The Morning After: Little to Say, Much to Do After Falcons End Seahawks Season 36-20

There are all sorts of football seasons. Some are hopeless from the start. Others veer off course part way through. The best, build to a crescendo and then resolve with clarity and validation that no team is mightier. Seasons are not much different than individual plays, or quarters, or games. One follows another and then another until a story begins to arc. Seattle had seasons in 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014 that stitched together a crystal clear narrative. The Seahawks were the team to beat in the NFL. They were the next dynasty. Young, brash, talented, and blessed with an unbendable will, they were the envy of the league. Even a 2015 season that ended with near humiliation, had an encouraging story to tell if you followed the arc of that individual season. This season ends differently. Seattle is not the bully on the block any longer, and there are fewer reasons to expect the improvement required to reach the peak again.

The Falcons team that beat the Seahawks yesterday would likely beat them 70 out of 100 games with the same players and the same venue. Their offense was by far the best unit on the field in that game. Russell Wilson was quoted as saying this felt exactly like the 2012 loss in Atlanta, but that feeling betrays the truth. The 2012 Seahawks needed more pass rushers. Period. They had everything else they needed. This team needs their offensive line to morph from among the worst in football to at least average. They need their quarterback to show the ability to consistently take over games and make the throws needed to win. They need a running back who can stay healthy for more than a few games, and cornerbacks with upside. It may be time for new voices on the coaching staff, with new ideas, and new perspectives. It would be unwise to see the injuries suffered by Wilson, Earl Thomas, Kam Chancellor, and Michael Bennett as poor fortune. The core is getting older, and injuries will be more common.

It is not all doom and gloom. Seattle should be a playoff team for the next decade as Wilson continues to play. This is not time to abandon ship and get on the lifeboats. The boat took on water this year, but this is still a heavily armed warship. John Schneider and Pete Carroll kept 15 rookies on the roster. They lowered their average age significantly in the hope that this new generation of Seahawks could grow around the veteran core like trees around a Mayan temple. Those youngsters had too great a burden to bear, at least along the offensive line. The ones who were scattered about the roster with supporting roles like Tanner McEvoy, Alex Collins, Nick Vannett, and Jarran Reed were able to have their ups and downs in relative obscurity. George Fant, Mark Glowinski, and Germain Ifedi were asked to learn how to play in this league while being the only things standing in the way of their quarterback and Aaron Donald, Calais Campbell, and Chandler Jones. Judge their play harshly if you must, but the plan is what deserves the most scrutiny.

Two straight years the Seahawks have cobbled together an offensive line. Two straight years it was their undoing. The hope in the front office has to be that they will grow into a reliable and affordable unit. It was a sensible idea from a cap management standpoint, but the lack of veteran depth to fall back on if things went catastrophic was unnecessarily brazen.

The line was not the biggest reason the Falcons beat the Seahawks in this particular game, but they are definitely the reason this game was played in Atlanta and not Seattle.

What cost Seattle a chance to win this game was a secondary who could not compete with Matt Ryan and that offense. No player was left unscathed.  It would be easy to point the finger at the pass rush not getting home, but Ryan was finding players running free quicker than rushers could get there. Richard Sherman has work to do to reestablish himself as the league’s best corner. DeShawn Shead may be recovering from a torn ACL next year, and Jeremy Lane was too often the victim the big play. Seattle has depth issues at safety. Steve Terrell is a fine backup, but his challenges tackling in the open field make him a liability as a starter.

Thomas made it clear we should never assume these players are going to want to be around just because their bodies allow them to be. Both starting safeties could play five more years or just one. The cupboard must be restocked.

Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril are both 31 years old. They should remain productive for the next couple of years, but it is a risk to assume they will. Thomas Rawls and C.J. Prosise have shown so much promise, but neither has managed to play more than a few games in a row. So what can Seahawks fans count on?

The linebackers, are youthful and elite, needing just a complementary player to fill in at SAM. The receivers, led by Doug Baldwin and what will be a recovering Tyler Lockett, are strong. Paul Richardson and McEvoy represent players with untapped potential. The run defense should remain stout with Reed and Ahtyba Rubin. Then there is Wilson.

