Category Archives: Seahawks Football

Updates and opinions surrounding the Seattle Seahawks

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Happy 2013

Happy New Year! 2013 is a little odd for me because it reminds me that I’ve been out of high school for a decade now. It’s probably about time I move on. Ya right! On the other hand, I am welcoming 2013 with open arms. I’ve patiently waited for 2013, and if you’ve read this blog the past couple years, you may have seen my occasional 2013 references. So what’s all my excitement over, you ask? Well, in December of 2011 I had an epiphany about the year 2013, which was that ALL 5 Seattle teams (the ones people care about), could be in position to make a run at a championship.

I surmised that the UW football team, fresh off a Holiday Bowl win, would be entering year 5 under Coach Sark, and opening up new Husky Stadium, led by senior QB Keith Price. The Mariners would be in year 5 under Jack Zduriencik, and the young nucleus he was building would be established. Coming off a promising 1st season with Pete Carroll, I figured the Seahawks could be in position to really contend in a couple years, so long as they found a franchise QB—check! Lastly, the UW basketball team, and Sounders FC (entering its 5th season), are seemingly always a threat to have a special season, so across the board 2013 was, and is, looking bright. It even crossed my mind that it might be the year the NBA returns, which it could be.

A large part of my optimism stems from the fact that for the first time in a long time, there appears to be stability with all 5 of our teams. In fact, every coach and GM has been on his respective Seattle team for 2+ years. I doubt many cities can say that, and what it means is that none of our teams are in a true “rebuilding” situation. There is reason for hope with all our teams, though now that 2013 is upon us, I can safely eliminate the Mariners and Huskies from winning it all this year. Still, could all our beloved teams have a winning season, or perhaps make a playoff run? Absolutely. Or, dare I say it, could 2013 be the year a championship is won in Seattle? If not this year, there’s always next year.

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by | January 2, 2013 · 11:30 am
by | September 6, 2012 · 12:31 pm

John Clayton: Legend

This video has gone completely viral. It’s the latest “This is SportsCenter” ad featuring John Clayton along with the west coast SC hosts, Neil Everett and Stan Verrett. I can’t tell you the level of awesomeness this video represents. The most noticeable is the “Robbed” Sonicsgate cap on Neil’s desk, along with the Seahawks Helmet in Clayton’s room. The rest is just fantastic.

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by | August 19, 2012 · 6:24 pm

Seattle Seahawks Pre-Season Game 2 – Thoughts and Observations

Russell Wilson (photo credit: Seattle Seahawks – Rod Mar)

Seattle Seahawks Pre-Season Game 2 – Thoughts and Observations

The Seahawks traveled to Denver for week 2 of the pre-season, and here are my observations:

Matt Flynn – It’s easy to look at the 6 for 13, 31 yards and scoff. But if you do that please add a completion for 46 yards and a TD, because it wasn’t Flynn’s fault T.O. dropped a gorgeous sure fire TD pass (too much butter on Terrell’s popcorn?). Owens was targeted 5 times by Flynn, none were completions, and I’ll leave it to the coaches to decide whose fault it was. My guess it was on T.O., since Flynn knows this offense like second nature. So if you add this all up, it’s hard for me to be down on Flynn when it was obvious Pete was trying to work T.O. into the passing game, maybe against the better wishes of Flynn. Overall I though Flynn looked fine, running the offense without problem. I think Flynn should start next week and start week 1 at Arizona.

Russell Wilson – Wilson, for the second week in a row, played outstanding. He made all the passes, and even scrambled 5 times for 33 yards, averaging 6.6 yards a rush. Add to this his 9.1 yard average per completion, and it’s easy to see Wilson has no trouble running an NFL offense, albeit against Denver’s second string defense. Wilson is supremely confident, and his leadership is apparent. The current debate is whether Wilson should play next week against Kansas City’s number one defense so we can see what he can do verses a solid defensive scheme. I understand the sentiment, and in a perfect world, yes, play him verses KC. But this is not a perfect world. Sept 9 is just around the corner, and Flynn needs all the reps he can get with the ones to build timing. I think the Hawks have a great problem on their hands, both Wilson and Flynn can play, and play well. It’s a far cry from Jackson and Whitehurst. Let’s hope Seahawks fans don’t forget that.

