One team came into the season with expectations of advancing further through the playoffs than it has in recent memory while letting their star player cook. The other team came into 2020 with the idea of building off of the positives they were establishing with their talented young quarterback with the hopes of making the playoffs for the first time in a few years.
As it stands, both clubs enter this game with 6-3 records and a chance to further take over their division. Last time around a few weeks ago, the upstart Arizona Cardinals narrowly beat the Seattle Seahawks in over time down in the desert. This time around, Seattle will be looking for revenge in a very determined way while the Cardinals will be feeling all confidence after a thrilling last second hail Mary win against the Buffalo Bills, another team that recently beat the Seahawks.
This should be one of the better Thursday Night Football games we see all year. I’m looking forward to this one.
Seahawks beat the Cardinals by..
Russell Wilson returning to efficient and smart decision Russell Wilson. The last two weeks have been rough for our star quarterback. He has turned the ball over ten times in two games since coming off of a solid and efficient game against the 49ers. In this game, he needs to get back to playing that style of ball. It is likely that he will, and he will be helped by a more determined run game, and plays that will have him move outside of the pocket instead of being the sitting duck that he has been for two weeks. He needs to take it to a banged up Cardinal defense instead of letting that defense take it to him. He will be extremely determined to right his wrongs that have plagued him recently.
Seattle commits more to the run but only so far as to return to a balanced attack. You think that the Seattle defensive line has problems? The Arizona D line is without every single one of it’s projected starters. If ever there is a time to run the rock it is in this game. Seattle just has to not get too predictable running. They need to run enough to soften a defense that will be trying to attack Wilson, and they need to run it enough to get Wilson doing what he does best, and that is rolling outside the pocket on bootlegs for either keepers or play action passes. If they can establish the run against a weakened Cardinal defensive front, expect to see some big pass plays to tight ends. This could be Jacob Hollister’s night.
Defensively, they don’t play passive against Kyler Murray. Seattle needs to scrap the playbook that they used against Murray a few games ago. In that match, they brought little pressure and used their fastest linebacker, Shaquem Griffin, as a spy on Murray. The result was a horrid defensive effort that was hard to watch. They were reduced to using run stuffing defensive tackles (Jarran Reed) to contain Murray, and they were relying on a one handed special teams player to make plays against him (Griffin). Playing without their two starting corners for the second straight game, they really need to bring it to Murray. They need to attack him with defensive backs and linebackers, and they need to ocassionally be able to rush with four pass rushers. Last time they played, Seattle had not traded for Carlos Dunlap, and they did not have Jamal Adams healthy enough to play. This game, will be different. A player to watch is Poona Ford who quietly has been having a very solid month as an interior pass rusher. If Carlos Dunlap and the other edge rushers can get Murray to step into the pocket, Poona might be there to feast.
Seahawks lose this one by..
Russell Wilson not being able to correct his game enough and the turnovers keep happening. To be honest, it’s hard for me to imagine this happening, but if the Cardinals jump up early like the Bills did a couple weeks ago, Russ might start feeling the weight of the world again, and in that, he might press like he has done in back to back weeks. A huge key to the game is for Russ not to get stuck doing this again.
The defense still finding little answers to stopping Murray even with bringing pressure. In this scenario, even if Russell has one of his better games, the Seahawks will be in danger losing another shootout. Stopping Murray might even be too tall of an ask. The more realistic scenario might be do enough to slow him down enough so that Russell can win this shootout. This might be the key to the game.
My Prediction
Enjoy this game, Twelves. Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks right their ship.
Seahawks get revenge and win, 38-31.
While Seattle gets back to it’s meat and potatoes DNA on offense a bit more by running the ball, the big beneficiary of that will be Russell Wilson. Expect a big game out of him. Expect him to get everyone involved from the running backs to the tight ends to his star receivers.
Defensively, expect Seattle to have a better effort this time around on Kyler Murray. They won’t stop him, but they can harass him enough into just enough mistakes to help Russ win this shootout this time around. Like with Russell, there is pride on the line for key defenders like Bobby Wagner and Jamal Adams. They will want to wash the taste out of their mouth from the last two weeks badly in this game. Expect inspired efforts out of these two and expect other defenders to feed of that. Just a big hunch that I have.
This is the way that I see it, anyways. I just don’t see Russell Wilson losing three straight games, even with this maligned defense.
I could end this whole review of this game by simple leaving it all right there. Instead, allow me to offers some notes and thoughts.
The Good
After having another predictable rough start to the game, Seattle’s maligned defense actually put together a decent effort against a more rested Ram offense, largely due to the inspired play of safety Jamal Adams. He did everything that he could to will this team to a win. He was sticky against the run, and he harassed Ram QB Jared Goff into sacks and turnovers and bad throws. He did this while playing on a bad shoulder. For the first time this season, Jamal Adams truly impressed me and made me see why this team traded so much to get him. It was an inspiring effort.
Defensive tackle Poona Ford and nickel corner Ugo Amadi also played inspired and made plays. Each game, when these two youngsters are on the field, they almost always do something splashy. With Ford, it’s often dropping a running back for a loss or forcing a fumble, and lately he has been making his presence felt as an interior rusher, and in this game he finally gathered a much deserved sack. With Amadi, it’s often using his ability to close in fast on receivers and ball carriers like a missile, and in this game he had a gorgeous tackle for loss on a screen play doing just that. There has been a lot wrong with Seattle’s defense this season, but these two young players have not been part of the negative issues.
Rookie linebacker Jordyn Brooks also made his presence felt on the defense. It feels like he might be starting to turn the corner as a starter and this is a good thing for the defense.
It was nice to see Alex Collins back in a Seattle uniform and looking effective running the ball.
Jason Meyers hit a 61 yard field goal and set a franchise record, and that was AWESOME.
The Bad
“With great power comes great responsibility.”
Most of us know that quote from Spider-Man when a young Peter Parker is being guided by his Uncle Ben as to how to properly move forward with his new found superpowers. This applies to Russell Wilson, especially if he wants to continue to cook.
I will be blunt about my ultimate assessment of this game. Russell Wilson lost this game for Seattle. Sorry Let Russ Cook crowd, but you can’t hide from this truth.
He turned the ball over three times in a game that had critical meaning for winning the NFC West. He threw as stupid of an interception as I have ever seen him throw when he decided to heave the ball twenty yards down field to the corner of the end zone to tight end Will Dissly when he had two defensive backs in his area, instead of tucking the ball and running for what might have been a twenty yard touchdown score because there was no defender in front of him. That is bad football. In fact, that is really, really bad football.
I’m not going to get much into the other pick where he decided to thread the needle to another tight end covered against a corner, and I won’t bother with the fumbled snap because it was a bad snap from center (but Russ needed to still secure it). I’m just going to say that in two games, Russ has turned the ball over seven times, and that is unacceptable.
Last week, you could lay blame on the defense and maybe some play-calling, but not in this game against the Rams. The defense turned around and played inspired enough for Seattle to win this one, and Brian Schottenheimer drew up some inspired plays. No, this was all on Russ.
If Russell Wilson wants to continue to cook through 2020, he has to get back to playing much, much sharper for Seattle to have any chance of winning their highly competitive division. He has to do it starting this Thursday night against a talented Arizona Cardinal team that already beat them a few weeks ago.
He needs to make better decisions, and he needs to go back to making an effort to protect the ball. Cooking does not mean dishing up interceptions when chasing passing yardage and passing touchdowns while in an MVP hunt. At this juncture, cooking means taking what defenses are giving him, and in this case against the Rams, that Ram defense offered miles of green grass to scamper towards an end zone when they chose to blanket that end zone with coverage.
In three of the last four games, Russell Wilson has not being playing MVP worthy ball. He has been playing either mediocre to bad ball, and I sense that head coach Pete Carroll is getting tired of it. Good. He should. Turning the ball over like this on offense completely cuts against every grain of what he preaches as a head coach.
If Russ want to cook, if he wants the key to the car, then he has to show that he can drive it better. No excuses. No blaming the defense. No blaming play calling. He has to play better because that is what a true MVP candidate would do.
The good news is that I firmly believe that he can, and that he will. But he needs to do it now.
The Ugly
See everything that I just wrote above in The Bad section. Russell Wilson lost this game for Seattle. Period. End of story.
Moving Forward
Play better football, Russ.
You wanted to cook. You wanted the keys to the family car from Dad. Okay, well then, you need to drive it better. You need to show that you are responsible enough to make the right decisions behind the wheel.
In the last two weeks, you have been driving recklessly, and if you continue to do that against this Thursday against the Cardinals, I think Dad is going to take those keys away, and the whole Let Russell Cook thing will be toast for the rest of 2020.