The easy thing would be to point out the throws he missed in this game, including two that likely were touchdowns. Harder is to assess how much of his challenges this year were injury versus porous line play versus lack of maturation of his play. He cannot control the play of the line, but I certainly hope to hear that he is redoubling his efforts this offseason to be in peak physical condition and master the art of the position. Whether you are the most ardent Wilson supporter or the most cynical detractor, we can all agree he can be better than the player we saw this season. This team needs him to be better than the player we saw this season.

One of the more disconcerting aspects of this loss was how bewildered Carroll was in his postgame press conference. This result completely blindsided him. He came into this game incredibly confident in his team’s preparation and mindset. They showed why early with a statement drive to open the game. They were a special teams penalty away from possibly going up 17-7 in the game. The penalty was legit, though, and the team soon found itself behind 12-10 after a safety and a field goal. An injury to Ifedi contributed to the offense misfiring. This was not an “if only” game. The Falcons offense showed themselves to be far more capable of sustaining excellence than either side of the football for Seattle.

Decisions about whether the issues are with coaches or personnel are always tough. Do you look at that team out there and say they should be a lot better than the way they played yesterday and this year? Honestly, the answer is mixed for me. The defense has so many elite talents, it feels like it should be more dominant than it was over the second half of the season. Maybe that is Kris Richard, but maybe it was the marathon games the faulty offense forced them to play that eventually took their toll. Darrell Bevell is a powderkeg when brought up to Seahawks fans. Then again, this offense might have been far higher scoring if they had an adequate line. It is unlikely Carroll will make any changes to his staff, but I hope he does some thorough reflection on what has transpired the past two seasons to find every possible way this team can improve.

One area of focus should rule them all. This team is not the same without a consistent rushing attack. When present, it sets up the play-action passes, limits opponent pass rush, keeps the defense fresher with less time on the field, and connects with the physical identity Carroll brought with him. Whatever must be done to regain that aspect of their game should be a top priority.

The Seahawks are not on a clear trajectory to win the Super Bowl next year. There is much work to be done. They are also not in great peril. As much went awry this season, the Seahawks still won their division going away, beat that Falcons team earlier in the year and beat the Patriots on the road. Making the playoffs is not enough for this group. Carroll’s legacy will not be complete without another ring.  Reclaiming the trophy we all seek must begin with a championship offseason full of tough choices and shrewd moves. Godspeed, Schneider and Carroll.

Editor’s Note: Thanks to all of you for a terrific year here at Hawkblogger.com. This community makes the highs higher and the lows easier to manage. Offseason coverage will begin soon. Hope to see you here!

 

Founder, Editor & Lead Writer
  1. Thanks for all your coverage Brian! On your blogs and twitter conversations, you make us smarter fans with your insight! Looking forward to off-season content!

  2. First a nod to Dan Quinn for showing some class having his guys do kneel downs for the final two minutes in the shadow of the goal posts that could have added more shame to the Hawks. He’s been quoted as saying something along the lines that PC has been the most impactful coaching influence in his career. Nice show of respect coach.

    We’re already seeing the usual scape goating after a disappointing loss, but in reality each team pretty much scored to their season averages……………not too much of a surprise there. For all that the Seahawks should take some pride in making it to the final eight despite all the injuries and short comings of the players and coaches it’s a bitter pill. The opening drive held so much promise in demonstrating that this team can in fact score in the first quarter, and eat up the clock doing it, thus keeping a typically high scoring opponent on the side lines. Alas, it didn’t hold. A few days back we said the Hawks would likely beat the Hawks if they were to be defeated…………………….no fun being right on that sort of thing.
    While watching others advance to the holy grail, there will be all manner of whining about this player or that being awful, having a bad attitude, resembling Satan incarnate……..whatever, along with the ever present lynch mob standing at the ready to eliminate Bevell, Cable, et al. There’s probably a reason most of those folks aren’t or never have been builders of some sort of team (sports, business, whatever). Yes, we do need some fixes, and it’s not just getting ET3 back (hint, they’ve lost some “never shoulda” games with him in there, no matter what fan boy John Lynch may lead you to believe). And likewise adding a vet to the O-line probably won’t make much of a difference either. History is full of examples where just throwing money at a problem is a fool’s errand as well. But then, what is needed?

