Q&A with Saints Fans/Seahawks-Saints Game Preview ...

[HawkGANG]

Happy Thanksgiving All!

I did actually get a few minutes to get online after all. I’ve got something that I’d like BOTH Saints Fans and Seahawk Fans reaction on, because it really is an issue that that affects BOTH teams (and goes beyond simply this game). [And I do so with a bit of trepidation, as I know this could set off a bit of a firestorm.]

I was listening to the podcast of KJR 950-am’s roundtable (they have these every week on the Seahawks upcoming opponent) on Wednesday. For those who might be interested, you can listen to the whole thing by clicking the link below …

http://www.sportsradiokjr.com/media...themorning/1126-12th-man-roundtable-24023762/

During the roundtable, Hugh Millen (former UW Husky QB and played in the NFL for 10 years with the Patriots, Falcons, and even the Saints among other teams) said something very interesting. He related a conversation that he had had awhile back with former Seahawks QB and now ESPN analyst Trent Dilfer. Dilfer shared with Millen that he (Dilfer) had had a length conversation with Drew Brees awhile back here. Brees apparently admitted to Dilfer that there are times when he drops back to pass … that when he is looking left, right, etc. (trying to make the defense think he is considering which receiver to throw to) that in reality he can’t see.

That’s very interesting (and obviously a little bit concerning to Seahawks fans as well). According to the Saints official website, Drew Brees is listed as being 6’0”. Russell Wilson, on the other hand, according to the Seahawks official website is listed as being 5’11”. Now admittedly, Hugh Millen has fully admitted in the past that he believes that height is an issue for QB’s (I take some stock in that because he played the position after all). At the same time though (as has been brought up many times) no QB [not even one who’s 6’5”] throws through the back of the linemans’ heads who are protecting him -- he throws through lanes.

We have hammered away and hammered away at this issue on this site every since Russell Wilson first stepped on the football field. On the positive side, we’ve seen Russell Wilson make some fantastic throws from the pocket (and I’ve seen Brees make several great throws from within the pocket as well).

BUT, I know I’ve also seen times where Seahawk WR’s have been streaking down the field WIDE OPEN … and Wilson somehow (inexplicably) fails to notice and to throw them the ball. Could it be (like Drew Brees) that height at times IS truly a factor and that he simply doesn’t see that receiver?

The game plan against BOTH QB would appear to be the same then -- push the pocket back in to the face of the QB. Even if your DT’s don’t get home -- if they can push those guards and the center back in to that QB’s face, the theory would be that the shorter QB’s field of vision is that much more occluded.

For me, I’m absolutely cringing as I write this, as I’ve been one of the more vocal ones in saying that the “short QB” thing is not an issue. However, if what Millen is saying is true … and Drew Brees actually said this, it appears that is could be at times.

Thoughts/Reactions all?

Its definitely an issue for both QB's. I've seen Brees at times on his tippy toes observing the field looking for open receivers. That being said, both have had to deal with this issue their entire football careers and both have had success.

 

[Number9]

Happy Thanksgiving All!

I did actually get a few minutes to get online after all. I’ve got something that I’d like BOTH Saints Fans and Seahawk Fans reaction on, because it really is an issue that that affects BOTH teams (and goes beyond simply this game). [And I do so with a bit of trepidation, as I know this could set off a bit of a firestorm.]

I was listening to the podcast of KJR 950-am’s roundtable (they have these every week on the Seahawks upcoming opponent) on Wednesday. For those who might be interested, you can listen to the whole thing by clicking the link below …

http://www.sportsradiokjr.com/media...themorning/1126-12th-man-roundtable-24023762/

During the roundtable, Hugh Millen (former UW Husky QB and played in the NFL for 10 years with the Patriots, Falcons, and even the Saints among other teams) said something very interesting. He related a conversation that he had had awhile back with former Seahawks QB and now ESPN analyst Trent Dilfer. Dilfer shared with Millen that he (Dilfer) had had a length conversation with Drew Brees awhile back here. Brees apparently admitted to Dilfer that there are times when he drops back to pass … that when he is looking left, right, etc. (trying to make the defense think he is considering which receiver to throw to) that in reality he can’t see.

That’s very interesting (and obviously a little bit concerning to Seahawks fans as well). According to the Saints official website, Drew Brees is listed as being 6’0”. Russell Wilson, on the other hand, according to the Seahawks official website is listed as being 5’11”. Now admittedly, Hugh Millen has fully admitted in the past that he believes that height is an issue for QB’s (I take some stock in that because he played the position after all). At the same time though (as has been brought up many times) no QB [not even one who’s 6’5”] throws through the back of the linemans’ heads who are protecting him -- he throws through lanes.

