Nate Burleson's Personal Three and Out

In between shots of Frank Gore toweling himself off, Seattle ran a drive.

• Steve Vallos and Rob Sims powered through Aubrayo Franklin and Edgerrin James had the space between the defensive ends for a hole. He took the ball and ran forward into the pile. It's limited snaps yet, but James has been a disappointment. He hits the hole if he can reach, but a rusher needs some kind of moves or at least cutting ability.
• John Owens motioned left to right, and the action worked, drawing Takeo Spikes out wide. John Carlson ran a obtuse angle-route that ended looking like a post. He got past Patrick Willis and that keyed Matt Hasselbeck to pass. Willis wasn't far though, and Michael Lewis was directly over top. The ball arrived to double coverage.
• Nate Burleson must have been the last option on this play. Free safety Dashon Goldson was matched against him in single cover, and Goldson all but ignored him. Burleson didn't quite jog his route, but he was looking back and slowing before Hasselbeck threw. If he hit the burners off the snap, he could have had single cover deep on the left. Hasselbeck may have never seen him. Hasselbeck maybe couldn't convert a pass deep left. The play might have been designed to target Carlson from the first, but Burleson must complete his route. If nothing else, a streaking Burleson draws the attention of the deep safety. If Burleson sold his route, maybe Lewis wouldn't have sold out on Carlson's route.
• Burleson began running before the catch and dropped the pass on a wide receiver screen to end the drive. After flashing prime ability in Seattle's opener, Burleson again looks like a great talent no closer to being a competent receiver.