Dad is all about protecting the ball. You, above everyone else on the team, should know this.
In all honestly, this is what you’ve been best known for in this league. It’s not been the flashy scrambling, and all the wow plays with your arm. It’s been your smart decisions coupled with your physical talents. It’s been your efficiency as a passer. That is what has always set you apart.
For the last month, we have not see nearly enough of that. Your play has become something closer to that of Jay Cutler than anything Aaron Rodgers, and that is not you.
So, get back to being you. This team needs that more than anything else if 2020 is to be anything special. It’s all on you.
No team has given the Pete Carroll/Russell Wilson era Seattle Seahawks more problems than the Los Angeles Rams. They gave this team fits when they were a pathetic basement dwelling NFC West franchise in St Louis, and they have given this team considerably more fits since they moved back to Los Angeles to become a title contender.
The best way to defend Russell Wilson is to keep him inside the pocket, and then get inside pressure on him. No team in football does this better than the Rams. They play 3-4 defense with speed and athleticism on the edges, and they have the best pass rushing interior defensive linemen in the game in Aaron Donald. They also have a very pesky secondary that can cover to keep Russell hanging onto the ball a lot longer than he should against Donald and the rest of the Rams front.
The Rams also have an offensive minded head coach that appears to have Pete Carroll’s defense well figured out, and more often than not, Sean McVay has dismantled the effectiveness of that defense with the greatest of ease. He knows how to attack the zones with the pass, and he knows how to attack the perimeters with the run.
For Seattle to win against this team, the have to be patient with the offense, shrewdly mixing the run with pass. The best way to slow down Aaron Donald is to run at him and Seattle has an offensive guards that can push him around a bit.
Also for Seattle to win against this team, they need to get to Ram quarterback Jared Goff and force him into mistakes. This is likely why they traded for Jamal Adams and Carlos Dunlap. Getting to Goff enough can cripple McVay’s offense.
Heading into this game, Seattle might well play their third straight game without there two best running backs, which would not be good, and it is a mystery who will be the starting corner opposite of Tre Flowers because both Shaquill Griffin and Quinton Dundar will not suit up. To make matters even more in favor of the Rams (who have no fear playing Seattle) is the fact that they will be well rested off of their bye week, and Seattle will be coming off of a tough road loss against the Buffalo Bills where Russell Wilson was hit early and often.
To put is simply, for Seattle to win this game, they will have to do a lot of things right coming off of a game in which they did a lot of things wrong in all phases of the game.. and they will have to do this without key starters at corner, at center, and very possibly at running back.
This is a game that should scare even the most optimistic Seahawk fan.
Seahawks beat the Rams by..
Successfully mixing the run game with the pass game, and not putting everything on Russell Wilson’s shoulder like they did against the Bills. This is easier said than done, especially if Chris Carson and Carlos Hyde will not be playing, and the load falls back on the shoulders for rookie runner DeeJay Dallas. One positive is that Dallas did run better against the Bills than he did against the 49ers, but one negative is that the Rams’ run defense is much better than the Bills’. Seattle doesn’t need to necessarily run all over the Rams, but they do need to be effective enough so that the Rams don’t key all game long on Russell Wilson.
Russell Wilson playing much smarter and sharper will help Seattle sneak out a W. One thing in Seattle’s favor is that Russell usually follows a poor outing with a much better one. Perhaps no quarterback is better in the league than Russell at this. Getting Russell moving out and hitting receivers could neutralize the Rams pass rush has effectively as a run game. The real key is to not have the Rams going after Russell as a sitting duck in the pocket. Russell moving around forces defenders and defensive coaches to think more. Russell needs to get these defenders thinking.
Seattle’s defense responds to the lousy effort against the Bills with a much better one against the Rams. After watching the Seattle defenders last week, this would almost seem like an impossible task. However, it is possible that Jamal Adams shakes off more rust, and Carlos Dunlap gets more settled into his primary pass rush role. Seattle also holds a bit of a mystery as to who starts at left corner, or if the lack of depth there has them changing up their scheme a bit. There is a small chance that this could catch the Rams off guard.
Seattle loses to the Rams by..
Staying too one dimensional on the offense, and Russell Wilson get rattled to making the same kind of mistakes as he did against the Bills. The Rams defense already has his number more than most other defenses do. If they can take away the threat of the run, and force Russ to beat them from the pocket, this would almost certainly guarantee a Ram victory. This is not the defense that would want to be one dimensional against, and this is not a defense that a short quarterback wants to stay inside the pocket passing against all game.
The Rams take advantage of the lack of depth at corner for Seattle, and they take the same approach the Bills did in that they just stay with the pass game because Seattle chooses to play soft as a result. Seattle almost certainly have to get pressure on Goff, and if they play soft, it probably means that they won’t be getting pressure. The Rams are a better running team than a passing one this season, but this is a game that they might abandon the run if they have early success with the pass that the Seahawks don’t have answers for. Seattle needs keep that from happening.
My Prediction
Practically all logic says that the Los Angeles Rams hand Seattle its third loss of the season this Sunday. Seattle’s struggling defense, on paper, looks even more vulnerable with lord-only-knows-who is going to play at left corner. If both Chris Carson and Carlos Hyde don’t play in this game, that is going to force Seattle to lean into DeeJay Dallas who I am positive that no Ram defender fears.
If Seattle can’t run, and if they can’t stop the pass, there is very little chance that they pull out a win. It feels like a given Seattle is going to drop this game.
However, I am going to go against logic in this one. I predict that Seattle pulls out a gutsy road win against an over confident Rams team that has shown chinks in it’s armor this season, especially on offense with inconsistent play at quarterback. The Seattle Seahawks win, 27-23.
Russell Wilson has a gritty gut check game, and does just enough to put Seattle in the lead and stay there. I like his chances to play a sharp and efficient game against this defense similar to what he did against the 49er defense recently.
I also think Seattle is going to go after Goff and force him to beat them with an aggressive game plan, just like they did against Jimmy Garappolo a couple weeks ago. How they go about it might surprise. Look for Seattle to be less predictable with their blitzing, especially with Jamal Adams. Look for Seattle to send players that haven’t been sent that often. Goff is a quarterback that you can confuse, and Seattle does just enough of that.
This is the biggest homer pick that I will likely make all season. Most metrics say LA should win this game, but I have also noticed that when most metrics say that, often times the underdog surprises. There is some legitimate to having your backs against the wall and having that motivate, especially when it is a team fighting for their division.
Seattle will definitely have their backs up against it in this one, and that is why I am predicting a Seattle Seahawk victory. Call me a homer all you like.
Anyone following this blog is aware that occasionally I huddle together with my expert panel to discuss a broader topic. It’ almost always related to something Seahawks, as a blog called 12th Life would lead you to expect.
For example, every NFL mid season, we offer our mid season grades to position groups and coaching of the Seattle Seahawks once the team has played through eight games, which they now have, and which we are doing now. It’s a fun reflection, and we hope you enjoy it.
My expert panel includes myself, along with my tabby cat Earl, and my long haired black cat Kam.
Here are our grades.
Quarterback: A-
Curtis: For the most part, Russell Wilson has been cooking pretty well. This offense is a high scoring machine built off of his arm talent. He’s on pace to shatter franchise records for passing yardage and touchdowns, but he is also on pace to throw more interceptions that he ever has, which is a likely blemish that comes with passing more.
Kam: Russ cooking makes me purr and roll around on the floor and play bite your hand. I love Russell Wilson. I just hope that he doesn’t cook so much that the team gets him killed when defenses now decide to send the kitchen sink at him.
Earl: I don’t get the whole Let Russ Cook scene. This team used to be about balance, and now they are out of balance. Yes, he is their best player. Yes, the offensive attack should now go more through him. I get all that, but sometimes you want to grind a little clock, especially help give a struggling defense a bit of a breather. Russell is now on pace to throw sixteen interceptions, which is very Jay Culter-esque, and I worry now that defenses are figuring out how to rattle him more with blitzing. Therefore, I am the lone dissenter. I say little Russ simmer just a bit.
Running Back: B
Earl: Chris Carson is the guy that I’d like to see cook a bit more, and I would also like to see him signed to a long term extension. I know he gets banged up, and misses a few games, but look how much better this offense is when he is cooking with Russ than when he misses time. Pay the man.
Curtis: I would like to see Carson extended, as well. For my money, he’s running style blends perfectly with Russell’s passing attack. I think he’s a tone setter, as well. His presence was missed the last couple weeks. Short sample size, but there are things that I like about rookie DeeJay Dallas.
