Seahawks Film Analysis: Reviewing every tight end touchdown in 2022 (Part 2)

In reviewing the first five Seattle Seahawks tight end touchdowns from 2022, two things were consistently prevalent: perfectly thrown balls from Geno Smith and Seattle taking full advantage of some shaky defensive plays. In the second part of this series, we are going to review the sixth through tenth touchdowns by Seahawks tight ends in 2022.

Noah Fant #2 (vs. Los Angeles Rams)

This was another great post snap read from Geno Smith. The design of this play is to get DK Metcalf open on a rub route with Tyler Lockett running an out into cornerback Derion Kendrick (No. 22). Kendrick does a good job of deciphering it, which forces Geno onto his second read in the Lockett/Fant high low. Safety David Long Jr. (No. 22) steps up to take Lockett away leaving the back of the end zone open for Fant who is running a simple out route from the tight slot. Geno makes the correct read and lofts the ball over Long Jr. for the easy six, with the help of great pass protection.

Noah Fant #3 (vs. San Francisco 49ers)

A few months ago when breaking down how to attack the 49ers defense, this is one of the plays we discussed. San Francisco is in a Cover 2 zone, which traditionally means Talanoa Hufanga would have to get wide. However, since the ball is being snapped from the ten-yard line, he can stay a bit narrower seeing as the cloud flat corners can carry the outside receivers a bit deeper, almost as if they were in Cover 4 quarters coverage. But since the former USC Trojan gets wide, it opens up the entire middle of the field for Fant who is running a post route for an easy touchdown.

Fant #4 (vs. Kansas City Chiefs)

I could be wrong, but it looks like Noah Fant is supposed to be running a slant route on the play and he gives up on it rather quickly as if he is never expecting to get the ball. But, when Geno Smith faces some internal pressure and leaves the pocket, Fant smells a touchdown and mirrors Smith. On what effectively becomes an out route, Fant walks the back of the end zone and Geno delivers a well thrown ball for the score.

Colby Parkinson #2 (vs. New York Jets)

Lamarcus Joyner mugged Parkinson during the course of this route and he was still able to score a touchdown. Parkinson, who almost gets rerouted at the start of the play due to the contact, is running a deep out with a lot of traffic in front of him. Kenneth Walker lll is running a hitch, Tyler Lockett goes in at the snap motion and runs a swing route and Fant runs a square in. The design of the play is to create all of that traffic in front of Parkinson with the hope the defense is in zone and the defender on the defense’s deep left will lose eye discipline and come up to cover what is in front of him, leaving Fant open in behind. However, that is all for naught seeing as the Jets are in Cover 1 man, but the play is still able to be successful thanks to Parkinson. As touched on above, Parkinson fights through a lot of contact but is still able to beat Joyner at the stem and create enough separation for Geno to hit him for the score.

Tyler Mabry #1 (vs. New York Jets)

The Seahawks are running a variation of a bench concept on this play. The receiver on the outside on each side runs a quick out, which is designed to pull the outside shallow defenders with them to the outside. Then the two end-line tight ends run stick routes where they traditionally press the defender up field then turn around and float into the soft spot in the zone. Because of the spacing of the defense though off of the snap, Mabry does not have to press any defender, quickly flipping his hips and presenting a target to Geno Smith who reads the play. Geno delivers a bullet that a defender just misses breaking up at the catch point and then Mabry is able to fall into the end zone for the score. Not bad to have your first career catch be a touchdown.

2023 is a big year for Seahawks tight ends, as Fant and Parkinson are in contract years, while Dissly is in the second of his three-year deal given to him in the previous offseason.