Relax.

[Jazzhawk]

Frankly, I think the O-line has looked light-years better in these two games than anytime last pre-season, and for the first 6 games. We have some good RB's, tho all the hype on Brooks and Collins seems mis-placed so far. The defense is MUCH better when game-planning for an opponent, and all key players have stayed healthy so far.

It's pre-season. Some things are being 'worked on' and the coaches and players may be trying things out now that they won't be doing once the real games start.

Tho I was disappointed in how we played, I see that it's not necessarily an indicator of specific deficiencies in the team.

 

[253hawk]

Well the Cardinals are laying a big goose-egg against SD right now, and they're one of the highest-rated teams/offenses this off-season. 130 total yards in 3 quarters.

 

[Hasselbeck]

Well the Cardinals are laying a big goose-egg against SD right now, and they're one of the highest-rated teams/offenses this off-season. 130 total yards in 3 quarters.

Almost like preseason is very vanilla and overall meaningless to the grand scheme of things

Just get through the next two games healthy and we are going to be just fine

 

[FlyingGreg]

Well the Cardinals are laying a big goose-egg against SD right now, and they're one of the highest-rated teams/offenses this off-season. 130 total yards in 3 quarters.

Almost like preseason is very vanilla and overall meaningless to the grand scheme of things

Just get through the next two games healthy and we are going to be just fine

I don't agree it is all "meaningless". It shows trends that will extend into the regular season, just like last year.

The results are meaningless, not the performance by individual players. Now, what we are not privy to is what the coaches are trying to see.

Also, the one season we won the Super Bowl we went 4-0 in the pre-season and outscored opponents 110-36. Just a point, although not very scientific. I guess more than the results and the scores was we looked READY to go for the season. We stated out 4-0 (including two tough 10 am Pacific start road games) and that set us up.

I am very interested to see how the 1st team offense looks against Dallas.

And I do agree 100% the biggest thing I want to see the next two games is no big injuries.

 

[Jimjones0384]

No worries here yet.

The Offense is what it is, a work in progress.

the Defense I thought looked great to say they were out there for 80% of the first half. I just wish we could incorporate into the scheme how to cover backs and tight ends. Curious as to why Pete still hasn't addressed that? Bobby looked horrible in coverage last night in my opinion.

I imagine they have worked on it a ton. I read how they are adding new wrinkles to the defense to compensate. My guess is they won't unvail any new packages until the regular season. I have yet to see browner really play that hybrid role, because Kam isn't out there. I could also imagine a scenario where Pete is being pete, and allowing everyone think this is still going to be an issue. Or, it could still be an issue, who knows. I am forever the optomist when it comes to the seahawks. To a fault probably. GO HAWKS

 

[FlyingGreg]

Yes, not having Kam out there changes the dimension of our defense.

 

[Chukarhawk]

our run blocking has been very good, that bodes really well for the rest of the offense. Don't panic. Russ is going to pick up right where he left off and get even better this year, than last year.

 

[kf3339]

our run blocking has been very good, that bodes really well for the rest of the offense. Don't panic. Russ is going to pick up right where he left off and get even better this year, than last year.

From your mouth to God's ears please.

 

[Hawks46]

I agree ... overall.

However, last pre-season's poor play translated into an 0-2 start and the team struggled in the first half of the season. That put us in a hole and we ended up losing the division and then had to play on the road in terrible conditions which I believe took a lot of starch out of our team. They looked flat as I have ever seen in the first half in Carolina and voila, we were buried 31-0.

It's too easy (and perhaps simplified) to dismiss everything in the pre-season and just expect they will flip a switch and everything will be fine. Last season taught us the concerns we had in the pre-season were very valid and proven to be justified.

It's nothing to get really excited about, but there are individual concerns which are perfectly ok to harbor. Now in his 5th season, I don't like seeing our franchise QB looking slow (chased down by DLs) and skittish in the pocket and not having the savvy to get rid of the ball instead of the whirling dervish routine. I think teams are going to specifically game plan for that from Russell, they have had enough of it. Not unlike last season when they started to dedicate defenders to keep him form jail breaking the pocket.

