I think I might be tougher than some when grading our o-line. We look pretty bad a lot of the time. Rarely do I get the feeling we are imposing our will on the other team. We barely block long enough to get half a play off and/or they are in our backfield so often...aaaaaghh. We need at least three if not four new linemen. Not sure how well Abe is doing. He looks like he needs to keep knocking off the rust but even then I would be assessing him with the others. Cross might be the only keeper to me, and I am not sold he's the answer either. I think it starts with scouting, but coaching is the other side of the same coin. If Laumea was the best, why were we not self scouting to see this? Need to find linemen that can process quicker, are more physically dominant, and can neutralize a moving target. It needs to be our number one priority this off-season, absolutely stack the o-line! We should have some freed up money and I'd like to see us acquire more day two picks by draft day somehow - and use them on big bodies to help hold down the line.
Been posting about Laken since nearly the beginning of the season for those reasons mentioned. Too many times seeing him miss blocks and “watch” defenders. Got one response about back up OLine contradicts your opening comments. It’s exactly that reason that I disagree with you on some of the “needs”. Yes absolutely need LG. Been saying that for the whole season. But you also need consistency and we’ve not seen it. And comments about rookie OC or rookie OG. Guess what it happens even to some of the best. Saw it with KC a few weeks back. Humphrey just got trucked and “watched” the defender. It happens to nearly them all. I want to see what happens when we have a full OLine working as one. I think either Haynes spends offseason growing or we get ourselves a mauler LG then let them work together. And seriously just stop on Lockett. Clearly he is retiring. We all knew it when he adjusted his contract. You’re beating a dead horse with these comments.
I rewatched the Packer game last night and have few thoughts: The O-line is a mess, but surely better scouting can help that along. How many guys on practice squads could be better starters than Laken? I'd wager a few. I will be the first to admit that with the exception of otherworldly talents and pure bums, I can't tell a good guard or center prospect from a bad one, but I've watched videos of guys who played the position who seemingly can. Hire whoever it takes to scout that talent.
We not only need to replace Tyler Lockett and get a good pass-catching TE, but Decoy Metcalf isn't going to be worth an extension under Grubb. One of the two cannot be retained. In my view, the Grubb experiment needs to end and soon. When FANS can recognize that every run under center is to the strong side, and every fake under center is to the weak side; you had better believe that DC's see this kind of thing. He has neither the O line nor the forgiving hash-marks he had in college, and 14 games in I think it's fair to say that he has failed to adapt.
As for DK's request for for people not to sell their tickets; the teams are now ENCOURAGING season ticket holders to sell their tickets in the app and showing how easy it is, because the teams themselves now get a cut. And season ticket holders can sell tickets to one prime time game and basically pay for their whole season. That's just greed on the team's parts, and I feel like there's an easy solution. There are waiting lists of people *wanting* season tickets, and perhaps these people could get first dibs so that "Go Pack, GO!" isn't audible during the first quarter of a Seahawks game. Mrs. Turtleman and I were hoping to travel to Seattle next year to see a home game for her first time, but if we're going to be in a stadium with a fan ratio like an average Panthers game, I see no reason to spend the money.
We not only need to start looking at the heir-apparent to Geno, but a more capable backup. I'm ready to say that Sam Howell stinks. I don't know if Jacksonville is ready to give up on Lawrence, but if so, I'd love for someone with upside like him to sit on the bench behind Geno for a season. At the moment, I'd much rather have Drew Lock as our backup.
I expect a loss on Sunday. I don't have a lot of hope left. Maybe we can be a trap game since they have Green Bay and the Lions coming up after us, but that's a weak hope to hang your hat on. I feel like we have nothing more than a puncher's chance. But the season isn't over if we beat the Bears and Rams. And the Rams still have to play football, and maybe they drop a couple. They're playing well, but are far from a powerhouse. But even if we make the playoffs, there aren't a lot of teams I would like our chances against. Especially if Geno is immobile after the knee injury last week or takes hits that impact it at all on Sunday. Which feels inevitable.
I'm hopeful for the future under Mike MacDonald and a good OC, but year one isn't looking like the year to take off and look like a contender.
