Arizona and Seattle

[ringless]

@SheilKapadia 2h2 hours ago
Seahawks going back to Patrick Lewis at center. Will be key against ARI defense that blitzes 44% of the time, 2nd-most, per @ESPNStatsInfo.

Why switch now? Is this a Pass blocking issue? Who was the one with off target snaps?

I think it's more of a power issue. Nowak tends to get bullied by physically talented interior tackles. Not sure about others but that would be my opinion.

Okay, that may make more sense than as Campbell has been playing out of position at NT and had some success in a few games.

 

[Scottemojo]

I think the Cards are the better team. Doesn't mean they win, but they are solid at all position groups. Hawks cannot say that.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

If they beat us in Seattle, I'll believe they are the better team. Until then, nah.
All this genius talk about Arians is a joke. Do something in the playoffs and you might deserve that name.
And no, there isn't a "new Sheriff in town"
Not yet.

 

[sutz]

The concensus seems to be that Lewis is the better run blocker, which leads me to think we will be looking to nullify AZ's blitzing by going Beast Mode on them. With Rawls looking good too, we could really deliver a pounding if we're patient and stick with it. And running from the spread could break open some decent running lanes if we get past the first line and into the secondary.

Starting the second half of the season, time to break out some of those patented "we haven't seen that before why not?" plays.

 

[Scottemojo]

The concensus seems to be that Lewis is the better run blocker, which leads me to think we will be looking to nullify AZ's blitzing by going Beast Mode on them. With Rawls looking good too, we could really deliver a pounding if we're patient and stick with it. And running from the spread could break open some decent running lanes if we get past the first line and into the secondary.

Starting the second half of the season, time to break out some of those patented "we haven't seen that before why not?" plays.

I am of the opinion that the one thing Arizona does not want is for Lynch or Rawls to get in a groove. They are not a grinding offense, and if they want to have some control of the clock they have to stop the run.

I expect a steady diet of Buchanon sticking his face into run gaps.

 

[DavidSeven]

Don't think we have anyone who can cover Brown, especially if Sherman shadows Fitz. You'd hope that we could possibly help with a safety, but I don't know that you want to leave Williams on an island with Floyd either. Although he hasn't killed us, Brown made a handful of big catches against us last year with Stanton and Lindley throwing the ball. With Carson, this is a bigger test for our secondary than even the Green Bay and Cincinnati games, which we didn't look great in. Thankfully we're at home.

 

[b8rtm8nn]

Don't think we have anyone who can cover Brown, especially if Sherman shadows Fitz. You'd hope that we could possibly help with a safety, but I don't know that you want to leave Williams on an island with Floyd either. Although he hasn't killed us, Brown made a handful of big catches against us last year with Stanton and Lindley throwing the ball. With Carson, this is a bigger test for our secondary than even the Green Bay and Cincinnati games, which we didn't look great in. Thankfully we're at home.

Larry hopes Sherman doesn't shadow him.

<per @CardsChatter>
@LarryFitzgerald, on whether Richard Sherman might stay on him Sunday: "I haven't had 1,000 yards in 3 years. I hope he doesn't follow me."

 

[kearly]

I think the Cards are the better team. Doesn't mean they win, but they are solid at all position groups. Hawks cannot say that.

I agree and disagree.

I think a lot of AZ issues on defense are masked by a very weak opening schedule, and a lot of offense issues are masked by weak schedule + Palmer career year. When Arizona has played a team with a pulse they have looked like a totally different team than the one that slaughters SF or Chicago.

But still, that probably makes them a better team than Seattle weeks 1-8. Seattle has had so much trouble finding their identity that I'm wondering if they will find it at all this season.

I am of the opinion that the one thing Arizona does not want is for Lynch or Rawls to get in a groove. They are not a grinding offense, and if they want to have some control of the clock they have to stop the run.

I think Lynch will be their priority as well. Lynch has had two 100+ yard games against AZ and the final score in those games were 58-0 and 35-6.

 

[hawknation2015]

I think the Cards are the better team. Doesn't mean they win, but they are solid at all position groups. Hawks cannot say that.

Not sure if serious . . . the Seahawks matchup as well against Arizona as any team in the league. The only two positions groups where I would give Arizona the edge are offensive line and wide receiver.

 

[Hawkpower]

I think the Cards are the better team. Doesn't mean they win, but they are solid at all position groups. Hawks cannot say that.

