Five Observations from the Seattle Seahawks First Offensive Drive
by John Morgan on Aug 16, 2009 2:41 PM PDT
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5. Greg Knapp's spacing is tighter and he uses the pass to set up the run. Wide receivers align closer to the offensive line, he relies on his tight ends to block and Knapp uses John Carlson's versatility to play tight end and wide receiver - sometimes in the same play. On the fourth play of Seattle's first possession, third and one from the Seahawks 46, Carlson motioned out of right tight end to the left slot. There he was able to seal block and create an outside rushing lane. It wasn't used.
4. Carlson nullified and walked back Shawne Merriman on Julius Jones eight yard rush.
3. Luis Castillo ripped through John Owens and tackled Jones for a one yard loss on the next play.
2. Chris Spencer chips and pulls. On third and one, he chipped Jamal Williams and pulled to block Eric Weddle. Weddle was walked into the box and playing, position wise, middle linebacker. Max Unger couldn't contain Williams by himself and Williams tackled T.J. Duckett for no gain. Williams is a preternaturally large human being.
1. Check "learn how to cut block" off Owen Schmitt's to-do list. On four plays and three runs, he buried a pad into Tim Dobbins' hip upending him and then on third and one, went low to drop Keith Burnett.
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I am heading out to Sauvie Island with my wife to enjoy the last day of my vacation.
We’ll ramp up coverage tomorrow and I’ll try and hit my stride for full-time coverage starting August 31.
by John Morgan on Aug 16, 2009 2:44 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Your hard work is much appreciated, John.
Enjoy your last day.
As far as Schmitt goes, he absolutely laid the lumber on that Charger when JJ broke off around the corner. that’s what I want to see…a real heir to Mack Strong.
It's Great to be a Florida Gator!
by Wayward Llama on Aug 16, 2009 3:25 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I loved that play too.
Although I’m not sure what to of make of the reports that hint Schmitt still has trouble recognizing the blitz.
"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."
by Fearless Frog on Aug 16, 2009 3:36 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, brute strength in a FB is second only to awareness.
Hasselbeck needs to be protected, especially this year.
It's Great to be a Florida Gator!
by Wayward Llama on Aug 16, 2009 4:22 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Have fun!
You should take some well-deserved time off away from spoiling us on this site.
Sam Bradford, future Seattle Seahawk.
by Carl Shinyama on Aug 16, 2009 2:53 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
For point 3...
I read that Unger knocked into Owens (and another teammate) on the run play causing Owens to lose his block and lead to JJ getting tackled.
by Bellevue on Aug 16, 2009 8:15 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Didn't see it the first time I saw it
but it’s right, it looked like Unger tried to run right inbetween them and it did push Owens away from Castillo for the tackle. I’m trying to imagine wtf Unger was thinking, he messed that up pretty bad.
Note for myself so I can post pictures from it later: 9:01. Or if someone else wants to look it happened at 12:56 in the first quarter.
by Trepidation on Aug 17, 2009 12:01 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Unger deserves no blame.
Owens is angle blocking Castillo from the right TE position. He passes left and in front of Willis and Unger. Willis and Unger are pulling right. Willis is supposed to block Shaun Phillips and Unger is supposed to pull around him and block whoever nears Jones. (If the play works, Unger should block Kevin Burnett) Instead, Willis doesn’t get good push. Owens is walked back. And Unger and Jones would have to backpedal to turn the corner. That’s not going to happen. Unger collides with 74 and Jones is tackled by Castillo.
Owens doesn’t deserve sole blame. The logic of the play is that he can’t stop Castillo, but since Castillo is big and slow, if he can delay Castillo, Jones can turn the corner and nullify Castillo. (Castillo would be without an angle and trailing a much faster player.) Owens didn’t quite hold Castillo long enough, but moreover Phillips kept Willis from getting push. So Willis deserves the most blame—or Phillips deserves the most credit. Owens should of held a little longer. Unger did nothing wrong. He ran into Willis because Willis hadn’t accomplished his assignment.
by John Morgan on Aug 17, 2009 12:42 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Further
Unger tried to make the right decision by sliding between Willis and Owens, but that space collapsed to quickly that it turned into a crowd of blockers but no hole.
by John Morgan on Aug 17, 2009 12:58 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
So what you're saying is...
Unger is awesome.
by Fear on Aug 17, 2009 1:04 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, it looks like it's a combination of Willis and Owens
The only reason Unger chips Owens is because Owens got knocked back (towards the sideline) into his path. If either Willis or Owens succeeds, Jones might of had some room, but when neither does the whole thing collapsed. Hard to say, the Chargers were all over that play.
What I found interesting was the play before, Housh motions in and at the snap and then runs in to seal the backside. I hadn’t seen that before, but then I haven’t see much zone blocking, is that typical? I guess sending the WR in would free up another lineman to be better utilized inside as well as move the corner over, giving Jones one less guy and more room on the outside. Pretty interesting play design.
by B.B.Finnegan on Aug 17, 2009 8:03 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm away from the computer all day
I come back and find that JM has made my day a little brighter. Welcome back, Seahawks football, and welcome back to actually analyzing current football games, JM. I always look forward to your thoughts on these games.
