Let's talk Nowak

[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.

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.

Oh, I know Nowak was playing the right assignment . . . but if the man next to you is getting beat, then you don't leave that double team and allow your running back to get hit. If he had better awareness that Sweezy was getting beat, then he would not have left that double team. But yes, he was playing the correct assignment, not his fault.

 

[hawknation2015]

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.

Saying the safety is filling in to stop the run and saying he is run blitzing mean the same exact same. He is in the box and running toward the line of scrimmage pre-snap. Britt should have picked him up. Sweezy, who blocked NO ONE of this play, should have been the one to block Matthews. That's a misdiagnosis of assignments, leaving the safety unblocked to make the play in the backfield. Willson also whiffs on his block.

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.

Yes, you could say that . . . because that is EXACTLY what happened on this play. Both Okung and Britt vacate the DE at the same point in time, leaving him unblocked in the hole, forcing Marshawn to make the split second decision to cut back this run. Britt should have been stronger at the point of attack: both on the DE on the double team and on Matthews, who easily slips passed him. If Britt put any power into that block, Matthews would not have been able to run down Marshawn as easily as he did.

 

[Tical21]

So playing 8 men in the box and blitzing a safety now mean the same thing?

Fact is, this result is on Russell. He needs to anticipate the safety coming down and get out of the play. We've got 6 to block 7. No matter how you draw it up, there is an unblocked player blowing that thing up, and the safety is ALWAYS the last guy you account for in that situation. 100 times out of 100. No, Britt absolutely should not have picked him up. If he had, he would have gotten his arse chewed out in the film room.


You have zero idea what you're talking about in regards to "awareness to seeing your teammate getting beat" or whatever you said. If Nowak doesn't get off that block when he is supposed to, he gets a negative grade on the play. Period. End of story. If he stays and helps Sweezy there, he gets his arse chewed out in the film room.


You have zero idea what you're talking about in regards to the block on Matthews. No matter how many times you try, you can't block a guy to the right when the running back is going that same direction. It will never work. There is zero that he could have done on that play.

I love the enthusiasm and effort. But if you're going to try to break this stuff down, and call people out, you have to know what you're talking about, otherwise other readers trying to learn this stuff become misinformed as well, then we're walking about with more Seahawks fans that think they understand football but have no idea what they're talking about. If you've been to your local water cooler, you know we've got way too many of those already. I would advise making your breakdowns in the form of a question for a while. e.g. "Did Britt miss his block here?" Rather than incorrectly stating he missed an assignment. It only makes things worse.

 

[hawknation2015]

So playing 8 men in the box and blitzing a safety now mean the same thing?

Fact is, this result is on Russell. He needs to anticipate the safety coming down and get out of the play. We've got 6 to block 7.

We have six blockers in there with Willson, and we only attempted blocks on five players . . . with Sweezy left to block air after he chips on defenders to his left and right.

Where do you see eight men in the box? LOL.

You have zero idea what you're talking about in regards to "awareness to seeing your teammate getting beat" or whatever you said. If Nowak doesn't get off that block when he is supposed to, he gets a negative grade on the play. Period. End of story. If he stays and helps Sweezy there, he gets his arse chewed out in the film room.


You have zero idea what you're talking about in regards to the block on Matthews. No matter how many times you try, you can't block a guy to the right when the running back is going that same direction. It will never work. There is zero that he could have done on that play.

I love the enthusiasm and effort. But if you're going to try to break this stuff down, and call people out, you have to know what you're talking about, otherwise other readers trying to learn this stuff become misinformed as well, then we're walking about with more Seahawks fans that think they understand football but have no idea what they're talking about. If you've been to your local water cooler, you know we've got way too many of those already. I would advise making your breakdowns in the form of a question for a while. e.g. "Did Britt miss his block here?" Rather than incorrectly stating he missed an assignment. It only makes things worse.

I played offensive line and was taught never to leave a combo block until the defender is moved across the face of the post. Sweezy's mistake here was not keeping his inside hip next to Nowak, the post blocker. There should never be a gap between the C and G on a combo block. If Nowak had better awareness of this, he would have remained engaged with the DT and the combo would have converted to a solid double block. Leaving the combo in that situation was a bad move because of this lack of awareness.

