like this one is coming back…”.
This could be a common occurrence with the Seahawks this season, maybe more so than with other teams, if NFL owners vote in a new “head lowering” penalty for running backs . Pete Carroll has already said the Seahawks are going to remain a “run first” offense. He may want to change his mind on that one after the first few games if things go the way I’m thinking they could go with this new running back “head lowering” rule. If you haven’t heard, Roger Goodell proposed a new rule in which running backs will be flagged if they lower their head to use the crown of the helmet like a battering ram. This essentially means running backs will have to take on hits standing up or risk a penalty.
I was listening to the “Mike & Mike” show this morning on the way in to work, and they had former Dallas Cowboys Great Emmett Smith on the show to give his “NFL Hall of Fame running back” perspective on the new rule. He brashly said it will make it impossible to play the position of running back. He claimed there is no way a runner who sees he’s about to have a collision is NOT going to instinctively lower his helmet and his whole body to protect himself. Smith added, when you are punished for hitting tacklers with your helmet the end result is you’re going to see a lot of guys just step out of bounds rather than try to get more yards. He thinks it will eventually turn the NFL in to something that resembles “touch football”. Will this still be “football”? I say “no”. Running backs will more resemble quarterbacks at the end of a play, taking a slide to avoid a stand-up hit or meekly squirting out of bounds before the big hits we all know and love.
Now, to be fair, an NFL team of experts, coaches, & former players looked at all the film from last year and only found five instances of this helmet lowering that would have been called under the new rule. So, while there might be a lot of latitude a referee can give backs on this rule, or there might not be. The panel admitted it could be very difficult for a referee to fairly call this kind of thing in the heat of a game. This rule is made for inconsistency in how it’s called, and could be affected by the referee’s angle to the play, his view of the play through other players, the weather, how the other player reacts, and a million other variables. If NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell decides to push this rule hard, it could really put a crimp on the running styles of the hard-nosed, punishing running backs like Lynch. A quick review of some “Beast Mode” highlights reveals Lynch does often use his helmet and shoulders and a healthy forward lean to blast people out of his way. Is this going to make him a magnate for yellow flags? How could it not? You could even say Lynch is the kind of runner this rule is designed to punish…errrr…protect. If there is one rule they could have come up with (other than making the QB scramble illegal) that could put the brakes on a potential Seahawks championship season, this is it!
For other teams with finesse style runners this probably wouldn’t be an issue. Teams with backs that run in a style more like Walter Payton, Eric Dickerson, or Barry Sanders will get a break because that style runner very rarely takes on a defensive back. Teams with backs like Earl Campbell, Jerome Bettis, and yes, Marshawn Lynch could potentially lose some important plays, first downs, or critical scores. Remember the Seahawks were a HALF GAME away from winning the NFC West title. One bad call can make that difference. This WILL affect coaching strategies. Worse case; I think it’s possible that coaches will get tired of all the laundry thrown at their running backs and probably will move away from the running game as an important force in their offenses. The NFL will evolve into something like the Canadian Football League, where passing becomes the dominant type of play. That will be too bad. I think it will wreck the game as it has come to be known and loved. The diversity of schemes that combine running and passing is what makes the NFL interesting to watch.
The next question is; will the fans revolt? Will the NFL be on a path to a slow death because fans will slowly find other things to do than watch a league full of guys running around trying to avoid getting hit? Will the game become something so foreign to our senses that it becomes a laughing stock? A quick look at the controversy created by the “defenseless receiver” rule should give guidance here. There were a lot of cases where a legitimate hit was flagged and great defensive plays called penalties. The hit Cam Chancellor put on 49ers tight end Vernon Davis comes to mind… That was a great, legal (as it turns out) hit that should have been called an incompletion and brought on the 49ers punting team if memory serve me. The penalty turned it into a 1st and 10 for San Fran. The Hawks ended up losing that game by a touchdown. If victories are seen as not legitimately won, the loss of fan interest could put a serious dent in the NFL’s credibility and viewership. But then the NFL has survived and thrived amid controversial calls for decades, so maybe it’s nothing to worry about.
Last but not least, will this rule, if passed, affect how Pete Carroll and John Schneider evaluate running backs in the upcoming draft? Might they hedge their bets that sending Marshawn Lynch to ballet school won’t turn him into a finesse runner and go after one in the draft? It seems advisable to have a “change-up” back anyway, but maybe this puts a little more urgency into that kind of pick. I’m thinking a running back with lots of speed and not a lot of brawn, and the ability to avoid pursuit may be high on more than a few teams draft boards.