We have hammered away and hammered away at this issue on this site every since Russell Wilson first stepped on the football field. On the positive side, we’ve seen Russell Wilson make some fantastic throws from the pocket (and I’ve seen Brees make several great throws from within the pocket as well).

BUT, I know I’ve also seen times where Seahawk WR’s have been streaking down the field WIDE OPEN … and Wilson somehow (inexplicably) fails to notice and to throw them the ball. Could it be (like Drew Brees) that height at times IS truly a factor and that he simply doesn’t see that receiver?

The game plan against BOTH QB would appear to be the same then -- push the pocket back in to the face of the QB. Even if your DT’s don’t get home -- if they can push those guards and the center back in to that QB’s face, the theory would be that the shorter QB’s field of vision is that much more occluded.

For me, I’m absolutely cringing as I write this, as I’ve been one of the more vocal ones in saying that the “short QB” thing is not an issue. However, if what Millen is saying is true … and Drew Brees actually said this, it appears that is could be at times.

Thoughts/Reactions all?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Brees is always on his tip toes. I'm actually surprised that he is as successful as he is having to throw the ball in that manner. I can only imagine how tough it must be for the slightly shorter Wilson. I do know that Brees has said he prefers the white Saints jerseys when on the field because it makes it easier to see his receivers.

 

[Hawkscanner]

OK, I got a few more minutes to myself, so for those who didn’t listen to the KJR Roundtable discussion, here were Hugh Millen’s exact comments …

Millen: “I think when you look at pressuring a quarterback, you say, OK you’ve got to get Drew Brees off his spot and -- usually you think of the end rushes. And Brees is one of the few guys that -- he can handle the edge rush. He steps up in the pocket great; it’s more important to get push in the middle because of his height, he uh, needs to have that front pocket and for a couple of years, they had Nicks and who was the other one -- Evans, they had the best guard tandem in the league. They really felt, uh motivated to keep that inside the pocket. In fact, I had a lengthy conversation with Trent Dilfer a few months ago. And he was describing to me a conversation that he, Dilfer, had with Drew Brees. And Brees told Dilfer that (according to what Dilfer told me) that everybody in the organization understands that there’s often times that Brees cannot see. And Brees says, ‘A lot of times I’m credited with looking off the defense.’ He says, ‘Hogwash. I can’t see. And people don’t give me grief about it and they just know that there’s just sometimes I’m going to miss receivers ‘cause I can’t see.’ He says, ‘I need to have the inside pocket, the front pocket, solid for me’ and then, you know, he’s able to play and of course he’s got that great accuracy, he can throw guys open. But um, they built that team to keep the inside solid, so whoever’s coming up the middle, you know -- a guy like Michael Bennett, who drops in to the inside, and works against guards, and you know that package of being able to just -- even if they don’t get the pressure -- if they just push the linemen back in to Brees’s face, you know that height becomes a factor for him and he’s acknowledged it.”

Source:

http://www.sportsradiokjr.com/media...themorning/1126-12th-man-roundtable-24023762/

Now again, I’d love to get further reactions/comments on this as well.

Also another overall question for Saints Fans as it relates to Drew Brees, I don’t know if the same thing is true of Drew Brees … but in the case of Russell Wilson, you tell your DE’s that they simply cannot lose edge containment because if they do, Wilson is so fast and dangerous on the run that he will beat you. Would you say that’s true of Brees as well.

Comments/thoughts on all of that?

 

[Saints33]

Now again, I’d love to get further reactions/comments on this as well.

Also another overall question for Saints Fans as it relates to Drew Brees, I don’t know if the same thing is true of Drew Brees … but in the case of Russell Wilson, you tell your DE’s that they simply cannot lose edge containment because if they do, Wilson is so fast and dangerous on the run that he will beat you. Would you say that’s true of Brees as well.

Comments/thoughts on all of that?

Well, Brees is athletic and will definitely take off running when given the chance. He is obviously not the run threat Wilson is. Seahawks won't be game planning by any means worrying about Brees running down the field on them.

I thought this was a good article today about Wilson's admiration of Brees and Brees discussed being a short QB also at bottom of article.

http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/20 ... treet.html

 

[Hawkscanner]

Now again, I’d love to get further reactions/comments on this as well.

Also another overall question for Saints Fans as it relates to Drew Brees, I don’t know if the same thing is true of Drew Brees … but in the case of Russell Wilson, you tell your DE’s that they simply cannot lose edge containment because if they do, Wilson is so fast and dangerous on the run that he will beat you. Would you say that’s true of Brees as well.

Comments/thoughts on all of that?

