An in-depth play-by-play look at our offensive game

Okay, so on the topic of offensive woes, and in particular offensive line woes, I decided to map out every offensive snap we had in the Lions game, with an evaluation of what I thought was key for each play. Not really mapping out yardage and field position; just the plays and protection. Subjective, of course, but here goes:

First series.
1st and 10. Handoff to Rawls. Unblocked edge blitzer from right side and a tackle for loss of two yards.
2nd and 12. Quick pass left to Lockett for a first down.
1st and 10. Pitch back to Rawls. Ran right for five.
2nd and 5. Rawls ran up the middle. Stuffed for no gain.
3rd and 5. Pass protection adequate for a couple of seconds. Lions rushed five. Wilson ran right for a first down.
1st and 10. Pass protection broke down immediately and Wilson scrambled for seven.
2nd and 4. Rawls ran up the middle. Stuffed for no gain.
3rd and 5. Corner blitz unblocked straight to Wilson. Wilson evaded and passed. Incomplete pass.
4th and 5. Punt.
Series result: punt. Two completely unblocked edge blitzes. Two runs stuffed for no gain or losses. One good Wilson scramble, one scramble with an incomplete pass. One play with decent pass protection for a couple of seconds followed by the successful scramble.

Second series.
1st and 10. Rawls ran up the middle. Stuffed for a one-yard loss.
2nd and 11. Fake to Lockett left; screen right to Jackson for a long gain. Sweezy with a key block on the screen.
1st and 10. Unblocked edge rusher right with immediate pressure. Wilson threw it away.
2nd and 10. Snap went wide left. Wilson snagged it on the bounce but was immediately tackled for loss by unblocked left edge rusher. Detroit rushed five on the play.
3rd and 22. Jackson rushed up the middle. Broke a swarm of tackles for a four-yard gain.
Series result: punt. Two completely unblocked edge blitzes. Two rushes for loss or minimal gain. One bad snap. One great screen pass for good yardage.

Third series.
1st and 10. Offsides flag. Free play. Long bomb incomplete to Lockett.
1st and 5. Rawls ran to middle-left. Hit two yards behind the line of scrimmage. Managed to fight back to the line of scrimmage.
2nd and 5. Wilson first read right wasn’t there. Quick pass to Graham for first down.
1st and 10. Lions rushed five. Nowak blocked one guy very well. Grahm lined up tight and released out for a pass. Left side rusher unblocked. Right side rusher beat the block. Wilson sacked for a loss of ten.
2nd and 20. Quick slant to Jackson for good gain.
3rd and 12. Lions rushed five. Three broke blocks almost immediately. Middle rusher whiffed on a sack and Wilson scrambled and found Kearse for a big gain downfield. Broken play. Success of the play all on Wilson.
1st and 10. Decent pass protection. Wilson stood in the pocket and threw a TD pass down the middle to Baldwin.
Series result: touchdown. Five unblocked or poorly blocked rushers on two plays. One run stuffed for no gain. One fantastic Wilson scramble and complete pass. One solid pass protection that resulted in the touchdown.

Fourth series.
1st and 10. Rawls run up the middle. Decent run blocking resulted in a gain of six.
2nd and 4. Quick pass to Baldwin for a first down.
1st and 10. Run left by Jackson for big gain. Great hole created by Britt.
1st and 10. Handoff right to Rawls. Ran for minimal gain. Run blocking poor, with no holes and left side rusher unblocked.
2nd and 9. Solid pass protection. Wilson stood in the pocket and threw over the middle to Lockett for big gain.
1st and 10. Pass rush pushed a hole in front. Rushers all tried to come around the sides, and Wilson scrambled through for a big gain resulting in 1st and goal from the nine.
1st and 9/goal. Two-minute warning. Looked like Graham was open for a TD and Wilson threw it his way as the whistle blew.
1st and 9/goal. Fake handoff to Rawls. Bootleg to pass, but left rusher broke his block immediately to sack Wilson for a big loss. Wilson scrambled, but couldn’t get away.
2nd and 19/goal. False start.
2nd and 24/goal. Jackson ran up the middle. First rusher shed a block but whiffed on the tackle. Jackson managed a couple yards. Run blocking wasn’t great.
3rd and 22/goal. Pocket was defined for a second or so but pushed back into Wilson resulting in a sack. Pass protection wasn’t great.
4th and 33/goal. Field goal.
Series result: field goal. Three plays with poor blocking. Two runs stuffed for no or minimal gain. One offensive line penalty. Two plays with better-than-average or great run blocking. One play with great pass protection. One great Wilson scramble.

