Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Takeaways: Seahawks Clobber the Jaguars

By Jackson Safon

The 20.5 points that the Seahawks were favored by was one of the biggest point spreads in NFL history, and the Hawks covered with ease. The final score was 45-17 and this game was in hand from the get-go. The Hawks dominance showed early as they went into the locker room at halftime with a 34-0 lead. The performance was dominant in all phases of the game, which allowed Tarvaris Jackson, Christine Michael, and the rest of the reserves to get in the game and show what they could do. Not surprisingly, they played outstanding and Jackson showed that he is better than any of the Jaguars quarterbacks. However, even in a dominant win, there are always things both positive and negative to take away.

1. In Russ We Trust
It took two games, but the passing attack is back. Russell Wilson was in sync early and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell opened up the offense much more in this game. Wilson was spreading it around to all of his receivers, and the passing game was as dynamic as it has ever been, leading to four touchdowns from Wilson (and one more from Tarvaris Jackson later in the game). Furthermore, Wilson averaged 9.6 yards per attempt, which is a very good number. For a team that doesn’t look to throw the ball 50 times a game, efficiency in the passing game is very important, and the yards per attempt stat is an excellent measure of the way Russell Wilson is playing. Besides an interception that was dropped by a receiver, Wilson looked fantastic.

Sidney Rice caught two of Russell Wilson's four touchdown passes on the day.
AP Photo -Stephen Brashear

2. The Defense is Freakishly Good
I wrote about the defense last week, but it cannot be said enough times: the Seahawks have the best defense in the NFL and it isn’t close. Their defense could shape up to being one of the best of all time. And this is just the first week with Chris Clemons and Brandon Browner. With pass rushing specialist Bruce Irvin coming back in week five, quarterbacks better be on the lookout. I understand that the Hawks played the Jaguars this week, so defensive dominance was to be expected, but that doesn’t make this defense any less unstoppable. Seven different players had a tackle for loss, and Michael Bennett and Clint McDonald combined for three sacks. The Hawks defense is elite in every phase and shouldn’t be beat by anyone.
 
Clinton McDonald recorded 1.5 sacks on the day for the Seahawks defense.
Steven Bisig - USA Today Sports
 
3. The Seahawks Have Incredible Depth
The Seahawks are arguably the deepest team on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball. Tarvaris Jackson came in to replace Russell Wilson and promptly went 7/8 for 129 yards and a score. Christine Michael is electric in the backfield and will be the successor to Marshawn Lynch in a few years. Every member of the defense played well. There are more than a few teams that Tarvaris Jackson could start for right now. The depth on both sides of the ball could prove crucial later in the season as injuries for all teams begin to pile up.
 
Marshawn Lynch didn't have a huge day on the ground for the Seahawks, but the team didn't need an amazing game from him as they faced the lowly Jaguars.
Seahawks.com
 
4. Third Down Efficiency Needs to Improve
The Hawks were a mere 4/10 on third downs, which against an elite defense would be acceptable, but the Jaguars are average at best. For the season, the Hawks need to be around 50% and above on third downs, so 40% against a relatively weak defense is something to think about. No need for concern or panic, but this is just something to keep an eye on moving forward as the matchups for the Hawks become tougher with the Texans and Colts coming up.
 
5. The Seahawks are the Best Team in the NFC
And it isn’t close. Not only have the Seahawks dominated so far this season, but most other potential contenders have faltered. The Falcons, Packers, and 49ers all lost Sunday. The Bears and Saints are both undefeated, but it’s hard to say they could even come close to the Hawks after the dominance showed through three weeks. The Hawks still need to play with the proverbial chip on their shoulder, however, as the most wins the Hawks have ever had in a season where they started 3-0 was 10. If the Hawks can continue to play at the level they are capable of, anything short of a Super Bowl berth would be a disappointment.
 