Marshawn Lynch – Lynch played a couple series and looked great. Beast Mode is back. 6 carries for 37 yards for a 6.2 YPC average. The offensive line opened up some nice holes. It is extremely clear the Seahawks love to run the ball. It’s their bread and butter. The ease at which they run left, or run right is fun to watch. The great thing about a solid running game is it translates. Road, away, good weather, bad weather, no matter, just hand off the ball, get chunks of yards and move the chains.

Special Teams – Steve Hauschka was automatic. The Hawks punt protection though? Horrible, two blocked punts by the Broncos. Gotta tighten that up.

Defense – Mixed bag here. The Hawks got very little pressure on Manning, which allowed him to dink and dunk the Hawks to death on a couple drives. The flip side of the coin though was the three turnovers forced. I think this could be the story of this defense all year. Big plays, turnovers, stopping the run, but giving up a few drives here and there. Overall I was pleased with the turnovers.

Breno Giacomini – The dude has a serious mean streak, which I love, but multiple personal foul penalties is just stupid. Those kinds of brain dead moves could cost this team a win in the regular season. I love his passion but he’s got to control it, because we all know defensive linemen across the league will try and bait him.

For the second straight week, I am very pleased with what I saw. The running game was powerful and consistent; the passing game was extremely conservative, but not terrible, while the defense made big plays. Areas to improve, again, are the pass rush which could be a major Achilles heel all year, and punt coverage. Expect the starters to play 3 quarters this week in KC. Much more can be concluded after the next game.

-Joe-

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by | August 13, 2012 · 8:53 pm

Seattle Seahawks Pre-Season Game 1 – Thoughts and Observations

Richard Sherman (Seattle Seahawks – Rod Mar)

Here are my thoughts and observations from the first pre season game of the 2012 Seahawks season.

The uniforms are sharp, I love them. The blue is vastly better than the multiple blue tones they’ve had for more than a decade. The gray and green ascents really popped well on TV. I love the fact the Hawks really took a chance with the uniforms, it gives them a unique identity that fits well with the whole 12th Man motif.

The starting defense looked tremendous. The eleven that started will (Lord willing) be the eleven who start in Arizona on September 9th. Outside of the obvious pick six by Browner, I was immediately impressed with Red Bryant who just seemed to be everywhere, and that’s impressive for a guy who’s 6’4′ 330 lbs. He swatted a pass down and got in a few good licks, all the while giving the Titans o-linemen and earful. Jason Jones made his presence felt, getting decent pressure on the QB. Bruce Irvin was boom or bust, but when he boomed, it was fun to watch. The stunts the Hawks ran were successful and caused Hasselbeck to be flustered when he threw. No sacks were recorded but there was pressure. Baby steps. I liked what I saw from rookie Bobby Wagner, he looked comfortable and ok with being a leader in the linebacking corps. Only time will tell how he grows into the role. On a very good note, I was glad to see Marcus Trufant running with the second team and embracing the role, looking fresh and excited to play. I think it’s vital Tru hangs around, he’s a great leader and could be a very nice nickel back.

You can probably tell I love what the Hawks are doing on defense. This crew has all the makings to be a top five defense. Teams will simply not be able to run the ball, forcing them into the pass, which will play into the hands of an extremely aggressive and confident secondary. Will those guys make mistakes at times? You bet, but they don’t string them together, and recover quickly with big play ability. Pre season games are traditionally marked by defenses who are way ahead of offenses, and that was on display Saturday night. But even in light of that reality, the Hawks looked ready to rock. I only see upside with this crew. They are the foundation Pete and Co. are building upon.

