The Playoff Strategy

[Seahawk_Dan]

Philly bound, record is 0-0 again, etc, etc.

I think I'm personally worried how or what Seattle's plan is going into this game with the Eagles and playoffs. I'd like to think that Caroll is not gonna f**k around and just orchestrate a gameplan that best suits the team and the talent the team has and try to win it all. However I think the stark reality is that it'll be the same gameplan (or lack thereof) from the regular season and the team will sputter about and struggle. Thoughts?

 

[SeaMeat]

Yeah, I'm not really expecting so anything much different that what we have seen throughout the season so far.

 

[SantaClaraHawk]

The gameplan will probably be fundamentally the same but hopefully we make some adjustments.

Philly fan boards are saying our offensive vulnerability is the run. I'd like to see more quick passes, QB sneaks and definitely better time management .

 

[John63]

Let me help you

"we will ine up adn do what we do" PC

that is his mantra so that is what will happen.

he will line us up, run and throw long, and when we get behind pray Wilson can get him out of it.

Now what we should do is pretty simple as well

on offense
Change tempo
Layered Routes
Do both all game

On defense
Man or modified zone
run blitz

Now why
Because on offense that is the system we almost always score and move the ball with
On defense that is the system we did our best with.

Why we will not, it snot what PC wants.

 

[sutz]

A lot will depend on Quandre Diggs. If he plays and is at something approaching full strength we'll probably go to our more natural single high safety, 3-deep zone that is our core defense. With Kendricks out we might play a bit more of our 'heavy' nickle with 3 safeties instead of 3 CBs, since Philly's TEs are better than their WRs.

On O, I think we do more of what we did in the first drive, balanced run/pass, featuring Homer and BeastMode.

 

[John63]

A lot will depend on Quandre Diggs. If he plays and is at something approaching full strength we'll probably go to our more natural single high safety, 3-deep zone that is our core defense. With Kendricks out we might play a bit more of our 'heavy' nickle with 3 safeties instead of 3 CBs, since Philly's TEs are better than their WRs.

On O, I think we do more of what we did in the first drive, balanced run/pass, featuring Homer and BeastMode.

First drive of which game?

 

[Sports Hernia]

Likely will piss away the first quarter or 2, feeling the Eagles out.
If they do come out firing and score a TD on the first drive expect them to get away from what was working.
I have very little faith in this coaching staff at this point.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

Really the only part of this game I'm worried about is Russell getting hammered and sacked like he did the first game in Philly.

Schwartz blitzed more then he's ever blitzed before in the first game, and that's saying something because he's known for blitzing early and often.

So I fully expect the same this time around, which means I also fully expect the offense to look like hot garbage for much of the first half until we figure out how to combat the pressure and blitzing.

 

[StoneCold]

I sense a great deal of negativity. Here stroke these crystals and remember Hawks were 11-5 and we've already beaten this team...in their stadium.

Oooooooooooommmmmmmmmmmm.

 

[TwistedHusky]

Hopefully, Carroll learned his lesson.

You can have the best plan in the world, and you can be absolutely correct - and still get screwed by a referee that is accidentally or intentionally ignoring a rule or missing an illegal action.

That does not even cover the impact an injury can have.

If you win the game in the 3rd, you don't have to worry about someone else screwing you over in a single play at the end of the 4th.




Also, running the clock down when you don't have the lead is stupid. You might need those seconds because you assuredly are going to waste a timeout on a non-consequential challenge, and at least one more because your people were not prepared to make an adjustment or substitution.

Not sure he will learn his lesson, but one can always hope.

 

[Largent80]

Ummmm. their run defense is good. We ran almost 200 yards last time. That means jack squat

Were going to have to pass to win in this game.

 

[IndyHawk]

Ummmm. their run defense is good. We ran almost 200 yards last time. That means jack squat

Were going to have to pass to win in this game.

Not necessarily..We could come out pretty good
and open holes ..You just never know,I know it's easy
to assume what we will have to do.

 

[xray]

Simple...Play like your hair is on fire for 4 Quarters ...can't lose . IMO

 

[olyfan63]

The left side of our O-Line is suspect, with Brown out, Fant in for him, Iupati banged up, and a backup center in Hunt. Then on the right, we have Ifedi, and I guess an often-dinged up Fluker, who may just be healthy now.

So we don't have Fant available as our outside tackle to enhance the running game. Philly has a very good D-Line, so our O-Line is up against it, especially on the left side.