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Monday, September 16, 2013

Takeaways: Seahawks Beat the Niners

By Jackson Safon

That my friends, was a good old fashioned butt-whooping. The Seahawks not only beat their archrival, the San Francisco 49ers, but they beat them handily. Now over the previous two games against the Niners, the Seahawks have outscored them 71-16. I had the privilege of going to this game (Shout out to Zack Packer and his family for taking me) and I can tell you firsthand that it was every bit as loud as it seemed. The noise was so deafening that when you walked from the concourse into the actual seating area the noise hit you like a wall. It literally slowed me down. I truly believe the 12th man is one of, if not the most impressive and helpful home field advantage in all of sports today. I can also say that I am now a proud, world record holder as the members of Century Link Field broke the record for loudest stadium ever early in the third quarter. Well done 12’s, well done. All of that being said, after every game there are positives and negatives, so as always, I will help try and determine what is important to take from our most recent game.

It was a wet and sloppy game, but the Seahawks pulled out the win in the end.
ESPN

1. This defense is going to be legendary
In Cliff Avril’s first game as a Seahawks, he played great, getting consistent pressure on Kaepernick, and recording a sack-fumble. Michael Bennett and K.J. Wright recorded sacks as well, and the defensive line was consistently getting in the backfield and making Kaepernick uncomfortable. In addition to the sacks, the Hawks defense had three interceptions (all three healthy members of the Legion of Boom had one) and two forced fumbles. The Hawks defense has allowed 10 points total so far this year, to two pretty strong offenses with dynamic young quarterbacks. Plus, this is all without Bruce Irvin, Chris Clemons, and Brandon Browner. Once those three rejoin the defensive unit, I don’t know how anyone will be able to score on the Hawks. This defense is already the best in the NFL today, and when fully healthy, I could see this unit being one of the best all-time.

2. Beastmode is fine
Marshawn Lynch silenced all concerns about the running game following the week one struggle against the Panthers, as he ran for 98 yards and two touchdowns against one of the leagues better front seven’s in the 49ers. Granted, it took him 28 carries to reach the 98 yards, but he still ran the ball pretty effectively, and this success is what allowed Russell Wilson to be much more successful later in the game. Although the loss of Michael Robinson will hurt a bit, I think it is clear that we don’t have to worry too much about the running game.

Marshawn Lynch has destroyed the 49ers the last four times he has faced them.
Steven Bisig - USA Today Sports

3. Offensive line play continues to be questionable
The offensive line was shaky once again, leading to four sacks on Russell Wilson and constant pressure in his face as well. I believe this is one of the reasons that the passing game and offense as a whole got off to a slow start, which is something that needs to be fixed if this team is going to win a championship. Additionally, Russell Okung was forced to leave the game because of a turf toe injury. This will hurt the offensive line even more. However, it will be a good chance for guys like Paul McQuistan and Alvin Bailey to prove that they belong in this league. The offensive line play must improve if the Seahawks offense and specifically the Seahawks passing game is going to perform at the elite level we all expect.

Paul McQuistan will have to step up in the absence of Russell Okung.
Seahawks.com

4. Are we the best team in the NFL?
I know it is only week two, but the past two times the Seahawks have played the defending NFC champions, they have outscored them by a combined 55 points. Furthermore, if you matchup the ‘Hawks against any of the NFC’s best teams such as the Packers, Saints, or Falcons, I would expect the ‘Hawks to win all of those games and I don’t think they would be all that close. Obviously, the ‘Hawks had to squeak by the Packers last season in the famous “Fail Mary” game, and we lost to the Falcons in the Divisional Round of the playoffs, but I think that by the time the playoffs roll around this year, we will be able to beat them handily. Think about it. Not only do we get back the three defensive starters I mentioned earlier, but potentially as soon as week 7 we can get PERCY HARVIN back. I am not sure if you realize how big of a help that will be to the offense, but I can assure you, his dynamic ability will change the offense completely. The Hawks are the best team in the NFC in my mind, which would leave teams in the AFC that we would have to match up against in the Super Bowl. With the Patriots and Texans at 2-0 by very slim margins, and the Ravens struggling to beat the Browns this week, it would seem that the Broncos are the logical team to make it out of the AFC. This would be a very intriguing matchup and one that I think would make for a much closer game than any team the Seahawks played in the NFC. Could we beat the Broncos in a game? Sure. But are we better than them right now? I can’t say for sure if that is true or not. In other words, I am avoiding the question that I myself posed. But what I can say is that the Seahawks are one of the two best teams in the entire NFL, and should only get better as the season goes on.