Correction, no can’t sell ticket for prime time game and make up for the cost of the season. My flexed GB game cost was $450 for one seat. I couldn’t get thousands on after market had I tried. Yes sucks but why aren’t Seahawk fans buying up tickets before opponent fans? Sorry no way we’re paying Lawerence $200 mil but I get your comment. Side note. UO Gabriel another mid round RW draft pick (5’ 11” who can make throws and run??). We have a pass catching TE but he’s not great at blocking. But high percentage of reception (hands). I really don’t know the obsession with Tyler talk. This is his last season. We all knew it. There is no one on roster capable of replacing him but JSN but JSN is slot receiver.
I get it. He’s small. :)…. But seems like he’s not viewed well overall. But that’s the pundits. But if it means “cheap” in the draft, seems like he’s worth a flier.
Listened to yet another mock draft podcast last night in which the experts (in this case a former NFL GM) picked an IOL player for the Seahawks.
As if they don't pay any attention to JS's tendencies.
Three thoughts:
(1) GM's lie for a living, so maybe?
(2) Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is either (a) the secret to a happy marriage or (b) the definition of insanity.
(3) The world changes and successful people adapt. (The rest of us retire. I'm not retired. Yet.)
And a fourth: Do we have a problem evaluating talent? If Green Bay can make this philosophy work, what are we missing?
I don't know if colleges no longer prepare IOL to NFL specs, or if it's a consequence of simplified college offenses, or a generational thing. Given what we pay the guy standing behind the OL it would seem a reasonable priority to protect them, but I never played the game.
If JS doesn't change his habits this off-season we need, probably, to acknowledge the problem. But, again, I know nothing.
No I don’t think we’re poor at evaluating talent. I read this a lot. Carp, Sweezy, Okung etc etc all had long NFL careers as starting OLine. I have done that analysis and had long list of “successful” players. That says talent is found. Shoot Lewis made millions this year. It’s not missing on talent it’s about paying money to them. Seattle rarely does. You can’t pay every position group in a salary cap. Now I do not see why they don’t get that first rounder considering fifth year option, but they did with Cross.
I'll trust your analysis. I would just note that surfing the market to exact maximum value (Lewis, say) is not quite the same as being good. It might be, might not, which is the luck of free agency, right? Totally agree with you about the salary cap.
Longevity in the NFL means “good”. Didn’t say Pro Bowl or HOF but if you can continue to have a long career in the NFL considering number of players coming out each year, that’s “drafting success”. My issue is so many expect Walter Jones types at all 5 positions. In salary cap it’s not possible. Ray Robert’s one of our pre and post game commentators 9 nfl seasons with 116 out of 127 starts between Seattle and Detroit. As for Lewis, he’s not getting that level of money if he’s not seen as good. PFF as a top 20 guard. Definitely better than Laken but $12 mil more? But yes we definitely need better. I really wish we had more maulers. I do find it interesting all the “love” Laumea got after Cards game then he’s “bad”. Or is he a rookie that was getting schooled by 5 & 8 year highly ranked DTs for the Pack? I’ll take the rookie getting more practice and seasoning, especially over guys like Laken.
The one other OLine aspect we sort of gloss over this season, but ties into the theme of the week - Grubbs scheme.
I have no stats, only the eye test. But pretty sure we're amongst the lowest in the league for pre-snap motions, below average in play action, and overall trickery/subversion/surprise.
I've called it out before, but watch us Vs the Vikings and call pre-snap if you think it's a run or a pass. I imagine most SSJ readers would be above 50%, if not closer to 66%. Then imagine how a professional player and/or DC would do at that.
You could have the best OLine in all of NFL history, but if the Defence knows your play call, it won't matter, you're going to get mullered.
We need to change Laken yes, we need 2025 Grubb to actually do something as OC. Get creative, get tricky, open up the offence, and take some pressure off your young and developing OLine. (Unless he's taking the pressure off an old and fading QB instead... Idk, just a thought... ;))
With largely the same team last year and O-line issues, Pete and Waldron made this team a top 2 team over the final 5 weeks in offensive efficiency and Top 10 over the course of the season.
There are two main issues with the Hawks, IMO
1) the O-line which every corner of the Seahawks world agrees
and
2) The OCs inability to handle the number 1 problem
People seem to forget so soon, but with Stone Forsythe and Jake Curhan at tackles the Seahawks walked into Detroit and put up 37 in a win.