In the end it looks like the NFL is changing so as not to appear unconcerned, and to avoid the avalanche of lawsuits that will surely materialize if they don’t “do something” now that they know there is a serious problem. Here are some things about this rule to consider moving forward: Will it change the game so much that they destroy the game? If they do nothing can the game survive anyway? Will the running back become extinct? Will they have to make more changes to keep the game interesting? Who knows? Finding the answers to these questions may become more interesting to watch than the actual games. One other thing Emmett Smith said is that people who haven’t played running back at a professional level have no idea what they’re talking about. Sorry Emmett, but THAT’S WHAT WE DO HERE!
Tags: Advanced Analysis, Emmett Smith, football, John Schneider, New rules, nfl, NFL Draft, NFL Owners, Pete Carroll, Popular, Roger Goodell, Rumors, Seahawks
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Can Cliff Avril still Cause Mayhem to Quarterbacks at Linebacker?
Nov 11, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Detroit Lions defensive end Cliff Avril (92) sacks Minnesota Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder (7) in the first quarter at the Metrodome. The Vikings win 34-24. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports
Seattle Seahawks General Manger John Schneider went on the John Clayton Show, which airs on 710 ESPN Seattle every Saturday morning, and talked about the role Cliff Avril would play for Seattle. A link can be found at the bottom of the article to the interview.
Schneider mentioned in the interview that Seattle plans to have Avril play the LEO position that Clemons played before his injury and WILL Linebacker that K.J. Wright currently fills.
The comment about Avril playing the WILL Linebacker position got me to thinking; How a 6’4, 260 pound defensive end play linebacker in a 4-3 defensive system? The answer and player that comes in mind is former Seattle Seahawks linebacker Julian Peterson.
Julian Peterson came to Seattle after the 2005 season after spending six years with the San Francisco 49ers. After signing a seven-year deal worth 54 Million. Peterson was not your typical 4-3 linebacker. His job was to get in the backfield and sack the opposing quarterback as many times as possible. Peterson filled this role nicely with Seattle in three-years he managed to collect 24.5 sacks. Keep in mind that Peterson was not put in a position of defensive end; he played strictly the SAM/OLB position. While Avril would be coming from the opposite side that Peterson filled and taking over for K.J. Wright it could allow Wright to slide over to the other side of the field.
Seattle I believe will put Avril in this role in specific passing downs. I do not believe he will be a three down linebacker as Peterson was. He struggled against the run in Detroit. Avril stands at 6’3, 260 pounds and ran a 4.59 so the explosiveness to come off the edge exists. Avril playing OLB also gives other pass rushers such as Bennett, Clemons, and Irvin the opportunity to all play at the same time.
If you put the numbers in perspective Avril has been a far more productive player than Peterson was, however keep in mind that Avril has had a great supporting cast around while playing with Detroit. Avril has played a total of 73 games during a five-year career while collecting 39.5 sacks (.54 sacks per game). Peterson during an 11 year career played 158 games and collected 51.5 sacks. (.32 sacks per game). Peterson’s play did take a deep decline after leaving Seattle via trade to Detroit, which affected his sack numbers deeply. However if you put the Sack numbers for Clemons and average it out per year that is at least eight-sacks per year and I believe playing for one of the league’s best defenses he can increase those numbers in Seattle.
No one can guess how Avril will truly be used and if the WILL linebacker position will work out but I’m certain Carroll will find a spot for him to cause pure mayhem on opposing Quarterbacks.
Tags: Advanced Analysis, Avril, Cliff Avril, Detroit Lions, featured, football, John Schneider, Julian Peterson, News, nfl, Pete Carroll, Popular, Seahawks, Seattle Seahawks
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Seattle Seahawks Aquire Vikings WR Percy Harvin, Contribution to be Determined
Percy Harvin – Is only 24, runs a 40 in 4.3 seconds, does a great job of getting yards after catch and is an accomplished kickoff return runner.
Percy Harvin – misses a lot of practices, unfortunately suffers from recurring migraines and has already exhibited a tendency to be a bit of diva.
So what does this mean for the Seahawks?
It means that if he passes his physical, Harvin will be a speedy receiver with good hands, excellent running instincts and a desire for the ball. It also means that Harvin may continue to miss practices due to his migraine issues and on a team with an “always compete” team mentality, missing practices means Harvin may not successfully compete for as much starting time as he would like.
Going up against Rice, Baldwin and Tate, who have all shown exceptional growth and stability through the 2012 season, Harvin may find himself having to work harder than he has before to get playing time.
While I’m okay with the picks we’ve given for Harvin, I’m not “all in” this trade. But I’m open to the possibilities of the Hawks making it work. Some keys to success for Harvin with the Seahawks will include:
- Adapting to the always compete mode (Doug Baldwin is embracing the opportunity to compete)
- Limiting kick return opportunities (let someone else be cannon fodder, although if rumors of trading Leon Washington are true, hopefully Pete and John plan on picking someone up in the draft)
- Committing to as many practices/mini camps as possible, both for physical conditioning and developing relationships with his QB and fellow receivers
- Understanding that great physical talent still requires considerable practice and application. Ask Golden Tate.
