Random Thoughts on the Dallas game

[TwilightError]

If anything good can come out of this, it would be abandoning the gimmick college offense and going back to the punch in the face style along with occasional deep passes. Jus not sure if we have the receivers for that anymore... Our corner depth is horrible... Give a pick to NE for Browner?

 

[Mick063]

Romo had all day.

I would disagree here, except that Seattle pretty much conceded the 4 man rush so early in the game that it would seem they agree with you through their actions.

Maybe the only bright spot from this game is that Bruce Irvin continues to show tremendous growth as a pass rusher from 2012. On that 3rd and 20 play... the number of QBs that don't get sacked there I could count on one hand. Unfortunately Romo is one of them.

Irvin plays so similar to Aaron Curry. I can't tell them apart.

Doesn't display any edge rusher skills. Doesn't dip his shoulder. Doesn't uses his hands. Doesn't get his hip parallel to the ground when turning the corner. Doesn't finish when he gets a bead on the QB. Doesn't show any technical improvement over his rookie year. In fact, he looks like he has regressed.

Drafting Irvin #1 forced Seattle to not pay Clemons, a player that uses real technique.

Bust.

 

[justafan]

This team isnt playing like 2013.It isnt he same team, we lost some key players on D.But nobody figured out our scheme,they didnt trick anyone,we just played more physical,we played sound fundamental football.Every team knew what Petes scheme was,for one magical season they just did it better than anyone.You may never see a D play at that level again here.It was historical.

For all the problems with the Oline,the gameplan,Wilson not coming through on clutch plays,no running game,getting beaten physically on both sides of the ball we still could have won that game if not for that great play on 3rd and twenty.

There is a reason SB champs have a hard time repeating and we are seeing that 1st hand.Hungry players get paid,you lose players that may not be superstars but are important none the less,and every team in the league gets tired of hearing how good you are and just wants to beat your brains out.
We arent the same physical team that won the SB but we arent as bad as it feels right now.

 

[hawksfansinceday1]

Agree with almost all of this except for Richard Sherman. I thought once he went to press man coverage shadowing Dez he played fantastic. Romo threw his way a lot.

Maybe my standards of Sherman are higher than others. I'm counting the DPI as a "got beat" play. In half a game covering Dez, he was beat 3 times one on one, as opposed to zero PDs or INTs for Sherman. Over a full game, that would be five or six victories in Dez's column. Granted, one of those plays was well defended, but it just seems like this is the latest example of Sherman looking like a guy that is playing catch up with a receiver rather than being in control. With the exception of maybe two games from 2011 to 2013, Sherman always seemed like a guy who was always in control of the matchup.

I don't know if I've seen a game this season where a QB challenged Sherman and paid for it. It has yet to happen. I think it's fair to make excuses for Sherman and say that there is a lot going on beyond his play. But I do think the change in technique in the secondary has hurt our pass defense a ton across the board, and Sherman has been hurt by it as much as anybody, IMO.

I do not think Sherman is bad. I think even right now, he's probably an above average corner in this league. But I do think the thing that made him truly great in the past might be something he's not being coached to do right now (with regards to legal contact), and the other aspects of a failing pass D aren't doing him many favors either.

And I think the fact that he was no more effective on Bryant than our other corners exposed him a bit as a guy QBs can go after in 2014.

This is a fairer criticism on your part IMO. That would make him good rather than great and he's being paid to be great.

What do you think about just cutting them loose to play as they did last year in terms of technique and just letting the penalties fall where they may? It's been suggested on here by quite a few folks and you yourself said this secondary was built for the 2012 and 2013 NFL, not 2014. Would it be worth more DPIs to get better coverage/more ints?

 

[Ozzy]

I'm still at a loss at 5 he criticism towards Sherman. He essentially shut down a top 3 wide out. He played great yesterday. He shouldn't even be mentioned as a reason we lost yesterday. Maybe I missed something?

 

[Ozzy]

Kearly I love your thoughts and thought everything else was spot on. I'll just agree to disagree on Sherm.

 

[mikehawks]

Brandon Browner and Golden Tate should of both been resigned. Percy Harvin should of never been resigned to such a huge contract. Don't over pay for Wilson next year!!!!! I think if Brandon Browner was in the game, the Seahawks beat Dallas.

 

[Ozzy]

If we stop the third and 20 we win the game. For as bad as we played we still were in a great position to win the game.

 

[themunn]

Agree with almost all of this except for Richard Sherman. I thought once he went to press man coverage shadowing Dez he played fantastic. Romo threw his way a lot.

Maybe my standards of Sherman are higher than others. I'm counting the DPI as a "got beat" play. In half a game covering Dez, he was beat 3 times one on one, as opposed to zero PDs or INTs for Sherman. Over a full game, that would be five or six victories in Dez's column.

