The Tape: Colin Cole Hammered by Atlanta, Part 1

by John Morgan on Mar 1, 2009 8:40 PM PST in Analysis Comment 34 comments

I should be in bed, but I've got the cold chills from workahol withdrawal so onward. So that everyone can get a good look at Seattle's new run stopping force at the one, I fetched some tape from week 5 of the NFL season. Green Bay faced Atlanta at home. I picked this contest for a few reasons. Colin Cole had four tackles, all solo, a season high. He matched quite a bit against a lineman I know very well, Justin Blalock. At this point in his career, Blalock is a shade above average though very powerful. And the Packers faced 36 rushing plays, giving me ample opportunity to see Cole in his element.

Enjoy the carnage.

Cole first subs in on the sixth play of the Falcons first drive. He is doubled by Blalock and center Todd McClure,

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blown back two yards,

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before working his way back into the play and holding the line as Turner converts the first after a gain of three.

Cole stays in for the next snap. He is initially turned out and away from the hole by a single block by McClure, but sheds McClure completely and fights his way back, tackling Turner after a gain of four.

Next snap, Jerious Norwood substitutes for Turner. Cole and right defensive end Mike Montgomery attempt something that looks vaguely like a stunt, allow a good sized cutback lane right and scrum ineffectually as Norwood runs for 5 on 2nd and 6. Green Bay is now on the one.

Encroachment nullifies a botched snap by Matt Ryan.

Goal line. Cole gets low and the Packers line holds the point against a Turner dive.

Goal line. Cole penetrates left, but the Falcons are running a bootleg right. Ryan rolls out and finds Justin Peelle for the score.

Cole starts the next drive at left defensive tackle. Harvey Dahl and Tyson Clabo double Cole off the snap resulting in a gaping hole right.

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Aaron Kampman, unblocked, overpursues attempting to seal the outside and Turner simply runs forward and away from him. Cole is so completely overmatched by Dahl alone that Clabo peels off and screens AJ Hawk from the play.

Charles Woodson finally tackles Turner after a gain of 22.

Looks like family matters are going to force me to stop there, but, I gotta ask, we lovin' this guy yet?

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In his defense, Atlanta was quite good at rushing last year

Not in his defense, this really makes me sad we signed him.

by Ezzra on Mar 1, 2009 9:01 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Wait, so you'd be fine with him playing like this every time we play a team 'quite good at rushing'?

Seems kind of odd, considering we signed him to primarily be a run-stuffer.

"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."

by Fearless Frog on Mar 2, 2009 1:24 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

No way. I think it's terrible we signed him

I was just noting the examples used are against an excellent O-Line, so he won’t always be as terrible as portrayed above. I hope.

by Ezzra on Mar 2, 2009 4:25 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Ah, okay.

"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."

by Fearless Frog on Mar 2, 2009 5:02 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Justin Blalock, a shade above average?

I’d say he’s an unsung all-pro. But the point still stands, this guy is terrible and Lofa will have unblocked guard for dinner every Sunday.

"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."

by Fearless Frog on Mar 1, 2009 9:07 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I guess I'd say what Iike about this is...

That it likely puts our best defensive player (Brandon Mebane) at the most important position in the defense (3-tech).

Other than that, I’ll hold out opinion on Cole till I see him play for the Hawks.

by puerto on Mar 1, 2009 11:12 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I'm getting a vague "Bavasi signs Jose Vidro for big $$$$" vibe here

by Will Kier on Mar 1, 2009 11:48 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Except Jose Vidro was actually good once upon a time.

by SeaTownBlueDevil on Mar 2, 2009 7:46 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

WTF

I do not understand why the hell we made this signing. It is only 6 million guaranteed but why on earth did we bother guaranteeing him anything? This is a replacement level player that is past his prime. I cannot believe Bernard walked away for less money than we signed cole for. Not to mention the Giants can’t start all of Robbins, Canty, Osi, Tuck, Bernard, Kiwanuka, Cofield.

Are players really that averse to coming to Seattle?

by michaelfox99 on Mar 2, 2009 3:33 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

If I could choose between New York and Seattle,

and had enough money that I would be in good financial shape regardless of the economy, I would choose NY in a heartbeat. Seattle’s got tranquility on its side, but I could care less about that if I were in my mid-late 20s.

by SeaTownBlueDevil on Mar 2, 2009 7:49 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Well

NY’s state income tax is 7%. For that reason alone I’d rather live in Seattle. Plus the fact that I love the northwest.

by LantermanC on Mar 2, 2009 8:11 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Seattle seems like a remote locale for a lot of guys from other parts of the country. But I think Rocky signed with the Giants because:

1. The Seahawks weren’t trying to re-sign him;
2. The Giants are one year removed from a Super Bowl win.

by lemonverbena on Mar 2, 2009 8:15 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Cole

Could this guy be a younger version of Grady Jackson somehow? If we don’t ask him to do too much, he should be okay. I can see him helping us vs. the run and Bane’ can play both spots, so we will have some versatility that way. I guess the good news is that he came fairly cheap, and that could help us both in the TJ sweepstakes or the process of resigning some of our own, primarily Willis.

I can’t see how we’ll be weaker vs. the run with Cole next to Mebane. That could be more solid than we think. If those two can hold the middle at least adequately, then edge rushers a plenty can attack. A simple, optimistic view, to be sure, but I can see some good from this. I can also see the argument that similar skill can be found around the league, but some reports have noted that Green Bay wanted to keep Cole, and that his loss is somewhat of a blow to their line. That could be overblown, but at his price I think he can help us for a decent value. He’s not the big-time player many of us were hoping for, but the perception of us being light vs. the run might be changing. Simply putting a smaller DT next to ’Bane could lead us down a similar path to being light in the seat vs. the power run.

