Coffee & Cigarettes: Seahawks links for Thursday

Thursday, y'all.

Cordarrelle Patterson still intriguing, exciting and concerning " Seahawks Draft Blog
Cordarrelle Patterson is a real head scratcher. Let’s start with the positives… Elite size (6-3) and speed (could run a 4.3). Patterson looks the part of a true difference maker. In his first and likely only year at Tennessee, he set the SEC single-season record for combined kick=off and punt return yards at 27.6 per-attempt. His kick-off return average of 28 yards per-attempt ranks second all-time in the SEC for a single-season. He set a new school record for all-purpose yards in a season with 1,858. His 154.8 all-purpose yards per game led the SEC and ranked in the top-20 in the nation.

Seahawks prepared for a ‘depth’ draft? " Seahawks Draft Blog
Whatever happens during the rest of this season, the Seahawks have a lot of key positions tied up. Quarterback, running back, left tackle and cornerback – four of the most important positions where the Seahawks have some of the best young talent in the NFL.

Pete Carroll's former USC players now emerging for Seahawks - SB Nation Seattle
Carroll's draft picks from USC paying dividends as Malcolm Smith, Anthony McCoy and Mike Morgan have begun to flourish.

Bills considered drafting Russell Wilson - SB Nation Seattle
Seattle's rookie sensation could have landed in Buffalo.

NFL to go to 14 or 16 team playoffs format? - SB Nation Seattle
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell says the league will look at playoff expansion.

Congress explores ability for NFL to test for HGH - SB Nation Seattle
NFL and NFLPA can't agree on HGH testing methods, so Congress looks to lend a hand.

NFC West trade acquisition scorecard - NFC West Blog - ESPN
Marshawn Lynch had quite possibly run his course in Buffalo. The production he has sustained since Seattle acquired him probably exceeds what the Bills would have gotten from him. That makes it tough to criticize the Bills too harshly for making a move that could cost them when the Seahawks face Buffalo in Week 15.

Around the NFC West: 2011 draft's impact - NFC West Blog - ESPN
The 2011 NFL draft class proved pivotal to NFC West outcomes in Week 14. Let us count the ways.

Wednesday notes: Get ready for Wolf Grey | Seahawks Blog | The Seattle Times
--- Carroll said linebacker Leroy Hill (ankle) should be back to full speed but noted that the situation is now a competitive one between Hill and Malcolm Smith, who has started the past two games. They will split time in practice. --- Another ongoing competition is J.R. Sweezy and John Moffitt on the offensive line.

Bill Belichick: Randy Moss is the best deep receiver - NFL.com
Bill Belichick coached Randy Moss for three glorious years. And then a weird half season. As he prepares to face Moss on Sunday in Foxborough, Belichick gave Moss the highest praise possible.

Practice Squad Players Worth Stealing - Part Two | National Football Post
5. Alameda Ta’amu, NT, Washington, Pittsburgh Steelers Practice Squad (6024 348 5.35): The best nose tackle I evaluated leading up to the 2012 NFL Draft, Ta’amu slipped to the fourth round due to questions about maturity and consistency on the field. He then proved those concerns legitimate when he was arrested during his rookie season with Steelers. He is a massive man who is surprisingly quick footed and nimble for such a big man. At Washington he displayed the ability to physically control offensive linemen, made it look easy anchoring vs. double team run blocks and consistently shut down the opponent’s inside rushing attack. If he can take care of his off-field issues, Ta’amu has the talent to be a high level starting nose tackle in the NFL. I would definitely sign Ta’amu off the Steelers’ practice squad even with the off-field questions because nose tackles with potential to develop in an All Pro are extremely hard to find.

Report: Appeal for Seahawks CB Richard Sherman delayed | National Football Post
Mike Silver of Yahoo! Sports reports that the Seattle Seahawks cornerback, who was supposed to have his hearing heard on Friday, has now had it pushed back. The expectation is Sherman, who has been suspended for four games for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs, will be able to play out the remainder of the season.

It's getting hot in here | National Football Post
With the playoff races heating up, two marquee Week 15 games could see some late action if things break a certain way early Sunday afternoon.

Coach Killers, Week 14: Give C.J. Spiller the ball, please - CBSSports.com
Coach Killers is your weekly look around the league at those performances, decisions and "Wait, what did he just do?!" moments that put the guy in charge squarely on the ol' hot seat.

Robert Griffin III: I did enough to feel confident | ProFootballTalk
After returning to the practice field on Wednesday, Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III said he feels good about making a quick return from the knee injury he suffered on Sunday. "I did enough to give myself the confidence to push it tomorrow and on Friday," Griffin said, via CSNWashington.

Ballad of the Big Men: Defining the Legacies of NFL Nose Tackles - The Triangle Blog - Grantland
In the run-up to Monday Night Football this week, there was a lot of talk about the chance for Patriots-Texans to be a showcase. In front of a national audience, one of the best defensive players in the NFL was afforded a chance to show the football-watching world just how vital he is to his team’s long-term success. If the AFC powerhouse to which he belonged was going to make a run, he’d certainly be part of it, and that run would start in Foxboro.

