Thomas out OR someone else.....??

[NewJerseyHawk]

I watched the game again and came up with this conclusion.....if Seattle was to have a "starter" injury, Thomas is probably the one we can sustain or not have much of a hit to production to....Let me explain before I get run off the boards.

We've watched 5 straight seasons of excellent to dominant play at times.....and injuries are a part of the game.....we've been without Marshawn, Rawls last year, now without Rawls and Prosise this year.

We missed Graham at the end of last year and no Chancellor, Bennett for parts of this year.

If you gave me one player that you told me would be able to play the Divisional playoff game, NFC Championship game and Super Bowl, I think there are less talented players that are more valuable or we can afford to lose less than Thomas.

I would say Bennett,, Sherman, Wagner, Avril, obviously Wilson, Britt, Ifedi, Jimmy Graham, Baldwin, Lockett, Rawls, Prosise and even Lockett are more critical to the chemistry and performance overall of this roster....

Look, no one wants Thomas to be out, but I view this similar to Gronk being out for New England.....it's a huge mismatch you lose, but there are pieces on each roster that are bigger losses, because you can't make up for it.New Englans can make up for Gronk being out and I fully expect them to make it through the AFC.

I was amazed at how big an impact Prosise and Rawls have on the identity and balance of the roster and if you told me you had one player you could have back for the playoffs at full speed, I would take Rawls and Prosise (with Wilson obviously) before I'd ask for Thomas.

The LOB is a mentality and is the strength and fabric of this roster and I believe they can rally around Steven Terrell and make up for that difference....Wagner is still a huge cog, but would not be replaceable by another piece on the defense.

On offense, given how we lack playmakers in the running game, if you told me I'd get Britt at center and Rawls and Prosise healthy and playing well for the playoffs, I'll sign up for that today, before thinking Thomas is something we cannot overcome.

 

[Popeyejones]

I would say Bennett,, Sherman, Wagner, Avril, obviously Wilson, Britt, Ifedi, Jimmy Graham, Baldwin, Lockett, Rawls, Prosise and even Lockett are more critical to the chemistry and performance overall of this roster....

Really, really disagree with this, but gotta say, it's going to be fascinating to watch, and if I'm wrong it's absolutely not gonna be the first time or the last time.

My read on things:

The Hawks offense is really inconsistent. Most of that is the line, but it's also Wilson, and it's also Rawls. We're talking an offense that can put up 3 points one week and 40 the next.

The inconsistency of the Hawks' offense has never really mattered that much because their defense is historically good: the Hawks are really the only team in the NFL that could score less than 20 points a week and still make the playoffs.

As for that defense, I've always thought of Earl and his ability to play deep third (while also providing run support and support to the other two thirds -- nobody else in the NFL can do that) as what made the Hawks' defense tick. Basically Earl Thomas + Pass Rush = top defense. They still have a great pieces without Earl (Wright; Bennett -- great against the pass AND run; Sherm who can lock down his third; Kam in run support and providing zone havoc on crossers), but he's the cog who has made the machine go, I've always thought.

To be clear I'm not making a prediction. Instead, I'm just really fascinated to watch as ET being out for an extended period of time really is a test of my assumptions. (TBH I think it would be much neater and more interesting if I was wrong about all this).

 

[Storts]

I disagree, of all the key pieces, other than Russell, I think Earl would be the biggest loss. Worried about how we cope without him back there

 

[McGruff]

Problem with evaluating this is that we don't know what we've got until it's gone. And now it's gone. So we're about to see how important Earl is.

It's already been stated but everything we do revolves around Earl being able to read, react and range from sideline to sideline. That frees up so many other people to do what they do knowing Earl is back there covering their arses.

First play after Earl goes out we shift from single high to cover 2. AND got burned on it.

Terrell has the range, but does he have the instincts? That's gonna be the key question.

 

[Pandion Haliaetus]

The Defense rallied greatly when Mebane was lost for the season in 2014.

I feel like this Defense will follow suit and play hard for Thomas and get him that 5th Defensive Scoring Title.

As for Terrell, this guy is solid, he's not the tackler Thomas is but I think Terrell will take less chances and just go for a sound tackle.

While Terrell is definitely not as experienced, hardened, or cerebral as Thomas, Terrell is just as quick and just as fast.

I think in Run Defense Terrell is like 65% of Thomas, but in Pass Defense I would say 85% from what I've seen. Mental Defense I would say 75%. If Thomas was an A+, Terrell is like a C with the upside to quickly get into a B grade.

The best thing I like in Terrell, from what I've seen, he's pretty solid in tracking the ball. The dude is probably gonna give up some plays but I think he's going to be a ball hawk in doing so. He's going to get tried often and tied to be exploited and I think he's going to surprise a lot of peeps while continuing to improve as he settled in.

Losing Thomas sucks but I think Terrell is capable of carrying that torch while using this opportunity to put his name in the spotlight for whenever he hits free agency.

 

[cymatica]

I agree with the op. Earl Thomas + no pass rush = frustrating game. Even with Thomas in, a clean pocket allowed most qbs to exploit the defense. Remember Kerry Williams? One bad corner gets attacked repeatedly. Without Wagner we've been gashed in the run game. No Chancellor = communication issues

Free safetey, even with the best one, is probably the one position they can afford to lose the most

 

[Cartire]

I disagree completely. As good as our CB's have been, its ET's ability to read plays and have the speed to cover a huge section of the field that have allowed them to be so dominate. Sherman is not the Sherman we know today without ET behind him.

