Post subject: A big old long article on improving the pass rush
Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 5:27 pm
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Joined: Thu Apr 30, 2009 8:13 am Posts: 6395
For those who won't to kill some time...
Every year Carroll is very honest and up front with the media/fans on how to improve this team. Today, he made it clear the #1 priority is (quite rightly) improving the pass rush.
So here's a 4000-word article on the options Seattle has to improve this key area of need, including scheme, free agency and the draft (includes game tape).
Think back to the start of 2011. In Pete Carroll’s end of season press conference he identified the running game as a cause for concern. It was supposed to be the heart and soul of this team, yet the Seahawks ranked 31st in the league for rushing. Jeremy Bates was fired as offensive coordinator, in came Darrell Bevell and Tom Cable. The teams first two draft picks were offensive lineman. There was no media kidology here — this was pure, unadulterated honesty. Carroll did what he said he was going to do.
A year later the pass rush was identified as a key area of weakness. Only ten teams had less sacks than the Seahawks in 2011. Carroll and Schneider zoned in on a pass rusher in the first round of the draft and selected a player defined by Carroll as, “the ideal LEO.” Bruce Irvin was taken with the #15 overall pick in the 2012 draft. Jason Jones was added in free agency to act as a specialist three-technique. Once again the Seahawks had been honest about their ambitions in the off-season, and most definitely pro-active.
The problem is, one plan worked better than the other. The repair work to the run game turned the #31 ranked rushing attack in 2010 into the third best this season. For all of Seattle’s moves to improve the pass rush a year ago, it’s only warranted a three-sack improvement. Bruce Irvin, Jason Jones, Greg Scruggs, Jay Howard, re-signing Chris Clemons to an extended contract. It all adds up to three more sacks.
Seattle’s total of 36 this year is probably a generous review of the pressure they were able to exert on opposing quarterbacks. An eight-sack half against the Green Bay Packers — more freak than anything – bloated that statistic into mediocrity. Without that blistering half of pass-rushing, the Seahawks are among the league’s worst for sacks. A true bottom dweller, belittling the claims that this is an elite unit.
hawksfan515
Post subject: Re: A big old long article on improving the pass rush
Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 8:57 pm
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Joined: Fri Dec 10, 2010 6:52 pm Posts: 5194 Location: Battle Ground, Washington
Great article
pehawk
Post subject: Re: A big old long article on improving the pass rush
Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 9:02 pm
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Word! Good stuff....
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JKent82
Post subject: Re: A big old long article on improving the pass rush
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 12:31 am
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Awesome! That about covers everything...
ivotuk
Post subject: Re: A big old long article on improving the pass rush
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 12:45 am
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Excellent information presentation! Thanks English
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Wenhawk
Post subject: Re: A big old long article on improving the pass rush
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 7:59 am
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Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2009 6:38 am Posts: 1270
So glad we have Carroll, Holmgren would have been too stubborn to admit his faults and he would have ignored our need for more D Linemen that can get to the QB.
Post subject: Re: A big old long article on improving the pass rush
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 8:06 am
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Joined: Fri Jan 07, 2011 5:45 pm Posts: 1088
Excellent job, Rob. Very nicely done.
At the end of the day, I have faith in PC/JS to fix the pass rush heading into next season whether it be through talent upgrade or scheme adjustment. Also, I feel like the goal of last season was to improve team speed on defense, not improve the pass rush specifically. Now that pass rush is the sole focus and the glaring weakness that's keeping this defense from being truly elite, I think PC/JS will knock this out of the park like they've done time and time again. Should be exciting to see who they bring in!
Post subject: Re: A big old long article on improving the pass rush
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 9:24 am
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Joined: Sat Sep 04, 2010 5:40 pm Posts: 1048
Well done piece. Watching the game again the fellow that stood out as having a really bad game was Branch. I suspect he was not 100% , but he was getting shoved around pretty good. Mebane disappears as the season progresses. He gets a lot of double teams and I think it wears him down. Jason Jones was ok , but we should shop around for a better upgrade. The article gave some names to look at which is a help
Hawk n Load
Post subject: Re: A big old long article on improving the pass rush
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 10:05 am
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Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2012 11:16 am Posts: 36
Thanks, Rob. I appreciate the full analysis that covers the complexity of the situation: everybody wants to improve the pass rush, but it's not as simple as plugging in talent like you can do in Madden. It will be interesting to see whether Pete does adapt regarding this scheme; the big 5 tech and leo combo has been something he's stuck with through everything, and while he does adapt and admit to mistakes, I could see this being a blind spot that he just can't give up. It may be the difference between good and great for this team.
