The Tape: Tirades
by John Morgan on Dec 16, 2008 3:43 PM PST
in Seahawks Game Recaps
Email
PrintA contender will always take a win over playing well. Seattle isn't a contender. Winning last Sunday's game doesn't establish a culture of winning and won't carry over to next year. For a team building towards next season, playing well but losing is preferable to playing poorly but winning.
With 3:11 to go in the second quarter, Saint Louis on top 17-7, and deep in Seattle territory after a Josh Wilson fumble, the acid churn of blowout began tumbling in my stomach. The Rams, the Rams, equipped with a suddenly efficient offense and nano-blitz powers, were manhandling the hapless Seahawks. One play later, Joe Klopfenstein squirted a frozen duck inches from the sideline that put the luck in "fumble luck", Tru scooped, sprinted 32 and if fortunes weren't outright flipped, it was certainly a reversal.
Seattle sucked last Sunday. As late as halfway through the 4th quarter, the Rams were favored three to one to win. Two quick drives saved Seattle. Two quick broken coverages saved Seattle. And no, one win doesn't save Seattle. And no, one player doesn't save Seattle. But damn if I didn't see a terrible team take the field last Sunday. But damn if that wasn't the worst win I've ever watched. And if that's what costs Seattle a spot in the top five, damn me if I don't wish luck struck the other way.
Notes:
Lock looked steady. The Rams didn't really target him and he didn't really eff up.
"Who called fucking play action?" That's what Mike Holmgren shouted after Seneca Wallace's fumble. The play action made it all but impossible for Julius Jones to block Jason Craft. Seattle's gone crazy with play action. Philadelphia blitzed through it. So did Saint Louis. Lose the compulsive play action; the Walrus is not pleased.
Progress? Rocky Bernard sacked Marc Bulger. His secret weapon: A three man front sans head up its ass. Craig Terrill wasn't manning the nose and nothing pass rusher Lawrence Jackson wasn't rushing the edge. Instead, Bernard was at left defensive end, Brandon Mebane (about time) at nose, and Darryl Tapp at right defensive end. Julian Peterson aligned defensive left. Peterson and Tapp bowed the line with edge rush. Bernard stunted, and, for once, the nose tackle collapsed the interior opening a pass rush lane for Bernard. It's not all about the Xs and Os, it's also about who those Xs and who those Os are.
Before Wallace was Fiery and In-your-face: He was executing an improvised, 25 yard boot rainbowing to and from oblivion. It executed Seattle's last good drive of the half. Saint Louis overloaded right, blitzing strong safety OJ Atogwe and nickel corner Jason Craft. Weaver blocked Craft but Atogwe came free. Keep your eye on the quarterback and it looks awful bad. Watch the receivers a few times and you see missed opportunities.
Before I describe that, yes, this was horrible line calling, blitz awareness and blocking; and no, that isn't excusable.
Overloading offensive right meant Bobby Engram was barely covered by a buzzing linebacker. Deion Branch may have been completely uncovered, the left corner curled in an underneath zone with the lone safety likely half a field away. Maurice Morris was wide open offensive left and had at least a decent chance to catch and run it for the first. Koren Robinson was bracketed by two defenders. A quarterback must make split second decisions. Wallace decided to wheelie like his Cyclone days, but this doesn't happen in the pros.
13 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
I will never get sick
of hearing about Holmgren chew out those no fucking good goddamn players at halftime then be all “gee willikers!” and “golly sakes!” when talking to the press.
Unrelated, but according to the rotoworld sidebar on seahawkaddicts,
Kyle Williams will most likely start against the Jets at LT. Ouch, Seneca better have his wheels intact.
That would mean NONE of our original starting O-line is left.
I doubt we lose our top 5 pick
Oakland’s more likely to win one than we are at this point.
Bye Bye Crabtree
If we do finish lower then Oakland, you can be assured they will love Crabtree. Their problems are on another level of suck, but sexy WR to fill their poor WR corps seems like a no brainer in an Al Davis kinda way.
No.
He won’t have a great 40 time, and that’s essential when you are talking about the Oakland high 1st round selection.
Personally, I think he reminds me of the NFL Anquan Boldin. A RB at WR who also has great hands and physicality down the field, not just short. I would love to see that kind of talent at WR for our team.
The worst win?
Naw, I’ve seen worse. Try this:
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199211300sea.htm
Seattle beats Denver at home with Gelbaugh at QB. Costs us Bledsoe.
Worst game ever.
Wasn't that a monday night?
I remember watching it with my mom when I was 4, I was so excited….I was such a stupid little kid.
I feel the exact same way about outcome vs. performance
I’ve been arguing it to death over at .net, and its not catching on, lol. Fans can’t help but get hung up on outcomes, even meaningless ones.
Cognitive Dissonance?
How do you play well against the Rams and NOT win? I agree with the premise that, for non-contenders, it’s better to play well and lose than play poorly and win, but for this game was playing well and losing even possible?
Also, there has to be some benchmark for what “playing well” means. I have no special insight other than being a fan, but “playing well” for the offense that beat the Rams on Sunday wasn’t going to look the same as “playing well” for the offense that beat the Rams in Week 3. Defensively, I don’t know that we’ve “played well” all season, but I’ve been fairly convinced by John that until someone rids us of the turbulent Brian Russell there is little hope for the defense.
I guess my expectations are extremely diminished for this team, so for them to climb back and win that game (however fortuitous their road there was) is something of an achievement. I agree it doesn’t portend a new winning era, it’s not a success that can be easily duplicated, and doesn’t necessarily signal anything useful about the future.
But, in the immortal words of Ebby Calvin “Nuke” LaLoosh, “I love winning man. I fucking love winning. You know what I’m saying? It’s like… better’n losing?!”
Its true that against a 2 win team its hard to play well and still lose
Although thats pretty much exactly what the Rams did. They outplayed the Seahawks for most of the game and still lost.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
