Is there room for me on the Fire Bevell bandwagon?

[Sports Hernia]

I'm done.

And it has nothing to do with the last play of today's game.

Look, I'm a contrarian by nature and I don't like being part of a mob, so I've spent the last three seasons trying to find excuses for Darell Bevell's simplistic scheme and boneheaded playcalling. I've reminded myself that our receivers are physically mediocre (do Jermaine Kearse and Doug Baldwin REALLY scare DC's?). I've theorized that experience limitations at multiple positions might be dictating the scheme. I've remembered that Pete prefers a simplistic scheme executed to perfection than a complicated scheme done bad. I've done everything I could to give Bevell the benefit of a doubt.

I would then turn to Russell Wilson and remind myself that he's still not making all his reads, still holding onto the ball, and still overthrowing receivers at the worst moments.

On a day like today, I would normally try to remind myself that this is probably the best defense Seattle will face all year, one specifically drafted and coached to contain none other than one Russell Wilson. I would also console myself with the fact that the loss was down to several other factors, including the defense regressing to 2010 level.

And, of course, that it's only Week 1, where weird things always happen.

But now Bevell is the laughingstock of the NFL. His overthinking finally cost him on the national stage, and I have to reevaluate. The problem with the Last Play in the Super Bowl wasn't that its target wasn't Lynch. It wasn't even that the target was Lockette. Bevell could have been throwing to Gronk on that play and it would have been a low percentage play BECAUSE IT'S ONE OF ONLY THREE GOALLINE PLAYS THE SEAHAWKS HAVE IN THEIR PLAYBOOK AND THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS DIDN'T EVEN NEED TO CHEAT TO SEE IT COMING.

And today I once again saw the night and day difference between Bevell calling the plays in normal time and Wilson calling them in hurry up. Granted, the hurry up plays are easy for Wilson because they're usually called against soft zone prevent. But I just can't hold out anymore. Wilson is bolder, smarter, and more successful when he calls the plays. Downfield strikes happen. Smart bootlegs happen. Wilson gets to use those legs of his instead of standing in the pocket. I remember the read-option not happening in the 2012 Bears game until Wilson pointed out to Bevell that it was wide open. I remember the time Lynch needing to tell Wilson to "take the game over", and later flipping Bevell off from the field.

Then, finally, the last play today happens. It's not about Lynch not making the play. Why was he even needed on fourth down? Oh, that's right...because on the prior two plays, Bevell WENT BACK TO CONSECUTIVE #$%@ BUBBLE SCREENS AND GOT HIS ASS HANDED TO HIM BY ONE OF THE BEST DEFENSES IN THE LEAGUE AT STOPPING THEM.

I'm sick of cute.

I'm sick of effeminate bubble screens to small receivers with no quicks.

I'm sick of incessant stop routes.

I'm sick of a scheme so dependent on isolation routes for unremarkable route runners that everyone from former head coaches to SI analysts are calling it out for its simplicity.

I'm sick of empty backfields with bad/no hot routes for a conservative QB. Against the Rams.

I'm sick of 50/50 balls to mediocre receivers on third and four.

I'm sick of play action at all the wrong times (4th and 14?).

I'm sick of an emasculated lack of deep strikes.

I'm sick of paying out the nose for big-name players and then trying to use them as decoys before using them as players.

I'm sick of Lynch being forgotten.

I am sick of the bootleg and the read-option being remembered only about once every three games.

I am sick of a playbook that contains about five different plays.

And most of all, I'm sick of excuses.

Even with the Rams' defense forcing Seattle into a conservative game plan, you cannot explain away all of the above with it. Bevell does not put his existing talent in position to succeed, he does not use his lesser talent in the right ways, he does not stick what works, and he does not succeed when assuming that a surprise bonehead play will cause defenders to fall over in shock and lead to touchdowns.

We are not two-time NFC champions because of Bevell. We are two-time NFC champions because of Russell Wilson. His greatest highlights have happened when Bevell's play intentions broke down and Wilson starts improvising. Bevell's career success has come with possibly the two greatest improvising QBs ever to play the game. On any other team...literally, any other team, Bevell would be wasting his talent, and I doubt we'd be any better than a perennial 9-7.

50% of the mistakes made today were individual. The rest were made by one man.

I am on the bandwagon; pass the beer.

FIRE. DARELL. BEVELL.

I'm your driver you can call me Mr. Hernia, and we won't even charge you to get on.
Welcome to the dark side! 8)

 

[Mick063]

Bubble screens to Kearse and Baldwin make me want to gag.

 

[justafan]

The thing about the playcalling is you could give Manning or Brady 15 plays out of our playbook and they would still put up huge numbers and carry the team.They could even tell you what the call was and still beat you.Because they execute.They demand execution from the team and dont make any bones about getting in someones face when they screw up

I dont think Wilson will ever develop into that type of QB but he will still be a great QB who wins his way.But it will get ugly at times.