The BQBL Gets a Little Too Dark (Thanks to John Skelton) - The Triangle Blog - Grantland
The BQBL got dark this week. Pointing and laughing at the Jets and Cardinals last week was a hoot. Their mutual ineptitude gave the game a humorous, whimsical vibe — like watching tee-ball infielders turn a ground ball to second base into an inside-the-park home run. This week against Seattle, watching the Cardinals was not like watching a tee-ball game. It was like driving behind a car that runs over an adorable bunny rabbit — that you’re then forced to watch die. Slowly.

Mark Anderson Injury: Buffalo Bills End Returns To Practice - Buffalo Rumblings
After missing eight straight games recovering from a knee injury that required two surgeries, Mark Anderson returned to practice on Wednesday.

Buffalo Bills Have Made Major Strides Defensively - Buffalo Rumblings
Things aren't perfect - they surrendered a game-winning touchdown on their last drive, after all - but the Buffalo Bills have made major strides defensively this season.

Seahawks Saturday Night - Chancellor Wired
Kam Chancellor takes you on the field for the sights and sounds for the Seahawks week 14 game against the Chicago Bears.

C.J. Spiller looks to Larry Fitzgerald for how to handle frustration | ProFootballTalk
"I have definitely just been trying to be professional about it and also just eying Larry Fitzgerald," Spiller told Seattle reporters Wednesday in a conference call leading up to the Bills game against the Seahawks in Toronto this week. "You look at that guy and he is not complaining. They do not have the best quarterbacks over there, but he is still going out there, getting his job done and being a professional about his business. "[I'm] just trying to take some tips from how he handles it."

Russell Wilson, Seahawks - ESPN
Seahawks QB Russell Wilson dishes on becoming Seattle's starting QB, his mobility, CenturyLink Field, his team's controversial win over the Packers and more.

Brady's prep began early for 49ers - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston
Brady relayed that he began his preparations on the 49ers in the "couple" days following the Patriots’ Nov. 22 Thanksgiving win over the Jets. He started early, in part because the Patriots have a quick turnaround after playing the Texans on Monday night. "So after the game on Monday night I felt like I just had to watch their most recent game and I was caught up; tried to take advantage of a little extra time, a little planning," he said. "I probably wouldn’t have done that 10 years ago."

Sports Radio Interviews " Blog Archive " Tom Brady Says the 49ers’ Defense is One of the Best He’s Ever Seen: "Biggest Challenge We’ve Had All Year"
Tom Brady joined Dennis and Callahan on WEEI in Boston to discuss Monday night’s big win over the Texans, the mentality of the team, the hype surrounding prime-time games like that one, Aaron Hernandez’s wide-open touchdown against Houston, and the Texans’ decision to wear varsity jackets to that game. He also touched on next week’s opponent, San Francisco, and the team being miserable despite being hot.

Top 12 Stadiums Where the Number 12 is Retired - Stadium Journey
The number 12 is commonly worn in all four of the major sports leagues of North America. And wouldn't you know it? Of the 122 teams of the NBA, NHL, NFL, and MLB only 12 have retired the number 12. Here is our Top 12 of those venues based on the Stadium Journey ranking of the overall stadium experience.

Seahawks & Bills, 'gangnam style' this weekend in Toronto - SB Nation Seattle
In attempt to get more people in the seats of the Rogers Centre for Sunday's Bills-Seahawks game, organizers have invited "Gangnum Style" rapper Park Jae-song to perform at halftime. Jae-song's music video has received close to a billion YouTube hits

Listen to podcast - Pod Player - MyNorthwest.com
Seahawks rookie linebacker Bobby Wagner joins "The Kevin Calabro Show" to discuss his season so far and the expectations he had at the beginning of the year. He also talks about the first time he met coach Pete Carroll and the possibility of winning defensive rookie of the year honors.

Seahawks celebrate 12/12/12 in honor of the 12th Man - SB Nation Seattle
On the obscurest of holidays, the Seahawks media department found an excuse to celebrate their famous fan base

Updated NFL Rookie of the Year Odds Heading into Week 15 | Bleacher Report
Season's end is fast approaching, and so is award season. The race for Rookie of the Year is particularly exciting this season with so many well-deserving candidates in what turned out to be a fantastic rookie class...

Word From the Birds Blog | Sunday in the rear view; Lindley back as starter
The other day defensive tackle Nick Eason was saying that, in the aftermath of the Cards’ 58-0 loss in Seattle, that the players were simply going to go back to work. "That’s all we can do," Eason said, noting that they were football players, and this was just another week of football.

Week 15 - Carroll Press Conference Wednesday
Pete Carroll discussed how the team is preparing for their upcoming road game against the Bills as well as how special it is to be a part of 12 day.

ProFootballWeekly.com - Second-year OLB Smith coming on strong in Seattle
Second-year OLB Malcolm Smith is the latest member of the Seahawks' 2011 draft class to make a major impact.

Seahawks.com Blog | Carroll: Rice to sit out Wednesday’s practice with sore foot
"We need to see if we can carry some momentum into this last road opportunity," he said. "It’s a big chore. We have tremendous respect for C.J. Spiller and their offense, he has really torn it up."