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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