Kam: Chris Carson plays running back like a Marvel character. My problem is the depth behind him. Carlos Hyde pulling his hammy has hindered this team. Obviously, they don’t trust Dallas enough to carry more, otherwise they would have kept with him more against the Bills, and Travis Homer is not a threat to run the ball. This team needs Rashaad Penny back. Hard to grade this group higher than a B when Carson predictably misses a few games.
Wide Receiver: A+
Curtis: For my money, this is the position group on the team that I feel best about. I feel best about it now, and I feel even better about it moving forward in the future. DK Metcalf should be a super star for years. Compare him to Megatron all you want, or Terrell Owens. I compare him to Seattle Supersonic legend Shawn Kemp.
Earl: DK Metcalf is a motherfudging beast, but for my cheddar, Tyler Lockett is the man. This dude out shakes all defenders constantly, and he fricking catches everything. For a little guy, he even hauls in the contested stuff. He’s the man.
Kam: Watching DK Metcalf abuse corners makes me roll around on the floor, and play bite. If I were play-calling, I’d line him up everywhere. I’d play in inside, outside. I’d play him at tight end on occasion, and I’d even line him up at running back, BUT I”M CRAZY LIKE THAT!
Tight End: B-
Kam: Tight ends haven’t been used as much as I thought they would, but I love me some Will Dissly and Jacob Hollister. Anyone see where Greg Olsen is? I’m cute.
Earl: If they are going to continue down the whole Let Russ Cook road, I want to see the tight ends used more. Defenses are starting to take away the deep moon balls to DK and Tyler. Russ has got to give them something else to think about, and they have too much talent here to under use this group. Jacob Hollister has been really good lately.
Curtis: I agree about getting the tight ends more involved. Going two tight end more also makes the offense less predictable in terms of defending the pass and run. I’ve been underwhelmed with their use of them, but it also might be a situation where they have been going to the hot hands more with the receivers.
Offensive Line: B+
Curtis: This has been the surprise group for me. Damien Lewis has been a stud at right guard, and Brandon Shell has been really good at right tackle. Ethan Pocic at center is the biggest surprise player on the team this year, though. This is the guy that I think that the team might want to lock into a long term contract.
Earl: Duane Brown is a fricking stud. God, I hope that he doesn’t retire anytime soon. Like, I hope that he plays until he’s forty. Please God. Pretty please.
Kam: I can’t wait to see Chris Carson back because, I can’t wait to see guys like Damien Lewis blocking more downhill again. This is the best pass blocking line Pete Carroll has ever put together in Seattle, but let these dogs eat. I’m cute.
Defense Line: C-
Curtis: We are being generous with this grade, and in all honesty, the seven sack performance against the Bills bumped them up to this C- grade. Up until they trade for Carlos Dunlap, they were working on an incomplete.
Kam: Jarran Reed has been decent at defensive tackle, but he’s had no reliable edge rush help. Funny that the addition of Dunlap on a field last Sunday coincided with 2.5 sacks for Jarran in that game. Not to say that he suddenly turns into Aaron Donald, but I like Jarran Reed. People who don’t are dumb.
Earl: Terrible. That’s the only word that I can use to describe this line. No ability to consistently rush with four players has lend to the team blitzing more, and that has left their secondary and linebackers exposed in coverage. Why hasn’t they activated Snacks Harrison yet off of the practice squad yet?! That fricking drives me nutz and I wanna poop on your pillow because of that. Maybe Dunlap helps this squad, but right now, I grade them as suck ass.
Linebacker: C+
Earl: Bobby Wagner seems slower. If they would fricking get Snacks Harrison actually playing in front of him, maybe that will finally free him up more to make more plays. KJ Wright has probably been the better player overall. I haven’t seen rookie Jordyn Brooks enough to make a call on his play, but I know that I don’t need to see much more of Cody Barton. Give me Snacks!
Kam: Give me more Jordyn Brooks. His speed on the field is instantly noticeable. Also, I agree about getting Snacks Harrison in at defensive tackle. Bobby and KJ deserve to be able to play cleaner. They need better space eating defensive tackle play in front of them. Give me Snacks! I’m cute.
Curtis: Bobby Wagner had a stellar game against the 49ers when he was cut him loose to make plays. Against the Bills, they had him covering receivers who are tops in the league. It was hard to watch. This unit is suffering for two reasons, as I see them. One, they are suffering because of the defensive line play in front of them, and two, they are suffering because Pete Carroll and Ken Norton Junior have not fully defined what this defense is. Are they an aggressive attacking defense, or are they a soft zone defense? For me, they are caught in a no man’s land in between, and it’s frustrating to watch.
Secondary: D
Curtis: It pains me to say it, but this has been the most disappointing area of the team, by far. The trade for Jamal Adams was supposed to make this an area of strength. Yes, injuries have been an issue, but injuries happen everywhere. Yes, lack of quality pass rush has hurt a bunch, but for my eyes, I see this group using poor technique and fundamentals all the time. The safeties miss too many tackles. The corners are using crappy technique. These are fixable things, but they have to fix them now.
Kam: I’m embarrassed by this group. It’s embarrassing to watch them right now. What is Jamal Adams, anyway? Seems to me like he is more of a rush linebacker than a safety. That’s terrible. This defense needs Kam Chancellor to step in an teach these guys how to play together on the back end. Gimme Kam!
Earl: I’m so angry about the state of this squad, I’m going to poop on your pillow. W.T.F
Special Teams: B+
Kam: Michael Dickson has been a freaking stud of a punter. The kicker guy has been steady. If it weren’t for allowing that big return at the start of the game in Buffalo, I’d give this squad on A, but then that play happened.
Curtis: Special teams has been pretty good all year. Dickson has been an all-pro.
Earl: If you think that I am going to talk about special teams and the kickers, I am going to poop on your pillow.
Coaching. B-
Earl: Pete Carroll is a master at building a positive culture, and he is showing an ability to now adapt to a pass happy league with the Russell Cooking thingy. However, this is his defense, not Ken Norton’s. This defense is lousy. He needs to fix it, or they ain’t going anywhere in the playoffs.
Curtis: Brian Schottenheimer has been doing his best coaching, and bravo to Pete for letting him open up the offense for Russell Wilson. Their defense is broke, and for Pete Carroll being a defensive minded head coach, it’s hard to reconcile that. They have time to fix it, but they have got to do it now.
Kam: Kam Chancellor would help fix that defense. I know that he’s my namesake, but I’m being real here. The player would listen to him. Hire him Coach Carroll. Hire him today. He doesn’t have to take over the play calling for Ken, but he can cleanup the fundamentals in the secondary. I’m happy as pie about the offensive coaching, but a big part of the problem on the defense is lack of fundamentals and it’s tough to argue that isn’t on the coaches. Gimme Kam! I’m cute.
Closing Thoughts.
Curtis: The second half of the schedule is going to soften up for this team. They are sitting at 6-2, and are on pace to go 12-4. It’s doable. If they can at least split these two tough games coming up against the Rams and Cardinals, they will be in good shape for that. If they can’t, well..
Kam: Well, the they should’ve hired Kam Chancellor to fix that secondary because that will have been the likely reason why they didn’t split those two games.
Earl: Let’s be real. With this defense, they are a 10-6 wildcard team. Russ will pass for more yards and touchdowns than he ever has before, but he will likely also throw more interceptions than he ever has. That’s the whole reality about letting him cook. Yeah, with the soft looking second half schedule they might well win more than ten games, and they might even win the division, but if this defense doesn’t improve, don’t expect any deep playoff run. At least, I am not. I’m just keeping it real.
Curtis: But if they do manage to fix the defense?
Earl: Then maybe, just maybe, you can get excited about some championship talk. But if that happens, and they still fall short, expect a stinker on your pillow.. because that’s the way I roll. Go Hawks.
Let me share with you this text exchange that I had with my older brother following Seattle’s horrific defensive effort against the Buffalo Bills last Sunday.
“How is it you sack the quarterback like 8 or 9 or 10 times and still get burnt for a bunch of points?..”
“Horrible. I’ve lost faith in Ken Norton Junior as a play caller but we’re stuck with him the rest of the year.”
That was my response to my brother’s question, and it’s true. I have lost faith in Ken Norton Junior as Seattle’s defensive coordinator. Since he was hired to take the place of Kris Richard in 2018, I have witnessed this defense get worse each season, and this season, they are on pace to shatter records in terms of passing yards allowed. They are a million miles away from what a Pete Carroll defense is supposed to be.
A Pete Carroll defense is supposed to be able to pass rush with four defensive linemen, and they can’t. They have to send an extra defender and that leaves their coverage exposed.
A Pete Carrolll defense is supposed to only give up short passing yards, and they give up intermediate to deep yardage all the time with the soft coverage that they feel forced to play.