My problem with Bevel and Cable is they have never been able to get this offense running as a cohesive team consistently.
If Lynch isnt making big plays and Wilson isnt carving teams up with playground ball this team struggles.

They will get better and will back in the playoffs again but they will never be a Bill Walsh or Payton type offense based on precision,execution and timing.

 

[MontanaHawk05]

Dink & Dunk. Very brutal to watch. I've tried to not just join the chorus with all the Bevell hate but I'm in.

A conservative plan I could understand. I wouldn't expect Bevell to run TEN bootlegs or read-options against this Rams line; he knows they're ready for it. But almost none? That's not good.

And not finding ways to get our more talented players into that short game - Graham, Lockett, Fred Jackson - was bizarre. Using Graham to pull a defender twenty yards downfield doesn't mean Kearse can suddenly juke two other guys in a different part of the field. He's just not built that way. Even Rawls has more moves.

 

[Rob12]

He's terrible. I don't know how anyone supports him at this point.

Jimmy was a ghost today. If I'm him, I'm pissed.

 

[Hawks46]

Your best post ever.

Echo's my sentiment exactly. We have no misdirection. We very rarely try to trick anyone.

And evidently, we can't run a QB sneak.

 

[Rob12]

Travis Kelce looks like the second coming of Gronk today, and the Hawks target Graham like six times? I'd be embarrassed if I was Bevell.

 

[TheRealDTM]

Dink & Dunk. Very brutal to watch. I've tried to not just join the chorus with all the Bevell hate but I'm in.

A conservative plan I could understand. I wouldn't expect Bevell to run TEN bootlegs or read-options against this Rams line; he knows they're ready for it. But almost none? That's not good.

And not finding ways to get our more talented players in that game - Graham, Lockett, Fred Jackson - was bizarre. Using Graham to pull a defender twenty yards downfield doesn't mean Kearse can suddenly juke two other guys in a different part of the field. He's just not built that way. Even Rawls has more moves.

Rawls whose 1 play had me missing CMike

 

[blue 22]

There is plenty of room. Bring some friends!

 

[original poster]

I was totally on Bevells side after SB49 to a point where all the negatives on this forum annoyed me.

You can now count me in on another person that wants him gone.

#HarboughforOC.

 

[Rocket]

Your best post ever.

Yep... a thing of beautimous. :th2thumbs:

 

[Rocket]

#HarboughforOC.

Nope... I can't handle pitchin' a fit in khakis.

 

[hawk45]

Did we have one positive play from empty set today? No? We sure used a lot of it.

 

[rastahawk]

First of all congratulations on a good post. I am a little worried by this because I've been happy with the front office's MO of letting go of things of that do not work out. But for some reason Bevell is still here. In so many of our losses, something is directly attributable to him. He's just not that good. Not only do our own eyes tell us this, but the lack of interest in him for HC jobs during the multitude of firings in the last couple of seasons also shows that he's not well regarded in the league. I am so ready to see something fresh.

 

[kujohawk]

I agree with you Montana great post. We moved the ball down the field to the 12 with a third and three with four minutes left. We didn't play for a new set of downs we hucked it to the back of the endzone and kicked a field goal for a kissing your sister tie. If you play not to lose you lose.

The most consistent part of our offense is you know we are going to have several stupid play calls a game from that guy. He's a mental midget. Let Russel call the plays what are they going to do bench him?

 

[SeahawksFanForever]

Posted this in other thread:

Wilson is going to be Andy Dalton with wheels if Seahawks coaches don't step up their game. I blame it on the playcalling.

 

[justafan]

Did we have one positive play from empty set today? No? We sure used a lot of it.

So why cant they execute that formation?
Other teams have great success with it.
Is it Wilson?WRs?
Oline failed?
Is the team lacking talent or intelligence?

 

[brimsalabim]

I'm done.

And it has nothing to do with the last play of today's game.

Look, I'm a contrarian by nature and I don't like being part of a mob, so I've spent the last three seasons trying to find excuses for Darell Bevell's simplistic scheme and boneheaded playcalling. I've reminded myself that our receivers are physically mediocre (do Jermaine Kearse and Doug Baldwin REALLY scare DC's?). I've theorized that experience limitations at multiple positions might be dictating the scheme. I've remembered that Pete prefers a simplistic scheme executed to perfection than a complicated scheme done bad. I've done everything I could to give Bevell the benefit of a doubt.

I would then turn to Russell Wilson and remind myself that he's still not making all his reads, still holding onto the ball, and still overthrowing receivers at the worst moments.

