Let's talk Nowak

[gowazzu02]

It's easy to mistakenly place the game on Nowak because he is the player people know the least about, and he did have a couple bad plays in the first couple drives against Green Bay. Nowak improved in the 2nd half and was making some really nice blocks. The reality is Britt and Sweezy each had worse games.

The thing that will improve the running game the most is running the ball more. Marshawn and the offensive line need time to get into a rhythm.

You could say that about the entire offense. But kinda a chicken or egg argument? Not using Jimmy enough? WR's not getting into a rhythm with RW. Running the ball...... All those things take reps and rhythm. Reps aren't there cause a severe lack of success is resulting in multiple 3 and outs.

The offense needs flow, but can't get flow until it gets a little success.

 

[hawknation2015]

I guess I'm just not sure why you felt the need to re-create this thread from two days ago:
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=114263

This was your response in that thread:

Are you guys sure its only nowak? I think there was plenty of olineman getting blown off the ball not just him...

Now you seem certain Nowak is the problem, when in many instances the film indicates otherwise.

 

[HawkFan72]

Even if Nowak has a higher upside then LJP or Lewis, why wouldn't they have him learn by being the back up? Sure, he doesn't get the reps, but he's still in all of the meetings and gets practice reps.

Seems like they could still get his long term potential without sacrificing horrible play for the present.

This has been my question as well. Why isn't Lewis starting until Nowak gets more comfortable? Throwing him into the deep end on the road in two of our toughest games just does not seem like a good confidence builder or recipe for success.

 

[hawknation2015]

Even if Nowak has a higher upside then LJP or Lewis, why wouldn't they have him learn by being the back up? Sure, he doesn't get the reps, but he's still in all of the meetings and gets practice reps.

Seems like they could still get his long term potential without sacrificing horrible play for the present.

This has been my question as well. Why isn't Lewis starting until Nowak gets more comfortable? Throwing him into the deep end on the road in two of our toughest games just does not seem like a good confidence builder or recipe for success.

The coaches have evaluated Nowak to be the better player. Lewis is a decent run blocker with plodding and slow movement. That makes things difficult for him in getting to the 2nd level in the run game and in pass pro with center being the quickest path to the QB. I thought Lewis improved in the preseason, beating out Jeanpierre with his consitency, but Nowak still looked like the superior center.

 

[kearly]

The lack of run game has been frustrating, but this fan is okay, for once, to have guys who can protect the QB who need to improve their run blocking, and not the other way around. Especially if the guys who can protect are at C, RT, and LT (well Okung can run block as well).

There have been excuses on excuses for pass pro, but once you see actual protection you realize that yeah, no, what we saw before did in fact suck. What we saw in GB did not suck at all, even one bit. That's the kind of protection that leaves the QB no excuses if he can't operate.

I'd like to see where the tradeoff takes us.

Like the the 49ers, our offense has always been at its best when it can dominate physically. Seattle got to two Super Bowls with the worst sack rate in the league both years.

I think our current OL is patchwork.

Terry Poole is comparable as a prospect to James Carpenter. There's a reason he was the first OL Seattle drafted this year, they wanted a road grader to replace the road grader they lost. The Hawks probably hoped he could start at LG on day one. But things didn't go as they hoped.

JS name checked Patrick Lewis, not Drew Nowak, after trading Unger. This is another example of the plans laid in March changing by August.

And then you had Britt entering the season at RT, only to change to LG when Pete panicked. I actually think this was the right move, but again, it's not something they were planning for in March.

As a result, you have a line that was very different than the one they planned around building during the offseason. I'm not saying that as a blanket criticism, only to say that the stylistic cacophony within the line was not by design. It is simply the result of Seattle doing the best they can after a series of development setbacks this summer.

All it takes for the OL to fail on a play is if one member of the group fails at his job. This is just as true in the run game as it is in protection. For this reason, you are better off going with five good run blockers or five good pass blockers so that you can assure yourself that at least one of those areas will be solid. Look at the packers for example, just about every one of there starters are good pass blockers. There's no JR Sweezy or Justin Britt mixed into that line who could sabotage that protection. Stylistic consistency matters.

WIlson is a QB who can make due with lesser protection, and you can't really be an elite running team long term without good run blocking. Seattle's lines have been bad, but at least according to FO, they had been top 10 in run blocking every year for a while now. This year, the run blocking looks really really bad. Protection seems improved, but not by enough to offset the loss in the running game.

 

[kearly]

Now you seem certain Nowak is the problem, when in many instances the film indicates otherwise.

This is fair. Nobody has looked good yet on the OL. Nowak's poor play is easier to notice because he sometimes gets beat spectacularly, and his good plays are the kind fans don't notice and/or take for granted.

I think part of it too is that a lot of people liked what Lewis did in his three starts last year and are wondering why he isn't out there. I personally have this opinion myself, but I'm okay with being patient with Nowak for several weeks. The last time Cable talked up a struggling center was Max Unger, and that worked out okay.

 

[jammerhawk]

I really don't know what Coach Cable sees in this player, except he's just barely passable in pass protection. Considering the Hawks are a running team Nowak frequently seems overmatched as a run blocker and frequently simply whiffs on his block who swims past him, when he gets to the second level he is usually lost or late. At this point he appears to be a noticeable weak link in a weak OLine and a frequent hinderance to effectively running inside.

