http://forums.seattletimes.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=220330
Hawks vs Rams for the division
the scariest stat I saw lately is the splits for Seattle on grass and turf fields.
I don't recall the actual number but it was like 18-4 on Field Turf and 2-24 or something on grass over the last few years.
Whats sucks is this game is on grass....do i feel we will lose, hell no. But it was a scary stat!
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Yeah, that scares me. I can tell a difference with our defense and the jump they get on the ball. We have a faster defense on field turf. But the offense we run shouldn't really matter. Of course, we did have that playoff game in Carolina where the offense was slipping all over the place in the first half.
Guess we need a new cleat guy.
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Yep, that scares me too. The forecast says 80 degrees. That doesn't seem too bad. It's supposed to be 90 the day before. No more 10 am starts against the Rams, so there's that. Is there any chance the Hawks could put up 14 offensive points in the first half? I was about ready to jump off a bridge the first half of the last game.
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I feel like we should be able to shut down the run, but worry about Gurley getting loose, I mean, it isn't like we haven't seen that from a back against us a few times this year. They are more talented at WR than they have been in the past, but you would think even without Avril rushing the passer we shouldn't be beaten by them through the air.
I just hope the defense isn't on the field all game long, and I don't care why. If it is because they can't get off the field on third down or if it is because our offense goes three and out all game long!
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I'm a little worried there. Goff is showing huge improvement over last season and he now has Sammy Watkins to throw to.
My guess is that our defense will stuff the run early and throughout the first half. But if it's a close game within a possession, look for Gurley to break out with big runs later in the game.
If the Hawks jump out to a big lead... and that's a big if... I think they will get to Goff and shut down the passing game.
This one should be the game of the week. Great litmus test for both teams.
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Rams D has given up an average of 34 points a game the past three games so we should be able to score 17 off them.
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That's surprising with all the talent they have on defense and with Wade Phillips at DC. What do you wanna bet they find a way to pull it together against the Seahawks?
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We seem to be the cure for what is ailing poor defenses. The best defensive games that Tennessee, Green Bay and San Francisco have played came against us. And for a half the Colts D even looked good last week.
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Maybe we need 11 pro bowlers on defense instead of only 8.
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I think Seattle winning this would be an upset. Rams look much hungrier, focused, confident, plus that offense is strong and their D hasn't caught it's stride yet. I expect Seattle to bumble around, as always, and dig a hole they can't rally from in the 4th. It's their MO and it's a failing philosophy.
You have to get out in front and then let the D attack. That's when this team is most lethal. We all know they won't and they'll pay for it. Look for Seattle's D to be on the field for 38 minutes, maybe more, while we watch the offense looking confused and bewildered until there are two minutes left in either half when desperation and the uptempo kick in.
After watching how bad this offense has been for 90% of the season, and how steady the young Rams have been all season, I see no reason to believe the distracted Seahawks have found any answers this week.
Rams simple want to win football games more than Seattle does - which sucks cause I'll be at the game. There will be a lot of 12's there too, which is always awesome. The only thing is Seattle's favor is the Fisher factor is gone. Dude couldn't beat anyone - but Seattle. Go figure.
Am I the only one that watches this offense and gets the feeling they completely skip practice? Except for the part where they get to talk to the media after and distribute their cliche` soundbites. They look well-prepared for that part. Pessimistic? nah!
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If we are down 13-3 at half I might barf- Come on Bevell- Let Russ be Russ, dont play ultra run-run-pass-punt conservative to start the game as usual- Find Luke down the middle on 1st down for instance. Change it up- Easy right ? lol
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Wouldn't that make a huge difference, just give us 14 points in the first half.
I have no confidence that we will have a quick start on the road. However, the last couple of games, the Hawks have been quicker to change things up during the game. They start every one with tight sets, running up the middle. three and out, three and out.
It's when they spread the field and play Wilson in the gun or pistol, play up tempo, that we tend to start moving. The logical question we all have is --- why not start off that way?
The Hawks showed in the last couple of games, in the second half of those games, that they can control the clock going pass first and running plays a little quicker. Tom Brady showed his mastery of that strategy last night against the Bucs... he just moved the Pats at will. And they needed him to do that to keep a bad Patriot D off the field.
For our team, I think controlling the clock is the most important objective for the first half, not points. Last two games the defense was on the field 20 minutes each in the first half. That really taxes the defense and doesn't allow the offense much opportunity to get going. I believe this is an equal problem at the moment, offense going three and out, and the defense not getting off the field on third downs.
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Why is it that we have to make drastic changes every game? Do we really have no idea going into a game what other teams are going to do? Or are we simply so pig headed that we are going to run our style to start the game...despite the fact that it never works!
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Pete doesn't see those 1 yard runs as failure. He thinks they add up during the game and by the end of the game... the only important quarter for Pete... the opposing D is gassed and can no longer stop the run. Kind of like body shots in boxing, where they don't do much damage early in the fight, but they take a toll by the end of the fight.
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here is an article on play calling, kind of interesting, brings up how it used to be the QB that did it, those were the days. It also goes into scripting the first 15-20 plays, that always seemed insane to me, but it makes the case for it, it makes you be disciplined to your game plan. I think its more about trying to create a flow to your offense than it is trying to trick the defense.
http://www.nytimes.com/1996/12/15/sport ... e-nfl.html
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Bill Walsh always did that. In fact he (I think) is the one that started it. It's awesome, and one of the big reason it's awesome is because it gets you OUT of tendencies and makes you less predictable. His plays were not based on down and distance since he could not possibly even know those, thus the defense had no idea what play #10 would be.
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Do you honestly think that with our offensive line ......... running the ball when they expect us to be running the ball is a favorable matchup for our offensive line? I can't wait to hear the answer to that one.
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None of us are paid to break down game film, yet everyone one of us knows what the second and long call is going to be. You don't think the DC's for other teams know as well? Yes I often think a monkey pulling turds out of his bunger and throwing it at a wall with plays on it could do as well as Bevell.
But, I also agree with you that he is doing what he is asked to do. The bottom line is this is Pete's team and he seems to be more than alright with limiting the offense to the tune of two road wins in September the entire time he has been here.
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and when we talk about establishing the run against the Rams, its not about tricking them with is it? Isn't more just about running it better?
