Marquand Manuel

[Aristotle22]

i am hoping Earl can stay healthy so we dont have another Marquand Manuel Superbo moment. losing him that game was critical

 

[sutz]

Well, yeah, but IIRC Trufant was the only true starter in the D-Backfield that survived the season to play that game. We were hiring DBs off the street that year.

 

[Aristotle22]

good point

 

[Seafan]

Well, yeah, but IIRC Trufant was the only true starter in the D-Backfield that survived the season to play that game. We were hiring DBs off the street that year.

Wrong season.

 

[chevelle03]

We did lose Dyson and Hamlin that year.

 

[danp1990]

Well it was ken hamlin at safety. And michael bowlware did an awsome job that yr.! So we had Trufant, dyson who got hurt in MNF game in Philly.but kelly herndon did decent at cb. In all reality we were pretty good at db that year even with Hamlins loss.only guy who kept getting beat deep was Erick Pruitt!

 

[Steve2222]

We did lose Dyson and Hamlin that year.

Hamlin missed the whole season basically in 2005 so doesn't really count. The season where all our DBs were WIA was 2007.

 

[sturg78]

I know we like to say stealers paid the refs but it makes way more sense that they payed Pruitt to play like that. No other explanation as to why a safety got beat deep all game long

 

[Hawkstorian]

Why Pruitt was in there and Babineaux was on the bench never made sense.

 

[HawKnPeppa]

Why Pruitt was in there and Babineaux was on the bench never made sense.

This! ^^^

 

[Rat]

That happened because Ken Hamlin was a selfish idiot who got himself knocked out in an off-field incident. Yeah Pruitt sucked, but it's hard to expect much when you have to pick somebody up off the street. Our backups now are at least competent.

 

[pugs1]

Well it was ken hamlin at safety. And michael bowlware did an awsome job that yr.! So we had Trufant, dyson who got hurt in MNF game in Philly.but kelly herndon did decent at cb. In all reality we were pretty good at db that year even with Hamlins loss.only guy who kept getting beat deep was Erick Pruitt!

Not to get picky but his name was Etric Pruitt. Man I'll never forget his name.

 

[Erebus]

We did lose Dyson and Hamlin that year.

Hamlin missed the whole season basically in 2005 so doesn't really count. The season where all our DBs were WIA was 2007.

Actually it was 2006. I remember picking up Pete Hunter off the street to play the Cowboys in the playoffs.

 

[olyfan63]

Marquand Manuel, arguably the most key player in SBXL, and now part of the Seahawks coaching staff. The whole mess around plugging that hole cost Seattle the game in SBXL just as much as the refs. Yes, the refs were a huge factor in SBXL, with the bogus DJack OPI call, the phantom holding call, but the Ruskell/Holmgren front office and coaching teamwork, or lack thereof, was a huge factor as well.

In SBXL, Marquand Manuel goes down in the 2nd quarter, and Ruskell and Holmgren's response was a man-off-the-street, Etric Pruitt, who had never played safety for Seattle before, and didn't really know how.

Can you imagine Earl Thomas going down in the Super Bowl and having Carroll/Schneider throw in an UDFA *cornerback* at Free Safety, a corner who couldn't make ANY NFL team's roster, has never practiced at either safety spot, and has practiced with the team for a total of 3 weeks or so? No, they have guys like Jeremy Lane and DeShawn Shead, who know the position, and are legit NFL players, who they can put in. DeShawn Shead played a series or two while Earl was out vs. the Packers, and the Packers offense didn't exactly go wild. This Coaching Staff and FO are much, much better prepared than Holmgren/Ruskell were.

In SBXL, The Stealers coaches saw the weakness, and decided to test it. it wasn't the refs who allowed Willie Parker to go 76 yards for a TD. Some say that was on SS Michael Boulware, but Boulware was probably trying to compensate and play his SS spot and Pruitt's FS spot too, since Pruitt didn't know what he was doing. Then the Stealers drew up the trick play that Pruitt bit on and scored another TD off that. So 2 of Pittsburghs TD's, 14 of their 21 points in SBXL, from one extremely weak spot in the Seahawk armor.

Just because the refs sucked, let's not dismiss the self-inflicted wounds in that game. Mostly, let's appreciate Carroll and Schneider, for showing us how to have a competitive, prepared, ready-to-play roster from the first man to the last man.

In the NFCCG vs the Packers....

* Garry Gilliam was ready when his number was called. He knew what to do. Seahawks coaches noticed a GB weakness on FG team, and went after it with a trick play, and won.
* Chris Matthews was more than ready when his opportunity came up, and snagged the loose ball that sent Seattle to the Super Bowl.
* UDFA MLB Brock Coyle was ready when he went in on goal line defense and helped make a huge stop that was one of the differences in the game.
* Alvin Bailey has been ready and done his thing early and often all year, and filled in well for Britt at RT. IIRC, Bailey was inactive for the Super Bowl last year.

The point being that all those players are guys that Carroll and Schneider brought in as late-round picks or UDFAs, who made key plays in the NFCCG. Then credit the special teams coaching for getting Jon Ryan coached up. Ryan was ready and calmly made the pivot, made the run/pass read and then made a good throw, all with perfect timing, when his chance came. Great Coach + Great GM = Superb Owl, baby.

