We Were Wrong: Seahawks claim alpha avian title

Seahawks are 2-0-1 against other birds this year. They lead the prestigious Bird Bowl, with only six weeks left to play.

Bird Bowl Standings (official)

SEA 2-0-1

PHI 1-1-0

BAL 0-0-0

ARI 0-0-1

ATL 0-2-0

Falcons meet Cardinals this week! Check your local listings.

Anyway, the Seahawks are the runaway favorites to capture the Bowl because of a win that was more comfortable on the field — and more uncomfortable in the trainers’ room — than many of us expected. To the wrongness, Jeeves.

Philadelphia’s D/ST are a strength to be reckoned with and will cause problems/result in a close game/shut down the offense

A common theme. As you’d expect from the arrival of a formerly top-ranked DVOA team.

“Their offense will implode, but their defense and ST will keep things close.”

Posted by Wade8813 on Nov 19, 2016 | 12:35 AM reply rec (1) flag

“Seahawks continue the same trend they've set the past few years

when favored by more than a TD at home. They screw the pooch in the first half then come from behind to win it, or lose it, by less than 3 points on the last drive of the game.”

Posted by bkpadget on Nov 18, 2016 | 4:43 PM reply rec (3) flag

And also!

“We’re going to stop talking so glowingly about George Fant after this weekend. Not because he will have done anything wrong. It’s just he’ll be up against the best edge rusher in the league and we’ll see the difference between the theory of a young player’s "high ceiling" and the reality of what happens when a guy with three whole starts above the pee-wee level goes up against an elite defensive end.”

Posted by Billy Everyteen on Nov 18, 2016 | 7:08 AM up reply unrec (7)

The lone sack on Russell Wilson — it was half a yard from being a rush for no gain. Offensive line did its job against maybe the toughest foe of the season since LA.

Relying solely on the eye and memory test, which are bad, pressures were down, by the subjective measure of their impact on the game. Typically, Wilson has been pressured between 40 and 50 percent of the time. Typically in 2016 that’s meant more throwaways. Typically that’s meant closer games.

But it didn’t feel that way Sunday. Let’s say anyway that pressures were as usual. The new development, which is an old development, is that Week 11’s pressure meant RW got to turn on the escapability function. And use the cheat codes.

And the running game?

“Success in the run game is not likely either for either team.”

Posted by BlackBlack_Blues on Nov 18, 2016 | 12:46 PM up reply rec (1) flag

152 yards was a season high for Seattle. Take out CJ Prosise’s 70-yard tuddy (which is not legal because that important play happened) and you’re left with 82 yards on the ground anyway. Still the Hawks’ fourth-highest rushing total. Still not legal to take the play out.

As far as the Eagles’ #1-rated special teams, the Hawks never even let that phase of the game get going. Steve Hauschka put all six of his kickoffs through the end zone. (Click here to read or re-read Alistair Corp’s excellent rationale for doing the opposite.)

Other kicking person Jon Ryan punted six times for a 46.5 average; the two returnable ones netted a total of 15 yards (oh noes).

Only two negative moments on special teams make today’s news. First, Hauschka’s befuddling misses continue to have fans scratching their flaky scalps at the kicking woes, but you can’t blame Philly for that. Second, while Tyler Lockett furnished one explosive punt return, he also treated us to one borderline catastrophic kickoff return, when he ran sideways to the seven, either out of necessity or brainfartedness. Aha, there it is —the latter play is about the only time the Eagles showed their ST dominance.

Watch out for the Eagles’ tight ends

Almost! Zach Ertz scored on a 57-yard play, on a crucial third down right before halftime... well, except for the flag that negated it. If I were an Eagles fan, that’s the missed opportunity I’d be losing sleep over.

Philadelphia’s tight ends combined for 7 catches on 14 targets (not great!) for 68 yards and one TD (still not great). It was a nice enough performance if you started Ertz in your fantasy league, but in the real world it didn’t make a sufficient difference to keep the Eagles in the game.

If you want another (deeper) level of analysis, here’s Dave Wyman on how Earl Thomas impacted the Eagles’ plans over the middle.

Rawls will be eased back in, with CJ Prosise as the feature back

In his return from injury, again, Thomas Rawls played 40 snaps. That might’ve been a bit more than the master plan called for, at least for a guy who’d sat out two months. After the game, Carroll used the words “trashed” and “been through a train wreck” to describe Rawls’ physical status.

Well, you’ll tell me, that’s all Prosise’s fault for breaking his shoulder on a questionable pass from Wilson right before halftime.

At least the coaches went to Boykin on the last drive and spared Rawls any more punishment — in addition to giving us some chuckles.

We Were Right segment

Love love love this comment:

“Two words

Baldwin TD

One Word:

DangeRuss”

Posted by Eric the Husky Hawk on Nov 18, 2016 | 9:03 AM up reply rec flag

It would be hard to be more right than that. Except if you said...

“And there will be no red zone TD’s. They will all come from the 30+ yard line.”

Posted by vilanye on Nov 18, 2016 | 3:28 PM up reply rec flag

Pass The Bucs

Does the depleted depth of both of Seattle’s backfields mean anything? Will the Hawks pass more; will the Buccaneers challenge Terrell The Understudy through the air? Will the release of C-Mike come back to bite the Hawks in the heinial area?

Is Tommy Rawls ready to be the man again?

Is Russell Wilson ascending from The Hobblit to The King?

Is this a trap game? Do those even exist anymore?

Is Winston going to let loose a few explosive plays and assert himself as an up-and-coming quarterback while the nation watches?

Thank you in advance for your inaccuracy.