Notes from the Nest: Seahawks offense and defense historic in Week 4

The Seahawks lines are going in very different directions

• The two towers and the closer
  • This offense wouldn’t look so dominant without the incredible play from rookie tackles Charles Cross and Abe Lucas.
  • Cross has looked the part, decent in the running game and really solid in the passing game. He’s a true air raid left tackle, but he’s getting better each week.
  • Abe Lucas, another air raid man, looks like the best rookie offensive lineman taken in the draft.
  • Together, and with better play in the interior, Seattle kept Geno clean, they ran for 145 yards, and they never put Seattle in a position to punt, a franchise first.
  • Geno and the O-line being awesome are the highlights of the season but don’t forget about the closer Rashaad Penny. Penny saw some spark plays from Kenneth Walker and responded by running all over the Lions. Over 150 yards rushing, and two touchdowns, he was the man we saw last year.
  • When running right, there’s not a better back to close a game out. Penny has the burst, and that clutch gene to put a team away. His two scores were in crucial moments, and he exploded for 36 and 41-yard scores.

• Another week, another rant on defense
  • It’s still really bad, but it started ok?
  • The Seahawks defense made some nice stops early on but ran into bad luck on a Tyler Lockett fumble on a punt, and a fake punt to extend a drive. It seemed after these second chances, Seattle just decided to play Big 12 football, where defense is optional.
  • The problems start up front. The first problem is this team can’t stop the run still. From that, they’re simply not getting enough of a pass rush, as teams are destroying them with play-action, or long extended plays.
  • The linebackers are truly hard to watch. Jordyn Brooks having a million tackles is not an indicator that he is good. Cody Barton is a Madden glitch that does the wrong thing every time. Anybody trying to tell you he’s ok is just trying to be a contrarian on social media.
  • The secondary has some building blocks. Coby Bryant is still making plays, and Tariq Woolen may be a star by season’s end. His pick-six was a beautiful combination of technique, smarts, and physical domination by Woolen.
  • I don’t think this defense can get remarkably better, but it can take baby steps. A commitment to stopping the run will be key to this defense’s survival. What we’ve seen so far is unlike anything we’ve seen in a Pete Carroll defense.
  • Hopefully, the offense’s ability to run the football Sunday is a sign of things to come. That at least helps with time of possession, which can at least help the defense a little.
  • For this defense to turn by next year when we all want to be contenders, they’ll need 2 legit pass rushers, and an athletic linebacker to get Barton off the field and take pressure off Brooks. Do those things and get a healthy Jamal Adams back next year, and the defense will make the jump.