Before the season started I was on the high side of the games won predictions, expecting 8 or 9 with 10 possible. After seeing how bad the D is over 4 weeks... ya I still feel like 9 is possible! Why? Because the run game is just getting started, the OL is gaining experience every week and will get better, and Geno is playing above expectations game-managing within the system.
The D WILL get better as the season goes on--Pete/Hurtt will figure it out. The rookies (Boye, Cody and Tariq) will continue to get better also. Barring significant injuries the Seahawks will get there.
After losing to Las Vegas, however, it is quite possible Denver is the worst team in the AFCW and I think it is very possible that the Denver picks are going to be higher than the Seahawks' picks by the end of the season.
Sometimes I think we forget that football is a team game and how a few players can elevate the whole team ! I believe one Cortez Kennedy D lineman, one shut down corner ala Richard Sherman and one athletic LB like K J Wright could turn this D into a top 5 unit.
We are not that far away. On offense a quality guard ( moving Lewis back to the right side ) and we are very competitive. With 2 1st and 2 2nds next two years , this is do able.
The problem is some very questionable drafts lately.
Josh Jones has been a disaster at safety. Replacing him with a safety lower on the depth chart, or trading for another team's castoff someone an existing would probably not be enough to be even an average defense.
Why not move WR Dareke Young to safety. He is tall, strong, ran a 4.4 forty into the wind. As the sixth receiver he would not expect to get many reps on offense. Even though safety would be a new position for him, his upside is high. Even inexperienced he should be better at coverage and tackling than Josh Jones. After a few games to learn the position he could something special.
First, let's give credit when it's due, Waldron called a great game against the Lions. I'm not talking about the points scored but rather the Shanahan-esque variety of looks he gave the Lions to decipher. The offense was anything but predictable. Clearly Pete's comment about opening the playbook was taken to heart.
Second, Penny was execellent. Those runs were not all through gaping holes and even when he was hemmed in the kept fight for yards. We still had several runs stopped by penetration up the middle. I have to assume that results from Blythe being overwhelmed, Lewis lacking proper technique, and Jackson just being done.
Third, our rookies tackles held up well. Aidian Hutchinson didn't have much impact and our best runs involved the tackles holding the edges. Again, we didn't much push in the middle.
Now for the less enjoyable part. It used to be that Pete could limit explosive plays by training our CBs not to get beat over the top. Now the explosive plays are coming from all over. The Lions explosive plays came from a running back and several by the TE. Most damming of all was that the Lions were 3/3 on fourth down. Are the multitude of defensive mistakes occurring because of inexperience or do they just look like mistakes because they don't have the physical talent to get to the right spot. Pete made a comment after the Falcon's game that the defence wasn't communicating and weren't trusting each other. It's pretty easy to identify who is struggling; Barton, every corner not named Woolen, Jones, Taylor, and the defensive line not name Woods. That means on every play 6 of 11 postions are questionable and that ain't gonna work. Next year when Adams returns we only have to find five new starters (two of which are impact players) and five quality backups. Piece of cake.
It is easy to see that Bobby Wagner had a huge effect on our . opponents run game. He dragged along Jordan Brooks as well. The pass defense or say our DBs will get better but offering Reid $7 million was a slap in the face. Woolen will improve all season long as will Bryant. Perhaps Jones 1v will come around maybe, maybe Artie. The biggest problem hasn't changed and that is pass rush. Getting two more 7 sac guys could improve next year's defense. Pete has his work cut out for him, one thing he can't do is make the tackles. A truism tackling is 85% mental and I would say from experience the other 15% is a mixture of technique and strength 💪 😉
Fantastic Kenneth - this homework offers an excellent read for any of us who wish to prognosticate the remaining Seahawk wins. Thus allowing draft daydreamers to muse who our pics might be.
That said, I am curious about how the Denver Broncos line up with their upcoming schedule. After all, those two early pics are a real difference-maker. While you were looking this up, did you peek to see how dangerous DangerRuss' upcoming schedule might be defensively?