The consensus has been that it's difficult to run on the Eagles, but we did have a good game (200 yds, IIRC) running on them in the first meeting, so I'd expect we'd run Homer and Beastmode at them and see how that goes. The other consensus seems to be that the Eagles secondary is a bit suspect, and we should attack there. However, with our O-Line issues against their strong D-Line, Russell probably would be under pressure instantly if we came out passing.

So, logic would suggest that we will run something like we did in the Pittsburgh game, where we run the ball, and then mix in the use of a shorter quick passing game. Plus, it's the playoffs, and on the road, so I think we mix in a trick play or two during the game. In another twist, Mike Leach has been observed going to meetings with Pete and Schotty at the VMAC, so the rumor is the Hawks are going to put in some Air-Raid Lite packages for Russell, to shock the Eagles and the football world. :2thumbs: OK, so the Leach and Air Raid stuff was a joke.

I would sure like to think that we experiment a bit more, like one series each half, with an up-tempo no-huddle at times, which Russell does well, but that's more of a wish than anything I actually expect. We might only do that if our offense is getting stuffed.

Defensively, with Diggs back, we can play single high, and with luck, contain Wentz and cover his receivers. I trust Pete and Norton to come up with a good defensive scheme and game plan for this one, but the variable would be that Carson Wentz is more healthy and accurate. I thought Wentz was having arm and accuracy problems in the first game. So we will see if Wentz was nicked up and inaccurate, or that was our defensive pressure on him. The key will be whether Clowney and Ansah can put some pressure on Wentz. I think Ansah might finally be healthy enough to look like the player we thought we were getting.

I am starting to feel like this will be a Fugly game.

 

[chris98251]

Diggs playing is one thing, Diggs back is another, he is one move one awkward plant away from re injury, if you had a high ankle sprain you know what I am talking about, the tendons and ligaments are stretched and are not tightened to normal so the ankle is weaker but usable.

This is going to have to be managed by Diggs himself knowing his limits, Tape only goes so far.

 

[sutz]

Diggs playing is one thing, Diggs back is another, he is one move one awkward plant away from re injury, if you had a high ankle sprain you know what I am talking about, the tendons and ligaments are stretched and are not tightened to normal so the ankle is weaker but usable.

This is going to have to be managed by Diggs himself knowing his limits, Tape only goes so far.

If Diggs had his way, he'd probably be screwing cleats on a walking boot. :twisted:

 

[Seahawkfan80]

:The left side of our O-Line is suspect, with Brown out, Fant in for him, Iupati banged up, and a backup center in Hunt. Then on the right, we have Ifedi, and I guess an often-dinged up Fluker, who may just be healthy now.

So we don't have Fant available as our outside tackle to enhance the running game. Philly has a very good D-Line, so our O-Line is up against it, especially on the left side.

The consensus has been that it's difficult to run on the Eagles, but we did have a good game (200 yds, IIRC) running on them in the first meeting, so I'd expect we'd run Homer and Beastmode at them and see how that goes. The other consensus seems to be that the Eagles secondary is a bit suspect, and we should attack there. However, with our O-Line issues against their strong D-Line, Russell probably would be under pressure instantly if we came out passing.

So, logic would suggest that we will run something like we did in the Pittsburgh game, where we run the ball, and then mix in the use of a shorter quick passing game. Plus, it's the playoffs, and on the road, so I think we mix in a trick play or two during the game. In another twist, Mike Leach has been observed going to meetings with Pete and Schotty at the VMAC, so the rumor is the Hawks are going to put in some Air-Raid Lite packages for Russell, to shock the Eagles and the football world. :2thumbs: OK, so the Leach and Air Raid stuff was a joke.

I would sure like to think that we experiment a bit more, like one series each half, with an up-tempo no-huddle at times, which Russell does well, but that's more of a wish than anything I actually expect. We might only do that if our offense is getting stuffed.

Defensively, with Diggs back, we can play single high, and with luck, contain Wentz and cover his receivers. I trust Pete and Norton to come up with a good defensive scheme and game plan for this one, but the variable would be that Carson Wentz is more healthy and accurate. I thought Wentz was having arm and accuracy problems in the first game. So we will see if Wentz was nicked up and inaccurate, or that was our defensive pressure on him. The key will be whether Clowney and Ansah can put some pressure on Wentz. I think Ansah might finally be healthy enough to look like the player we thought we were getting.

I am starting to feel like this will be a Fugly game.

Do we have another Fantasy type player to fill in? Do you think we can put one in to fill that spot?

 

[olyfan63]

Do we have another Fantasy type player to fill in? Do you think we can put one in to fill that spot?

Not sure what you mean here. Last Fantasy league I did was years ago.
Honestly I'm just grasping at different straws, trying to think of what the different factors, forces, and matchups are that a solid game plan by the Seahawks should be built around. It's tricky with all the injuries.