A Pete Carroll defense is supposed to feature sure tacklers at all three levels of the defense, and they miss tackles at all three levels.
Finally, a Pete Carroll defense is supposed to be fundamentally sound in technique, and their technique appears out of wack often.
The only thing that you can say this defense does that a Pete Carroll defense is supposed to do is slow down the run, but let’s be real about that. Because they offer so much yardage through the air, most teams that they are facing aren’t running the ball as much. Buffalo barely ran against this defense. They didn’t need to.
So, yeah. I’ve lost faith in Ken Norton Junior, and I say that knowing that this defense has not consistently been playing with all of it’s parts. I know that it’s rebuilt secondary has barely played with each other due to injuries to Jamal Adams and Shaquill Griffin. I know that their pass rush took a hit by not having Bruce Irvin or second round edge rusher Darrell Taylor mixing in with Benson Mayowa. I know first round pick Jordyn Brooks has missed a few games due to a knee injury. All this doesn’t matter to me. There are too many other veterans and starters who have been playing out of wack.
Bobby Wagner has had only one great game this season, and it was against an injury ravished 49er offense. Jarran Reed signed a big two year contract extension to provide pass rush inside, and there have been many times that he has not won one on on battles (granted maybe that changes now that Seattle has finally added a legit edge rusher in Carlos Dunlap as he had a great game against the Bills). KJ Wright has had some great moments this season, but he has also missed tackles that, frankly, he should not miss. Quandre Diggs has not lived up to the promise that he showed last year at free safety. When Jamal Adams has played, he’s done well rushing the passer, but has been quite spotty in coverage.
Don’t get me wrong, there are major talent issues that explain partly why this defense has been bad. Seattle did a lousy job building its pass rush over the off-season. They went cheap to add where they most needed to add to make this defense better, and it bit them in the butt big time. Maybe Dunlap fixes things, but it never should have gotten to having to make a mid season trade. They should have fixed it months ago.
But saying all that, even with talent deficiencies, there is no excuse for established veterans to be playing with poor fundamentals. This, to me, is on the coaching. Fundamentals have likely not been emphasized nearly enough.
Now, it is quite possible that Covid interrupted their ability to properly hammer fundamentals over the off-season. Defenses have struggled league wide. This is very true. But Seattle’s defense is historically struggling and that is the big distinction. Huge, actually.
To make matters worth, I have lost faith that Norton has even the ability or willingness to put his best players in the best positions to have success. Bobby Wagner should not be covering Stefon Diggs down field. He is not a nickel corner, he’s a middle linebacker, and Diggs is one of the very best receivers in the league. Jarran Reed is Seattle’s best interior pass rusher, and it fricking drives me nuts seeing him drop back into coverage on third downs. His job is to pass rush and run stop, that’s his job.
So, yeah. I’ve lost faith in Norton. Doesn’t mean that it can’t be earned back, but I am not holding my breath on that.
So should Pete Carroll fire Norton now at the mid season point?
It would be a bold move that might light a needed spark in his defense. It could also be a bold move that could backfire. We have no idea if it would work, but many are now contending that at least it would be something, and that’s fair.
From my point of view, Pete Carroll shouldn’t be concerned whether or not he will lose the locker room. He just signed a contract extension that makes him head coach through 2025. Players know who’s team this is.
It’s very possible that star middle linebacker Bobby Wagner would be hugely upset by firing Norton, and probably his best friend KJ Wright would be right there with him. Norton is like a big brother to them, and they rejoiced a couple years ago when Norton was brought in to replace Richard.
Seeing how they have never really had much of a chance to acclimate Jamal Adams to the defense due to injury, nor did they give much of a chance for Norton to work with new edge rusher Dunlap, they would indeed have some high grounds to make a big stink about that if Carroll dumps their big brother now. There is a very real chance that a Norton firing would alienate two of Carroll’s best veteran defenders to dangerous levels.
The thing that I see with both players, though, is that both of them are highly stand up and professional types. While they might protest heavily at Norton being fired, they might ultimately put it aside for the sake of the defense.
We just don’t know what direction it would go with them, and we also don’t know who Carroll would even replace Norton with. That’s the bigger issue in my mind.
Who on this coaching staff would step in? Clint Hurtt is a good defensive line coach, but I don’t think he has ever play called before.
Would Carroll do it all by himself? That’s a big burden to put on himself when he also likes to be involved with the offense on occasion.
Fans will bring up bringing in Dan Quinn now that he’s been fired from Atlanta as their head coach, but does he want to step in mid season to deal with the hard task of fixing Seattle’s defense? Or does he just want to take the year off and have a breather? I kinda think he’d lean towards the latter.
Kris Richard would be the other obvious outside option with ties to the team. But does he want to return to where he was essentially fired a few years ago?
I just don’t think Carroll is going to fire Norton now, even if he should
Pete Carroll is very loyal to his coaches, and I think he is looking at the fact that they have never really had the defense playing together as it was intended to be, and he is no where near firing Norton at this point. He’s going to want to play this out.
He also knows that he has too many key defenders that will want him to do that in Wagner and Wright, and he won’t want to shake their moral.
So, I just don’t see a firing happening now. They will let this play out. They will have more patience than fans.
I think there is an outside shot that they could bring someone in from the outside to advise, but I don’t know who that person is.
It’s possible that they fix this defense enough to make Seattle a true Super Bowl contender in a Let Russ Cook kinda year. It’s also very possible that they won’t be able to do enough, and Seattle falls short of those expectations.
If that happens, I think changes are likely to be made next off-season.
Sometimes.. sometimes, in life.. sometimes something so suck ass comes along that you are left no other recourse than to laugh at it. Call it survival instincts, as it is probably just that. At least it’s that for me.
Yeah. So, after watching Russell Wilson get semi shell shocked into giving up multiple turnovers against a Buffalo Bills defense that supposedly wasn’t very good, while watching a Seattle Seahawk defense surrender an ungodly amount of yardage and points, while somehow managing SEVEN SACKS, I stopped getting angry about what I was witnessing. I know a good bed wetting whenever I see it, and that was much much worse than any bed wetting.
Folks, the Seattle Seahawks pooped themselves. They pooped themselves hard.
They didn’t have the better quarterback, they didn’t have the better defense, they didn’t have the better coaching staff, and therefore, they were not the better team. They sucked. They sucked all over the field. They sucked on offense, defense, and special teams. They sucked as a coaching staff. They sucked butt.
They pooped themselves. Sorry I am being so anal focused about it, but it was all butt.
It’s okay. We all have our moments of unbridled suck ass. It does not mean that we are suck ass. It’s just means that on occasion, we suck ass. It happens.
The Seattle Seahawks are not a bad team. They are certainly not a team that is going to now slip away from playoff contention. They still lead their division. In fact, at the mid point of this season for them, they stand on a healthy 6-2 record. They are on pace to win about twelve games, if all goes well during a second half of their season where the schedule gets much softer.
And further more, guess who also sucked butt on Sunday? The almighty Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who got smoked by the Saints much worse that Seattle did by the Bills, and frankly, the Bills are likely a much better team than the Saints. They pooped themselves much, much worse, and Tom Brady played much, much worse than Russell Wilson did. It happens.
This is football, and this is life. It’s not a matter of whether or not you poop yourself, it’s a matter of what you do afterwards as a result. Fortunately for Seahawk fans, Russell Wilson usually responds to a bad outing with a much better outing the following week. His record after a loss is astoundingly good.
Trust that the Seahawks’ season is not lost after this outing. While their defense will likely not be a great one this season, trust that it can get better, because, frankly, I don’t think it can get much worse than it was in this game.
Will this defense be good enough for Seattle to properly win a championship? I dunno, but I will say that this is 2020, and this has been a weird ass year. So, maybe it will.
Here are my notes about the game.
The Good
For as bad as the defense was, and they were horrid, they still managed to generate seven sacks. Jarran Reed had a strong game pass rushing at defensive tackle (tallied 2.5 sacks for himself) and kinda showed what he is capable of when he has a legit edge rusher to work with now that Carlos Dunlap is here. Dunlap also had a really strong game rushing as the new starting leo end. KJ Wright, Jamal Adams, and Bobby Wagner also provided heat.
DK Metcalf continued his hot streak as an emerging dominant wide out in this league. He was the best player on offense in this one.
Russell Wilson did a good job getting the tight ends involved, and Jacob Hollister especially had a good game. I’m kinda glad Seattle didn’t trade him off now.
Rookie DeeJay Dallas provided a nice impact running the ball, and frankly, he wasn’t used nearly enough, in my opinion. This was bittersweet for me.