On the offensive side of the ball, I literary had no idea what to expect. Unlike most folks, all I cared about seeing Saturday was the defense because, well, I love defense, so when the offense finally took the field, I just tried to keep an open mind. Matt Flynn had a very thin wide receiving corps running routes, and no Beast Mode behind him, so what conclusions can we draw? He had one terrible pass (the INT to the LB), and a bad sack, but over all he looked solid. He got the ball out and on time to the receivers. He seemed comfortable running the offense. His best play was the roll out completion to Zach Miller, (who then promptly got blown up and received a concussion, not good). I was pleased with what I saw. Regarding Russell Wilson, I was equally impressed. Being a rookie, you simply take the good with the bad and roll with it. His athletic ability was apparent from the start. Bevell rolled Wilson out A LOT, which I think was designed to ease Wilson into his first pro game. He ran a lot of roll outs at Wisconsin, so it was only natural to keep him in that comfort zone. His arm strength was solid. His speed was great. His worst play was the red zone INT, which to my eye looked like jitters and nerves. His best play could have been the TD pass to Edwards or the TD run, but for me I can’t really grade at this point. Just seeing him out there looking comfortable was enough.

I was impressed with the starting offensive line’s run blocking. Washington and Turbin (The Turbinator was putting on a gun show, I’m pretty certain he lifts weights…) had gaping holes to run through, and Flynn had time to pass. Good to see considering the plethora of injuries that unit has seen the past two years. Michael Robinson was dominant run blocking, no surprise there. I wish I could say the same for the second unit offensive line. The Hawks don’t have any depth up front, so if further injuries rear their ugly head, they could be in a world of hurt.

Overall, it was a great night of football. There is a lot to be excited about with this team, especially on the defensive side of the ball. If they can identify a clear starting QB and develop some semblance of an aggressive passing game before week 1, I like their chances to get off to a good start in the division and then make a playoff push. But if a passing game is not developed, the upside this team could achieve will be stunted. The next three weeks are vital.

-Joe-

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by | April 28, 2012 · 10:22 am

Draft Fun

I don’t have a whole lot of thoughts on the draft so far.  I like it when the Seahawks surprise everyone, just because it’s entertaining to hear everyone react.  Their picks seem fine, but I can’t say I’m overwhelmed one way or the other.  Maybe one of the other writers here will do an analysis later, but the Seahawks are probably my least favorite Seattle team (not that I don’t like them, they’re just much lower on my priorities), so I won’t probably write a ton about it.

That being said, the draft and its bloggers have given us at least two pieces of greatness:

First we have new Seahawk quarterback Russell Wilson and his wife.  Mostly his wife.  This is somewhere between scary and awesome, but I hope she’s a permanent fixture on Seahawk telecasts.

And here are first round reactions in GIFs.  So good.  This is my favorite thing I’ve seen on the internet all month.  Maybe all year.  Edit- I didn’t realize he’s gone through the third round.  Make sure you at least scroll down to the Bryan Anger pick at #70. Enjoy!

-Matthew

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by | April 25, 2012 · 10:32 pm

NFL Draft–The 12th Pick

Tomorrow night, 32 players will be drafted into the NFL, and most will start for their respective teams in 2012. In the span of 3 days, every team will select a number of players that may make an immediate impact. This is what makes the NFL draft so unique, so exciting. The NFL draft is a 3 day bonanza, and although similar drafts happen in all pro sports, none compares to the NFL. So, how might things shape up for the hometown Hawks, specifically with the 12th pick?

Seahawks Top Needs-DE, LB

A cliché you hear around draft time is “take the best player available.” In other words, when you are on the clock, take the guy with the highest grade on your big board. I think some of this is posturing by teams because it sounds good to pick the guy with the highest overall grade, but the reality is teams usually draft to fill needs. For the Seahawks, most agree the “pressing” need is finding a stud to pressure the QB. For this reason, most mockers have the Hawks taking a defensive end with the 12th pick. That may well be what we see happen tomorrow night, and I’d be excited. But let’s understand the many layers that play into a pick, particularly a 1st round selection.

