Week 7 DVOA

by John Morgan on Oct 23, 2007 3:34 PM PDT

Seattle improves slightly, now ranked 10th overall and 4th in the NFC. The Hawks' special teams continues to excel, ranked number one overall. Hmmm...I remember reading some detractors in the preseason, but I was pretty certain our special teams unit would be among the league's best. Disregard my remarks on Tapp, who has more than earned a starting spot. Seattle has a chance to improve markedly returning from the bye, with Hackett and Branch returning and hopefully more touches for Morris and Weaver. Did I tell you this team's a contender? Did I sell ya wrong?

Anyway, on to the notables:

Matt Hasselbeck: 16.6% DVOA (16th), 32.2 DPAR (9)

Shaun Alexander: -0.8 DPAR (43), -14.5% DVOA (41); Receiving -2.3 DPAR, -35.0% DVOA

Leonard Weaver: 1.0 DPAR, 2.7% DVOA; 5.7 DPAR, 63.4% DVOA (1)

Maurice Morris: 0.4 DPAR, -10.0% DVOA; 1.9 DPAR, 77.5% DVOA

Bobby Engram: 14.4 DPAR (14), 27.4% DVOA (12)

Deion Branch: 8.8 DPAR (27), 22.3% DVOA (18)

Nate Burleson: -4.6 DPAR (70), -30.9% DVOA (67)

Ben OhNoIdroppedIt: -1.8 DPAR, -29.6 DVOA, 30% reception percentage.

Time Machine didn't play, but he's 6th in DVOA.

The front seven gets big love shooting up to 7th overall defending the run, and 3rd rushing the passer.

Jennings and Tru are 12th and 6th respectively covering #2 and #1 receivers.

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Comments

First paragraph, third to last sentence:

"with Hackett and Burleson returning"

Should be Branch.

I reject your reality and substitute my own!

by Phil Hatzenbuehler on Oct 23, 2007 3:43 PM PDT reply actions

Thanks, and me just stepping out.

I sometimes feel like Michael Bolton from Office Space, not just because my name is shared by an ass clown or three, but because I'm always goofin' the details.

I really do appreciate everyone catching this stuff for me, and it improves the blog. Thanks.

by John Morgan on Oct 23, 2007 4:06 PM PDT up reply actions

What about Taylor?

I know he only got limited looks, but he seems pretty talented, and might be a better option at the #4 wr then Obo. That near TD catch was pretty impressive. When he came out for the draft one scouting report I read on him said he would fit perfectly in a WCO. I hope we see more of him in the upcoming weeks.

by Joeshow12 on Oct 23, 2007 4:27 PM PDT reply actions

Holmgren had mentioned

that he would be seeing more playing time

V. 1.0, mutherf***er, know what I'm sayin'?

by Scruffy Lefty on Oct 23, 2007 4:39 PM PDT up reply actions

I'm very high on Taylor.

He's not a stud, but the guy was taken in the 6th round. I liked Taylor in April, thought he was a great value pick in a super deep wide receiver draft, and in early July wrote this:

Finally, you might want to call me person one of the Courtney "the Bohemian" Taylor fan club. The big knock on Taylor is that he lacks straight line speed and...Oh, you were finished? Then allow me to retort. Taylor was a top performer in the ACC, easily one of the nation's top conferences, and a veritable football factory of NFL talent. Many considered him a first day talent, but in a supremely deep draft for wide receivers, he fell to the 6th round. The catalyst to Taylor's fall was an unimpressive 4.5 forty at the NFL combine. Dwayne Bowe, the 23rd selection of round one by the Kansas City chiefs ran a 4.51. That performance combined with an already less than stellar view of his playing speed sent Taylor's stock plummeting.

Here's the thing, though: What do you think Muhsin Muhammad's current 40 time would be? How about Anquan Boldin? He ran a linebacker-esque 4.72 at the 2003 NFL combine and has since had multiple knee surgeries. Because we are dealing with tenths of a second, a jam at the line, a rounded off cut, or a slightly askew route can easily swallow whatever speed advantage say, Teddy Ginn Jr., has over Taylor. Receiving is a "skill" position: Taylor is a skilled route-runner, a skilled receiver, skilled at finding holes in zone coverage and skilled at making tough catches in traffic. His effective work in end-arounds, he average 9.9 yards per rush in college, makes me think he's not that game slow, either. And, of course as per de rigueur of the Ruskell administration, Taylor is a considered a good guy and a hard worker. He's not likely to crack the starting squad as yet, but watch for him to perform ably in the preseason--I think he was a steal.

