Is the Hurry-Up The Cure For What Ails The Seahawks Offense?

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Is the Hurry-Up The Cure For What Ails The Seahawks Offense?

There’s a very interesting debate regarding this Seahawks Offense that’s been raging for the past several years.

In his post-game press conference, Russell Wilson was asked by a reporter (Danny O’Neil I believe) about why it appeared to him that the Seahawks offense seemed to move more effectively when they are going up tempo. Here was Russell’s response ...

Russell Wilson: “I think we’ve always moved really well when we’re going up tempo. That’s been something that we’ve been trying to focus on all offseason and I think that’s something that’s advantageous to us. I think it tires down the defense and makes it tougher for their calls, and all that -- really for the past 5, 6 years (corrects self) - 5 years - we’ve been able to execute in those 2 minute drives very, very well at half and [at the end of] the game. So, guys made some crucial plays there in those 2 minute situations. I think Doug’s catch across the field there that he had right before half. You think about Chris Carson (I think played really well) and had a couple of really nice runs. You know, P-Rich right there at the end of the game in the 4th Quarter he had a nice catch on the sideline. So, I think that’s something that we need to continue to do and continue to do really well.

Follow up question: How sustainable do you think that hurry up is in the middle of the game?

Russell Wilson: I think we can do it as much as we need to. I think that it’s something that -- you know, I think in this game we need to do a better job (and we need to go look at the film) - we need to do a better job of being able to maintain the ball. And when I say that I mean the time of possession. They had the ball for awhile and our defense did a tremendous job of hanging in there and playing really, really tough. But I think those 2 minute situations we’ve always done a really good job of it -- and it’s something that I love and it’s something that we can use if we need it.”

Follow-up question: How does that help the protection packages?

Russell Wilson: Because you have big guys on the defensive line who get tired, you know, it slows ‘em down a little bit. Also, we’re playing instinctive, we’re playing fast. You know, it’s kind of like what I say we’re playing fast court basketball a little bit -- makes it a little more challenging, you know. So, but I don’t think that’s -- that was our major problem. I think that unfortunately we weren’t able to make the plays that we wanted to and needed to.”

Source:
http://www.seahawks.com/video/2017/09/10/russell-wilson-week-1-postgame-press-conference


Yesterday on 710 ESPN, Matt Hasselbeck echoed Wilson’s sentiments on Brock and Salk …

Matt Hasselbeck: “Walter Jones and I were talking yesterday about some of these D-Linemen, they’re so good, the only way to beat them is to basically get them off the field with the hurry up. And if you go hurry up, what do those guys do? They tap out. All of a sudden, they’re running to the sidelines. The defensive coordinator is all of a sudden saying, ‘Hey, we gotta have 8 guys at D-Line moving forward” -- because those D-Linemen, it’s a sneaky thing. They’re running to the sideline in between each play that they get as a rep. And those guys don’t like to do that. That’s a long way for those guys. It’s like 50 yards, you know, down and back, and those guys don’t like to do that. That slows them down, so just getting creative with things outside the box, you know, I think that you gotta give this offensive line some confidence. And I’m sure they know all this stuff and they’ll get it figured out. That’s what they’ll do”

[Conversation begins at about the 26:30 mark at the podcast below]
http://sports.mynorthwest.com/category/podcast_player/?a=10022329&sid=1007&n=Brock+and+Salk


This debate about tempo isn’t anything new. In fact, 2 years ago Sheil Kapadia noted that right before halftime in the Hawks 34-31 loss to the Rams that Russell Wilson was 5 for 6 for 49 yards in a drive that resulted in a field goal.

Wilson said virtually the EXACT SAME THING then as he did this past Sunday …

"The up-tempo, the no-huddle, just putting pressure on their defense and making plays, that was huge for us," Wilson said after Seattle's 34-31 overtime loss. "And it was something I think we’ve done extremely well for the past three years. ... It’s something we may have to consider trying to hop into that if we’re having a little bit of a lull."

