Monday, January 14, 2013

Takeaways: Season Ending Loss, but a Great Season Nonetheless

It was a heartbreaking loss for the Seahawks in Atlanta. The first half did not go well at all with a poor start, a Marshawn Lynch fumble, the inability to convert on 3rd and 4th and one in Atlanta territory, and poor time management at the end of the first half. All of these events put Seattle down 20-0 at halftime. The 'Hawks didn’t back down though and after a wild fourth quarter actually took the lead by one with about 30 seconds left. However, the Falcons used their timeouts and drove down the field to give Matt Bryant an easy game winning field goal. It was a rollercoaster ride of a game, but it boils down to the fact that the Seahawks season is over. As sad as it is, it is fair to say that the 'Hawks exceeded most people’s expectations and had a really great season. I will list a few things to take away from a tough loss, but a great season.

Matt Ryan was the most relieved person in the U.S. once he saw Matt Bryant's kick go through the uprights.
bleacherreport.com

1. The Defense is Still Young
Obviously the Hawks defense was superb throughout the season, leading the league in points against. However, this game against the Falcons showed that they are still maturing. With youth at virtually every position, the 'Hawks defense is not quite as polished as we would like it to be. This slight immaturity combined with lack of size in the front seven lead to the Falcons gashing the Hawks in the run game with both Michael Turner and Jacquizz Rodgers. Hopefully the defense can bulk up and gain some maturity in the offseason while potentially adding some free agents to really solidify the defense as the best in the league. Look for the Seahawks to make a run at DT Henry Melton. Takeaway: The 'Hawks defense is not quite at the point we would like it to be, but with improvement in the offseason the sky is the limit with this unit.

2. Russell Plays Big
Russell Wilson. 3rd round, 75th overall pick on the 2012 NFL Draft. Last rookie quarterback standing. He won over the Seattle fans in a matter of weeks and brought the national spotlight to Seattle with his late season performances and brilliant play in the playoffs. After the first quarter of this last game, he showed up as the Russell Wilson we have all come to know and love and proved that he is officially a superstar. Another great playoff performance on the road proved to the world that he is for real. This is great news for the Seahawks going forward as Russell Wilson should be able to lead this team deep into the playoffs for years to come. Takeaway: Russell Wilson has proven he is the best young quarterback in the game and will be leading the Seahawks to conference championships and super bowls for years.

Russell Wilson has a very bright future ahead of him. What a season.
AP Photos

3. Front 7 Needs Help
The Seahawks have the best secondary in the league in my opinion. Richard Sherman is the best cornerback, Earl Thomas is the best safety, and Brandon Browner and Kam Chancellor are two big, physical players who can be difference makers at times. The weakness of the Seahawks defense, as shown by the Falcons game, is the run defense and the pass rush. The loss of Chris Clemons really proved not only how vital Clemons is to this defense, but how badly the Seahawks need to get another pass rusher. We could not put any pressure on Matt Ryan all day, and this allowed him to pick apart the defense. The lack of ability to stop the run, plus the fact that this past season could possibly be linebacker Leroy Hill’s last, tells us that we need to acquire another linebacker either through the draft or free agency. Takeaway: A pass rusher and a run stopper need to be added to this Seahawks defense before it can be truly elite.

4. Zach Miller
Zach Miller not only had his best game as a Seahawk against the Falcons, totaling eight receptions and 142 yards plus a touchdown, but he did so with a torn plantar fascia. After the Seahawks third offensive play, Miller went to the locker room with an apparent foot injury, but obviously returned, seemingly without any problems with the injury. It was only after the game that we found out Miller actually tore his plantar fascia on that play. The plantar fascia is the thick connective tissue which supports the arch on the bottom side of the foot. Now one can only imagine the pain when running and cutting on a torn plantar fascia, and Zach Miller had his best game as a Seahawk with this injury. Takeaway: A position that was once thought to be a weakness for the Seahawks may turn out not to be so, as Zach Miller is emerging as the player he was once thought to be, and is becoming Russell Wilson’s main security blanket in the passing game.

Thanks for reading and follow us on Twitter @seasportssoup! Like us on Facebook as well! Keep checking back for more updates.

Jackson


 

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Takeaways: Reactions to the Seahawk's Wild Card Victory

Every week, whether it is a win or a loss, people will react and overreact to the Seahawks game. Things will get blown out of proportion, important things will go unnoticed, and some things will be hard to explain. That’s why I am going to start writing this weekly column after every Seahawks game (I know, it’s a little late in the season to start a new column) to help fans digest the game and understand what to take away from the win or loss.

