Coffee & Cigarettes: Seahawks links for Tuesday

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Monday Observations: Final four teams benefiting from adaptability - CBSSports.com
What do the remaining four playoff teams have in common? Each is great at adapting its persona and altering its style of play, depending on the matchup.

The St. Louis Rams' 'must-win' offseason moves - NFL - ESPN
When you miss the playoffs in the National Football League, the beginning of a new calendar year becomes relevant in many ways. Just as mainstream society treats January 1 as a chance to clear the decks in their personal life and make a fresh start, teams in the NFL use their exclusion from the playoffs as motivation to "do better" going forward by mentally pushing the reset button and eyeing the road ahead. Internally, they quickly will adopt the philosophy that with a few good UFA signings, a solid draft and continuous improvements from their players and coaches, they will have as good of a chance as any of reaching the "tournament" the following season.

49ers-Seahawks for the NFC title: The third game the 49ers always expected, and knew they had to earn | Talking Points
Way back in September, the 49ers had every idea it would turn out this way, and they knew it wasn’t going to be a pleasant journey.

Manning headlines PFWA All-NFL Team - Yahoo Sports
The Kansas City Chiefs placed a league-high three players - running back Jamaal Charles, safety Eric Berry and punt returner Dexter McCluster - on the 2013 All-NFL team, chosen in voting conducted by the Professional Football Writers of America.

NFC finale: This is the showdown you wanted | Jerry Brewer | The Seattle Times
The two teams spent all season stalking each other, and though they sparred twice earlier this year, it’s finally time to meet in the middle and truly unload on each other for the right to be called the NFC champion.

Seahawks-49ers Tickets For NFC Championship Game Are Most Expensive In NFC This Season - Forbes
With the Seahawks and 49ers both advancing through their divisional round games, a matchup of NFC West rivals is set for next weekend. The winner will play in SuperBowl XLVIII. The all-time series is tied at 15 wins each and whoever wins the 31st matchup between the two teams [...]

Divisional round takeaways: Run games stand out - Sportsnet.ca
Who said the NFL was a passing league? In a season where all kinds of passing records were broken, running the football was the key to all four victories in the Divisional Round.

Brady-Manning, 49ers-Seahawks rivalries renewed in title games - NFL.com
With an NFC Championship Game between bitter division rivals and an AFC title clash featuring the two greatest players of their era, Michael Silver says Championship Sunday has epic potential.

The Beast with 66,433 Backs | The Tailgater
Start thinking about Marshawn Lynch’s excellence, and your mind begins to wander to the excellence of his teammates.

Tale of the Tape From NFL Divisional Playoffs | Bleacher Report
The latest NFL news, rumors, scores, schedules, predictions, picks against the spread, free agent updates, power rankings, mock drafts and more

49ers are in for a dog fight against Seahawks, Frank Gore says - SBNation.com
The 49ers and Seahawks will likely feature ground-and-pound offenses looking for room against two top defenses.

Vernon Davis expects 'brutal battle' vs. Seahawks - NFL.com
The Seahawks have blown out the San Francisco 49ers in their last two matchups at Seattle. Find out why Vernon Davis believes it will be a "brutal battle" with "sparks" and "flames" this time.

Which is the best playoff team left standing? - NFL.com
In their latest organic email chain, the ATL team chimes in on who they think is the best playoff team left as we head toward championship weekend. Spoiler: No one is riding the Patriots.

Frank Gore on facing Seahawks: 49ers are built for this - NFL.com
Frank Gore and the San Francisco 49ers won a thumper over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. After the game, Gore looked ahead to next week's showdown with Seattle, saying: "We know it's going to be a dog fight."

Cam Newton: 'Playoff football is a different speed' - NFL.com
After Cam Newton and the Panthers were shut out in the second half of Sunday's playoff loss to the 49ers, the Carolina quarterback acknowledged: "We had too many opportunities that slipped through our hands."

Six from Sunday: With playoff lives on line, winners keep it on ground - CBSSports.com
The NFL is a passing league now, right? But when there are playoff games to win, the victorious teams are keeping it on the ground.

Fantasy Football - 2013 Consistency Breakdown: Quarterbacks : FantasyNews.CBSSports.com
Which quarterbacks provided consistent production for their owners in 2013? Our Dave Richard begins his series of breaking down the most reliable performers by position.

Panthers coach Ron Rivera: 'We lost our composure a couple times' - CBSSports.com
The first half of the 49ers-Panthers game was marked by personal-foul penalties, mostly by Carolina.

Monday Musings: Divisonals? Meh; bring on championship Sunday - CBSSports.com
We have four power teams left fighting to get to the Super Bowl, which is what many expected.

