Random Thoughts™ on the Packers preseason game

[kearly]

Good post Seahawk Sailor.

Here is something that I see glossed over in this conversation about Wilson's performance, and Bevell "dropping the ball". McCarthy likes to make game plans for every preseason game, especially this game. He saw it as a dress rehearsal for RG3 and Kaepernick. Seattle was running a very basic, vanilla scheme -- our playbook for that game looked like it was drawn up on a napkin. Greenbay on the other hand was throwing out everything and the kitchen sink on defense. Those delayed blitz's and contain schemes would have been easily countered in a real game with a draw, screen, or a quick toss over to a WR waiting on the sideline. The few times we did run a screen or a draw they went for huge gains against the Greenbay defense.

I said something similar on page 2, that Seattle supposedly does not alter their game plan in the preseason, and that alone could explain everything.

Pete said specifically that GB threw blitzes that they did not plan for, and he was not concerned with the resulting sacks. I also recall him saying that game planning overall was very minimal during the week.

Either way, I don't know how we can say the O-line had a good game. There may have been good individual performances, or isolated play, but if we start 15 yards back, or 20 yards back on 1st down, we are not doing a good job. Made it really hard for all of the offensive play makers to be successful.

The penalties were a major problem, but is that the OL's fault, or the officials? The officials called a tight game with several terrible on field calls, including two calls that were overturned on replay. I can't stress enough that the officiating was awful in this game, and that makes me give our OL the benefit of the doubt to a degree.

At least 2/3rds of the O-line penalties were legitimate ones. That is not good play for the line, regardless of how well they blocked.

I'm at half time on DVR study. So far there is an Okung false start and a Sweezy late hit that were both clearly the right calls. Every other penalty against the OL was debatable at best. Lots of fringe holds that were called only because the officiating was ultra-trigger happy in this game. There was one terrible holding call against Sweezy (the 3rd penalty he picked up) where he was 100% clean but shoved the guy to the ground. When he saw the flag his reaction was pretty much "you shittin' me?"

 

[RolandDeschain]

At least 2/3rds of the O-line penalties were legitimate ones. That is not good play for the line, regardless of how well they blocked.

I'm at half time on DVR study. So far there is an Okung false start and a Sweezy late hit that were both clearly the right calls. Every other penalty against the OL was debatable at best. Lots of fringe holds that were called only because the officiating was ultra-trigger happy in this game.

I don't mind tightly called games anywhere near as much as most people around here seem to, as long as it's called tightly against both teams. (Somewhat fair, in other words.)

I'll be curious to see your review, part deux.

 

[kearly]

I hate tightly called games. Penatlies destroy rhythm for both teams and make the referrees, not the talent on the field, the deciding factor. A game with too many penalties is a lot like a game with too many turnovers. It kind of kills the fun for both sides, and even the winner feels dirty afterwords.

 

[Trrrroy]

See Big Ben. Keeping plays alive is part of what he does.

So is sitting injured on the sidelines.

It's worth it, IMO. Big Ben gets injured but he doesn't have the great career he has had without his elusiveness and ability to extend plays.

 

[Scottemojo]

Has the Stephen Williams as Daryl 'Deep Heat' Turner 2.0 occurred to anybody else?

By the way, Packers fans are gracious and fun. Several people were wishing me luck and complimenting my beard AND our fanbase.

It's always fun to go to a different team's home and be treated as a guest.

Gawd yes, that has occurred to me. I was so damn relieved to see him make an actual first down on a catch and nifty run just because that meant maybe he has more in his bag than the bomb.

 

[Jville]

I think it useful to remember that Cable's priority is the run game. They draft and coach the run game first and then address quarterback protection. Seattle's pass protection is very challenging with a mobile quarterback and scheme. A quarterback who extends pass plays more than most is going to demand much more from pass protectors. That extended blocking comes with the blessing of the offensive coordinator. Seattle asks a lot from it's offensive line.

As a broadcast commentator pointed out, the Packers offensive line was drafted and built to pass block. If I remember correctly, Aaron Rodgers worked at getting the ball out quickly with a good up tempo pace. However, Green Bay's run blocking continues to be a work in progress.

It's also worth remembering that officiating is subjective and that calls and non calls alike change or migrate over the course of a season as well as from crew to crew. Officiating is impacted by unforeseen events on the field that can introduce new points of emphasis at any time during a season. Off the field sentiment can also influence calls on the field. So ...... staying connected with the mindset of officials (from week to week) is a big weekly priority for coaching staffs. It is a weekly prerequisite for game planning.

I dislike NFL officiating. Too many calls and flags in the early part of the season. Followed by too many non-calls in the later part of the season. And then there are the playoffs .... when officiating is always suspect.

I have resigned myself to tolerating a tainted NFL product. In this flawed league, mistakes are inevitable .... especially with new officials and young players. And, the Seahawks have a young team and a long term goal of remaining "forever young". I'm confident the Seahawks will evolve and progress as the 2013 journey unfolds. That is a journey I can enjoy.

 

[olyfan63]

-Willson and McGrath had nice games. Mike Person saw a lot of time as a "blocking TE." Which is funny because right before the game I was just thinking about how badly Seattle needs a pure blocking TE right now. Person didn't look that great as a blocker though, sadly. Maybe we should convert Alvin Bailey or Michael Bowie to "TE" a few snaps a game.

<snip>
Personally, I am stoked by the progress of both Alvin Bailey(@RT) and Michael Bowie(@LG) as the possible future of the line. And I have also mused at length on how exactly to best go '2 blocking TE's in Beast Mode' right now with our existing personnel. IMO, if we bring in either Bailey or Bowie to play RG in 2 TE power run sets... and make "The Sweeze" the 'pure blocking/athletic '6th lineman #2 TE who goes in motion instead of Person.... Hey, we're in business bigtime!!!
<snip>

Sweezy as TE? Didn't we have that in Seattle for nearly a decade in the Chuck Knox years?
So we are talking, "Mike Tice 2.0"?