    There was plenty of analysis last week about the similarities between the defensive records of Detroit and Atlanta. From that, the faithful made some hope filled projections for success. The game even started out looking like those wishes would come true. But then “No Battle Plan Survives Contact With the Enemy” von Moltke; in this case Atlanta had a plan that worked out better. The maddening thing is, if you compare rosters man for man, position for position, on paper (not where the game is played) the Hawks look better nearly across the board. The O-line for Seattle lacks the experience and length of time playing together, but the personal skill sets aren’t that far apart otherwise. Same for the running backs, the Hawks are too thin by comparison. But in most other positions there are way more “name” players on the Hawks. Based on that comparison I go back to what I’ve offered earlier, I believe the Seattle coaching staff lacks something in pre-game prep, and even more in on-the-fly adjustments. The team has had a fair bit of success the past few years doing what they’ve done, but as an old sales manager of mine liked to say (somewhat crudely); “When you’re green you grow, when you’re ripe you rot.” That would be too harsh for this team at this time, but they have grown stale………or as some like to say it, the other teams have caught up with their schtick. It’s a good enough act to make the playoffs, it just has shown it’s not enough to compete with the league best. Given the player skills, I don’t think there’s a lot of improvement needed there, not on the wholesale level that the dogs of the league need. Some fine tuning and some depth? You bet! But more important if we want to take advantage of that mythical “Super Bowl window” still being open we need to upgrade our coaching. The Carroll mantra of “always compete” needs to apply to those coaches.
    Perhaps ironically, during the first part of yesterday’s game, the NFL Network was running a documentary of sorts about how NE Pats game planned , practiced, and executed for SB 49. Allowing for some revisionism, there was still some brilliant scouting and planning involved. Our guys probably can do some of that, but at what level. 80%, 90? Whatever, not enough.

    Ryan probably sealed MVP yesterday (if there’s any justice involved). He’s credited with spending last pre-season absorbing the Kyle Shannahan philosophy/game planning/play menu. He got the kind of “Masters Program” we were told was in store for RW. To my eye, the first thing RW should focus on improving is getting rid of the ball quicker when defenders are closing in. Sure, better line play would help, but even the best of lines can only hold up so long, especially with blitzes. Second would be better designs for outlet receivers when those collapsing pockets happen. As an aside, I can’t help but wonder if the first words out of Shannahan’s mind at games end were “Take that Elway!”

    It may not be necessary to dump all or any of our coaches if they have the capacity to become more creative in their planning and sharpen their ability to adjust on the fly before half time and games end. We got a taste of the other side of that level of coaching yesterday, those guys made the changes they needed to when they saw the Hawks first drive. Maybe it’s time PC took some reciprocal mentoring from Quinn.

    1. I like the idea of “on the fly” adjusting. Seattle never seems to do that and many successful teams do.

    2. Actually I am a bit more disappointed than angry or frustrated. Whatever happens to the heart of the champion? We supposed to be a veteran team, as most of the core players, but we were very unprepared and unfocused. That is the coach’s job. My heart was with the team, but my head knew it was a “mirage” from the last game, which I hope every Hawks fans should look at the actual games, instead of listening to how great the team is coming from the coaching staff or media. We all can see it on TV. Pictures can lie sometimes, but not all the time. This team has digressed since last year, actually since the SB loss, as I was saying the same thing that got me ostracized from the 12s. I believe that SB loss damaged our psyche more than they wanted to admit.

      This is just not about the OL, DL, DBs, QB etc. It is about the head coach and his thinking. I have seen this picture before (i.e., USC). This team will still be competitive, but will not be a SB contender unless PC can adapt, which won’t happen. Too hubris or too old. Hopefully, I am wrong because I like RW and DB (not the OC) a lot and would like to see them, at least, win one more SB ring. Their talents will be wasted if this team does not change.

      I’d agree with you about the talent level between Atlanta and Seattle, if that is the case, then what is the problem? If it is not the players, then who or what? I think we all know the answer to that. Now, we are going to hear the same BS about being positive and singing the Kumbaya from the draft and training camp. In the end, nothing will change as Brian eloquently put it.

