I am sick of Luke Willson

[ZorntoLargent]

My wife who just started watching football december 2013 had given LW the nickname "butterfingers" early in the season. Yesterday was just another example of why he has more then earned that name from our fanbase regardless of how long they have watched the sport. Quickest way out of this league regardless of your talent is dropped balls. He clearly has an issue catching the football.

Another example of a fan that never played the actual sport.

 

[StoneCold]

He wasn't supposed to be the starter this year. Too bad Zac Miller went down and he was thrust into it before he was ready. He has improved and I bet he will continue. Will he ever be great? I don't know, but I think we'd be foolish to give up on him in his second year with only a handful of starts. Reminds me of the Bruce Irvin threads. Sometimes Hawk fans lack patience.

SC

 

[EntiatHawk]

I think we all just need to let him develop. I think this coaching staff has earned the right. LW may need another year or two to turn into the player we hope for. He may never be a true #1 TE but he sure could be a killer #2 TE.

I get frustrated with him also because I think he can make some of those plays. We know that if someone comes in and can take his spot it will happen that is the way this team rolls. So till then he's a Hawk and has a chance to make it happen.

 

[LawlessHawk]

As several have said, I really don't think he was drafted in the 5th with the idea he was going to be "The Guy" year two. He was drafted using their secret formula (3 parts speed and then a bunch of other stuff) to be a developmental guy behind Zac and McCoy and who knows what other vet they might have picked up along the way... If McCoy could have stayed healthy the last two years I think that dude could have been a beast...

 

[NFSeahawks]

I don't know if "sick of him" is the right wordage here.

It's obnoxious when he drops catchable passes yes.

 

[v1rotv2]

Luke made three EXCELLENT plays the week before. I'll give him a pass. Hopefully he comes up big in the playoffs.

Pros do it week and week out. Willson has to be better than a rookie, he is a second year player. According to some around here we should sign him to a long term contract based on one game. At this point he is unreliable and this is the playoffs where being unreliable just does not cut it.

I am hoping he gets better but after one good performance he is back to being less than average TE.

 

[SnoCoHawk]

He is a well-paid professional that should be performing his job to a high standard. Catching passes "only if no one's close by" or "only if it's gently lobbed into the bread basket region" is not the level at which an NFL player should be playing. High school, maybe.

I couldn't find a clip but in the last game where the ball bounced off his face mask, he was already looking around at the defender before he even hit the ground. He needs to stop anticipating hits and concentrate on the ball.

Also, he needs to get a haircut and get off my lawn.

 

[LawlessHawk]

Jezzus, and I thought Pete & John cycled through players at an alarming rate... if all the GM's and HC's posting on this forum were running this team, we'd have blown through 95% of the players in the league by now and still would be bitchin'...

I love this place!

 

[Basis4day]

As several have said, I really don't think he was drafted in the 5th with the idea he was going to be "The Guy" year two. He was drafted using their secret formula (3 parts speed and then a bunch of other stuff) to be a developmental guy behind Zac and McCoy and who knows what other vet they might have picked up along the way... If McCoy could have stayed healthy the last two years I think that dude could have been a beast...

I think you're referring to the SPARQ rating. Here is a fieldgulls writeup on the subject and specifically how it relates to Luke Willson.

http://www.fieldgulls.com/seahawks-anal ... ke-willson

 

[LawlessHawk]

As several have said, I really don't think he was drafted in the 5th with the idea he was going to be "The Guy" year two. He was drafted using their secret formula (3 parts speed and then a bunch of other stuff) to be a developmental guy behind Zac and McCoy and who knows what other vet they might have picked up along the way... If McCoy could have stayed healthy the last two years I think that dude could have been a beast...

I think you're referring to the SPARQ rating. Here is a fieldgulls writeup on the subject and specifically how it relates to Luke Willson.

http://www.fieldgulls.com/seahawks-anal ... ke-willson

That's it. Thanks!

Winning the "explosive" plays on offense and limiting them on defense is way more likely to happen when you have a whole bunch of explosive players measured by Pete's SPARQ on the team... That formula doesn't seem to measure their ability to catch the ball... it measures what they might be able to do when they do catch it... like a big TE out running a pretty good defense in the AZ Cardinals and take it to the house to win the game. That formula might be frustrating to us fans when we watch the games, but damn, it seems to be working.

 

[Pandion Haliaetus]

All of this is magnified because the type of offense we play in and how little opportunity for targets the WR gets.

I actually agree with Tokadub for once a lot of peeps making a fuss over Willson but Kearse has had a worse catch% over his career. But the reason you see Kearse making more plays is because he gets more opportunities.


Willson was 2/4 (50% catch rate) for 32 yards. However, I highly doubt this would be a thread if he had two more drops but caught a 40 yard TD. In fact, there would likely be a thread in the positive spectrum about him for sure.

3/7 (43% catch rate) for 72 yards, TD.

 

[captSE]

I am sick of whiners......

i still like the kid

Me too.

 

[SomersetHawk]

Willson was 2/4 (50% catch rate) for 32 yards. However, I highly doubt this would be a thread if he had two more drops but caught a 40 yard TD. In fact, there would likely be a thread in the positive spectrum about him for sure.

3/7 (43% catch rate) for 72 yards, TD.

Has it really come to this? I mean, I know we've got no game this week, but are we really speculating about made up stat lines?