Well, Brees is athletic and will definitely take off running when given the chance. He is obviously not the run threat Wilson is. Seahawks won't be game planning by any means worrying about Brees running down the field on them.

I thought this was a good article today about Wilson's admiration of Brees and Brees discussed being a short QB also at bottom of article.

http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/20 ... treet.html

Nice article. Thanks for sharing. Russell has talked about it many times in the past that he likes Brees, watches everything he does, etc. For sure his admiration of him goes deep.

One other little tidbit about Wilson you might find interesting -- this guy absolutely LIVES in the film room. That's no joke. In fact, some of his teammates affectionately have called the film room Russell Wilson's Office. He is religious when it comes to film study. Former Husky and former NFL QB Brock Huard (who is now a broadcaster for 710 ESPN) has talked about his relationship with Peyton Manning (Huard last played for the Colts and was Manning's backup for a year I believe). Anyway, Huard said that in his experience (and he interacts with a lot of NFL guys even to this day), no one in the NFL studies film more than Peyton Manning and Russell Wilson. Wilson is right up there with Manning in terms of how much time he spends in film study. In fact (and this isn't exaggeration, it's true), the second that Matt Bryant's game winning FG went through in that 30-28 playoff loss to Atlanta ... Russell Wilson's immediate reaction was to start planning for next season. Within 5 minutes, the guy was wanting to rush off to the film room and study the game film.

Secondly in terms of his scrambling ability, that stat that the article cited regarding Pierre Thomas really puts things in to perspective. For sure, he is dangerous not only with his arms ... but he can really motor. And the one thing that separates him from, say RGIII is that he's not stupid -- he knows when to get down, whereas RGIII will fight for that extra yard and gets hammered. You would think that Wilson would get pounded a lot when he runs ... but he doesn't. He's a lot like former Cowboys RB Emmett Smith in a sense because Smith was one of those guys who never ever took that killer punishing shot. He could always contort his body or find a way to go with the hit. Marcus Allen was the exact same way. Wilson is like Gumby in that he just somehow finds a way to never take that crushing shot.

 

[Saints33]

Yea, its hard not to root for a guy like Wilson. Obviously I won't be Monday, but he does seem like a good kid and he will be a good QB for many years.

 

[Saints33]

I would say Brees and Greer(who is now on IR), are 2 guys that anybody could root for on our team. Just good guys all around.

 

[Sports Hernia]

Ughh, Hugh Millen and his "conventional wisdom" short QB BS again!!!! This is the guy that with all of his "wisdom" wanted Matt Flynn to start even past the halfway mark last year because he has the "prototypical QB body".

Took the guy almost until the playoffs last year to admit he was wrong about Russell Wilson and then he had to be kicking and screaming to do so.

That's why my avatar has a half dead Hugh Millen under Cortez Kennedy who just blew up his ignorant ass!

RW and Brees have had much success at their heights, its a factor, but a very small one when they have all the rest of the intangibles that make a great QB. Those 2 are at the top of their game while the 6 foot 5 Hugh Millen perfected the art of holding a clip board during most of his NFL career. As a UW fan and Hawks fan I'm embarrassed at times of the stupid crap that comes out of his mouth at times. He knows X's and O's but when it comes to QB evaluation he's an epic failure!

 

[Hawkscanner]

Thanks for David Hawthorne. The guy has been a beast for us this year.

I love David Hawthorne as well -- great player. But there's a reason that the Heater is no longer a Seahawk. He simply doesn't have the overall speed and is able to react to the ball as quickly as Pete Carroll would like. Gritty player, big play maker, but that's the reason I would say.

How has Pat McQuistan been for you guys? I was surprised to see him starting for you (or anyone for that matter) he wasn't very impressive for the short time we had him.

Well, Paul McQuistan the guard is a decent (say average) NFL guard. However, McQuistan is also a huge part of the reason why if you take a look at the numbers for the Offensive Line that the Hawks are near the bottom in most categories (Sacks, QB Hits Allowed, Pressures, etc.) That's because back in Week 1 Russell Okung (Pro Bowl LT) went down with a torn ligament in his big toe. That forced McQuistan from LG ... to starting LT. He isn't a Left Tackle -- simply isn't. He is so slow footed and has very slow reactions out there that the faster, quicker, better edge rushers just ate him alive. In fact, Pro Football Focus ended up having him rated something like their #75 out of #76 LT (basically the worst LT in football). Okung came back last game against the Vikings (along with starting RT Breno Giacomini and C Max Unger) and lo and behold, Russell Wilson once again had time to throw. So, there you go.

Ughh, Hugh Millen and his "conventional wisdom" short QB BS again!!!! This is the guy that with all of his "wisdom" wanted Matt Flynn to start even past the halfway mark last year because he has the "prototypical QB body".