      1. Hey…..watch it with that old guy stuff (lol)……..to me PC is just a kid.

        It’s standard human nature to resist disruptions. We tend to like organizing various facets of our lives and minimize the number of situations we have to grapple with. We normally choose a preferred route to work, a slate of favorite restaurants, a sequence of daily routine, and so on. There’s comfort in the known, and rare is the person who willingly shakes up their routines any more than they are forced to. I suspect that knowing this is why we are hopeful someone will take Cable, Bevell, whomever away from us and start the domino fall that we think might offer improvement. One of the reasons Belichick is able to be consistently stirring the pot is his ruthlessness (just ask Jamie Collins or Chandler Jones). He’s willing to force himself outside of his comfort zone (or maybe it IS his comfort zone). It’s happened to me, I would like to think to others as well. You know something isn’t quite right, you know you should fix it, but you’re able to limp by on the current situation so you defer because you’re not ready for whatever level of chaos (perceived or real) the fix might cause. I’d like to think that Sherms explosions of late are caused by his concern/observation that these deficiencies we’re discussing are true. When he’s had or will have some heart to heart talks with PC, does Carroll respect his input enough to at least contemplate his behavior being the canary in the coal mine. I don’t have the inside knowledge to be sure of that, but it strikes me as a reasonable possibility.

    3. If I were in a lifeboat I’d want Pete Carroll, not Bill Bellicheck with me. If I were running an NFL team, I’d want BB, not PC with me. The truth is not easy, but it’s past time to tell it. The Seahawks were routinely out-coached, Pete. Dan Quinn was snapped up cuz he’s good. There’s a reason we still have Cable and Bevill. (Pray for San Francisco and Buffalo to save us from 2/3 of our inept coaching ).

      And no more absolute blunders that involve players like Cary Williams, Webb and Sowell, and Percy “Diva” Harvin. (Imagine if Daryl Bevell had not signed off on that trade. Or called THAT PLAY).

      In JS and PC we still trust, but… not so much.

      Kam and Richard Sherman have offered we fans a foggy window into the fact that something is rotten in Seattle.

      This off season should be about always compete, Pete.
      (Forgive me if I sound self righteous. Fans are fanatic.) But…

      Always compete. Or be a loyal friend, irregardless. Up to you, Pete.

  3. This is not the same team from a few years ago. Physically, they have some tools left in the shed, but mentally…I am really worried about their team play. They have been a team in turmoil most of the season. Carroll says, I let my team be who they are, but is that just a mask for the frustration and doubts that they carry amongst themselves. I am not even talking about the offense. I am much more concerned about the defense. I do not feel like they played like the cohesive unit that they have been. There are chinks in the armor and I am not sure what the cause of it is. Is it their defensive coach? Is it maybe personalities clashing? I don’t know. All I know is that the frustration is showing, and this unit is not playing up to their potential. The cohesiveness from the past is not there. Makes me sad.
    The offense, I think will improve. Let’s remember that without this cheap, makeshift offensive line, we do not retain the rights of all our star players. When they start paying big money on that line, the rest of the team suffers. It used to be Seattle could pay more for their linemen. The defense was young, talented and cheap. Now they are superstars and need to be paid as much. No more money for the offensive line. Do we get cheap running backs or receivers and make the offensive line more of a priority? Brady gets sh*t for receivers and still gets the job done. Priorities. I wouldn’t want to be in management’s shoes. It’s get young, cheap talent or bust.

  4. Thanks Brian, I have enjoyed reading your posts all season. It is definitely not doom & gloom, from my perspective. We are disappointed because we saw great potential before and even during this season. We have seen that these Seahawks are indeed mortal, and that there are several other teams right now that are probably more talented, grittier and hungrier. While that’s shocking, let’s consider that at most, that list of teams is very short. However, they are still in a great position. They have a great owner, future HOF coach, incredible home-field advantage, a core of talented players, a franchise QB, and no significant cap issues.

    That being said, I think this is the first year the coaching staff really needs to be reassessed, and those who made the decision to go El Cheapo on the offensive line need to admit that the experiment did not work. From my viewing of this season, all the failures and the final outcome work their way back to these 5 struggling guys, and probably the arrogance of the coaching staff to think Tom Cable could transform them with a wave of his wand. We are in a division in which 2 of our opponents have 1 or 2 players that are so good they can completely disrupt this offense before Russell even has a chance to scramble (this should be no surprise… he’s been destroying them for 4 years so this is their counter move). So the luck ran out and he finally got injured, which limited the offense even further and cost us 2-3 games.