- Appreciating the caliber of players he’ll be sharing a locker room with (Russell Wilson has extra meetings with his receivers and oline… for a reason)
Ultimately, Pete and John are pretty smart guys. I’m pretty confident that they will limit the guaranteed money to Harvin and build in lots of incentives for him to reach for. And I hope he does rise to the occasion. He really needs to appreciate this opportunity for what it is.
Harvin could be great. But he’s not great yet.
Tags: doug baldwin, featured, football, Golden Tate, John Schneider, nfl, Percy Harvin, Pete Carroll, Popular, Roster Moves, Russell Wilson, Seahawks
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What Have Schneider’s Picks Done For You?: A Study In The Production of The 2010-2012 Draft Classes
January 24, 2013; Honolulu, HI, USA; NFC free safety Earl Thomas of the Seattle Seahawks (29) runs with the ball during practice for the 2013 Pro Bowl at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
As the upcoming draft has dominated the NFL news landscape in recent weeks it has got me thinking back on the last few drafts the Seahawks have had. On Monday I looked at the John Schneider and Pete Carroll’s preferences and today I am examining the impact their draft picks have made over the last three years. Although I would consider it too early to judge the quality of these drafts in their entirety, I think it is fair to show you the gross production accumulated by the draft picks under this regime to give a sense of the kind of early impact they have had on this franchise. My going in assumption was that the draft classes of 2010-2012 have been very productive for Seattle and that proved to be entirely correct.
Let’s start with the very successful 2012 class:
Offense
|
Games |
Games Started |
Passing Yards |
Pass TD’s |
INT’s |
Rushing Yards |
Rush TD’s |
Receptions |
Receiving Yards |
Rec TD’s |
|
45 |
19 |
3118 |
26 |
10 |
843 |
4 |
19 |
181 |
0 |
In a defense-heavy draft these numbers were accumulated by, with the exception of J.R Sweezy’s playing time, Russell Wilson and Robert Turbin, both of whom were major contributors this year. Given that we all know how successful Wilson’s rookie year was; the number that really stands out here is the 843 rushing yards provided by these rookies, which served as quite the compliment to Marshawn Lynch’s 1590 yards as the feature back. The raw production is very good and probably trending upward for both players in the future.
Defense
|
Games |
Games Started |
Tackles |
Assists |
Sacks |
INT’s |
PD’s |
FF |
FR |
TD |
|
59 |
18 |
106 |
67 |
12 |
3 |
5 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
Despite the fact the Seahawks drafted 7 defensive players in 2012 almost all of this production is accounted for by Bobby Wagner. That being said, the Seahawks defensive rookies proved valuable in situational roles, most notably Bruce Irvin and Greg Scruggs rushing the passer (10 combined sacks). Also of note were performances by rookies asked to move up the depth chart (ie. Jeremy Lane’s play starting for Brandon Browner). These numbers are already respectable and figure to improve, especially if Bruce Irvin continues to grow as a player.
Moving on to the 2011 draft class, we see a group that has contributed a great deal, especially defensively:
Offense
|
Games |
Games Started |
Passing Yards |
Pass TD’s |
INT’s |
Rushing Yards |
Rush TD’s |
Receptions |
Receiving Yards |
Rec TD’s |
|
36 |
31 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
30 |
0 |
These measures of production don’t really include offensive line play and as a result this draft class comes off a great deal worse than it is. Even so, the Seahawks’ top two picks in this draft have only combined for 31 of a possible 64 starts on the offense line, which is far from ideal. James Carpenter has a chance to have a future as a starter in Seattle for years to come if he can stay healthy, whereas John Moffit seems more likely to be a depth piece at the end of the day. The only other offensive player from this class, Kris Durham, has already moved on.
Defense
|
Games |
Games Started |
Tackles |
Assists |
Sacks |
INT’s |
PD’s |
FF |
FR |
TD |
|
109 |
56 |
231 |
78 |
5 |
13 |
53 |
8 |
5 |
2 |
This draft class was a gold mine in terms of defensive talent. Headlined by CB Richard Sherman and OLB K.J Wright the 2011 draftees have more than held their own in the NFL thus far. Wright and Sherman are both quality starters and Byron Maxwell and Malcolm Smith are excellent depth players who have made plays when called upon. Nothing to complain about here.
