Seattle Seahawks Roundtable: Offensive Line Worries
It is Friday, and that means it is time to for another Seattle Seahawks roundtable. This week we tackle the troublesome offense line. How worried are you about the blocking after a rough outing against the Rams?
That is the issue tackled by the staff this week. Here’s all our responses to that question:
Dayna O’Gorman
From a scale of Uncle Vernon to Voldemort, how worried are you about the offensive line?
Yeah, I’m a Potter nerd, get over it. I’m at a Delores Umbridge level of worried–totally annoying and causes some major havoc, but can be controlled.
As we saw in the second half of the Rams game, the offensive line can step up and do their job correctly. Will they ever be the best in the league? Lets not be silly. However I think with a few more games under their belt and more time to gel, they will get better.
As 12s, we are just happy we have a QB that doesn’t always need a lot of time in the pocket.
Thomas Oide
From a scale of the Sacramento Kings to the New York Knicks, how worried are you about the offensive line?
On a scale from the Sacramento Kings (no strong emotions) to the New York Knicks (Good lord have mercy on the Seahawks), I’ll err towards the side of the New York Knicks.
While the Seahawks aren’t going to see a line like St. Louis’ the whole season (I hyped that group up all offseason just like everyone else), it’s very concerning to see that they generated very little push for the majority of the game.
Russell Wilson needs Marshawn Lynch at his very best to play at the level Seahawks fans are used to seeing the fourth-year quarterback play. While Lynch doesn’t need gaping running lanes to make plays, he can’t gain yards when defensive tackles are three yards deep in the backfield.
The line will get better, but I have a hard time seeing the Seahawks beating the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau in their current state.
Alexis Bravo
From a scale of Niners off-season to Donald Trump being president, how concerned are you about the offensive line?
Well, with a scale like that, we don’t have much to work with; we’re between a rock and a hard place – I’d say they’re Kim Davis bad, getting paid to not do our job.
The line, especially the right side, looks biblically bad when it comes to run blocking, they can’t do it to save their life. We’d expect Sweezy to be our best overall run blocker on this team, but even he’s underperformed, and that’s bad news. Let’s not forget he’s in a contract year. If he wants to get paid here, or somewhere he better step it up.
Gilliam has proved what we were feared the most: he can’t run block; he doesn’t understand the scheme very well yet either. His technique needs work, a lot of work.
Our center, Drew Nowak is performing where we expect someone’s who’s never played to postion to play at. Bad snaps, isn’t an effective in communicating protections, doesn’t always get his blocks.
Our left side of the line can’t pass protect, Britt is continually getting beat, and while I know it was the rams, Quinn and Donald were eating them (Okung and Unger) alive out there.
Okung doesn’t look like the man we all saw in 2012. He did an ok job, but right now, he isn’t the same caliber player we saw in 2012. He may never be again.
If he expects to make after he decided to represent himself in contract negotiations, he better start shooting upwards to his former probowl self.
Next: The O-line as Aquaman and Journey