I feel for Lockett. He’s been so good for us for so long. I’m not sure that his stats this season are his fault. I just don’t think they’re using him as much, deliberately. Can’t say why that would be though.
Totally agree. On other hand until JSN was “found” by Smith, nearly all FD receptions were to Tyler. Just they finally found his replacement. Focus has shifted away to JSN and Fant.
The OLine is a unit quite unlike any other piece on an NFL team. One bad piece can totally derail the entire 5-man setup.
Laken can't do sh*t, means Cross has to step a little tighter leaving a outside rush more open, it means the centre needs to half step/turn to the left which in turns opens up more rushing space. One bad player can lead to an extra half gap off the tackle, the centre and the right tackle/guard combo. Where there should be zero-to-one gaps, you have two and a half-to-three and a half!
There is more than enough potential in Olu, Laumea, Haynes, Bradford, Jerrell, Cross and Lucas to make a good line. It's really visible every game. Lock down that LG with some investment in a known good player and watch as the other four pieces suddenly click to a higher level - with depth! It won't be perfect, at first, but like with every outstanding OLine unit in the league it takes a few years to come together once the right pieces are there.
Any other player grouping does not rely on each other in the way the OLine does. Laken is the obvious major weak link and spot to make a change. Draft or FA I don't mind, in fact I'd rather draft as honestly our OLine drafting since 2022 is actually good. Just replace Laken asap and we will get better and better and better!
I agree with this take 100%. Fingers crossed that Lucas stays healthy and we don’t have to find a RT in the draft… upgrading Tomlinson will make the OL much better. It could be with Haynes, too… his main problem looks like becoming NFL strong which most OL rookies struggle to do. A good off season training program might result in a surprise replacement. Still need to draft and develop depth.
We need at least two league average guards, a pro bowl type Center and a franchise QB before we can honestly evaluate OC Grubb. All the heavy lifting was on the defense.
Just like Pete's early years, it will take time for the new staff to get the personnel they need to fit their system.
Geno was the last staffs QB. and needs to be replaced by the new staffs choice, therefore extending him past next season won't happen.
It they finish 8 and 9 or 9 and 8 that's quite an accomplishment for the this coaching staff.
I’m on the road and out of town this weekend so the Q and A will continue through tomorrow and the post game recap will be short. Thank you for your patience!
Schneider can no longer be “the Laken Tomlinson of GMs”
The only encouraging “tell” we have from management is that they’ve let McD have his defensive picks mid-season, burning small contracts along the way…. Does that mean he also gets to ditch garbage on the team and make upgrades that lead to finally getting past what’s clearly been a team weakness? TBD. It’s also far from clear the new regime knows how to coach the offensive line they have. That may not be a fair assessment; is this talent (or none), or is this coaching or a combination?
I've been wondering what effects our 12s are having on the Guys, as we do better on the road than at home. Now we hear DK speaking up about the noise from GB fans had over our own. I have little doubt a lot of very negative yells come at Geno for some time now. We may simply be seeing us switch from using the 12s as a source of strength to tuning them out. OR! We need our offense on the field from the first kick, using a script of plays to march us down the field and score. Crowds are fickle. Refs can be unfair. People paid a shitload of money for a seat. Bitching about them is fruitless. Suck it up, children. There are no awards for participating. This is not a kid's game. Start biting kneecaps...
At any sporting (or mass crowd event, like a concert) the crowd cues the vibe off the action. Do something big and exciting on the field, the crowd roars. Consistently excite, crowd goes wilder.
Players that can't get themselves fired up, bemoaning needing a crowd to help them, go to the Panthers we don't want you here.
DK, snag that one handed contested catch for a 12yd gain on 3rd down to jumpstart the opening drive. Then you'll hear the crowd!
I'm with you 100% on Trey Smith, have done some looking around on 2025 OL FA's and he would be my #1 choice specifically at LG. But I constrained my search to LG specifically bc Seattle has struggled so much with asking guards to switch to the other side. Do you have any data on that, of accomplished guards who have seamlessly been able to switch to the other side? Or is this a pretty much established thing, LG's need to stay on the left and RG's need to stay on the right?
