Failures Disguised as Victories and Other Acts of Kelly Jennings and Brian Russell
We've talked about Thursday and the future, but it's time we got back to the game. We left off with Aaron Curry cutting behind the Chiefs offensive line and tracking down Larry Johnson from behind. It was beautiful. In the years to come, I think this kind of play will be ordinary for Curry and an extraordinary play for Curry will be NFL Films worthy. The drive wasn't done though.
3. Seattle had stuck a Terrill in their line and sprung a leak. Kansas City was driving and one flashy play wouldn't stop them. Terrill was out, but another classic Seahawks weakness was about to rear its head.
2-10-SEA 44 (:11) 25-J.Charles right guard to SEA 13 for 31 yards (24-D.Grant).
KC: 2WR (left), WR (right), TE (left), RB
Sea: 4-2 Nickel
Curry leaves the field and Seattle sets to defend the pass. That's what Kansas City wants. It's a draw. Seattle's line crashes forward and rushing lanes multiply like amoeba. Jamaal Charles starts left and then cuts back right. Leroy Hill and Lofa Tatupu bite on the motion left. Center Rudy Niswanger pulls to the second level and joins the line judge setting an impenetrable pick for Tatupu and Deon Grant. Hill is aligned over the developing right "B" gap, but when Charles hits the hole and emerges, Hill can only dive at his feet. Charles squares and starts up field. Tatupu tracks, but his angle is hopeless and when he dives for the tackle, he is no more effective than Brian Russell. Russell, attempting to plant, slips onto his butt, but, never the quitter, holds his arms out for the tackle. Tatupu and Russell collide with Tatupu sliding over Russell and Russell sliding under Tatupu. Charles cuts towards the center. Josh Wilson gets a hook on him, slows him and Grant completes the tackle. Just an ugly play all around.
2. The Chiefs run twice into the pile to set up third and seven. That's when Russell exacts his revenge.
1. When you're a critic, there's nothing better than writing a bad review. It's an excuse to be creative and, let's face it, insult comedy is great comedy. Plus, there's no pressure. I hate writing about Brian Russell. I could host a weekly roast and never run out of material. But roasts happen to the beloved. And bad reviews are funny because the review itself is good and the subject of the review avoided. Russell is like a 24 hour loop of moments in my life I've hit my head. Hard. If I describe the feeling, it's only to be sure I can still comprehend it.
Hill can flail and Tatupu can take a bad angle, but neither can completely eff up the one thing they are given credit for. Russell supporters will sometimes tell me he succeeds because we don't see him. Funny, I see him blow cover all the time.
3-7-SEA 10 (13:50) 4-T.Thigpen pass incomplete short right to 82-D.Bowe (21-K.Jennings).
KC: 2 WR (left), WR (right), TE (left), RB
Sea: 4-3 Over
Seattle debuts their pass rush line. From defensive left to right: Darryl Tapp, Cory Redding, Brandon Mebane and Patrick Kerney. The linebackers and secondary are in cover-2 man. Ken Lucas is assigned (I think) Ashley Lelie. Curry is assigned Bobby Engram. Tatupu, Sean Ryan. Hill, Charles. And, the pivotal matchup, Kelly Jennings is on Dwayne Bowe.
The line performs ably, crashing the pocket and getting good pressure from all sides even if no one player breaks into the backfield. Lucas, Curry and Tatupu pick up their assignments. Jennings does what he does well: Assuming man cover and not letting Bowe get separation, but this is a mismatch. Bowe is 221 and physical and likely to body-shield Jennings, or as Vincent Jackson did, jump on top of him. This is exactly why the Seahawks safeties are in a cover-2 shell.
When Bowe and Jennings run up the right sideline and into the end zone, Brian Russell doesn't react and provide deep cover, no he stands staring into the pocket a la Michael Boulware. It's only after the pass that he breaks on Bowe, and he's so far out of position that his contribution to Jennings' near pick is a little attaboy hop step from just beyond the goal line.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!
Jennings plays the ball for once and more importantly high-points it. His great position and timing put him in perfect position to pick it in the end zone, but his ball skills betray him. He doesn't snatch the ball but watch it smack him in the facemask and then luck into pinning it there. The motion is clumsy enough and the catch tenuous enough that any hope Jennings has cerebellum capacity remaining to drag his feet is lost. All reserves are keeping his heart pumping and his detrusor relaxed. He falls out of bounds to finish an incomplete pass.
Ryan Succop misses a chip shot. It's a Failurama and who is the kicker to make waves!?
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Comments
Absolutely!
I’m happy I wasn’t the only one that saw that crap. Russell whiffed on a couple of tackles and Josh Wilson could not get off of blocks…I also think Lofa has lost a serious step. These flaws will be exposed in the regular season I hate to say.
by Mr. Blache III on Sep 2, 2009 8:01 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
"These flaws will be exposed in the regular season I hate to say."
Somehow, I get the feeling that you really like saying it.
Brett Favre is the Kenny Powers of football.
by ninjasocks on Sep 2, 2009 8:35 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm hoping it's pre-season play
And they’re saving the fire for the regular season.
The demise of the Broncos in '09 is our future. Pray hard.
by Nick Andron on Sep 3, 2009 11:18 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I dislike Russel because he's so bad, so consistently,
that it’s not even that fun to make fun of him anymore. It’s like when you have a great in-joke with your friends, and then it gets played to death. His failings arn’t just a few big ones per game, but rather on an every play basis. It’s more a question of whether the rest of the team needs him to make a play. If they do, we’re in trouble.
