B Wags Press Conference

[TraderGary]

That is the only way to fix this.

Lean into the suck.

Assume you will give up 2-3 long plays per game but you are going to hammer their QB in the meantime. Send the house. Regularly. If you get burned you get burned. The offense will come back to score. Assume you are giving up 30 and put a plan to score 35 on offense. Stop burning your own clock down.

Send guys from all directions and be ready to get 1-2 flags per game from the aggressiveness. You will give up easy scores but you will not be easy to score on consistently.

The goal needs to be creating chaos with constant pressure.

Be unafraid to give up big plays.

Trust your offense to cover for the misses but know you will get enough stops it will be hard for them to keep up with your offense.

That is literally the only solution but I do not think Norton is intelligent enough or even has the coaching acumen to successfully implement this kind of strategy. Some kind of defensive equivalent of the Run and Shoot.

I could get behind something like this. Problem is, Pete is way too conservative to even consider something like that. Giving up big plays is Pete's biggest Achilles heal. He would never accept that, and is the very reason why he plays such soft coverages. Even Collinsworth commented on it on the broadcast last night, saying Pete Carroll plays a very ultra-conservative style defense.

 

[TwistedHusky]

Maybe but Wagner has been stellar under every other DC we had.

He earned the right not to have this kind of failure thrust upon him.

When you are literally the worst in franchise history while fielding an offense that is literally the best in franchise history, you do something about it. You leverage your strength and mitigate your weaknesses.

You don't stay pat with your weakness and 'hope it gets better'.

At this point, Norton, who has done a lot for this franchise will go down as one of the more hated coordinators in this team's history. Because he will have squandered one of Russ' greatest years. So you do something even if that something is wild and unconventional. ESPECIALLY if that something is wild and unconventional.

Wagner does not deserve to have this defense in his legacy. And Wilson does not deserve to have to try make it work with one of the worst defenses ever fielded.

We don't have the talent to rush with 4 so rush with 5, 6, or even occasionally 8-10. Take the goalie out of the net to score if you have to but for god sake don't just stick with what isn't working.

 

[rcaido]

What are you thoughts on trading Bobby Wagner right now, while his value is still high. If we can get a Kings Ransom type deal, i say we do it.

Our defense is complete joke right now, it would not matter if he was traded today. I thought beginning of the year we were going to be a top 10 defense, i never though we would be last.

Maybe we can use some the draft pick to get Kerrigan or JJ Watt.

 

[TheLegendOfBoom]

What are you thoughts on trading Bobby Wagner right now, while his value is still high. If we can get a Kings Ransom type deal, i say we do it.

Our defense is complete joke right now, it would not matter if he was traded today. I thought beginning of the year we were going to be a top 10 defense, i never though we would be last.

Maybe we can use some the draft pick to get Kerrigan or JJ Watt.

The only Watt that is worthy is TJ.

JJ although he has been great, is just that, has been great.

No longer he is the same DPOY.

But if Seattle is willing to part with Wagner, I mean it’s not like, he’s performing at an All-Pro level, and get a first or second round pick(s).

I say you’re only fixing half the issue.

The other half is and will be better coaching.

You need a pass rush and that is not understating it but if you replace Wagner right now, Brooks needs to play 100% snaps so you can grow his experience.

I’m not sure of Carroll wants to part with Wagner knowing Brooks is not ready.

If you trade Wagner, you’re conceding this year is not the year you want to win unless you get an All-Pro/Pro-Bowler pass rusher probably in his prime in return.

And those don’t come cheap!

 

[rcaido]

What are you thoughts on trading Bobby Wagner right now, while his value is still high. If we can get a Kings Ransom type deal, i say we do it.

Our defense is complete joke right now, it would not matter if he was traded today. I thought beginning of the year we were going to be a top 10 defense, i never though we would be last.

Maybe we can use some the draft pick to get Kerrigan or JJ Watt.

The only Watt that is worthy is TJ.

JJ although he has been great, is just that, has been great.

No longer he is the same DPOY.

But if Seattle is willing to part with Wagner, I mean it’s not like, he’s performing at an All-Pro level, and get a first or second round pick(s).

I say you’re only fixing half the issue.

The other half is and will be better coaching.

You need a pass rush and that is not understating it but if you replace Wagner right now, Brooks needs to play 100% snaps so you can grow his experience.

I’m not sure of Carroll wants to part with Wagner knowing Brooks is not ready.

If you trade Wagner, you’re conceding this year is not the year you want to win unless you get an All-Pro/Pro-Bowler pass rusher probably in his prime in return.

And those don’t come cheap!

With or without Wagner isn't going to change our defense. Its our offense that's going win the supebowl. If Wagner is gone, we have Brooks, Perkins, KJ, & Barton. If we can get JJ in here to pressure the defense, i think he would have more of impact then Wagner for our current roster.

 

[TraderGary]

Maybe but Wagner has been stellar under every other DC we had.

He earned the right not to have this kind of failure thrust upon him.

When you are literally the worst in franchise history while fielding an offense that is literally the best in franchise history, you do something about it. You leverage your strength and mitigate your weaknesses.

You don't stay pat with your weakness and 'hope it gets better'.

At this point, Norton, who has done a lot for this franchise will go down as one of the more hated coordinators in this team's history. Because he will have squandered one of Russ' greatest years. So you do something even if that something is wild and unconventional. ESPECIALLY if that something is wild and unconventional.