FWIW, Ray Roberts says that some guys can do this and some can’t. According to Big Ray, switching guard positions is easier than tackle because the IOL establishes the depth of the pocket whereas the tackles set the width. For a tackle to switch, he has to learn everything backwards (to him), whereas guards don’t because they work north-south either way. That being said, some players are more comfortable on one side and aren’t good candidates to switch.
So I've never been an OLine player. But from my rugby background, I guess it's like the difference between tight head and loose head props. Look similar on the outside (just scrum and out muscle your opponent) but the technical differences are huge at a high level making straight swaps near impossible.
Mirroring your hands for example. Between the two guard positions, because you step/twist the other way, your hands are switched. If you've learned onel motion for a decade, it will be hard to do the mirror with any conviction and skill.
It's not impossible, and for some players that grew up learning multiple roles (always look for this when scouting linemen, did they cover multiple roles at colles or hs, even better if they did one position in hs then changed at college) or are just more technically smart than physically strong.
Anyway, OLine fascinates me as a super technical role played by absolute powerhouse men!
We have an offensive line coach who's only job is to know his 10 guys. We have an Old Pro hired to bring wisdom specifically to our OLine and communicate his observations to that Coach. We are not talking about 150 production workers spread over 3 shifts. How does one of ten get "buried"? My bet is it is a waiting game, if only to be sure your young investment doesn't come back out injured after a set of plays in one of the roughest 60 minute brawls known to man.
I think I might be tougher than some when grading our o-line. We look pretty bad a lot of the time. Rarely do I get the feeling we are imposing our will on the other team. We barely block long enough to get half a play off and/or they are in our backfield so often...aaaaaghh. We need at least three if not four new linemen. Not sure how well Abe is doing. He looks like he needs to keep knocking off the rust but even then I would be assessing him with the others. Cross might be the only keeper to me, and I am not sold he's the answer either. I think it starts with scouting, but coaching is the other side of the same coin. If Laumea was the best, why were we not self scouting to see this? Need to find linemen that can process quicker, are more physically dominant, and can neutralize a moving target. It needs to be our number one priority this off-season, absolutely stack the o-line! We should have some freed up money and I'd like to see us acquire more day two picks by draft day somehow - and use them on big bodies to help hold down the line.
Happy birthday SSJ 🎁🎈🎂
Been posting about Laken since nearly the beginning of the season for those reasons mentioned. Too many times seeing him miss blocks and “watch” defenders. Got one response about back up OLine contradicts your opening comments. It’s exactly that reason that I disagree with you on some of the “needs”. Yes absolutely need LG. Been saying that for the whole season. But you also need consistency and we’ve not seen it. And comments about rookie OC or rookie OG. Guess what it happens even to some of the best. Saw it with KC a few weeks back. Humphrey just got trucked and “watched” the defender. It happens to nearly them all. I want to see what happens when we have a full OLine working as one. I think either Haynes spends offseason growing or we get ourselves a mauler LG then let them work together. And seriously just stop on Lockett. Clearly he is retiring. We all knew it when he adjusted his contract. You’re beating a dead horse with these comments.
I rewatched the Packer game last night and have few thoughts: The O-line is a mess, but surely better scouting can help that along. How many guys on practice squads could be better starters than Laken? I'd wager a few. I will be the first to admit that with the exception of otherworldly talents and pure bums, I can't tell a good guard or center prospect from a bad one, but I've watched videos of guys who played the position who seemingly can. Hire whoever it takes to scout that talent.
We not only need to replace Tyler Lockett and get a good pass-catching TE, but Decoy Metcalf isn't going to be worth an extension under Grubb. One of the two cannot be retained. In my view, the Grubb experiment needs to end and soon. When FANS can recognize that every run under center is to the strong side, and every fake under center is to the weak side; you had better believe that DC's see this kind of thing. He has neither the O line nor the forgiving hash-marks he had in college, and 14 games in I think it's fair to say that he has failed to adapt.
As for DK's request for for people not to sell their tickets; the teams are now ENCOURAGING season ticket holders to sell their tickets in the app and showing how easy it is, because the teams themselves now get a cut. And season ticket holders can sell tickets to one prime time game and basically pay for their whole season. That's just greed on the team's parts, and I feel like there's an easy solution. There are waiting lists of people *wanting* season tickets, and perhaps these people could get first dibs so that "Go Pack, GO!" isn't audible during the first quarter of a Seahawks game. Mrs. Turtleman and I were hoping to travel to Seattle next year to see a home game for her first time, but if we're going to be in a stadium with a fan ratio like an average Panthers game, I see no reason to spend the money.