Lastly, let’s examine the production the Seahawks have gotten from Schneider and Carroll’s inaugural draft class in 2010:
Offense
|
Games |
Games Started |
Passing Yards |
Passing TD’s |
INT’s |
Rushing Yards |
Rush TD’s |
Receptions |
Receiving Yards |
Rec TD’s |
|
114 |
71 |
23 |
1 |
0 |
38 |
0 |
132 |
1734 |
13 |
Russell Okung and Golden Tate are both excellent picks and they make up most of the numbers seen here. Anthony McCoy has done more than most 6th round picks and Jameson Konz unfortunately never really delivered on his promise. It says something about this front office’s drafting acumen when we actively contemplate 7th rounders that never amounted to anything.
Defense
|
Games |
Games Started |
Tackles |
Assists |
Sacks |
INT’s |
PD’s |
FF |
FR |
TD |
|
135 |
82 |
365 |
124 |
3 |
14 |
47 |
8 |
8 |
1 |
These totals are compiled primarily by the safety duo of Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor with contributions from Walter Thurmond III and Dexter Davis.
There are a lot of numbers to chew on here and before I delve into them I’d like to point out the obvious flaws in them before you do.
Firstly, the contributions of offensive lineman are downplayed here because their on-field production is not quantified by the statistics I have used. This is especially unfortunate given the Seahawks have spent 2 of their last 4 first round picks on the O-Line. Although their inclusion in terms of games and games started is significant, looking at these production charts does underplay the importance of a Russell Okung or a James Carpenter.
Secondly, although one could argue that in a way the number of games started by each draft class is the best way to measure their contribution to the franchise, it can be problematic because it prizes quantity over quality. Just because a player started or played in a game it doesn’t mean they played well. On the other hand, if the player is terrible they are unlikely to play or start so there is some implication of effectiveness just by appearing in games consistently.
Lastly, by specifying draft picks we leave the contributions of undrafted free agent gems like Doug Baldwin and Brandon Browner.
Ultimately, I think the thing to get out of this is that this front office has done a good job of selecting players that have provided significant, tangible, and quantifiable production for this franchise. This team has been turned over and completely remade during the Pete Carroll era and the primary vehicle for this overhaul has been the draft. In 2010 7.7% of the starts made by Seahawks players were made by draft picks of this front office. In 2011 that number climbed to 28.4% and last year is was 42.6%. Those numbers more than any others capture the impact of the last three draft classes, and if John Schneider and Pete Carroll continue to have excellent drafts that number will continue expanding exponentially. Give this duo another three years and we will be looking at a truly homegrown squad, and by and large those are the type of teams that win championships.
Tags: Earl Thomas, featured, football, John Schneider, nfl, Pete Carroll, Popular, Richard Sherman, Robert Turbin, Russell Okung, Russell Wilson, Seahawks
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Scouting Russell Wilson – The Asterisk
If you’ve read any of my notes here on 12th Man Rising, you’ll know that I approach football from a passion perspective. I’m in love with the game of football and the Seahawks in particular. I’m not even close to being in the statistical wizard category with my fellow writers. (Although I love reading their stuff!)
But I read this article yesterday and I found it intriguing, especially as we reach the end of the regular season and the pundits are struggling to categorize Seahawks QB Russell Wilson. So let me take this statistical approach and help the pundits look back at what they may have missed with a certain Mr. Russell Wilson.
The article was about Andrew Luck, RG2 and other QBs in their class. The updated Lewin Career Forcast v2.0 lays out a statistical formula for evaluation based on the following criteria:
- Career college games started, with a minimum of 20 and a maximum of 48.
- Career completion rate; however, this is now a logrithmic variable. As a quarterback’s completion percentage goes down, the penalty for low completion percentage gets gradually larger. As a result, the bonus for exceedingly accurate quarterbacks such as Tim Couch and Brian Brohm is smaller than the penalty for inaccurate quarterbacks such as Kyle Boller and Tarvaris Jackson.
- Difference between the quarterback’s BMI and 28.0. This creates a small penalty for quarterbacks who don’t exactly conform to the “ideal quarterback size.”
- For quarterbacks who come out as seniors, the difference in NCAA passer rating between their junior and senior seasons. (For quarterbacks who come out as juniors or redshirt sophomores, this variable is always 5.0, which is the average increase for the seniors in our data set.)
- A binary variable that penalizes quarterbacks who don’t play for a team in a BCS-qualifying conference.
- Run-pass ratio in the quarterback’s final college season, with a maximum of 0.5.
- Total rushing yards in the quarterback’s final college season, with a minimum of 0 and a maximum of 600.