They lined up across from each other on 48 snaps. That's far more than half a game

 

[NewJerseyHawk]

There are TWO ways to look at Seattle.

A) I am of the opinion that SF and Kaepernick/Harbaugh will never win a Super Bowl BECAUSE, when you take them out of their ability to run the ball, I don't think Kaepernick or their offensive playcalls are capable of throwing the ball.

It appears that Seattle has adopted that identity, BUT felt that the difference between both rosters was Wilson's ability to make throws and runs. Essentially the rosters are very close in talent, they have the offensive line, we have the secondary. Both "strengths" of SF and SEA are banged up.

B) Seattle is miles better than the rest of the NFL because we have the depth in spots that can overcome injuries IF they are not to the secondary. When your 2nd, 3rd and 4th CB's are not on the roster, I'm not sure how the original poster even approaches talking about Sherman.......You would be more apt to start at Earl Thomas, whose name was not called once yesterday.

Seattle is winning another super bowl in Glendale, once they restart the running attack, then get back to play action passing, absorb more clock on offense and get back Willson as a compliment to Zach Miller. You have to get back to running first, then attacking in the passing game and keeping the defense off the field and limiting the plays you expose your defense to......This also minimizes the exposure of the WR corp, which is not a strength of the roster.

What the team is doing and got burned on yesterday, is going through the expansion of how they want to play by showing a lot of fast paced offense, passing game, in an attempt to develop a weakness of the team. Seattle could look like SF and just hand the ball off and win 19-16 or 20-16 against a tougher opponent. Dallas essentially did the same thing to SF, but had turnovers and fell way behind. They dominated SF the same way stat wise that they did to Seattle.

Dallas is a playoff team, BUT they will not beat Seattle in Dallas and definitely would not win a rematch in Seattle. They don't have the personnel on defense and cannot stop a running attack. If you watched their games carefully and stop watching ESPN rave about them, they give up a lot of yards on the ground to folks like Arian Foster etc. If our secondary gets Maxwell, Lane and Simon back and places Burley somewhere else on specials or as an emergency DB, Seattle is fine.

Once Seattle dials up running plays and leans on Lynch and Turbin to get yards, things fall into place. I am not as concerned about any lack of focus or anything else. 10-6 could be the record but Super Bowl champions have had 6 0r 7 losses in a season.....The question is does Seattle have the pieces to run aggressively, stop passing attacks and get sacks....the answer to all THREE is yes....if you can do all 3 well, you win Super Bowls.....there is no other roster in the NFL that can dominate in these three phases....Seattle beats Denver in Glendale and goes back to back.....

What did Aaron Rodgers tell Packers fans three weeks ago.......R.....E...L....A.....X........relax......relax folks.....!!!

 

[djb28]

Wilson seems to me off. His passes don't have the same velocity. His last pick was not long enough. His yard per pass is way down. My conclusion ? Wilson is not right and they are trying to hide it with swing passes and short dump passes. lol at his completions over 10 yards ....

When you are throwing Bubble Screens all day I suppose it is hard to find any rhythm to go down field when called upon. The play calling and game plan was atrocious today. I hope it gets fixed because I think this team is still a strong opponent to anyone.

 

[drdiags]

re Browner and Tate. Browner's time was up here. Two straight years with suspensions would not allow him to be re-signed. Tate was destined to leave the day of the Harvin trade. Really surprised that Baldwin was extended.

As for who are the best teams in the NFC:

+ In the NFC South, Panthers are adjusting to new personnel but Saints could turn it around.

+ The NFC East is shaping up as Eagles vs Cowboys, with a pretty good chance a wild card comes out of that division.

+ The NFC North probably goes to the Packers, because I don't trust the Lions. Potential wild card here.

+ The NFC West, as it stands today, has the Cardinals lead dogs with the 9ers and Seahawks both sitting with 2 losses. 9ers appear to be trending up, the Seahawks need to pull their heads out next week . Depends on how the division beats each other up, a wild card could come from here.

 

[Largent80]

I thought Sherman did pretty well actually, especially when I look at some of the other individuals on the defense.

Biggest goat all year so far is easily KJ Wright. He is always out of position on pass plays this year.

Worst tackling I have seen for quite awhile and this has happened in more games than this one.

Where has Earl been?...It's like he isn't even out there. 1 practice squad player in the nickel, and a guy we signed before the first game as a starting corner?...Ha, well it certainly is not going to get easier.

At least it was a total team loss, and not just one or 2 players causing it. Either a wake up call, or reveille.

 

[Wagon12]

Let's just remember that as bad as the Sseahawks played today, they probably win the game if not for that 3rd and long to Williams by Romo

Lot of things to fix for sure, but this team will win 10+ games.