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Sunday, September 15, 2013

SEA vs. SF: Halftime Thoughts

By Marshall Cherrington

Well I haven't seen a first half of football like that in a long time. A safety, terrible refereeing and an hour delay later, the Seahawks are clinging to a 5-0 lead. Here are my halftime thoughts.

- The offensive line needs to figure it out in the second half. With Russell Okung's return questionable, the Seahawks running backs will need to be able to chip Aldon Smith and the 49ers pass rushers effectively. Paul McQuistan will also need to put his big boy hat on and try and move a couple of inches to block Aldon Smith.

- If the Seahawks are going to win this game, it's going to be by means of the ground game. Marshawn Lynch has had a solid game so far and Robert Turbin would have 25 yards or so extra added on to his rushing total if Breno Giacomini didn't commit another boneheaded penalty. Haven't seen that one before. To Giacomini's credit. it looked like a terrible call by the refs.

- Russell Wilson needs to focus up. Multiple throws have been off target, even when he hasn't been under pressure. His accuracy wasn't on point in the preseason and I might start to get worried if I don't see an improvement here soon. However, he has been under pressure multiple times and I think Russell will work some magic in the second half and escape a couple of these collapsing pockets. He also needs to keep the dang ball on the read option. Did you see how open he was a couple of those times? man, he could have 50 yards rushing by now.

- I'm loving this defensive line. Avril is getting a great pass rush and absolutely destroyed the right tackle on a nasty bull rush in the second quarter. Michael Bennett has also been impressive and had a great shoestring sack of Colin Kaepernick. I'm expecting at least two more sacks in the second half. Oh, and when Irvin and Clemons get back, this is going to be a scary defensive line. Maybe the best in the NFL.

- The secondary is playing great tonight and will have to keep doing what they're doing to win this game. Walter Thurmond's number, 28, might need to be added to that Legion of Boom doormat that the four defensive backs have. What a play on that Earl Thomas interception. My pick to click in the second half: Big Rich. Maybe an interception or two? We'll see.

Here's to a killer second half.

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Monday, September 9, 2013

Takeaways: Gritty Win for the Seahawks in the Opener

By Jackson Safon

A tough first game for the Hawks, but they found a way to grind it out and get a victory. Neither team seemed to be in control throughout the game and there were far more punts than there were successful drives. The good news is that in a game where the Seahawk’s offense wasn’t close to what we are hoping it will be this year, they still found a way to get a win. Not just that, they found a way to get a win on the road. While down at halftime. With a 10:00 A.M. start that has been troubling for the Hawks in the past, this was a very good win to start the 2013 season for the Seahawks. This is the third overall but first this season of my weekly “takeaways” column every Monday (or Tuesday depending) after the Seahawks game where I break down the overreactions, under reactions, and important things to take from the weekend’s game.

Frank Alexander of the Panthers was ejected for punching Seahawks OT Breno Giacomini.
Fansided

1. The Defense is Legit
The Seahawks defense was missing three key members: Bruce Irvin to suspension and Cliff Avril, Brandon Browner and Chris Clemons to injuries, yet they still held the Panthers to a mere seven points. O’Brien Schofield came up with a sack and rookie Benson Mayowa showed flashes of strong pass-rushing ability as well. The “Legion of Boom” was flying around the field as always, as Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor were the leading tacklers for the Hawks this week. But early in the game, there was a missed opportunity by All-Pro Richard Sherman. He undercut a route and had both hands on a potential interception that could have even gone to the house, but instead it clanked off his hands and left Sherman with his head in his hands. Yet even with some missed opportunities and allowing the Panthers to move the ball at a decent clip, the Hawks defense stiffened up when needed and only allowed the one touchdown to Steve Smith. Takeaway: This defense is fierce now, and when fully healthy will be the most dominant unit in the NFL.

The Seahawks defense held Cam Newton to a career low in passing yards in a game.
Tacoma News Tribune

2. Russell Wilson is Human
“In Russ we Trust” has been one of the big mantra’s this offseason and I bought in as well, getting Wilson in two of my fantasy football leagues. But we have to temper our expectations and remember that he is human. He started slowly in this game, going 1/5 to begin the game, and looking rather shaky in the pocket. If/When this happens in the future, fans have to remember to take a breath and let him settle in, because when he does, the results are magical. After starting 1/5 Wilson finished the rest of the game going 24 for his next 28 passes and looked fantastic while doing it. Wilson was excellent on third down and surgical when throwing on the run. He finished with 320 yards passing and capped it off with a 43 yard touchdown to the new and improved Jermaine Kearse. The play before, Wilson threw an almost identical ball to Stephen Williams, but Williams dropped it. Then Wilson came right back and delivered a strike to Kearse, who after offseason Lasik eye surgery, is becoming a serious playmaker. Takeaway: Russell Wilson is our savior, but he is still human. Be patient with the second year quarterback and let him do his thing, he won’t let the team down.