There's a popular narrative on this board that Pete is so set in his ways, can't teach old dogs (Pete) new tricks, etc. that we'll just do same-old, same-old, give away the 1st half, run into a stacked box, do the 1-2-3-Kick! dance step conservative offense, and in general just see every tired Pete cliche in this game, yet somehow be lucky enough to still be within one score, in position for Russell to win it in the end.

I'm trying to give Pete and his staff the benefit of the doubt that they actually have learned a few things between the Cowboys playoff loss last year, and the first playoff game (and preferably not the last) this year. The problem is there are so many injuries, and limitations on both sides, it's hard to know how any given matchup will play out.

I honestly don't know what to expect. I hope they put things in Russell's hands, and I hope Quandre Diggs' ankle is well enough to stand up to the demands of the game. Will Cody Barton be overwhelmed, slow, and ineffective, filling in for Kendricks? Or will he show his game has speeded up? Will BBK get some meaningful snaps, given his speed for certain matchups? Could the unthinkable happen, and Seattle comes out running the quick-passing offense they ran for the 2nd half of the Pittsburgh game? Will we see more of the wide toss runs that Travis Homer is showing he is good at? I do know that Pete and his assistants better come in with at least a couple backup plans and adjust faster than they have in the past. We know that Doug Pederson is a good game-planner.

As far as who will have a big game, Fantasy-wise for the Seahawks, my money would be on Jacob Hollister, and possibly on DK Metcalf. Not Lynch. Homer before Lynch. I also think Ziggy has a chance to go off in this game, to be the "Ansah" to the question, maybe even a couple sacks, given the right side of the Eagles line is a bit suspect, with Lane Johnson out.

 

[Sports Hernia]

Hopefully, Carroll learned his lesson.

You can have the best plan in the world, and you can be absolutely correct - and still get screwed by a referee that is accidentally or intentionally ignoring a rule or missing an illegal action.

That does not even cover the impact an injury can have.

If you win the game in the 3rd, you don't have to worry about someone else screwing you over in a single play at the end of the 4th.




Also, running the clock down when you don't have the lead is stupid. You might need those seconds because you assuredly are going to waste a timeout on a non-consequential challenge, and at least one more because your people were not prepared to make an adjustment or substitution.

Not sure he will learn his lesson, but one can always hope.

Great points. Don’t see an old dog (Pete) learning new tricks.

 

[Seahawkfan80]

Do we have another Fantasy type player to fill in? Do you think we can put one in to fill that spot?

Not sure what you mean here. Last Fantasy league I did was years ago.
Honestly I'm just grasping at different straws, trying to think of what the different factors, forces, and matchups are that a solid game plan by the Seahawks should be built around. It's tricky with all the injuries.

There's a popular narrative on this board that Pete is so set in his ways, can't teach old dogs (Pete) new tricks, etc. that we'll just do same-old, same-old, give away the 1st half, run into a stacked box, do the 1-2-3-Kick! dance step conservative offense, and in general just see every tired Pete cliche in this game, yet somehow be lucky enough to still be within one score, in position for Russell to win it in the end.

I'm trying to give Pete and his staff the benefit of the doubt that they actually have learned a few things between the Cowboys playoff loss last year, and the first playoff game (and preferably not the last) this year. The problem is there are so many injuries, and limitations on both sides, it's hard to know how any given matchup will play out.

I honestly don't know what to expect. I hope they put things in Russell's hands, and I hope Quandre Diggs' ankle is well enough to stand up to the demands of the game. Will Cody Barton be overwhelmed, slow, and ineffective, filling in for Kendricks? Or will he show his game has speeded up? Will BBK get some meaningful snaps, given his speed for certain matchups? Could the unthinkable happen, and Seattle comes out running the quick-passing offense they ran for the 2nd half of the Pittsburgh game? Will we see more of the wide toss runs that Travis Homer is showing he is good at? I do know that Pete and his assistants better come in with at least a couple backup plans and adjust faster than they have in the past. We know that Doug Pederson is a good game-planner.

As far as who will have a big game, Fantasy-wise for the Seahawks, my money would be on Jacob Hollister, and possibly on DK Metcalf. Not Lynch. Homer before Lynch. I also think Ziggy has a chance to go off in this game, to be the "Ansah" to the question, maybe even a couple sacks, given the right side of the Eagles line is a bit suspect, with Lane Johnson out.

Ok...I put it incorrectly. Do we have another FANT asy to plug in the hole that may do what we used him for. I was not drinking at the time and my mind dont work right all the time. Now it is trying to work bedder. LOL