Pete Carroll signed a contract extension that will keep him as the Seahawk coach through 2025, and I think that was the best thing of the day, by far.
The Arizona Cardinals lost to the red hot Dolphins and therefore, Seattle hangs onto the division lead, which makes this loss more palatable.
The Bad
There was so much bad in this game that I don’t even want to list it all. Russ wasn’t sharp as he needed to be, and the defense was horrid will be the talk all week on Seattle sports radio, but for my money, the coaching staff pooped themselves the most in this one, especially on the defensive side.
Carroll oddly admitted, post game, that his staff under prepared the defense to handle the Bills’ passing attack. He volunteered that they had a “wonderful game plan” to defend the Bills’ run game, but didn’t have answers for their passing attack, and didn’t do a good enough job adjusting.
Wow. Look, I’m happy as pie that the Seattle Seahawks extended Pete Carroll through 2025. He’s a hall of fame head coach who is the best culture builder in the league, and I firmly believe that the Seahawks’ success over the last decade is as much due to him as it is to its quarterback, but.. wow. That’s quite the admission.
The entire strength of the Bills’ offensive attack is its quarterback and receivers. Their running attack is compliment to their passing attack, just as Seattle’s run game is now a compliment to their passing game.
Think of it this way. If you are going to defend Seattle’s offensive, you are going to look to limit Russell Wilson, not Chris Carson or DeeJay Dallas. You would have thought Seattle would have used that approach to the Bill offense and Josh Allen.
It’s entirely possible that Carroll might have embellished a bit on this one, protecting his struggling defenders by essentially saying that the coaches didn’t do enough to put them in position to play well. It was obvious that cornerback Quinton Dunbar was physically struggling to play on his gimpy knee, and Stefon Diggs was taking full advantage of that. It was also obvious that star safety Jamal Adams was playing rusty in coverage coming back from his groin injury that kept him out for over a month. I think it is safe to say that Seattle could have used Shaquill Griffin back at left corner in this game, and the Bills took advantage of that.
But still, if there is an inkling of truth to Carroll’s words about being under-prepared to face Josh Allen as a passer, that’s inexcusable. It’s going to a very interesting Tell The Truth Monday between the coaching staff and players.
Seattle’s coaching staff needs to figure out this defense and fix. There is too much talent on that side of the ball for it to be playing this badly. Jamal Adams, Bobby Wagner, Quandre Diggs, Shaquill Griffin, and Dunbar have all been under performing throughout most of the season. Those guys are supposed to be the strength of this defense. Steadier play by KJ Wright, and possibly Jarran Reed now, isn’t enough.
It’s time to fix the defense, and that means in-season coaching adjustments, they need to do it. It’s time.
The Ugly
There was so much ugly in this game, I don’t even know where to begin.
It was all ugly! Poopy ugly.
There, I said it.
Seattle’s defenders looked lethargic and slow to react in coverage from the start of the game, and they didn’t get much better as the game wore on, even when the pass rush started dialing up sacks.
Russell Wilson threw two stupid interceptions, showing a lack of patience as a passer, trying to force plays that weren’t there. Seattle needed it’s best player to play well, and he didn’t do that enough. No cooking for Russ!
Seattle’s kick off coverage gave up a huge return to start the game.
Despite how badly the Seahawks played, it’s not time to panic. Panicking is for losers and we are not them.
Seattle needs to sort out the defense better now that Jamal Adams is back, and it that, I think that using him in ways that are less predictable is going to help. Right now, it appears his biggest impact is as a blitzer. They need to vary him up there and get him factoring into coverage better.
I think it is also time to finally call up Snacks Harrison from the practice squad and allow him to be a factor at defensive tackle, keeping Jarran Reed fresher to pass rush, and more importantly, helping to keep Bobby Wagner cleaner to make plays at linebacker.
Finally, after a game like this, it’s easy to look at the next two games coming up against the Rams and Cardinals, and wince. I’m not going to do that, however. Nope. Not me.
The Bills are a really good team, and they played like a really good team against a Seattle team that was thin at corner, and was thin at running back. Still, Seattle had opportunities in this game to make it much more competitive. Had Russell not thrown two interceptions, the complexion of this game could have been different. Seattle still might have lost, but maybe they would have done enough to sneak out a win against a very good team on the road.
As much as the Rams have given the Seahawks a hard time over recent years, I’m not convinced that they are a better team than Seattle is in 2020. They have had their share of issues on offense and they have been a bit up and down defensively. I think it is entirely possible that Seattle can go down to Los Angeles next Sunday, and pull out a win. If they do that, this game against the Bills will be largely forgotten.
The thing I still really like about Seattle is the ability that their quarterback has to respond to a bad outing, and that is a huge advantage in this league. That should not be lost on Seahawk fans right now.
So, yeah. I like Seattle’s chances next week. I think they can get that win. In fact, I think they will.
Sometimes, you need to poop yourself to make these sort of things happen.
I have to admit it. I like these Buffalo Bills. They remind me a bit of my favorite team. They are coached by a defensive minded head coach who likes to take the ball away and likes to play balanced on offense mixing the run with the pass. They also have a mobile play-making quarterback who is matched with a talented group of receivers.
I think perhaps the thing that makes them even more likeable is that they are a small market team that plays in the same division as the New England Patriots, and have therefore sucked for years, and are now finally winning. That’s the thing for me. For probably most every day people, they are relatable. As this presidential election is now proving to show, most people don’t like bullies, and the Buffalo Bills look like a team that is finally built to beat the bully in their division. So, it’s easy to root for them.
Theoretically, if Seattle were to lose a game in the remaining schedule, this would be a game to drop. Preferably, Seattle goes into Buffalo and wins this one to further separate themselves in a competitive NFC West division, but losing on the road to an AFC team is better for them than losing to any NFC team in terms of conference standings and playoff seeding. As Seahawk fans, we just really want them to win as much of the games against NFC opponents as possible. We know that, and they know that, as well.
For Seattle to come into Buffalo and play with the edge needed to beat this likeable upstart AFC East opponent, they will likely need to dig deep to find the motivation and will. Fortunately, for Seattle Seahawk fans, it looks like motivation will be there.
Russell Wilson has already stated that November 9th is his father’s birthday. Russell was extremely close to his father before he passed away, and he will want to win this one for Pop. Another thing about Russ is, despite the nice guy persona, like other premiere highly competitive athletes throughout time such as Michael Jordan, he often digs deep to find reasons to beat an opponent.
It will not be lost to Russell Wilson that a few years ago when he was entering the final year of his contract, Seahawk general manager John Schneider made a point to be at Josh Allen’s pro day workout days before the NFL draft. Obviously, Seattle was in no real position to draft him, and Buffalo was, but it was reported that Schneider’s visit there prompted Russell’s agent to call and say “hey, what’s are we cool here?”
While it’s likely that Schneider’s motivation to visit the Allen workout was likely more of a ploy to use as leverage in what was going to be a difficult contract negotiation with this agent than anything else, it is probably not lost on Russell who is quarterbacking the team that he is playing against this Sunday. Russell is going to want to beat Josh Allen in this one. He’s going to want to make a point. It will be a big motivational factor for him.
Another star player on Seattle’s roster who will likely find motivation in this one is Jamal Adams. It will be his first game back since injuring his groin against the Cowboys in week three, and it will be a game against a former AFC East foe. He will be charged up to prove Seattle made the right choice trading high draft capital for his services at strong safety, and he will be charged up to beat the Buffalo Bills.
Seattle wins this game because..
Russell Wilson cooks like a lethal culinary football assassin against a Buffalo defense that has struggled to defend the red zone and has given up a lot of yardage on the ground and through the air. Buffalo has some weapons on defense that Russ needs to be aware of, but they may not have enough to cover all of Russell’s weapons. It’s already proven that if you look to take away DK Metcalf, things open up for Tyler Lockett and vice versa. Plus there is David Moore to contend with, and Seattle is deep at tight end. Buffalo is a good team to run against and this would be a game in which you would want Chris Carson to play in, but he won’t and that still might not enough to slow down Seattle’s attack. Seattle might pass to set up opportunities to run.
Rookie runner DeeJay Dallas has a break through game in this one. He met a tough defensive front to run against in San Francisco, and it showed, yet he still found a way to make key runs at critical times. It’s likely that Buffalo isn’t going to feel threatened by Seattle’s backfield without Carson, and they won’t honor the run as much. It’s likely that they will try to blitz Russell. It’s probably likely that Seattle is anticipating this, and will look for opportunities to use Buffalo’s aggression against them. One thing that Dallas is coming out of college is a really good pass catching running back. Expect Seattle to set up some screen passes to him that if they are successful with, are likely going to force the Buffalo defenders to back off some. That should open up opportunities to run as the game wears on, and I think Dallas is an underrated runner. This could be a big game for him.
