Edge wouldn't be top on my list for areas of worry. There are 4 good players there. 'Health' can cause problems anywhere if we get a rash of injuries at any position. iLB would only require one injury for us to be in serious trouble, so that's top of my list. WR would probably be next. I've read concern about CB depth, but that's also not on my list either. We have two potentially elite guys there now, Jobe is solid, and hopefully some additional young depth emerges. They appear to be starting Emmanwori at nickel, so that also helps. MacDonald did fine with largely mid CB's in Baltimore anyway.
I rise in defense is Sam Darnold's last two games with an entirely unsupported theory because I've neither coached nor played tackle football. (It was explained to me, by my mother, that there was no future in such a sport for an eager young fellow who topped out at 125 pounds -- then -- and wore glasses to go with his braces. No matter how much I wanted to play middle linebacker.)
If I remember right, Detroit's defense had been decimated by injuries by the Vikings game. They had no choice but to blitz like fiends because those were the players left standing. The Vikings had no film of them doing that, and so hadn't quite prepared and didn't properly adjust. And, I gather, Mr. Darnold is pressure-averse to begin with.
Having learned the success of that strategy the Rams swiped the strategy, which meant (if I'm right, and I'm often wrong) that they did things in that game which also weren't on THEIR film.
Now. Darnold should have adapted, should have been adaptable. But my thesis here is that he was let down by his coaching staff. And his offensive line. But mostly his OC.
I could be wrong. But I'm bloody well certain that we learned nothing from the first OTAs viewed by the media except that our defense is good and Darnold has happy feet when he's uncertain. Be interesting to see what reports are from today's OTAs, and whether his feet have settled. I'm confident he's been alerted to the problem...by somebody.
The pressure rates in both games were ridiculous. As you point out, the Lions did it with blitz packages, but the Rams d-line just manhandled the Vikings o-line, without even needing to bring more than 5, and usually just 4. That affects any QB. In an ideal world, the OC has given answers to this for the QB. Checkdowns, quick routes, screens, hot reads.....whatever. Some way of keeping the defense honest so they can't just pin their ears back. Staying on schedule, and staying out of 3 and longs helps too.
Over the 2024 season as a whole, when under pressure he had a passer rating of 93.1 and threw for 1157 yards, 13 TD's and 5 picks. That's 2nd only to Joe Burrow (104.5). So the narrative that he's twitchy under pressure is a bit off IMHO.
We'll probably never know why the Vikings couldn't handle the pressure in those two games, but I expect your right, it was more than one thing, and certainly more than Sam not adjusting.
Ouzts looks like a gamer. I'm pretty sure I've watched every Alabama offensive play this year after we drafted Milroe and I just loved the guy. Oh man, he just throws his weight around and then runs faster than you'd think possible. I love the pickup.
As I stated in my "Floor is Open" question, I'm certain he's making the 53. But it seems we have SO many guys on offense now after drafting 9 and picking up another 6 UFDAs. Cut down time is going to be brutal. Bobo should normally be a casualty but he led all Seahawks player on special teams at 313. Young was close too with 230 and in my (admittedly needing reading glasses) eyes, he was good to great in his 230 ST snaps as well. Figuring out who will be a Seahawk in 2025 on this side of the ball is crazy complex.
I'm trying to understand Klint Kubiak's scheme to figure it all out, but opinions vary between 49er, Vikings, and Denver fans even at what his base beliefs are. So many writeups are based on what his dad's philosophies were. I just realized he spells "Clint" with a K maybe a week ago.
My number one wish for next offseason is both Cross (takes the next step) AND Lucas (healthy for 17 games and plays to rookie potential) are extended for 3 to 5 years. As hard as it is to find IOL, it’s 3 times as hard to find OTs, and they almost never seems to reach free agency if they are really good, and if they do the cost is through the roof.
There’s also so many better ways to frame questions that you know are sensitive. I think I heard someone ask MM about the players that are restricted due to injuries and how they are progressing, - will they be ready by training camp? Instead of asking point blank will they all be ready for training camp, which you know is something the coach does not want to necessarily reveal publicly, you could just ask ‘what can you tell us about the players still rehabbing from injuries?’ This way you get what info the coach is willing to reveal and he doesn’t have to refuse to answer you. If the hawks are looking to pick up an edge rusher, revealing neither Nwosu or Lawrence will be ready to start the season would probably mean the team trading the edge rusher could get more for him.