The inability of our 1st team offense to score ANY points in, what, 8 possessions? Sure, that should be a concern. The good news is the running game is clicking.

I'm concerned a bit with the lack of a pass rush by our first-team defense. But I think that will be better once the games start.

I'm holding out until we see how everything looks in the next game which is the full dress rehearsal.

Good post, but you still have to take things in context.

Last year, we were offensively bad in preseason, but it was specifically the OL. It was so bad they completely reset the OL during the preseason, which almost never happens. This year, we've had a few issues, but they're growing pains of an OL trying to gel, as they were a new OL to start the preseason. It's also an OL that while displaying issues, is allowing camp fodder level RB's to average 5 yards per carry. Our offense feeds off the run game, and they looked spectacular against two very good front 7's so far.

I said it in another post, but it makes no sense to rip on a starting 4 pass rush that was minus Bennett. As per QB pressures, he was 2nd in the league to JJ Watt last year. That's a significant guy to be missing.

Trust me, I was ripping the Hawks last year in preseason, while people were telling me to relax and it's only preseason. We've been sloppy, and we've shown growing pains, but to be honest, this really does look and feel different, especially on the OL. Also, the RB and WR positions are rock solid and don't need to be worried about.

 

[bighawk]

The only thing I want to see is the offensive line making holes for the backs and solid pass protection. So far so good but I want to see if Webb can solidify the right side.

 

[bighawk]

If the team was healthy and playing bad would be the only reason I would be concerned.

 

[Willyeye]

I agree ... overall.

However, last pre-season's poor play translated into an 0-2 start and the team struggled in the first half of the season. That put us in a hole and we ended up losing the division and then had to play on the road in terrible conditions which I believe took a lot of starch out of our team. They looked flat as I have ever seen in the first half in Carolina and voila, we were buried 31-0.

It's too easy (and perhaps simplified) to dismiss everything in the pre-season and just expect they will flip a switch and everything will be fine. Last season taught us the concerns we had in the pre-season were very valid and proven to be justified.

It's nothing to get really excited about, but there are individual concerns which are perfectly ok to harbor. Now in his 5th season, I don't like seeing our franchise QB looking slow (chased down by DLs) and skittish in the pocket and not having the savvy to get rid of the ball instead of the whirling dervish routine. I think teams are going to specifically game plan for that from Russell, they have had enough of it. Not unlike last season when they started to dedicate defenders to keep him form jail breaking the pocket.

The inability of our 1st team offense to score ANY points in, what, 8 possessions? Sure, that should be a concern. The good news is the running game is clicking.

I'm concerned a bit with the lack of a pass rush by our first-team defense. But I think that will be better once the games start.

I'm holding out until we see how everything looks in the next game which is the full dress rehearsal.

To be fair, in the playoff game @ Carolina, I think the reason they looked flat is because they virtually had no run game to speak of. I believe that Marshawn still wasn't ready, and they had no business starting him in that important of a game. In the first half, I think Lynch had 5 attempts for 12 yards; Jackson had 2 for 9 yards. That's 7 attempts for 21 yards in the entire first half...horrible for a run-first team whose offense is all predicated on a successful run game. Even in the regular season, Marshawn was just not himself, and it had a dire effect on the rest of the team, including the defense. Add to that the fact that Kam's holdout had an adverse psychological effect on the entire team, and it's no wonder they lost 5 of their first 9 games. And it's not like they were blown out...with a little luck, every one of those 5 losses could have been Seahawk victories.

Regarding being chased down by opposing DL's, that's not really fair...you had a guy running full speed by the time he got to where Russell had been and Russell had just started to run. I believe Russell hasn't yet learned to trust his new interior O-Line. Once he gains that trust, you'll see an insanely great offense. And he's not relying on an injured/playing hurt Marshawn this year. If Rawls & Michael can get/stay healthy, Russell will likely rush for 600 or 700 yards this year, and have a crazy-good season passing. I believe the O-Line will surprise everyone, especially the interior O-Line. I think the Hawks will once again be #1 in rushing in 2016. That alone will improve the defense immensely.