Russell Wilson took a while to get started passing-wise yesterday against the Panthers.
Oregon Live

3. Where Is the Running Game?
Marshawn Lynch was held to only 43 yards on 17 carries in yesterday’s game against the Panthers. Numbers like those have killed the Hawks in the past as Seattle was 1-4 in the last two years when Lynch had fewer than 50 yards rushing on the road (noted by fantastic Hawks blogger Brian Nemhauser). This could be attributed to a couple of things. First of all, the Panthers defense is actually quite good. Luke Kuechly is one of the best young linebackers in the game, and Jon Beason is no slouch either. Optimists like me would say that it was just a rough first game against a tough defense. Another angle however is that the loss of Michael Robinson proved important, as put bluntly, Derrick Coleman is not as good of a fullback as Mike Rob. There were a few occasions when I thought Coleman could have made some better blocks, and holes could have been opened for the running backs, but it is difficult to truly say whether that was Coleman or the strong play by the Panther front seven. Either way, it was disconcerting to see such a poor rushing performance. The running game will have to be better if the ‘Hawks are to be an elite team. Takeaway: Something serious was off with the running game, and while I don’t expect it to last with a running attack like ours, it needs to be fixed sooner rather than later with the 49ers coming into town next weekend.

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Sunday, September 8, 2013

Game Preview: Seahawks at Panthers

Opening day. It’s finally here. The Seahawks open up their season with championship hopes, but must take the season one game at a time, and that starts with the Carolina Panthers today. The Panthers only went 7-9 last season and did not make the playoffs, but that does not mean they should be taken lightly.

The Carolina Panthers had an astonishing 1-7 record in games decided by 6 points or less, which means that they were very close to being a very good team. Offensively, they are clearly led by third year quarterback Cam Newton. Cam is one of the most talented yet immature players in the NFL, but his supporting cast doesn’t do much to help him. Steve Smith is his most talented skill player, but he is 34 years old. DeAngelo Williams was once a skilled running back, but is now on the wrong side of 30 and has been declining in production for years. That being said, Newton has enough talent to carry the entire offense on his back, and is dangerous throwing the ball as well as running with it.

The Legion of Boom should be able to shut down the Panthers passing attack, but I worry about how the front seven will be able to stop Newton when he runs the ball. He is 6 foot 5 and 245 pounds which makes him bigger than every Seahawks linebacker except for K.J. Wright. The weakness of the defense last year was the run stopping, so it will be interesting to see if the Hawks decide to stack the box against the Panthers. Whatever they decide to do, I think the Hawks will be able to hold Newton in check and keep the Panthers offense down.

The toughest test for the Hawks against the Panthers will be when we are on offense. I expect the Panthers to have one of the better defensive units in the NFL this season from their front seven all the way back to the defensive backfield. Perennial Pro-Bowler Jon Beason will return from injury to be paired with the defensive rookie of the year in Luke Kuechly to form a terrifying linebacking crew, while rookie Star Lotuleilei will add to an already solid defensive line. Captain Munnerlyn and Charles Godfrey lead a strong secondary that will test the Seahawks receivers. All of that being said, over the second half of the 2012 season the Seahawks had a top five offensive unit, and for a team with championship aspirations, the Panthers should not stop the Hawks offense.

Marshawn Lynch will still be able to get his, and I expect him to get over 100 yards. I expect Russell Wilson to continue his incredible efficiency last year keeping his interception down and his yards per attempt up. One of the questions about the offense will be how much read-option they incorporate this year, as starting around week 12 last year they used it with great effectiveness. I think this will be a tougher test for the Hawks than some people think, but we still should be able to come out with a win.

Prediction: 27-17 Hawks victory

Be sure to check out my weekly Takeaways piece the Monday after every Seahawks game.

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