“The biggest question about LCF continues to be the importance of games started. This is still the most important variable in the equation. Any quarterback projection system based on past performance is going to highly value collegiate games started. From 1990 to 2005, it was far and away the most important variable in determining the success of highly-drafted quarterbacks. However, there are questions about whether the rise of the spread offense is leading to number of quarterbacks who come into the NFL with a lot of collegiate experience yet still unprepared for the NFL-style game. Other quarterbacks have come into the NFL with less experience and done very well. The best example of this would be Cam Newton, who seems like the kind of guy who is built to break this system. He started only one year of Division I ball and looked like a huge risk, then put together one of the best rookie quarterback seasons in NFL history. Aaron Rodgers is another player who was underrated by the system; given the success of Newton and Rodgers, perhaps we need to consider adding junior college experience to the variable for collegiate games started.”
“It’s important to understand that LCF is meant to be a tool used alongside the scouting reports, not instead of the scouting reports. What matters is not which quarterback is ahead of which other quarterback by 100 points. Instead, what’s important is who has an overall good or bad projection. Scouts still come first and foremost, but this method is valuable as a crosscheck device and should be part of the conversation about quarterback draft prospects.
With that in mind, Here are the projections for this year’s quarterbacks. These numbers represent an estimate for passing DYAR in years 3-5 of a player’s career. The top prospects will be above 1,200 DYAR, and we should avoid quarterbacks below zero. Let’s start with the top two guys, two of the highest-rated quarterbacks in LCF history who will also be the first two picks in the 2012 NFL Draft.”
Robert Griffin, Baylor: 2,530 DYAR Important stats: 40 games started, 67.0% completion rate, senior passer rating rose 45.3 points, 161 carries for 644 yards.
Andrew Luck, Stanford: 1,749 DYAR Important stats: 37 games started, 66.4% completion rate, senior passer rating dropped -0.5 points, 47 carries for 150 yards.
The article goes on to rate other QB’s in the draft:
Nick Foles, Arizona: 1,391 DYAR Important stats: 33 games started, 66.9% completion rate, 43 carries for -103 yards.
Kirk Cousins, Michigan State: 1,362 DYAR Important stats: 38 games started, 64.6% completion rate.
Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma State: 1,011 DYAR Important stats: 25 games started, 69.5% completion rate, 26.8 BMI
Ryan Tannehill, Texas A&M: 730 DYAR Important stats: 19 games started, 62.3% completion rate, 55 carries for 296 yards.
Brock Osweiler, Arizona State: 248 DYAR Important stats: 14 games started, 60.3% completion rate.
And then… the Asterisk. Russell Wilson:
The Asterisk
Russell Wilson, Wisconsin: 2,650 DYAR Important stats: 48 games started, 60.7% completion rate, senior passer rating rose 64.1 points.
And here is the narrative that goes with this rating:
“I would be remiss if I didn’t at least mention the ridiculous projection that the Lewin Career Forecast spits out for Russell Wilson. Yes, that projection is even higher than the one for Robert Griffin. No, it doesn’t particularly mean that Wilson is a sleeper prospect. There are a few things going on here that the LCF is just not designed to account for.
First and foremost, the change in Wilson’s passer rating between his junior and senior years is insane. Remember that earlier I noted that Griffin had a larger senior year passer rating increase than any quarterback in our data set? Well, Wilson’s senior year passer rating increase is 40 percent larger than Griffin’s. But does it matter when the quarterback is playing in a completely different offense for a completely different school in his last year of college eligibility? At Wisconsin, Wilson got to pick apart defenses that were concentrating on stopping Montee Ball. At North Carolina State, I doubt opponents were quaking in their boots at the thought of Mustafa Greene and Dean Haynes. It goes without saying that there isn’t another quarterback in the LCF data set who transferred between his junior and senior years.
There’s also the issue of height, another data point where there’s nobody in our data set that can be compared to Wilson. At first, it seems strange that LCF doesn’t include a variable to discount short quarterbacks, but when you look at the data set that went into creating LCF the reasons are pretty clear. There’s no penalty for being 5-foot-11, like Wilson is, because there are no quarterbacks in the data set who are shorter than 6-foot-0. There’s no penalty for being only 6-foot-0 because the two quarterbacks who are 6-foot-0 are Drew Brees and Michael Vick.
Quarterbacks who are Wilson’s height simply don’t get drafted in the first three rounds of the draft, period. The FO master database only includes three quarterbacks who are below six feet tall: Seneca Wallace, Joe Hamilton, and Flutie. That’s a fourth-round pick, a seventh-round pick, and an 11th round pick from 25 years ago. Even if we go all the way back to 1991, the only quarterbacks taken in the first six rounds at 6-foot-0 or shorter were Vick, Brees, Wallace, Joe Germaine (fourth round, 1999), and Troy Smith (fifth round, 2007).
Wilson too will probably be drafted on the third day of the draft, round four or later, which would render his absurdly high LCF moot.