Seattle’s defense gets enough of a boost from the return of Jamal Adams and the addition of pass rusher Carlos Dunlap. There are some unknowns that Buffalo’s offense has to deal in this one. Seattle is likely going to be more aggressive with their blitzes like they were last week against San Francisco, but with Adams mixing in with Bobby Wagner and others, it might be less predictable where the blitzes come from. With Dunlap added to the edge rush, Seattle might now have more ability to win one on one match ups with their defensive line rotation now, and if that proves to be true, they can be even more varied with how they pressure and how they cover. Josh Allen is a very talented passer, but he’s young, and if he has to play chess to win, Seattle’s defense might have an advantage.
Seattle loses this one because..
They can’t find enough answers for Buffalo’s defensive pressure, and it makes the offense more one dimensional, and that leads to Russell cooking less. Seattle needs to establish the run, and they will be needing to do that with what is still unproven talent in Dallas and Travis Homer. Establishing the run, is going to all but certify that Russell cooks up a dish in this one. What happens if they can’t get the run going? Buffalo could take a page out of the Arizona Cardinals’ playbook a couple weeks ago and send a lot of constant pressure at Russell. If that leads to Russell turning the ball over, that’s a good recipe for Buffalo winning.
Seattle’s defense gives up too many big plays to Allen and they can’t get to him with pressure. Allen has next level arm strength, and he has one of the best receivers in the league in Stefon Diggs. If he connects with Diggs over the top on a few plays, that would likely cause Pete Carroll to hold off sending the dogs to play soft coverage again. That could easily lead to Allen getting the ball off quicker, and Seattle being less likely to get pressure on him, even with Carlos Dunlap. Then Seattle is going to be solely reliant on a bend don’t break defense against a Buffalo offense that has been pretty productive in the red zone. It’s important for Seattle to not get beaten over the top as they find ways to pressure Allen. This is going to be the big chess match.
My Prediction
I’m compelled to predict for the first time this season a Seattle Seahawk loss in this one, but I’m going to hold off. Seahawks win a narrow shootout in this one, 37 to 33.
Josh Allen is the type of quarterback that can give Seattle’s defense fits. He’s very mobile and he has a live arm. This means he’s much harder to sack and rattle that say, Jimmy Garoppolo. He’s very similar to Cam Newton, and historically, Newton has been a hard player for Seattle’s style to defense to sack. They key for Seattle is to get enough pressure on him at times to get him to make a mistake. With Adams and Dunlap added to this defense, and the defense perhaps now playing with more aggression, there is reason for optimism.
Conversely, Buffalo’s defense will be tasked to defend a veteran quarterback who is playing like the best quarterback in the league right now. This quarterback will find ample determination to beat the Josh Allen led Bills. He will want to extend his team’s lead in the hyper competitive NFC West which he will be facing back to back divisional foes in the next few weeks. He will also want to prove a point in his personal quest for the league’s MVP crown.
My money would easily be on the quarterback who is more veteran and perhaps the quarterback who will dig deeper in motivation. That’s quarterback is Russ, and I think he’s gonna cook in this one.
The Seattle Seahawks entered into this game without it’s top two running backs, it’s starting left guard, it’s top corner, it’s top nickel corner, it’s main edge rusher, and it’s starting strong safety. They entered the game with the worst defense in the league (at least, in terms of yards allowed), and they were facing a division opponent who was coming off of two impressive wins in a row, while they were coming off of a disappointing overtime loss last Sunday night in Arizona.
Tons of momentum was on San Francisco’s side in this one, even though they were dealt their own share of injuries. In the opening series, it appeared like San Francisco might be the better team. Their defense appeared electrically charged, and seemed to be in the playbook of the Seattle offense, forcing a quick three and out. Their offense seemed in control as they moved down the field until former 49er defensive pack DJ Reed picked off Jimmy Garoppolo, and that was enough to ignite a spark that Seattle needed. Russell Wilson started his cooking, and Bobby Wagner woke up and the Seattle defenders followed his impressive charge.
Seattle’s leader on offense, and their leader on defense took this game over (along with some other cat named DK). The final score will show that this game was more competitive than it was. It took backup 49er quarterback Nik Mullen’s coming in with fresh legs in place of injured Jimmy Garoppolo to spark the 49er offense, but the point deficit was too great, and even when he started to generate points, the 49er defense couldn’t stop Russell Wilson when they needed to do so.
Make no mistake, Seattle handled the 49ers in this one. Here are my notes.
The Good
This was a significantly better outing by a Seattle defense that has been carried through the last six games by its offense. What was most impressive to me about this defensive effort was that this defense played without four main defenders and they took Jimmy Garoppolo to the woodshed. Young players stepped up and that is a really good thing.
DJ Reed looks like Seattle now has deep competition at nickel corner between him and Ugo Amadi. It’s going to be interesting how Seattle uses both players moving forward. Pete Carroll hinted after the game that the competition is on there.
For my money, the biggest defensive plus is that rookie edge rusher Alton Robinson looks like he belongs in this league. He played stout in setting edges against the tricky 49er run game, and he got good pressure on their quarterback. I’ve been high on Robinson all through this early part of the season, and I am higher on him now. He absolutely needs to be a part of the pass rush rotation moving forward, even with the addition of newly acquired Carlos Dunlap and whomever else Seattle might trade for before the deadline on Tuesday. Robinson looks like a legit NFL pass rusher. Play him. Rotate him. Use him. He looks good.
Also showing well on the defense was another strong outing from rookie linebacker Jordyn Brooks. He looks so much like Bobby Wagner, it’s easy to get both players confused for each other. In the last two games since coming back from injury, Brooks is showing the speed and instincts necessary to stop the run, and it feels like he is just getting going. It’s exciting to me what this defense can grow into as the season moves along if he and Wagner can stay healthy and build a rapport inside with KJ Wright staying at SAM backer. His presence on the field makes Seattle’s defense faster. It will be considerably faster when they finally get star safety Jamal Adams back on the field. This is significant if Seattle’s defense is going to turn the corner this season.
After a rough opening series, Russell Wilson found his groove once Seattle starting moving him out of the pocket, and the 49er defenders had to be concerned about his legs. This opened up the offense and he started hitting his receivers (most notably DK Metcalf). Russ didn’t pass for ridiculous yardage but this was one of his sharper games in a few weeks.
We got efficient Russ in this one, and it was a much needed sight to behold. He went 27/37 in completions, 261 yards through the air, and most importantly of all, he threw 4 touchdowns and 0 interceptions against a 49er defense that hasn’t given up a lot of touchdown passes. I will always maintain that efficient Russ is the best Russ, and he was that Russ in this game. Bravo.
The player of the game for me in this one is DK Metcalf and that is taking nothing away from the strong defensive effort of Bobby Wagner, and the strong efficiency of Russell Wilson. Metcalf owned the 49er secondary. They tried as hard as they could to knock him out of the game with violence from their safeties, but it looked like each time that they collided with him over the middle, they endured the residuals of that violence more than he did. He stood his ground and took it. He also dished it out grabbing 12 passes for 161 yards and two scores. Metcalf is just scratching the surface of what he can be in this league and that appears to be a 49er nightmare for years.
It was nice to see rookie running back DJ Dallas score two touchdowns (one through the air, another on the ground). He had a tough task stepping in as a starter for Chris Carson against a hungry 49er defense, and he hung in there when there wasn’t a lot of great running lanes and the 49er linebackers closed in on him quickly whenever he caught passes. This was a gritty performance for the rookie that won’t show up in the stats.
Circling back to the defense, I think it is definitely worth noting that they were able to hold superstar 49er tight end Goerge Kittle to only 2 catches for 39 yards, and as a bonus, they knocked him out of the game. It’s significant that he was the 49ers’ best offensive weapon, and it is significant in that the Seattle defense has had problems in the past dealing with tight ends. Defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr has been taking a lot of heat lately from fans. He deserves praise in this one for scheming San Francisco’s best weapon out of this game. Good game, Coach.
Finally, the underrated play of the game was Cody Barton knocking that ball out of kickoff returner Dante Pettis and giving Seattle great field position after the scored a touchdown. Seattle was able to put another score on the board afterwards, but Barton’s timely play on special teams gifted the offense. This is how you play complete team football. This is how you complete the circle of Pete Carroll football. Barton’s special teams play this season has been really good.