Nothing I’ve seen or heard so far has changed my mind that the Hawks are going 12-5 this year.
First finally loving getting a FB. So disliked PC and his almost hatred of a C and FB. (Side note Brady Russell needs to stop wearing Mack Strongs number!). But my main is the “Edge” comment. Yes DLaw is “old” but to me he’s here for his skills, like JReed, to help stop the run. We all remember the atrocious play of Taylor. I think Coach Mac and JS working the best player for situational rotations. Instead of individual players treat them more as combined. You combine JLaw run stop and holding the Edge with Mafe speed on padding downs etc, are you happier? You combine Ucheena smarts and semi LB skills (none of these guys are OLB and don’t like we run a 5-2. Want a KJ OLB again!) but combine Uncheena with Halls power moves, are you happy? Merging these guys, then I think the answer is yes. Are they Bosa or Hendrickson? No. But rotational moves backed up when speed of Spoon and Nick, then net positive.
I really like how agile his movements appear. That fluidity will really help him blocking in space. His size is also almost as if you’re playing with an extra lineman.
It's the glee he blocks with that makes me laugh. Coaches and players always talk about blocking like anyone can be a good blocker.....it's about 'want to'. Well, Ouzts doesn't just want to, it's his happy place. That's all he wants to do.
I'm hoping the NFC West linebackers get sick of him very early in games. It'll make 4th quarter drives that much easier.
A popular successful Football Coach can just about do anything they damn-well please. MM wants Darnold to know he WON"T be sitting him any time soon. No question Sam must live daily with nagging/pesky doubts sneaking in, as happens with all of us after a rough ride. It's the cost of being Human. "Was it my fault?" "Could I have tried harder?" Darnold did what most can't: last year he proved himself exceptional. He worked through it all. Thankfully, the last two games set his road to Seattle. Sometimes, you just have to say: STFU. So his Coach said it for him.
Home run headline, Kenny. I laughed (and groaned) out loud! You're going to make a great Dad if you ever decide to. Anyway, I'll read the article now and get back to here.
As an older fella with an 86 (?) year old Dad with health complications; I know the time is going to come sooner than I want it to. But the "Dad joke" thing is not a recent phenomenon, for all you young guys. I have so, so many from my own old man that range from outright lies that only entertained him to bites of wisdom that he told me and my sister when we were little. For example, I once asked the difference between a vase and a "vaze" while watching Price is Right. He informed me with a straight face that a vase costs under a hundred dollars, and any water bearing item called a "vaze" cost more that that and I just accepted it as fact at maybe 7-8 years old. He no longer remembers saying that but chuckles when I remind him. He drove a convertible T bird, sported a mustache and let life come to him. I think Robbie is going to be okay.
Looked—no one seems to know for sure. Some say it’s the size others say it’s simply a different pronunciation for the same thing. I have been wrong all these years 🤣🤣
Chuck, me thinks that you are a bit too young to call yourself "an old fella".
In a tad over a month this young guy will be 76. If'n you want, when you top 80, you can call yourself "an old fella" but maybe just an elderly one, with wisdom.
Seems we got away from old folks graduating to Wise Elders. Time we change that, one by one by one Family at a time. Our kids need to see they hold Place among us, not destined to be put away and forgotten. Taking ownership of the Home you grew up in is re-establishing itself. Make friendships for life. It's called Community.
Edge wouldn't be top on my list for areas of worry. There are 4 good players there. 'Health' can cause problems anywhere if we get a rash of injuries at any position. iLB would only require one injury for us to be in serious trouble, so that's top of my list. WR would probably be next. I've read concern about CB depth, but that's also not on my list either. We have two potentially elite guys there now, Jobe is solid, and hopefully some additional young depth emerges. They appear to be starting Emmanwori at nickel, so that also helps. MacDonald did fine with largely mid CB's in Baltimore anyway.
I also want to send you kudos for yesterdays article lambasting Brock and Salk.
I, too, am tired of the garbage press put out by lazy folks who want to get paid without thinking.
But my complaints go unheard.
It's about time someone with subscribers put it in print.
I've always thought that those guys were dunderheads and stopped listening to them years ago.