Took the guy almost until the playoffs last year to admit he was wrong about Russell Wilson and then he had to be kicking and screaming to do so.

That's why my avatar has a half dead Hugh Millen under Cortez Kennedy who just blew up his ignorant ass!

RW and Brees have had much success at their heights, its a factor, but a very small one when they have all the rest of the intangibles that make a great QB. Those 2 are at the top of their game while the 6 foot 5 Hugh Millen perfected the art of holding a clip board during most of his NFL career. As a UW fan and Hawks fan I'm embarrassed at times of the stupid crap that comes out of his mouth at times. He knows X's and O's but when it comes to QB evaluation he's an epic failure!

Did I mention that I could cause a Firestorm? For laughs, Mitch Levy (the host of KJR 950am's Mitch in the Morning) even went so far as to create this little ditty ...

[youtube]r0BpFU1EwIQ[/youtube]

I grant basically everything you're saying there. Still, you've got to admit that Brees actually admitting that is pretty interesting and kind of gets you to thinking when it comes to Russell Wilson as well. That said, every QB out there has their flaws. For example, Tom Brady sure isn't going to win any foot races. How would HE have survived behind that Seattle Offensive Line? Not very well I'd contend. In that sense, Russell Wilson is well suited to deal with poor Offensive Lines because he can scramble. Thank God our OL is finally intact once again.

 

[Hawkscanner]

Got another Question of the morning for Saints Fans,

You know, some have brought up the fact that according to the stats, Seattle doesn't pass the ball all that much. Well, that's true ... and it's not true. The Seattle Seahawks are 31st in the league in terms of Passing Attempts. Only San Francisco has fewer than the Seahawks 286 attempts this year.

However, in evaluating the Seahawks Passing Attack, you've really got to take a look at what they've done with those opportunities.

The Seahawks have had 40 passes that have gone for 20 yards or more (that's 10th highest in the league). Their average yards/pass attempt is 8.7 (tied for #1 in the NFL) ... and their average yards/reception is 13.6 (2nd in the NFL). They have had 20 passing TD's this season (tied for 9th Most). All of which is rather impressive when you consider where they are at in terms of pass attempts.

So in reality, the Seahawks are a big strike offense, as Russell Wilson will often look to complete (and does complete) a lot of deep passes downfield.

Here's the question then ...

I notice from the numbers that the Saints Defense has allowed only 28 passes of 20 yards or more this season (that's 5th Best in the NFL. Seattle is #1 in that category BTW). However, Jabari Greer just went down with a season ending injury, which has moved Corey White in to the starting lineup. How did White look in that Falcons game defending against the deep pass and do you anticipate that being a potential issue in this game?

 

[saints2k8]

I think ATL threw 1 deep ball on White and that ended in a defensive PI. IIRC he had good coverage but failed to track the ball and kind of panicked.

Overall I'm as confident in White as I am in Greer. I honestly think he's going to be a big play maker for us at some point

 

[Dalga]

I believe that it does happen and may affect a play here and there for both QB's. HOWEVER i would take a QB with a high football IQ and great instincts over a few inches any day of the week and both Wilson and Brees fit this mold. Here's to a great game!! WHO DAT!!!

 

[CoastStarlight]

Kaepernick is 6'4" and I just watched a breakdown on one of the endless sports yammer shows of how he's been missing receivers downfield, which is a weakness I've always sensed in him. Height is great, but that's just one kind of vision. I've always admired Brees for his accuracy, leadership, game management, and ability to find just the right play to fit each situation. That's something I think Wilson is still learning--he will hold the ball too long or try too hard to make something happen when he should just throw it away. But he literally gets better every. single. game. It's like watching one of those speeded-up films of a tree growing. (A shortish tree.) To me, I'd rather have a QB who has multiple visions and a short build rather than one who hit the genetic lottery for height but missed out on the gifts that coming up "a little short" can offer--ingenuity, intelligence, patience, and a "no time to sleep" work ethic.

 

[HawkAroundTheClock]

Kaepernick is 6'4" and I just watched a breakdown on one of the endless sports yammer shows of how he's been missing receivers downfield, which is a weakness I've always sensed in him. Height is great, but that's just one kind of vision. I've always admired Brees for his accuracy, leadership, game management, and ability to find just the right play to fit each situation. That's something I think Wilson is still learning--he will hold the ball too long or try too hard to make something happen when he should just throw it away. But he literally gets better every. single. game. It's like watching one of those speeded-up films of a tree growing. (A shortish tree.) To me, I'd rather have a QB who has multiple visions and a short build rather than one who hit the genetic lottery for height but missed out on the gifts that coming up "a little short" can offer--ingenuity, intelligence, patience, and a "no time to sleep" work ethic.