The Bad
It’s hard to pick on the defense in this game, but after they knocked Jimmy Garropolo out, they allowed backup Nik Mullens to move the ball with relative ease in the fourth quarter for twenty points. I wanted a blowout against the 49ers in the worst way in the closing quarter. I felt it was my reward for enduring close victories all season long last year that were spilling into this season. Seahawk fans deserved a good old fashioned 49er beat down. Well, it didn’t quite work out that way. Mullens was able to make it a more competitive game at the end, and that has to leave a somewhat sour taste for Seattle fans pining for the old Legion of Boom days.
One offensive series that I didn’t like in this game happened in the second half when Russell started chasing his signature deep pass with a healthy lead. It wasn’t necessary. Seattle needed to keep the ball moving and they needed to chew up clock. Instead, he tried hitting Tyler Lockett with one of his signature “moon balls” in the end zone from mid field, and they didn’t connect. The series stalled and they were forced to punt. This equated to a cat playing with a mouse, and as banged up as the 49ers are, they are not a team to toy with this way. They are extremely well coached, and prideful. Just kill clock and put them away.
The Ugly
The 49er defenders were trying everything that they could to knock Seattle players out of the game, and the zebras were kind of letting them. Personally, I’m all for letting players play on defense, but what annoys me about this is that when 49er safety Mac Harris collided with DK Metcalf in a bang bang play over the middle that broke up a pass, no flag was thrown when Bobby Wagner had a similar play against the Arizona Cardinals last week and a flag was tossed.
Truth be known, I am bitching about the inconsistencies in which refs call games. I know that it is part of the game. I’ve known it for a long time, but it still chops my hide that Wagner got that penalty last week. It extended a drive for the Cardinals what was critical for them ultimately winning the game in overtime.
Why wasn’t a flag then tossed with Harris laid the lumber on Metcalf after the ball came into his hands? It was the same fricking scenario.
Either let defenders defend when it comes to bang bang situations, or don’t let them. Just give us some consistency.
I know it’s a tall ask. I know it’s like asking for a conversion to renewable energy to save the environment over jobs in the fossil fuel industry, but it’s a tall task that can happen. It’s doable. So I am asking for it.
I’m just not holding my breath that it will ever happen in my lifetime.
Moving forward
The Seattle Seahawks are now sitting pretty at 6-1, heading towards the second half of the season. By beating the 49ers, they avoided going 0-2 in the NFC West division, and that is significant. This is why this win was important.
Seattle now has extended an opportunity to stay ahead in the West, and further more, stay ahead in the NFC Conference. That’s a big deal.
They should be getting Jamal Adams this week against the Buffalo Bills, and they should be getting Carlos Dunlap to add to the pass rush. It’s also very possible that they will finally have Snacks Harrison active at defensive tackle. It will be very timely to add these three veterans to this defense in what looks to be a heavy wait match against the AFC East leading Bills.
As I write all this, I also think that there is a strong chance that this team might look to make one more significant add before the trade deadline on Tuesday. I think it is very likely that they will look to add one more player to the defensive line. Dunlap should be a boost to the pass rush, but the trade deadline provides on opportunity to add one more player that will make the defensive line a deeper rotation again, finally.
If that player is sitting out there, I think that they should pull that trigger. I know that their draft capital as dwindled, but I don’t care. If they right player is there, they should just go get him. It might not even require picks.
It is really interesting to me that they made rookie fourth round pick Cody Parkinson active at tight end late last week, thus giving them five tight ends active on the roster. Parkinson has a lot of pass catching potential. Guess who also is another pretty good young pass catching tight end already on Seattle’s roster? Jacob Hollister, who was Seattle’s third leading receiver last year.
I think it’s entirely possible Seattle could trade a player like Hollister by Tuesday for what will ultimately amount to adding another pass rusher. There could be a team out there in the playoff hunt looking to boost its passing offense that has depth on the defensive line willing to make a player for player move. Last week, I outlined a possibility with Baltimore.
While I think there is an outside chance Seattle could add an impact player at another position, like wide receiver if they want to further go all in on Russell cooking, or corner if there is lingering concerns about the health of Shaquill Griffin (along with the health history of Quinton Dunbar), I think they need to add another piece to this defensive line, specifically the pass rush.
I don’t care if it is another edge rusher to go along with Dunlap, or if it is a defensive tackle. They can use pass rush help anyway that they can get it. They are not deep enough at either spot.
As my dear old dad used to say, you can never have enough defensive linemen. So, go get another one, John Schneider. Go get one more. Be aggressive, and go all in on 2020 and the opportunity for Seattle to properly contend for a championship.
If this defense can generate just an average pass rush, if they can win occasionally with rushing just four players, that could be enough for Seattle to get back to the Super Bowl. That’s what the Kansas City Chiefs had for them last year. They were superb on offense, and they were just okay enough on defense. You can win with that.
Like two beat up gun fighters from the Wild West facing each other on the blood stained streets of Laredo, the Seattle Seahawks are set to match up against the San Francisco 49ers this Sunday. One has been winning exhausting shootouts with the reliance of the quickest most accurate gun in the West but is feeling the residual bumps and bruises received from not being able to handily put any opponent away. The other has been thrown through bar windows, punched in the face, and dragged by horse through dusty streets, only to survive this abuse with a gritty determination that would make any sharp shooter leery.
These two hate each other. They know each other, and they want to put each other away. While they see weakness in the other, they also understand the strength each other possesses. While they can each boast confidence in beating the other, in the back of their minds, they both fully know how capable the other is, and there is a degree of concern over who and what they face. Both need to bring their A game in this match.
Here is my break downs and prediction.
Seahawks beat the 49ers by..
Russell Wilson cooking up a winning recipe. The 49er defense has statistically played the pass pretty well, but Russ has lit up a defense that has statistically played it better in the New England Patriots defense. He stayed patient against that defense taking what it was giving in zone, and he found ways to beat its man coverage. The 49ers are heading into this game a bit thin at corner and safety, and I think Seattle will look to take advantage of that with their star receiving duo of DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. Also don’t be surprised if Russ starts getting rolling with his legs more as the game wears on. Here is a fascinating stat tied to Russell Wilson’s career; he’s an astounding 31-8 following a loss. Having lost a close one to the Cardinals Sunday night, history favors Russell in this one. Let Russ cook.
DK Metcalf has a big bounce back game. Tyler Lockett had an ridiculously productive game against the Cardinals, hauling in 15 catches for 200 yards and 3 touchdowns. It is likely that the 49ers are going to be paying attention to him knowing how hot he is and that Seattle is particularly banged up at running back and Russell needs to throw a lot in this match. If they put extra attention on Lockett, San Francisco doesn’t really have a physical corner to match up to Metcalf. If Russell is cooking in this game, expect a heavier dose of DK.
DJ Dallas has a good bounce back game at running back. The rookie runner has taken some heat this week about how he performed at the end of the Cardinal game, not securing a key blitz at the end when he was suddenly tossed into the mix. I have more faith in Dallas. He was noted as a good pass protector in college, and he will have had a week of preparation to potentially be the guy in this game. I also think he is a much better runner than Travis Homer in Seattle’s style of offense, and he is a really good pass catcher. The 49ers have been middle of the round defending the run this year. With a lot of anticipation that Seattle might throw a lot in this one with its injured running back situation, the 49ers may not honor the run as much in this game, and don’t be surprised if Dallas has some explosive plays on draws and screens.
Seahawks get a big boost on their defense just in time. With the 49ers as reliant as they are running the ball, this is a good game to finally get defensive tackle Snacks Harrison active, isn’t it? There’s been a lot of chatter this week about star linebacker Bobby Wagner looking like he has lost a step. I want to see how Bobby plays when he has Snacks in front of him being disruptive and soaking up double teams. I don’t think Bobby has had the luxury of staying clean as a linebacker in quite some time. Jarran Reed and Poona Ford are not space eaters at defensive tackle. Snacks Harrison is exactly that. If he plays, I would expect Bobby to play better, and I would expect KJ Wright and rookie linebacker Jordyn Brooks to continue having good efforts against the run.
Seahawk defenders force Jimmy Garoppolo into key mistakes. Seahawks won’t be getting recently traded for pass rusher Carlos Dunlap for this game due to Covid precautions, but I would expect that trade to perhaps light a fire with other pass rushers. Benson Mayowa has been playing his ass off through six games, and knowing that Seattle traded for a guy likely to eventually spell him as a starter, he might come into this game with a little extra juice off the edge. Expect Seattle to play rookie edge rusher Alton Robinson more in this one knowing Jimmy G isn’t Kyler Murray and they don’t have to use rush linebacker Shaquem Griffin as a spy. I’m not going to suggest that these guys light up the stat board with sacks, but the two things that Seattle’s defense has done through six games is playing against the run and creating turnovers. San Francisco runs the ball and their quarterback tends to turn the ball over. This could be a good match for Seattle’s defense here. I think there is a decent chance Seattle will get to Garoppolo just enough to create turnovers. The key will be taking advantage of them when they come.