More details released on DUI arrest of Seahawk Spencer Ware | The Today File | Seattle Times
Sidelined Seattle Seahawk Spencer Ware said he shouldn’t have been behind the wheel when he was pulled over at 12:38 a.m. Sunday for suspected DUI, according to the Washington State Patrol. However, he told a trooper he was driving friends to the clubs as he was the least intoxicated among them.

Draft Falcons » Shrine Game: East Practice Notes: Day 1
The East team practiced first this afternoon and they were in pads which was great to see. Here are my notes from their first practice:

2014 Shrine Game: Monday East Practice Report
Padded up on Day One, the East had a productive practice to start the week’s events. With linemen and running backs the feature positions on Day Two, I focused on the skill positions and quarterbacks, taking notes on the lineman as I could.

Monday Morning MD | National Football Post
A look at three major fallacies regarding concussions.

Offseason questions for San Diego Chargers, Indianapolis Colts, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints | Audibles - SI.com
The year-round cycle of the NFL does not leave teams much time to feel sorry for themselves after their Super Bowl dreams are crushed, officially.

Here's why that 'Colin Kaepernick is self-centered and Russell Wilson is not' comparison is incredibly unfair | Shutdown Corner - Yahoo Sports
NFL Blog: Shutdown Corner

Will Tukuafu having MRI, Harbaugh “encouraged” with fullback’s movement | ProFootballTalk
The 49ers saw fullback Will Tukuafu leave Sunday's 23-10 victory over the Panthers after just a handful of snaps because of a left knee injury he suffered after catching a pass from Colin Kaepernick.

Ka’Deem Carey opts to enter NFL Draft | ProFootballTalk
There won't be a lot of repeat All-Americans on offense next season. Arizona running back Ka'Deem Carey announced Monday that he'll give up his remaining eligibility and enter the NFL Draft, joining every other draft-eligible member of the first-team offense, as chosen by the Associated Press, in...

Stanford All-American David Yankey to enter NFL Draft | ProFootballTalk
It would be impossible for us to post on every player leaving college early for the NFL Draft in advance of Wednesday's deadline, given the rate at which they're coming out.

Percy Harvin, if healthy, can be the answer | Seahawks Draft Blog
A couple of third down conversions. Two connections on easy slants.

Carroll: Nothing intentional with Saints' hits on Harvin - 710sports.com
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll says the team likely won't know anything more about Percy Harvin's status until later this week after the receiver left Seattle's playoff win over New Orleans with a concussion.

What we learned in the Seahawks' win over the Saints - 710sports.com
Three things we learned:

Pete Carroll: “I think this matchup is exactly what everybody is looking for” | Seahawks Blog | Seattle Times
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll met the media today to talk about Sunday’s NFC title game against the 49ers. Here are some highlights:

Seahawks have to wait and see on availability for Percy Harvin | Seahawks | The Seattle Times
Seahawks and receiver Percy Harvin following NFL’s concussion protocol

Seahawks need to turn Russell Wilson loose | Larry Stone | The Seattle Times
In a contest against the 49ers where points will be hard to come by, Seahawks should trust Russell Wilson to make plays, not just to manage the game.

Seahawks not concerned about offensive struggles | Seahawks | The Seattle Times
Good defense, strong running game and lack of turnovers still a winning formula for Seahawks.

News, notes, quotes and video: Harvin recovering from concussion | Seahawks Insider - The News Tribune
Pete Carroll said Monday that the only injury issue Percy Harvin has is from the possible concussion during Saturday’s game.

Seattle Seahawks Free Agents: Who's in Play for the Franchise Tag? | Bleacher Report
The NFL franchise tag exists to help teams retain their best players instead of losing them in free agency. It generates a massive one-year contact designed to motivate both team and player to negotiate a long-term deal.

Seattle Seahawks Blog - Hawk Blogger: Just The Facts: Seahawks vs 49ers
There is going to be no shortage of bull piped over every air wave this week about the upcoming title bout between the two best teams in football, Seattle and San Francisco. Not here. At least not in this article. This is where myths come to be exposed.

I Suck at Football, Week 18: The Barrel-of-Fun Room - The Triangle Blog - Grantland
I finally got cable installed in my basement office, just in time to watch the Bengals collapse in the first round of the playoffs for the third consecutive year. 27-10, Chargers win. It was a pleasure to watch this happen in the comfort of my home, and that's the main thing I have to say about it. Play of the game: Phil Simms ascribing the Bengals' mounting difficulties to "the lack of Christmas — crispness by their offense." You can keep "elite" and "momentum"; my new favorite meaningless football word is "crispness."

LSU's Jeremy Hill, Arizona's Ka'Deem Carey top two RBs in draft - NFL.com
LSU's Jeremy Hill and Arizona's Ka'Deem Carey shook up Gil Brandt's list of the best running backs in the 2014 draft when they announced they would turn pro.

