Coffee and Cigarettes: Seahawks Links for Thursday

by Danny Kelly on Oct 27, 2011 5:00 AM PDT in Coffee and Cigarettes

Seattle Seahawks news, rumors, info, interviews, analysis -- from around the interwebs.

Attacking "Psycho" fronts and other blitz heavy defensive looks | Smart Football
When asked earlier this season how he would describe the current trend in modern defenses, New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton summed it up in one word: "confusion."

Re-Focused: Seahawks @ Browns, Week 7 | ProFootballFocus.com
A game that was called "hard to watch" by many with a fair amount of struggle; but don’t let the score fool you. There were plenty of fine and not-so-fine performances to be had with most of the fine ones coming on the defensive side of the ball.

All "Had a Bad Day" Team – Week 7 | ProFootballFocus.com
Tight End: Anthony McCoy, Seahawks (-3.7) Ten yards on four balls thrown his way, with two dropped passes. Oh, and he gave up a sack and a hit. He’s having the kind of season that makes you wonder why he’s on the field as much as he is.

The one matchup I want to see on Sunday | National Football Post
And the one matchup I want to see (and hope to get) on Sunday night is CB Nnamdi Asomugha vs. WR Dez Bryant. NFC East football with the Cowboys at Eagles in primetime. Here’s what I am looking for…

Quick hitters from Carroll … | Seahawks Insider
On the injury front, Tarvaris Jackson, Zach Miller, Marshawn Lynch and Max Unger all participated in Wednesday morning walkthroughs. Carroll made it sound as if all of them had good chances of getting back by game time. "We’ll work to bring him back," he said of Jackson. And of Lynch: "I think he’s gonna be fine for this game." Charlie Whitehurst also will get work at quarterback as well, though.

Brock and Salk - Blu - Podcasts - MyNorthwest.com
Why did no NFL teams show up to Terrell Owen's workout? How do the Seahawks generate a rushing attack against Cincinnati? How many quarterbacks will be picked in the first two rounds of the 2012 draft?

10/26: Don't blame Bevell for Seahawks' offensive woes - Blog - MyNorthwest.com
In Tuesday's Wrap Up video, Brock Huard explains why first-year coordinator Darrell Bevell and his play-calling shouldn't be blamed for that offensive ineptitude.

DOUG FARRAR: No Huddle Offense | Ian Furness - Seattle's live and local sports station
This particular piece is more about football philosophy than any specific scheme, so there isn’t the diagram you’ll usually see as we go through the season. Instead, I wanted to talk about the no-huddle offense in a general NFL sense, and kind of spread the concept out from just how the Seahawks use it. We know that the home team is employing it more and more over the last few weeks, and to greater success. But the trend is spreading around the league as the Seahawks are picking up on the idea, and that’s where you can see different concepts and how they are executed.

Chalk Talk: Seahawks miss scoring chance vs. Browns - Blog - MyNorthwest.com
The Seahawks had their chances to find the end zone during Sunday's 6-3 loss to the Browns. In this week's edition of Chalk Talk, Brock Huard breaks down one of those chances -- a second-and-goal play they ran while trailing 3-0 in the third quarter.

10/25: No, it's not time for third-string QB Josh Portis - Blog - MyNorthwest.com
Brock Huard and Mike Salk agree that while Charlie Whitehurst looked awful in Sunday's loss to the Browns, those calling for third-string quarterback Josh Portis need to reconsider.

Seahawks lost on offense, seek rhythm | Seattle Seahawks - The News Tribune
Pete Carroll knew something was wrong with his offense on the first series against Cleveland on Sunday. After the Seattle Seahawks converted two first downs on the opening drive by using the no-huddle offense, four penalties and a sack pushed the team back to its 18-yard line. Running back Justin Forsett mustered 6 yards on a draw on third-and-31, but Seattle was forced to punt.

Bengals RB Scott gets first start in 2 years, filling in for suspended Benson in Seattle - The Washington Post
Bernard Scott has waited two years to get this chance. The shifty running back will be featured in the Cincinnati Bengals’ offense Sunday in Seattle. Scott takes over for starter Cedric Benson, who has been suspended one game for violating the NFL’s conduct policy.

Seahawks | Seahawks back to basics after no-huddle offense went nowhere fast in Cleveland | Seattle Times Newspaper
The Seahawks lost their offensive rhythm just like they found it. In a hurry.

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Comments

We've run "psycho" fronts plenty

Though I’m not sure I want to just adopt the Saints’ name for that ill-defined defensive formation.

Formerly knows as Vasilii, follow me on twitter @dolgorukii

by Thomas Beekers on Oct 27, 2011 5:42 AM PDT reply actions

Are you gonna do a post on the defensive scheme (and your issues with it)

I think I know some of the basics, assuming you’re in basic agreement with Morgan. Namely, you see the scheme as privileging run defense way over pass defense.

My question to you (and it’s a real question) is:

To what extent do you see the front office scheming around a) a possible market inefficiency (Red Bryant, Alan Branch types who are neither “pure” 3-4 DEs or noseguards), and b) limited pass rush talent on hand (or in the market)?

Or, do you see this scheme as the front office seriously undervaluing pass rush talent?

