Taking the Opponent Out of the Equation: How Seattle Must Stop Failing Itself
Any idiot could have called this mismatch. I've yet to find the idiot who thought it would be in Miami's favor. But so it is; Advanced NFL Stats gives the Dolphins an 84% chance of winning. There's a fatalistic part of me that still holds out hope for this season, but my thinking self is already pondering 2009.
I spoke a bit about "Tim Ruskell's team". Tim Ruskell's team was obliterated on Sunday. 27-7 may not be the most lopsided score you've ever seen, but Seattle survived on the caprice of turnovers. If we remove that least steady element of performance, a more desperate picture appears.
Seattle averaged 18.3 yards per drive. Awful. That's inflated by Koren Robinson's 90 yard reception to start the game. After that oasis, Seattle averaged only 12.3 yards per drive. Seattle earned ten first downs total, less than a first down per drive.
Seattle's defense dominated the first quarter, allowing only 16.2 yard per drive to an Eagles' offense averaging 32.1. Seattle couldn't keep them off the field and eventually the dam broke. Given thirteen drives to score and against an offense without an answer, Marty Mornhinweg called a conservative offense knowing from the start that time was on his side.
Starting last season I started accumulating tape on every future opponent I could find. That way I could run previews detailing opposing talent, scheme, specific plays and how matchups will work in each. Sometime after the Packers throttled the Seahawks, I decided if I was going to make it through this season I'd need to take it down a notch. Scouting two teams a week led to some 2am to 6pm days I'm still not recovered from. So I never got a good look at the Dolphins.
In absence of really knowing Seattle's next opponent, here're two things Seattle itself must do to salvage this season and make a run next season.
Continue coverage after applying pressure
How important is this? See San Francisco at Seattle versus Seattle at San Francisco. In the former, the second the play broke down, O'Sullivan was flushed or the pocket collapsed, Seattle's secondary would stop coverage. When Seattle's rush didn't wrap J.T. O'Sullivan, O'Sullivan picked apart Seattle's lagging secondary. This is a failing of the coaches. In the second matchup, Seattle didn't achieve its customary Qwest Field sack-o-rama, but it did prevent long plays on the other 44 pass attempts. You could see O'Sullivan and later Shaun Hill escaping pressure but instead of finding an open man they were forced to throw away, eat it or force the ball into coverage. The difference was striking.
Know your damn assignment
Seattle has been awash with embarrassing lapses all season: Missing outside containment, missing blocking assignments, failing to engage the lead blocker, failing to read your blockers, quitting on pass rushes, quitting on routes, screwing up coverage - and that's just the ones I've seen. That's bad coaching in action. At some point, Seattle's players need to step up and play straight if for nothing but pride. I've yet to see a true leader arise on this defense. Lofa Tatupu was gifted the job after playing like wolverine for three seasons, but a leader must be more than a rah-rah, snap to whistle guy, and halfway into this season a true ass-chewer is needed. It's time some teammates' figurative heads are busted.
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18 comments
Comments
You mean 'the dam broke'
.. or is that a joke?
by michaelfox99 on Nov 7, 2008 2:19 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
No.
Just a bit of a rushed post on a busy day. Fixed.
Thanks.
by John Morgan on Nov 7, 2008 2:25 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
You spend WAY too much time thinking about and analyzing the Seahawks.
I don’t know if I would either stay up until or wake up at 2am for anything in this world.
by LantermanC on Nov 7, 2008 2:36 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
But I think I speak for all of us
when i say ‘thank god for john morgan’s obsession for seahawks analysis’
by SeaTownBlueDevil on Nov 7, 2008 2:42 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Thank God for John Morgan's obsession with football in general.
Those “Football Explained” articles he wrote up over the winter were amazing.
by BrianL on Nov 7, 2008 11:01 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
I do work.
So I’ve yet to log a 2am to 6pm day strictly analyzing the Seahawks. I usually spend five to eight hours a day on everything I try to do for this blog. I’m not certain I would say I’m obsessed, just being a critical person who loves quality and equally dislikes rough hewn crap, I try to write something I myself would like. I do not always succeed.
by John Morgan on Nov 8, 2008 6:32 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
lol
If you spend 5 hours a day on this you should tone it down and work on your writing and sense on humor. No offense, but you sound like a 22 year old kid. You also rival TO in terms of your humility considering the actual product you put out.
by shawks on Nov 9, 2008 3:20 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Jeez, thanks.
Nothing like waking up to anonymous internet sniping.
by John Morgan on Nov 9, 2008 8:15 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Casino
Did you run over this guys dog or something?
by Nate Dogg on Nov 9, 2008 2:26 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
He got banned for being mean to other posters.
Started signing up with multiple logins to troll afterwards. Are you sure this is him, though? I thought he was under an IP ban.
by BrianL on Nov 9, 2008 2:30 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
He was but it only lasts so long.
Cassino is actually the new poster “Right”.
This is someone else who doesn’t like me.
by John Morgan on Nov 9, 2008 3:02 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
"No offense, but you sound like a 22 year old kid."
Best critique offered by a 40 year old kid I’ve ever seen.
by Hawkfan_77 on Nov 9, 2008 8:46 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
You registered to post that?
Further proof that John Gabriel’s Greater Internet Fuckwad Theory is true.
by BrianL on Nov 9, 2008 9:43 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Penny Arcade
… is not funny outside of Penny Arcade. But glad to see we have a similar sense of humor
by Hawkfan_77 on Nov 9, 2008 1:21 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

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