Posted by: Aaron Schatz on 12 Mar 2012”
I can appreciate that the writer Aaron Schatz didn’t quite know what to make of Russell Wilson. I mean who has a senior year passer rating increase of 64 points? But when we look through the lens of the 2012 Season, we see Russell getting drafted higher than the projected fourth round or later, winning the starting job in training camp and making statistically improbable improvements throughout the 2012 NFL season. Now, on the cusp of week 17, he’s actually being mentioned in the same breath as Luck and RG3 as the potential rookie of the year.
The key word here is “potential” and I submit to you that Russell had that potential all along. Unfortunately, his potential came with an asterisk. Fortunately for the Seahawks and the 12thman, Pete and John ignored the asterisk at looked at the potential.
Tags: featured, football, John Schneider, nfl, Pete Carroll, Popular, Russell Wilson, Seahawks
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10 Reasons For Seattle Seahawks Fans To Be Thankful
Today is the day where almost everyone in America celebrates an ancient feast by watching football and gorging themselves until they lapse into a tryptophan induced coma, only to wake up later for pie and more football. So today, once you’ve reached that point where you’re so stuffed it hurts to move, please take a moment and remember that there is a lot to be thankful for as a Seahawks fan.
Here’s a 2012 update to my top 10 reasons for Seahawks fans to be thankful on this Thanksgiving:
10. Legion Of Boom – There’s no one better than Earl Thomas at FS, and there’s no one playing at the higher level than Richard Sherman. Brandon Browner and Kam Chancellor are also playing at a very high level. The Seahawks have the best secondary in the NFL.
9. Beast Mode – Marshawn Lynch might not have been able break out his beast mode persona very often this year, but when he does it’s still a thing of beauty. Lynch is in the middle of what has been the best year of his career.
8. Pete Carroll - For all of his questionable game day choices and clock management problems, Carroll is still the right person for the job in Seattle right now. He’s the perfect leader to help this young team grow and develop into a contender.
7. Chris Clemons, Bruce Irvin and Jason Jones – A year ago, the Achilles heal of this defense was the lack of a pass rush. This year, the Seahawks have been able to consistently get pressure on the QB without having to blitz because of this trio of defensive linemen
6. Russell Wilson – Wilson hasn’t been perfect, but he’s been good enough for the Seahawks to be in position to make a run at the playoffs. He’s also developed enough as the season has gone along that we can all be comfortable with Wilson under center for the foreseeable future.
5. Red Bryant, Brandon Mebane and Alan Branch – This trio of defensive lineman anchor one of the best run defenses in the league.
4. Paul Allen - In a league that seems to be full of transient chaos, the Seahawks owner provides a definite degree of stability to the franchise. It should also be remembered that it was Allen who saved the Seahawks when previous onwer Ken Behring tried to move the team to LA.
3. John Schneider – His ability to find gems in the late rounds as well as find great value in free agency has quickly built this team from being one of the league’s bottom feeders to one of league’s best. He has shown to be an outstanding evaluator of talent.
2. The Rest of the 12th Man – You are apart of the best fan base in all of sports. Enjoy it.
1. Your Family and Friends – In the end, the Seahawks are just a small part of each of our lives. We must all remember to be thankful for the wonder people in our lives. I am especially thankful for my wonderful wife and both of my amazing sons.
Sep 16, 2012; Seattle, WA, USA; A 12th Man tiff is displayed prior to the first kickoff between the Seattle Seahawks and the Dallas Cowboys at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-US PRESSWIRE
Tags: featured, football, John Schneider, nfl, Pete Carroll, Popular, Russell Wilson, Seahawks, Seattle Seahawks
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The View From Section 333
What a Fan Believes… She sees….
At the half way point of the season, this is not quite where I thought we’d be. I have to say, my heart is broken a little tiny bit. Being 4 and 4 doesn’t break my heart… but the process of becoming 4 and 4 has been challenging at best. As I thought about this process the last couple days, I’ve reached a couple of conclusions about my beloved Seahawks and the 12th man.
I don’t know of a single 12th man that feels iffy about the Hawks. I’m pretty sure it’s a pre-requisite that you must become emotionally involved with this team. It is this emotional investment that causes the noise at the Clink, the swearing on Twitter and the tearing out of the hair when your team appears to be something other than what you believed. Let the Detroit game be the example here… finding out that your defense is human indeed and not the “impervious wall” you thought they were is traumatic.
What a ride. As I was expressing my discontent with our performance the other night (read as still agonizing over the loss) my beloved delivered the wisdom of the ages. I will now share it with you…
“As angry as I was when we lost the Detroit game, I have to admit, this has been the most entertaining season to date. Every single game has been a roller coaster ride down to the final minute of the game.”
