Game Ball of the Week: Chris Clemons

by Danny Kelly on Sep 27, 2011 9:10 AM PDT

This week's gameball is going to Chris Clemons. Three tackles, four assists, one sack, three tackles for a loss, one quarterback hit, and one pass defensed. That's a pretty good line for a guy that the Seahawks need to be disruptive. The way this defense works and is designed, the trio of Red Bryant, Brandon Mebane, and Alan Branch aren't going to get a ton of pressure on the quarterback. You'd like to think that they can, at times, collapse the pocket, but what we've seen thus far is that QB pressure will have to come on blitzes and from the weakside edge, in this case - Chris Clemons.

Clemons showed up most prominently in the fourth quarter, with the game coming down to the line. He stopped the run, he got pressure on Kevin Kolb, sacking him once and nearly ripping his head clean off, and he batted down a pass (which he almost intercepted for what surely would have been a pick six).

He did what Pete Carroll is hoping to get out of the LEO end in this hybrid, unbalanced defense.

I've seen several outlets name Chris Clemons the Seahawks' best player. I don't necessarily think that's true but when Clemons gets in the zone like he did on Sunday, the Seahawks' defense works a LOT better. Here's to hoping the Hawks can keep him so involved and dial up the pressure more like they did on Sunday.

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Great plays from warriors like Clemons and Defense.

by seahawk on Sep 27, 2011 9:47 AM PDT reply actions

Looks like Clemons is starting to fire on all cylinders

And the ankle issues are behind him

by Redzone59 on Sep 27, 2011 10:22 AM PDT via mobile reply actions

I didn't see the game to discuss your article... but FUCK THAT GEICO AD RIGHT IN THE EAR

Seems to be able to get past my adblock somehow, and choked up loading the page by a good ten seconds. Lovely.

by djafrot on Sep 27, 2011 10:49 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs

Clemons for Tapp was actually a pretty good trade for both sides involved.

by StealthHawk on Sep 27, 2011 10:50 AM PDT via mobile reply actions

Ah, if we could only go back to our reactions when that trade occurred.

“TAPP?!?! DOES THIS NEW REGIME HAVE NO RESPECT FOR GOOD PLAYERS?!”
“Clemons hasn’t done anything, ever, what are we thinking?”

by Stay Off the Flowers on Sep 27, 2011 11:01 AM PDT up reply actions

Tapp is a good deal younger than Clemons, and more versatile.

Clemons’ game is based on speed – he could fall off the map faster than some DE’s. He’s only really useful in our scheme as well, so should Pete & Co. leave he probably won’t be around.

This defense is also oriented to get Clemons sacks, so if he produces numbers and the defense still sucks, it wasn’t a good plan.

He’s fun to watch running around, though. Quick.

by djafrot on Sep 27, 2011 11:06 AM PDT up reply actions

At the time it looked like Clemons was a throw in and the main piece was the fifth round pick.

We were wrong, there’s not doubt about that, but I don’t believe for a second any of the people that disagreed with us were disagreeing because they expected Clemons to perform like this.

by Nate Dogg on Sep 27, 2011 12:20 PM PDT up reply actions

Well put. I definitely was wrong.

Mostly wrong about how well Tapp would develop in Philly.

Head of catering.

by jacobstevens on Sep 27, 2011 12:25 PM PDT up reply actions

How is Tapp doing in Philly, BTW?

I haven’t kept up much on the Eagles lately.

by TMann_2 on Sep 27, 2011 12:43 PM PDT up reply actions

He was inactive for last game

other than that I don’t know.

by Jazzercise! on Sep 27, 2011 12:53 PM PDT up reply actions

He was injured

He fills a nice niche in that rotation. He had a pretty minor role in 2010 though, I think they wanted to expand on it but he’s been hobbled by injuries.