Pregame P.A. Announcer...
"And, starting for the Seahawks at 'Outside Tackle', number 64... J.R. Sweezy!"

 

[Scottemojo]

Just so we are clear. I don't think Blackmon is a good kick returner, and I know he is not a good punt returner. But he is a damn good DB, and if we can carry 7 corners by playing him as a KR, so be it. Until Harvin comes back, I think KR will mostly be kneel, take it at the 20.

 

[acbass]

I have a theory, but I may be waaay off base, but could some of these mistakes Wilson is making be due to Pete trying to get certain guy involved in the game to what they have? Could it be a case of "Well, I wouldn't normally throw this pass, but we have to see how this guy reacts, so here it goes." I've just seen somethings that feel out of place for Russell. I wonder if there is more to it.

 

[ivotuk]

I have a theory, but I may be waaay off base, but could some of these mistakes Wilson is making be due to Pete trying to get certain guy involved in the game to what they have? Could it be a case of "Well, I wouldn't normally throw this pass, but we have to see how this guy reacts, so here it goes." I've just seen somethings that feel out of place for Russell. I wonder if there is more to it.

Great point. They did this two years ago trying to get TJack to throw the ball to BMW. They may have been asking Russell to make specific throws to specific targets. It's even possible they wanted to force throws from the pocket. If they wanted to force throws from the pocket, it would explain Wilson's uncharacteristic sacks.

 

[SharkHawk]

See Big Ben. Keeping plays alive is part of what he does.

So is sitting injured on the sidelines.

It's worth it, IMO. Big Ben gets injured but he doesn't have the great career he has had without his elusiveness and ability to extend plays.

You guys realize that "Big Ben" is built like an offensive lineman, correct? Suggesting Russell Wilson plays the same way isn't the wisest course of action. Think of the punishment Griffin has taken in one season. If he were built like "Big Ben" or Culpepper or McNabb, then he could probably get away with more of what he is doing. Unfortunately, he is built like Richard Sherman, so he has to be smarter about when he moves out and extends. Both Griffin and Wilson have great arms, so they don't need to rely so much on the legs as they progress and become more in sync with receivers and moving around and releasing the ball.

 

[Smelly McUgly]

Actually, Russell Wilson is built more like Big Ben to me. He's a really compact dude. If Wilson were 6'5, he would have a body-type like Roethlisberger.

 

[RolandDeschain]

I don't think you mean "compact", then.

 

[razgriz737]

I have a theory, but I may be waaay off base, but could some of these mistakes Wilson is making be due to Pete trying to get certain guy involved in the game to what they have? Could it be a case of "Well, I wouldn't normally throw this pass, but we have to see how this guy reacts, so here it goes." I've just seen somethings that feel out of place for Russell. I wonder if there is more to it.

You make a great point. Last year in one preseason game it seemed pretty obvious at one point that the coaches told Matt Flynn to feed the ball to TO.

 

[MizzouHawkGal]

Nice write up Kip. But do you really think our pash rush and nickel defense is good to go? Rodgers was slicing and dicing us and it looked liked both of us were almost playing full speed.

 

[kearly]

Nice write up Kip. But do you really think our pash rush and nickel defense is good to go? Rodgers was slicing and dicing us and it looked liked both of us were almost playing full speed.

Aaron Rodgers is not a dink and dunk QB, but that's what our defense forces him to become. Rodgers had a YPA of 5.86.

 

[TaterHawk]

I’ve been busy and not able to read everyones post. Sorry if I repeat what others have said.

The officials S..k! I don’t know what they are trying to do in preseason, but they need to stop making a joke of the NFL.

What sacks? Looked to me that RW decided to give the O line a preseason workout and not bail their butts out so fast. And did Baldwin give up on a route causing a pick?


Overall..no worries

 

[Scottemojo]

I’ve been busy and not able to read everyones post. Sorry if I repeat what others have said.

The officials S..k! I don’t know what they are trying to do in preseason, but they need to stop making a joke of the NFL.

What sacks? Looked to me that RW decided to give the O line a preseason workout and not bail their butts out so fast. And did Baldwin give up on a route causing a pick?


Overall..no worries

No. That was terrible pass from Wilson.

 

[hawksfansinceday1]

This. The NFL is fast heading towards unwatchable and as Kearly said *** you Roger Goodell. You are ruining the greatest sport in the world all in the name of lessening the inevitable cash awards from the lawsuits.

I love how there is no culpability assigned to all the former players that are trying to sue the NFL into oblivion because of damage from a really physical sport they may or may not even have, that they wanted to play in the first place.

You people sure love your scapegoats.

Not assigning culpability, just disagreeing with the obvious reason behind why Rog does what he does and thus why the officiating continues to get worse and worse/more inconsistent.

 

[volsunghawk]

I don't mind tightly called games anywhere near as much as most people around here seem to, as long as it's called tightly against both teams. (Somewhat fair, in other words.)

The problem I have with tightly called games is because the more calls there are (i.e., the "tighter" the officials call the game), the less "fair" it can be expected to be. There are SO MANY rules in the NFL, and so damn many of them involve some element of subjectivity (e.g., why is what happened on Play 1 a hold and what happened on Play 7 not a hold?).

And so the more calls these folks make (many of which aren't reviewable), the more we're asking them to take the game into their hands and interpret what happened subjectively in a split-second, rather than letting the action on the field be the primary dictator. And doing so invites mistakes, gaffes, the appearance of influence, etc. Better to only throw flags when you've got something truly egregious that even the most hardcore homer wouldn't argue.