Can this team still win SB51 without Earl Thomas?

[HawkMaster12]

It'll be a tougher road ahead, but Terrell can potentially step in and be just what this team needs.

This team feeds off of adversity. Hopefully this gives the secondary extra motivation to get us over the edge

 

[vin.couve12]

Absolutely, but the offense is going to have to show up.

This. If the offense can put up 35+, yes, not a problem.

LOL. 35??? Wow, where did that number come from?

In Vegas, Earl would be lucky to make a 3 point difference.

They allow just 14.25 points per game when Chancellor starts compared to 20 ppg when he’s out.

We'll see how that goes. We know that Kam missing and Wagner missing make a huge difference. Cover 3 is harder on the underneath guys than the 3 deep guys by design and we run that anywhere from 60-75% of the time. It's when we're not in that where we'll really need Terrell to step up, such as when we go into that cover 1 and 2 that aren't the aforementioned percentage. Everybody keeps making a big deal about Terrell's speed, even being slightly faster than Earl by a couple hundredths of a second, but previous to last nights INT he's had a really hard time judging the ball in the air and he just misses. My hope is that's something that he can grow with more time on the field in live action. With Kam and Wagner continuing to lead the communication from front to back, I think he'll be OK. Plenty good enough to win the SB. Hopefully it's won't mean as much as 3 points (I also want that 5th year in a row stat).

EDIT: 35 is definitely an excessive expectation though.

 

[PlinytheCenter]

I think Terrell has the skills to play the position just fine. What is concerning me is the communication on the field. When Thomas is in there it's an instinctive thing for him to play. Terrell is going to need a little guidance and hopefully they can make their adjustments in a timely fashion to be in the best position to make plays.

 

[NJlargent]

I think we will be just fine if the pass rush is there. In all honesty I think the pass rush has been weak and it was not very good against Carolina but not terrible. I think we can win it all if the pass rush improves and if our offensive line plays consistently. If the oline can play consistently for three or four games during the playoffs is a huge question mark.

 

[Jerhawk]

It'll be a tougher road ahead, but Terrell can potentially step in and be just what this team needs.

This team feeds off of adversity. Hopefully this gives the secondary extra motivation to get us over the edge

Nice first post. Welcome aboard :greetingsearthling:

Your take on facing adversity is spot on. That's exactly what fuels this team. Terrell has all the physical tools, it's just his football iq we need to see.

 

[James in PA]

Of course we're going to win it all. We're going to beat Dallas in Jerry's world and it's going to be a thing of beauty. Their little Cinderella season is going to come crashing down. Minnesota should have beat them. We are a better version of Minnesota. Then we'll go on to roll over any pretender who emerges from the AFC.


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[Milehighhawk]

To me, the short answer is as long as Rawls remains upright and relatively healthy, this team has a GREAT shot at the Title. I was re-watching the game this morning and he is a man on a mission!

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Absolutely they can. Especially if that running game keeps up. The same Debbie Downers who said they would lose to Carolina are probably already assuming the Hawks can't get back.

 

[Own The West]

SB51 is going to be Dallas on the road this year, just like it was in Seattle vs SF when we won it last time.

 

[Sparkchaser737]

Love me some "Earl" eyes. The guy is irreplaceable. Can this team win without him..absolutely. Daunting task for Terrell. I think it all comes down to communication between him and the LOB

 

[JGfromtheNW]

Of course we're going to win it all. We're going to beat Dallas in Jerry's world and it's going to be a thing of beauty. Their little Cinderella season is going to come crashing down. Minnesota should have beat them. We are a better version of Minnesota. Then we'll go on to roll over any pretender who emerges from the AFC.

Make it so! :irishdrinkers:

I really think the Hawks can still get to the big dance with Terrell playing FS. Playing Cover 3 isn't near as hard on an inexperienced FS than playing Cover 1 or 2. We'll probably see teams going at us in the seems and middle deep third, forcing our defense and Terrell to run with and pass guys along effectively through zones. Terrell has been in the system, can play other DB positions and has all the physical tools to succeed in this next man up scenario. Not to mention, I thought he's been more than serviceable in the time he has had to come in (and that TD to Ginn was not on him).