We not only need to start looking at the heir-apparent to Geno, but a more capable backup. I'm ready to say that Sam Howell stinks. I don't know if Jacksonville is ready to give up on Lawrence, but if so, I'd love for someone with upside like him to sit on the bench behind Geno for a season. At the moment, I'd much rather have Drew Lock as our backup.
I expect a loss on Sunday. I don't have a lot of hope left. Maybe we can be a trap game since they have Green Bay and the Lions coming up after us, but that's a weak hope to hang your hat on. I feel like we have nothing more than a puncher's chance. But the season isn't over if we beat the Bears and Rams. And the Rams still have to play football, and maybe they drop a couple. They're playing well, but are far from a powerhouse. But even if we make the playoffs, there aren't a lot of teams I would like our chances against. Especially if Geno is immobile after the knee injury last week or takes hits that impact it at all on Sunday. Which feels inevitable.
I'm hopeful for the future under Mike MacDonald and a good OC, but year one isn't looking like the year to take off and look like a contender.
Whatever Jacksonville’s view of Lawrence, he has a 2025 dead cap hit of $133M (not a typo) and 88.5M in 2026. He’s not going anywhere.
Isn't he a bit injury prone? (Question, not a statement)
Presumably they'd eat a lot of cap, but yeah that's a lot of Ms to ever try to move.
Correction, no can’t sell ticket for prime time game and make up for the cost of the season. My flexed GB game cost was $450 for one seat. I couldn’t get thousands on after market had I tried. Yes sucks but why aren’t Seahawk fans buying up tickets before opponent fans? Sorry no way we’re paying Lawerence $200 mil but I get your comment. Side note. UO Gabriel another mid round RW draft pick (5’ 11” who can make throws and run??). We have a pass catching TE but he’s not great at blocking. But high percentage of reception (hands). I really don’t know the obsession with Tyler talk. This is his last season. We all knew it. There is no one on roster capable of replacing him but JSN but JSN is slot receiver.
I'm surprised D Gabriel isn't getting more hype...he checks a lot of boxes for me.
I get it. He’s small. :)…. But seems like he’s not viewed well overall. But that’s the pundits. But if it means “cheap” in the draft, seems like he’s worth a flier.
Strong comment.
When I rewatched the game I couldn't get over how easy the QB position looked for $55M/year man Jordan Love.
I think there is a non-zero chance Lock could be back in Seattle next year.
Listened to yet another mock draft podcast last night in which the experts (in this case a former NFL GM) picked an IOL player for the Seahawks.
As if they don't pay any attention to JS's tendencies.
Three thoughts:
(1) GM's lie for a living, so maybe?
(2) Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is either (a) the secret to a happy marriage or (b) the definition of insanity.
(3) The world changes and successful people adapt. (The rest of us retire. I'm not retired. Yet.)
And a fourth: Do we have a problem evaluating talent? If Green Bay can make this philosophy work, what are we missing?
I don't know if colleges no longer prepare IOL to NFL specs, or if it's a consequence of simplified college offenses, or a generational thing. Given what we pay the guy standing behind the OL it would seem a reasonable priority to protect them, but I never played the game.
If JS doesn't change his habits this off-season we need, probably, to acknowledge the problem. But, again, I know nothing.
No I don’t think we’re poor at evaluating talent. I read this a lot. Carp, Sweezy, Okung etc etc all had long NFL careers as starting OLine. I have done that analysis and had long list of “successful” players. That says talent is found. Shoot Lewis made millions this year. It’s not missing on talent it’s about paying money to them. Seattle rarely does. You can’t pay every position group in a salary cap. Now I do not see why they don’t get that first rounder considering fifth year option, but they did with Cross.
I'll trust your analysis. I would just note that surfing the market to exact maximum value (Lewis, say) is not quite the same as being good. It might be, might not, which is the luck of free agency, right? Totally agree with you about the salary cap.
