We got off the field on 3rd down several more times than previous games. Jones had to be a factor in that. Has anyone done an analysis of how many times teams targeted Flowers on 3rd down, and got a 1st down reception? I know the nuances of zone/man coverage are a factor, but
teams with smart coaching staff would come in with an offensive game plan to exploit Flowers, and create a situation, on key plays, where Flowers has the cover, and then target the receiver he is "covering". You know, the stuff we wish PC would do, find an opponent weakness and exploit it, Belichick-like, rather than the old "impose our will" crap that hasn't worked since prime Marshawn and LOB. You know,
like how Brady and the Patriots repeatedly, repeatedly exploited Tharald Simon in SB49.
So if Sidney* Jones changes it from a 90% completion rate (Flowers) to a 50% complete rate targeting his guy, that changes the entire dynamic of the opponent's offense. With the result of getting off the field on 3rd down a lot more.
Jake Heaps' analysis basically describes this scenario in this article:
https://sports.mynorthwest.com/1517066/ ... secondary/
"“But you could just tell there was a lot more confidence in the safeties to be more aggressive over the middle of the field because they didn’t necessarily have to worry about the outside with D.J. Reed and Sidney Jones out there. That was exciting to see.”
Key stat: Pass breakups.
"The Seahawks had four pass defenses in the first half and
nine (pass break-ups) for the game after having just five in the first three games, and they recorded their first interception of the season"
Source:
https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/sea ... in-week-4/
The eye test says that the Hawks secondary was playing tighter overall, with an unprecedented number (for them) of pass break-ups in a single game. The D got off the field on 3rd down far more. Even the busted coverage TD to Deebo could be looked at as a positive thing, from the standpoint of not being a 9-minute, 15-play drive, the kind that wears our D down and keeps our O off the field.