Fifth series.
1st and 10. Kneel-down with six seconds left in the half.

Sixth series.
1st and 10. Rawls up the middle for four. No real hole.
2nd and 6. False start.
2nd and 11. Quick incomplete pass forced by left side rusher who beat Okung.
3rd and 11. Pocket broke down after a second or so resulting in a scramble drill with a great complete pass to Lockett.
1st and 10. Decent pass protection but no real pocket. Wilson with a great scramble for a first down.
1st and 10. Rawls with a run up the middle for six. Good run blocking created a decent hole.
2nd and 4. Lions rushed five and pass protection crumbled immediately. Wilson scrambled backward and completed a pass to Rawls for a one-yard loss.
3rd and 5. Decent pass protection. Wilson overthrew Lockett.
4th and 5. Field goal.
Series result: field goal. Three plays with poor pass blocking. One run with poor run blocking. One run with good run blocking. Two plays with decent pass protection. One great Wilson scramble for a complete pass. One inaccurate throw.

Seventh series.
1st and 10. Quick pass left to Willson for five.
2nd and 5. Fake handoff and Wilson run left. Thought about throwing to a wide open Graham, but was already committed and on the line of scrimmage.
3rd and 1. Quick pass right to Willson for a first. Good pass protection.
1st and 10. Rawls run left for eight. Holding penalty on Britt.
1st and 20. Pass protection good for about two seconds and then broke down. Wilson scrambled and passed to Matthews for a long gain.
1st and 10. Quick bubble screen to Lockett for eight yards.
2nd and 2. Rawls run up the middle for four yards and a first down. Decent run blocking.
1st and 10. Play action fake handoff to Rawls. Pocket collapsed after a couple of seconds. Sack.
2nd and 15. Low snap. Quick pass over the middle to Daniels for a good gain.
3rd and 3. Good pass protection, but Lions only rushed three. Wilson missed Willson down the middle of the field. Throw was low.
4th and 3. Punt.
Series result: punt. Two plays with poor pass protection. One offensive line penalty. One bad snap. One play with decent run blocking. Good pass protection for a quick pass, a couple seconds then a scramble, and when the Lions only rushed three. Two great Wilson scrambles. One inaccurate throw.

Eighth series.
1st and 10. Quick bubble screen to Baldwin for three.
2nd and 7. Good pass protection for two seconds and then it broke down. Wilson with a wild scramble and then a low throw for an incompletion. Low throw, but can’t ding Wilson for that one.
3rd and 7. Quick pass to Graham for the first down. Good pass protection.
1st and 10. Reverse pitch to Lockett for one.
2nd and 9. Fake handoff but unblocked rusher hit Wilson immediately for a sack-fumble. No one stayed to block on the left side.
Series result: turnover. One completely unblocked edge rusher. One play with good pass protection. One fantastic Wilson scramble. Turnover was a result of poor play call/execution resulting in an unblocked blitzer.

Ninth series.
1st and 10. Quick pass to Graham for a gain of six.
2nd and 4. Rawls run to the left. Solid run blocking resulted in a good gain and a first down.
1st and 10. Pitch to Rawls. Up the middle for a couple.
2nd and 8. Quick pass to Graham for a gain of six.
3rd and 4. Lions showed six but rushed only five and the line collapsed immediately. Lions all over the backfield and Wilson strip sacked, returned for a touchdown. Nobody picked up the corner blitz. Wilson had no chance on that play.
Series result: turnover. One play with horrible pass blocking. One play with solid run blocking. Two quick passes to Graham. Turnover was a result of poor blocking resulting in an unblocked blitzer.

Tenth series.
1st and 10. Rawls up the middle for a few. Decent run blocking.
2nd and 6. Decent pass protection. Nobody open. Wilson scrambles for a few.
3rd and 2. Wide snap. Pitch to Rawls right gains one yard.
4th and 1. Punt.
Series result: punt. One bad snap. One play with decent pass protection. One decent run blocking.

Eleventh series.
1st and 10. Rawls up the middle for one yard. No hole.
2nd and 9. Rawls left for seven. Decent run blocking.
3rd and 2. Pass play. Protection broke down immediately. Wilson scrambles and hits Kearse for a long first down completion.
1st and 10. Kneel down.
2nd and 11. Kneel down.
Series result: Victory formation. One play with bad pass protection. One play with bad run blocking. One run with decent run blocking. One amazing Wilson scramble for a completed pass.