Longevity in the NFL means “good”. Didn’t say Pro Bowl or HOF but if you can continue to have a long career in the NFL considering number of players coming out each year, that’s “drafting success”. My issue is so many expect Walter Jones types at all 5 positions. In salary cap it’s not possible. Ray Robert’s one of our pre and post game commentators 9 nfl seasons with 116 out of 127 starts between Seattle and Detroit. As for Lewis, he’s not getting that level of money if he’s not seen as good. PFF as a top 20 guard. Definitely better than Laken but $12 mil more? But yes we definitely need better. I really wish we had more maulers. I do find it interesting all the “love” Laumea got after Cards game then he’s “bad”. Or is he a rookie that was getting schooled by 5 & 8 year highly ranked DTs for the Pack? I’ll take the rookie getting more practice and seasoning, especially over guys like Laken.
The one other OLine aspect we sort of gloss over this season, but ties into the theme of the week - Grubbs scheme.
I have no stats, only the eye test. But pretty sure we're amongst the lowest in the league for pre-snap motions, below average in play action, and overall trickery/subversion/surprise.
I've called it out before, but watch us Vs the Vikings and call pre-snap if you think it's a run or a pass. I imagine most SSJ readers would be above 50%, if not closer to 66%. Then imagine how a professional player and/or DC would do at that.
You could have the best OLine in all of NFL history, but if the Defence knows your play call, it won't matter, you're going to get mullered.
We need to change Laken yes, we need 2025 Grubb to actually do something as OC. Get creative, get tricky, open up the offence, and take some pressure off your young and developing OLine. (Unless he's taking the pressure off an old and fading QB instead... Idk, just a thought... ;))
100%
With largely the same team last year and O-line issues, Pete and Waldron made this team a top 2 team over the final 5 weeks in offensive efficiency and Top 10 over the course of the season.
There are two main issues with the Hawks, IMO
1) the O-line which every corner of the Seahawks world agrees
and
2) The OCs inability to handle the number 1 problem
People seem to forget so soon, but with Stone Forsythe and Jake Curhan at tackles the Seahawks walked into Detroit and put up 37 in a win.
To get the crowd, Grubb has to open with a march downfield. By Try#2, the 12s are getting rude. Impatient. Maybe it's just me...
What about a Packers style drive opener?
Pass behind the LOS, run, run, run, run. swing pass, run, run, run, TD
Run the ball, misdirection, establish the dominance up front keep the QB clean and easy.
A.I. is figgering MacD's chess moves?
I feel for Lockett. He’s been so good for us for so long. I’m not sure that his stats this season are his fault. I just don’t think they’re using him as much, deliberately. Can’t say why that would be though.
Totally agree. On other hand until JSN was “found” by Smith, nearly all FD receptions were to Tyler. Just they finally found his replacement. Focus has shifted away to JSN and Fant.
To the final point, it’s possible that Laumea wasn’t a better option at the beginning of the year. Young players use practice to improve.
This is a great point.
The OLine is a unit quite unlike any other piece on an NFL team. One bad piece can totally derail the entire 5-man setup.
Laken can't do sh*t, means Cross has to step a little tighter leaving a outside rush more open, it means the centre needs to half step/turn to the left which in turns opens up more rushing space. One bad player can lead to an extra half gap off the tackle, the centre and the right tackle/guard combo. Where there should be zero-to-one gaps, you have two and a half-to-three and a half!
There is more than enough potential in Olu, Laumea, Haynes, Bradford, Jerrell, Cross and Lucas to make a good line. It's really visible every game. Lock down that LG with some investment in a known good player and watch as the other four pieces suddenly click to a higher level - with depth! It won't be perfect, at first, but like with every outstanding OLine unit in the league it takes a few years to come together once the right pieces are there.
Any other player grouping does not rely on each other in the way the OLine does. Laken is the obvious major weak link and spot to make a change. Draft or FA I don't mind, in fact I'd rather draft as honestly our OLine drafting since 2022 is actually good. Just replace Laken asap and we will get better and better and better!
I agree with this take 100%. Fingers crossed that Lucas stays healthy and we don’t have to find a RT in the draft… upgrading Tomlinson will make the OL much better. It could be with Haynes, too… his main problem looks like becoming NFL strong which most OL rookies struggle to do. A good off season training program might result in a surprise replacement. Still need to draft and develop depth.
Love that insight KH.