Wagner does not deserve to have this defense in his legacy. And Wilson does not deserve to have to try make it work with one of the worst defenses ever fielded.

We don't have the talent to rush with 4 so rush with 5, 6, or even occasionally 8-10. Take the goalie out of the net to score if you have to but for god sake don't just stick with what isn't working.

You're preaching to the choir. I agree with you but the problem is Pete and his stubbornness, combined with the worst defensive schemes in the NFL.

 

[CalgaryFan05]

That is the only way to fix this.

Lean into the suck.

Assume you will give up 2-3 long plays per game but you are going to hammer their QB in the meantime. Send the house. Regularly. If you get burned you get burned. The offense will come back to score. Assume you are giving up 30 and put a plan to score 35 on offense. Stop burning your own clock down.

Nice Post!

 

[Smellyman]

That is the only way to fix this.

Lean into the suck.

Assume you will give up 2-3 long plays per game but you are going to hammer their QB in the meantime. Send the house. Regularly. If you get burned you get burned. The offense will come back to score. Assume you are giving up 30 and put a plan to score 35 on offense. Stop burning your own clock down.

Nice Post!

Concur. Must get sacks and force turnovers to have any hope. Give the O as many shot as possible.

Giving up 12 play drives all the time won't cut it.

 

[PNW]

What are you thoughts on trading Bobby Wagner right now, while his value is still high. If we can get a Kings Ransom type deal, i say we do it.

Our defense is complete joke right now, it would not matter if he was traded today. I thought beginning of the year we were going to be a top 10 defense, i never though we would be last.

Maybe we can use some the draft pick to get Kerrigan or JJ Watt.

The only Watt that is worthy is TJ.

JJ although he has been great, is just that, has been great.

No longer he is the same DPOY.

But if Seattle is willing to part with Wagner, I mean it’s not like, he’s performing at an All-Pro level, and get a first or second round pick(s).

I say you’re only fixing half the issue.

The other half is and will be better coaching.

You need a pass rush and that is not understating it but if you replace Wagner right now, Brooks needs to play 100% snaps so you can grow his experience.

I’m not sure of Carroll wants to part with Wagner knowing Brooks is not ready.

If you trade Wagner, you’re conceding this year is not the year you want to win unless you get an All-Pro/Pro-Bowler pass rusher probably in his prime in return.

And those don’t come cheap!

Imo Brooks could start at MLB just like Wagner in his rookie season, throw him in there he’ll learn or if you feel better about it have KJ run MLB. I can’t believe I’m even saying this but I almost agree with trading Wagner for the right price (stud DE+draft picks)we would definitely be better off with a better pass rush because right now we have a historically bad defense with Wagner running the show, I hate to say that because Bobby has always been one of my favorite Hawks all time but he makes like $18mill a year and isn’t getting any younger.

 

[Grahamhawker]

That is the only way to fix this.

Lean into the suck.

Assume you will give up 2-3 long plays per game but you are going to hammer their QB in the meantime. Send the house. Regularly. If you get burned you get burned. The offense will come back to score. Assume you are giving up 30 and put a plan to score 35 on offense. Stop burning your own clock down.

Send guys from all directions and be ready to get 1-2 flags per game from the aggressiveness. You will give up easy scores but you will not be easy to score on consistently.

The goal needs to be creating chaos with constant pressure.

Be unafraid to give up big plays.

Trust your offense to cover for the misses but know you will get enough stops it will be hard for them to keep up with your offense.

That is literally the only solution but I do not think Norton is intelligent enough or even has the coaching acumen to successfully implement this kind of strategy. Some kind of defensive equivalent of the Run and Shoot.

Well, according to NFL network, the Steelers and Ravens have the highest blitz percentages in the league, and their defenses seem OK. Maybe it's a combination of lack of confidence in KNJ to scheme it, Pete to allow it, and the players to pull it off without getting constantly burned. It seems otherwise they would have already moved solidly in this direction.

 

[TwistedHusky]

Pete is an ex-defensive coach AND an ex-secondary coach.

For this to work, you have to be OK knowing you are going to give up big plays, likely relatively often.

What you are trading off, is the % chance that most of the drives the opponent has will convert and you are shortening their TOP so you can get extra opportunities for your offense.

You have to be OK with getting burned once or twice, sometimes 3 times in a game. You are giving up near 24-30 points in a game for the opportunity to score 40.

That sounds crazy but look at our RZ %, our conversion %, and then give Wilson 4-5 extra drives per game. Then look at what the average scores are this season. 40 is not crazy or even out of bounds.

Go look at how the Bucs beat the Packers. They blitzed relentlessly. So have a number of other defenses that are 'better defenses' this year.

Pressure on the QB is key and with the referees less likely to call holding - you have to overwhelm the protection with #s, stunts, and find ways of getting guys in unblocked. If the OL gets hands on you, they can hold and it is over. Vanilla defenses and straight up 3 and 4 man rushes are going to give you nothing - which is exactly what is happening to us.

Norton is not smart or capable enough to fix this, but Carroll is if he can overcome his ingrained belief that allowing big plays is a terrible thing. The goal should not be to stop the opposing team from scoring. It should be to end the game with more points than they have.