Hahahaha! Good stuff, I agree with all of this. The "it" factor is what makes a franchise QB (the ingenuity, intelligence, ethic, etc. you speak of). We're going to see two of the best in the biz (one a veteran, one a star in the making) go to battle on Monday!

 

[Hawkscanner]

Focus On: Seahawks Reserve CB’s

Since I fully believe that the Seahawks and Saints will see one another again, I’m going to go ahead and tackle an issue that’s garnered a lot of attention this week. Call this a scouting report of sorts for Saints Fans ...

With the suspensions of Brandon Browner and Walter Thurmond, the klieg light has been focused sharply on the Seahawks Secondary this week. Just how much “Boom” will that steal from this Legion though? That's truly the million dollar question at this moment heading in to this game.

As I've mentioned before, Seattle is truly unique in the sense that they have better quality depth in the secondary than maybe any other team out there. Many local and some national experts have recognized that as well. To give you a sense of some of the depth this team had in training camp, CB Will Blackmon was snatched up the second he were cut loose and he’s become a key contributor for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Seattle and John Schneider’s ability to find talent truly is remarkable. In fact, in taking a look at their roster, 8 players on it were drafted in the 5th Round or later and 11 players were Undrafted Free Agents (that’s 36% of their roster).

In this game, we’ll get to see 2 of those guys, as Byron Maxwell and Jeremy Lane will get the call on Monday. Maxwell and Lane are both very talented young guys. Both are physical, quick, and are good cover corners in the making. Here is a breakdown of the Seahawks reserve CB’s and the guys that will be getting the call Monday Night and for the forseeable future for the remainder of this year ...

Byron Maxwell …

Byron Maxwell was drafted by the Seahawks in the 6th Round of the 2011 NFL Draft. Maxwell is 6’0” 202 Pounds. Coming in to the draft, he had the reputation of being a very hard hitter with great speed and quickness (he had run a 4.37 in the 40). Though he had shown some inconsistency, scouts like Russ Lande noted he had great instincts and was a smart player. In fact, right after he was drafted, Lande said that he believed that Maxwell had the stuff to be a future starter.

Here is Schneider talking about Maxwell following the draft ...

http://www.seahawks.com/videos-phot...-Maxwell/1fb9f61f-949d-40b9-a831-2eee0eaa3f1a

Pro Football Focus notes the following about Maxwell in this week’s preview of the Seahawks-Saints game ...

On the year Maxwell has seen 139 coverage snaps in eight games, been targeted 23 times and allowed 15 catches for 161 yards and a score while also defending three passes. The Falcons game is his most noteworthy one – he successfully defended an end zone pass to Roddy White, but was later beat by undrafted rookie Darius Johnson for a TD.

Source:
https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2013/11/29/3tfo-saints-seahawks-week-13/

Here is an article that was just put out a couple of days ago. The embedded video has a clip of that play against Roddy White towards the end.

http://www.seahawks.com/news/articl...steps-in/3288f171-5aaf-47bd-a574-3c4616b6d0bf

Since Brandon Browner’s groin pull in the Falcons game, Maxwell has been getting regular work on the outside. Maxwell played well against the 49ers in Seattle’ 42-13 victory last year. Coming in to that game, Maxwell was named Pro Football Focus’s top defensive sub for Week 16, the week prior in Buffalo.


Jeremy Lane …

Jeremy Lane was drafted in the 6th Round one year later than Maxwell in 2012. Lane is 6’0” 190 pounds and coming in to the draft, had been timed at 4.42 seconds in the 40 yard draft. He was noted as having excellent leaping ability (39.5” vertical) and again, had the reputation as a very physical defender (in fact, he was involved in a couple of scraps during training camp last year.)

Schneider talks about Jeremy Lane following the draft here ...

http://www.seahawks.com/videos-phot...ston-Guy/5239a584-428a-4f35-b4f5-3f7e011f7637

and a clip of Jeremy Lane making a pick against the Raiders in the preseason last year ...

http://www.seahawks.com/videos-phot...-Leinart/4dd22533-7936-418b-9243-ba5f27904085

He has shown good overall man to man coverage skills and because of that, the Seahawks have utlilized him in nickel coverage some this year. On special teams, he is an excellent gunner with great speed and a real ability to down punts inside the 10 yard line. He has the stuff to be a Pro Bowl special teams player. Again, Lane played well for the final 4 games down the stretch including that win over the 49ers. Against Buffalo last year, Lane held the Bills to just 29 yards on 7 targets.


