From A Ravens Fan

[AROS]

Caught this comment on the Interwebs...

One thing I’ll say as a Ravens fan watching the Seahawks last night, it’s going to take time for the defensive scheme to be put in place. It took at least half a season in Baltimore (and a trade for Roquan Smith) for the defense to start getting it together. At its peak Macdonalds defense is a complex and terrifying beast that befuddles offenses, but it takes time to get there. The Jamison Williams touchdown had shades of the Miami game a couple years ago for Baltimore where there were multiple busted coverages as a result of poor communication. Once that began to get ironed out, it was a monster defense most of last year. Y’all look like a great team, give it some time, it’ll turn into something great.

 

[hgwellz12]

Yeah, I have heard similar sentiments. Sucks for the microwave, instant gratification crowd...of which I fall into every now and then.

 

[MontanaHawk05]

Listening to the postgames makes it sound like Mike has a fine handle on what went on, and the offseason literature shows us he holds guys accountable. There's no reason to think the season is over or anything.

But this loss was on him, and no mature head coach would say anything different.

 

[keasley45]

Im actually pretty stoked coming out of this game. Barring injury, come playoff time, we will be able to beat anyone.

 

[MORGULON]

Yeah, I have heard similar sentiments. Sucks for the microwave, instant gratification crowd...of which I fall into every now and then.

I second that sentiment.

Rookie head coach in his 4th game against a team that will probably be contending for a Superbowl again this year. It would have been a tough deal at full strength.

But I have something I haven't had in a number of years..

Hope for the future.

Our team was scrappy in a way that even fans of other teams noticed. I would guess that MM, with the players he had available, had to keep things pretty vanilla.My wish is for Seattle to get another opportunity to play Detroit when both teams are closer to full strength. Detroit won fair and square and I don't hate them for that. (Although the hater in me wanted to) Haha

 

[AROS]

Looking past the usual knee-jerk reactions (we all mourn a loss in our own way), I think the narrative is becoming clear.

We have a good team with the potential to become a great team. Playoff-caliber, no doubt. Do we have our warts? Hell yes! Injuries and deficiencies with our OL combine for a season that may fall short of how good we could really be.

This is not some stinky, stale Seahawks team from the 90's nor the underachieving Pete teams after 2017 (or whatever year, take your pick). This team has that cherished IT factor. You can see it even in a loss. These are the early years for our new Head Coach, who by the way, I truly feel will be revered one day like we revere Pete.

Bitch and moan because that's what a fan forum is for after all.

But do not lose sight, not even for one second, that this team's trajectory is doing nothing but going up.

 

[Boycie]

Yeah, I have heard similar sentiments. Sucks for the microwave, instant gratification crowd...of which I fall into every now and then.

The fact that we are 3-1, and our rivals have stumbled out of the gate, gives us time to really gel as a team, and still be in the hunt down the stretch. I am stoked about where we are headed!

 

[Seahawkfan80]

Detroit is there right now. We are getting there. It takes time as we all know. I was not online and watched the game from my room. I did it right this time. I trusted no one. I saw a game that was somewhat equally reffed. I saw a team that was on, and a team that was on just a little bit less. There are gonna be a pair of teams at the end of this year and both of these teams have that potential. Good bench mark.

 

[knownone]

I see quite a bit of blind faith in this defense that feels unwarranted. The jury is still out on MM and his defense, yet people are giving him the leeway of prime Belichick. At this moment, besides the added talent, there is zero reason to believe this defense is better than last season. None. They still have a ton to prove. Want evidence? We had a four-game stretch last season (Giants to Browns) where we gave up 12 PPG on defense to backup quarterbacks.

The offense has proven its value. They're an elite unit that's proven it for three seasons. Let's pump the breaks on the defense. They haven't proven anything. Yes, it'll take time for guys to learn MM's system. Yes, injuries played a significant role in last night's game. But can we stop acting like MM is the second coming of Bill Belichick four games into his Seahawks career?

 

[Maelstrom787]

The weakness of Mac's scheme is run defense.

This is just an inherent part of his D. The spacing, alignment, etc. The Ravens last year were fairly bad down the stretch in terms of run D.

His scheme will be dependent upon talent. Just like Pete's and just like most schemes in the league, they will require more talent to be truly league-topping defenses. It IS a defense predicated of disguise, surprise, and aggression - but it is talent dependent.

We need to get healthy so we can get back to winning on talent, and I'd kill for a defensive field general at LB. Dodson and Baker are fine, but Dodson has a few coverage issues and Baker seems to have some durability issues. I'd kill a stranger in cold blood tonight for a Fred Warner or Roquan for this defense.

None of this is meant as an attack on Mac's D. I'm just looking for where the pain points are going to be. Overall, they've been friggin' lights out outside of last night, and last night wasn't our real defense. It was a preseason-level lineup of backups against a smashmouth juggernaut.

I think they'll get back on track. I don't think they're a top-5 unit, but I think they can be in short order with a little bit more talent at LB and safety.