Before the season started I was on the high side of the games won predictions, expecting 8 or 9 with 10 possible. After seeing how bad the D is over 4 weeks... ya I still feel like 9 is possible! Why? Because the run game is just getting started, the OL is gaining experience every week and will get better, and Geno is playing above expectations game-managing within the system.
The D WILL get better as the season goes on--Pete/Hurtt will figure it out. The rookies (Boye, Cody and Tariq) will continue to get better also. Barring significant injuries the Seahawks will get there.
After losing to Las Vegas, however, it is quite possible Denver is the worst team in the AFCW and I think it is very possible that the Denver picks are going to be higher than the Seahawks' picks by the end of the season.
Sometimes I think we forget that football is a team game and how a few players can elevate the whole team ! I believe one Cortez Kennedy D lineman, one shut down corner ala Richard Sherman and one athletic LB like K J Wright could turn this D into a top 5 unit.
We are not that far away. On offense a quality guard ( moving Lewis back to the right side ) and we are very competitive. With 2 1st and 2 2nds next two years , this is do able.
The problem is some very questionable drafts lately.
Josh Jones has been a disaster at safety. Replacing him with a safety lower on the depth chart, or trading for another team's castoff someone an existing would probably not be enough to be even an average defense.
Why not move WR Dareke Young to safety. He is tall, strong, ran a 4.4 forty into the wind. As the sixth receiver he would not expect to get many reps on offense. Even though safety would be a new position for him, his upside is high. Even inexperienced he should be better at coverage and tackling than Josh Jones. After a few games to learn the position he could something special.
Region of Room! That gave me a chuckle. Hope it sticks
First, let's give credit when it's due, Waldron called a great game against the Lions. I'm not talking about the points scored but rather the Shanahan-esque variety of looks he gave the Lions to decipher. The offense was anything but predictable. Clearly Pete's comment about opening the playbook was taken to heart.
Second, Penny was execellent. Those runs were not all through gaping holes and even when he was hemmed in the kept fight for yards. We still had several runs stopped by penetration up the middle. I have to assume that results from Blythe being overwhelmed, Lewis lacking proper technique, and Jackson just being done.
Third, our rookies tackles held up well. Aidian Hutchinson didn't have much impact and our best runs involved the tackles holding the edges. Again, we didn't much push in the middle.
Now for the less enjoyable part. It used to be that Pete could limit explosive plays by training our CBs not to get beat over the top. Now the explosive plays are coming from all over. The Lions explosive plays came from a running back and several by the TE. Most damming of all was that the Lions were 3/3 on fourth down. Are the multitude of defensive mistakes occurring because of inexperience or do they just look like mistakes because they don't have the physical talent to get to the right spot. Pete made a comment after the Falcon's game that the defence wasn't communicating and weren't trusting each other. It's pretty easy to identify who is struggling; Barton, every corner not named Woolen, Jones, Taylor, and the defensive line not name Woods. That means on every play 6 of 11 postions are questionable and that ain't gonna work. Next year when Adams returns we only have to find five new starters (two of which are impact players) and five quality backups. Piece of cake.
It is easy to see that Bobby Wagner had a huge effect on our . opponents run game. He dragged along Jordan Brooks as well. The pass defense or say our DBs will get better but offering Reid $7 million was a slap in the face. Woolen will improve all season long as will Bryant. Perhaps Jones 1v will come around maybe, maybe Artie. The biggest problem hasn't changed and that is pass rush. Getting two more 7 sac guys could improve next year's defense. Pete has his work cut out for him, one thing he can't do is make the tackles. A truism tackling is 85% mental and I would say from experience the other 15% is a mixture of technique and strength 💪 😉
Fantastic Kenneth - this homework offers an excellent read for any of us who wish to prognosticate the remaining Seahawk wins. Thus allowing draft daydreamers to muse who our pics might be.
That said, I am curious about how the Denver Broncos line up with their upcoming schedule. After all, those two early pics are a real difference-maker. While you were looking this up, did you peek to see how dangerous DangerRuss' upcoming schedule might be defensively?