A disruptive interior force would be great, but save for the Haynesworth’s and Kevin Williams of the world, they are not easy to come by. Maybe we already have ours. Also, would Haye (or someone like him) have helped against the run the way Cole will? I’m excited to see Mebane at the 3-tech, and imagine he’ll play both spots quite a bit. Maybe we still upgrade the DLine as we get to and through the draft. I’m not very excited about the Cole addition, but I believe he will help solidify our run defense.

by Misfit74 on Mar 2, 2009 8:57 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

i agree

and would like to add that i’ve been complaining about our need to get beefy up front for years. he’s not the player i want, but if we can put him in the right situation to clog running lanes and be “mebane light” i will be alright.

also, i’m very curious to see what the actual contract numbers are. been looking around for an article that address this, but haven’t found anything yet. i’ve heard 5 years, $25 mil, with $5m guaranteed. what does that mean for the cap? i doubt we get charged the full amount ($5M/year) so (pure speculation) i’m anticipating cole to count something like $3M. anybody know better than me?

by cro-mag! on Mar 2, 2009 10:04 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

That's the thing. Cole will not help against the run.

Might as well break up this common myth now, he’s likely going to be a liability.

"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."

by Fearless Frog on Mar 2, 2009 10:30 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

hmm

i think the more accurate statement would be “the cogent and relevant evidence presented by John Morgan is that Cole did not help against the run in green bay.” he’s certainly not a top level DT, but that is a rare breed. i’m not ready to jump off the cliff just yet.

now don’t get me wrong, i almost never disagree with JM and have no basis for disagreeing here, but lets wait until he plays before “breaking up common myths.” it’s all speculation at this point.

by cro-mag! on Mar 2, 2009 10:47 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm not saying he's certainly not a top level DT.

I’m saying all evidence points to him being heavily below average.

"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."

by Fearless Frog on Mar 2, 2009 12:31 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe you can present some evidence, since you've seen all of it.

by Misfit74 on Mar 2, 2009 2:09 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

i think this is pretty much the reason we got cole

As one league scout put it when asked about Cole, “Not overly athletic, but athletic enough. He keeps the linebackers clean.”

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/football/401920_hawk02.html

between him and mebane, both of whom could demand double teams, it allows either mebane or our linebackers to make plays. we may have overpaid for the role player he’s going to be, but i do think he would allow the rest of our defense to do what they need to do.

by B.B.Finnegan on Mar 2, 2009 11:49 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

I don't know about you

but when I see a guy getting blown 2 yards off the line, especially a supposedly “beefy” guy, I get worried. That says he has no power, and if he’s a “beefy” guy then what else could he have? He’s supposed to be hard to move, that’s the advantage of having a huge guy in the middle of your line. But apparently he frequently just gets pushed back out of the play. That worries me.

by Fear on Mar 2, 2009 12:44 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

uh, he got blown off the line 2 yards by two guys the same size as him

if that was against one guy, sure, but two 300 lb guys pushing on you? he’s not albert haynsworth.

by B.B.Finnegan on Mar 2, 2009 12:56 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Holding up against a double team is a run-stuffing tackle's primary job.

It’s not far out to expect your tackle to not get blown off the line against a double team. That’s the very foundation of good run defense.

by John Morgan on Mar 2, 2009 1:09 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

That's odd

how did germpod’s comment disappear? Johnlliot or whatever is the Cassino, but germpod may not agree with me but he’s not a troll.

by John Morgan on Mar 2, 2009 1:01 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Wasn't me, this is the first time I've been in this thread today.

by BrianL on Mar 2, 2009 2:02 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Shouldn't there be some sort of indicator in his moderation log showing that he's had comments deleted?

His profile is spotless.

by BrianL on Mar 2, 2009 2:08 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

That's why I'm confused.

by John Morgan on Mar 2, 2009 2:31 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

The post above mine vanished also

Eh, computers are strange some times :-) I did preview and change the post a few times before hitting "post", which may have caused a glitch or something. The guys response above mine vanished also though, which is confusing.

All I was saying is he drew double teams and still made the tackle. He may not be elite, he is not Haynsworth, but he is not a "replacment" level player. Replacment leve players do not justifiy a double team, leaving other defensive players an open path into the backfield. I do admit that there may be something that I am not understanding about the tackle postion, maybe all tackles get double teamed on a regular basis without me noticing it during games, not sure.

Nope, not a troll, just a big Hawks fan and a big fan of Fieldgulls! Great site, even when I disagree, which is not often. I check it at least six times a day. I appreciate in a big way all that I learn on the site.

by germpod on Mar 2, 2009 3:19 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

It's fine that you disagree

I think you are confusing being double teamed with forcing a double team. There’s typically four defenders and five offensive linemen, therefore someone is double teamed on most plays. Being double teamed, and getting destroyed by that double team, is not an achievement.

by John Morgan on Mar 2, 2009 4:09 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

After looking at those shots for a bit

Aaron Kampman is so far out of the way. He traveled more distance the WRs. That is impressive. It seems like the whole Packer D went to left into blockers. While Cole did a poor job on the play, everybody else seems so out of position that it is hard to blame the play on him

by Built2Spill on Mar 2, 2009 1:57 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Lets let the guy choose a number, before we're ready to send him down the river.

Cogito Ergo Sum

by censor1979 on Mar 2, 2009 5:13 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Yeeeee

We got Houshmazilli! I just pooped my pants! I would way rather have Colin Cole and Houshmandzadeh than Chris Canty, that’s for sure. Except Chris Cole seems like kind of a joke … http://www.fieldgulls.com/2009/3/1/777132/the-tape-colin-cole-hammer – well done.

by Blowin' Up Since 1856 on Mar 2, 2009 11:20 PM PST reply actions 0 recs