On a day like today, I would normally try to remind myself that this is probably the best defense Seattle will face all year, one specifically drafted and coached to contain none other than one Russell Wilson. I would also console myself with the fact that the loss was down to several other factors, including the defense regressing to 2010 level.

And, of course, that it's only Week 1, where weird things always happen.

But now Bevell is the laughingstock of the NFL. His overthinking finally cost him on the national stage, and I have to reevaluate. The problem with the Last Play in the Super Bowl wasn't that its target wasn't Lynch. It wasn't even that the target was Lockette. Bevell could have been throwing to Gronk on that play and it would have been a low percentage play BECAUSE IT'S ONE OF ONLY THREE GOALLINE PLAYS THE SEAHAWKS HAVE IN THEIR PLAYBOOK AND THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS DIDN'T EVEN NEED TO CHEAT TO SEE IT COMING.

And today I once again saw the night and day difference between Bevell calling the plays in normal time and Wilson calling them in hurry up. Granted, the hurry up plays are easy for Wilson because they're usually called against soft zone prevent. But I just can't hold out anymore. Wilson is bolder, smarter, and more successful when he calls the plays. Downfield strikes happen. Smart bootlegs happen. Wilson gets to use those legs of his instead of standing in the pocket. I remember the read-option not happening in the 2012 Bears game until Wilson pointed out to Bevell that it was wide open. I remember the time Lynch needing to tell Wilson to "take the game over", and later flipping Bevell off from the field.

Then, finally, the last play today happens. It's not about Lynch not making the play. Why was he even needed on fourth down? Oh, that's right...because on the prior two plays, Bevell WENT BACK TO CONSECUTIVE #$%@ BUBBLE SCREENS AND GOT HIS ASS HANDED TO HIM BY ONE OF THE BEST DEFENSES IN THE LEAGUE AT STOPPING THEM.

I'm sick of cute.

I'm sick of effeminate bubble screens to small receivers with no quicks.

I'm sick of incessant stop routes.

I'm sick of a scheme so dependent on isolation routes for unremarkable route runners that everyone from former head coaches to SI analysts are calling it out for its simplicity.

I'm sick of empty backfields with bad/no hot routes for a conservative QB. Against the Rams.

I'm sick of 50/50 balls to mediocre receivers on third and four.

I'm sick of play action at all the wrong times (4th and 14?).

I'm sick of an emasculated lack of deep strikes.

I'm sick of paying out the nose for big-name players and then trying to use them as decoys before using them as players.

I'm sick of Lynch being forgotten.

I am sick of the bootleg and the read-option being remembered only about once every three games.

I am sick of a playbook that contains about five different plays.

And most of all, I'm sick of excuses.

Even with the Rams' defense forcing Seattle into a conservative game plan, you cannot explain away all of the above with it. Bevell does not put his existing talent in position to succeed, he does not use his lesser talent in the right ways, he does not stick what works, and he does not succeed when assuming that a surprise bonehead play will cause defenders to fall over in shock and lead to touchdowns.

We are not two-time NFC champions because of Bevell. We are two-time NFC champions because of Russell Wilson. His greatest highlights have happened when Bevell's play intentions broke down and Wilson starts improvising. Bevell's career success has come with possibly the two greatest improvising QBs ever to play the game. On any other team...literally, any other team, Bevell would be wasting his talent, and I doubt we'd be any better than a perennial 9-7.

50% of the mistakes made today were individual. The rest were made by one man.

I am on the bandwagon; pass the beer.

FIRE. DARELL. BEVELL.

I could not have said it better save for adding one thought.. Bevel is only here because of Pete so some of it is on him. Pete is a defensive coach and just like most defensive coaches he believes the offenses number one priority is to protect the ball and thus his defense. In order for this to get fixed Pete is going to have to make an adjustment to his thinking. Bevel is just a tool. What is also worrisome is there is no one else on our offensive staff that could take over.

 

[brimsalabim]

I'm done.

I'm sick of effeminate bubble screens to small receivers with no quicks.

I swear to god... If I see a damn screen to Baldwin one more time... I am going to fly to Seattle, take a cab to the nearest sporting goods store, buy the best driver they have, take a cab to Bevell's residence, ring the door bell, and drive that club right into his nuts.

I would be a little more forgiving if it was Lockett, but no, we have him BLOCKING for Baldwin. It's like I'm watching a training video and any second the video will pause and ask "What did they do wrong?".

Agreed. If we have to throw it then throw it to some one that might make his man miss....Lockett.

 

[hawk45]

Did we have one positive play from empty set today? No? We sure used a lot of it.

So why cant they execute that formation?
Other teams have great success with it.
Is it Wilson?WRs?
Oline failed?
Is the team lacking talent or intelligence?

Good questions but of more immediate concern to me is why we continued to use it so much the entire game despite sucking at it.