1. Zach Miller Earns His Contract
Up until now, Zach Miller has been a very pedestrian tight end with good blocking skills, but receiving yardage that has been below expectations. I personally hadn’t seen anything recently that would suggest bucking this trend either. Until Sunday. Zach Miller came up with big play after big play, starting with his game-changing effort on a 3rd and 13 play early in the game. The Seahawks were being shut out to this point, and really hadn’t been able to get anything going on offense. This was until Zach Miller caught a ball about eight yards downfield, spun, dodged a couple defenders and made a great effort play to get the first down. The Hawks ended up getting a field goal on this drive, but that was the play that really got the offense back in sync once again. But Miller wasn’t finished there. In the second half, he came up with another big conversion on 3rd and long when the Redskins brought pressure and Wilson dumped it off to Miller only one yard past the line of scrimmage. Miller then ran around a defender and picked up another key first down. On that same drive, Miller caught a key two point conversion to give the Seahawks a seven point lead. In my opinion, Zach Miller was the player of the game, and games like this show why we were so eager to get him from the Raiders a few years ago. Takeaway: Zach Miller is ready to make consistent, and timely contributions to this team.

Zach Miller came up big when the Seahawks needed it the most.
Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports

2. Defense Started Slow, Finished Strong
The vaunted Seahawks defense, allowing just over 15 points per game in the regular season, did not show up in the first quarter. They were completely dominated in the trenches and through the air, and they ended up allowing two touchdowns on the Redskins first two drives. Thankfully, the defensive unit really settled down and actually shut them out from then on. The takeaway here is that when playing on the road, the defense just doesn’t come out with nearly as much energy. This is not the first time this has happened, as shown by the Bears game in week 13, the Lions game in week 8, and the Cardinals game in week 1. At this point, a slow start by the defense has to be expected, which could be problematic against a potent, quick strike offense in the Falcons next week. The good news is, after the slow start, the defense really comes around and starts playing how we know it can play. We will see how they play next week. Takeaway: The defense needs to come out with more energy on the road if we are to keep advancing in the playoffs.

3. Bruce Irvin – Two Big Plays
Bruce Irvin’s line on the day: one tackle, one sack. Doesn’t seem like he had much of an impact. It also questions the title of this segment, two big plays, how is that possible if he only had one tackle. Well with 2:26 left in the first quarter, the Redskins scored their second touchdown of the game on Robert Griffin III’s second passing touchdown. After the play, Irvin hit RGIII late, warranting a 15 yard penalty on the next kickoff. The hit Irvin put on RGIII was a pretty hard one, and Griffin seemed shaken up. After the hit RGIII just wasn’t the same explosive player we are used to seeing, and it made a big difference as the Redskins never scored again. Irvin’s second big play was in the fourth quarter, when he chased down RGIII for a sack, right as it seemed the Redskins were driving and looking good to score. One play later, the Redskins fumbled the snap and turned the ball over to the Seahawks. Irvin had a big impact on the game and showed that statistics don’t always tell the whole story. Takeaway: Bruce Irvin is a timely player who only needs a few plays to make a big impact on a game.

Bruce Irvin provided a timely sack for the Seahawks in the fourth quarter.
Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images
 
4. Wilson Stays Poised, Outplays Fellow Rookie RGIII
Although getting off to a slow start, Russell Wilson really picked up his game and moved the Hawks offense down the field several times for scores. More importantly, he didn’t turn the ball over a single time, compared to twice by opponent, and fellow rookie, Robert Griffin III. Wilson was in control of the game, and was impressive in the first playoff game of his career. Not only did he have a solid day passing the ball, but he ran it with purpose as well, to the tune of 67 yards, and had a career high 28 yards on one of his rushes. The thing to take away from this performance was that Russell Wilson is here and he is here to stay. He played great on the road, in a hostile environment, in a playoff game, all very difficult things to do. If Wilson can continue to be efficient and not turn the ball over, he has a chance to take the Seahawks deeper into the playoffs. Takeaway: Russell Wilson’s continued improvement on the road is key not only for this year’s playoff run but for Wilson’s entire career.

Thanks for reading and follow us on Twitter @seasportssoup! Like us on Facebook as well! Keep checking back for more updates.

Jackson


Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Exciting Days Upcoming for Husky Football Recruiting

With the High School Football All-Star games coming up this weekend, many recruits will be looking to decide where they will attend college for the next four years of their life. These games provide many of the top recruits in the nation to face-up against each other all week in practice and then show their skills come game time on the weekends. What also comes with these all-star games are college announcements. Many kids announce actually during the game and put on the hat of their favorite school. The three main all-star games are the Semper Fidelis All-American Game (Friday), the Under Armour All-American Game (Saturday), and the big one, the Army All-American Game (Saturday). The Huskies have recruits or commits in each of these three games. Here are some recruits that could announce for the Huskies this weekend.

