can the passing game carry the Hawks to the SB?

[Polaris]

Lynch will be back against the Rams or Cards. I remember the last time we played Cleveland without Marshawn. I don't think we'll see the same outcome.

Yeah, that was pre-WIlson and T-Jax was hurt. It was one of two games started by clipboard Jesus for Seattle.

 

[HawKnPeppa]

Losing Rawls is a HUGE blow to the Hawks chances - but it's not fatal.

Other players will have to step up, mostly the receivers. #89 and #16 need to be amazing. And, the Defense has to be great again.

Wilson's running numbers will probably go up, too.

Bevell should watch tape of the Denver Broncos from the mid 1980's. Elway had no running game to speak of - instead, he scrambled around, threw the long ball, and used the draw play to great advantage.

But the Broncos took the next step when Shanny and Gibbs came in with the ZBS, and suddenly Elway had a running game to balance things out. The magical tricks tend to fizzle out once you're up against a truly superior defense.

 

[Polaris]

Losing Rawls is a HUGE blow to the Hawks chances - but it's not fatal.

Other players will have to step up, mostly the receivers. #89 and #16 need to be amazing. And, the Defense has to be great again.

Wilson's running numbers will probably go up, too.

Bevell should watch tape of the Denver Broncos from the mid 1980's. Elway had no running game to speak of - instead, he scrambled around, threw the long ball, and used the draw play to great advantage.

But the Broncos took the next step when Shanny and Gibbs came in with the ZBS, and suddenly Elway had a running game to balance things out. The magical tricks tend to fizzle out once you're up against a truly superior defense.

Sure but we're not going to face a truly superior defense until the playoffs (or maybe week 17 and only if that game is actually important). We don't need a great running game against the likes of Cleveland and St Louis. What we already have is probably good enough to tide us over until Lynch gets back.

 

[themunn]

Remember - Wilson has been practising for 4 years against a defense far better than any we're going to face this year.

The biggest hurdle to keeping him going is keeping him clean, if the O-Line has truly improved we'll know when we face the Rams - keep Wilson to 2 sacks or less and I can't see any defense stopping him

 

[olyfan63]

...
Bevell should watch tape of the Denver Broncos from the mid 1980's. Elway had no running game to speak of - instead, he scrambled around, threw the long ball, and used the draw play to great advantage.

I saw them twice a year back then. Elway didn't get his ring until Denver had a big-time running game with Terrell Davis.
I recall betting a Packer fan that first SB year and winning, because I knew how good Denver's running game was and didn't see how Green Bay could stop it. We for sure need a legit running threat to get anywhere in the playoffs, especially against Carolina.

 

[MizzouHawkGal]

True. But that's January 17th. Lynch will be back by then. Just to escape the fines if nothing else.

 

[Mick063]

Yes, if our Defense play up to their potential.

This is the correct answer.

 

[nash72]

No, I dont think the passing game can get us to the big show. We need some type of running game in addition to it. I want to see what we do against the Rams and Cardinals. They at least have better defenses then what we've been playing against lately. Also, we will be spending the playoffs on the road this year and thats not confidence inspiring to say the least.

 

[Scottemojo]

On the opening drive Sunday, 2/3rds of the plays were spread. OL were cutting to open short pass lanes, and Rawls was gashing from the spread. Most important of all, it set the rhythm of the offense, we were dictating the terms. All those deep plays later in the game were set up by that short rhythm attack early on, in a way they served the same role as a play action fake.

The book on Russ has been to mush rush him. Keep him in the pocket and draw the play out. Blitz the middle or the bootleg play action, but don't try to get rush from all 4, always keep at least two if not 3 in front of the pocket. Don't worry about the short middle, Seattle doesn't use it, just run deep hook zones with linebackers and safeties, quarters in the secondary, and have a spy. Or blitz like crazy through the run gaps.

That is pretty damn hard to do with Seattle OL taking their legs out to set up 9 yard slants.

Play action and smash mouth running still have a place in Seattle, but they have to be the changeup pitch. The rhythm pass game, not always but often from spread formations. We can legitimately use the spread because we run well from it. Until Lynch returns, and hopefully after, this is the offense. We don't have to lose a tough identity to do it either, we just have to understand that a spread attack where the ball is out in 2 seconds can be just as effective as a run game at setting up the back half of the play sheet.

50 snaps plus for Lockett, Kearse, and Baldwin last Sunday. We are not shuttling personnel on and off the field like we have in the past, which is just one part of our offensive explosion. That to me is quite possibly the single most overlooked part of the recent success.

