Coffee and Cigarettes: Seahawks Links for Monday

#RUSSELMANIA.

Seahawks Preseason Game 3: Offensive Data Stats for Nerds " The Matchups Zone
Okay Seahawks fans, Here’s a quick look at some of the offensive trends for the Seahawks game 3 performance in Kansas City. If you guys like the data make sure to comment! I’ll do one of these for all regular season games as well as show seasonal trends if the community has a desire for the info.

Seahawks Russell Wilson: Can a third round quarterback succeed in the NFL? - CBSSports.com
So what kind of track record do third round QB's have in the NFL?

Wow! Kiper & Gruden have a major fight over Russell Wilson- HD - YouTube
Mel Kiper and Jon Gruden have a major disagreement over whether or not Russell Wilson can make it as a 5' 10" QB in todays NFL. Meanwhile a fascinated Russell Wilson and his obviously perturbed wife, friends and family are shown watching the argument live from their home. It takes the seasoned head, of former Colts GM, Bill Polian, to finally calm things down and provide a rational perspective to the proceedings. Great stuff!

Russell Wilson named Seattle’s starting quarterback " Seahawks Draft Blog
Naturally some perspective is required because Wilson remains an unproven commodity. The decision today isn’t so much exciting because it guarantees success. Far from it. Wilson will have to tackle some tough opponents this year, learn to deal with adversity, master the speed of the pro-game and cope with teams game-planning him specifically. Weeks 3-8 in Seattle’s schedule look particularly difficult, including games against Green Bay (H), Carolina (A), New England (H), San Francisco (A) and Detroit (A). The Seahawks need to start fast against Arizona (A) and Dallas (H) and there won’t be any time for rookie mistakes.

Carroll: Why Russell Wilson has to start - NFC West Blog - ESPN
The Seahawks felt on draft day that Wilson possessed everything a top quarterback needed except for prototypical height. If any shorter quarterback could succeed, they thought, Wilson would be the one. They saw him excel behind a massive offensive line at Wisconsin. But when minicamps and training camp got going, Carroll said the staff was constantly looking for signs Wilson's height would be a limiting factor. They gave up eventually. "So we just decided look at him as a quarterback and that's not even an issue," Carroll said. "The factor in his favor is, he is so elusive. He has rushed for 150 yards in preseason in limited time and always at the right time and effectively. It might not always be that way, but he has shown a great sense."

Quick postscript on Tarvaris Jackson - NFC West Blog - ESPN
Jackson started 14 games and played in 15 for the Seahawks. He did what the team expected him to do upon signing from Minnesota in free agency: put his familiarity with the offensive system to use as a short-term bridge to whatever future awaited the Seahawks at quarterback. He was much better than Charlie Whitehurst, for sure.

Thoughts as Seahawks cut Owens, Lutui - NFC West Blog - ESPN
I'll be curious to see whether receiver Phil Bates lands on the practice squad. Also waived: tackle Edawn Coughman, cornerback Donny Lisowski, cornerback Ron Parker and running back Tyrell Sutton.

Pete Carroll names Russell Wilson regular-season starter | Seahawks Blog | The Seattle Times
Carroll said that Flynn's arm injury -- while it's not considered serious -- did have an impact. Specifically, he wasn't able to present a counterargument on Friday in Kansas City. Flynn was slated to enter the game in the third quarter and likely would have had at least one series with the team's first-unit offense before the Seahawks turned to the backups. But a sore elbow prevented Flynn from playing. "I think it makes the decision clearer," Carroll said. "Unfortunately, Matt has not been able to answer and respond by playing last week and again this week as much as we would like for his sake."

Rookie report: Russell Wilson isn't only one shining | Seahawks Blog | The Seattle Times
LB Korey Toomer Fifth round, No. 154 overall The Seahawks took a bit of a chance here, drafting him with an eye toward his size and athleticism. He showed his strength with a thunderous tackle in Friday's game, but he's largely been working with the third-unit linebackers so far this training camp.