Joe Mathis DE/LB (CA) – Army All American Game
This hybrid defensive end/linebacker is very strong and his signature move is his straight up bull rush. He lost some weight over the summer to become quicker and stronger and it has led him to success so far. Think of a Josh Shirley type player except a little stronger and quicker. Mathis would be a big addition to the Huskies and this four-star prospect would perform well under the guidance of Tosh Lupoi and Peter Sirmon. His other finalists, besides the Huskies, are USC, UCLA and Alabama. He has only officially visited UW out of the four. My prediction is that he will announce for the Huskies.

JoJo Mathis would have an instant impact on the Huskies defense.
247sports.com

John Ross WR (CA) – Semper Fidelis All American Bowl
This 5’10” wide receiver could be the deep threat that the Huskies need. Jaydon Mickens has proven to be valuable for the Huskies, but with the dropped passes, Ross could provide some help. He is a four star wide out who has big play ability and can get down the field with ease. With a commitment from Ross, the Huskies would be set for their 2013 class in receiving. Ross’ finalists are UCLA, UW, Oregon and Oregon State. I expect John Ross to announce for Oregon this Friday at the Semper Fi game, but he could still choose Washington. I did expect him to commit to UW until some recent news I heard from a source. Ross could still pop for UW and don't be surprised if he does.

Thomas Duarte TE (CA) – Semper Fidelis All American Bowl
Duarte has been a great receiver at the high school level for a couple of years now, but look to him to convert to a TE once he hits college. Most schools are recruiting him as a TE. He is a very good route runner and has great hands. The only weakness in his game is his blocking ability. Duarte’s skill set is similar to that of David Ajamu’s, who is already committed to UW. Because of the similar skill sets, I don’t really see Duarte picking UW out of his finalists of UW, UCLA, USC, Oregon and Notre Dame. I expect Duarte to pick UCLA as that is the only place he has constantly visited.
 and that has room for him at the TE position.

Commits or Players Considering UW Who Most Likely Won’t Announce This Weekend
Semper Fi Game: Commits: Darrell Daniels, Elijah Qualls (who apparently has been tearing it up in practice), Dane Crane, Daeshon Hall, Sean Harlow. Considering: Johnny Johnson, Aaron Cochran, Lowell Lotulelei, Braydon Kearsley, Austin Hooper, John Ross, Thomas Duarte.

Army Game: Commits: none. Considering: Joe Mathis, Eddie Vanderdoes, Jalen Ramsey, Nico Falah, Michael Hutchings, Myles Jack.

Under Armour Game: Commits: Demore’ea Stringfellow. Considering: Reuben Foster, Priest Willis.

Securing a committment from Reuben Foster would go to show that the Huskies have taken another step forward to becoming an elite team.

Surprise Commit
According to some people that I have talked to and Ryan Turman’s Twitter account (a UW walk-on wide receiver commit), there could be a surprise commit this weekend. I am told it is on the defensive side of the ball and not one of the players that I mentioned above. I am not confirming this report at all; it’s just what I have heard. Make sure to be watching the All American Games to find out if there could be a surprise commitment. Just wanted to pass along some news I heard.

January and the beginning of February are exciting times for high school football recruiting. The Huskies have a very active staff who are searching everywhere for the best players that fir their system. Tosh Lupoi and Co. are very talented recruiters who can sway even some of the loyalist of people. Tosh has already shown that in swaying Eddie Vanderdoes. The Huskies are in on lots of highly rated recruits and look for them to end up with at least atop 20, probably a top 15 recruiting class. Keep an eye out for the latest commits and make sure to watch the all-star games this weekend.

Thanks for reading and follow us on Twitter @seasportssoup! Like us on Facebook as well! Keep checking back for more updates.

Marshall

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Round 1: Seahawks Playoff Breakdown

The Seahawks completed a very successful regular season, finishing with an 8-0 record at home en route to an 11-5 overall finish. This was not quite good enough to win the division, but was strong enough to earn the Hawks the fifth seed in the NFC playoffs. The rest of the seeding is as follows.

1. Falcons (bye)
2. 49ers (bye)
3. Packers
4. Redskins
5. Seahawks
6. Vikings

This means that in the first round, the Seahawks draw Robert Griffin III and the Washington Redskins. Because the red-hot Redskins won their division, they get to play at home and the Hawks will have to go on the road, where they went only 3-5 in the regular season. That being said, the Seahawks have been playing much better on the road recently. Both teams are considered a tough out in the playoffs because of their current winning streaks, and strong rookie quarterbacks.