Overall, out of eleven series, five ended as a direct result of horrible pass protection, including two turnovers. One ended due to poor run blocking. Two ended with poor throws by Wilson. One ended with a touchdown due to good pass blocking. Two ended with kneel downs.

Offensive line committed several penalties and there were three bad snaps. Pass protection was horrible or ugly far more often than it was good, or even decent or adequate. Short, quick passes probably helped hide even more offensive line woes. Wilson had about three errant throws. Two were on him and the third was on a broken scramble play that I'm not faulting him for.

I would be interested in knowing how many times Seattle ran vs 8 run defenders.

Scottemojo":38t1zxym said:

I would be interested in knowing how many times Seattle ran vs 8 run defenders.

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I dunno. Wasn't looking for that as I re-watched the game. What stood out to me most was the number of completely missed blocks or assignments--guys rushing completely unblocked at Wilson over and over the entire game, especially a fifth edge rusher. The offensive line was completely unable to account for a single extra rusher the entire game.

I am wondering if the OL was overthinking all protection levels and failing to fill your gaps correctly. I think the system might get too complicated where they fail miserably. I wonder if the coaches look at the tape and see if they can simplify things, so that they don't get confused on their assignments and stick to it.

I'm honestly more relieved that much of the pressure stems from teams sending extra rushers. Inexperience plays a big part in handling assignments correctly in those situations. Should provide some legitimate expectation that this will improve as the season progresses. Going into the season, I really expected to see the OL struggle against schemed pressure.

Doesn't look great now. Didn't expect it to look great. Figured it'd be really ugly up until the bye week. If this unit is still playing like this for the 3 home game stretch in November then we're going to have a tough time making the playoffs. That's where the Cards and Rams could create separation from us in the division. I see little hope that the team finishing 3rd in division makes the postseason.

Rams only have a couple tough matchups. At GB this week. Should they win it to go 3-2 they have a very cushy schedule the next 9 games. Browns/Niners at home. Vikes Bears and Ravens follow. Two tough games at Cincy and Cards at home. Then Lions/Bucs. By the time they play here, they could be close to 10 wins.

Nice work Sailor!

Underscores the need for improvement on OL to put it kindly. We should have adjusted to what the Lions were doing on D and we didn't which I feel is the most troubling.

I went and took a quick look. We ran into superior numbers pretty much every run. Detroit wasn't really respecting WRs. So bevell got tricky, started having Graham, Wilson, Coleman line up wide, then motion into the backfield to be that extra guy. It never worked.

We should be checking to a pass in that situation. You have to pass your way out of it. You have to. Running into it is a futile, painful exercise. Russell should have lit that terrible, and undermanned secondary up like a holiday tree.

Scottemojo":3kae5g03 said:

I went and took a quick look. We ran into superior numbers pretty much every run. Detroit wasn't really respecting WRs. So bevell got tricky, started having Graham, Wilson, Coleman line up wide, then motion into the backfield to be that extra guy. It never worked.

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Honestly would make sense. Bank on pressure coming by creating confusion with blitzes or possible blitzes. Works for either the passes or potential runs.

Have to make them honor the 11 personnel groupings. If teams can continually cheat with their defense without paying for it, it'll be the blueprint to stuff this offense every week.

Attyla the Hawk":2567l4ds said:

Scottemojo":2567l4ds said:

I went and took a quick look. We ran into superior numbers pretty much every run. Detroit wasn't really respecting WRs. So bevell got tricky, started having Graham, Wilson, Coleman line up wide, then motion into the backfield to be that extra guy. It never worked.

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Honestly would make sense. Bank on pressure coming by creating confusion with blitzes or possible blitzes. Works for either the passes or potential runs.

Have to make them honor the 11 personnel groupings. If teams can continually cheat with their defense without paying for it, it'll be the blueprint to stuff this offense every week.

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Teams have never respected the wide receivers. There's not a thing that makes them stand out or keeps DC's up at night, except for Russell finding them after a ten-second scramble. Even Graham is honestly not that fast.

IMO, our drafting poorly at OL has only been part of the problem. Our drafting at WR/TE has been another factor. It emboldens defenses to roll up on the line and blitz both our QB and our WR, compounding the woes of the OL.

Throw in a QB who just doesn't like to throw, and...yeah.

Oh, yes, did we mention the OC who saddles physically unremarkable WRs with isolation routes?

Hopefully Cable see's this excellent post and finds a way to get his players to actually block someone..... Anyone.

