Arians says he may use two QB's next Sunday...

[MORGULON]

I don't know if you could call them a paper tiger at 11-3. They do have more takeaways then the Seahawks on Defense. They are basically tied in PA being 2nd and 3rd at 242 and 244. In 12 games of 14 allowing less than 20 ppg. Their weakness is they are decimated by injuries otherwise the team is for real. You'd have to agree the Defense is a top 5, and the coaching staff is top 5. What makes you guys not a paper tiger then? I think your lucky you are playing this game against a 4th string QB.

1. A good record isn't a counterpoint to being a paper tiger; a good record is, in fact, pretty much a necessary component of a paper tiger. The whole point of the term is that the team isn't as good as it appears to be from its record.
2. Takeaways are an unsustainable byproduct of good defense. Having more over the course of 14 games is whatever; your team's overall defensive quality is worth bragging about, but a team can't reliably force turnovers the same way that they can consistently crank out other types of production even if they're playing at the same high level all the time.
3. There's no question that we're lucky to be catching Ryan Lindley/Logan Thomas this game. There's also no question that the Cardinals were staggeringly lucky to catch Brandon Weeden instead of Tony Romo when Dallas came up on their schedule.
4. We're not a paper tiger because every metric in the universe says that we're not; DVOA, ANFLS Efficiency, 538 ELO, Inpredictable, etc. Those same metrics paint a significantly different picture of Arizona. That's how these things are measured.

hi

 

[Seafan]

I like the team mindset.

“They were intense, but we matched it,” middle linebacker Bobby Wagner said. “We’re trying to do something special, and they came in our way.”


Go, Hawks!

 

[Vpk0718]

If they beat us, it's going to be on defense, not offense. Protect the ball and we shouldn't have too much of a problem.

 

[HawkWow]

In between "Sammamish Ghost Hunters" posts, yes, yes you have Matt.

How dare you. Wait, I see you have lost a loved one...They are reaching out...Do you have any great grandparents that have passed?

LOL. Be sure to get his credit card info before going any further. He likely does have great grandparents that's passed and they'd probably like to tell him they "miss him" but they'd like for him to "stop touching himself inappropriately in public parks". Does this sound possible Pe? Do you know who this could be that's asking Aros to reach out to you at a very reasonable $9.99 per minute?

 

[Scottemojo]

The Cards had a lot of effective looks when they went Jumbo and ran after Stanton went down. I expect nothing but a steady diet of runs built like that right at Bennett. They want to tire his ass out. The two running backs they have will be more effective than the two quarterbacks.

We can go man cover and spy Logan. Lindley sucks.

I know this game has the feel of a one mistake and lose 10-7, but the team most likely to make the big mistake is Arizona with straight up inexperience at QB and RB.

 

[hawknation2014]

The Cards had a lot of effective looks when they went Jumbo and ran after Stanton went down. I expect nothing but a steady diet of runs built like that right at Bennett. They want to tire his ass out. The two running backs they have will be more effective than the two quarterbacks.

I'm familiar with both Kerwynn Williams and Stepfan Taylor from watching them play in college. They are both good backs. Williams is particularly impressive.

As you say, I wouldn't sleep on those guys, not with the way the 49ers were running on us.

 

[kearly]

If the Cardinals play Logan Thomas, it's game over. He's a far inferior version of QBs the Seahawks consistently destroy (Newton, Kaep).

More likely, Arians will lean on Lindley and hope to get lucky. Lindley sucks real bad, but he has the arm to make cover 3 beating throws.

Anyway, Palmer is the only QB on their roster that would force Seattle to respect the pass more than the run. When they faced Stanton a month ago, they keyed the run and kept Arizona's RB group to under 3 yards a carry. Seattle will force Arizona to beat them through the air, Arians will force the run anyway. And when Seattle goes up by ten, he'll probably start airing it out, and odds are it won't be pretty.

 

[joeseahawks]

If we lead this game by more than a TD (which we can), I have no doubt we win. I don't see them coming back from behind with these QBs.

 

[seahawk 17]

The only reason he would use two QB's is because the first one got killed.

Which is possible.

 

[hawksfansinceday1]

I don't know Pe. Jeff Fisher seems to be the only guy that outcoaches Carroll. Our D had a bit of a letdown in the first half today and I don't think that will happen again this season, Also, we have had success on that field the last 2 years. And, we've been in this type of pressure situation recently and they haven't. Finally, we play well in prime time. Considering all of that, I think we've got this one man. Not gonna be a blowout cuz our O isn't good enough for one. But a W is a W and I think we get it.

