More Than A Feeling

[FlyingGreg]

Nice post, Aros!

I think this team will be much more competitive than people give them credit for. I don't know how many wins that translates into (way too many variables), but they won't be getting slapped around every week.

NFC West is going to be a dogfight. Rams are clearly the class of the division (IMO), and SF is on the rise with a promising young QB. We all know the Cards have our number in Seattle, and their defense is not getting the attention it deserves.

In a strange twist of fate, I am more concerned about the defense than the offense - for the first time in a long time. Specifically, the pass rush. More succinctly, the pass rush without Earl on patrol. Earl covers up a lot of other issues on a D.

Now, we have some guys that can bring the heat. They will just need to prove they can do it when the games count.

The line and running game look much improved, and Schotty's route trees seem to make much more sense than Bevell's (like, on 3rd and 7 - go ahead and get those curls and stop routes or whatever to move the chains instead of praying Russ can run for his life and chuck up a prayer). I think Moore is going to be a spark plug. Baldwin, Lockett, Marshall, Brown, and Moore give us a very good WR group. I know that Darboh is now in jeopardy of not making this roster, especially with missing so much time this pre-season.

Carson is a stud. Excited to see what Penny can bring as a change-up, and hopefully Prosise stays healthy and gives us that receiving threat out of the back field.

I am a little iffy on the TE group, only because Vannett has a lot to prove and Dissly is a rookie - although watching him driving defenders out of bounds vs Minnesota was great. What is up with Ed Dickson?

The best news is, if the offense does choke on itself like it has had a tendency to do the last few seasons - Mr. Dickson will get us better field position!

I didn't enjoy watching the Seahawks last season, for a lot of reasons. I am going to enjoy watching these guys.

 

[Steve2222]

While it is super exciting that our 2nd and 3rd team defenses are doing pretty good in the preseason....generally there is not a JV section where the 2s vs 2s or 3s vs 3s is a thing during the regular season.

1s vs 1s defense has not been impressive. Spin it how you want it, that is what the results so far say. The defense is clearly less effective. (If you don't see it, not sure what else I can tell you to convince you if you are choosing to ignore what your eyes should be telling you. Since last year the defense would routinely shut down teams for 3 full quarters keeping us in games while the offense would score a single TD in the half.)

That said, this team has almost all the pieces on offense to be very good if not great.

- Great QB
- Tremendous WR group
- Very effective RB group (that only gets better when Penny gets back)

TE is pretty meh and FB is close to a problem. OL is better but we have a QB that is pretty adept at producing even with a substandard line.

There is no reason that this offense cannot be the one to pull this wagon now. It won't be the defense, but it could very well be the passing game.

We have enough pieces to be very good. Obviously, SB is nowhere near in the cards but certainly, this team could compete for a wildcard. With all the pieces we lost, that would be a pretty impressive accomplishment. I don't think it is reasonable to expect this team is going to be in the running to win the division - but if we can weather that storm in the latter part of the season, we could make a run for the wild card.

The 1s held the high powered offense of the Vikings to 6 points through a half of football. How is that not at least somewhat impressive? And you can argue that their kicker missed two kicks, but even at that, that’s still holding them to 12 points.

I’ll take 6 points a half anyday. That’s just me though.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Well, if someone can't see the positives from that game, they likely never will.

 

[chris98251]

Nice reinforcement post Aros, before preseason many were hand ringing about the loss of Sherm, Kam, Bennett, Avril and now we have Thomas gone and the loss of 10 COUNT THEM 10 touchdowns from Graham and how are we ever gonna make that up.

I said Solari and Schotty would be a improvement over Bevell and Cable due to his antiquated scheme, Schotty is more creative and uses motion and screens and the TE and RB in the passing scheme, Coryells offense updated. Not as predictable and starts out faster.

Then we have the replacements, we had drafted for depth and Thompson, Green, Poona Ford, Shaq 2.0, and Moore, Penny and Carson are showing something, don't pencil them in as All Pros but I think better then JAG, free agent pickups, Mingo, Walden, Marshall, Brown the two tackles from the Vikings.

The pantry isn't bare and we have the start of a good foundation to build with and get better as the season comes upon us.

 

[nrayorr]

Plain and simple... this team is going to be much better than many people believe. I can't wait to see them in person come the 23rd and every day seems like an eternity until then... sigh!!

 

[pittpnthrs]

I still see a team thats not very deep and will be middle of the road. Anything over 8 wins would be an accomplishment to me.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

shocker :lol:

 

[Wartooth]

Thanks for the 'upbeat' thread Aros... The negativity on these boards after the heights achieved over the last 8 years is mind boggling, and hard to take a lot of the time... I guess a lot of these guys didn't get to watch much 80's and 90's Seahawks football... These are the best of times! Go Hawks!

 

[sc85sis]

I see that Carroll-esque mantra COMPETE being a real thing again, not just lip service once the loud-mouthed, distracting stars enveloped the entire football team to distracting levels.

