First off, as a Seahawks diehard (Original 12) and Aviation Nut, I was besides myself with those EA-18G Growler's flying over the stadium at the end of the anthem...Awesome way to kick off the game!
This game went almost identical to my expectations going in, which is usually pretty rare. The Eagles have a really good team and despite the outcome, I thought it showed overall. Wentz is going to be a great QB for them in the coming years and they have a very good defense. What surprised me most was just how good their OL was. I mean Wentz had a clean pocket where he was baking cookies back there all game long.
Players on both sides were dropping like flies today. Injuries are really prominent this season for most teams, it seems to me more than usual. And what the hell is going on with the kickers this year? 11 missed extra points today...
...Only 8 ALL YEAR last season!
That's pretty amazing. I tried to blame the long snapper today for Haush' issues but I can't. The extra point attempt in the first quarter was simply line penetration and a legit block. I haven't watched the missed FG yet on TV (I'm currently into the beginning of the 3rd quarter) but I just think it's an off year all around for kickers, Stephen included.
It's so nice to see Russ returning to full health. I don't know where he is on the health percentage but he's clearly as close to 100% as he's been since Week 1. Look, I spend a lot of time vilifying Bevell but he deserves props today. He called that play Baldwin was in his ear about over the past two or three weeks where Baldwin throws to Wilson. Couldn't have drawn it up better. They could have checked out of the play but they saw the formation they needed to see to make it happen, they called it and Baldwin is now perfect in throwing TDs and Wilson is now perfect in catching TDs.
Defense was legit throughout. A lot of great plays but I am still wondering if Bennett's absence is a primary reason for all the yards they are giving up this year (We went from #1 defense in the league early in the year to #9 currently) but they were still giving up gobs of yards even when Bennett was playing. Part of it is likely injuries, part of it is scheme, bend-but-don't-break philosophy, etc., but there's a tangible here I am missing. As good as this defense still is, something is "off" this year.
What a shame to lose Prosise! He was having such a great run these past two games, it seemed like it was going to be an unstoppable tandem with Rawls and Prosise. Apparently the Football Gods find it too unfair to have both healthy on the field at the same time. What a shame. Hope Shead and Thomas' hammy's are not the severe variety.
Something is off at CLink these days. It's just not as crazy loud as it used to be. Is it still louder than most stadiums? No doubt. But we have high standards here and I don't think those standards have been met this year so far. If Volume 12 is Playoff NFCCG-type decibel levels, and Volume 10 is ear-achey, can't hear the person next to you without shouting loud, I would say we have only been hitting Volume 6 to 8 all year. Not sure why that is. I really don't like calling out the loudest fans in the NFL, but it's something I am acutely aware of each and every game this season. Complacency? Opponents/competition not being as sexy as others? I really can't quantify it, but it's been obvious to me.
WAKE UP 12'S!!!!
Every team in the NFC West lost today but us. Ahhhh, just like old times again.
Damn Cowboys. Even if it turns out to be a Seahawks / Cowboys NFCCG in Dallas, the good news is we are battle tested, that stadium is a neutral field in terms of fans/environment and does not intimidate us in the least, AND the Cowboys have not faced any real adversity or great teams all year long. That could change if we meet in January.
Great win Hawks! Let's keep this train rollin' into February!
This game went almost identical to my expectations going in, which is usually pretty rare. The Eagles have a really good team and despite the outcome, I thought it showed overall. Wentz is going to be a great QB for them in the coming years and they have a very good defense. What surprised me most was just how good their OL was. I mean Wentz had a clean pocket where he was baking cookies back there all game long.
Players on both sides were dropping like flies today. Injuries are really prominent this season for most teams, it seems to me more than usual. And what the hell is going on with the kickers this year? 11 missed extra points today...
...Only 8 ALL YEAR last season!
That's pretty amazing. I tried to blame the long snapper today for Haush' issues but I can't. The extra point attempt in the first quarter was simply line penetration and a legit block. I haven't watched the missed FG yet on TV (I'm currently into the beginning of the 3rd quarter) but I just think it's an off year all around for kickers, Stephen included.
It's so nice to see Russ returning to full health. I don't know where he is on the health percentage but he's clearly as close to 100% as he's been since Week 1. Look, I spend a lot of time vilifying Bevell but he deserves props today. He called that play Baldwin was in his ear about over the past two or three weeks where Baldwin throws to Wilson. Couldn't have drawn it up better. They could have checked out of the play but they saw the formation they needed to see to make it happen, they called it and Baldwin is now perfect in throwing TDs and Wilson is now perfect in catching TDs.
Defense was legit throughout. A lot of great plays but I am still wondering if Bennett's absence is a primary reason for all the yards they are giving up this year (We went from #1 defense in the league early in the year to #9 currently) but they were still giving up gobs of yards even when Bennett was playing. Part of it is likely injuries, part of it is scheme, bend-but-don't-break philosophy, etc., but there's a tangible here I am missing. As good as this defense still is, something is "off" this year.
What a shame to lose Prosise! He was having such a great run these past two games, it seemed like it was going to be an unstoppable tandem with Rawls and Prosise. Apparently the Football Gods find it too unfair to have both healthy on the field at the same time. What a shame. Hope Shead and Thomas' hammy's are not the severe variety.
Something is off at CLink these days. It's just not as crazy loud as it used to be. Is it still louder than most stadiums? No doubt. But we have high standards here and I don't think those standards have been met this year so far. If Volume 12 is Playoff NFCCG-type decibel levels, and Volume 10 is ear-achey, can't hear the person next to you without shouting loud, I would say we have only been hitting Volume 6 to 8 all year. Not sure why that is. I really don't like calling out the loudest fans in the NFL, but it's something I am acutely aware of each and every game this season. Complacency? Opponents/competition not being as sexy as others? I really can't quantify it, but it's been obvious to me.
WAKE UP 12'S!!!!
Every team in the NFC West lost today but us. Ahhhh, just like old times again.
Damn Cowboys. Even if it turns out to be a Seahawks / Cowboys NFCCG in Dallas, the good news is we are battle tested, that stadium is a neutral field in terms of fans/environment and does not intimidate us in the least, AND the Cowboys have not faced any real adversity or great teams all year long. That could change if we meet in January.
Great win Hawks! Let's keep this train rollin' into February!