 

[MORGULON]

Detroit is there right now. We are getting there. It takes time as we all know. I was not online and watched the game from my room. I did it right this time. I trusted no one. I saw a game that was somewhat equally reffed. I saw a team that was on, and a team that was on just a little bit less. There are gonna be a pair of teams at the end of this year and both of these teams have that potential. Good bench mark.

Damn nice post .

I like it when people write what I have trouble writing . My brain goes all over the place.

Like Aros said , we all handle losses in a different way. I get kinda pissy and say messed up stuff . I used to drink ..

A lot

 

[rcaido]

Bo Nix
BBQ Briskett
Dolphin QB #2 & #3

Probably should be 2-2 if it wasn't for the Block FG against the Patriots. The first time the defense was truly tested by a decent QB, we shat the bed. Lots of injuries but the ones that were playing put up a stinker. Defense better feast on Daniel Jones this week but our gauntlet this season is coming up against Purdy, Cousins, Stafford, Murray, & Erin.

 

[AROS]

I see quite a bit of blind faith in this defense that feels unwarranted. The jury is still out on MM and his defense, yet people are giving him the leeway of prime Belichick. At this moment, besides the added talent, there is zero reason to believe this defense is better than last season. None. They still have a ton to prove. Want evidence? We had a four-game stretch last season (Giants to Browns) where we gave up 12 PPG on defense to backup quarterbacks.

The offense has proven its value. They're an elite unit that's proven it for three seasons. Let's pump the breaks on the defense. They haven't proven anything. Yes, it'll take time for guys to learn MM's system. Yes, injuries played a significant role in last night's game. But can we stop acting like MM is the second coming of Bill Belichick four games into his Seahawks career?

Meh, you can see the early reviews are out there. We are in the genesis of Mac's D taking shape. I can't believe how many of us are literally looking past our entire defensive line starters being out like that was somehow magically not an issue, just like it would be for any other team in the NFL.

I would bet a paycheck if our starters, ALL of our starters on the DL (including Nwousu) played in this game, we would be 4-0 right now and I wouldn't have had to read your - and many other - fan's take on how our defense is underperforming.

 

[MORGULON]

Bo Nix
BBQ Briskett
Dolphin QB #2 & #3

Probably should be 2-2 if it wasn't for the Block FG against the Patriots. The first time the defense was truly tested by a decent QB, we shat the bed. Lots of injuries but the ones that were playing put up a stinker. Defense better feast on Daniel Jones this week but our gauntlet this season is coming up against Purdy, Cousins, Stafford, Murray, & Erin.

How's your favorite back up QB doing these days?

 

[Aircrew]

Im actually pretty stoked coming out of this game. Barring injury, come playoff time, we will be able to beat anyone.

Totally agree.

 

[Chukarhawk]

Yeah, I have heard similar sentiments. Sucks for the microwave, instant gratification crowd...of which I fall into every now and then.

Baby steps, we are coming from one of the worst defenses in the league last year. We will finish somewhere middle of the pack by the end of the year defensively. That progress is as much as you can hope for. The defense was a shitshow last night no doubt. Gashed by the run and shredded the secondary, THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. This is a learning event. Mac will get this fixed. RELAX. The only thing I'm really concerned about right now if the number of injuries, it's bordering on the absurd.

 

[AROS]

Baby steps, we are coming from one of the worst defenses in the league last year. We will finish somewhere middle of the pack by the end of the year defensively. That progress is as much as you can hope for. The defense was a shitshow last night no doubt. Gashed by the run and shredded the secondary, THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. This is a learning event. Mac will get this fixed. RELAX. The only thing I'm really concerned about right now if the number of injuries, it's bordering on the absurd.

Agreed but if we can get beyond the injury bug I think we will be a Top 10 defense by the end of the year which was my hope for Mac's first season with us.

 

[LeveeBreak]

Im actually pretty stoked coming out of this game. Barring injury, come playoff time, we will be able to beat anyone.

Oddly enough, this is where I’m at as well. Yep, painful and frustrating watch…but mixed with some hopeful stuff that can be grown upon.

 

[ZagHawk]

Yeah, I have heard similar sentiments. Sucks for the microwave, instant gratification crowd...of which I fall into every now and then.

This is why I'm just viewing this season more so as a prep for 2025-26 and not worrying about this year's playoffs. This is NOT the year for the Seahawks to contend...no matter how badly you want it to be. What you want is this to be the final of the Chiefs/Niners window and the Hawks to spike the following 2-3 years. Sure the Seahawks in 2012-2013 had a chance to do damage that year in the playoffs, but it was still really the 2013-2014 season they were setting up for (and won).

David Goggins talks a lot about the instant gratification and softened crowd and how much easier it is to be great for anyone who has the patience and discipline. As fans, we're obviously not on the field, but we can be patient along side with what is most likely JS and MM's master plan. If they were worried about winning NOW, they would have got a bunch of major free agents and mortgaged the future during the draft.

 

[WmHBonney]

It all starts up front. Given the state of the D line, this game does not worry me. When they get healthy, this defense will be fine.