Baseball isn't played because it's *interesting*. Baseball is played because without darkness we would not appreciate the light: without sorrow, we would not appreciate joy. Baseball makes us savour life and reminds us to treasure every second we have on this beautiful planet, because such moments may never come again. Baseball is played, my dear friend, because without it we would not appreciate the time we don't have to play baseball.

by Thomas Beekers on Sep 27, 2011 12:56 PM PDT up reply actions

Has anyone done an analysis on...

…former Seahawks still knocking around on NFL rosters. Other names that have cropped up recently include Nick Reed (cue 4,000 posts on this thread) and Logan Payne.

by Brunanburh on Sep 28, 2011 1:05 AM PDT up reply actions

I don't think it's worth a lot of analysis. What's done is done.

No? Yes?

by Thomas Beekers on Sep 28, 2011 3:56 AM PDT up reply actions

Jason Babin was a monster last year

tricking the Iggles into overpaying.

Tatupu is still without a job :(

by Stay Off the Flowers on Sep 28, 2011 4:35 AM PDT up reply actions

He forced a fumble on Sam Bradford.

As for the Seahawks, they shall have stars at elbow and foot...Though they sink through the sea they shall rise again...Death shall have no dominion.

by Cheddar28 on Sep 27, 2011 1:47 PM PDT up reply actions

Lest we not forget the contributions of Steve Hauschka...

He hit a 50+ yard FG at the end of the second points that got us some sorely needed points.

by Kingdomer on Sep 27, 2011 11:06 AM PDT reply actions

Not that I thought he was better than Clemons overall

But thank god he came through.

by Kingdomer on Sep 27, 2011 11:11 AM PDT up reply actions

Good point -- that field goal was clutch and huge

I am still somewhat baffled by kickoff distance from these kickers. We move the tee forward to the 35 yard line this year, and they still can’t put the ball in the end zone on the kickoff? The same guys that are booting 50 yard field goals into tiny goalpost windows 10 feet off the ground?

Maybe it is intentional special team coaching instructions to kick it high to pin opponents inside the 20, rather than a touchback on the 20, but with our special teams coverage this year, that would seem…reckless and foolish. Seems a long, low driving kick through the end zone would be safer and more efficient.

by IslandHawk on Sep 27, 2011 12:15 PM PDT up reply actions

True when we have injuries

But I like to (deludedly) think that it is because we feel that when ST is firing on all cylinders, we’ll risk the highly occassional Ginn-type return in order to pin the offence/force turnovers. Plus it’s a damn sight more exciting than than a constant stream of touchbacks, even if it means watching from behind your fingers….

by JohnnyLondon on Sep 27, 2011 12:23 PM PDT up reply actions

Hehe -- I like that: "watching from behind your fingers..."

I personally hold my breath when we kickoff (followed by a stream of expletives if we have our usual poor coverage, missed tackles, etc.)

Sure wish our coverage teams were less….“exciting”, but I guess that is to be expected with the youth and injuries. But I still would like to see us go for the kick/touch back until we get a bit more reasonable in coverage of the returners.

by IslandHawk on Sep 27, 2011 1:07 PM PDT up reply actions

Now if we can just get him to boot the ball through the endzone

by GnarlyHawk on Sep 27, 2011 6:45 PM PDT up reply actions

Good call on Clemons.

Dude was everywhere and he’s playing the run as well. More fundamentally sound perhaps, in terms of containment? More than “just a Leo”?

by vertigoman on Sep 27, 2011 11:20 AM PDT via mobile reply actions

As awesome as he was last year, I had kind of forgotten how fun he can be.

He kicked ass on Sunday, he’s the kind of guy that your eye naturally gravitates to when he’s playing like that.

by Nate Dogg on Sep 27, 2011 12:22 PM PDT reply actions

A shout could easily be made for Sidney

Gave us something to get genuinely excited about on offence for a change. Once we work out how to get BMW into the game (please), we might manage to get rolling and improve on our status of only looking over our shoulder at the whiners as the worst offence in the NFL, though I can take some comfort in knowing it is them.

by JohnnyLondon on Sep 27, 2011 12:29 PM PDT reply actions

I feel bugged by this unbalanced defense.