DeShawn Shead …

One move that’s really flown under the radar this week has been the decision by the Seahawks to bring Deshawn Shead up off the practice squad. Dave Boling (long time writer for the Tacoma News Tribune) talked about the fact this week that the coaching staff really likes this guy.

Shead is a big CB (6’2” 220 pounds) and because of that, some have called him Brandon Browner 2.0. Shead is a heck of an athlete, as he was a standout track star and displayed good speed (4.49 in the 40) and leaping ability (38” vertical) in his pro day at Portland State. Shead shows excellent quickness for a man his size, good physicality, excellent smarts, strength, and tackling ability.

Here he is making a play in the preseason. Eye popping play in many ways for a guy that size ...

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/0ap2000000231438/Shead-picks-off-Osweiler

Here are some highlights from Shead's Pro Day at Portland State ...

[youtube]DDeFIXvvBtg[/youtube]

And some game film of him from Portland State (I know you've got to consider level of competition, but just check out his instincts, the speed at which he can break on the ball, and his overall physicality. Though he’s obviously inexperienced as far as the NFL is concerned, those traits translate obviously.)

[youtube]8yE21QPF9CE[/youtube]

Closing Thoughts ...
With Browner and Thurmond both being lost to suspension, people througout the country are questioning what the heck Seattle is going to do. Well, to that I would answer, Seattle has been down this road before ...

When he was first hired in 2010, one of the first moves GM John Schneider made was to trade away starting CB Josh Wilson (a scrappy, very talented corner) for a conditional 5th Round pick in 2011. Many Seahawks fans were angry at the time, feeling that it was the absolute wrong move, as Wilson was one of the best defensive players Seattle had. Instead, Schneider ends up pillaging the Great White North, finding Brandon Browner, who was an All Star in the CFL, but was totally unproven in the NFL.. All he does is become one of Seattle's best corners and a real anchor of the Seahawks Defense, as his physical style of play really lends well to what Carroll believes in.

In October of 2011, Walter Thurmond went down with a broken fibula and severely injured ankle and was placed on IR. The team was already reeling from the loss of CB Marcus Trufant (who was considered the Seahawks best CB at the time). Seahawk fans again thought all was lost. But, the games must go on, so it was Next Man Up time. And who did they happen to insert in to the lineup. A guy who at that time was a No Name Rookie who was taken in the 5th Round that year out of Stanford -- Richard Sherman. Trufant got Wally Pipped and never got his starting job back, as CB play improved overall with Sherman at the helm.

Last season, Brandon Browner was suspended for the remaining 4 games of the season for violating the NFL's PED policy at the start of December. Then, Walter Thurmond went down with a hamstring injury and was lost for the final 3 games of the regular season. Seahawk fans were saying the exact same thing last year, "What are we going to do?" Next man up -- enter Jeremy Lane and Byron Maxwell. Both guys played great down the stretch including that 42-13 whooping of the 49ers in Seattle last year. Neither Browner nor Thurmond played in that 49er game ... and Seattle won all 3 games with those guys at the helm.

Will that necessarily be the case again this year? Only time will tell. Carroll himself played Free Safety in college and broke in to the NFL as a Defensive Backs Coach with the Bills in 1984 (and continued to coach DB's with the Vikings until 1989), so he and former Seahawk DB (and now Seahawks DB Coach) Kris Richard obviously know and evaluate the position very well. Carroll, Schneider, and company have made good decisions in the past, so fans generally feel they’re in good hands now.

 

[Sac]

Focus On: Seahawks Reserve CB’s

Scanner, I've never told you how much I appreciate your insight and well written posts. So...

I really appreciate your insight and well written posts...very much.

 

[HawkAroundTheClock]

^^^ I'll jump on that pile. Excellent stuff all week, Scanner.

This last bit in this latest post is what I wish opposing fans, and some in the media for that matter, understood. It's easy to say we are deep, but you painted the bigger picture by explaining how we have been through this numerous times already in the Pete Carroll era. "Next Man Up" applies to all teams. But here, we've seen the next-men-up quickly turn into All-Pros and Pro-Bowlers.

Wow, Josh Wilson and Marcus Trufant as our starting corners feels like a loooooong time ago.

Anyway, your posts are a great resource for anyone who wants to know more about these Seahawks. :thirishdrinkers:

 

[Hawkscanner]

Thanks for the props guys … but as both you and I know, John Schneider and Pete Carroll haven’t always mined diamonds … they’ve also turned over their share of slag coal as well. Allow me to share with you all one such lump that I unearthed in researching for this piece. To do that, let’s turn the clock back to 2010 -- Pete Carroll and John Schneider’s first year with the Seahawks.