The icing on the cake is that there are capacities in which he can play competently. But…ugh. Russel just depresses me.
by Fear on Sep 2, 2009 8:03 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
It's not funny at all because of how badly it screws the Seahawks on the field
I watched Russell fall over and flail as he bounced off a runner at the line. I can’t recall what series, but it was pathetic. How the coaches can consider Russell a solid safety in the back is beyond me.
Russell has lost it and it seems like no one on the Seahawks wants to see it.
by ASeahawkfan on Sep 3, 2009 1:22 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I was sitting next to a cool Chiefs fan at the game
I see Bowe matched up against Jennings, turn to him, and say, “Watch Bowe grab a TD over Jennings right here.” Sure enough, the Chiefs lob the ball towards Bowe, only to see Jennings actually make a play on the ball. The guy was suitably impressed that I had called the play (minus the TD of course), but honestly a blind squirrel could have called that play after seeing that mismatch on the outside.
"Why is it every time I need to get somewhere, we get waylaid by jackassery?" - Dr. Venture
by Eegah on Sep 2, 2009 8:27 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Last chance for these guys
Actually B-Russ’ chances ran out 2 seasons ago but since his grittiness and determination to be destructive is so valuable to this team that Timmay continues to keep him, but I digress. Either Russell gets off of his butt and ceases the following:
- Attempting a late hit (only allowed against Josh Brown)
- Whiffing on a late hit.
- Whiffing on a blitz.
- Being the anti-Usain Bolt (in other words, molasses slow).
- Tackling his own friggin teammates.
- Setting basketball-style picks on his linebacker teammates.
- Fueling the fiery rage that is John Morgan’s hatred for white people.
…..or face the chopping block. Pretty much the entire world agrees that he needs to be off the field. The part that doesn’t are the opposition every Sunday.
As for Jennings he’s finally playing the ball so that’s progress. He was our penalty haven last year for stupid holding calls, illegal contact, and PI because he stupidly plays the receiver and then runs into him.
But heading into his 4th year and getting 1 friggin interception (which was basically a duck thrown straight to him from Favre) does not offset the farcical tripping of thyself, getting best 1-on-1 consistently, and failing to defend even short passes consistently.
Either he shows up and proves himself worth the 1st round selection he was or get cut in 2010. I don’t have much patience for him anymore.
Beverly Hills 90210.......Denver Broncos 7.
by SSreporters on Sep 2, 2009 9:03 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
If he's this awful...
Why is he still starting? I presume that management sees the same problems John Morgan and you (and seemingly everyone) mention. I haven’t stumbled upon a bunch of Brian Russell apologists; is the drop-off from leagues worst safety to back-ups too big? Does Russell have compromising photos of the GM?
by aarendsvark on Sep 3, 2009 11:43 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Two points
1. Read this article – specifically the Brian Russell bit: http://www.fieldgulls.com/2009/2/9/753975/new-comment-and-fanpost-gu
2. Just because you’re starting, it doesn’t mean you’re not awful. Look at Charlie Frye last season! Could just mean the FO doesn’t see any upgrade in bringing in a free agent or starting Babs over him
by rex92 on Sep 3, 2009 5:09 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
2nd Qtr?
3-7-SEA 10 (13:50) 4-T.Thigpen pass incomplete short right to 82-D.Bowe (21-K.Jennings).
Early prospect watch: RB C.J. Spiller, QB Jevan Snead, OT Ciron Black, DT Gerald McCoy, S Eric Berry, DT Ndamukong Suh, CB Ras-I Dowling 6'2, 200, RB Jonathan Dwyer
by Misfit74 on Sep 2, 2009 9:05 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I have tickets for tomorrow's game...
…and I’m thinking of going as Zombie Brian Russell (I have the jersey – don’t ask). If I can get the pancake makeup and the black eyeliner, I’ll be taking bad angles at Raider fans in the the beer line all night. Keep an eye on the police blotter, because I might just make contact, because I’m not Brian Russell.
"Have a good time all the time" - Viv Savage, Spinal Tap
by HawksFanHernandez on Sep 2, 2009 9:52 PM PDT reply actions 3 recs
Sorry
I wasn’t aware we weren’t allowed to ask questions unrelated to the article. My mistake.
by Brendan Scolari on Sep 2, 2009 10:35 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
No problem.
It’s becoming a habit among posters and it needs to be reduced.
by John Morgan on Sep 2, 2009 11:23 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Alright
Won’t happen anymore.
by Brendan Scolari on Sep 2, 2009 11:32 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm glad you set the record straight for Tatupu
He may have bit left, but that tackle was nearly impossible to make at his angle in pursuit. Charles is fast. The knock on him is his fumbling according to the announcers. People were piling on Tatupu for that missed tackle. I watched that play again and Tatupu was out of position to make the tackle.
I guess Hill had the contain on that and lost his gap.
Russell is sad. I pray to the football gods that someone releases a decent safety when the 53 man cuts are made.
by ASeahawkfan on Sep 3, 2009 1:19 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
B Russ
has got to go…do you guys thiink Babs could be a solid replacement for him?
by Mr. Blache III on Sep 3, 2009 9:39 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
So, what is it that keeps Brian Russell a Seahawk?
Is it:
1) $ invested
2) Management Requirement
3) Talent at stopping the TD
4) Talent at getting secondary into position
5) Leadership
6) Lack of talent to replace Brain
It is what it is...
by kidder95 on Sep 3, 2009 10:15 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I think Russell has some intimidating
pictures. It sure isn’t football skills.
by Bodach on Sep 3, 2009 11:25 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Bobby Ayala
B-Russ must have naked photos of Jim Mora with him during every team meeting. Or maybe they’re photos of Mora helping Michael Vick “manage” his dogfighting operation.
You’d think we could find a better player to play that position. Anyone else ready for Taylor Mays?
by Section 128 on Sep 3, 2009 1:57 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

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