This was an eye-opener for yours truly, as I had just tweeted …. I love my team, but just once this season, I’d like to take the lead in the 1st qtr and never look back…
So yes, I have to admit, this has been one of the best seasons ever. They haven’t been blown out. They’ve beat teams the talking heads said we didn’t have a chance to beat. On the other hand, they’ve lost games I thought they should have won. Which ultimately makes it hard to talk smack… I’ve learned that I can’t anticipate success…yet.
Because the other conclusion I came to was that this team is very young indeed. And I’m not making excuses. Pete and John have set records for personnel changes in their 3 years. And what we have now is mega, mega talent, youth, and not much “veteran experience”.
So, am I happy about our record? No. Am I entertained? Yes. Am I calling for the heads of the coaching staff? No. Do I wish we’d kick ass the rest of the season? Hell, yes! Because I want those talking heads on TV to regret they said the Seahawks season was already over at the halfway point. And in spite of the calm logic my beloved displayed (48 hours after the loss) I am still that fan that’s utterly in love with her Hawks.
Now, go kick some Viking butt!
Tags: defense, featured, football, John Schneider, nfl, Pete Carroll, Popular, Seahawks
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The Seahawks and The Power Poll
Rather than comment on last weeks’ Seahawks/49ers game, which has been thoroughly covered, I thought I’d talk about power polls. Working on my power poll this week, I really had some second thoughts about how I’m ranking teams. It’s odd to see some of the teams we’ve beaten ending up ranked above us. But in a way, I understand it. I don’t like it but it boils down to the three main concepts I consider when ranking teams
- What you’ve done – Who have you beaten and by how much? Tough opponents? On the road? Against the odds? Was there a lucky kick? Have you had huge losses or huge wins?
- What might you do – Are you on the upswing? Is your 1st string QB coming back? Is your defense hitting its stride? Are your receivers gaining confidence? Did you lose a key player in your o-line? Have you blown a lead the last three games? Are you doing crazy things with your quarterbacks? Is your best linebacker injured?
- Predictability – What are the odds I can predict your success or defeat? Is every game a surprise? Are your strengths always evident? This really boils down to a team being consistent, at home and on the road week after week. Some teams are consistently bad, others… consistently puzzling and very few this year…consistently good.
This consistency has been the challenge with the Seahawks in recent years. As the team has been reworked and re-imagined, the talent quotient has risen exponentially. Getting that talent to translate into strengths and strengths into wins has been the challenge.
In this third year with Pete and John, it now feels like the strengths are there; defense, special teams, running game… possibly the passing game.
The wins are coming. But we’re not consistent yet. And that’s the final key to finding our way in the power poll.
- The ability to win road games.
- The ability to win tough games.
- The ability to win the games we should win.
Once we get better at consistency, it will be great to where we end up in the major power polls!
Tags: featured, football, John Schneider, nfl, Pete Carroll, Popular, Seahawks
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The Seahawks – Living Up to Their Potential?
Or merely rising to the occasion?
I was reading sports websites during my lunch break yesterday, because that’s how I roll during football season. I read a comment that just stuck in my head and it wasn’t until I pulled into the driveway after work that I realized why it bothered me so much.
The writer was speculating regarding the possibility of the Seahawks winning the Monday Night Football game. The phrase he used was “the Seahawks will probably rise to the occasion.” Although you’ think I’d be happy to read that, the phrase grated on me throughout the afternoon.
“Rising to the occasion” sucks. I think the better phrase would be “living up to their potential.”
The problem with ‘rising to the occasion’ is that the phrase makes it sound like Seahawks don’t put it all out on the field every single game. Or that they spend half their time wallowing around in their ‘west-coast-ness’ and from time to time throw out this good game just to keep the rest of the NFL guessing.
I maintain that we’re seeing now is the Seahawks finally living up to their potential. The team that Pete and John have spent 3 years building is moving beyond their individual gifts and finding out how good they can be as a team. They’re embracing the concept of relying on each other, as well as knowing that there are talented depth players able to come in and contribute if need be.
They’re realizing that they have a coaching staff that supports the players, coaches that slap backs and thump helmets when the players come off the field. A coaching staff that can make half time corrections that are the envy of the NFL. No more coaches lamenting on local sports radio that he “needs dirtbags” or wondering why his center has a cast on his right hand and is snapping left handed.
This is the team that the 12th man has waited for. Our confidence is alive. We know that there exists the possibility that we could win each and every game this year. That possibility intrigues us.
As much as our Seahawks may confuse the rest of the NFL, the 12th man totally gets them.