It certainly is possible....and one could argue that they have played better.....however switch AZ and Seattle's schedule to this point and I'm not sure the records dont switch respectively as well.

From a talent standpoint alone, Seattle is still the better team, but the gap is certainly a bit narrow. AZ has a solid football team, but again, NFL fans tend to over-react week to week. Green Bay was on top of the NFC world just a few short days ago......

Time will tell the story, as it always does.

 

[Scottemojo]

I think the Cards are the better team. Doesn't mean they win, but they are solid at all position groups. Hawks cannot say that.

Not sure if serious . . . the Seahawks matchup as well against Arizona as any team in the league. The only two positions groups where I would give Arizona the edge are offensive line and wide receiver.

Reading comprehension is your friend.

Never said they were better at all position groups. I said they were solid at all position groups.

Do you think Seattle is solid at ALL position groups?

 

[hawknation2015]

I think the Cards are the better team. Doesn't mean they win, but they are solid at all position groups. Hawks cannot say that.

It certainly is possible....and one could argue that they have played better.....however switch AZ and Seattle's schedule to this point and I'm not sure the records dont switch respectively as well.

From a talent standpoint alone, Seattle is still the better team, but the gap is certainly a bit narrow. AZ has a solid football team, but again, NFL fans tend to over-react week to week. Green Bay was on top of the NFC world just a few short days ago......

Time will tell the story, as it always does.

I believe the Seahawks would be no worse than 7-1, and probably 8-0, with Arizona's schedule. It certainly would have been much kinder to our developing offensive line.

 

[ringless]

I think the Cards are the better team. Doesn't mean they win, but they are solid at all position groups. Hawks cannot say that.

It certainly is possible....and one could argue that they have played better.....however switch AZ and Seattle's schedule to this point and I'm not sure the records dont switch respectively as well.

From a talent standpoint alone, Seattle is still the better team, but the gap is certainly a bit narrow. AZ has a solid football team, but again, NFL fans tend to over-react week to week. Green Bay was on top of the NFC world just a few short days ago......

Time will tell the story, as it always does.

I believe the Seahawks would be no worse than 7-1, and probably 8-0, with Arizona's schedule. It certainly would have been much kinder to our developing offensive line.

Well thats funny because we both played the Rams. The Cardinals could easily be 8-0 as well but they beat themselves in two games. Like Seattle fans feel in their losses. But at the end of the day in our combines 6 losses we both had a chance to win them all with under 2 minutes to go in the fourth and we didn't capitalize. However, the good news is is we have 14 games in common so time will tell where each team is truly at.

 

[hawknation2015]

I think the Cards are the better team. Doesn't mean they win, but they are solid at all position groups. Hawks cannot say that.

It certainly is possible....and one could argue that they have played better.....however switch AZ and Seattle's schedule to this point and I'm not sure the records dont switch respectively as well.

From a talent standpoint alone, Seattle is still the better team, but the gap is certainly a bit narrow. AZ has a solid football team, but again, NFL fans tend to over-react week to week. Green Bay was on top of the NFC world just a few short days ago......

Time will tell the story, as it always does.

I believe the Seahawks would be no worse than 7-1, and probably 8-0, with Arizona's schedule. It certainly would have been much kinder to our developing offensive line.

Well thats funny because we both played the Rams. The Cardinals could easily be 8-0 as well but they beat themselves in two games. Like Seattle fans feel in their losses. But at the end of the day in our combines 6 losses we both had a chance to win them all with under 2 minutes to go in the fourth and we didn't capitalize. However, the good news is is we have 14 games in common so time will tell where each team is truly at.

Which is why I say possibly 7-1. The Seahawks played the Rams AWAY in the first game of the season, with a brand new makeshift offensive line going head to head against the best defensive line in football, and an undrafted player replacing Kam Chancellor at SS. The game went to OT for those reasons.

In contrast, Arizona played the Rams at home in Week 4. By that time, our offensive line was beginning to become more cohesive and Chancellor was back with the team. I think we win that game under those different circumstances.

Do I think the Seahawks would have lost to a Steelers team led by Mike Vick (injured)/Landry Jones? No, I don't.

 

[hawknation2015]

I think the Cards are the better team. Doesn't mean they win, but they are solid at all position groups. Hawks cannot say that.

Not sure if serious . . . the Seahawks matchup as well against Arizona as any team in the league. The only two positions groups where I would give Arizona the edge are offensive line and wide receiver.

Reading comprehension is your friend.

Never said they were better at all position groups. I said they were solid at all position groups.

