lukerguy
Active member
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2012
- Messages
- 2,320
- Reaction score
- 20
I just need a moment for a small rant. I won't be offended if you don't post or disagree; I just need to get some of this stuff out. I live in Canada so they're not too many people I can discuss this stuff with on a normal basis.
Has anyone ever considered the number of close games we came out on the right side of things the past few years? Has anyone considered the great fortune we've had playing back up QBs down the stretch the past few seasons? The only season we really blew out teams was Russ's first where we were out in the 2nd round of the playoffs to ATL. Even in our SB winning season, we almost lost numerous close games, but found a way to pull it out.
2013:
Won vs Panthers by 5 (game down to final drive)
Won vs Texans by 3 (came down to late INT)
Beat Titans by 7 (Horrible titans team)
Beat Rams by 5 (came down to last play on the 1 yard line. Offense was horrible. One nice play by Tate)
Beat a winless TB team after being down by 21 points early by 3 points.
We also lost 3 close games
2014
Beat broncos by 6 in OT (almost choked it away)
Beat a horrible redskins team by 10 (almost lost late)
Beat Panthers by 4- again came down to final drive
Beat raiders by 6 (a horrible raiders team)
Beat an eagles, Rams, and Cards x2 team with back up or 3rd string QBs in.
The reason I bring this up is that I am certain that this team is just as good as both of those teams. They show flashes of it every game. For whatever reason, we can't seem to pull them out. If in each of these two seasons ONE of the small things that turns a number of these games in our favor didn't happen, we wouldn't have had home field throughout and wouldn't have likely won the SB and got to the SB... The margins for victory are so thin in this league and I think I just assumed we had destiny on our side given that we always seem to pull them out. This year seems different, it seems like if there was a destiny, magic, or mojo-- it feels gone. Most pros would admit that at this level, when everyone is so good, that it's more mental than physical. Perhaps the mental edge we lost in the SB was simply one word: Belief. I feel like Russ and these guys always had the belief that something good was about to happen, but with each painful late loss, that seems to be lessened and lessened.
One thing this season has made me appreciate is the winning seasons we did have. That SB season was so close to not happening...so close (the tip)... I for one am thankful to the best stadium and fans in the world, and have some of the best players. They aren't playing disciplined, but we still have a better young core than anyone in the league...and that's the Truth...we're lucky!
Pete Carroll teams have always been less disciplined, but this year they seem to be different types of penalties. Every one seems to be on 3rd down on defense or 1st down holding on offense.
If KJ Wright didn't go helmet to helmet vs fitz on 3rd down when we had all the moment with 9 minutes left and the lead, I think we win that game...but he did and we lost. Where is the discipline? We've never been a team to take head shots at opponents? Yeah the hit looked good and showed we were "strong" but it ended up being the difference. We had multiple drive extending penalties on the go ahead TD drive..I just can't remember that ever happening in the past.
The MOST surprising thing to me this year is our inability to get pressure with out base 4 man rush D. That's the staple of Seahawks dominance, and the only thing I can think of is that we just don't have the depth behind our front 4 guys to keep everyone fresh. It just felt like we'd go 4 man line, stuff the run with Red, or mcdaniel and Bane.. Then it would be 2nd and 9, they'd pass and be incomplete or another run for 2-3 and all game long we'd have 3rd and 6-15 with a 4 man rush, everyone aware of their zones- get pressure and cause a sack or turnover...We have nearly the exact same personnel! Was Dan Quinn THAT good at teaching technique? I don't understand how everything on defense can change so drastically. I mean, the D let in 37 freaking points last game. yes, they scored one TD and set up another on blitz plays, but still.. 37 points.. 34 vs the Rams who just benched Foles (we made him look like an all pro)...and 27 versus the Bengals...
Does anyone remember when KC ran ALL over us? and then weeks following we dominated?...Pete said it came down to one thing, guys trying to do too much and getting out of position (selfish). That's what the defense feels like all year..guys not focused, on the same page, or trying to do too much.
Pete has always been great at making changes and adjustments.. I think part of the problem is that he doesn't know exactly what to change because it worked so well for him for such a long time and with the same players. The only explanation I can think of is belief and "focus" #notimetosleep... The difference between all of those clutch wins the last two years versus and collapses this year come down to one or two plays. I don't hear the stories of guys going in at 5:30AM to study tape.. and I don't just mean Russell... Theses younger players now have children and wives and have tasted victory, and what can happen with you work so hard and have it fall short by one play...and perhaps.. just perhaps..it's not worth it any more to them to put in that extra 10 hours a week of focus and discipline.
In my humble opinion the greatest travesty of this year would be to make drastic decisions pertaining to our core, and overreacting fans have done already. The only thing this team needs is for others to start doubting them again and I believe they'll come back stronger than ever. As fans, the only we can do to help is continue to support the team every week and not strife with one another... be steadfast in your belief. I will.