"Those who fear disorder more than injustice inevitably produce more of both." -- Rev. William Coffin

by dcrockett17 on Oct 27, 2011 5:51 AM PDT up reply actions

There's actually a post scheduled later today on our defensive matchup strengths

I’m not doing anything as indepth as Morgan’s picking it apart was, because I don’t have his football chops and do not think I could as accurately pick it apart. I shared his misgivings but also noted a lot of them weren’t as important as I’d feared as 2010 progressed. Right now I think most people would agree that our gimmicky, unbalanced front really isn’t our defense’s biggest problems, lack of experience and talent at cornerback is the biggest problem we have and a major cause for the imbalance.

I don’t think our scheme is quite as far out there as some might think. Clemons is still more an end than just a linebacker playing end. That said, when Clemons lines up at the 9-tech I could swear I was looking at a Phillips 3-4, which is great because the Phillips 3-4 is probably my favorite scheme in the current NFL.

Your question would be a good one to pose to Enyeart if he’s doing a mailbag again, he’s better positioned to answer it. I can really only speculate, but my speculation isn’t that this FO undervalues pass rushing talent. It’s more that this FO saw almost nothing but holes in the roster they inherited, and you can’t address every position at the same time, especially if there’s a dearth of talent available. They did a great job finding a way to utilize Bryant (well brill) and then scheming pass pressure. I like Clemons and Brock, but I definitely feel their production is more scheme than talent-based. And it’s not enough, which isn’t surprising because this FO has yet to address the defensive line in any serious way (other than re-signing Mebane), so it’s still basically a line filled with scrubs and filler, much like most of the 2010 roster was.

I think the way they approach Bryant’s contract will be telling. If they let him walk we could revert to a more traditional 4-3. If they look to re-sign him we’re either sticking with this scheme or possibly switching to a (Phillips) 3-4 (though I don’t think a scheme fix is advisable two years into a rebuild).

Formerly knows as Vasilii, follow me on twitter @dolgorukii

by Thomas Beekers on Oct 27, 2011 6:30 AM PDT up reply actions

I've got 2 ideas on the FO and their ideas on pass-rushing talent

(1) I think Brandon Graham might have been on our radar with the 1.14 pick in 2010, as the Eagles moved up ahead of us to grab him. If you’re going to rebuild a franchise and you have 2 first round picks, what would you pick: a OT and a DE or an OT and FS? I know Pete likes his safeties and ET is awesome but a franchise pass-rusher is probably more of a building block than a franchise FS.

(2) It’s possible that one role of LEO position (and the unbalanced DL) is to utilize pass-rushing talent that is undervalued by pure 3-4 or 4-3 fronts. There aren’t enough 4-3 DEs to go around and many undersized college DEs have trouble transitioning into ROLBs, so there is a market inefficiency that can be exploited there.

(The second point may contract the first one.)

by Greetings from the Lord Humongous! on Oct 27, 2011 9:46 AM PDT up reply actions

The Seahawks war room was high fiving when the Eagles picking Brandon Graham

Because they were deadly afraid the Eagles would pick ET. Pete believes in FS as a foundational player, and in the modern NFL he’s not wrong.

Your second point is what dcrockett indicated, yes.

Formerly knows as Vasilii, follow me on twitter @dolgorukii

by Thomas Beekers on Oct 27, 2011 10:31 AM PDT up reply actions

I think I've heard that story about the ET pick before and forgot it

by Greetings from the Lord Humongous! on Oct 27, 2011 11:15 AM PDT up reply actions

*contradict

by Greetings from the Lord Humongous! on Oct 27, 2011 11:14 AM PDT up reply actions

Thanks Beeks

I’ll pose the question to Enyeart now for his next mailbag.

"Those who fear disorder more than injustice inevitably produce more of both." -- Rev. William Coffin

by dcrockett17 on Oct 27, 2011 1:55 PM PDT up reply actions

Also I wish I could express in words how much I dislike PFF's grading system

But whenever I try I am struck by apoplexy.

Formerly knows as Vasilii, follow me on twitter @dolgorukii

by Thomas Beekers on Oct 27, 2011 5:44 AM PDT reply actions

Is that a pic of Richard Sherman with a pick?

Did I miss that?

Ka-Kaaa!

by JerryNice on Oct 27, 2011 8:47 AM PDT reply actions

preseason... might be a punt return.

Field Gulls
Follow @FieldGulls

by Danny Kelly on Oct 27, 2011 8:50 AM PDT up reply actions

That didn't go so well from what I remember...

Ka-Kaaa!

by JerryNice on Oct 27, 2011 10:16 AM PDT up reply actions

Mobile viewing issues.

I don’t know where to post this but here will have to do. I view Fieldgulls exclusively on my phone and it has always been great (except of course the inability to rec), but as of yesterday there are no subject lines. I thought for a moment we had gone in a horrible direction and had banned subject lines. Much to my relief it was just the mobile version of Fieldgulls, but what gives. The regular version of the site is a bit ad intensive to view regularly on my phone, but for now that’s what I’ll do.
I just wanted the staff to be aware.

by brugg on Oct 27, 2011 9:10 AM PDT reply actions