"[It] helps just because it puts pressure on the defense," Wilson said. "It tires them down, especially when you’ve got a defensive line that can run that well, make plays. It wears ‘em down a little bit. Offense is such a rhythm game. Once you get in that rhythm, you continue to make plays."

http://www.espn.com/blog/seattle-se...-wilson-seahawks-may-turn-to-tempo-more-often


After their conversation with Matt Hasselbeck, Brock Huard brought up an excellent point …

LT Rees Odhiambo -- came from an up tempo (no huddle) offense at Boise State
LG Luke Joeckel -- came from an up tempo (no huddle) offense at Texas A&M
C Justin Britt -- came from an up tempo (no huddle) offense at Missouri
RG Mark Glowinski -- came from an up tempo (no huddle) offense at West Virginia
RT Germain Ifedi came from an up tempo (no huddle) offense at Texas A&M

I know that going no huddle all of the time is probably unwise with the way that the Seahawks are built and the way that Pete Carroll values ball control, taking care of the football, time of possession, and playing hard-tough nosed defense.

In fact, I’d go so far as to say it would be flat out unwise to play hurry up ALL of the time … because that ultimately has adverse effects upon your own defense. I remember full well the Run and Shoot Offense that Mouse Davis popularized, especially as it was run with the Lions of the early 1990s when Barry Sanders was running the ball. Those teams could score in a hurry … and they DID in fact put up a lot of points. BUT, there was also a cost to that kind of offense. One of the problems with that kind of offense (and scoring so quick) is that it didn’t give the defense time enough to rest. So, YES -- the Lions racked up the lot of points … BUT, opposing offenses would often mount comebacks late in the 3rd and 4th Quarter, as the Lions’ defense was just flat out tired out.

I’d say that Pete Carroll knows and understands that principle as well. There is a reason that he’s always valued running the football … pound, pound, pound the rock … take care of the football … don’t turn the ball over … and control the clock and time of possession. It’s because he also recognizes that he’s got to got to give his defense adequate time to rest.

At the same time though, this offense … the way that it’s currently built … (as Brock Huard so aptly pointed out) IS DESIGNED more towards an up tempo style of offense. Russell Wilson has shown over time that he is at his very best when he is moving and dishing the rock -- like he’s Magic Johnson of the Showtime Lakers of the 1980s on a fast break down the court.

So, while on the one hand I don’t believe that it’s wise for the Hawks to put the pedal to the floor ALL THE TIME … on the other, it would be foolish not to employ more up tempo and pick up the pace more than they do. The times that they’ve done so, the Hawks have shown they can move the ball and do so pretty effectively.

While there SHOULD ideally be some sort of balance here, I think the pattern has become pretty clear here. Thoughts guys?

 

[MontanaHawk05]

Things that happen right before halftime aren't going to be applicable to other periods of the game. Before halftime, defenses are in prevent mode to fend off deep passes. In the third quarter, they wouldn't be.

But that's not to say that moving to more hurry-up wouldn't have an impact. I'd love to see it.

 

[Seahawkfan80]

This seems to make things applicable to the new concept of the game of football. The hurry up uptempo make it happen using pass plays to make the run work. I kinda like what PC tried to do for the first few years here, pound the rock til you can make them respect it. Then give them air america as they are tired out and cant handle the subs we have in at the time.

That totally changes our strategy tho as far as an up tempo game. Rest is necessary.

But with what we did the first few years is controlling the ball and not allowing a basketball score at the end. SOME FANS may want 45-43 football games like in college, but I am not one of them. All I want is a win.

Strategery....12 possessions....that is all.

 

[GeekHawk]

Maybe we should start out the game with an up-tempo drive (if we have first possession) or start the second half that way if we don't. That way it has no effect on the our D, and does on theirs.

 

[hawk45]

Things that happen right before halftime aren't going to be applicable to other periods of the game. Before halftime, defenses are in prevent mode to fend off deep passes. In the third quarter, they wouldn't be.

But that's not to say that moving to more hurry-up wouldn't have an impact. I'd love to see it.

I agree with both points. I feel like some of the good feels towards hurry-up have to do with success we've had, success which has also come during times in the game when defenses are behaving differently themselves. And that attempts to stretch those concepts across an entire game aren't guaranteed to result in the same success throughout.

But also that increasing it to some extent is worth a try.

I find myself wondering, though, if Pete would ever go for it to an extent where it would help matters appreciably. We already have evidence that he's reluctant to stray from his run-heavy, risk-averse, but go deep when you throw approach. To me this seems like just another potentially helpful thing he'll ignore.

 

[ivotuk]

Here's something else that Matthew Hasselbeck said that is very important!

"Some of the best games I had were really tough on me for practice.