Shoot, I caught two typos in there that I just now corrected. How I wish I had time to edit my posts. Anyway, that Dwayne Bowe guy sure has worked out. Taylor reminds me a bit of Bobby Engram, not a seam stretcher or man-to-man guy, but a hard worker, with good hands, great awareness and good run after the catch ability. He's also an underrated athlete, Taylor that is.

On a final note, remember all the football pundits who said that Seattle had a lousy draft? What a load of crap, huh? You'd think if you got paid to write about the NFL you'd pay attention to more than the first round.

by John Morgan on Oct 23, 2007 10:57 PM PDT up reply actions

I'm still suprised the hawks are number 1

in special teams considering the blocking problems they've had. But with Josh Brown kicking FG and Baby Placks pinning oppentents inside the 20 with his back spin punt. Plus our coverage and return units playing lights out. I guess it shouldn't be that surprising.

V. 1.0, mutherf***er, know what I'm sayin'?

by Scruffy Lefty on Oct 23, 2007 4:45 PM PDT reply actions

eyeballing the new stats

and optimism starts to bubble up again....which kind of zero'd out after the New Orleans game. 1st in Special Teams. 9th/10th in pass/rush defense. 10th in pass offense.

Well, 29th in rushing.

The only team out of our stratosphere in the NFC is Dallas, and we have (yet another) easy schedule between now and the end of the year to try and clean up on.

formerly captain morgan

by Will Kier on Oct 23, 2007 4:52 PM PDT reply actions

Taylor

All of us at the bar in NYC saw that Taylor near-TD catch and went nuts. If that coverage had been any less than perfect it would have been a spectacular catch.

This guy looks like a definite keeper. It is a shame that we were so lacking at WR the last few weeks despite having been so deep earlier on. Obomanu and Taylor are both too inexperienced at this point, but should be competing with Burleson for that fourth WR spot behind Engram, Hackett, and Branch. I believe Obomanu has potential despite disappointing so far.

I would like more explanation as to why you believe the hawks drafted well.I am still waiting to see a bit more from Wilson. He did have one great return, but hasn't made an impact on defense. This makes me concerned about the CB situation if we were to lose Tru, Jennings, or Babs.

Mebane has been good but is still the #3 DT behind Bernard and Terrill, even with the Darby injury right?

What other players do you think have contributed much?

Some of these guys are only in for Special Teams right?

by michaelfox99 on Oct 24, 2007 1:02 PM PDT reply actions

Mebane starts

I'm tired of people thinking that all rookies should come in and contribute immediately. Whatever happen to development time? Most rookies just play special teams. Herring and Wilson have done a fantastic job on ST. Mebane and Atkins have been contributing on Defense. The team felt comfortable enough with Atkins that we actually traded away Fisher to get him on the field. As for Taylor, Wrotto and Kent they all have a ton of upside to be solid NFL contributers.

I don't see why you don't think we had a good draft. We didn't have the sexy first round pick but we came away with some real good talent.

V. 1.0, mutherf***er, know what I'm sayin'?

by Scruffy Lefty on Oct 24, 2007 3:43 PM PDT up reply actions

I think the key is this.

If you look at the Seahawks 2007 draft, Wilson, Mebane, Herring, Taylor and Atkins have all contributed this season. Wrotto and Kent are big upside projects. That's a complete draft. Team's like the Cardinals made some big splashes, trading up for Branch, but look at what players from their draft are actually contributing. Brown has been good at right tackle, Breaston is doing return work, and that's it. The only other player from the draft still on their roster is Branch.

The first round is practically automatic. GMs get far too much credit for just taking the best available talent that falls to them in the first. Good GMs find contributors all throughout the draft. The third round, the second day, that's the undervalued part of a draft. You see teams turn their franchise around in one season (like the Saints seemingly did last year) and you see players contributing from throughout the draft. To me, finding Marques Colston in the seventh is a lot more important than taking Reggie Bush with the second overall pick.

by John Morgan on Oct 24, 2007 3:58 PM PDT up reply actions