Actually, this is even more discouraging... Consider that the hapless, melt-down happy Cowboys essentially spotted the Seahawks 14 at home and still got it done... to me, that's the most frightening.

Add to that, this complete shift in offensive philosophy (not even sure what our MO is right now), our swiss cheese D...

Ugh... I don't even know where to begin/end.

Painful.

 

[Wagon12]

If we stop the third and 20 we win the game. For as bad as we played we still were in a great position to win the game.

Everybody keeps saying "for as bad as we played"... LOL

The Cowboys GIFTED us 14 points and we still got beat by a TD... If anything, we got DOMINATED... Truly discouraging!

 

[NewJerseyHawk]

There is no such thing as domination.....the concept is absurd....when Seattle decides to run the ball and play power football, there is a different result.....I guess the question is placed better this way. If Seattle committed 8 men to the line of scrimmage and took away Murray (which you cannot in theory with Dez Bryant, Witten etc), would you rather have Tony Romo throwing against a depleted secondary with practice squad, street free agents, or would you play them "straight up" and allow them to call whatever play they want.

You can clearly tell who watches football and who doesn't or who listens to the ESPN or Fox game day commentary. If Dallas was dominant, they wouldn't have fallen behind 20-0 to SF and 21-0 to St Louis or went to OT at home vs Houston.

Does this mean that there isn't a concern or two....not really....the team has to learn to go through a process of being hunted and taking on everyone elses best shot....we look like SF has looked in September and October the last 2 to 3 years....they have become accustomed to playing at a level that at times looks spotty, but when the lights go on, they will show up and be there and so will our Seahawks.

The teams on the come-up like Arizona and Dallas and Philly are not as strong as they appear to be either. All will have to deal with Seattle and if our secondary gets back to 100% by December, we will be fine. We are finishing 11-5 or 12-4 and that is with a split vs SF and Arizona and perhaps a loss at Phila or at KC or Carolina mixed in.

Teams don't win championships in September or early October....long way to go folks......

 

[Ozzy]

We did play terrible. How can you dispute that? Dallas also played a great game. The two aren't mutually exclusive. Okung had 3 false starts. Maxwell drops a pick that is probably a 14 point swing. We had multiple drops, miss tackles etc. I could go on and on. Are you just arguing to be contrarian? This isn't to take anything away from Dallas who made plays and played a great game.

 

[BraveHeartFan]

If they exposed Sherman then please send me 2 or 3 corners who get exposed like he does.

Sherman is a damn great corner and he showed it again yesterday by having to play in a way he doesn't normally play (Shadowing the WR) and he gave up 2 catches to one of the best WR's in football. And one of them was with really tight coverage that Romo simply gave Bryant a chance to go up and make a play. There isn't really any corners in the league who can realistically stop Bryant on catches like that.

Sherman is great. I'd take him every single day of the week and twice on Sundays.

 

[Wagon12]

There is no such thing as domination.....the concept is absurd....when Seattle decides to run the ball and play power football, there is a different result.....I guess the question is placed better this way. If Seattle committed 8 men to the line of scrimmage and took away Murray (which you cannot in theory with Dez Bryant, Witten etc), would you rather have Tony Romo throwing against a depleted secondary with practice squad, street free agents, or would you play them "straight up" and allow them to call whatever play they want.

You can clearly tell who watches football and who doesn't or who listens to the ESPN or Fox game day commentary. If Dallas was dominant, they wouldn't have fallen behind 20-0 to SF and 21-0 to St Louis or went to OT at home vs Houston.

Does this mean that there isn't a concern or two....not really....the team has to learn to go through a process of being hunted and taking on everyone elses best shot....we look like SF has looked in September and October the last 2 to 3 years....they have become accustomed to playing at a level that at times looks spotty, but when the lights go on, they will show up and be there and so will our Seahawks.

The teams on the come-up like Arizona and Dallas and Philly are not as strong as they appear to be either. All will have to deal with Seattle and if our secondary gets back to 100% by December, we will be fine. We are finishing 11-5 or 12-4 and that is with a split vs SF and Arizona and perhaps a loss at Phila or at KC or Carolina mixed in.

Teams don't win championships in September or early October....long way to go folks......

Not sure where this Dallas is dominant stuff comes from... They were dominant YESTERDAY. That's it.

 

[ivotuk]

Pretty much agree. Cable always said "We are going to run the ball down their throats, them throw it over their heads. And that's what we used to do, but now we resemble a west coast offense, and we don't have the personal for that.

Russell throws a great deep ball but IMHO, struggles with the intermediate stuff. Get back to basics, take advantage of the Olines strength, not is weakness.