I'm not sure why you don't know this, but I am left to assume there is some subtlety between the kind of football you played and the kind of football that is played at the NFL level.

I have noticed a major blindspot in your own analysis of the offensive line: that is whenever the back cuts back, you assume EVERYTHING that happens after that point is the fault of the back and not the poor blocking after that point. So, on the one hand, you criticize Britt for the way he attacked the DE but not for the "pat-a-cake" he played with Matthews. Where is your criticism of Britt's pathetic drive blocking on Matthews? That is totally deficient logic that simply boggles the mind.

 

[HawKnPeppa]

Anyone remember Spencer?

We've seen 2 games from Nowak. Pretty hard to make an intelligent assessment right now, however, the o line can only get better because right now do you hear that giant sucking sound?

I'm pretty much of the same mindset right now. It's been only two games. The guy started with a trial by fire, but it seems like he adjusted well -especially for being so new to the position- as the games progressed. The main words you hear from the coaches when describing him is 'strength' and 'smarts,' so I don't see why he cant grow into a good run blocker.

Here is something else I don't understand. He is a converted DL player so how can anyone talk about him 'never' being a good run blocker? How far of a period does 'never' span in this case? Certainly not college.

Then in Jacksonville he:

-Spent the entire 2012 season on injured reserve.

-Was released on August 30, 2013 and signed to the team's practice squad on September 1.

-Was promoted to the active roster on December 17, 2013.

-Released in August, 2014

He was signed to our PS in September of that year.

So I ask When has he had meaningful reps as an O lineman?? Two games in December as a fill-in guard? Pre-season and practice squad reps don't count here, so where has he earned 'stripes that can't be changed' :? :141847_bnono: I'm just saying that's a bit premature, no matter how you look at it.

 

[SomersetHawk]

So playing 8 men in the box and blitzing a safety now mean the same thing?

Fact is, this result is on Russell. He needs to anticipate the safety coming down and get out of the play. We've got 6 to block 7.

We have six blockers in there with Willson, and we only attempted blocks on five players . . . with Sweezy left to block air after he chips on defenders to his left and right.

Where do you see eight men in the box? LOL.

You have zero idea what you're talking about in regards to "awareness to seeing your teammate getting beat" or whatever you said. If Nowak doesn't get off that block when he is supposed to, he gets a negative grade on the play. Period. End of story. If he stays and helps Sweezy there, he gets his arse chewed out in the film room.


You have zero idea what you're talking about in regards to the block on Matthews. No matter how many times you try, you can't block a guy to the right when the running back is going that same direction. It will never work. There is zero that he could have done on that play.

I love the enthusiasm and effort. But if you're going to try to break this stuff down, and call people out, you have to know what you're talking about, otherwise other readers trying to learn this stuff become misinformed as well, then we're walking about with more Seahawks fans that think they understand football but have no idea what they're talking about. If you've been to your local water cooler, you know we've got way too many of those already. I would advise making your breakdowns in the form of a question for a while. e.g. "Did Britt miss his block here?" Rather than incorrectly stating he missed an assignment. It only makes things worse.

I played offensive line and was taught never to leave a combo block until the defender is moved across the face of the post. Sweezy's mistake here was not keeping his inside hip next to Nowak, the post blocker. There should never be a gap between the C and G on a combo block. If Nowak had better awareness of this, he would have remained engaged with the DT and the combo would have converted to a solid double block. Leaving the combo in that situation was a bad move because of this lack of awareness.

I'm not sure why you don't know this, but I am left to assume there is some subtlety between the kind of football you played and the kind of football that is played at the NFL level.

I have noticed a major blindspot in your own analysis of the offensive line: that is whenever the back cuts back, you assume EVERYTHING that happens after that point is the fault of the back and not the poor blocking after that point. So, on the one hand, you criticize Britt for the way he attacked the DE but not for the "pat-a-cake" he played with Matthews. Where is your criticism of Britt's pathetic drive blocking on Matthews? That is totally deficient logic that simply boggles the mind.