First, everything depends on what happens in picks 1-11. At this point, I’d guess Schneider and Carroll have zoomed in on 2-3 players, depending on how things shake out. In addition to this uncertainty, every draft is different in terms of how deep it is at specific positions, how many elite players there are, and whether or not a trade partner might exist. It’s easy to say the Seahawks need a lineabacker after Hawthorne signed with the Saints, so naturally this could be addressed with the 12th pick. But what if Seattle has graded the top 3 LBs 91, 89, 88, and they are confident one will be there with the 43rd pick. Why use the 12th pick on the 91 grade, when you can get the 88 or 89 in the 2nd round?

Back to the 2-3 players JS/PC have in mind. Believe it or not, the Good Guys don’t actually have access to the Seahawks war room, so I’ve not yet seen their big board. This is, therefore, speculation on my part.

Plan A-Ryan Tannehill. Danny O’Neill and Peter King have both insisted that if Tannehill were available with the 12th pick, Seattle would take him in a flash. This is hard for some fans to understand, in light of the Matt Flynn signing, but I’m buying it. It’s probably 50/50 whether Flynn will turn into a franchise QB, so Tannehill provides insurance if Flynn sucks. He could sit for a couple years, then either take over, or be trade bait. He has a ton of upside, similar to Jake Locker in many ways. The problem is, Tannehill seems destined for Miami, who holds the 8th pick.
Plan B-Fletcher Cox. The top D-lineman in the draft would be a heck of a fit in Seattle. Cox is not a speed rusher, but he is a versatile, 3 technique that could would be an immediate upgrade. There is a chance Cox slides to 12, but in all likelihood, he, like Tannehill, will go in the top 10.

    Plan C-The pick…Quinton Coples.

This is plan C, so if a trade can be made here, it would make sense. Assuming the Hawks make a selection, Coples is a freak and a guy Carroll might be enamored with. It’s hard not to compare Coples to Julius Peppers. He’s 6-6, 285 lbs, and a Tarheel. For awhile, Coples was graded by many as the top defensive player in the draft. There are concerns about his motor, that he takes plays off. Pete may just see this as a challenge.

It could be that PC/JS like South Carolina’s Melvin Ingram, the fast rising Chandler Jones, Nick Perry, Courtney Upshaw, or some other d-end ahead of Coples. Or maybe PC/JS view linebacker as the greater need, and Luke Kuechly and Dont’a Hightower are guys they love. That would make sense too, but given the difficulty to find top defensive ends, and the success PC/JS had finding KJ Wright in the 4th round last year, finding a bookend pass rusher makes a ton of sense here. Or perhaps its the offense that Seattle is bound to improve at #12. Keep in mind, the Hawks defense ranked 5th in points per possession last year, while the offense ranked 27th in the same category. Awe, the intrigue of the NFL draft. Tomorrow, we finally get answers, not rumors and mockers.

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by | December 31, 2011 · 1:26 pm

Insightful Quick Hits About Your Local Teams

A Good Guys Post!! Stop everything and read!! This only happens every couple weeks!! The Good Guys are also busy guys, and the blog has been quiet lately, much like a friend that you have not spoken to in a while. The Good Guys are your friends, let’s catch up!

My mind is swirling with sports crap, which is not irregular by any means. I think I’ll just spew things out in a “local teams quick hits” format, and hopefully you love it. If you don’t love it, you’re just bitter, or grumpy, but I’m neither so don’t blame me.

MARINERS!
At this point, the off season is clearly hinging on Prince Fielder. The M’s have been quiet this winter, but when Prince signs, I’d imagine a couple moves will soon follow. I want Prince in Seattle, for a lot of reasons, but honestly if we don’t get him, I won’t be devastated. I’ve invested a good deal of time following the rumors, and I just want it to end. Assuming Prince signs elsewhere, the likelihood of the M’s contending for anything in the next 2 years seems bleak, but I’ve learned to not assume much in sports. Joey Votto could be available in a month for all we know. My point is, I don’t want to see a fire sale quite yet (felix), regardless of Prince.