RGIII will look to make some plays against the Seattle Defense. He is coming off an injured knee, although he looked good last week against Dallas.
US Presswire

The NFL is a league based on matchups, and those become all the more important in the playoffs when every game is win or go home. The Seahawks and the Redskins have a very intriguing matchup, because of their similar offenses. Both teams have mobile but accurate quarterbacks, have an above average run game, and have used the read option as a dangerous weapon in recent weeks. While most people would consider the rookie quarterback the most dangerous part of the Redskins offense, surprisingly, that is not quite the case. RGIII is an excellent runner who can keep defenses from over-playing the pass. But he has help as well, big help in the form of running back Alfred Morris. Morris and RGIII have combined to lead the Redskins to the number one rushing attack in the NFL, and scored 28 points against the Cowboys last week while managing only 100 yards passing.

These two rookies the key to their offense, as everybody now knows. Not only do they eat up yards, but they set up the play action very well for Griffin. The play-action works so well, that Robert Griffin III is in the top five in the entire league in completion percentage, yards, and touchdowns from the play-action. To counter, the Seahawks have the best defense in the NFL right now, and have the personnel to stop the run and the pass. With previously suspended cornerback Brandon Browner back, and top cover-corner Richard Sherman, the Hawks can leave their two corners isolated on the outside, leaving more defenders to help with the run game. Sherman and Browner can shut down any pair of receivers, which allows safeties Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas to play a bigger role in stopping the run. I believe that the Seahawks have the perfect defense to slow and potentially shut down the potent Redskins offense. One thing to keep an eye on in this game is how well RGIII’s knee holds up. That could hurt the Redskins at times.

The Legion of BOOM will be on their "A" game Sunday with the addition of Brandon Browner back into the lineup.

The Seahawks have an advantage on the offensive side of the ball as well, because the Redskins defense lacks playmakers. Without injured pass-rushers Ryan Kerrigan and Brian Orakpo, the only star defenders on the Redskins are cornerback DeAngelo Hall and linebacker London Fletcher. The Seahawks will be able to use their up-front skill at the receiver position and read option (a type of run in which the quarterback “reads” one of the defensive players and decides whether to keep it himself or give it to the running back) to exploit the weaker defenders on the Redskins and come up with big plays on offense. Along with a successful special teams unit, I would say that the Seahawks have the advantage on every side of the ball against the Redskins.

The only thing stopping the ‘Hawks, is the fact that they have to travel cross country and play on the road, a situation in which they have not been very successful at this year. However, the game is on a Sunday which means that the Seahawks will get an extra day of rest, but so do the Redskins. Taking all of these factors in to consideration, I predict that the Seahawks will pull out a relatively tough victory against the Redskins, winning 27-23.

A victory against the Redskins would mean that the Seahawks would play either the Falcons or 49ers in the second round of the playoffs, depending on who wins the other wild card game between the Packers and Vikings. I believe that the Packers will be able to defeat the Vikings because of their powerful home field advantage, and the fact that I just don’t think Christian Ponder will be able to outplay Aaron Rodgers two weeks in a row. This would mean that the Packers would go to San Francisco to play the 49ers, and we would go to Atlanta to play the Falcons.

The Seahawks have a long road ahead of them and will most likely be seen wearing these jerseys throughout the entire playoffs.
AP Photo/Mike Groll

While many people don’t believe in Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons, I believe that they are legit, and that they have a chance to go far in this year’s playoffs. Still, I think the ‘Hawks match up very well against the Falcons dynamic passing attack because of our incredible defensive backfield, often referred to as the “Legion of BOOM.” I think Sherman and Browner will be able to contain dynamic Falcons receivers Roddy White and Julio Jones, which would allow the rest of the defense to focus their attention on tight end Tony Gonzalez and running back Michael Turner. The Hawks have the perfect defense to take away quarterback Matt Ryan’s top three options, and I believe they will come out of that game with a victory as well.

If the Seahawks could beat the Falcons in the second round of the playoffs, they would play either the 49ers or Packers in the third round, both of which are teams we have beaten earlier in the season. Both of those games were played at Century Link Field, but if the ‘Hawks had already won two straight playoff games on the road, I don’t see any reason why they couldn’t win one more against a team that they have already beaten. While it would be a difficult road, winning three straight road games, I would not be surprised, and in fact I would even predict the Seahawks completing such a task and getting to the Super Bowl. It will be a fun playoff run.

Thanks for reading and follow us on Twitter @seasportssoup! Like us on Facebook as well! Keep checking back for more updates.

Jackson

Oh, and here's something to leave you with on this first Tuesday of 2013. Enjoy it.