Best headline in a loooooooooooooong time.
On offense, wide receiver is the position with the greatest risk of a negative impact. On defense, ILB because of the lack of depth.
I rise in defense is Sam Darnold's last two games with an entirely unsupported theory because I've neither coached nor played tackle football. (It was explained to me, by my mother, that there was no future in such a sport for an eager young fellow who topped out at 125 pounds -- then -- and wore glasses to go with his braces. No matter how much I wanted to play middle linebacker.)
If I remember right, Detroit's defense had been decimated by injuries by the Vikings game. They had no choice but to blitz like fiends because those were the players left standing. The Vikings had no film of them doing that, and so hadn't quite prepared and didn't properly adjust. And, I gather, Mr. Darnold is pressure-averse to begin with.
Having learned the success of that strategy the Rams swiped the strategy, which meant (if I'm right, and I'm often wrong) that they did things in that game which also weren't on THEIR film.
Now. Darnold should have adapted, should have been adaptable. But my thesis here is that he was let down by his coaching staff. And his offensive line. But mostly his OC.
I could be wrong. But I'm bloody well certain that we learned nothing from the first OTAs viewed by the media except that our defense is good and Darnold has happy feet when he's uncertain. Be interesting to see what reports are from today's OTAs, and whether his feet have settled. I'm confident he's been alerted to the problem...by somebody.
The pressure rates in both games were ridiculous. As you point out, the Lions did it with blitz packages, but the Rams d-line just manhandled the Vikings o-line, without even needing to bring more than 5, and usually just 4. That affects any QB. In an ideal world, the OC has given answers to this for the QB. Checkdowns, quick routes, screens, hot reads.....whatever. Some way of keeping the defense honest so they can't just pin their ears back. Staying on schedule, and staying out of 3 and longs helps too.
Over the 2024 season as a whole, when under pressure he had a passer rating of 93.1 and threw for 1157 yards, 13 TD's and 5 picks. That's 2nd only to Joe Burrow (104.5). So the narrative that he's twitchy under pressure is a bit off IMHO.
We'll probably never know why the Vikings couldn't handle the pressure in those two games, but I expect your right, it was more than one thing, and certainly more than Sam not adjusting.
Ooots. ArrowYo. I feel my inner spell-check challenged this year.
Ouzts looks like a gamer. I'm pretty sure I've watched every Alabama offensive play this year after we drafted Milroe and I just loved the guy. Oh man, he just throws his weight around and then runs faster than you'd think possible. I love the pickup.
As I stated in my "Floor is Open" question, I'm certain he's making the 53. But it seems we have SO many guys on offense now after drafting 9 and picking up another 6 UFDAs. Cut down time is going to be brutal. Bobo should normally be a casualty but he led all Seahawks player on special teams at 313. Young was close too with 230 and in my (admittedly needing reading glasses) eyes, he was good to great in his 230 ST snaps as well. Figuring out who will be a Seahawk in 2025 on this side of the ball is crazy complex.
I'm trying to understand Klint Kubiak's scheme to figure it all out, but opinions vary between 49er, Vikings, and Denver fans even at what his base beliefs are. So many writeups are based on what his dad's philosophies were. I just realized he spells "Clint" with a K maybe a week ago.
Ouzts first comment I recall went something like this: "I love Blocking. I just want to block guys".
Also, when asked if he preferred scoring a touchdown to a great block, he said he'd take the block. Nice!
My number one wish for next offseason is both Cross (takes the next step) AND Lucas (healthy for 17 games and plays to rookie potential) are extended for 3 to 5 years. As hard as it is to find IOL, it’s 3 times as hard to find OTs, and they almost never seems to reach free agency if they are really good, and if they do the cost is through the roof.
There’s also so many better ways to frame questions that you know are sensitive. I think I heard someone ask MM about the players that are restricted due to injuries and how they are progressing, - will they be ready by training camp? Instead of asking point blank will they all be ready for training camp, which you know is something the coach does not want to necessarily reveal publicly, you could just ask ‘what can you tell us about the players still rehabbing from injuries?’ This way you get what info the coach is willing to reveal and he doesn’t have to refuse to answer you. If the hawks are looking to pick up an edge rusher, revealing neither Nwosu or Lawrence will be ready to start the season would probably mean the team trading the edge rusher could get more for him.