Jeff Fisher has never outcoached anyone...ever. All of the big wins in his career have been due to gimmicks. Fake punts and fake field goals, the music city miracle...all gimmicks. He has never had a team that could just line up and beat a good team.

How many years are they gonna give him to get to .500? Most overrated coach EVER.

But isn't getting beat by gimmicks you should know are coming year after year getting outcoached? Sorry but I think Fisher has outcoached Pete the last 3 years in St. Louis. Can that change? Of course, and it needs to.
As for your overall analysis of Fisher as a head coach, couldn't agree with you more which is what makes losing to him in St. Loo 2 of the last 3 years on gimmicks all the more maddening.

 

[ImTheScientist]

I don't fear the paper tiger cards. They are the worst 11 win team in NFL history.

 

[SeaChase]

Use 3 Qb's. Or better yet ask Kurt Warner to come back. Oh wait...

 

[Hawks46]

I mean if the fear about an opponent is that they may do something unexpectedly goofy and gimmicky, then you know you're in pretty damn good shape.

I totally agree. Problem is, I keep going back to the STL game this year. One gimmick play, combined with a fake punt in a situation where only the most desperate coach will go for it, and ice it with a call that the officiating crew decides to not review when all turnovers are supposedly reviewed, and you have a loss.

AZ's defense is still playing every bit as good as STL's. I see this game being 9-6. First mistake loses.

 

[jlwaters1]

Yeah this game scares the crap out of me. I feel like these unknown QBs are what has killed us in the past. The Rams beat us with Austin Davis, remember.

No, they beat us with special teams. Let's not confuse that fact. Both times the Rams have beat us in ST Louis, they were able to out-scheme, out-execute us on special teams, which was the deciding factor. They got a return for a TD, another return to our 30 yard line which setup another TD. Davis had all of 155 yards passing.

 

[BlueTalons]

What kind of sucks is they got 3 extra days to prepare for this game...

 

[volsunghawk]

I'm less worried about this Cards game on the road than I was about the 49ers coming to Seattle.

I don't see any way our D allows Arizona to win this game. We currently have just as good a run D as Arizona does, and our pass D is #1 in the league (Arizona's isn't great, though they have notched a lot of picks).

The Seattle D only allowed Arizona 204 total yards in Seattle, and Arizona's offense has only gotten worse since that game. Seattle can stack the box and dare those inexperienced QBs to beat us through the air. They will not be able to do so.

 

[Melencause]

Yeah this game scares the crap out of me. I feel like these unknown QBs are what has killed us in the past. The Rams beat us with Austin Davis, remember.

Was it Austin Davis or Special teams that beat us?

 

[Timberhawk]

What kind of sucks is they got 3 extra days to prepare for this game...

This worries me more for health reasons than scheming/game plan reasons. Being a divisional opponent it doesn't take as long to game plan for them I would assume. I think the injuries and new QB's throw a curve ball there as we will not have as much historical data on the QB's but even that may make it easier as we know they will blitz like crazy on D and run the ball like crazy on O.

Go Hawks!

 

[chet380]

I mean if the fear about an opponent is that they may do something unexpectedly goofy and gimmicky, then you know you're in pretty damn good shape.

I totally agree. Problem is, I keep going back to the STL game this year. One gimmick play, combined with a fake punt in a situation where only the most desperate coach will go for it, and ice it with a call that the officiating crew decides to not review when all turnovers are supposedly reviewed, and you have a loss.

AZ's defense is still playing every bit as good as STL's. I see this game being 9-6. First mistake loses.

With our OL in shambles, our running game will not be as effective, so expect too many third-and-longs and too many three-and-outs -- the D will have to shine and not allow any easy scores.

Above all, no INT's or fumbles -- if we lose the turnover battle, expect the worst.

As well, it's a AZ home game, so expect the zebras to clamp down on the Hawks -- they won't be "just letting them play".

Bad, bad feeling about this one.

 

[MontanaHawk05]

Yeah this game scares the crap out of me. I feel like these unknown QBs are what has killed us in the past. The Rams beat us with Austin Davis, remember.

Yeah, while missing Wagner, Simon, Maxwell, and a 100% Kam. I doubt any third-stringer Arizona rustles up will have as much luck.

That said, Seattle's lack of passing offense does level the playing field too much.