What level you play at?

I'm not totally sure a search through your browsing history wouldn't reveal this article... http://www.shakinthesouthland.com/2012/ ... e-blocking which bares striking resemblance to some of what you're saying.

The fact that I know you edited your post a while after ending on 'Where do you see 8 men in the box LOL' could also suggest you went away to read up on combo blocking so you could avenge yourself upon Tical. What more, that article is the top google search result for 'combo blocking'.

Furthermore, your quote 'never leave a combo block until the defender is moved across the face of the post' sounds plenty like...

The seal blocker should remain engaged with the DL until one of two things happen: (1) the defender is moved off the ball or (2) the defender has worked himself across the face of the post.

Now when I google your quote, perhaps unsurprisingly, that article springs to the top of the results again. What's more interesting is that the rest of the results are unsatisfactory with none paraphrasing 'moving a defender past the face of the post' or bearing much relevance at all to football, let alone blocking.

In fact, that seems to be the authors unique way of describing a combo block, leading me to believe that you, sir, are a hack.

 

[Cartire]

So playing 8 men in the box and blitzing a safety now mean the same thing?

Fact is, this result is on Russell. He needs to anticipate the safety coming down and get out of the play. We've got 6 to block 7.

We have six blockers in there with Willson, and we only attempted blocks on five players . . . with Sweezy left to block air after he chips on defenders to his left and right.

Where do you see eight men in the box? LOL.

You have zero idea what you're talking about in regards to "awareness to seeing your teammate getting beat" or whatever you said. If Nowak doesn't get off that block when he is supposed to, he gets a negative grade on the play. Period. End of story. If he stays and helps Sweezy there, he gets his arse chewed out in the film room.


You have zero idea what you're talking about in regards to the block on Matthews. No matter how many times you try, you can't block a guy to the right when the running back is going that same direction. It will never work. There is zero that he could have done on that play.

I love the enthusiasm and effort. But if you're going to try to break this stuff down, and call people out, you have to know what you're talking about, otherwise other readers trying to learn this stuff become misinformed as well, then we're walking about with more Seahawks fans that think they understand football but have no idea what they're talking about. If you've been to your local water cooler, you know we've got way too many of those already. I would advise making your breakdowns in the form of a question for a while. e.g. "Did Britt miss his block here?" Rather than incorrectly stating he missed an assignment. It only makes things worse.

I played offensive line and was taught never to leave a combo block until the defender is moved across the face of the post. Sweezy's mistake here was not keeping his inside hip next to Nowak, the post blocker. There should never be a gap between the C and G on a combo block. If Nowak had better awareness of this, he would have remained engaged with the DT and the combo would have converted to a solid double block. Leaving the combo in that situation was a bad move because of this lack of awareness.

I'm not sure why you don't know this, but I am left to assume there is some subtlety between the kind of football you played and the kind of football that is played at the NFL level.

I have noticed a major blindspot in your own analysis of the offensive line: that is whenever the back cuts back, you assume EVERYTHING that happens after that point is the fault of the back and not the poor blocking after that point. So, on the one hand, you criticize Britt for the way he attacked the DE but not for the "pat-a-cake" he played with Matthews. Where is your criticism of Britt's pathetic drive blocking on Matthews? That is totally deficient logic that simply boggles the mind.

What level you play at?

I'm not totally sure a search through your browsing history wouldn't reveal this article... http://www.shakinthesouthland.com/2012/ ... e-blocking which bares striking resemblance to some of what you're saying.

The fact that I know you edited your post a while after ending on 'Where do you see 8 men in the box LOL' could also suggest you went away to read up on combo blocking so you could avenge yourself upon Tical. What more, that article is the top google search result for 'combo blocking'.

Furthermore, your quote 'never leave a combo block until the defender is moved across the face of the post' sounds plenty like...

The seal blocker should remain engaged with the DL until one of two things happen: (1) the defender is moved off the ball or (2) the defender has worked himself across the face of the post.

