Coffee & Cigarettes: Seahawks links for Thanksgiving

Links.

Seattle Seahawks Midseason Report - The Whistle
Today we continue our NFL midseason reports. We'll be asking bloggers for each NFL team about how the season has gone, their predictions for the rest of the way, and a few more fun questions on their favorite squad. Today, we talk with Alejandro Pena of Field Gulls.

Film study: Reviewing Saints defense - New Orleans Saints Blog - ESPN
Some observations on the New Orleans Saints defense after reviewing the tape of their 17-13 victory over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 12: Clutch plays: This was a classic example of “bend but don't break” defense. The Saints gave up a decent amount of yards throughout the game, but very few points. These were their three biggest “unbreakable” moments:

The NFL's most popular owners | National Football Post
Players, coaches, scouts and front office execs love working for these guys.

Saints vs. Seahawks Monday Night Football: A Truth Serum Interview with Saints Quarterback Drew Brees - Canal Street Chronicles
Ever wondered what would happen if someone gave your favorite quarterback some truth serum just before he gets to the podium before a big game? Well, wonder no more. We have a cloned Drew Brees telling us what he really thinks about the Seattle game.

How the Seattle Seahawks Can Slow Down the Saints Passing Attack | Bleacher Report
The Seattle Seahawks have a formidable foe coming to town this week. Quarterback Drew Brees leads the New Orleans Saints into Seattle with a chance to knock the Seahawks out of the top spot in the NFC. For Seattle, the key to this game will be finding a way to slow down the Saints' vaunted passing attack.

Celebrate Thanksgiving With Some Important NFL Games
Last year, I wrote about the best Thanksgiving Day Performances. Today, we get three games with serious playoff implications.

Top Prospect of Week 13: LSU OT La'el Collins - CBSSports.com
Plenty of others have been recognized for LSU's domination of Johnny Manziel and the Aggies November 23 but no one was more impressive than the junior left tackle, whose powerful run blocking and adept pass protection anchored the Tigers' 34-10 win.

Saints vs. Seahawks: Breaking Down Seattle's Game Plan | Bleacher Report
Seattle Seahawks news, rumors, scores, schedules, predictions, picks against the spread, free agent updates, power rankings, mock drafts and more

Tripodi’s Week 12 Rookie Report
With more and more teams packing it in as their seasons come to an end and playoff hopes dissipate, rookies who haven’t seen much playing time early in the season are getting a chance to audition for roles and roster spots heading into 2014. A few of these first-year players were drafted in the first 2-3 rounds and only recently are seeing openings on the depth chart. This week also had a couple undrafted players step into bigger roles for their teams and while one struggled in his newfound role, the other thrived and could be pushing for more playing time to finish out the season. Chris Tripodi is back to break down what he saw from rookies in Week 12.

How Bruce Arians Has Revived Carson Palmer's Career | Bleacher Report
When Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians and general manager Steve Keim made the decision this past offseason to trade for quarterback Carson Palmer , there’s ...

Russell Wilson, recovering Saints fan | ProFootballTalk
“I used to wear a Saints hat at the University of Wisconsin all the time,” Wilson told reporters on Wednesday. “I’m a huge fan. I watch them [still]. I don’t wear it anymore.”

Thurmond could have dropped his appeal at any time | ProFootballTalk
When Seahawks cornerback Walter Thurmond opted to drop his appeal to a four-game suspension under the substance-abuse policy, an obvious question arose. Why not wait until after the Saints game to drop the appeal?

Whitner, Brooks want replay expanded to include penalties | ProFootballTalk
The San Francisco 49ers have one of the most ferocious defenses in the league.

Carroll on the Saints: ‘They can strike you dead on offense’ | Seahawks Insider - The News Tribune
Here’s most of what Pete Carroll had to say Wednesday:

Carroll quotes from Tuesday | Seahawks Insider - The News Tribune
Here’s everything Pete Carroll had to say Tuesday:

FOOTBALL OUTSIDERS: Innovative Statistics, Intelligent Analysis | Film Room: Quinn, Wright, Hunter
Over the last two weeks, the St. Louis Rams have outscored their opponents by a score of 80-29. The stability of Kellen Clemens, the consistency of Zac Stacy and the explosion of Tavon Austin has sparked the offense during that time. However, just as he has done throughout the whole season, defensive end Robert Quinn has also played a huge part in their recent success.

Carson Palmer, Arizona Cardinals are clicking as playoff race heats up | The MMQB with Peter King
PHOENIX — After throwing at least one interception in each of his first nine games, Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer has gone back-to-back weeks without being picked off. After throwing for 300 yards only once in his first nine games, he has surpassed that total in each of the past two weeks.

Robert Quinn of St. Louis Rams racks up pressure points | The MMQB with Peter King
With five games to go in the regular season, there is some separation in the race for the edge and interior pass rushers of the year. The Texans' J.J.

What they said: Pete Carroll | Seahawks Blog | Seattle Times
Here’s most of what Seahawks coach Pete Carroll had to say to the media today;

NFL Thanksgiving: Packers-Lions, Raiders-Cowboys, Steelers-Ravens | The MMQB with Peter King
Going past the obvious storylines and taking a deeper dive into all three Thanksgiving games in Week 13. (All times Eastern.) Packers (5-5-1) at Lions (6-5), 12:30 p.m., FOX Packers offense vs.

Seahawks notebook: Cox out, Shead in; Harvin rests - 710sports.com
The Seahawks didn't clear up their cornerback situation on Wednesday. In fact, it remains as confusing as ever after the team released Perrish Cox 24 hours after announcing his signing and promoted DeShawn Shead from the practice squad.