    While I am equally concerned about the defensive slide, I had to put this into some context and note my own recency bias… because just a few months ago I was texting buddies about this “championship defense” of ours, paired with such a miserably inept offense. It’s clear that they declined the latter half of the season, and precipitously after #29 went down. What this says to me is that they simply got worn out mentally and physically, and the depth we thought we had was a mirage. But the reason they got worn out was the offense, which was hamstrung by poor offensive line play and Wilson’s injuries. The thing is, we don’t need a #1 or even a top 5 defense every year if we just had a more reliable offense to balance it out, right? It’s not realistic to expect that offense to shut everyone down like it did in 2013, but it is realistic to develop a balanced team that wins more than it loses in all 3 phases.

    I expect them to do some soul searching and make some moves in the off-season because I think the cold, hard reality of this defeat has finally overcome Pete’s relentless optimism.

    1. ” those who made the decision to go El Cheapo on the offensive line need to admit that the experiment did not work”

      It is not an experiment. It was a conscious decision based on the analysis that the team was better off retaining a core of defensive stars who were a known quantity than moving on from those players in favor of unknown quantities on offense.

      It’s also not clear that it didn’t work. Would moving on from (always unnamed) defensive players in favor of unknown offensive linemen have produced more than 20 wins in 2 years?

  5. Bummer to see Wilson regress somewhat after being on fire for the second half of 2015. He missed two td throws yesterday that can’t be pinned on the Oline. Elite qb’s don’t miss those. And all year he seemed to be too often off target. If our defense going forward is closer to average than elite then Wilson will need to be elite.

    Of course the Oline is a mess. Britt is the only asset there. Unless JS does something in free agency or hits a home run in the draft, how will next year be different? Will Tom Cable still be Oline coach? As others have noted, “always compete” applies to players only which is ridiculous and probably frustrating to some of the more established players.

    We’ll see what happens.

    1. Elite QBs make bad throws to the end zone all the time, and in big games. Tom Brady probably still wishes that he had back the pass that Jeremy Lane intercepted in the in the Super Bowl. We just don’t notice them as much when they aren’t our QB throwing.

      RW was never 100% after his injury and he looked like a QB who (justifiably) had no confidence in his OL. Those are foundational problems that make it impossible for fans to evaluate his performance.

      What we definitely know is that the team won 11 games (counting playoffs) and was a missed 27-yd FG away from winning 12. Given the inconsistent play and key injuries on both sides of the ball and the , only a team with an elite QB could have pulled this off.

  6. Brian,

    Thank you for another season of great insights and honest reflections. I look forward to your off-season analysis – if only it would’ve been delayed another few weeks.

    Personally, I have mixed emotions about the season. It has to be considered a failure when viewed through the lens of preseason expectations. There was simply too much talent across the roster, and Tom Cable has too often shown the ability to field a serviceable line by regular-season’s end. However, my expectations changed when Wilson’s foot twisted like 270 degrees in week one. Watching his other leg fold like a soft taco a couple weeks later only reaffirmed that thought.

    There was much adversity this year with their quarterback slinging footballs on no legs and half a chest and their All-Pro safety getting broken in two on the Altar of Kam. This team has faced injury and adversity before, but never have they faced significant injury (I’m talking the Carroll era here) to the cornerstones of both their offense and defense. So, all things considered, I’d have to consider this season a (very) marginal success, considering the team got within a thumping of the NFCC.

    Super Bowl aspirations aside, I have to tell you that the team’s inability to adapt on defense is what pains me the most about this season. The yearlong offensive identity crisis is a very close second.

    Steven Terrell is not Earl Thomas. No sane person should’ve thought otherwise. While he’s probably as speedy as Earl, he also probably tackles NFL receivers about as well as I would. But he’s a backup. For a team that prides itself on focusing on what their players can do and putting them in a position to succeed, they constantly let Terrell get exposed. This defense is able do what is does how it does because Earl is normally back there. So, wouldn’t it make sense to change it up to compensate for the lack of Thomas. My uneducated eyes saw a team trying to pound the Terrell peg into the Earl hole for the last quarter of the season. And result was a bit painful to watch.