Sarlacc83
Post subject: Re: A big old long article on improving the pass rush
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 10:20 am
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Very good write up, Rob.
I really believe that if one of the big DTs falls into the 15-20 range, Seattle needs to go against their fall backwards philosophy and make the move. We're at the point where we can afford to spend draft capital to get that one guy, even if it's a third rounder. (Or maybe we'll get lucky and they'll have a third and fourth rounder from a smaller college on their board.)
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Ruminator
Post subject: Re: A big old long article on improving the pass rush
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 10:33 am
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Sarlacc83 wrote:
I really believe that if one of the big DTs falls into the 15-20 range, Seattle needs to go against their fall backwards philosophy and make the move. We're at the point where we can afford to spend draft capital to get that one guy, even if it's a third rounder.
I think you'll get no argument from anyone on this thinking, if the available pass-defense-specialist DT is at significant risk of getting picked before our #25 pick. If ever there was a draft where it would be OK to move up, it's this one.
CANHawk
Post subject: Re: A big old long article on improving the pass rush
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 11:32 am
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Great write up.
I've been banging the 3-tech drum for a while now, holding Warren Sapp up as a the shining golden example of the kind of player we need for the role. I had hoped that Jason Jones could be something of an answer to that need (and for a while it looked like he could have been if he stayed healthy) but he doesn't seem to be able to stay on the field and doesn't seem to have it in run support. I think that guy has to be a guy who can stay on the field for 3 downs and multi-task (like Sapp did). Maybe Scruggs can be that guy, but I definitely don't just want to settle on that option.
Thanks for giving me some options to obsess over and covet instead of just yelling for us to go out and get "another Sapp". Might as well go pick up "another Reggie White" and "the next Bruce Smith" while we're at it...
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HawkFan72
Post subject: Re: A big old long article on improving the pass rush
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 11:36 am
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Great article. Thanks for writing that up.
I think it is hilarious that Carroll tells the world what he is going to do in the draft and free agency, and yet we will be debating it for months to come as mock drafts pick the Hawks to draft players that have nothing to do with the pass rush or receiving.
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Ruminator
Post subject: Re: A big old long article on improving the pass rush
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 12:03 pm
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HawkFan72 wrote:
I think it is hilarious that Carroll tells the world what he is going to do in the draft and free agency, and yet we will be debating it for months to come as mock drafts pick the Hawks to draft players that have nothing to do with the pass rush or receiving.
Looking back on recent FO moves that have surprised many, you never know for sure just what they'll do.
I'm also amused at the stark contrast between Carroll and Harbaugh: easy going and frank versus uptight and tight-lipped.
Starrman44
Post subject: Re: A big old long article on improving the pass rush
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 12:25 pm
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Joined: Tue Feb 28, 2012 1:35 pm Posts: 453 Location: Canby, OR
Thanks! Honestly, I am avoiding any video of Sheldon Richardson because I don't want to get my hopes up. That would be unbelievable.
Largent80
Post subject: Re: A big old long article on improving the pass rush
Post subject: Re: A big old long article on improving the pass rush
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 1:38 pm
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Joined: Mon Oct 01, 2012 10:10 am Posts: 876
Good article, and believe me it's not lost on Carroll. You know the kind of defensive minded coach he is that had four blue chips deep on the D-Line at USC, it must be driving him crazy not to have a monster pass rush in Seattle.
My guess is 80% of the resources this off season (draft picks and free agent $$$) will be spent on upgrading the D-Line as much as possible. The other 20% on WR's and OL depth.......and maybe a replacement for Hill. Outside LB should be higher than like 8th on the team in tackles.
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cdallan
Post subject: Re: A big old long article on improving the pass rush
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 1:43 pm
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