As you’ll recall, when those two got there, the talent level of Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard was kind of bare. Schneider and Carroll were pretty much going through the scrap piles of every team out there, just trying to field a competitive roster. Remember, they had something upwards of 200 or more transactions that year, as players were flying on and off the roster faster than fruit flies on a compost pile. One such transaction made that year really caught my eye and if you ask Schneider, say in a private moment 20 years from now, he may actually admit that this is one he might want to have back …

In was April 24, 2010 -- John Schneider’s first time being at the helm of the NFL Draft. On the first day of the draft, Schneider made what looked like a bold move, trading their 4th Round Draft Pick (#104) and their 6th Round Pick (#176) to the Tennessee Titans for their 4th Round Pick (#111), the Titans 6th Round Pick (#185), DT Kevin Vickerson, and RB LenDale White.

Later on that day, Schneider made another bold move, trading the Seahawks 5th Round Pick (#139) to the New York Jets for RB Leon Washington and the Jets 7th Round Pick (#236).

The trade for Leon Washington proved to be one of Schneider’s best moves, as Washington resurrected his career and became a very dangerous weapon in Seattle’s kick return game.

What about the trade with the Titans though? Let’s take a look at the particulars of that deal and how it all panned out …

For Seattle ...

DT Kevin Vickerson, we hardly knew ya … he ended up being cut on September 5, 2010 soon after the cutdown to 53.

RB Lendale White -- White had lost significant weight prior to 2009, slimming down to 229, which he attributed in part to a tequila free diet. Shortly after the trade was made, word leaked out that White had failed a drug test and was facing a possible 4 game suspension. White was released a mere 12 days after the deal was made.

4th Round Pick (#111) -- CB Walter Thurmond, U of Oregon -- during those few days he’s not been on the DL … and those times he’s not been playing Cheech and Chong with Brandon Browner … Thurmond has been one heck of a cover corner for the Seahawks. Whether its been by busted knee or by being busted for rolled doobies, this talented corner just hasn’t managed to stay on the field for any real length of time throughout his entire Seahawk career.

6th Round Pick (#185) -- TE Anthony McCoy, USC -- has showed a great deal of promise during his time with the Seahawks. But for every WOW play he’s made … there have been tons of routine plays he hasn’t made. He tore his Achilles tendon back in May of this year and was played on Injured Reserve, ending his season. After a long rehab this offseason, we’ll see what the future ends up holding for him.


What about Tennessee, what did they end up doing with those picks?

For Tennesse …

Their 6th Round Pick (#176) -- QB Rusty Smith, Florida Atlantic -- he's obviously never amounted to anything. He posted a whopping 25.0 QB Rating in 2 games in 2010 ... didn't take a single snap in 2011 ... went 3 for 5 in one game in 2012 when Matt Hasselbeck was injured ... and is currently on the Titans practice squad after being waived/injured.

What about that 4th Round pick the Seahawks traded them though?

With the 6th Pick in the 4th Round (#104), the Tennessee Titans selected … [Wait for It] …
CB Alterraun Verner, UCLA.

I can hear a few of you out there saying, WHO? And for those of who don't know him from Jules Verne, let me educate you. This past week, Pro Football Focus had the following writeup on Verner. Read it Seahawk fans and weep …

Alterraun Verner is having one of the best seasons of any cornerback that PFF has ever graded. He is currently second to Darrelle Revis in our overall rankings. His +15.4 grade also includes a +10.8 grade in coverage. The other stats are what tell the whole story. Not since 2010 has someone (Darrelle Revis) allowed a lower catch rate. Verner is only allowing 40.4% of throws his way to be completed. Quarterbacks also have a ridiculous 23.0 quarterback rating when throwing at him. This would be the lowest PFF has recorded (started tracking in 2008). He is yet to allow a touchdown and his five picks lead the league. Verner did make the PFF Midseason All-Pro team. Now it’s about time for him to get some of the national recognition he deserves.

Source:
https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2013/11/22/3tfo-titans-raiders-week-12/

Remember last year when people were saying, “Is there a better corner in the league than Richard Sherman?” Well this year, they are saying exactly that about Alterraun Verner -- a shut down corner who stands to make a mint when he hits free agency this offseason.

As a guy who was a defensive backs coach in the NFL for 6 years … and was a defensive back himself in college … you know Pete Carroll had to have had his eye on Verner back in 2010 and that a part of him cringed when Tennessee made that selection with the 104th Pick. Verner played right down the road from USC, so obviously Carroll knew what he was all about. Do you think there are times … in the quiet of the night … when John Schneider possibly lies awake thinking to himself, “Man, I could have had BOTH Richard Sherman and Alterraun Verner.”? Just imagine how that would have looked this weekend with Sherman on one side ... and Verner on the other. Sometimes your spade turns over a diamond … sometimes it turns over a lump of coal. After all, that’s the price of doing business in the NFL.