Has anyone ever considered the number of close games we came out on the right side of things the past few years? Has anyone considered the great fortune we've had playing back up QBs down the stretch the past few seasons? The only season we really blew out teams was Russ's first where we were out in the 2nd round of the playoffs to ATL. Even in our SB winning season, we almost lost numerous close games, but found a way to pull it out.
2013:
Won vs Panthers by 5 (game down to final drive)
Won vs Texans by 3 (came down to late INT)
Beat Titans by 7 (Horrible titans team)
Beat Rams by 5 (came down to last play on the 1 yard line. Offense was horrible. One nice play by Tate)
Beat a winless TB team after being down by 21 points early by 3 points.
We also lost 3 close games
2014
Beat broncos by 6 in OT (almost choked it away)
Beat a horrible redskins team by 10 (almost lost late)
Beat Panthers by 4- again came down to final drive
Beat raiders by 6 (a horrible raiders team)
Beat an eagles, Rams, and Cards x2 team with back up or 3rd string QBs in.
The reason I bring this up is that I am certain that this team is just as good as both of those teams. They show flashes of it every game. For whatever reason, we can't seem to pull them out. If in each of these two seasons ONE of the small things that turns a number of these games in our favor didn't happen, we wouldn't have had home field throughout and wouldn't have likely won the SB and got to the SB... The margins for victory are so thin in this league and I think I just assumed we had destiny on our side given that we always seem to pull them out. This year seems different, it seems like if there was a destiny, magic, or mojo-- it feels gone. Most pros would admit that at this level, when everyone is so good, that it's more mental than physical. Perhaps the mental edge we lost in the SB was simply one word: Belief. I feel like Russ and these guys always had the belief that something good was about to happen, but with each painful late loss, that seems to be lessened and lessened.
One thing this season has made me appreciate is the winning seasons we did have. That SB season was so close to not happening...so close (the tip)... I for one am thankful to the best stadium and fans in the world, and have some of the best players. They aren't playing disciplined, but we still have a better young core than anyone in the league...and that's the Truth...we're lucky!
Pete Carroll teams have always been less disciplined, but this year they seem to be different types of penalties. Every one seems to be on 3rd down on defense or 1st down holding on offense.
If KJ Wright didn't go helmet to helmet vs fitz on 3rd down when we had all the moment with 9 minutes left and the lead, I think we win that game...but he did and we lost. Where is the discipline? We've never been a team to take head shots at opponents? Yeah the hit looked good and showed we were "strong" but it ended up being the difference. We had multiple drive extending penalties on the go ahead TD drive..I just can't remember that ever happening in the past.
The MOST surprising thing to me this year is our inability to get pressure with out base 4 man rush D. That's the staple of Seahawks dominance, and the only thing I can think of is that we just don't have the depth behind our front 4 guys to keep everyone fresh. It just felt like we'd go 4 man line, stuff the run with Red, or mcdaniel and Bane.. Then it would be 2nd and 9, they'd pass and be incomplete or another run for 2-3 and all game long we'd have 3rd and 6-15 with a 4 man rush, everyone aware of their zones- get pressure and cause a sack or turnover...We have nearly the exact same personnel! Was Dan Quinn THAT good at teaching technique? I don't understand how everything on defense can change so drastically. I mean, the D let in 37 freaking points last game. yes, they scored one TD and set up another on blitz plays, but still.. 37 points.. 34 vs the Rams who just benched Foles (we made him look like an all pro)...and 27 versus the Bengals...
Does anyone remember when KC ran ALL over us? and then weeks following we dominated?...Pete said it came down to one thing, guys trying to do too much and getting out of position (selfish). That's what the defense feels like all year..guys not focused, on the same page, or trying to do too much.
Pete has always been great at making changes and adjustments.. I think part of the problem is that he doesn't know exactly what to change because it worked so well for him for such a long time and with the same players. The only explanation I can think of is belief and "focus" #notimetosleep... The difference between all of those clutch wins the last two years versus and collapses this year come down to one or two plays. I don't hear the stories of guys going in at 5:30AM to study tape.. and I don't just mean Russell... Theses younger players now have children and wives and have tasted victory, and what can happen with you work so hard and have it fall short by one play...and perhaps.. just perhaps..it's not worth it any more to them to put in that extra 10 hours a week of focus and discipline.
In my humble opinion the greatest travesty of this year would be to make drastic decisions pertaining to our core, and overreacting fans have done already. The only thing this team needs is for others to start doubting them again and I believe they'll come back stronger than ever. As fans, the only we can do to help is continue to support the team every week and not strife with one another... be steadfast in your belief. I will.