Robert Turbin filling in nicely for Marshawn Lynch | Seattle Seahawks - The News Tribune
"One of the great things is, I remember coming in at rookie minicamp and trying to figure out who I was supposed to block on certain protections, and all the different protections that we had," he said. "And I can remember talking to my buddies and telling them how sometimes it gets confusing with all of these different protections that we have, and who you’re supposed to block. "But it’s starting to come along now. So I feel real good with it."

Lessons learned from Sunday's preseason games - NFL.com
" Alex Smith completed a pretty 44-yard touchdown pass to tight end Vernon Davis, but peel that away and San Francisco's starting quarterback was just 4-for-6 for 25 yards. We aren't seeing much chemistry between Smith and the gang of wideouts Jim Harbaugh imported this offseason.

Terrell Owens posted epic numbers, but divisive receiver far from Canton credentials - NFL -
Now that Terrell Owens' NFL career is all but over, it's not too soon to ask how and when the guy should make it to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Because he shouldn't. Never, ever, ever.

Russell Wilson continues the NFL’s rookie movement at quarterback
Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III were drafted as franchise saviors, and have been expected to start on opening day for months; more recently Brandon Weeden in Cleveland and Ryan Tannehill in Miami won starting jobs. Then, last night, Pete Carroll announced that Russell Wilson had beaten Matt Flynn in the Seahawks quarterback battle. Barring injury, we’ll see five rookie quarterbacks starting on opening day for the first time since 1950 (and likely ever). Before Wilson, we were already in record territory, as no more than three teams have ever started the season with rookie quarterbacks since 1950 (and likely ever). In 1969, Roger Staubach, Greg Cook and James Harris were week one starters for the Cowboys, Bengals and Bills. The year before, Greg Landry, Dewey Warren, and Dan Darragh started for the Lions… Bengals and Bills. And in the AFL’s inaugural season, three teams fielded rookie quarterbacks. But on average, less than one rookie quarterback has started a team’s opening game each season since the merger.

San Francisco 49ers vs. Denver Broncos: The Tale of Two Very Different Halves | Bleacher Report
Peyton Manning and the Broncos offense looked impressive and in control as they tried to down the San Francisco 49ers early. Three straight scoring drives to open the game put the 49ers in an early 17-7 hole at the end of the first quarter. After a so-so first series that led to a field goal, Manning took control and never let up. His brief three-series performance saw him rack up 122 yards and two touchdowns on only 10 completions.

32 Teams in 32 Days; St. Louis Rams | ProFootballFocus.com
It’s been tough in the National Football League in recent years for the St. Louis Rams. Despite playing in what is widely considered one of the least-competitive divisions in football, the NFC West, they have been a doormat for the rest of the league.

32 Teams in 32 Days: Seattle Seahawks | ProFootballFocus.com
Despite winning their division and a memorable playoff game the previous season, the Seattle Seahawks could only muster a 7-9 record in a weak NFC West division last year.

First Impressions: Seahawks @ Chiefs | ProFootballFocus.com
When Seattle completed their draft in April this year there was a queue of people lining up to rip them for a lot of their decisions. Now that the real action has started, and the intellectuals who grade drafts before the players have even turned up for OTA’s have scuttled back into their holes, there may be a little bit of revisionist history going on. Four Seahawks draftees started, another three had prominent early roles and all played in a thoroughly professional performance. It now looks possible, when things settle in a few years, that many teams will be looking to this as a benchmark for drafts should be run.

Wilson named starter
What started as a three-man competition to be the Seahawks’ starting quarterback is down to only one, as coach Pete Carroll announced Sunday night that rookie Russell Wilson has won the job.

Rookie Russell Wilson will start opener | Seahawks | Seahawks | The Seattle Times
"It was a legitimate competition as we said from the beginning," Carroll said of Wilson. "With the opportunity he's taken advantage of, he deserves to start."

Seahawks.com Blog | Jackson shuffling off to Buffalo "
"We’ve worked hard on making the deal. It’s not completed yet," Carroll said. "It’s been agreed upon. But there still is a little bit of paperwork to do. It’s scheduled to be done."

Russell Wilson and the pleasant unpredictability of competition | The Brewery | The Seattle Times
OK, let me admit it: I tried to call Pete Carroll's quarterback competition too soon. As a result, much of what I previously said is outdated. I shall punish myself by reading "Win Forever" over and over for the entire 2012 season