Mike Holmgren would stick his head in the door and yell "NO 7 STEP DROPS THIS WEEK, AND LEFT FORMATIONS ONLY!"

Those orders took away 70% of our playbook!



I can't remember verbatim, but he said that Holmgren did that every time they faced an Elite Rushing Team. And it worked out very well. It made things easier on the Offensive Line because they lined up in the SAME FORMATION EVERY TIME!

If I understand this correctly, lining up in the same formation limits the number of calls made, and cuts down on mistakes made by young Offensive linemen because they're not wondering "Okay, I got the blocking, I got who I'm supposed to pick up...what was the formation again?

 

[5280Hawk]

Maybe it should be a field position thing. After a kick-off or Punt, we run the hurry up untill we get to the 50 or maybe field goal range. :2thumbs:

 

[mrt144]

Things that happen right before halftime aren't going to be applicable to other periods of the game. Before halftime, defenses are in prevent mode to fend off deep passes. In the third quarter, they wouldn't be.

But that's not to say that moving to more hurry-up wouldn't have an impact. I'd love to see it.

This speaks against doing it all the time but...

I think the upside is there for the taking. Do you run this offense when you have a 10 pt lead? Probably not. Can this offense help you get a 10 pt lead? I think so, especially with our baller defense available for the first half of the game.

The yoke on doing this well is the players themselves being versatile and capable enough at either to allow that transitional flexibility.

 

[ivotuk]

Things that happen right before halftime aren't going to be applicable to other periods of the game. Before halftime, defenses are in prevent mode to fend off deep passes. In the third quarter, they wouldn't be.

But that's not to say that moving to more hurry-up wouldn't have an impact. I'd love to see it.

This is true, but I've seen teams switch to the hurry up at other times in the game in order to slow the defense down. Once things start working, they go back to the huddle.

It (The Sugar Huddle), worked really well for Sam Wyche, Boomer Esiason, and the Cincinnati Bengals. During our playoff game against them, Chuck Knox had defensive players fall on the ground to slow it down. It was kind of embarrassing, but I didn't care. They beat us anyway.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

What ails the entire offense?

Nope, hurry up/up tempo can't fix serious systemic major deficiencies like the O-line. But yes installing it more into the offense to not make us so predictable and easy to defend because teams know our line stinks so they pack the box and press cover.

Certainly could use it more often than just end of halves and end of games though.

 

[2_0_6]

I think if they designed roll out plays and moved the "pocket" for Russ this would buy him a second or two more.

 

[MontanaHawk05]

During our playoff game against them, Chuck Knox had defensive players fall on the ground to slow it down.

I suspect that's what our D-line was doing last Sunday.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

During our playoff game against them, Chuck Knox had defensive players fall on the ground to slow it down.

I suspect that's what our D-line was doing last Sunday.

Trick Knee Nash 4 Lyfe.

 

[jammerhawk]

Doubtful!

 

[mrt144]

During our playoff game against them, Chuck Knox had defensive players fall on the ground to slow it down.

I suspect that's what our D-line was doing last Sunday.

I think they had legit cramps too though. First game of the season an all that jazz.

 

[scutterhawk]

What ails the entire offense?

Nope, hurry up/up tempo can't fix serious systemic major deficiencies like the O-line. But yes installing it more into the offense to not make us so predictable and easy to defend because teams know our line stinks so they pack the box and press cover.

Certainly could use it more often than just end of halves and end of games though.

Might be, but an over eager Defense will bite on voice inflection from the Quarterback, and that has a way of reigning in some of the overanxious but it can't be overused, or the Defense will catch on.
Seems to work pretty well for Rodgers and the like.

 

[IrishNW]

Is the hurry-up offense working because its hurry up or is it working because Wilson is calling the plays?

 

[blkhwk]

No huddle does not necessarily mean a hurry up offense. By going to the line you are preventing defenses from subbing out guys, the QB can stand at the LOS for 20-25 seconds if he wants to. You just keep the D from subbing out.


Also when the 'Hawks go pass-pass-pass-punt or run-run-pass-punt, how much time are they really taking off the clock. If they are going to lose the TOP battle, at least do it scoring points!

 

[cymatica]

How many of us have been hoping for this for years only to given a buffet of bubble screens and long developing routes. We don't have someone like Holgrem doing these things with our offense or it would show.

 

[Sports Hernia]

Is the hurry-up offense working because its hurry up or is it working because Wilson is calling the plays?

Both.