 

[NewJerseyHawk]

We are very concerned and very spoiled at the same time.

I've watched probably 10 preseason games in the last 2 weeks and none of the games with the exception of watching New England, has the feeling that I'm watching a well coached/well prepared football team....

Some observations from other games watched.

New England's run defense was pretty carved up by Jeremy Langford.....who for those may not be aware plays for the Bears out of Michigan State....Seattle will eat them alive at the line of scrimmage....

New England also has Chris Long tearing out the edge, trying to prove a point against first and 2nd string Bears tackles, as if he's an All Pro from 4 to 5 years ago..

I've watched Carolina attempting to integrate Kelvin Benjamin back into their offense and having some success as 15 to 20 year slant patterns off play action passes.....How many play-action passes has Russell Wilson attempted after Rawls and Christine Michael have ripped off a couple of nice running plays....?? That would be zero, because we are not game planning, we are experimenting in game one (get the ball out quickly) and game two, (see what the protection is like against a legitimate pass rush/press coverage with some blitz mixed in).

I also watch other teams go 80 yards in less than 2 minutes, wide open downfield passes completed in a 2 minute drill and wonder how teams can't stop these wide open WR's.......because we don't or rarely allow those types of plays and are reducing teams to throwing interior "rub-routes", in front of our LB's....does anyone think the pattern of success vs Seattle, is the Alex Smith/Shaun Hill dink and dunk??? What happens if those teams are not playing with a lead against Seattle???

If Seattle scores one TD in at least 3 other games last year in the first half of a couple of games, we are 13-3 or 14-2......If we convert one additional 3rd down conversion with better protection in the 2nd half of games, we are 14-2 or better.

If anything, we should be destroying teams, but let the media enjoy figuring out why Carson Palmer looks like a shell of himself since the end of last season and into the playoffs and let Arizona air out down-field passes against the LOB, without a care in the world......Yep, that's the game plan that works very well.

 

[Hawk-Lock]

Everything will be fine. But there are two legit causes for concern:

1. The O-Line.

2. Long Snapper

 

[Willyeye]

Everything will be fine. But there are two legit causes for concern:

1. The O-Line.

2. Long Snapper

I think that by early in the season, the interior of the O-Line will be average to above-average, and the pocket won't be consistently collapsing like it did last year. Once Russell feels comfortable with his new line, he's going to have his best pocket-passing season yet. Have faith!

LS is the least of my worries. There are plenty of guys out there that can do the job. If Frese can't cut it, I'm 100% sure the Hawks already have a Plan B and Plan C in place. I'm sure there is another team or two that currently have an extra LS at this point, and the Hawks have their eyes on one or more when the cuts start coming. Maybe Gresham is still on speed dial.

 

[TwistedHusky]

3 - The pass rush, or lack thereof

4 - LB play, especially the giant gaping hole at SAM

5 - CB opposite Sherman (I would be ok with Lane and Burley taking slot here)

 

[Nothinbutm]

Bring back Aaron Curry!!! :sarcasm_off:

 

[chris98251]

Everything will be fine. But there are two legit causes for concern:

1. The O-Line.

2. Long Snapper

I think that by early in the season, the interior of the O-Line will be average to above-average, and the pocket won't be consistently collapsing like it did last year. Once Russell feels comfortable with his new line, he's going to have his best pocket-passing season yet. Have faith!

LS is the least of my worries. There are plenty of guys out there that can do the job. If Frese can't cut it, I'm 100% sure the Hawks already have a Plan B and Plan C in place. I'm sure there is another team or two that currently have an extra LS at this point, and the Hawks have their eyes on one or more when the cuts start coming. Maybe Gresham is still on speed dial.

Yeah they said that when Holmgren had hiss issues as well.

 

[Jimjones0384]

It really makes me relax about the o line when I read about how tunsil seems to be struggling pretty bad. They first slid him inside, and then kicked him down to the second string. Blue chip players as aren't always the best players.

Ifedi may be a steal. The interior line looks to be pretty locked up for the next few years. Draft, develope or sign a couple quality tackles, and this could be a great line.