Until Willson improves his catching ability I'm going to remain unconvinced he can be our #2 TE for the foreseeable future. At 6,5, he should be able to offer that mismatch/go-to/bail you out guy, but Willson's unreliable when he's wide open let alone when he's being covered.

Still, it can take receivers a while to 'catch on', and Luke's also learning how to block, hopefully he'll prove me wrong.

 

[Largent80]

Dude is still a young player and he has speed. That first ball Russ threw him should have been caught, but it was so hot it went through his mitts.

The other one wasn't going to get a 1st down anyway.

Seriously, we lose Miller for the year and still end up with the #1 seed and people here want to complain about 2 passes that had ZERO impact in the outcome.

 

[chet380]

Sometimes the negativity that is found in this forum is beyond belief -- here the kid goes 2-4, his misses didn't affect the outcome, and yet, 113 posts (mostly extremely negative) and 3 pages.

A little perspective, folks --

Week 7 -- The Hawks are 3 and 3 and Caro's D has them ahead 9-6 in the last minute AND ...

"The Seahawks had the ball at Carolina's 23 with a fresh set of downs, a three-point deficit and less than a minute remaining on the clock. But instead of playing for the tying field goal, they went for the win.

Willson raced up the seam, showing the speed the Seahawks liked so much when they drafted him in the fifth round in 2013, then hung on for the game-winning touchdown despite one Panthers safety grabbing his arm and another drilling him just before he crossed the goal line." ( the 710 website)

Against Arizona -- 3 for 3 - 139 yds, 2 TD's (one a 80 yarder).

Without those two performances, there is a good chance that the Hawks would be 11-5 or even 10-6 and out of the playoffs, so why not kudos for the great stuff and a little forbearance for the minor mistakes?

 

[TeamoftheCentury]

Just in case others didn't get to see the picture of the ball hitting Luke in the facemask. He will learn from it. He knows you gotta try to make every single catch no matter how fast it's coming or how difficult it is. You don't expect him to be Odell Beckham but if it's catchable, catch it.

Ok, if that's the pass you are talking about... it's not the same one I was referring to. This was the earlier drive when if he would have caught that ball, it would have resulted in a first down in the red zone. I only recall 2 drops. This was the first of those. I just think Willson didn't judge the zip on the ball. He looked surprised. I would still rather that ball be delivered lower so doesn't have the risk of being tipped into an INT... and also protects the player.
Too, I'd rather see this in motion rather than a still. I think the pass was actually higher. Willson made and attempt and by the time this photo is snapped, his effort to catch it resulted in the ball going through his hands and hitting his facemask.

 

[MOCHawk]

Guys, Moeaki is a legit #1 TE. Give him an off-season to get the intricacies of the offense down and maybe we need to draft a mid-rounder for depth. Since this is about Willson, I will give my opinion (for what it's worth.) There is a reason that he was the #2 TE at Rice...catching the ball consistently at that position is pretty damn important.

 

[StoneCold]

Guys, Moeaki is a legit #1 TE. Give him an off-season to get the intricacies of the offense down and maybe we need to draft a mid-rounder for depth. Since this is about Willson, I will give my opinion (for what it's worth.) There is a reason that he was the #2 TE at Rice...catching the ball consistently at that position is pretty damn important.

What about Zach Miller? He should be healthy next year. Is he getting to old? or is he too injury prone?

SC

 

[v1rotv2]

Ok, this might get some backlash. I was ticked he didn't reel in those passes as well. But, in his defense (gulp)... both passes were a little high. Catchable? Yes. So, no excuses there. That first one looked like he didn't jump soon enough for as much mustard Wilson put on that pass. I would have liked Wilson to put that in his chest (instead of high where it could have gotten tipped by Willson and intercepted.) The other one seemed like there was too much heat on that and still a bit high. Not sure what was so difficult about putting that in a more catchable spot.

Love (QB) Wilson and I'm one of the guys who called him Elite before this season (and still stick to that.) Having said all that... yes, Willson has still got to make those catches. Perhaps a learning experience for him and something the coaches can get on him about since they need to count on him in the playoffs. I think the kid can do it.

As far as the other TE... Loved how Moeaki secured the ball even though he went down.

Those are catches an NFL caliber TE must make, slightly high or not.

And I essentially said that. Again... "Catchable? Yes." ( = NFL TE must make those.) All I'm saying is as much as we put them on a pedestal... these guys are human. Willson would not be where he's at if he was completely incapable of making those catches. He can and he will. The point of my post was to say... yeah, I don't like that he didn't make the grabs, but I can see how he didn't. Watch enough football (as I'm sure you do) and you see even the best missing passes like those from time to time.

Compare Willson's hands to that of Richardson's a rookie. By far Willson is behind where he should be to be on the field. He is only on the field because we need TEs and his speed. His ability to catch the ball on a consistent basis is sorely lacking. Catching the ball is catching the ball TE, RB or WR it makes no difference and Willson right now is the worst. He may come around but he needs work.

 

[AgentDib]

Willson is still the most likely candidate on the current roster to become a good receiving TE for us by about a mile. I love what Moeaki has done in a limited role but this entire thread is full of grass is greener logic.

Backups are popular with fans because you haven't seen them struggle yet. As soon as Moeaki or Chris Matthews drop an easy first down they will end up on the fan chopping block as well while everybody salivates over the next unknown who has never done anything, but also never made a mistake as a result.