Largent80":333529ae said:

Hopefully Cable see's this excellent post and finds a way to get his players to actually block someone..... Anyone.

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I do not understand how people can read a thread full of alternative explanations for our offensive struggles, and then go right back to the offensive line like they never even happened.

Cosell's been saying that for a while though, and it is really the same thing you would say about the defense, which suggests an underlying philosophy behind the approach.

My issue is with people claiming our staff does this because they are simply too simple-minded. Carroll is a DB coach at heart and understands every route concept that's ever been put on tape. If there was something he liked, he would have it implemented. He has never shied away from adding his own spices to the gameplan.

More complicated is simply more complicated. It does not in itself suggest a better approach. Given Seattle' DVOA and Explosive Play stats over the last three years, I think Carroll is satisfied with how the offense is run. Perhaps he changes course if things stall this year, but again, simplicity is philosophical, not because Cosell aka Mr. "Ryan Lindley is the Greatest QB Prosect Ever" is smarter than Bevell.

DavidSeven":1uvzu2fd said:

Cosell's been saying that for a while though, and it is really the same thing you would say about the defense, which suggests an underlying philosophy behind the approach.

My issue is with people claiming our staff does this because they are simply too simple-minded. Carroll is a DB coach at heart and understands every route concept that's ever been put on tape. If there was something he liked, he would have it implemented. He has never shied away from adding his own spices to the gameplan.

More complicated is simply more complicated. It does not in itself suggest a better approach. Given Seattle' DVOA and Explosive Play stats over the last three years, I think Carroll is satisfied with how the offense is run. Perhaps he changes course if things stall this year, but again, simplicity is philosophical, not because Cosell aka Mr. "Ryan Lindley is the Greatest QB Prosect Ever" is smarter than Bevell.

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Cosell isn't the only one who's said that. Mike Holmgren has reiterated it, as well as a few others.

It isn't about simple vs. complicated. Asking guys like Doug Baldwin, Jermaine Kearse, and Ricardo Lockette to win consistently on isolation concepts is not a formula for success.

Attyla the Hawk":3h15wqie said:

I'm honestly more relieved that much of the pressure stems from teams sending extra rushers. Inexperience plays a big part in handling assignments correctly in those situations.

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In all honesty, most of the pressure was with them rushing only four or five guys. Four guys gave us a lot of pressure, and when they sent a fifth edge rusher, we were completely unable to adjust the whole game. That was one thing that really stood out to me.

Another thing that stood out that I didn't mention in the original post was that Coleman looked horrible on a lot of his blocks. Whiffed or missed assignments a number of times.

MontanaHawk05":dqwb3re8 said:

It isn't about simple vs. complicated. Asking guys like Doug Baldwin, Jermaine Kearse, and Ricardo Lockette to win consistently on isolation concepts is not a formula for success.

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Except for the fact that it has been a formula for success? Both in wins and statistics.

#5 Offense DVOA last year, #7 in 2013, #1 in 2012. Pass offense DVOA has been Top 10 in each of those years. #1 in explosive plays over that stretch.

I listen to Mike all the time. He has a fundamentally different view of how to run a team than Pete Carroll and Co. Not to say he's wrong, but philosophically, they could not be farther apart on most issues. Mike didn't like playing young players, because his system required a lot of knowledge to participate. His young QBs in Cleveland flamed out because they were in over their head. Conversely, Seattle can play all the young players it wants on offense and defense because the system allows for that.

MontanaHawk05":31xesg47 said:

Largent80":31xesg47 said:

Hopefully Cable see's this excellent post and finds a way to get his players to actually block someone..... Anyone.

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I do not understand how people can read a thread full of alternative explanations for our offensive struggles, and then go right back to the offensive line like they never even happened.

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Who needs a thread full of armchair coaches when you can just watch the replay

DavidSeven":37qbtr2t said:

MontanaHawk05":37qbtr2t said:

It isn't about simple vs. complicated. Asking guys like Doug Baldwin, Jermaine Kearse, and Ricardo Lockette to win consistently on isolation concepts is not a formula for success.

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Except for the fact that it has been a formula for success? Both in wins and statistics.

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Are you saying you're entirely comfortable with what you saw against Detroit? Or that you see no room for improvement? Appealing blindly to results is not helpful.

"#1 in explosive plays" in this case is code for "Wilson got away from yet another sticky situation and found Baldwin for 40 yards." We're champions entirely because of Wilson's improvisational skills, and while I have no problem with it, I also understand the worry that it's going to get Wilson injured one of these days. That's the risk this system takes.