Now when I google your quote, perhaps unsurprisingly, that article springs to the top of the results again. What's more interesting is that the rest of the results are unsatisfactory with none paraphrasing 'moving a defender past the face of the post' or bearing much relevance at all to football, let alone blocking.

In fact, that seems to be the authors unique way of describing a combo block, leading me to believe that you, sir, are a hack.

:0190l: :0190l: :0190l: :0190l:

:snack:

 

[SoulfishHawk]

:snack:

 

[hawknation2015]

So playing 8 men in the box and blitzing a safety now mean the same thing?

Fact is, this result is on Russell. He needs to anticipate the safety coming down and get out of the play. We've got 6 to block 7.

We have six blockers in there with Willson, and we only attempted blocks on five players . . . with Sweezy left to block air after he chips on defenders to his left and right.

Where do you see eight men in the box? LOL.

You have zero idea what you're talking about in regards to "awareness to seeing your teammate getting beat" or whatever you said. If Nowak doesn't get off that block when he is supposed to, he gets a negative grade on the play. Period. End of story. If he stays and helps Sweezy there, he gets his arse chewed out in the film room.


You have zero idea what you're talking about in regards to the block on Matthews. No matter how many times you try, you can't block a guy to the right when the running back is going that same direction. It will never work. There is zero that he could have done on that play.

I love the enthusiasm and effort. But if you're going to try to break this stuff down, and call people out, you have to know what you're talking about, otherwise other readers trying to learn this stuff become misinformed as well, then we're walking about with more Seahawks fans that think they understand football but have no idea what they're talking about. If you've been to your local water cooler, you know we've got way too many of those already. I would advise making your breakdowns in the form of a question for a while. e.g. "Did Britt miss his block here?" Rather than incorrectly stating he missed an assignment. It only makes things worse.

I played offensive line and was taught never to leave a combo block until the defender is moved across the face of the post. Sweezy's mistake here was not keeping his inside hip next to Nowak, the post blocker. There should never be a gap between the C and G on a combo block. If Nowak had better awareness of this, he would have remained engaged with the DT and the combo would have converted to a solid double block. Leaving the combo in that situation was a bad move because of this lack of awareness.

I'm not sure why you don't know this, but I am left to assume there is some subtlety between the kind of football you played and the kind of football that is played at the NFL level.

I have noticed a major blindspot in your own analysis of the offensive line: that is whenever the back cuts back, you assume EVERYTHING that happens after that point is the fault of the back and not the poor blocking after that point. So, on the one hand, you criticize Britt for the way he attacked the DE but not for the "pat-a-cake" he played with Matthews. Where is your criticism of Britt's pathetic drive blocking on Matthews? That is totally deficient logic that simply boggles the mind.

What level you play at?

I'm not totally sure a search through your browsing history wouldn't reveal this article... http://www.shakinthesouthland.com/2012/ ... e-blocking which bares striking resemblance to some of what you're saying.

The fact that I know you edited your post a while after ending on 'Where do you see 8 men in the box LOL' could also suggest you went away to read up on combo blocking so you could avenge yourself upon Tical. What more, that article is the top google search result for 'combo blocking'.

Furthermore, your quote 'never leave a combo block until the defender is moved across the face of the post' sounds plenty like...

The seal blocker should remain engaged with the DL until one of two things happen: (1) the defender is moved off the ball or (2) the defender has worked himself across the face of the post.

Now when I google your quote, perhaps unsurprisingly, that article springs to the top of the results again. What's more interesting is that the rest of the results are unsatisfactory with none paraphrasing 'moving a defender past the face of the post' or bearing much relevance at all to football, let alone blocking.

In fact, that seems to be the authors unique way of describing a combo block, leading me to believe that you, sir, are a hack.

I played guard for six years. Everything I wrote was accurate. Yes, I did use that article to quickly refresh myself on combo blocking vs. double team clocking, to make sure I was not mis-remembering things. And then you searched for everything I wrote to discredit it? Bit instead, that article proves my point. Have you never used google to fact check yourself before? I sincerely hope not.