"Why is it every time I need to get somewhere, we get waylaid by jackassery?" - Dr. Venture
by Eegah on Aug 16, 2009 8:27 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I noticed the tight spacing, too
it almost felt like a waste of space, to be so crammed in, but i’m sure there are advantages and disadvantages to it just like anything else. Perhaps it’s needed, for this team, for now. My reaction without thinking it through a lot, though, is I’d like to see our front spread just a little bit more across.
by jacobstevens on Aug 17, 2009 10:20 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
It's all about the run game.
Mora wasn’t kidding about wide receivers that can block. What I wonder is how they will open up the passing game if Hasselbeck can’t get the ball vertical. He might be the best quarterback Knapp has ever worked with, but he also has the weakest arm and the worst deep pass. Drafting Mike Teel was no accident.
by John Morgan on Aug 17, 2009 11:10 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Mike Teel was very impressive
He had great zip on his passes, didn’t project what he was doing, and had pretty good pocket composure. I’m very excite about his potential.
Also – that low block by Schmitt that enabled that long run by JJ was just beautifully executed. JJ probably got an extra 8-9 yards from that block.
The demise of the Broncos in '09 is our future. Pray hard.
by Nick Andron on Aug 17, 2009 11:30 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
"Drafting Mike Teel was no accident"
But couldn’t you pretty much pick any random 7th round QB and have a good chance of finding one with a bigger arm than Matt? Does Teel have significantly more arm strength than Frye or Greene or Wallace?
by ninjasocks on Aug 17, 2009 11:46 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
judging from one preseason game I'd say
o god yes, abso friggin lutely, and probably equal.
by Hancock.Brett on Aug 17, 2009 11:47 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
That brings up a point
possibly the receivers were all in so close to all the players in the box — which will enable teams to add an 8th, more often than not — is what gave Hasselbeck trouble taking more shots downfield? That would make sense. There’s still plenty of time for him to get adjusted. And over the course of a regular season game, if they really get the ZBS running game established, I’m sure they’ll motion the flanker our wider to try and create some additional space out there while the defense isn’t prone to staying honest.
by jacobstevens on Aug 17, 2009 12:33 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Actually, I'd argue the opposite.
In Holmgren’s scheme, with the WR’s lined up so far wide, it spread out the safeties and made deep throws to the sideline much more difficult.
If you bring the WR’s in closer, this might make for more space for routes to the sidelines… i.e. fades, out ‘n’ ups, corners, etc.
Think of a Madden game, where you see the opposing D has “man” coverage, so you audible your WR to an out or corner pattern, motion them in towards the line, then start the play with that WR a little closer to the TE. There’s so much more open field to throw to.
This works in an opposite way with the running game. With the WR’s so tight, the CB’s are lined up tight too. Run plays to the outside, assuming the WR gets a decent pinch block, have much more room to operate.
I missed that first game, and am very curious to see how this new spacing plays out!
by djafrot on Aug 17, 2009 1:10 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
You're right
As a cornerback, I’m taught to read the wide receiver’s position relative to the sideline and adjust my positioning accordingly. If the WR lines up close to the sideline, it’s usually some sort of in route, so the CBs should give them a slight inside shade. Same is true vice versa.
And you’re right about the running game too – it gives the RB more space on the outside.
by rex92 on Aug 17, 2009 1:25 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I see what you mean
but for the passes to Carlson & Houshmandzadeh, the over the middle stuff, and the TE & slot routes, there’s generally more noise around it, more bodies from both teams. A quick out to a receiver split more widely, yeah it has to travel through the air longer. But overall, for the middle of the field, and to the inside of the wideouts, there is less space to work with. If one of your guiding principles is to “hit it where they ain’t” this becomes more difficult.
by jacobstevens on Aug 17, 2009 2:13 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
That's exactly the point.
By forcing the D to line up all inside, it leaves all the space to the outside to play with. It forces them to adjust accordingly, perhaps, making them play their CB’s shouldered “outside” to the WR and thus opening the middle of the field a little.
Really, it works both ways. You line up your WR’s wide, there’s more room in the middle for slants and hooks and ins. You line ‘em up inside, all the outs and corners open up. It’s really up to the OC to decide how he wants to play it.
by djafrot on Aug 17, 2009 7:41 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
So, once again
I wonder if the tight spacing gave Hasselbeck a little trouble adjusting.
by jacobstevens on Aug 18, 2009 11:39 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Also, Duckett picked up a blitzing LB beautifully
I wish I had noted which quarter it was during the game, but he gave the QB more than enough time to throw the ball. I was way more excited about the blitz pickup than the completed pass lol
The demise of the Broncos in '09 is our future. Pray hard.
by Nick Andron on Aug 17, 2009 12:42 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
That indeed was good,
but Jones is so routinely excellent at blitz-pickup that Duckett’s good one paled in comparison.
"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."
by Fearless Frog on Aug 17, 2009 12:50 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
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