HUSKIES FB!
Keith Price out-dueled RG3 in the Alamo Bowl, I can say that without hesitation. He is so smooth, poised, and likeable. I can’t wait to see what he does over the next 2 years. Of course, some of his performance is being overshadowed by what has to be the worst defensive performance any of us has seen. I knew our defense was bad, and this game was a recipe for disaster, but I can’t say I expected to see 777 yards given up, nor did I expect to lose by double digits, despite scoring 56 points. It is embarrassing on some levels, like something we are ashamed of is now out in the open. It’s like when a married couple is having some issues at home, but then they go to a restaurant and start throwing dishes. It’s like, well, I guess the whole town knows now. That made sense in my head.

HUSKIES BB!
The Huskies will win the Pac 12, you can put me on record for that. We all know the conference is down, and the Huskies record is not what we are used to seeing, but I think this is Romar’s most talented squad. On paper, we are loaded. I’m excited for the next couple months of Husky bball.

SEAHAWKS!
Depending on Sunday’s outcome against Arizona, the Hawks could draft as low as 19, or as high as 10 in 2012. Either way, ready yourself for a heavy dose of QB chatter for the next few months on sports radio. Common topics will include, “should the Hawks trade 3 1st rounders to get RG3?” “is mark sanchez a viable option?” “could kellen moore, ryan tannehill, or brandon weeden be the guy?” I love the chatter, I really do, but it gets old pretty quick. Nobody knows what will happen, but I do know the Seahawks look to have a promising future. I should also note that I have some crow to eat, because I said the 6-8 wins Seattle gets this year will be the most meaningless wins in team history, but 2-3 wins would mean a top tier QB in the draft. Well, I have flipped my stance on this, because the 7-8 wins are the result of a lot of things starting to click, and this trumps the high draft position we’d have if everything went wrong this year.

SONICS!
The NBA is back, and I can’t resist watching it. I loved the Sonics when they were here, probably more than any local team. Every so often there is some new arena story that pops up in a local paper, just to get my hopes up. A new one surfaced a couple weeks ago, about a possible arena in SoDo, headed by a San Francisco businessman that recently purchased a valuable piece of property south of Safeco Field, for $21.6 million. An unknown Bellevue investor is on this too apparently, and a proposal could come out in the months to come, in hopes of acquiring more land to build an arena, then lure NHL/NBA. In the mean time, Joe and I bought tickets to a Blazers game in February, against the Clippers. Should be fun, although I told Joe rooting for Portland would feel odd, especially if the NBA returned to Seattle someday, and I had to remember that one night I rooted for the Blazers. Yuck.

SOUNDERS!
I’m sure you all know the off season moves SSFC have been up to. No? Oh, well let me recap. We signed an Austrian keeper, Michael Gspurning, a Swedish defender, Adam Johansson, and now rumors have surfaced that the Sounders have agreed to terms with a 23 year old DANISH! midfielder, Christian Sivebaek.

T-BIRDS!
I went to a T-Birds came this past week, and saw a fight, 6,000 Kent Krazies, 2 zambonis, and at one point a hockey game broke out! T-Birds won 2-1 in a shootout, and I now follow some of their players on twitter. The players, by the way, are 15-20 years old, mainly Canadian, and all around good guys like us. As for the fight, here’s what Mitch Elliot tweeted that evening:

Mitch Elliot@melliot7
“Took more punches to the face then I had shifts tonight”

NORTHWEST EAGLES!
Last but not least, the NU Eagles Men’s basketball team is 15-0. Matthew and I are proud NU alums, and Andrew is currently attending. Matthew is the all time blocks leader at NU, and I hold the record for 8 consecutive triple-doubles. That was my test to see if you are still reading this. If you are, dang you have some serious spare time!

Finally, an Ichiro quote to wrap things up. This really should be how all posts conclude.

Nikkan Sports: There are some that think age may have played a part [in your rough season].

Ichiro: I admit that lately I find myself enjoying Enka music during Kohaku Uta Gassen. I am also more concerned about how young people are speaking and find that my skin is drier. So there are times where I feel like I am getting older.

HAPPY NEW YEAR.

-Dan

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by | September 15, 2011 · 10:12 am

Poll Question–Luck, Prince, or Blue Chips?

Seattle sports fans, which of these scenarios would you most prefer see play out?

-Dan

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