 

[jblaze]

I think Nowak has a bigger upside than any of our other options. He also seems to have more physicality and nastiness than anyone else.

He got his **** pushed in last week by Raji but that's a tough matchup for anyone. He'll learn quickly and by the middle of the season I think he'll turn into a very solid center and possibly our starter for the next few years.

 

[hawk45]

Hack might also be used to describe someone who goes from the timing of a post edit and some specific terminology right to a conclusion that a poster has no experience and is making things up.

There are plenty of times I've known the concept I wanted to describe but wanted to use common terminology and turned to google. So if google turned up that terminology, that proves jack crap.

But what I know is hack definitely describes a person like me who played OL/LB a million years ago in HS and tries to make sense of things.

Back to the football discussion, whether 21 was on a delayed run blitz or whether he sprinted to his assigned gap as soon as he read run, it makes little difference. But with 7 men in the box, with the safety lined up right over the hole and fairly close to the LOS, I would be surprised if the coaches don't suggest to Britt that before he turn and charge straight at the back-side ILB, he pause just a bit to make sure the defender lined up right over the hole doesn't come running straight in. That won't hurt his ability to get to the backside ILB. And that safety probably is unblocked by design, as long as he isn't run-blitzing (or sprinting into the backfield because he made an awesome read if not a blitz). He probably gets points for aggressively looking for someone to block, but demerits for awareness.

Whether it's awareness or "feel" or whatever, the notion that Sweezy didn't fully possess leverage yet on the defender and needed an extra half-second of help seems indisputable. And it certainly seems reasonable that as Nowak works more in those situations he'll zero in on that split-second timing. I don't understand why a statement that Nowak will learn to feel better the moment leverage is fully gained by his buddy is controversial.

 

[SomersetHawk]

I played guard for six years. Everything I wrote was accurate. Yes, I did use that article to quickly refresh myself on combo blocking vs. double team clocking, to make sure I was not mis-remembering things. And then you searched for everything I wrote to discredit it? Bit instead, that article proves my point. Have you never used google to fact check yourself before? I sincerely hope not.

I'd say quoting an article as to how you yourself were taught was more than 'refreshing', but hey, semantics.

And I didn't discredit it, I discredited you.

 

[hawknation2015]

I played guard for six years. Everything I wrote was accurate. Yes, I did use that article to quickly refresh myself on combo blocking vs. double team clocking, to make sure I was not mis-remembering things. And then you searched for everything I wrote to discredit it? Bit instead, that article proves my point. Have you never used google to fact check yourself before? I sincerely hope not.

I'd say quoting an article as to how you yourself were taught was more than 'refreshing', but hey, semantics.

And I didn't discredit it, I discredited you.

How did you discredit me? I made a point about Nowak not leaving a combo block so quickly, he said I was wrong and knew nothing in a very rude manner, and so I searched for combo blocking to refresh myself, and the first result on google confirmed what I knew to be true. Now, I see multiple articles discussing the same point.

When I teach the combo block, at first I will not have a second- level defender. Linemen, especially young linemen, want to come off the down defender too soon, which disallows for the necessary vertical push needed. I tell my linemen, “A down defender makes tackles for losses and a second-level defender makes tackles. Block the first-level defender first.” - See more at: http://www.nflhspd.com/coaches-corner/a ... IYoi7.dpuf

When linemen are performing the combo block, it is imperative that they stay on the proper blocking angle until they get to the depth of the second-level defender. Also, the second-level defender’s alignment may determine whether he is going to run through or go over the top. The closer the second-level defender’s alignment is to the seal blocker, the more likely he is going over the top. - See more at: http://www.coachad.com/articles/teachin ... -football/

 

[hawknation2015]

Hack might also be used to describe someone who goes from the timing of a post edit and some specific terminology right to a conclusion that a poster has no experience and is making things up.

There are plenty of times I've known the concept I wanted to describe but wanted to use common terminology and turned to google. So if google turned up that terminology, that proves jack crap.

But what I know is hack definitely describes a person like me who played OL/LB a million years ago in HS and tries to make sense of things.