It's easy to rag on him as he's a rookie starter at his position but he frequently sticks out as being a weak link in the Oline. suspect we will see significant improvement as the season goes along but his upside appears to be bit limited.

 

[xgeoff]

I ended up getting curious and watched his entire game. He got absolutely blown up 3-5 plays, but basically did just fine all the rest. The question is, how much of a game changer are those 3-5 plays? Almost all of them resulted in negative plays. Raji was highly motivated at times and just blew him up. Would he have done that to other centers as well on those plays?

Yeah, this is an interesting point. And there were several plays that Britt screwed up his block as well. Gilliam missed some. I think we might be able to point to every one of the Offensive Linemen missing their blocks a few times during the game. Add all those plays up. Lynch only had 15 carries.

But I do agree, it did seem that very often Nowak was getting his ass handed to him.

 

[Tical21]

If you guys want to see something comical, try watching our first offensive play.

 

[hawknation2015]

Britt has had major issues with blocking at the 2nd level. That is to be expected, as he only moved to left guard for the first time less than a month ago.

Here Britt should have picked up #21, who is run blitzing, and Sweezy should have reached Matthews. Nowak does a really nice job clearing a hole for Lynch up the middle. This may have been a communication issue.

Britt whiffs on Matthews, who comes down to make the play. Lynch cuts back because Okung and Britt both vacate the DE.

 

[hawknation2015]

Nowak did a nice job on this play getting to Matthews to momentarily open up a nice lane for Marshawn:


Unfortunately, the DT sheds Britt and Luke Willson whiffs on his block. An average back would have been taken down here at the line of scrimmage, but Lynch keeps his legs churning for seven yards.

 

[hawknation2015]

If you guys want to see something comical, try watching our first offensive play.

Horrible screen play . . . typical Bevell.

 

[hawknation2015]

Here is a play where Lynch start to get going. One of Gilliam's best blocks of the game. Nowak pancakes the DT. Sweezy whiffs a little on his 2nd level block and commits a borderline hold.

 

[hawknation2015]

This was one of Britt's best blocks of the night. Willson throws his body in there. Nice job by Okung to get to the LB and clear some space. Sweezy does not hold his block . . . wish Nowak would have had the awareness to help him there, rather than try to find Matthews. If Sweezy just finishes that block, Marshawn is off to the races.

They are getting there . . . one or two mistakes away from being a solid offensive line.

 

[xgeoff]

Nation, you do some fantastic analysis. Great stuff!

 

[King Dog]

Heck yes I give a pass to Nowack. Our FO started a defensive lineman at C lol. It's not his fault. Doing a good job so far.

 

[Smellyman]

Heck yes I give a pass to Nowack. Our FO started a defensive lineman at C lol. It's not his fault. Doing a good job so far.

Ha. This is true. He is playing pretty well.

He also isn't totally Sweezy green though. Doesn't he have 2 or 3 years on practice squad playing Oline?

 

[gowazzu02]

I guess I'm just not sure why you felt the need to re-create this thread from two days ago:
http://www.seahawks.net/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=114263

This was your response in that thread:

Are you guys sure its only nowak? I think there was plenty of olineman getting blown off the ball not just him...

Now you seem certain Nowak is the problem, when in many instances the film indicates otherwise.

Dang bro I can't remember every post I make, that post was in a thread named 3rd and long... It's been an action packed couple days. I've seen new film since then and wanted to discuss...you know on a Seahawks message board.... while we're on it. What were my thoughts on kam? Hate to double post that

 

[Tical21]

Britt has had major issues with blocking at the 2nd level. That is to be expected, as he only moved to left guard for the first time less than a month ago.

Here Britt should have picked up #21, who is run blitzing, and Sweezy should have reached Matthews. Nowak does a really nice job clearing a hole for Lynch up the middle. This may have been a communication issue.

Britt whiffs on Matthews, who comes down to make the play. Lynch cuts back because Okung and Britt both vacate the DE.

Sorry dude, it's going to seem like I'm picking on you here, but you actually got both of these a little incorrect. On the first play, #21 is not run blitzing. He is simply a safety coming in to run fill. The Packers ended up having numbers on this play. The safety is unblocked by design.

On the second play, you've got two guys not used to playing with each other. Okung's hip is supposed to knock Britt off of the end. Britt needs to hold the post until Okung can get around him. Britt left a little prematurely and didn't do enough with his punch at the post, and Okung didn't quite get his feet around. I guess you could say they vacated, but it was just a bad double-team, not an assignment error. Britt also didn't whiff at all on Matthews. Because Lynch couldn't go into the designed hole, Matthews is able to get to hope around the play and get to Lynch. Britt basically blocks Matthews right into the play. That part isn't Britt's fault. The block on the end is probably more on Britt, but the block on Matthews is not at all.

 

[Tical21]

This was one of Britt's best blocks of the night. Willson throws his body in there. Nice job by Okung to get to the LB and clear some space. Sweezy does not hold his block . . . wish Nowak would have had the awareness to help him there, rather than try to find Matthews. If Sweezy just finishes that block, Marshawn is off to the races.

They are getting there . . . one or two mistakes away from being a solid offensive line.

Nowak not helping here isn't an awareness issue. He makes the right call. You only double-team until the second lineman can get where he needs to be, then you disengage and go to the next level. You're right though that Britt needs to finish better.