Tags: featured, football, John Schneider, nfl, Pete Carroll, Popular, Seahawks
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Seahawks-Broncos and Laying Off the High Fastball
August 18 2012; Denver, CO, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Tyrell Sutton (30) is congratulated for his performance by offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell following the preseason game against the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field. The Seahawks defeated the Broncos 30-10. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-US PRESSWIRE
After finally getting to watch Seattle’s second preseason game (it didn’t air in Los Angeles until last night), I figured I’d throw my two cents out there. I think Seattle looked a lot better as an entire team this game and the defense held Denver in check while our offense failed to score touchdowns. The “death by a million field goals” offensive reality makes me incredibly uneasy, though. I focused in on Matt Flynn and Russell Wilson’s play this week and tried to put them both in context since stats can get distorted in preseason. All the Wilson advocates should look at his numbers and cut them back a little considering what he is generally playing against – third and fourth stringers. That being said, Wilson is showing in every game why Pete Carroll and John Schneider picked him and I couldn’t be happier.
First up is Matt Flynn. I thought he did a very good job against Denver’s defense. For the most part he took the plays that were available to him and did not turn the ball over or make costly mistakes. He even cranked it up a couple of times and threw some nice deep throws, one of which should have been caught by Terrel Owens for a touchdown. We did fail to score a touchdown in the first half which left me with a queasy feeling. Granted we didn’t have Sidney Rice, Zach Miller, or Michael Robinson, but I would really like to see more touchdowns.
Tyrell Sutton made a strong case for himself with several good runs. Kregg Lumpkin also looked good. Seattle certainly appears to have solid depth at the running back position which is nice to see. It will be interesting to see who gets cut over the next two weeks. Tai Vaua also looked good at fullback. However, Vuau has the unfortunate circumstance of competing against Seattle’s only offensive Pro Bowler from last season for a roster spot he is most likely not going to get.
Our defense kept the game manageable but our offense needs to provide more support. In general, I was once again not overly impressed with our receivers and tight ends. There were some good moments, but in general, it seemed pretty lackluster. Leon Washington and Robert Turbin both looked good, however. When Lynch takes a rest, the defenses won’t get one as Turbin will come in and continue to pound.
Russell Wilson once again looked very good. His poise and decision making were very impressive. The camera missed one play (I was getting the Denver broadcast) where Wilson somehow found an open receiver in a broken play and tossed it to him for an easy reception in a very ugly scenario. Wilson shows a lot of potential and I can see why he has such strong advocates. To me, though, he runs out of the pocket too much for me to feel comfortable. He can make something out of nothing but I don’t want that to be the de facto game plan. I also don’t want him to get hurt. I would like to see him to be able to read defenses better, as well. This all comes with experience which I have no doubt he is going to gain.
The best metaphor I have for thinking about Wilson is a high fastball. For those of you that have never played baseball (those that have will get this), the high fastball is one of the sexiest looking pitches a batter can see. It comes in at eye-level and your brain automatically thinks you’re going to crush it out of the park. Most of the time when the pitch is swung at the batter misses underneath. Once in a while, it may get crushed. The experienced players know this and force themselves to lie off and take the ball, which it almost certainly will be. Wilson is that sexy pitch. The brain sees it and thinks he’s going to crush opposing defenses, and there is a small chance he might, but the downside is a lot greater. If he starts and misses, it could set him back for years or permanently. I’d rather have him “over-ready” to start instead taking an unnecessary chance.
Lastly, our defense once again was very imposing. Three turnovers on a Peyton Manning offense, preseason or not, is always impressive. You could tell Manning was frustrated because he played the whole first half which wasn’t likely Denver’s plan going in. The Seahawks did not get to Manning as much as I would have liked (Irvin did blast him once) but Seattle’s defense did make it hard for Denver’s offense to be effective. In the second half, Bruce Irvin made a very impressive rundown of Brock Osweiler that I replayed many times. A guy that fast and that tenacious is going to be a force. Chris Clemons also was a solid anchor that couldn’t be moved by Denver’s offensive line. With speed to the outside and a massive interior, it’s going to hard to get much going against Seattle’s defense.
That’s my quick and dirty breakdown of thoughts and reactions I had during the game. I’m sure there are many that will disagree with me on the quarterback issue, but I keep telling myself “lay off the high fastball.” “Play the odds.” Over time, I have no doubt Wilson will move himself into the waist-high strike zone, in which case Seattle might have an offense as fast, dynamic, and potent as it’s defense.
Also, a quick update on a previous post I had written regarding Tarvaris Jackson being traded. That is now official and Jackson has also said that he is willing to restructure his contract in order to facilitate a trade. I’ve also heard rumors that Green Bay could be an interested party considering their backup situation is horrible for a Super Bowl caliber team (since the Seahawks now have their former backup) and a generally good relationship between the two franchises. Seattle is requesting a fifth round pick but could receive less.
Tags: Denver Broncos, featured, football, John Schneider, Kregg Lumpkin, matt flynn, News, nfl, Pete Carroll, Peyton Manning, Recaps, Russell Wilson, Seahawks, Seattle Seahawks, Tai Vaua, Tyrell Sutton
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