Back to the football discussion, whether 21 was on a delayed run blitz or whether he sprinted to his assigned gap as soon as he read run, it makes little difference. But with 7 men in the box, with the safety lined up right over the hole and fairly close to the LOS, I would be surprised if the coaches don't suggest to Britt that before he turn and charge straight at the back-side ILB, he pause just a bit to make sure the defender lined up right over the hole doesn't come running straight in. That won't hurt his ability to get to the backside ILB. And that safety probably is unblocked by design, as long as he isn't run-blitzing (or sprinting into the backfield because he made an awesome read if not a blitz). He probably gets points for aggressively looking for someone to block, but demerits for awareness.

Whether it's awareness or "feel" or whatever, the notion that Sweezy didn't fully possess leverage yet on the defender and needed an extra half-second of help seems indisputable. And it certainly seems reasonable that as Nowak works more in those situations he'll zero in on that split-second timing. I don't understand why a statement that Nowak will learn to feel better the moment leverage is fully gained by his buddy is controversial.

Thank you.

 

[Schadie001]

The real problem is no one is scare of our passing offense. We could have easily won both of those games even given the less than effective Oline play against the run. Both the Rams and Packers committed to stopping Lynch and did. When Russell kept the ball in the GB game he tore it up. When we finally started throwing the ball down the field we scored 2 TD's against GB. These guys are not great but they were pretty effective at pass blocking. We have to make teams commit to stopping our passing game and I know the run will open right back up. It is a balance, you have to keep the D guessing to be effective in both phases of the offense. Right now, we do the zone read to Lynch, Bubble to whoever, 3-long zone read to Lynch punt. Where we need to be throwing on first down once in a while, throwing down the field more often, to make the D commit a defender to stopping our passing. Then run Lynch. I'm not a OC and I can figure this out.

 

[kearly]

This could have been a five yard gain if Luke Willson makes a decent block. Seattle really needs to learn that Willson, Helfet and Graham are NOT blocking TEs.

 

[Tical21]

This could have been a five yard gain if Luke Willson makes a decent block. Seattle really needs to learn that Willson, Helfet and Graham are NOT blocking TEs.

wtf was that? I don't know that I've ever seen anybody do that.

 

[EverydayImRusselin]

This could have been a five yard gain if Luke Willson makes a decent block. Seattle really needs to learn that Willson, Helfet and Graham are NOT blocking TEs.

wtf was that? I don't know that I've ever seen anybody do that.

Mirroring a guy and then falling down doesn't count as a good block?

 

[justafan]

IMO if you have college DLineman walking on and winning starting positions the front office screwed up talent evaluations and drafting of Olineman,

 

[hawknation2015]

IMO if you have college DLineman walking on and winning starting positions the front office screwed up talent evaluations and drafting of Olineman,

Nowak has unimproved in every game. He was really sharp in that last game.

They haven't drafted many offensive linemen outside of the 7th Round, which is basically equivalent to an UFA. Britt is starting at left guard. Sweezy is starting at right guard. Okung has been the long-time starter at LT. They actually haven't drafted anyone since Unger with experience at center.

Instead, the strategy has been to actively devote resources to other position groups and rely on Tom Cable's coaching and development of mostly undrafted players. The last draft class was somewhat of a departure from that with three offensive linemen selected (two in Round 4 and one in Round 6).

They also trimmed $10 million from last year's OL budget, against an escalating cap, by trading Unger and not re-signing Carpenter or adding any veteran free agents. They used that money this off-season to trade for an Pro Bowl TE and to extend a Pro Bowl QB, RB, and MLB.

You can't really rely on rookies to start along the offensive line, but Glowinski has looked good when he has had an opportunity. He is already a starter quality player, IMO. Sokoli is an unbelievable athlete and unbelievably raw, but he showed improvement in each preseason game. Poole is a project on the practice squad, as they try to find a role for him as a backup OT of the future.

We should definitely start to see dividends from this draft commitment next season, when Glowinski likely takes over at right guard if Sweezy signs a big deal elsewhere and Sokoli/Poole compete at other spots. Going forward, the OL depth will be better than it has previously been.