Field Gulls: An SB Nation Community

Navigation: Jump to content areas:



Around SBN: MLB Hot Stove: blogging the rumors, trades, signings Bar-right-arrows



spread the word

The Tape: Seahawks @ Cowboys: 1st Half Notes

With all the talk about the size mismatch enjoyed by Terrell Owens and Roy Williams over Josh Wilson and Kelly Jennings, it was Jason Witten who led Dallas in yards, DYAR, receptions and effective yards. Seattle doesn't defend tight ends and that's a bit Leroy Hill and equally, if not more, Deon Grant. Grant is mismatched in man coverage. And the why is almost too obvious.

Grant is a heady pass defender at his best reading the quarterback and breaking on the ball. He has the same habits playing man. In zone, that leads to coverage, pass defenses and interceptions. In man, that leads to blown coverage, big cushions and long receptions. Grant should be playing free safety. He's not a run stopper and he doesn't match well in man. He excels at the deep zone and is strong tackling downhill from the second and third level. The essence of good management is identifying, developing and enabling strengths. The last two seasons, Seattle has played Grant against his strengths for the sake of starting Brian Russell.

Hobbs looks like a keeper on special teams. He recorded the first tackle of the game, a one armed hook on Orlando Scandrick.

How dependent is Seattle on Olindo Mare? Seattle has allowed an average of 27.23 yards in the 31 kicks Mare didn't achieve a touchback. That puts "Seattle Opponent" a full yard ahead of Josh Cribbs (26.21). Mare won't be back next season.

Lawrence Jackson is beginning to show a little life. He's getting off the ball well and actually showing some fight against opposing tackles. Jackson is still with training wheels as a pass rusher, but then so is pretty much every rookie defensive end. Jackson trails only Chris Long in tackles and sacks among defensive ends selected in the first day of the 2008 NFL draft. On one play, Seattle attempted to stunt Jackson to the inside. He was S.L.O.W off the snap, flat and deliberate to the inside and ineffective on the inside rush. The skills aren't there, but it's been a while since I've seen Jackson really not try. There's reason to think the skills will develop.

On the second snap of the game, Owens pushed off Marcus Trufant and caught a pass for nine. Trufant stood stony, pantomiming "WTF?" I don't get why Owens gets the superstar treatment or how it helps the NFL, but fans across the league are surely sick of watching their corners play pushed-off coverage against Dallas.

0 recs | Comment 5 comments | Digg!

Read Related

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Display:

What's wrong with Mare?

So far I haven’t seen him do anything wrong…

by aerozeppelin on Dec 3, 2008 5:06 PM PST   0 recs

He's been fine

Thats the point John’s trying to make. Seattle’s kick-off coverage team has been bad and only Mare’s touchbacks are saving them. John also added that Mare won’t be back next season since Brandon “the future is now” Coutu will be the kicker next season.

Hope that clears it up.

by MFAN on Dec 3, 2008 5:15 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

I guess Coutu is sticking around because

Mare is 35? But aren’t kickers good into their late 30s? It perplexes me that we have two kickers and I guess I missed the management’s reasoning for this.

by SuperShadow on Dec 3, 2008 8:29 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

27.23 yards?

That number doesn’t mean anything since Mare’s kicks are almost all TB. Small Sample Size. (/saracasm)
On a serious note, it does seem that we are missing a good Special Teams tackler like Bannister or that Kaczvynksi (sp?).

by LantermanC on Dec 4, 2008 8:07 AM PST   0 recs

I miss Kaczyvenski.

Every day I hear about Seattle sports' failures. Every night I fall asleep to the sound of my own tears.

by Benne on Dec 4, 2008 11:28 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

Walter Jones, you were the greatest, most dominant player I've ever seen at any position. It's been an honor to be your fan.

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recent FanPosts

Boomheadshot_small
Seahawks interview Buc's linebackers coach Casey Bradley, and request permission to speak with Patriots special teams coach Brad Seely
Small
Utah's Attorney General suing the BCS?
Front_of_car_small
Should the Hawks go after TJ Houshmandzadeh in Free Agency
Small
Hakeem Nicks Goes Pro
Boomheadshot_small
Adam Schefter reports Rod Marinelli is talking with Seahawks for D Coordinator
Front_of_car_small
11 reasons not to draft Sam Bradford or Tim Tebow
Picofme_small
The Taylor Mays Microsoft Connection
Front_of_car_small
Big School Myth?
Small
Video Review - 2008 Season
Jj_flag_detail1_small
Top 5 Beer Discoveries of 2008

Post_icon New FanPost All FanPosts Carrot-mini


Managers

Image_114_small Shrug

Jj_flag_detail1_small John Morgan

Graphics Editor

Picture_1_small Scruffy Lefty

Writer

Small Doug Farrar

The Man Behind the Man

Small BrianL

ad

Site Meter