Stanford OL David Yankey declares for 2014 NFL Draft - NFL.com
Stanford offensive lineman David Yankey will enter the 2014 NFL Draft, he announced Monday in a press release issued through the school.

LSU OL Trai Turner intends to enter NFL draft - NFL.com
Turner (6-foot-3, 316 pounds) was named second-team All-SEC by the AP, and is a bullish run blocker from the guard position. Like Hill, the New Orleans native is just a third-year sophomore, but is eligible for the draft because his redshirt season in 2011 makes him three years removed from high school.

Report: Arizona State's Carl Bradford to enter 2014 NFL Draft - NFL.com
Arizona State caught a break when hybrid defensive end/outside linebacker Carl Bradford returned to school for his redshirt junior season, helping the Sun Devils to the Pac-12 South title and their first 10-win season since 2007. But Bradford reportedly will not be back for another encore and will instead enter the 2014 NFL Draft.

Texas O-line hire bodes well for Longhorns' NFL draft prospects - NFL.com
For all the critiques regarding quarterback recruiting and development at Texas under former head coach Mack Brown, it's not as if the Longhorn offensive line was some sterling beacon of excellence.

Texas O-line hire bodes well for Longhorns' NFL draft prospects - NFL.com
For all the critiques regarding quarterback recruiting and development at Texas under former head coach Mack Brown, it's not as if the Longhorn offensive line was some sterling beacon of excellence.

The 49ers and Colin Kaepernick have a big Seattle problem–and it’s getting worse | Talking Points
There is Kaepernick Kryptonite, and suddenly it was everywhere on Sunday, dressed in blue and neon green.

League has no policy about address discrimination | ProFootballTalk
Both the Seahawks and the Broncos made headlines in recent days for limiting the billing addresses from which tickets for the conference championship games can be purchased.

Harbaugh thinks recent road experiences will help in Seattle | ProFootballTalk
“Our team has been in a lot of good primers, been through a lot of situations, tough environments, whether it’s weather or opposing stadiums,” Harbaugh said, via Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. “This team has been in a lot of situations – been everywhere, man — like the Johnny Cash song.”

League not concerned about coaches on the field behind the play | ProFootballTalk
“The practical application of the rule is that unless there is interference with a player or game official, it is not going to be called,” an NFL spokesman told PFT via email on Monday. “The officials will not turn and look for this behind the play.”

Pete Carroll: Percy Harvin’s hip feels good | ProFootballTalk
Head coach Pete Carroll had said last week the team still didn’t know how Harvin’s hip would ultimately respond after going through the rigors of another game. However, Harvin has apparently avoided any further issue after his brief appearance against the Saints. “He came out very well,” Carroll said. “Yeah we’re way ahead of the game on that one.”

Shrine Week Preview
The 2014 edition of the Shrine Game begins Monday morning in St Petersburg, Florida as near 100 NFL prospects are measured and weighed. This year’s version offers one of the most exciting combinations of underrated players and small school prospects who are prepared to display their skills for future employers. Least we forget, the Shrine Game is where Terron Armstead of Arkansas Pine-Bluff started his climb into the third round of the 2013 draft. But before the first practice takes place let’s breakdown each position by unit to get an idea of what to look for.

2014 Shrine Game: Top 15 Prospects To Follow During Practices
In what will be the 89th annual East-West Shrine Game, some of the top seniors in the 2014 NFL Draft class have been invited to participate in practices during the week and an eventual game on January 18th for both entertainment and, more importantly to them, for NFL teams to further evaluate these prospects.

2014 Shrine Game: East Team Prospect Scouting Preview
Will ClarkeThe East roster in this year’s Shrine Game boasts the better quarterback, running back, and receiver talent of the two rosters, along with a handful of prospects on defense that could certainly take advantage of a big week herein St. Petersburg, Florida.

2014 Shrine Game: West Team Prospect Scouting Preview
While the East roster may boast the top quarterback and more depth in the secondary, the West roster wins at almost every other position based on film work.

2014 Shrine Game: Monday practice report - CBSSports.com
East quarterbacks Jeff Mathews (Cornell) and Jimmy Garoppolo (Eastern Illinois) stood out on day one of practices at the 2014 East-West Shrine Game

2014 NFL Draft: Late-Rounders Who Will Be Studs At The Next Level

With the divsional playoffs wrapping up, the NFL draft is looming. With only a few teams in contention for the Super Bowl, many teams are prepping their war rooms for May's draft. Obviously, teams try to fill their biggest needs by selecting studs in the first two days of the draft. But, the third day is the day where many teams can win the draft. Tom Brady, Shannon Sharpe, and Donald Driver have all had excellent NFL careers, despite being chosen in the later rounds. Sometimes, the best NFL players are picked on day three. Without further ado, lets take a look at some late-round NFL prospects who will be studs at the next level.