Hawk Tawk About Ugly, Seahawks Need a Makeover after Monday Night Football
Happy Blue Friday 12ers! Let’s Tawk Hawk.
Last Monday night, the Seattle Seahawks left the nation of 12 scratching their collective heads. Every 12 nationwide knew that this week’s Hawk Tawk was going to be a little abrasive. Seattle’s offense looked completely inept. There was no creativity, no adjusting, no answers, no coaching. Thank the football Gods that the defense held up in the Red Zone, but golly gee Wally, that was terrible. Let’s Tawk about it. Ughh.
The offensive line was exactly what we knew they were going to be going up against a Divisional opponent. With some, or at least one, of the best rush ends in the league, Seattle’s offensive line looked like a play-dough fun factory. Shove the handful of dough in one side and 7 brightly colored quarterback sacks were squeezed out the other. Rookie Michael Bowie and Paul McQuistan are just simply not getting their jobs done. For the past few weeks I have made it known that I thought Bowie was an upgrade over Giacomini, or at least would be in the near future. I believe I also said, “Giacomini will never start another down for the Seahawks.”. I have changed my mind. I would, at this point, rather have Giacomini back. At least he is nasty and mean. At least he can push people around, [sic] tackle defensive pass rushers, and protect someone, sometimes. At least he would take action if he kept getting smoked in pass protection. We all know he would have had at least 5 or 6 holding calls in that game. I have said it all year, the offensive line is not good. I do not see that improving past mediocrity, and that will only happen when they get the starters back. Okung will be huge for the left side, but the right side is hopeless. Sweezy is like a small Giacomini, at least he holds just as well. I hope that by having their butts smoked on MNF, the coaching staff will finally take their play into account and design an offensive game plan around it. Which brings me to my next point.
"Revis Island, much like the Louisiana Territory, is purchased for a four-year $2,222,424 contract and is renamed Sherman’s Peak"
Some of you saw that Seattle tried to run and were not very successful. I saw that Seattle tried to run in their basic zone block scheme a few times and weren’t successful, so they quit. I saw that they weren’t successful because they did not seem to attempt to help the two tackles in any way. I didn’t see any two tight end (pulled in tight) sets. I didn’t see more than a handful of quick out or slant reads. I didn’t see dual back sets to set up screens. As a matter of fact, I didn’t see them give any real consideration to trying to defeat the pass rush at all, ever. Maybe we can get Clay Mathews to do a handyman commercial in Seattle. I doubt a Fathead would fix Seattle’s offensive line, but heck I’ll try anything at this point. It almost looked like they just said, “Well I don’t know what else to do so let’s just hope we get lucky.” We are happy that they did get lucky, but man, I was disappointed. There is a major hole in the road to the Superbowl my friends. The offensive line is causing problems not only for Russell Wilson, but obviously for the offensive game plan as a whole. The offense looks like a Junior Varsity playbook compared to what they normally do. So, it is here I will stop with my whining. They won, and it was important that they did. My heart can’t take too much more, though.
The Seattle Seahawk defense looked better than the offense. I didn’t say great, because they were not great. The defense allowed a scrub quarterback to march his team down the field too many times. Yes, they only allowed 9 points and had a great goal line stand to win the game. However, it should have never allowed those drives to happen in the first place. I am not going to pretend that I understand the complexities of coverage schemes, but I am willing to say that the coverage was nowhere as aggressive as it should have been. An inexperienced quarterback versus the Legion of Boom translates to, “make him beat you with his arm.” Instead, Seattle gave up 200 yards on the ground and consistently left holes in the line open that had no right to be open. The Rams ran all over Seattle defense. I am dumbfounded as to why Seattle didn’t stack the run and go man press in coverage. But, aren’t we all. Oh, “But they got two interceptions you say?” Both interceptions were on very poorly thrown balls, and the only football players who had a chance to catch them were Seattle Seahawks. “If Seattle doesn’t make those two interceptions they lose the game you say?” How many times did Seattle turn those interceptions into points? At any rate, they didn’t break, they just got a little twisted. Don’t get me wrong here, I really did see some great things. Bruce Irvin looked awesome flying all over the field racking up tackles and looking like Sherman on that interception. There was decent pressure, but Seattle only sacked Clemons three times. I would like to say that the LOB kept the passing game in check, but the Rams did that to themselves. Seattle didn’t do anything to force the Rams to throw, and they almost paid dearly for it. On a much lighter note, I would like to say welcome back Bobby Wagner, we missed you and Earl Thomas, you are freaking awesome.
Mike Rob didn’t have much of an impact on the offensive game, but I am glad he is back. Nobody really did except Tater Salad, and though he provided points, I hope his premature JV celebrations are truly over. That was embarrassing. Sidney Rice is gone for the year, and that is going to sting. Not that he was a huge impact on the direct success of the offense week in and week out, but he certainly is Seattle’s biggest receiver in stature. Seattle used Sidney to clear backfields and to draw coverage deep. They are going to be depending much more on Tater, Dougie Fresh, Kearse, and maybe even Lockette. Yes I know Boo Boo is coming back soon, but he doesn’t fit the role that Rice filled. To be completely honest with you, I am not too worried about the receivers. Tater and Dougie Fresh have enough talent to hold down the Nest, while Lockette is a speedy guy who can come in and draw some coverage. Kearse needs to take advantage of this opportunity. If he doesn’t, I don’t know that we see him going forward into next year. Anyone want to bet that Rice is probably done as a Seahawk? I hate to say it, I really do, but his Salary going into next year is way too much for an oft injured receiver with declining numbers. I am excited to see Dougie get some reps, as he is one of my underdog kind of favorites, but what I really want is for the receiving corp to step up, start getting open, and figure out how to be consistent. Once again though, the injury bug bites hard.
Marshawn Lynch was very upset about his under use in that game. I do not blame him one iota. The Seahawks really screwed the pooch in the running game, and only giving Marshawn 8 or so carries isn’t going to make anyone happy. The coaches are all Tawking about how they are mad too, but they are the knuckleheads who made the calls. They better let Lynch get 200+ on the ground this week, no excuses. The Seahawks coaches put on a show on Monday night and it was called, Absolutely the worst offensive coordination I have ever seen.”
Against Tampa this weekend Seattle has lots of explaining to do. Not with words and excuses mind you, but with play on the field. The defense needs to play like they can, and the coordinators need to let them. The Seahawks need to run the ball like they can, and the coordinators need to let them. The Seahawks need to sack Mike Glennon at least 6 times, but then thank him for helping the entire saga of Russell Wilson to play out the way it did. Seattle did a great job not turning the ball over, not sure how, but they did, and they need to continue that this week. The legion needs to cause havoc in the backfield and cover everything that flies. The run defense needs to come back, not sure where they were vacationing at, but please come home. 12thman needs to be big for the home team this week, they need us. Lastly, way back in the preseason I predicted that this week, “Revis” Island, much like the Louisiana Territory, is purchased for a four-year $2,222,424 contract and is renamed Sherman’s Peak.” Make it happen Seahawks, Make it so.
Football. 12thman now, 12thman forever, GO HAWKS!!