Seattle loses this game to San Francisco because..
They can’t stay healthy enough at running back, lose too much balance on offense, and the 49er defenders are successful keying on Russell Wilson in the pass game. Make no mistake, Seattle is entering into this game scary thin at running back. Carlos Hyde will not play. Chris Carson will be a game time decision with a sore foot, and Travis Homer will be as well with a bruised knee. My hunch is that at least Homer will give it a go simply because he finally got a limited amount of practice in on Friday. Ideally, Carson would sit out this one, but he might push to play, and Seattle might decide to use him a bit because they are really only down to one healthy back in DJ Dallas. If injury happens to Dallas in this one, and Homer and Carson can’t go, Seattle might be forced to play a receiver like David Moore at running back. Also, a tight end might be forced to be a third down back with no threat to run. This could easily invite the 49er defense to send the house at Russell Wilson each time he passes. It could get scary in this scenario.
Seattle’s defense can not stop the running game trickery of the 49er offense. The 49ers rely on miss direction and deception in their run game to take advantage of defenders over committing. The Seattle linebackers and secondary players must stay disciple in their reads and assignments. They must trust each other. Everything San Francisco does with their pass game is built off of the run. If they have success on the ground, chances are that they will have success in the air with George Kittle at tight end, even though they are thin at receiver. This is a hug key to the game.
My prediction is..
Seahawks win this game in a battle of gritty determination, 34-30.
Russell Wilson will be extremely focused and determined in this match. He will get just enough of support in the run game from rookie runner DJ Dallas to force the 49er defenders to play honest. I also think their could be some trickery at play with jet sweeps from receivers like David Moore, and I think Russell will find ways to make the 49ers pay with his legs. I think DK Metcalf will have a bigger game.
Defensively, I think it will be another mixed bag, at best, for Seattle. They might be hyper focused to take away the run, and that could leave them exposed just enough in coverage for George Kittle to take advantage. If Seattle should surprisingly have star safety Jamal Adams active, this would be a big bonus, but I’m not expecting that. Therefore, I think San Francisco will probably move the ball and they will find their points, but in doing that Jimmy Garoppolo will make his share of mistakes against an opportunistic Seattle defense, and the game comes down to which quarterback is sharper.
Carlos Dunlap, Snacks Harrison, Jarran Reed and Benson Mayowa. That is a four man defensive line that, on paper, sounds a whole heck of lot better than LJ Collier, Poona Ford, Jarran Reed, and Benson Mayowa.
With all do respect to LJ and Poona, that is a veteran filled defensive line where offensive coaches now have to think a bit about the size, strength, and savvy of Harrison and Dunlap against the run. More over, with Dunlap added, they have to be at least a bit considered with a player that can beat you with a one on one pass rush. My hunch is that through their first six games of the season, offensive coordinators looked at Seattle’s defensive line, and breathed a sigh of relief more than anything else.
This trade for Carlos Dunlap is a nice start for Seattle to make a mid season revamp of what has been a dreadful defensive line as they head towards the second half of there season. Having Sacks Harrison now active will be a big boost as well, but Snacks is not a pass rusher, and Dunlap is. He is a legitimate pass rushing threat.
How significant is this addition? The only other player on Seattle’s roster that you can say is a pass rush threat is Benson Mayowa, and frankly, he’s probably more of a rotational piece to a pass rush on most other teams. Yet, in Seattle, he has been the guy. So far, through six games, he is tied for the team lead in sacks with two. He is tied with their starting safety Jamal Adams, who has not played for three games now. Yikes.
That’s how bad Seattle’s pass rush has been. Jarran Reed, so far, has not lived up to his expensive contract extension he signed last off-season (as a pass rusher). He had one nice game against the Vikings a couple weeks ago when he was going against one of the worst pass blocking guards in the league, but outside of that, he hasn’t done nearly enough. Poona Ford hasn’t taken a step forward to show he’s an interior pass rusher, either. LJ Collier also hasn’t proven that he’s much of a threat.
The only other defensive lineman that has flashed any real potential is rookie fifth rounder Alton Robinson, and he barely played against the Arizona Cardinals in a critical inter-divisional match last Sunday. That’s not good enough, and frankly, it’s inexcusable.
So, yes. I was leaping for joy in my living room when I heard yesterday morning that Seattle just traded for Dunlap. They desperately needed to make this deal if they are to have any shot of winning a tough NFC West division and advancing further through the playoffs.
Dunlap gives them a player that can be disruptive from either end position. At 6-6 and 285 pounds, he has length and size to play strong at the five technique position, but he also has enough quicks and athleticism to play the leo rush end spot where Pete Carroll hinted that they will use him at. With his size and length, I also wouldn’t be surprised if they ultimately end up moving him around the line on obvious passing downs like they did with Michael Bennett in years past. He is now likely the one player that they can put up against an offensive line’s weakest link to take advantage of in pass protection, thus giving others opportunities.
It cannot be overstated how significant his addition likely is to this defense line because, frankly, I think this line probably has been the worst one in professional football this year, and it was wasting the talents of those behind it. Therefore, there is little reason why I think Seattle can rest comfortably now with this addition.
They need more, and they should add at least one more piece before the trade deadline. In a year in which Russell Wilson is legitimately in MVP contention, and Seattle still has the best overall record in the NFC, Seattle should go all in for this season. There is no excuse for them not to do this.
People will point to the fact that they now have only four picks left in the 2021 draft, and are now tight against the salary cap. I loudly say to that stuff, “so what?!”
There are ways in which they can move money around to create more cap space for 2020. They can and perhaps should extend salaries to Tyler Lockett and KJ Wright, who are both playing out of their minds right now. This would free up space for this year and it would keep them around for a few more years to come. They could also do the same with Dunlap, who’s bigger salary runs through 2021. They could have him locked in through 2022 which would give him a three year window to win a Super Bowl or two after years of toiling in Cincinnati.
Also, instead of trading further picks, they could look to move players that might have value for other teams that are in a rebuild. They are overloaded at tight end, and linebacker right now. Could the possibly work out a player of player trade? I think it’s possible. Here’s one that I would explore.
Atlanta is supposedly looking to shop Tak McKinley right now, who fits Seattle’s profile at the leo end. He’s in the final year of his rookie deal that he signed as a first round pick, and hasn’t lived quite up to the billing after a promising first couple seasons in the league. He’s also been nursing a sore groin, and that likely isn’t going to help his trade value. He’s still probably a better rotational piece at leo end than anything Seattle presently has behind Mayowa right now.
Conversely, Seattle has Cody Barton at linebacker who has started for them but is probably going to be lost in the depth charts with rookie first round pick Jordyn Brooks healthy again, and Seattle also potentially activating Mychal Kendricks off their practice squad. Barton looks like a player that can be a decent coverage backer, and in a division where the Falcons play against Drew Brees, and Tom Brady twice a season, they might see value in Barton as they look to rebuild their roster, especially considering that they can have him on a cheap rookie contract for a couple more seasons.
If they aren’t finding much of a trade market for McKinley, offering Barton might get the deal done, and at least they get something for their former first rounder that can be a piece moving forward. In return, Seattle gets a player that had enough potential a few years ago to be taken in the first round that they can work into their pass rush rotation for this year, and if they like what they see, they can look to extend for future years.
In my opinion, this is a calculated roll of the dice that is worth taking for the Seahawks as they look to compete for a championship now, but also are looking further down the round. This is how a team that consistently drafts later in rounds because they routinely make the post season stays competitive in a tough NFC West conference that hosts three other teams built for both now and for the future.
This is just one example. There are probably many others out there.
I love this trade for Dunlap, but I want more. I hope that the Seattle Seahawks want more, as well, and I hope that they just go out and get more. Just be aggressive. Do it for Russell, Bobby Wagner, and KJ Wright. Do it for the fans.
Go for it. Nobody should blame the team for trying if they did, and it wasn’t enough for 2020. They will have exhausted all means to make a push. They will have gone all in.
But if they fall short of doing that, and didn’t exhaust all means to fortify their struggling defense, then fingers could be pointed a bit more. Then the bellowing sounds of self professed Russell Wilson lover Colin Cowherd (who will surely continue to hammer the point that Seattle isn’t doing enough to support their star quarterback) can and should be heard by Seahawk fans more.
Simply, there is little excuse for John Schneider to not continue being aggressive before the trade deadline next week. Frankly, I don’t even care of they further gut their 2021 draft to do it, if the right player is available. The opportunity to win the whole damn thing is here, right now. They should just go for it, and figure out draft picks later.
12th Life 