Up and down the roster, John and his team have brought players who fit Pete's scheme and compete, and then Pete and his staff got them coached up and ready to go and play at an NFL level, from the first man to the very last man. Let's appreciate a Coaching/GM-FO team that shows us how it's supposed to be done. Yeah, it would suck to lose key guys in the SB game, like Marquand Manuel in SBXL. But no matter who we lose, Pete can put in a guy who is a credible NFL player and who knows his position in the Seahawks scheme.

It's ironic that the reason we didn't play the Pats last year in SB48 is that New England had a slew of DB injuries, and then I think Aquib Talib got even more injured in the AFCCG, and NE just had no DBs that could match up to Demaryus Thomas, not to mention being unable to stop Wes Welker and the other Bronco receivers. Denver just exploited that Achilles heel over and over. So Belichick made that a huge offseason priority, including paying Revis and Brandon Browner.

I'll take Jeremy Lane or Deshawn Shead over Etric Pruitt, all day, every day and twice on Sundays. (I have no answer to why Big-Play Babs wouldn't be in there over Pruitt, if available.)
And I'll take the Carroll/Schneider FO teamwork over the Holmgren/Ruskell FO mess that led to 4-12 seasons a few years later.

 

[ivotuk]

That TD was on the coaching staff. Cowher had a tendency for trick plays, and Antwan Randle-El was famous for throwing passes. Especially when a backup player comes on the field.

Almost ALL teams attack the backup when he comes in. Especially one as inexperienced as Etric Pruitt. it was up to the coaches to warn Etric not to fall for the double pass. But Holmgren, as much as I love him, didn't place enough importance on the D.C. That was obvious when he promoted the linebackers coach to DC. John what's his name sucked, and that's why we lost that game.

Pete Carroll places importance on every player, getting them reps throughout the year, so if they do come in to the game, they're not overwhelmed.

Our backup DBs have a habit of playing like All Pros. Credit Pete, his assistants and John for that.

 

[stang233]

I think the op single handley cursed us. Dang you. Friday's Pro Football Writers of America pool report from Peter King contained an description of Chancellor's injury, which happened on the second-to-last play of practice: "Strong safety Kam Chancellor fell near the goal line, was helped up, then missed the final play of practice. He left the field after practice without a limp but with his left knee wrapped."]

 

[olyfan63]

That TD was on the coaching staff. Cowher had a tendency for trick plays, and Antwan Randle-El was famous for throwing passes. Especially when a backup player comes on the field.

Almost ALL teams attack the backup when he comes in. Especially one as inexperienced as Etric Pruitt. it was up to the coaches to warn Etric not to fall for the double pass. But Holmgren, as much as I love him, didn't place enough importance on the D.C. That was obvious when he promoted the linebackers coach to DC. John what's his name sucked, and that's why we lost that game.

Pete Carroll places importance on every player, getting them reps throughout the year, so if they do come in to the game, they're not overwhelmed.

Our backup DBs have a habit of playing like All Pros. Credit Pete, his assistants and John for that.

Basically I'm agreeing with you, just took longer to say it. It's really hard to fault Pruitt; he wasn't coached and prepared to compete at an NFL level as a safety in the Seahawks defensive scheme. It's just that I also lay some of the blame on the doorstep of the FO for not shoring up that weak spot. Carroll & Schneider provide such a clear contrast in that department.

And as you point out, it's so true the backups do come in and play like All-Pros. Richard Sherman and Byron Maxwell, anyone?

 

[svenge]

* Alvin Bailey has been ready and done his thing early and often all year, and filled in well for Britt at RT. IIRC, Bailey was inactive for the Super Bowl last year.

Bailey technically was a starter for SB48, as he was a 6th OL on the first play.

 

[olyfan63]

* Alvin Bailey has been ready and done his thing early and often all year, and filled in well for Britt at RT. IIRC, Bailey was inactive for the Super Bowl last year.

Bailey technically was a starter for SB48, as he was a 6th OL on the first play.

You be right... I have my Bowie and Bailey mixed up on that one. Bowie was the one who was inactive for Super Bowl 48.
I'd been wondering for a year why it was Bailey inactive instead of Bowie, when Bailey was the better player. Thanks for the correction.

Also, Jordan Hill and Bryan Walters were inactives last year. Sucks about Hill not getting his first SB real game action. Looks like Walters has a legit shot to be active and catching punts, barring surprises.

 

[ivotuk]

That TD was on the coaching staff. Cowher had a tendency for trick plays, and Antwan Randle-El was famous for throwing passes. Especially when a backup player comes on the field.

Almost ALL teams attack the backup when he comes in. Especially one as inexperienced as Etric Pruitt. it was up to the coaches to warn Etric not to fall for the double pass. But Holmgren, as much as I love him, didn't place enough importance on the D.C. That was obvious when he promoted the linebackers coach to DC. John what's his name sucked, and that's why we lost that game.

Pete Carroll places importance on every player, getting them reps throughout the year, so if they do come in to the game, they're not overwhelmed.

Our backup DBs have a habit of playing like All Pros. Credit Pete, his assistants and John for that.

Basically I'm agreeing with you, just took longer to say it. It's really hard to fault Pruitt; he wasn't coached and prepared to compete at an NFL level as a safety in the Seahawks defensive scheme. It's just that I also lay some of the blame on the doorstep of the FO for not shoring up that weak spot. Carroll & Schneider provide such a clear contrast in that department.

And as you point out, it's so true the backups do come in and play like All-Pros. Richard Sherman and Byron Maxwell, anyone?

Agree wholeheartedly. I did that one on my phone and for some reason never saw your post.