His range is undeniable. We could lose Wright (we have) or Wags (we have) or bennett (we have) and still dominate (most the time). I wouldn't want to lose all of them at the same time, but a single piece is manageable.

I think its manageable now too, but I dont think he's the easiest to replace AT ALL.

 

[Rocket]

Wilson is the Seahawk I'd least like to lose... followed extremely close by our safeties, both of them, with the nod going to Earl as the Defensive MIP (Most Important Player) - his speed enables Kam and Sherm and Shedd to play they way they do and not like everyone else.
Earl Thomas III does the work of a man and a half, and sometimes two... and that's a fact, jack.

 

[Bobblehead]

ONly one solution, our DB's are going too have to step up their game. They won't for the first time, have a safety net to cover them, now is the time we will truly see just how good Sherman is and how Shead will stand up.

 

[Hawks46]

Problem with evaluating this is that we don't know what we've got until it's gone. And now it's gone. So we're about to see how important Earl is.

It's already been stated but everything we do revolves around Earl being able to read, react and range from sideline to sideline. That frees up so many other people to do what they do knowing Earl is back there covering their arses.

First play after Earl goes out we shift from single high to cover 2. AND got burned on it.

Terrell has the range, but does he have the instincts? That's gonna be the key question.

This. Plus Earl makes amazing plays like lining up 20 yards deep and hitting a guy on screen pass for a 3 yard gain. Not only the insane speed but instincts to read a play and be there before anything can happen.

We're going to miss Thomas on run support as well. Terrell has played pretty well, and I theorize he can get better with more game reps, but next game up is Rodgers, at home, and on a hot streak.

The problem is that a lot of the good things Earl does, you can't see and don't show up on a stat sheet. There are throws that a lot of QBs would normally take but know they can't with Earl back there.

Now, it would be really good for us if those QBs (and Rodgers is one of them) decided that Earl is gone so they can take those shots....and Terrell shows up and makes them pay for it.

 

[seahawkfreak]

I disagree completely. As good as our CB's have been, its ET's ability to read plays and have the speed to cover a huge section of the field that have allowed them to be so dominate. Sherman is not the Sherman we know today without ET behind him.

His range is undeniable. We could lose Wright (we have) or Wags (we have) or bennett (we have) and still dominate (most the time). I wouldn't want to lose all of them at the same time, but a single piece is manageable.

I think its manageable now too, but I dont think he's the easiest to replace AT ALL.

This is not true. When KC wasn't in the backfield (defense) Thomas was not ET. When Kam came back it was like two of them made 3 defenders. I've said for years that Earl was the best player on the Seahawks, even better than BEAST. He is, however, not the most important. IMO Kam Chancellor allows ET to roam the fields like a lion. Without KC, ET seems to be like a city uprising, breaking windows here and there but nothing totally destructive.

Wilson on offense, Sherman on defense is the most important. Seattle can stop the bleeding or curb the damage with other injuries on the team. Yes I know, one could argue Bennett and Wagner would be hard to lose but they have band aid replacements. KJ Wright has been phenomenal and Frank Clark has been way above average, both would suffice.

Wilson goes, no Super Bowl. Sherman, mayyyyyybe we could win. ET gone, yes we can!!!

 

[Smellyman]

There is proof the Hawks aren't as good w/o Kam. A game and a half w/o ET has been good. We will see long term.

Right now I'd much rather have Kam than ET. Time will tell if true.

 

[Seahawk Sailor]

Obviously losing Russell Wilson would be the biggest loss.

Then I think losing Richard Sherman. Suddenly the whole field would be open, and no matter who's back at safety, they'd have more than their share of work cut out for them.

Then maybe Earl Thomas. He and Sherman work together to make both positions better. It's synergy. Lose one and the other struggles to compensate for the loss.

No doubt about it though, we've seen the team struggle and lose games we should have won without key parts like Michael Bennett and Bobby Wagner. And losing the bulk of your run game hurts pretty much any team.

But I'd say only two are probably more vital to the team than Thomas. Hope I'm wrong there now that we don't have him, but I don't see it.

 

[brimsalabim]

Earl just sat out against Tampa and our D went to hell in a handbag.

 

[Year of The Hawk]

Earl just sat out against Tampa and our D went to hell in a handbag.

Is this sarcasm? As far as most can tell our D played very well against Tampa. Our offense could not stay on filed or do anything. Our D is what made the game as close as it was. Yes Tampa scored 14 but like always our D settles in and does there work. Plus what do you think our D should do. Shut out every opponent or they did not play well?

 

[Overseasfan]

In terms of players whose loss would be worse than Earl? Wilson, Britt and Wagner are the only sure ones. Sherm and Kam are maybes.

 

[Seafan]

I understand what the OP is saying.

Players I'd rather have than Earl:

Wilson,
Rawls,
Britt,
Wagner,
Kam,
Sherman,
Bennett.

He's a big loss but not bigger than the above players, Earl is one of the two best FS in the league. Kam is the most valuable safety on the team. Hope Earl doesn't retire.

When Bennett gets to 100% I believe this defense is going to be better.

 

[themunn]

Earl just sat out against Tampa and our D went to hell in a handbag.

If allowing 14 points to a team that has averaged 26.5 ppg in it's last 8 games (after excluding ours - 25ppg if you include) is hell in a handbag, I'll take it.

 

[nash72]

As important as the communication and coverage is, its Earl's tackling we will miss the most.

 

[Hasselbeck]

I strongly disagree with this. I think the only other injury that would have been worse would be losing Wilson for the year.

Earl does so many things, many of which you just take for granted. He will be a huge loss.