Seahawks Depth Chart: Defense
by John Morgan
on Jun 29, 2008 4:03 PM PDT
in Everything You Need To Know
Defense/Offense
Safety |
Safety |
 |
 |
Russell Babineaux |
Grant CJ Jordan Babineaux |
Cornerback |
Back |
Cornerback |
||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Jennings Josh Wilson Jordan Babineaux |
Babineaux Kevin Hobbs Rich Gardner |
Peterson Leroy Hill |
Tatupu Peterson |
Hill Will Herring Lance Laury |
Wilson Jordan Babineaux Kevin Hobbs |
Trufant Kelly Jennings Josh Wilson |
DE |
DT |
DT |
DE |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Tapp |
Mebane Howard Green |
Bernard Marcus Craig Terrill |
Kerney Baraka Atkins |
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What Can Go Wrong: Injuries
by John Morgan
on Jun 19, 2008 4:18 PM PDT
in Analysis
I don’t know what the average number of injuries, their severity and to what positions is typical for an NFL team, or even if that information would be informative. I do know that when a team suffers an injury to a starter, their replacement is usually worse. So when I say that the Seattle Seahawks were abnormally lucky with injuries in 2007, it’s not because I know that they suffered fewer or less severe injuries than should be expected. It’s because when the team lost Chuck Darby, Shaun Alexander and Mack Strong, each was replaced with a superior player. We cannot expect a similar turn of fortune in 2008.
Predicting injuries can be dicey. Older players are typically more susceptible to injury than younger players, but certain members of Seattle’s geriatric have an out. Walter Jones is a future Hall of Famer whose play, ability to protect his body and resulting excellent and consistent health is alike his enshrined peers. Matt Hasselbeck has enjoyed good health most of his career, and the injuries that commonly befall quarterbacks are decidedly of the freak, unpredictable type. As for the rest…
Rocky Bernard: Turned 29 April 19, Bernard is not “old” for a defensive tackle. He has a lengthy recent history of minor injuries. Bernard missed the final two games of 2007, but mostly as a precaution. In the past two seasons, Bernard has transitioned from a quick single-gap tackle to more of a run stuffing two-gap tackle. That’s not unlike “old player skills” in baseball.
My Guess: Will miss time, could suffer lingering ineffectiveness.
DT Depth: Excellent
Bobby Engram: Engram is an old 35, having turned 35 before Seattle’s season even ended. Engram enjoyed/endured a career high in receptions in 2007. The last time he surpassed 70 receptions in a season (1999), he played only three games the following season. Good overall health most of his career, he’s missed time in only 6 of 13 seasons.
My Guess: Will miss significant time in 2008.
WR Depth: Poor
Patrick Kerney: He doesn’t turn 32 until December 30. Kerney missed 7 games in 2006 after suffering a torn right pectoral muscle tackling tight end Steve Heiden—the only 7 games Kerney has missed throughout his career. Only 12 injury mentions in 9 year career, Kerney is known for his excellent conditioning and health.
My Guess: Will not miss time.
DE Depth: Very Good
Julian Peterson: It’s hard to believe he will turn 30 July 28. Peterson is among the most athletic players in the NFL. He missed 11 games in 2004 after tearing his Achilles tendon and was visibly slowed in 2005. Peterson plays a little fast and loose, sometimes putting his body in dangerous spots.
My Guess: Should age gracefully, could miss significant time.
LB depth: Very Poor
Brian Russell: Russell turned 30 two days after the Giants won the Super Bowl. Both facts are a little hard to believe. Russell entered the league in 2001, having none of the tools that get a player drafted, much less invited to the combine. But unlike so many fast, quick, muscular busts, Russell has parlayed a good work ethic and some football savvy into a respectable career. Unfortunately, when age hits the tools, the tool-less are especially crippled. Russell’s extremely conservative play might spare him excess wear and opportunities for injury, but should Russell get hurt, he could quickly slide into an Alexandrian late-career black hole. Non-contact, running strains, like hamstring or groin pulls, could be enough make Russell a true liability.
My Guess: Should avoid injury; can’t afford not to.
S Depth: Average
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Seahawks News Omnibus: Oh Rocky!
by Stencil
on Jun 16, 2008 4:12 PM PDT
Bernard Sacks the Justice System
"This represents him taking responsibility for what happened and taking steps to make sure it never happens again," said Jon Scott Fox, Bernard's attorney. "He really wants to put this behind him at this time."
If I remember correctly, "what happened" involved punching a young woman's head into a pane of glass.
Bernard's case will be dismissed if he abides by some pretty softball stipulations:
The order of continuance in Bernard's case stipulates he cannot have any criminal law violations for two years, he must comply with the terms of a no-contact order regarding the victim in this case. He must complete a domestic-violence treatment program and cannot possess any weapons. He also will undergo a drug-and-alcohol evaluation and comply with any treatment recommendations. He also must pay $400 in court costs.
No weapons? Damn. And he can't have any criminal violations for two years? Shoot, quite an achievement. In the immortal words of Chris Rock "What'ch you want? A cookie?"
In less depressing news, John Morgan did a podcast at Dynasty Rogues Radio talking about certain Seahawks fantasy prospects. In Troll speak, he's drinking the Julius Jones and John Carlson Kool-Aid. Hmmm...incapacitating.