 

[StoneCold]

It is probably true that the Ravens entire defense is not as good as what we will see on the way to the SB, but we did score 28 points after Rawls went down. Actually 35 points, but I'm counting the first TD as a Rawls product. I think as long as we can get between 80 and 100 yards from the running game we can win it all.

 

[RiverDog]

IMO the passing game alone will not get us to the SB. We've seen what this offense is like without a viable running threat, and it ain't pretty. I do like scotty's suggestion about going to the spread as we do have the personnel, but my concern is that the spread is high risk, and we'll be starting an unfamiliar running back.

At this point, I don't think we change a thing about our offense. I'd count on someone stepping up and filling at least some of Rawls productivity.

We are fortunate in that we have two home games against two teams with losing records to get this thing figured out. Beast ought to be back by the playoffs, maybe even for that last regular season game in the desert, and with the way things are going, we can afford to lose one game and still get a wild card, perhaps even the 5th seed.

That's all good and well. Except after Cleveland we play the Rams. They hate us and seem to play beyond what is possible. And then there is Arizona.

Look, I hate Arizona but unlike St. Louis they are pretty good. Luckily it looks like 10-6 win get you in. And it won't be fun if a healthy Marshaun is back. It's a slam dunk if we have somebody that can run a little but do we?

That's true, and I am by no means taking the Rams for granted. They always play us tough, even when they've been eliminated from the playoffs, as is likely to be the case when they come to town two weeks from now.

But they are starting another no name quarterback and are one dimensional on offense (they're ranked 6th in rushing, 32nd passing). There's no reason why our defense, playing at home, shouldn't keep the opposition's offense out of the end zone like we have in 6 of our 13 games.

If I had to pick a spot on our schedule where we were forced to go two games without our top 2 running backs, it would be at this point. Our next two opposing quarterbacks are 2nd and 3rd stringers that haven't played in a stadium like the Clink during a playoff stretch. It's not a trap game as we are scratching and clawing for a playoff spot, so no one is going to sneak up on us. If we can't beat these two teams under these circumstances with or without our top 2 running backs, then I don't hold out a lot of hope for a successful run in the playoffs.

 

[Marlin Man]

NO, not unless RW starts running a few times himself. I don't think he ran even once against Baltimore (not that he HAD to). Just saying, don't BS yourselves, we don't run- they stack 9-10 in the bo and we are hosed

 

[RiverDog]

NO, not unless RW starts running a few times himself. I don't think he ran even once against Baltimore (not that he HAD to). Just saying, don't BS yourselves, we don't run- they stack 9-10 in the bo and we are hosed

No one stacks 10 in the box, at least not in the middle of the field on first down. And why would they waste defensive players by stacking the box if we can't or won't run anyway?

What I fear is the exact opposite, that teams will not respect our running threat and bring more pressure on Russell. Play our WR's tight, take away our short passing game, and force the OL to protect him.

 

[Laloosh]

50 snaps plus for Lockett, Kearse, and Baldwin last Sunday. We are not shuttling personnel on and off the field like we have in the past, which is just one part of our offensive explosion. That to me is quite possibly the single most overlooked part of the recent success.

I hadn't given that a single thought. :hmmmm:

 

[IndyHawk]

No running game=short playoff run period

 

[chris98251]

If Wilson were 6'4 or so maybe

 

[sutz]

NO, not unless RW starts running a few times himself. I don't think he ran even once against Baltimore (not that he HAD to). Just saying, don't BS yourselves, we don't run- they stack 9-10 in the bo and we are hosed

That's a little backward. If we can't run, they stack the box? :34853_doh:

More like if we can't run they switch between rushing 3 with 8 in zone and 5 with 6 in zone.

Let's use a little common sense.

 

[Recon_Hawk]

I do think with Russell and this offensive line and the receivers playing like they are that they can take it all the way to the Super Bowl. It won't be the blowout victories we've been seeing, though, and it'll take the defense playing great, too.

I expect a lot more 3rd and long situation. I don't care who the team is, the more long 3rd down conversions you have the less chance you have converting them. Russell's gonna have to be ok taking throws that are short of the first down. One of his best improvements has been his decisions to give his receivers a chance to convert on simple throws instead of trying to do it outside of the play call.

Outside of some smart 3rd down plays it'll take some elite play by Russ, but I think we've seen that he's more than capable of that.