I'm going to stay on my soapbox on this one, Aros: while people may be caught up in the entitlement of the defensive vets we've since jettisoned, there's no statistical evidence that they'd actually stopped bringing the boom. They were still on top of their games. They were still producing. They were still in every Pro Bowl conversation. None of that ever changed. You might complain about how mouthy they were and how much money they wanted; me, I think they were worth it, even as I acknowledge the team can't fit them all once age creeps up on them.

2012 is a highly optimistic outlook for the defense this year. We could be about to find out the hard way just how good Earl, Sherman, and Bennett still were - by missing them. Bennett we may be able to replace (but both he and Avril?). Earl and Sherman (and Kam), I doubt it.

2011 defense this year, methinks.

For me, their on-field effort wasn’t the question, it was the attitude they were bringing to the locker room. They weren’t “in” any more, and that mouthiness you refer to was causing issues with team chemistry.

We can argue as to whether their statements were accurate or not (probably the truth is somewhere in the middle), but disrespecting coaches publicly does not make for a good team environment.

 

[KiwiHawk]

the loss of 10 COUNT THEM 10 touchdowns from Graham and how are we ever gonna make that up

The average NFL team scored 12 rushing TDs. We had 4. If we only become average at rushing, we'll make up 8 of those touchdowns. All we need is the TE replacing Graham to get 2 and we're right back to Graham's production, except with TEs who can actually block when required. Like in the running game. So it can be at least average.

 

[NJlargent]

I am pleased we have a young and hungry team at the moment and have a chance to get back to greatness in the next few years. Our offense is clearly getting better than what we have seen. Our defense looks soft. But if PC is this great defensive mastermind, we should be a great shape as he should fix the defense. It seems our offense will be exciting so this could be interesting depending upon what PC can do with the defense.

 

[chris98251]

the loss of 10 COUNT THEM 10 touchdowns from Graham and how are we ever gonna make that up

The average NFL team scored 12 rushing TDs. We had 4. If we only become average at rushing, we'll make up 8 of those touchdowns. All we need is the TE replacing Graham to get 2 and we're right back to Graham's production, except with TEs who can actually block when required. Like in the running game. So it can be at least average.

Please don't take out takes without context, I said the pantry isn't bare and that we have players in the wings that are showing they can play.

If your going to quote something use the whole quote not just what you think you want to challenge.

Here's the whole post for reference.

Nice reinforcement post Aros, before preseason many were hand ringing about the loss of Sherm, Kam, Bennett, Avril and now we have Thomas gone and the loss of 10 COUNT THEM 10 touchdowns from Graham and how are we ever gonna make that up.

I said Solari and Schotty would be a improvement over Bevell and Cable due to his antiquated scheme, Schotty is more creative and uses motion and screens and the TE and RB in the passing scheme, Coryells offense updated. Not as predictable and starts out faster.

Then we have the replacements, we had drafted for depth and Thompson, Green, Poona Ford, Shaq 2.0, and Moore, Penny and Carson are showing something, don't pencil them in as All Pros but I think better then JAG, free agent pickups, Mingo, Walden, Marshall, Brown the two tackles from the Vikings.

The pantry isn't bare and we have the start of a good foundation to build with and get better as the season comes upon us.

 

[KiwiHawk]

the loss of 10 COUNT THEM 10 touchdowns from Graham and how are we ever gonna make that up

The average NFL team scored 12 rushing TDs. We had 4. If we only become average at rushing, we'll make up 8 of those touchdowns. All we need is the TE replacing Graham to get 2 and we're right back to Graham's production, except with TEs who can actually block when required. Like in the running game. So it can be at least average.

Please don't take out takes without context, I said the pantry isn't bare and that we have players in the wings that are showing they can play.

If your going to quote something use the whole quote not just what you think you want to challenge.

Here's the whole post for reference.

Nice reinforcement post Aros, before preseason many were hand ringing about the loss of Sherm, Kam, Bennett, Avril and now we have Thomas gone and the loss of 10 COUNT THEM 10 touchdowns from Graham and how are we ever gonna make that up.

I said Solari and Schotty would be a improvement over Bevell and Cable due to his antiquated scheme, Schotty is more creative and uses motion and screens and the TE and RB in the passing scheme, Coryells offense updated. Not as predictable and starts out faster.

Then we have the replacements, we had drafted for depth and Thompson, Green, Poona Ford, Shaq 2.0, and Moore, Penny and Carson are showing something, don't pencil them in as All Pros but I think better then JAG, free agent pickups, Mingo, Walden, Marshall, Brown the two tackles from the Vikings.

The pantry isn't bare and we have the start of a good foundation to build with and get better as the season comes upon us.

You asked the question, I answered it. I was responding to the question. The remainder of the post was not required. If that was not your opinion, then put it in quotes or something to signify it.

 

[2_0_6]

Maybe its just me, but I feel like the pressure is off this team this year and it feels nice. Going from the favorites back to the underdogs is where I like this team to be.