An NFL quarterback seems like he needs a pocket to survive, and I don’t see a defense predicated on weakside pressure and blitzing as something that will disrupt the pocket. Clemons got plenty of sacks last year and it didn’t really help things.

http://17power.blogspot.com

by Brandon8 on Sep 27, 2011 12:29 PM PDT reply actions

And despite the good start for Clemons and Brock

it’s still far from a sure thing that they finish the season just as strong.

Bryant should be a specialist, not a starter. A specialist that starts against teams like the 9ers, Steelers & Falcons unless they come out with a non-standard package to start. I am fine with the unbalanced line except for that. I know the 2nd pressure position is the other end, but I think the problem just stems from the 3-tech position not providing pressure. Which is a symptom of the big-man fixation of the FO, which I suppose is inseparable from why they’re going with the unbalanced line. But I’m still fine with it.

Head of catering.

by jacobstevens on Sep 27, 2011 12:34 PM PDT up reply actions

I'd like to point out that Chris Clemons has never really been a liability against the run

and on Sunday I even saw a good stop made for about no gain that wasn’t even his gap responsibility.

We worried he might be detrimental against the run. In fact the main thing that was done to hurt our run defense has been to counter size with volume on the strong side. They move a guy to get to the edge faster, and when they can hold the point the strong side is basically fully blocked and those that aren’t are slower to cover. Hasn’t happened a ton but it’s the one sure scheme weakness I’ve seen, and that comes from the heaviness of the strong-side, not the lightness of the weak side.

Clemons doesn’t talk with the media, but he’s one of the leaders on the defense, it’s apparent by his interaction with others in the front 7. Possibly the leader, at the moment.

Head of catering.

by jacobstevens on Sep 27, 2011 12:30 PM PDT reply actions

That move to the inside

on that run play was pretty good the tackle completely wiffed and Clemons was right there for the stop.

by Jazzercise! on Sep 27, 2011 12:55 PM PDT up reply actions

Tony Hargrove and that Clinton trade for Jennings

clearly added more naturally sized 3-tech tackles with strengths in rushing. Hargrove rotates in on third downs to add inside quickness on the line, he saw loads of time on the field in true rush situations against both the steelers and cardinals

by Joshua Kasparek on Sep 27, 2011 3:20 PM PDT up reply actions

Yes, you're right.

They were good pickups, and Hargrove should get more playing time.

Head of catering.

by jacobstevens on Sep 27, 2011 4:01 PM PDT up reply actions

D-Fense

Our D-line pressure on the QB Kolb, besides Kam’s interception, was the only thing that saved our asses in that game . Our D-Line is pretty Gangster. However our pass coverage of the flats, mid field and our Corners are a opponent offensive target .

Our Offensive Line and QB is Retarded. We kept throwing the same play to Rice and it worked Hahaha. An unfortunately I doubt Bevel will bench his boy T-Jax anytime soon. >:p

by HawkO'War on Sep 27, 2011 12:59 PM PDT reply actions

It's staggering how good he is at home compared to on the road.

He looked like he had nothing in Pittsburgh and SF.

by Fumanchuchu on Sep 27, 2011 1:11 PM PDT reply actions

I don't know, Clemons had a great game, but I can't help but think...

…that ET was the guy on Sunday. Again, flying all over the field, making plays in the passing game and behind the line of scrimmage. Maybe he blew some assignments (I am not qualified to say) but hardly a defensive snap without him on the screen, somewhere (or so it seemed).

In any case, the defense played lights out, and it was fun to watch.

About the 2011 Seahawks: "And if I laugh at any mortal thing, tis that I may not weep." Byron

by Hawksince77 on Sep 27, 2011 1:24 PM PDT reply actions