Do you think Seattle is solid at ALL position groups?

And I never said that you said they were better at all position groups.

That was a separate point I was making that directly contradicts the idea that "the Cards are the better team." In reality, the Cards are weaker at nearly every position group -- except offensive line and receiver.

Their below average LBs and inconsistent play at corner will allow for big plays to occur. Meanwhile, the Seahawks' offensive line is hitting its stride, and they are beginning to figure out how to properly use Jimmy Graham and Tyler Lockett.

 

[Hawkpower]

I think the Cards are the better team. Doesn't mean they win, but they are solid at all position groups. Hawks cannot say that.

It certainly is possible....and one could argue that they have played better.....however switch AZ and Seattle's schedule to this point and I'm not sure the records dont switch respectively as well.

From a talent standpoint alone, Seattle is still the better team, but the gap is certainly a bit narrow. AZ has a solid football team, but again, NFL fans tend to over-react week to week. Green Bay was on top of the NFC world just a few short days ago......

Time will tell the story, as it always does.

I believe the Seahawks would be no worse than 7-1, and probably 8-0, with Arizona's schedule. It certainly would have been much kinder to our developing offensive line.

Well thats funny because we both played the Rams. The Cardinals could easily be 8-0 as well but they beat themselves in two games. Like Seattle fans feel in their losses. But at the end of the day in our combines 6 losses we both had a chance to win them all with under 2 minutes to go in the fourth and we didn't capitalize. However, the good news is is we have 14 games in common so time will tell where each team is truly at.

Saying the hawks would be 7-1 with AZ's schedule has nothing at all do with AZ or the fact that you could easily be 8-0.

It goes to show how challenging Seattle's first 8 games were as a whole, nothing more.

 

[Hawkpower]

I think the Cards are the better team. Doesn't mean they win, but they are solid at all position groups. Hawks cannot say that.

Not sure if serious . . . the Seahawks matchup as well against Arizona as any team in the league. The only two positions groups where I would give Arizona the edge are offensive line and wide receiver.

Reading comprehension is your friend.

Never said they were better at all position groups. I said they were solid at all position groups.

Do you think Seattle is solid at ALL position groups?

I cant speak for the person you are responding to, but although Seattle isnt solid at all position groups, they make up for it and then some by being DYNAMIC in others.

Wheras, az may be solid across the board, but has quite a few mediocre players and positions, especially in their front 7. Their defense has been inconsistent, especially in light of their competition.

 

[ringless]

I understand, however the schedules even out over time. So Arizona in the last half when we inevitably drop some games should be able to use the same excuse without anything being said. Otherwise it will be a double standard.

6 Games in NFC West
4 Games AFC North
4 Games NFC North

2 Games against completely different teams. Philly/Dallas and Saints/Panthers

 

[hawknation2015]

I understand, however the schedules even out over time. So Arizona in the last half when we inevitably drop some games should be able to use the same excuse without anything being said. Otherwise it will be a double standard.

6 Games in NFC West
4 Games AFC North
4 Games NFC North

2 Games against completely different teams. Philly/Dallas and Saints/Panthers

That's a completely different argument, i.e. a straw man.

The question posed is, what would the Seahawks' record be today if they had Arizona's schedule? What would Arizona's record be if they had Seattle's schedule? Do you truly believe Arizona would be No. 1 in the division right now under those circumstances?

IMO, the Seahawks would be no worse than 7-1 with Arizona's opening schedule, and Arizona would be no better than 4-4.

You are right that it will eventually balance out to an extent. Though Arizona plays Cincinnati, Minnesota, and Green Bay at home, I still think there is a good chance they lose those games.

 

[Hawkpower]

I understand, however the schedules even out over time. So Arizona in the last half when we inevitably drop some games should be able to use the same excuse without anything being said. Otherwise it will be a double standard.

6 Games in NFC West
4 Games AFC North
4 Games NFC North

2 Games against completely different teams. Philly/Dallas and Saints/Panthers

Absolutely.

Its only being brought up now because some fans, especially the ones down here in the valley, are a bit too giddy about the "downfall" of the hawks due to their current record.

The respective current records of the two teams would only be relevant if they had played the exact same schedule to this point. AZ may be better, but we have nothing to demonstrate that as of yet.

AZ would absolutely have at least 3 losses had they played @GreenBay, @Cincinnati and Carolina, etc.

Seattle would absolutely have 2 losses or less with AZ's first half slate.

Hence, the intrigue of the game this weekend.