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Three Definitive Observations From The 2007 Season
by John Morgan
on May 18, 2008 12:58 PM PDT
in Analysis
3. Big Man/little man
Seattle has two basic tackle configurations, Brandon Mebane and Rocky Bernard, their Big Man unit, and Craig Terrill and Howard Green, their little man unit. The following two lists are of all runs, 1st quarter to the start of the 4th quarter.
Big Man: 8S, 6F (FF), 4S, 7S, 2F, 15 S (FD), 3F, 6S, 0F, 4F, 43S (FD)
little man: 4S, 7S, 26S (FD), 3S (FD), 24S (FD), -1F, 10S (FD)
The Big Men weren't exactly kicking butt, but a 60% success rating allowed is considerably better than the little men could muster. The 15 and 41 yards runs were both off left end. Hardly the tackles' fault. Both of the long runs allowed by the little men were up the gut. The little man group allowed 86% of all rushes to be successful. They were thrown from the line, and, with few exceptions, did more to screen their own linebackers than anything that slowed Ryan Grant. In the Divisional Round of the playoffs, you'd think fixing the tackle rotation so that your pass rushing package was only on the field on obvious passing downs would be a pretty high priority - especially when they were clearly a liability against the run. But, nope, they were out for all sorts of down and distance combinations, and nothing changed after the half.
Why It Matters: When appreciating Mebane and Bernard, one must consider their contributions as part of a rotation. Both were strong in 2007, but both undoubtedly benefitted from regular rest. Seattle’s little man unit was an ongoing weakness that was severely exposed against the Packers. Much of the praise for Green is built on one play. Thorough examination reveals him as a big body that plays small, without much in the way of one gap skills. Serviceable depth that may experience a peak in the “good” range. Terrill is a one gap situational pass rusher. Neither should have sniffed the field on anything resembling a rushing play, but the Hawks lacked a better duo to spell their starters.
Going Forward: Seattle’s one tech (in Seattle’s system, the one tech is Mebane’s spot, its job is twofold, force double teams and get into the backfield) rotation is now Mebane/Red Bryant/Bernard. Seattle’s three tech (almost exclusively, get into the backfield, get to the ball carrier) rotation is Bernard/Marcus Tubbs/Lawrence Jackson. There no longer is a “little man” unit, just unrelenting big, punishing badasses.
2. Unsafe At Any Speed
Why It Matters: Alexander tallied 100 yards on 21 carries against the Bengals. 1/5th of that was a 20 yard rush with 49 seconds remaining, the Bengals without timeouts and anything short of a fumble a successful play. Nevertheless, most fans would consider this among Alexander’s best showings in the last two years. At his best, against a mediocre (at best) Bengals rush defense, minus every starting linebacker – to the point where bowtie salesman Dhani Jones was their leading tackler – Alexander was just barely good enough to be bad. Factor in his pass blocking and pass receiving and you have one of the five worst players in the NFL.
Going Forward: As much as I root for a committee backfield, if Julius Jones doesn’t receive 60%+ of the carries I’ll be shocked. Holmgren does what he does and when he can, he rides his primary rusher with a vengeance. Isolating the play of an individual player is one of the greater failings of statistical analysis in the NFL. That said, Jones was barely better than Alexander in DPAR and worse in success rate. Whatever he did in Dallas, from his second coming of Emmitt entrance to his vanishing act finale, he needs only to be league average to be so much better than Alexander it’s startling. I trust he can be that; in a blocking scheme fit to his skill set, I think he can be so much more.
1. Throwing Down, Stepping Out
We're lucky to have this guy.
Why It Matters: I’ll admit it, I’ve long thought Tatupu was a little overrated. And I’m a Lakers fan. There, it’s all out there. When Seattle drafted Tatupu in 2005, he immediately assumed the middle linebacker duties and that team went on a miracle run, powered by an out of nowhere defensive renaissance, too much of the credit was channeled through Tats. Members of the media tend to speak out of both sides of their mouths, yakking about football being the ultimate team sport one minute before applauding the play of some superstar face the second. Leroy Hill, Bryce Fisher, Marcus Tubbs, Rocky Bernard – great seasons each, and each as important to that defense as Tatupu. In 2006, despite jacking his tackle totals, Tatupu did not deserve to play in the Pro Bowl. He spent entirely too much time lost in traffic. His pass rushing skills vanished. He was a good, but by no means a top MLB. Both deficiencies stemmed from one vital failing, an inability to fight off blockers. Scouts gleefully chortled at his struggles, having predicted his size and strength would forever limit his play in the pros. Then, they might have been right. Then.
Going Forward: It’s one play, but indicative of total growth. Tats was never destined to “break out” like less polished, but larger, longer and more athletic players. That doesn’t mean he wasn’t going to develop. Tatupu added vital strength between 2006 and 2007. Where he once was forever moving towards the ball carrier, even if he never arrived, in 2007 he destroyed plays before they could ever develop. He moved through and over blockers. In 2006, Tatupu recorded a 61% Stop Rate on run plays, his average tackle 4.2 yards past the line of scrimmage. In 2007, Tatupu recorded a 70% Stop Rate on run plays, his average tackle just 2.05 yards past the line of scrimmage. That’s not hype, that’s year one of the best middle linebacker in the NFL.
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