Coffee and Cigarettes: Seahawks Links for Game Day

Gameday, y'all.

Time to start evaluating T.O. | National Football Post
The evaluation process for Seahwaks WR Terrell Owens and his comeback attempt to the NFL begins for real Saturday night in Denver. With the veteran expected to see some reps (via The Seattle Times), this becomes a legit opportunity for T.O. to show Pete Carroll that he can still play some ball. Here are my notes on what to focus on when Owens gets on the field:

Sports Radio Interviews " Blog Archive " Peyton Manning Feels He Took a Step Forward in the Process of His Return
Peyton Manning joined KOA in Denver with Dave Logan to discuss how he felt in his first preseason game, a long, across-the-field throw he made to Eric Decker, the timing he has with his receivers and memories of his first NFL touchdown pass ever.

Matt Barkley and USC's "Sluggo Seam" Play - The Triangle Blog - Grantland
To understand Barkley's answer, it’s necessary to understand USC’s offense. When Pete Carroll took the head-coaching job at USC, he hired longtime BYU assistant coach Norm Chow as his offensive coordinator. Carroll wanted the vaunted passing offense the Cougars had used for decades to topple superior foes and develop future NFL quarterbacks like Jim McMahon and Steve Young. To go along with that philosophy, Carroll also wanted to incorporate some of the latest NFL schemes, and his two young offensive assistants — former BYU quarterback Steve Sarkisian and a young Lane Kiffin — were assigned the job of bringing those ideas to USC.

Chris Polk Potentially Moving To Fullback? - Bleeding Green Nation
The Eagles have 4 backs in camp that they like. LeSean McCoy is the unquestioned #1, Dion Lewis has had an impressive camp at #2 and Bryce Brown currently sits at #3 on the depth chart. But they also like rookie Chris Polk and would like to find a roster spot for him. So what about at fullback? This was the question put to Marty Mornhinweg by Tim McManus.

Chris Polk showing how to pick up the blitz
"I actually messed up on that play because I went to the wrong side," Polk said. "I knew he was coming, so I just had to get back there quick. I don't want the quarterback getting hit on my behalf, so that's something I try to hang my hat on."

Inside Training Camp: Oakland Raiders | The Sideline View
And general manager Reggie McKenzie has done a nice job of turning over the roster he inherited with younger developmental players. And while doing that, he has actually improved the salary cap situation ($5.87 million of room as of a few days ago, which isn’t bad considering the situation as of early March). However, there’s still work to be done to improve the talent level of the roster – especially on defense.

Russell Wilson stakes claim to starting QB spot - Blog - MyNorthwest.com
"I love to sit in the pocket. I'll throw from there all day as long as I don't get hit. It really doesn't matter. I'll do whatever it takes. I think that I have all the tools. My height doesn't define my skill set," Wilson says.

Seahawks vs Broncos: What to Watch for in Preseason Week 2 | Bleacher Report
Both Denver and Seattle experienced success during the opening week of preseason, yet both teams know there is room for improvement as the regular season approaches. The Seahawks rookies were on full display in a big way, none bigger than third-round draft selection Russell Wilson. His performance coupled with Matt Flynn's has all the talk focused on them.

Russell Wilson game tape review (vs Tennessee) " Seahawks Draft Blog
If Russell Wilson is going to win the starting job in Seattle, more than anything he needs two things to happen. Firstly, he needs Matt Flynn to be unconvincing against Denver on Saturday. Is suspect a couple of good drives – including a touchdown scoring drive – and generally solid player will probably lead to a decision where Flynn is confirmed as the starter. That’s just the vibe I think everyone gets right now. That’s probably the scenario Pete Carroll is hoping for, but it ll be a hard sell if Flynn disappoints on Saturday.

BPA or QB ASAP? " Seahawks Draft Blog
When I started this blog in 2008, the Seahawks were well on their way to a four-win season with the Holmgren era grinding to an unsatisfactory conclusion. Seattle had the 4th overall pick – the first time since 1997 they would select in the top five. I wanted to analyse how Seattle would go about making such an important decision over who to pick. They took Aaron Curry and the rest is history.

Seahawks.com Blog | Friday in Hawkville: Trufant to work in No. 1 nickel "
Nickel back. Roy Lewis was the third cornerback in passing situations with the No. 1 defense in the preseason opener against the Titans last week, a spot he has played the past two seasons. Saturday night, Marcus Trufant steps into that role – a new one for the former first-round draft choice and Pro Bowl left cornerback. Of the switch, coach Pete Carroll said, "Roy is ahead of everybody else in the learning and the understanding. … We know what he can do and we want to see what other guys can do. Tru has grown, made a couple of nice plays in the game."

Seahawks' Roy Lewis focusing on bigger role with team | HeraldNet.com - Sports
"Roy has been playing that position for some time," Carroll said. "He is ahead of everybody else in the learning and the understanding. If you notice, Roy won't play very much this week in preparation. We know what he can do and we want to see what other guys can do. ... That was a one of the major focuses (this week) -- to give guys a chance in the competition to show what they can do."

Seahawks - Seattle's live and local sports station
Owens, WR Braylon Edwards, WR Ricardo Lockette and WR Deon Butler appear to be in the thick of competition for the remaining spots with WR Kris Durham, WR Charly Martin, WR Phil Bates, WR Lavasier Tuniei and WR Jermaine Kearse appearing to be longer shots at this point.

Matt Flynn: 'You can't force it down the field' | Seahawks Blog | The Seattle Times
"It's not like we didn't have anything down the field called," Flynn said. "You can't force it down the field. Sometimes they call the right defense at the right time. If it's not there, check it down and go to the next play."

Edwards says Lynch a top-five back | Seahawks Insider
"I’ve played with a lot of guys," Edwards said. "I’ve played with soon-to-be Hall of Famers. I’ve played with a lot of good running backs, but I haven’t seen too many people – in fact nobody – put it together like Marshawn. "I didn’t really too much follow him until I got here. And now I’m just watching what he can do as a full package, and he’s special."

Randy Moss, Tim Tebow highlight deadliest situational players - NFL.com
A report that the San Francisco 49ers will likely limit Randy Moss' playing time to 20-25 snaps per game created quite a buzz in league circles. Most observers have a tough time envisioning a team desperate for a No. 1 receiver limiting the playing time of a former Pro Bowler with exceptional home-run potential. However, I see this as part of a league-wide trend to feature high-profile specialists in particular situations to maximize their chances for success.

Cincinnati Bengals place Jordan Shipley on waivers - NFL.com
The Cincinnati Bengals announced Friday that wide receiver Jordan Shipley has been placed on waivers.

Moss gathering praise for model behavior, work ethic in 49ers camp - NFL -
"All he wants," one GM told me, "is a ring. The guy loves the game and wants a Super Bowl ring."

The Preseason is Meaningless
I have a love/hate relationship with the pre-season. After months without football, it’s hard not to get excited about the prospect of seeing live NFL games. But as soon as I start watching pre-season action, I usually wish I was doing just about anything else. But I keep watching. Maybe the better description is that I’m a pre-season addict.

Jason Witten and Splenic Injuries " Second Opinion
According to multiple sources, Witten suffered an injury to his spleen Monday night. Ed Werder is reporting that the Cowboys "have not determined the seriousness of the injury" and that early evaluations indicate that his spleen is not ruptured despite post-game imaging studies that showed some internal bleeding. Surgery is not expected to be necessary, but has yet to be ruled out.

NFL - Teams turning to man coverages - ESPN
Thanks to the combination of tight end Jimmy Graham, quick running back Darren Sproles and good wide receivers, New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees shredded Cover 2 and other zone defenses last year. Leaguewide, the Cover 2 looked outdated in 2011. Rules to protect defenseless receivers have allowed smaller receivers such as Philadelphia's DeSean Jackson to run the middle of the field with limited fear of being physically blown up by a safety. Offensive coordinators continue to spread the field with four and five pass-catchers. Good pass-catching tight ends have become as important as great outside wide receiver threats.