We need at least two league average guards, a pro bowl type Center and a franchise QB before we can honestly evaluate OC Grubb. All the heavy lifting was on the defense.
Just like Pete's early years, it will take time for the new staff to get the personnel they need to fit their system.
Geno was the last staffs QB. and needs to be replaced by the new staffs choice, therefore extending him past next season won't happen.
It they finish 8 and 9 or 9 and 8 that's quite an accomplishment for the this coaching staff.
Smart QB:
https://twitter.com/i/status/1869925690742845651
Russ used to do stuff like that, but not cars!
I’m on the road and out of town this weekend so the Q and A will continue through tomorrow and the post game recap will be short. Thank you for your patience!
So Happy Birthday then. Enjoy
THANK YOU!
Happy Birthday....another lap around the sun completed!!
THANKS SCOTT!
Enjoy your road trip and birthday tomorrow, Ken!!
THank you!
Today is the birthday 🎁
Schneider can no longer be “the Laken Tomlinson of GMs”
The only encouraging “tell” we have from management is that they’ve let McD have his defensive picks mid-season, burning small contracts along the way…. Does that mean he also gets to ditch garbage on the team and make upgrades that lead to finally getting past what’s clearly been a team weakness? TBD. It’s also far from clear the new regime knows how to coach the offensive line they have. That may not be a fair assessment; is this talent (or none), or is this coaching or a combination?
I've been wondering what effects our 12s are having on the Guys, as we do better on the road than at home. Now we hear DK speaking up about the noise from GB fans had over our own. I have little doubt a lot of very negative yells come at Geno for some time now. We may simply be seeing us switch from using the 12s as a source of strength to tuning them out. OR! We need our offense on the field from the first kick, using a script of plays to march us down the field and score. Crowds are fickle. Refs can be unfair. People paid a shitload of money for a seat. Bitching about them is fruitless. Suck it up, children. There are no awards for participating. This is not a kid's game. Start biting kneecaps...
At any sporting (or mass crowd event, like a concert) the crowd cues the vibe off the action. Do something big and exciting on the field, the crowd roars. Consistently excite, crowd goes wilder.
Players that can't get themselves fired up, bemoaning needing a crowd to help them, go to the Panthers we don't want you here.
DK, snag that one handed contested catch for a 12yd gain on 3rd down to jumpstart the opening drive. Then you'll hear the crowd!
I'm with you 100% on Trey Smith, have done some looking around on 2025 OL FA's and he would be my #1 choice specifically at LG. But I constrained my search to LG specifically bc Seattle has struggled so much with asking guards to switch to the other side. Do you have any data on that, of accomplished guards who have seamlessly been able to switch to the other side? Or is this a pretty much established thing, LG's need to stay on the left and RG's need to stay on the right?
FWIW, Ray Roberts says that some guys can do this and some can’t. According to Big Ray, switching guard positions is easier than tackle because the IOL establishes the depth of the pocket whereas the tackles set the width. For a tackle to switch, he has to learn everything backwards (to him), whereas guards don’t because they work north-south either way. That being said, some players are more comfortable on one side and aren’t good candidates to switch.
So I've never been an OLine player. But from my rugby background, I guess it's like the difference between tight head and loose head props. Look similar on the outside (just scrum and out muscle your opponent) but the technical differences are huge at a high level making straight swaps near impossible.
Mirroring your hands for example. Between the two guard positions, because you step/twist the other way, your hands are switched. If you've learned onel motion for a decade, it will be hard to do the mirror with any conviction and skill.
It's not impossible, and for some players that grew up learning multiple roles (always look for this when scouting linemen, did they cover multiple roles at colles or hs, even better if they did one position in hs then changed at college) or are just more technically smart than physically strong.
Anyway, OLine fascinates me as a super technical role played by absolute powerhouse men!
We have an offensive line coach who's only job is to know his 10 guys. We have an Old Pro hired to bring wisdom specifically to our OLine and communicate his observations to that Coach. We are not talking about 150 production workers spread over 3 shifts. How does one of ten get "buried"? My bet is it is a waiting game, if only to be sure your young investment doesn't come back out injured after a set of plays in one of the roughest 60 minute brawls known to man.
Exactly, how did he get lost? Self scouting could improve throughout the team. From personnel to play-calling...
I wonder the same !