 

[Hawkscanner]

Another question for you Saints Fans,

I'd like to circle back around and return to a question that iigakusei asked earlier, "Can you tell me more about the Saints Special Teams?"

I ask that question because so often, a game can come down to Special Teams -- big turnovers, field position, etc. So, let me break down the Seahawks Special Teams a bit.

As far as Kickoff Coverage is concerned, the Seahawks I'd say have done fairly well in that department despite what some of the stats might indicate. According to the numbers, Seattle has allowed an average of 24.9 yards/kickoff (9th most in the league). However, pure yards allowed DO tend to lie and are somewhat meaningless -- Seattle hasn't allowed a kickoff return for a TD all year and generally haven't been in the habit of giving teams good field position. K Steven Hauschka has a habit of banging kickoffs in to the end zone with great regularity, so often there hasn't been an opportunity for a return at all. Seattle has had 37 touchbacks this year (7th Most in the NFL).

Seattle's punt coverage has been flat out awesome this year ... and the numbers absolutely support that. Get this, the Seahawks punt coverage unit has allowed an average of ... 1.4 yards/return this year -- WOW! I was surprised when I saw the number myself (that's #1 in the NFL). P Jon Ryan is quite adept at the finesse game (at kicking inside the 10 yard line) and the Hawks have been fairly good at downing punts inside the 10 this year. That said as I look at the stats, Seattle has had only 18 punts downed inside the 20 (middle of the pack). Jeremy Lane, whom I mentioned above, has been one of the Seahawks gunners on punt coverage this year. I'd honestly say he could be a Pro Bowl candidate this year on Special Teams, as he's been particularly adept at downing punts inside the 10 yard line.

When it comes to opponent Field Goals, one guy to really keep an eye on his Big Red Bryant. He has blocked 5 field goals in his career.

When it comes to their own kickoff returns, the Seahawks (so far this season) haven't been all that spectacular in that arena (they are averaging only 20.6 yards/return -- 30th in the NFL) and haven't broken one for a TD yet. As I'm sure some of you saw in the Vikings game however, that's about to change now that Percy Harvin has returned. All it took was one 58 yard kickoff return for Pete Carroll to declare, "He's in there" as far as kickoffs are concerned. And when he was "in there" for Minnesota, Harvin was one of the league's best, averaging an eye popping 35.7 yards/return.

When it comes to punt returns, Seattle has done fairly well in that arena as well. They come in to this game averaging 12.3 yards/punt return (4th best average in the league). You'll see Golden Tate returning punts on Monday Night (he's been the regular) and his overall shiftiness and change of direction lend well to him being a good return man.

Kicking-game wise, K Steven Hauschka has generally been money this year on FG. Seattle has made 24 Field Goals in 25 tries (96.0%, which is tied for 2nd best in the NFL). For what it's worth, he is 3 for 3 from 50 yards and beyond this year. The one miss that shows up on the stat sheet there was an absolute Key Stone Cops disaster. So, in the Titans game, Steven Hauschka decided that he wanted to break the stereotype that kickers are weenies and took on the kickoff returner head on -- great form tackle -- but it absolutely knocked him flat (bloody nose on the sideline, a bit dizzy, the whole bit). So, he's out of commission for a bit. The Seahawks forced a punt and on the next series, drove down to the Titans 4 yard line. The drive stalls and Pete decides, "Let's try a field goal." Big problem -- Hauschka is still a bit dinged up. So, they send out Punter Jon Ryan to try one. Mind you, Jon Ryan hadn't attempted a FG since the preseason of 2004 ... when he was in the Canadian Football League. Ryan is also the normal holder on field goals. Enter backup safety Chris Maragos, who did hold for kicks all 4 years at Wisconsin ... but hadn't held for one in 4 years. Houston, do we have a problem? They certainly did on that play. Maragos botched the hold ... tried to run with it ... fumbled ... the Titans picked it up and were off to the races.

Doug Farrar has a good write-up on that play along with pictures and video to boot ...
http://nfl.si.com/2013/10/13/steven-hauschka-seattle-seahawks-field-goal/

Pete took full responsibility for that attempt and fully admitted after the game that it was a bad move. Hauschka returned later in the game and so did the kicking game.

So, there's a brief breakdown for you guys on the Seahawks Special Teams thus far. If you'd be so kind, tell us a bit more about yours.

 

[Scottemojo]

Scanner, the Haushka miss was the blocked FG vs the Colts.