The Jimmy Graham effect.

I have been thinking about this on how Jimmy Graham will affect the offense which will also affect the defense.

Seattle's offense was top 10 in 3 important areas, yards per dive, points per drive and turnovers per drive. (NFL Rank)

Drives Yds/Dr Pts/Dr TOs/Dr
SEA 170 34.08 (7) 2.19 (9) . 071 (1)

Now add Jimmy "The Red Zone" Graham and if we can extend several drives a game and become even more efficient in the red zone I think we will see that these three stats improve in 2015.

This in turn give this defense more drives to pin their ears back.

I know there has been this talk about him as a blocker but if you think about it he will be used as a big WR at times and though he may not live up to some TE's as a blocker he should be very stout if you think of him as a WR. He seems to be very willing to go for it so even if he not the best he may be well good enough to help spring a run or two for Beastmode and Russell.

Here is to what I think will be a very good 2015 campaign... Super :thirishdrinkers: Bowl 50 or bust

I personally believe the impact of Graham is going to be biggest with regards to our other players.

What I mean by that is .... I think he will make plays, of course. But with defenses having to focus on him and Lynch so much, guys like Baldwin, Kearse, Matthews, P Rich (when he gets back), Lockett and even Willson and Helfet are going to be the biggest benefactors.

I'm probably most excited about Graham finding holes when Wilson does his breakdown Houdini act. I see some massive gains this season with Russell scrambling and finding Graham mismatched on someone in broken coverage. It's also nice to know Russell, who has a tendency to throw high, will have a 6'7" target to connect with.

I agree.

I think the 3rd down ability and with that the extension of drives and the effect on TOP is going to be huge.

Additionally what it opens up for Lynch; and even though Willson has inconsistent hands his speed alone at the TE position really stresses defenses down the seam regardless of if he is targeted - even if Luke were to drop everything (exaggeration) someone still has to attempt to run with him.

I love the potential of the two TE with Baldwin/Matthews or 3 wr/1te with Lockett.

I agree with Jimmy helping everyone, due to teams having to roll coverage.

Luke Willson is going to have a huge year in particular, because of schemes designed to take away Jimmy Graham.

You know what I hope I DON'T see? I hope I don't see Bevel trying to force-feed Graham they way they did Harvin.

Jazzhawk":2up2atcm said:

You know what I hope I DON'T see? I hope I don't see Bevel trying to force-feed Graham they way they did Harvin.

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Agreed: I'm hoping the D(B)evel learns from his mistakes. Including throwing your own guys under the bus.

Besides that fear, schooooooooeeeeeeee ... thinking about Jimmy Graham - I really can't wait for this season to get started. At the very least, we got almost all the same guys back and what could be a deep offensive line that has had all summer to prepare for life without Unger. Add to that just the mere *THREAT* of Jimmy. Add to that a very motivated Jimmy to be playing on the Seahawks.

blahblahblahbalh turns my brain to jello can't we get started yet?!?

Depends. Has Darell Bevell been running an ultra-simplistic route book because he lacks weapons, or because he lacks the competence? We're about to find out.

And how is the downgrade at C going to pan out? Russell Wilson won't be chasing bad snaps anymore, but he didn't have a lot of pressure right in his face, either - it came more from the guards' outside shoulder. This year could be different.

Wilson is pretty good at getting the TE to score during his college years. We might finally see the Two tight end set that Pete's been wanting for so long.

I think his blocking gets so overblown. When you look at him in the light as a WR, which for all intents and purposes he is, suddenly he becomes one of the best blocking WRs in the NFL. How often did he even line up with his hand in the dirt with NOLA anyways?

Well we are just a few days away from the start.

I still think this addition will be so valuable. When RW had Zack Miller to throw to Wilson made some great plays. Jimmy Graham is Zack Miller on steroids in the receiving dept and if he can just be efficient at blocking this could be a stellar year for the TE position. If Willson improves with his speed also this could be a very formable TE set.

Depends on our Oline...

Unless having Graham on the field requires teams to bring an extra DB onto the field, which I'm sure is what we're hoping, I don't see how having Jimmy Graham on the field does not hurt Lynch.

MontanaHawk05":2j5brspt said:

Depends. Has Darell Bevell been running an ultra-simplistic route book because he lacks weapons, or because he lacks the competence? We're about to find out.

And how is the downgrade at C going to pan out? Russell Wilson won't be chasing bad snaps anymore, but he didn't have a lot of pressure right in his face, either - it came more from the guards' outside shoulder. This year could be different.