49ers officially activate WR Michael Crabtree, waive No. 3 QB - CBSSports.com
San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick officially has a new weapon in his offensive arsenal. The 49ers moved wide receiver Michael Crabtree to the active-roster on Tuesday.

NFL Prospect Focus: Stanford Offense | National Football Post
Is the Cardinal offense turning any scouts' heads?

John Clayton: Brandon Browner could win his appeal - 710sports.com
"Don't discount the chance of him winning this case. He could win this case," Clayton said during "Cold Hard Facts" Wednesday afternoon on 710 ESPN Seattle.

Wednesday in Hawkville: Monday night’s game comes with playoff possibilities
The Seahawks have the best record in the NFL at 10-1. With a win over the Saints on Monday night, and an array of other possibilities on Thursday and Sunday, the Seahawks also could be among the first teams to qualify for the postseason.

Thanksgiving Preview: 10 things to watch - NFL.com
Could Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco be ready for another hot streak? The "Around The League" crew breaks down all three big Thanksgiving games.

Focus on: Doug Baldwin
Doug Baldwin doesn’t do work in the community for the recognition, but the third-year wide receiver has been recognized for his efforts by being voted the Seahawks’ Man of the Year.

Bruce Arians: Read option is a 'great college offense' - NFL.com
"I still think it's a great offense," Arians told Philadelphia reporters this week, via the Philadelphia Inquirer. "It's a great college offense when you put a great athlete back there. "But when you're facing great athletes, with the speed that's in the NFL who are chasing these guys, unless you're superhuman, you're going to get hurt sooner or later -- not hurt, but beat up and bruised up," Arians added. "And you don't want your quarterback feeling bruised up when he's trying to throw and be accurate."

Why it makes sense to keep Browner on-side | Seahawks Draft Blog
According to Mike Garafolo, Brandon Browner had his hearing over a one-year suspension today. He is appealing the decision. Now it’s a waiting game.

Seahawks swap CB Perrish Cox for DeShawn Shead - Seattle Seahawks & NFL News
The Seahawks have announced releasing Perrish Cox and signing DeShawn Shead. The story below was written before the team’s official announcement Wednesday.

Seattle Seahawks release Perrish Cox, sign DeShawn Shead - ESPN
Byron Maxwell will start for Thurmond against the New Orleans Saints Monday night. "It's a bigger deal to everybody else than it is for me," Maxwell said Wednesday. "I prepare for every game like I'm starting. It's a regular week and you focus on what you need to do. I try to be physical out there and have fun."

Person of Interest: New Orleans' Jimmy Graham - 710sports.com
"Person of Interest" is a weekly feature in which we put the microscope on one player from the Seahawks' upcoming opponent. This week, it's New Orleans' Jimmy Graham.

With suspensions to Brandon Browner and Walter Thurmond, the Seahawks may be their own worst enemy | Audibles - SI.com
RENTON, Wash. -- There are people who simply don't know how to deal with success at its ultimate height. On Jan. 21, 1989, running back Stanley Wilson of the Cincinnati Bengals was found to be doing cocaine the night before Super Bowl XXIII, which his team lost to the San Francisco 49ers, 20-16.

Way to Go, Adam Schein | Kissing Suzy Kolber
Adam Schein is a mostly unremarkable columnist for NFL.com. I visit the site damn near every day and struggle to recall one thing he’s ever written. But oh boy does he stand out for having the worst preseason Super Bowl pick: the Texans and the Falcons.

2014 NFL Draft order: Top three needs for all 32 teams - NFL.com
NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah breaks down the top three draft needs for all 32 teams heading into Week 13 of the regular season.

John Moffitt leaves NFL midseason - ESPN The Magazine - ESPN
LATELY IT SEEMS everything in John Moffitt's life has acquired a veneer of existential drama. There is nothing easy, nothing unexamined, nothing remotely as basic as putting his hand in the dirt and driving his head and body into another human being. Case in point: the simple question of whether to have a beer while watching his former team, the Broncos, play the Chiefs on Sunday night of Week 11.

Episode: On the Double with The Double S Xpress on 2013-11-25 19:00:00 | BBS Radio
On the Double with The Double S Xpress sports talk show; Sports Broadcasting; Play-by-Play; Analysis; Commentary; Insight; Interviews; Public Address

2013 Saints Defense: The Rob Ryan Effect - Canal Street Chronicles
Eleven games through the 2013 season and it is clear that the Saints' winning ways are directly related to their improved defense. But just how much has it improved?

The backstory on Brandon Browner's suspension - Seattle Seattle Seahawks | Examiner.com
The question on every Seahawks fan's mind is: How did cornerback Brandon Browner get suspended for an entire year seemingly out of the blue?

Steelers Film Room: Play design sparks quick passing game - Behind the Steel Curtain
Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley tailored a game plan largely based in quick passes, and the Steelers' offense had a good deal of success against Cleveland. They may have even left a play or two on the field.

NFL - Has Russell Wilson supplanted Andrew Luck as top young QB? - ESPN
Robert Griffin III, Colin Kaepernick, Andrew Luck and Russell Wilson alternated turns in the NFL's young quarterback spotlight last season. Griffin set the rookie record for passer rating. Kaepernick set playoff records on his way to the Super Bowl. Luck transformed a 2-14 team into an 11-5 contender. Wilson tied the rookie record for touchdown passes.