Fill in the blank: yesterday's Seahawks win made you feel _____
Excited? Optimistic? Satisfied?
Try alive. That was easily one of the more thrilling games the Seahawks have played in years.
Seattle's 27-20 win over San Diego was explosive. There were two kick returns for touchdowns; 675 yards combined passing and a total of seven turnovers.
The Seahawks defensive line was all over San Diego's quarterback Phillip Rivers. Defensive ends Chris Clemons and Red Bryant consistently collapsed Rivers' throwing pocket which allowed defensive tackles Colin Cole and Brandon Mebane to penetrate the running lanes.
Once again, the Seahawks shutdown the run. They gave up 89 yards rushing with no touchdowns. This trend is becoming more and more a staple as the weeks go by. After yesterday's dominance, the Seahawks run defense ranks fifth in the NFL at 67 yards allowed per game.
The difference between the defense last year and this year is pretty obvious. The line is pressuring the quarterback which is giving the linebackers opportunities to fly around the field and make plays. It also cuts down the time that the cornerbacks and safety's have to stay in coverage. That pressure is vital because if the quarterback has all day to throw then the secondary will inevitably get burned by the receivers.
As ferocious as the Hawks defense looked at times, they still blew plenty of coverages at the end of the game. Rivers threw for 455 yards with 109 of those going to All-Pro tight end Antonio Gates. Shockingly, the Seahawks constantly left him wide open in the fourth quarter. It's hard to believe San Diego's most dangerous weapon didn't even appear covered on many key passing downs. That is completely unacceptable, especially in a tight ball game.
It seems like the defense is becoming Seattle's identity but because they are so young and inexperienced, they will still get shredded by veteran studs like Rivers and Gates. On the other hand, they looked hungry and fearless. The Seahawks sacked Rivers four times and rookie safety, Earl Thomas intercepted him twice.
Seattle's offense relied on a lot of short passes and the occasional running play. It is very apparent that head coach Pete Carroll doesn't think he has any weapons that scare defenses. The Hawks don't throw deep or even threaten to which allows the defense to cheat up on every play. This needs to change soon or the offense will only digress further.
Lastly, and absolutely not least, Leon Washington deserved the game ball for his highlight reel performance returning kicks yesterday. Washington delivered a shot to the mouth of the Chargers coming out of halftime by returning the kick 101 yards for the score.
Then just when the Chargers tied the game at 20-20 late in the fourth, Washington took the following kick return 99 yards to the house. Washington was brought in this offseason for that exact thing. The electricity he generated at Qwest Field makes one think; are you sure his name isn't Neon? Either way, his name certainly deserves to be in lights after those game-changing plays.
So what did we learn this weekend?
The defense is having fun. The offense is desperate for a deep threat. Special teams looks well, special. The 2-1 Seahawks sit a top the NFC West with a winnable game in St. Louis on Sunday.
Can you feel it?
The Seahawks have a terrible team with an unbelievably easy schedule. They very well may make the playoffs, but they will most likely get blown out in round one
ReplyDeleteI think the key point is that Carroll has brought a fun and exciting atmosphere to the team that has been missing in years.
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