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When you're up against man-to-man, you need to call man-beaters, no need to get exotic.

Tical21":30avtmne said:

MontanaHawk05":30avtmne said:

Depends. Has Darell Bevell been running an ultra-simplistic route book because he lacks weapons, or because he lacks the competence? We're about to find out.

And how is the downgrade at C going to pan out? Russell Wilson won't be chasing bad snaps anymore, but he didn't have a lot of pressure right in his face, either - it came more from the guards' outside shoulder. This year could be different.

Click to expand...

When you're up against man-to-man, you need to call man-beaters, no need to get exotic.

Click to expand...

In that case, expect to see more zone from opposing DCs with Jimmy Graham (and maybe Chris Matthews) able to beat man more easily. Will put Wilson's growth in the limelight even more.

Fade":19ty91zs said:

I agree with Jimmy helping everyone, due to teams having to roll coverage.

Luke Willson is going to have a huge year in particular, because of schemes designed to take away Jimmy Graham.

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Totally agree, however it does depend somewhat on whether Bevell can figure out how to use Graham, he sure as heck failed in terms of being able to effectively use Harvin. My fear is Bevell will find a way to screw things up for the O and to reduce the effectiveness of them all, i.e.: more = less.

jammerhawk":186ewnvo said:

Fade":186ewnvo said:

I agree with Jimmy helping everyone, due to teams having to roll coverage.

Luke Willson is going to have a huge year in particular, because of schemes designed to take away Jimmy Graham.

Click to expand...

Totally agree, however it does depend somewhat on whether Bevell can figure out how to use Graham, he sure as heck failed in terms of being able to effectively use Harvin. My fear is Bevell will find a way to screw things up for the O and to reduce the effectiveness of them all, i.e.: more = less.

Click to expand...

My opinion is that Bev continues to get the most out of the offense and facilitates another return to the Super Bowl. There has been nothing wrong with our offense and JG will only augment that

Sure hope so, b/c he had problems last season properly using Marshawn and the team didn't get it into gear until they focused more on their running game and stopped throwing bubble screens or jet screens. He simply failed to use Harvin well although Harvin likely was huge part of that.

I'm aware you are a defender of Bevell and you know I'm not a huge fan, but it's new season and it's time to forget the past and move forward. The leash will be shorter for him this season if he can't integrate Graham into the O in way the makes a redzone difference.

jammerhawk":qmb99z9z said:

Sure hope so, b/c he had problems last season properly using Marshawn and the team didn't get it into gear until they focused more on their running game and stopped throwing bubble screens or jet screens. He simply failed to use Harvin well although Harvin likely was huge part of that.

I'm aware you are a defender of Bevell and you know I'm not a huge fan, but it's new season and it's time to forget the past and move forward. The leash will be shorter for him this season if he can't integrate Graham into the O in way the makes a redzone difference.

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He did just fine. For the most part we were the most dangerous offensive team in the fourth quarter. That was by design. Our emphasis on offense is to play ball control, no turnover football. We rely on our defense to keep things close and then we exert our will in the fourth. Marshawn thrives in this system. It's allowed us to get to the last 2 Super Bowls. The offense is in very good hands

I'm hopeful. Bevell got some good production out of TE's in Minnesota. Shiancoe was often wide open in a run-predicated offense.

If he third down conversion rate and red zone td red don't improve, I'll be irked.

MontanaHawk05":rbbzqsvw said:

Tical21":rbbzqsvw said:

MontanaHawk05":rbbzqsvw said:

Depends. Has Darell Bevell been running an ultra-simplistic route book because he lacks weapons, or because he lacks the competence? We're about to find out.

And how is the downgrade at C going to pan out? Russell Wilson won't be chasing bad snaps anymore, but he didn't have a lot of pressure right in his face, either - it came more from the guards' outside shoulder. This year could be different.

Click to expand...

When you're up against man-to-man, you need to call man-beaters, no need to get exotic.

Click to expand...

In that case, expect to see more zone from opposing DCs with Jimmy Graham (and maybe Chris Matthews) able to beat man more easily. Will put Wilson's growth in the limelight even more.

Click to expand...

That's the thing. On first and second down, you can't play zone, or Marshawn and the read zone are going to eat you up. You need to play an attacking man defense to try to disrupt our running game. We'll see zone on 3rd and long, but we do a pretty good job of staying out of that situation.