 

[Nothinbutm]

Came here because I thought Aros was going to sing the Boston song.

I'm slightly disappointed.

 

[Fade]

I will just say if the Seahawks can beat the Broncos & the Bears to start out the year, they will have a very special season. That is all.

 

[Sun Tzu]

the loss of 10 COUNT THEM 10 touchdowns from Graham and how are we ever gonna make that up

The average NFL team scored 12 rushing TDs. We had 4. If we only become average at rushing, we'll make up 8 of those touchdowns. All we need is the TE replacing Graham to get 2 and we're right back to Graham's production, except with TEs who can actually block when required. Like in the running game. So it can be at least average.

Please don't take out takes without context, I said the pantry isn't bare and that we have players in the wings that are showing they can play.

If your going to quote something use the whole quote not just what you think you want to challenge.

Here's the whole post for reference.

Nice reinforcement post Aros, before preseason many were hand ringing about the loss of Sherm, Kam, Bennett, Avril and now we have Thomas gone and the loss of 10 COUNT THEM 10 touchdowns from Graham and how are we ever gonna make that up.

I said Solari and Schotty would be a improvement over Bevell and Cable due to his antiquated scheme, Schotty is more creative and uses motion and screens and the TE and RB in the passing scheme, Coryells offense updated. Not as predictable and starts out faster.

Then we have the replacements, we had drafted for depth and Thompson, Green, Poona Ford, Shaq 2.0, and Moore, Penny and Carson are showing something, don't pencil them in as All Pros but I think better then JAG, free agent pickups, Mingo, Walden, Marshall, Brown the two tackles from the Vikings.

The pantry isn't bare and we have the start of a good foundation to build with and get better as the season comes upon us.

You asked the question, I answered it. I was responding to the question. The remainder of the post was not required. If that was not your opinion, then put it in quotes or something to signify it.

I don't think Chris did ask the question. It seems to me he was pointing out that before the preseason started many were wringing their hands about the loss of 10 touchdowns and how we were going to replace them.

 

[SixSeahawk]

Will never understand why fans talk about "distractions" like they know if something is actually distracting the players.

You're just a fan. You're not on the team.

 

[hawks85]

This whole offseason has been a plethora of emotions. The demise of this team has been vastly overrated by the mediots.

I even saw a graphic tonight where they were talking about the NFC top stories, and the Seahawks were listed as "RE-TOOLING" (quotes mine). This is a gradual transition from the the dreaded "REBUILDING" label. Yes, semantics I know, but work with me here...

Watching NFL Gameday, the broadcasters, as they were covering the Seahawks/Vikings highlights segment, said more than once "Are we underestimating the Seahawks?" There's a subtle shift going on with the national narrative even with our winless preseason record thus far. The X and O aficionados can quantify it more eloquently than I ever could, but my 49-year-old eyeballs still function (well not up close, that's what reading glasses are for, sigh), and what they see is legitimate improvement.

I see young players with that WANT TO. I see our offensive line starting to play like a legitimate offensive line. Pushing guards, not that broken zone blocking junk that was clearly not effective under Cable. I see that Carroll-esque mantra COMPETE being a real thing again, not just lip service once the loud-mouthed, distracting stars enveloped the entire football team to distracting levels.

(Yes, thank you for your service gentlemen, I mean that with all sincerity, but both you Bennett and you Sherman became a distraction to this team and your release was necessary for us to move on to the next era of hope and possibilities.)

Wagner and Wright are a ridiculously formidable linebacking tandem that alone will make for an opponent's rough day. Forget that penalty, Wagner's bull rush that destroyed Cousins, KJ Wright's LOB-worthy (and legal!) hit on Stefon Diggs is but a harbinger of things to come.

The original LOB may be in our rear view mirror but make no mistake about it...The BOOM is still intact, and it IS coming.

Worried about our pass rush? Sure, there's reason to think that could be a concern but the Vikings game gave us a hint of what is coming this year. Expect aggressive corner/safety blitzing at opportune times to negate any perceived lack of pass rush from the DEs. Green looks like he's legitimately legit, not preseason legit, but he has the tools and the mechanics and the consistency to be a true force. Frank Clark? If he is healthy this season he is a double-digit sack monster guaranteed.

And in the end, we have, oh, ho hum...Some shlub named Russell Wilson that already had more records to his 6-year-career than I can even think of. An elite quarterback, a franchise quarterback that can turn a sure loss into a victory in the final minutes of any game, any given Thursday, Sunday or Monday.

Add in the other ballers like Baldwin, Lockett, Marshall, both Shaq's, T2, McDougald and others? Yeah baby.

It's more than a feeling.

2012 anyone?

I concur, Vikings are no joke and our 1's dominated. I'm not saying we will win the SB, but these NFL expert balloon heads need to stop sleeping on Seattle. That vikings game gave me a lot of confidence a lot.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

You're wrong Six, we are on the team. We know more than any coach :lol: