Coffee and Cigarettes: Seahawks Links for Wednesday

Hump Day!

Pete Carroll on starting Russell Wilson this week, 'This is about competition' | Seahawks Blog | The Seattle Times
"This is about competition," Carroll said. "That's what we've always been about, and if somebody doesn't see it that way, then they just don't understand us, and I can't do anything about that. It's a great competitive opportunity to watch."

Applauding the Seahawks for going against the grain - Blog - MyNorthwest.com
"There was nobody that was going to stand on the table and tell you that you should take him," Carroll told "Brock and Salk" on Monday about the decision to draft Russell Wilson. "[General manager] John Schneider had done his homework and he knew exactly what we were talking about. He showed it to me from way back when and then we validated it again during this past season, saw him in person and all of that. "We went against what most people would think you should do because we thought that this guy is such a unique talent, and he's done nothing to disappoint [us]."

Carroll confirms Wilson will start vs. Chiefs: "It’s just exciting to watch this kid play." | Seahawks Insider
"It’s just exciting to watch this kid play," Carroll said. "And everybody that’s grown up watching him back at N.C. State and Wisconsin, we’re seeing the same thing that you saw. He’s carried the style of play from the college level to our level, at least in these first few preseason games. And we’re going to see what that means in Game 3."

Dave Krieg's Strike Beard: Too Soon!!!
I've been around long enough to witness Seahawks QB controversies from Zorn v Krieg all the way through Jackson v Whitehurst, and frankly they are as much a part of Seahawks history as 9-7 seasons and enemy false starts at our home games.With that sort of perspective it doesn't surprise me that a vocal subset of Twelves are clamoring for Russell Wilson to supplant Matt Flynn- But it does make the bile rise in my gullet. Really, guys? Already??

Russell Wilson to start Seahawks' next preseason game | HeraldNet.com - Seattle Sidelines
Traditionally, the third preseason game is the game in which the starters see the most playing time, but Carroll said Wilson getting the start in this particular game does not signal that the rookie has moved ahead of Flynn, but rather that Carroll wants to get Wilson a shot with the No. 1 offense.

Russell Wilson and other potential starters - NFC West Blog - ESPN
Seattle's two candidates, Matt Flynn and Russell Wilson, have taken far more snaps than their peers in the division. Flynn has played full first halves, giving him snaps with the first-team offense. Wilson could get that opportunity when the Seahawks face Kansas City on Friday night, although coach Pete Carroll hasn't made an announcement yet.

Seahawks' Russell Wilson reportedly to start Friday - NFL.com
By splitting what was a decreased number of reps in the OTAs, minicamp and training camp -- which Jackson opened with the first-team offense -- each quarterback could make the case that he did not receive a sufficient number of snaps to grab hold of the job. Even after Flynn appeared to nudge ahead of the other two quarterbacks to start the preseason opener, what did Carroll do? He had Jackson back getting first-team reps in training camp last Tuesday.

Seahawks Russell Wilson: Can a third round quarterback succeed in the NFL? - CBSSports.com
Former Wisconsin standout Russell Wilson may not be the favorite to win the Seahawks three-way quarterback competition, but he's in the discussion. If coach Pete Carroll were to give Wilson the keys to the Seattle offense this season, Wilson would become the first quarterback drafted in the third round to start a game in his rookie year since 2010 (Colt McCoy, Browns) and only the second since 2007 (Trent Edwards, Bills). So what kind of track record do third round QB's have in the NFL?

Russell Wilson now looks like the Seahawks' favorite - NFL.com
Pete Carroll is nothing if not unconventional. Everything about the Seattle Seahawks quarterback competition has been different, including his decision to start rookie Russell Wilson in the team's third preseason.

Bears bring in LeGree to boost safety depth - chicagotribune.com
Brandon Hardin walked around Halas Hall on Monday wearing a neck brace, a good sign for the rookie coming off what could have been a serious injury. But the Bears' addition of another safety might indicate they plan to keep Hardin out of action for a while. Mark LeGree, a former fifth-round draft pick of the Seattle Seahawks, signed Monday morning, the team announced. LeGree, from Appalachian State, also spent time with the Cardinals, Jets and 49ers.

Carroll: Flynn's performance was better than it looked - Blog - MyNorthwest.com
"The evaluation process continues, which we always say," Carroll said. "Tomorrow we'll let you know kind of what's going to happen for this week, but we're going to use all day today and tonight and tomorrow to make sure we're on it."

Russell Wilson -- Seahawks Week 3 preseason starter - YouTube
Seattle Seahawks rookie quarterback Russell Wilson discusses the advantages he has in playing in similar offenses with North Carolina State and Wisconsin.

Pete Carroll talks about Week 3 preseason starter Russell Wilson - YouTube
Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll explains the thought process behind the decision to name rookie quarterback Russell Wilson as the team's Week 3 preseason starter against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson to start Friday - ESPN
While Flynn has been steady, Wilson has provided the Seahawks with more dynamic plays between the two quarterbacks, albeit against opposing team's second-string defenders. But a team source also noted that Wilson has played with second-teamers, for the most part, and has produced several big plays despite shoddy pass protection. He also has converted 54 percent of third-down possessions, a source noted.

Seahawks trade suddenly expendable LB Barrett Ruud to Saints - CBSSports.com
The coaching staff has also been impressed with Heath Farwell. Farwell, a middle linebacker, had been at the bottom of the depth chart when camp started in late July, however, recently, he'd been threatening to move in to Ruud's second team spot before Ruud was traded Monday.

Let the debate rage: Flynn or Wilson? - NFC West Blog - ESPN
"Wilson has earned his first start in the team's third preseason game, and a strong performance could elevate him into a starting role for the 2012 regular-season opener," ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported Tuesday.

Breaking down the best of the NFL stats - Grantland
Here are the four new-school football stats that attempt to predict the 2012 season.

Is the Left Tackle position 'evolving' in the NFL? | National Football Post
Tackles don't need the size of the past in today's passing league.

Smith comfortable heading into second year with same offensive scheme - NFL -
"Sometimes when you're not quite sure," said Smith, "you don't play as fast, and you're not as decisive -- especially for me. When I'm not as decisive when it comes to pulling the trigger there's a big drop off. I think I improve a lot when I'm decisive, pull the trigger with confidence and make confident throws.

Super Bowl champions and how they passed, ran and played defense
I broke down each of the NFL and AFL champions since 1950 into three categories:

Projecting the Seattle Seahawks' Final 53-Man Roster After Preseason Week 2 | Bleacher Report
With two preseason weeks in the books, it's high time to take a stab at projecting some roster cuts. Seattle's depth has been great late in games, as evidenced by Seahawk backups trouncing the backups of the Denver Broncos and Tennessee Titans. For those unfamiliar with the process, the team must cut down to 75 players after Week 3, and then must be down to 53 a few days before the season opener. So, let's predict who will make the cut!

Preseason Week 3 - Wilson Press Conference
Russell Wilson talks with the media following the announcement that he will be the starting quarterback for the Seahawks in week 3 of the preseason.

Preseason Week 3 - Carroll Press Conference
Pete Carroll talks with the media as he announces that Russell Wilson will be the starting quarterback for the Seahawks in game 3 of the preseason.

"Packaged" plays and rethinking the concept of modern play calling - Grantland
How modern offenses are rethinking the most fundamental elements of football plays.

NFL - Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees among NFL's most irreplaceable players - ESPN
Injuries are a way of life in the NFL -- aren't they Michael Vick? -- but some hurt more than others. A well-built team should have the depth to overcome the loss of a couple of starting defensive players, but how do you overcome the loss of a superstar? Some teams insulate themselves by picking up quality veteran backups. Other teams are stuck, hoping that the injury bug stays away from their most important players. For each of the offensive "skill positions," we went through and looked at the five most irreplaceable players in the NFL -- based not just on the quality of the player, but the quality of his backups. And while all teams face the possibility of injury down the road, the Eagles and Cowboys may already have cause to be concerned.

The Shy-Away Top 40 - Rotoworld Roundup - Rotoworld.com
This isn't a list of undervalued players, or projected busts. Those can be found in the 2012 Fantasy Football Draft Guide. This is a list of players I think you should consider scratching off your cheatsheets altogether. Guys you should draft around.

Sports Radio Interviews " Blog Archive " Ryan Clark on the Steelers Defense: "The formula is not broken"
Ryan Clark joined Fox Sports Radio with the Loose Cannons to talk about whether the Steelers had to change anything on defense after losing in the playoffs last year, what he thinks about the replacement officials, on the idea that Ben Roethlisberger hasn’t really been in the news this season and what he thinks about the questions when it comes to Troy Polamalu.

Sports Radio Interviews " Blog Archive " Arizona Cardinals Quarterback Competition: John Skelton Talks About Duel with Teammate Kevin Kolb
John Skelton joined Dan Bickley and Mike Jurecki on XTRA Sports 910 in Phoenix to discuss his quarterback battle with Kevin Kolb, improvements he’s been working on this offseason, being named starter of the Cardinals’ third and most significant preseason game, and dealing with the pressure of a preseason positional battle.

Free Agent Tracker - Seattle Seahawks Blog
Stephon Heyer OT 6 - Heyer was recently released by the Jets after preseason week 2, in the wake of what was considered to be a painful performance by the Jets' offensive line as a whole. However, there has been some talk of Heyer being the "fall guy" and not the real problem. At 28, Heyer has more than 60 NFL starts under his belt at tackle (both sides), and would be worth consideration in light of the struggles of Frank Omiyale in the first two preseason games as Seattle's backup left tackle. Omiyale simply hasn't done his job, and the 'Hawks need to go into the season with better insurance than the longtime Chicago Bear. Heyer would bring a veteran presence with some size and athleticism to the mix, and could challenge a guy like Omiyale for a roster spot. Heyer could replace a guy like Edawn Coughman (current 3rd string LT).

Big Red Bryant on the Show! | Mitch in the Morning - Seattle's live and local sports station
Red Bryant pinch hit for Jason Jones today to talk with Mitch