    What are your thoughts on the season as a whole? I’d love to read a holistic analysis of what went right and what went wrong – a sort of Tell-The-Truth-Monday piece before diving into free agent fantasies and draft day hopes.

    Also, what are your thoughts on Bevel and Cable as a combo? They’re both good coaches who have contributed as much to the team’s success as anyone else. But do you think having two offensive coordinators has contributed to the offensive identity crisis this year?

  7. The offensive line is the worst in the league. What bothers me is the judgment of the people who must fix it. I was following the draft on ESPN when Britt was picked in the second round. They had him as the tenth best tackle available at that point. When Ifedi was picked in the first round, Pro Football Focus had him with a late round grade. Brian point out that Webb and Sowell were not good when they were first signed this offseason. If you’re going to pick against the consensus and you’re right, more power to you. But Cable is on record saying that everyone coming out of college is starting from scratch, and hence it is fine to convert tight ends, basketball players, and defensive linemen into offensive linemen. That’s not what Dallas or Green Bay, for instance, are doing with their offensive lines. Not feeling hopeful.

    1. Totally agree. Britt is good now at Center, but we had to suffer for two years of him at tackle and guard. With Ifedi, all other first and second round picks excelled this year, but not him. Is it JS or Cable who are responsible for the Oline personell? Such a glaring problem year after year that never gets addressed. I’m not real confident that Fant makes a great leap next year that Carroll thinks will happen.

  8. I agree with a lot of the comments above, however i think there has to be a change in philosophy from within the organization about how the Hawks are built, We have too much of the cap in too few players, too much in the defense, not leaving enough for the O line. Unfortunately, these are not changes that can be done from 1 year to the next, It takes years to build a good O line through the draft, & one cant have misses like the Hawks (Cable) have had with an alarming regularity. The defense has gotten consistently worse since Richards has taken over. Any chance of hiring Gus Bradley?? I am getting fed up with this constant positive attitude of PC & RW, beginning to wonder if they need a reality check. I hope JS can make some smart moves this offseason & tackle the priorities
    1 Offensive line (a couple of free agent tackles & dont let Cable make the picks in the draft)
    2 Inability to make in game adjustments (new offensive & defensive co ordinators)
    3 Design an offense based off a quick passing game, RW does not have 5 seconds in the pocket waiting for his WRs to get open

    1. I was all geared up to write down my take on the Hawks and then I read your comments Tom T.
      Richards out for Bradley, Bevell gone for anyone who can pre plan and adapt in game, Cable banned from selecting project lineman, Russ schooled on getting rid of the football fast … Just one of these realised would represent a successful off season from where I stand.
      But still thrilled to be a Hawks fan. They gave me plenty of great moments this season, made the playoffs again and should be competitive again next year.
      Fingers crossed JS and PC make some great moves and possibly some tough calls in the offseason. Go Hawks.

      PS Thanks Brian for another great season of insight and analysis … You are a gun.

    2. “The defense has gotten consistently worse since Richards has taken over. Any chance of hiring Gus Bradley??”

      Bradley’s best season was 2012. Eight of 11 starters played in all 16 games; there was a total 9 missed games by starters: Brandon Browner (4), Leroy Hill (4), and KJ Wright (1)

      In 2016, six starters played in all games; there was a total 21 missed games: Mike Morgan (7), Michael Bennett (5), Earl Thomas (5), Kam Chancellor (4). Plus, Richard Sherman played half the season with an MCL injury.

  9. Yes, time for Pete to change, but old men rarely do.

    Pete can remain a loyal friend to Daryl, Kris and Tom. Or…

    Pete can take a page from Bill Bellacheck’s book and maybe raise another OWL trophy. I guess, it’s a question of what matters most to Pete.

    (Wouldn’t it have been something if Daryl B. had not signed off on the Percy I’m-a-Diva Harvin trade, or had not called THAT PLAY.)

    Better late than ever. Fire Bevell. Fire him today. Cable too. And Richard.

    And, hey, J.S. , no more blunders, okay?
    No more Cary Williams, Webbs, Sowells, and the next time a Joel Bitonio is there, just grab him. Don’t “Get cute” as M. Holmgren would say. (Hey, Mike wanna be an O.C. for Seattle next year? Yeah, I didn’t think so. )

    The so called calm and rational voice of a fan base never advocate change. They’re the status quo crowd. The give-Tim-Ruskell-
    another-year crowd. But, Pete, all you gotta do is compete. Take a long clear look at your coaches. And make this team better.

