Walter Jones, Run Blocker

by Joshua Kasparek on Apr 13, 2011 8:01 PM PDT

There is a sentence that I hate that flies out of the mouthes of many seahawk fans. It's lazy and a slight to one the greatest football players to ever dawn pads. "The Seahawks can't run because Hutch left." It was weird, I used to defend Shaun after this argument sprouted, but I missed something I should have seen a while ago. Walter Jones did the most of any left tackle ever when it came to run blocks. He did more in key spots for the running game than anyone including myself ever seemed to notice.

I sat down with the Vikings vs Seahawks game from 2004. I wanted to have some fun and so I had planned to watch this and the Redskin playoff wins in which Darrell Jackson had lit it up. (I like Darrell Jackson, sue me.) Though this game, if it's remembered by hawk fanatics, it's often related to the strange Moss to Boulware interception.

However, something happened that I couldn't remember happening then. Steve Hutchinson was replaced in the Second half by Journeyman backup Jerry Wunsch. No injury is claimed or reported. He simply misses the entire second half. The Seahawks would go on to gain 112 yards in the second half on the ground. After only putting up 39 yards rushing in the first half. I watched in awe at how many times Wunsch executed plays to near perfect timing and somehow Walter's play always affected his.

My Jaw dropped on a power sweep play because I almost thought Hutch snuck back in the game,. but Walter had perfectly smashed his man down into the line as Wunsch pulled free on the sweep Shaun gained about eight on the play, but the execution was so well done I laughed. I laughed like an idiot. I laughed because Walter had dominated his man so smoothly the guy looked as if he were a dummy to be moved back into a supply closet.

Walter Jones has become the forgotten man in the Seahawks running game in favor of a flashy or gritty hutch who built his reputation on 240 pound linebackers and some blinside downfield pops on safeties that never even saw him coming. If we blame anyone for the decline of the power running game, blame father time and Walter's later career injuries. It's time we really see Walter as the complete dominating player he was, not just a ninja style pass protector. He was so much more.

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Great thoughts.

Thanks.

by stallz on Apr 14, 2011 9:29 PM PDT via mobile reply actions

I wonder how much of it was Holmgren's sheme

Of course, both Walt and Hutch are two of the greatest linemen of all time, but it’s funny how they developed their reputations. Walt was always the brick wall protecting Matt, and Hutch was the bruiser who pulled out and abused linebackers. Few people talk about Walt’s run-blocking (which you explained very well) or Hutch’s pass-blocking skills. It’s something I haven’t really thought of either, and I’d love to sit down with old tape and see how much Hutch was relied on in the pass-blocking scheme.

Then again, I’d love to sit down with old tape just to watch Walt and Hutch together, because that was fucking awesome.

Field Gulls

by Benne on Apr 14, 2011 10:26 PM PDT reply actions

Or, failing that, I may look at some Vikings games and see how Hutch was utilized in that offense.

Field Gulls

by Benne on Apr 14, 2011 10:27 PM PDT up reply actions

Hi my names Alexander_37

and I approve this message… mostly because I have been saying this forever but also because it’s very true. Hutch was a great player hell he still probably is ( so I don’t really follow his career anymore sue me.) Big Walt was just something else, It’s like comparing Jim Brown to Edge. Nothing wrong with edge but cmon.

by alexander_37 on Apr 15, 2011 11:47 PM PDT reply actions

BTW

How much swag did Mack Strong have back then ? It’s ok ill answer that for you all of it.

by alexander_37 on Apr 15, 2011 11:51 PM PDT reply actions

Mack Strong was a beast when crushing anything he squared up.

The best thing I ever heard on him was when Shaun said this line on him. “when I was behind Mack, I just had to listen to the sound of the hit to be able to tell how I should follow him.”

How hard was he hitting guys out there?

Also I noticed more and more watching the couple of other games I did that Shaun tended to try and find Walter when runs were stuffed. In his 200 yard game against the pack, Shaun tucked himself in behind walter several times.

by Joshua Kasparek on Apr 16, 2011 3:08 PM PDT up reply actions

I appreciate the opinion

But it was also one game, more specifically one half. Had the Redskins had more time to game plan for no Hutch, then they could have potentially lit up said journeymen. Also, it being the playoffs, tends to change things too. I definitely agree that a large chunk of the decline of the running game had to do with Walt’s age and injuries. However, if we’d have held onto Hutch, the run game likely would not have sharply declined and been as consistently awful as it was. As great as Walt was, it takes five guys to have an Offensive Line. Walt couldn’t block EVERYBODY.

Well, maybe he could, but not at that point in his career. Maybe just half the defense.

The biggest reason for the decline in the run game though was Shaun. Love him to death for what he did, but he just didn’t have it anymore after 2005-06.

I SELL HERP AND DERP ACCESSORIES!

by Blazer_Fan_Nick on Apr 19, 2011 4:56 AM PDT reply actions