Potential For a Resurgent Passing Offense

Raise your hand if, back in May, you had Mike Williams and/or Deion Branch sitting atop the depth chart heading into early September.  Branch has always been a known entity- unrealized potential and injured too often.  Watching Saturday's game on NFL Network's tape delay was encouraging*.  I did not have a chance to DVR the game but the highlight package on Seahawks.com contains two plays that stood out in my mind.

 Watch Highlights Here.

 2:38 Mark- Seahawks are lined up in an offset I with the FB positioned left and Carlson next to Locklear.  At the snap Hasslebeck gives a half-hearted play action motion to the RB, who with the FB immediately runs at Jared Allen for a backfield double team.  Wrotto turns inside which effectively creates a 5-on-3 situation for Seattle's line against the Williams Wall and Ray Edwards.  MAX PROTECT.  Both Wideouts and Carlson run vertical patterns.  Deion Branch runs 4 yards, gives a step toward the right sideline for a quick out, then crosses back over(sans basketball) which leaves Antoine Winfield stumbling with broken ankles.  John Carlson runs right past LB Chad Greenway who was momentarily frozen by the play action.  Carlson then angles in on a post route.  BMW on the left does not gain separation but occupies both the corner and safety on his side.  With Carlson and Branch both beyond the right corner and all LB's, the safety must choose between them.  He chooses Carlson and Hasslebeck hits Branch in stride 20 yards downfield.  Branch has room to run for 20 more before the Vikings close in.

 Why did this play look so easy?  The Viking LB's were encased in cement for some reason, and I refuse to believe it was all because of the play action.  Branch made Winfield look bad and the pass pro was adequate.  Matt's throw was closer to 30 yards from his drop, and it appears he has just enough left in the tank for mid-range passing.  The were significant holes in the Vikings cover 2 on this play.

3:26 Mark- Seattle runs another play action with both backfield mates again running at Jared Allen for pass pro.  The formation was in tight with the receivers stacked on the right side and Carlson close in on the left.  The Vikings LB's this time drop much quicker into the 2nd level but Williams is able to find a hole over them but underneath the safetys on a crossing route.  Hasslebeck hits him on his left hip, which BMW catches easily and in the same second plants and redirects in front of a Viking with too much momemtum carrying him the opposite direction. ATHLETICISM.  Williams jukes another defender towards the left sideline and then powers for 5 more yards with 3 of them wrapped around him.  Once again, max protect with enough time, receivers fast enough to get beyond the LB's, and Hasslebeck with great precision and just enough zip to sling it downfield.  

John was right.  Williams might be the sleeper of the year.  Welcome back vertical passing game.  We missed you. 

*The NFL Network broadcast was by the Viking commentators.  Their color analyst was fairly bland and couldn't praise Antoine Winfield enough.  Apparently Winfield is one of the best corners in the league and is the toughest pound for pound.  I do not entirely disagree, but those accolades did not stop Hasslebeck from targeting Housh for a 10 yard curl route in front of Winfield, followed by Branch's absolute destruction.  Just sayin'.