    1. “(Wouldn’t it have been something if Daryl B. had not signed off on the Percy I’m-a-Diva Harvin trade

      It also would have been something had they had not signed Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett. It would have been something had they not drafted Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner.

  10. We lost SB48 due to injuries, (Kam mcl sprain, ET3 sperated shoulder, Sherm elbow sprain, Lane acl & broken, (after bad decision not to take a knee after INT) & Avril concussion)

    Lost Beastmode & Rawls & Jimmy before PO’s.

    Same thing happened this year, ET3 legbreak, Sherm mcl sprain, Shead ACL, Bennett chop blocked knee, Kam hammy, Russ ankle knee pec, Rawls another break, CJP shoulder break.

    I hope the next 3 seasons can be blessed with good health, as these last 3 seasons have been ruined by injuries. Ask yourselves this, how well were u able to work last time u had just the flu, toothache, migraine, etc. Look at the Falcons, how many key players were they missing?

    Well if they can SB52 & 53 it will be worth it, maybe SB54 as well.

    1. Injuries are bad but should not be excuses. Look at Green Bay. No Jordy Nelson, No Eddie Lacy. Cornerbacks next to no good. Yet, GB is in the NFCCG.
      Wilson, in my opinion, was selfish in playing through injuries even when he could not move. Hero for doing so, yes, maybe. But the coach should have sat him down and started Trvoyne Boykin against Rams in LA or Arizona for example. We could have won both those games. What’s the worst that could have happened if Boykin started those games? Same as what happened with Wilson playing.
      Wilson has regressed a LOT as QB. O Line needs to be changed. Jimmy Graham needs to be let go not because he is bad, but because we cannot use him and we need that money to pay for a better O Line.

  11. “we can all agree he can be better than the player we saw this season.”

    I’ll go further than that: RW *will* be a better player if he is healthy and has confidence in the offensive line.

  12. I agree with a lot of what has been said by posters here.

    The one thing that absolutely drive me INSANE is the inability for the offense (or defense for that matter) to make in game adjustments. When asked about that, Pete always says “We were just feeling them out in the first half” While you were “feeling them out” They were scoring! My God, you can not tell me that these coaches who have many years experience can’t make on the fly adjustments? Most of the time the things that the other team are doing are not new to us. The defense and offense have the same weaknesses they always had and the other team attacks them. Why can’t you adjust? Its not new! But apparently we can not fix it until half time, for some reason (if at all). By then, sometimes it is too late, the other team took that time to score (and adjust), imagine that! And you look back and realize that you just wasted an entire half “feeling them out”

    OK, rant over on that…

    As for the offense, the o line is just a catch 22. If you swap a couple of them for vets, there goes the continuity.If you leave them be, they may still suck and not progress. I’m glad I’m not JS, but man how long do we need to wait? We have been more than patient, but results must now be required. We have spent too much on draft capital to still be having these massive problems. All I ask is average at this point.

    This off season, Russell needs to get himself right again and get in shape, which he was not. I realize he is having a baby and all, but if he wants to be the best as he claims, he has a lot of work this off season. Yes, he was hurt this year, but that does not excuse his play in the latter part of the year. Missing throws (his footwork has regressed) and he ends up over throwing. He would not scramble when he could and why even read option if it is not an option? What happened to the second half uptick last year and getting rid of the football quicker? And when is Russ going to be able to throw receivers open like the good QB’s do?He needs to learn that because this waiting for them to be open is not going to get it done anymore.Hopefully, Russ will recommit himself this off season.

    Another question, why is it that the last few years our DB’s never bump and cover anymore.We are always ten yards down field to cover.Other teams do and has been the bane of our existence. Prime example is Green Bay. Their db’s always play our receivers very tight and we have a terrible time trying to throw down field. It is not like their DB’s are THAT good, we have a tough time with tight coverage. Most teams do and we are not doing that anymore, why? We watch as the other teams throws five, six, seven yards downfield under the coverage. Contest those catches!

Comments are closed.