A deep run is probably going to rely heavily on our O and D lines staying healthy and producing at this point, barring injuries to key players (RW, Rawls, Sherm, Wagner, Kam).

 

[WindCityHawk]

It's a steeper hill, but yes, we can still win it.

Losing Earl of course sucks, but the timing could be a lot worse. Terrell now has a whole quarter of the season to integrate into the secondary before the playoffs even begin, and he still has Kam to help him into position, and Sherman has been shadowing #1 receivers, so he won't be left alone against the conference's best.

Terrell has also been here for a couple years already, so it's not like we're replacing Earl with a rookie, or even someone new to the system.

And really, how many secondaries boast 3 all-pros in 4 positions? As long as he's even average, our defense is still the most loaded in the NFC.

Again, it's a setback, but an offensive injury at this stage would have been much more devastating. If our o-line levels off, our talent on offense can win a shootout if asked to.

 

[rigelian]

GB doesn't worry me. The rams don't worry me. Arizona and David Johnson worries me.

Don't you remember what happened in the SB against Brady once Lane went out?

Losing a DB starter against a great QB matters, cause it means your rookies or backups are going to be abused by that great QB, like Brady did to Simon in the SB.

So I am a little worried about guys like Rodgers, Brees, Ryan............and Carr, Brady, etc if we make it to the SB, WAY more than RB's. Our front 7 rarely allows a good RB to go off, but a gimpy depleted LOB is a MAJOR issue going forward if any more injuries happen.

It happened when Avril went out. Up until that time we were doing just fine. Yes Simon got abused, but the key was Brady getting more time to dish out the abuse.

 

[Attyla the Hawk]

Yes.

Terrell is a good role player. He's experienced and extremely well schooled in our scheme and what we do.

He won't be the same. But I don't expect a Chancellor to Dion Bailey type dropoff. I don't expect a lot of impact plays. But I don't expect a lot of game losing plays either. If Terrell can be merely mediocre (I think he can be more than that), then this defense with the talent we have elsewhere can do the rest.

 

[DeSeahawk]

I think if the D line can keep up the pressure, the loss of Earle will be minimized as best as can be. That'd be a tough call against Dallas, but I can see it happening.

 

[Sealake80]

It is really a bummer about Earl. I almost voted no. Then I realized that I really don't want to be dissapointed and let down at the end of this season with this team. It will be hard not to use Earl's injury as an excuse to not get my hopes up.

After this emotional soul searching of my own I voted yes. Go hawks.

 

[LolaRox]

Heck yes!

This team is about the collection of guys playing for each other not a one individual guy. They have done well with secondary depth that come up through the system - Sherm, Thurman, Lane, Maxwell... all did well when they got their opportunity due to injury, no reason not to expect similar from Steven. Terrell doesn't have to replace Earl, he just has to do his job.

It might look and feel different without Earl, but they can still get it done.

 

[sutz]

Heck yes!

This team is about the collection of guys playing for each other not a one individual guy. They have done well with secondary depth that come up through the system - Sherm, Thurman, Lane, Maxwell... all did well when they got their opportunity due to injury, no reason not to expect similar from Steven. Terrell doesn't have to replace Earl, he just has to do his job.

It might look and feel different without Earl, but they can still get it done.

The most important word in the OP question is "TEAM" not "Earl."

 

[LolaRox]

Yep, that is why I answered yes.

 

[Optimus25]

i think one thing we might see in the play offs is teams testing terrell, potentially even forcing things that aren't there.

Guy has a chance to seriously get paid a la B max if he comes away from all this with a respectable statline, so to me the best part of all this for us is that he's RFA next year, so he's got all the incentive in world to max perform, considering we would be about zero percent interested in matching a large deal with earl back.