Nothing I’ve seen or heard so far has changed my mind that the Hawks are going 12-5 this year.
First finally loving getting a FB. So disliked PC and his almost hatred of a C and FB. (Side note Brady Russell needs to stop wearing Mack Strongs number!). But my main is the “Edge” comment. Yes DLaw is “old” but to me he’s here for his skills, like JReed, to help stop the run. We all remember the atrocious play of Taylor. I think Coach Mac and JS working the best player for situational rotations. Instead of individual players treat them more as combined. You combine JLaw run stop and holding the Edge with Mafe speed on padding downs etc, are you happier? You combine Ucheena smarts and semi LB skills (none of these guys are OLB and don’t like we run a 5-2. Want a KJ OLB again!) but combine Uncheena with Halls power moves, are you happy? Merging these guys, then I think the answer is yes. Are they Bosa or Hendrickson? No. But rotational moves backed up when speed of Spoon and Nick, then net positive.
Any player that needed special enlarged quadriceps pants to wear in college is gonna get bonus points
I really like how agile his movements appear. That fluidity will really help him blocking in space. His size is also almost as if you’re playing with an extra lineman.
It's the glee he blocks with that makes me laugh. Coaches and players always talk about blocking like anyone can be a good blocker.....it's about 'want to'. Well, Ouzts doesn't just want to, it's his happy place. That's all he wants to do.
I'm hoping the NFC West linebackers get sick of him very early in games. It'll make 4th quarter drives that much easier.
I want to see him pancake a 49er week one!
4 Y'all Younger Seaside Joe'ers ~ song by Nancy Sinatra
"These Boots Are Made For Walkin',
And That's Just What They'll Do,
One of These Days These Boots Are Gonna Walk All Over You!"
Sorry, I can’t resist. https://youtu.be/dbyH7DsQ4pM?si=a6Iuekjyqj6TxCQz
Personally I prefer the Megadeth cover version.
Are you ready to block Ouzts?
"Are you ready Ouzts?"
Start walkin, boots!
A popular successful Football Coach can just about do anything they damn-well please. MM wants Darnold to know he WON"T be sitting him any time soon. No question Sam must live daily with nagging/pesky doubts sneaking in, as happens with all of us after a rough ride. It's the cost of being Human. "Was it my fault?" "Could I have tried harder?" Darnold did what most can't: last year he proved himself exceptional. He worked through it all. Thankfully, the last two games set his road to Seattle. Sometimes, you just have to say: STFU. So his Coach said it for him.
Home run headline, Kenny. I laughed (and groaned) out loud! You're going to make a great Dad if you ever decide to. Anyway, I'll read the article now and get back to here.
As an older fella with an 86 (?) year old Dad with health complications; I know the time is going to come sooner than I want it to. But the "Dad joke" thing is not a recent phenomenon, for all you young guys. I have so, so many from my own old man that range from outright lies that only entertained him to bites of wisdom that he told me and my sister when we were little. For example, I once asked the difference between a vase and a "vaze" while watching Price is Right. He informed me with a straight face that a vase costs under a hundred dollars, and any water bearing item called a "vaze" cost more that that and I just accepted it as fact at maybe 7-8 years old. He no longer remembers saying that but chuckles when I remind him. He drove a convertible T bird, sported a mustache and let life come to him. I think Robbie is going to be okay.
That’s actually the difference between vase and vaze we all understood. Now I have to research it 🤣
Looked—no one seems to know for sure. Some say it’s the size others say it’s simply a different pronunciation for the same thing. I have been wrong all these years 🤣🤣
Chuck, me thinks that you are a bit too young to call yourself "an old fella".
In a tad over a month this young guy will be 76. If'n you want, when you top 80, you can call yourself "an old fella" but maybe just an elderly one, with wisdom.
I'm 86 and I don't consider myself to be old so maybe I'm an elderly gentleman with some wisdom. BTW, I'll be 87 when the new season starts.
Seems we got away from old folks graduating to Wise Elders. Time we change that, one by one by one Family at a time. Our kids need to see they hold Place among us, not destined to be put away and forgotten. Taking ownership of the Home you grew up in is re-establishing itself. Make friendships for life. It's called Community.
Keep on keepin' on, Charlie !
Clark would agree with that. He gives Kenny a 30 out of 10.