Category Archives: State of the team

Offense still has big problems, but Carroll has a plan to fix them

October 26, 2015 cc Leave a comment

It’s a good thing the Seahawks are finishing the first half of the season with a couple of struggling teams, because their offense still has its own issues to reconcile.

Sure, the Seahawks finally finished an opponent Thursday, dominating the San Francisco 49ers like they did last year, but the Seattle offense still functioned only about half as well as it should. And Pete Carroll knows things have to change if the Seahawks are going to win another Super Bowl this season.

Russell Wilson was sacked five times and Marshawn Lynch had to fight too hard for most of his 122 yards. While the line gave the running back some good cutback lanes early on the first drive, it took five tries for him to score from the 3-yard line. In fact, about half of Lynch’s 27 runs went for three yards or less. That explains why his teammates were so fired up by his performance — he did most of it himself.

Carroll thinks Seattle’s mostly neophyte line is getting better at run blocking, based on Lynch’s best game of the season and the 200-yard rushing day at Cincinnati a couple of weeks ago. But the simple fact is the unit is still far too inconsistent. And it is pathetic at pass blocking.

Continue reading Offense still has big problems, but Carroll has a plan to fix them →

State of the team, Week 7: At San Francisco

Can Carroll recapture his ‘distracted’ team?

October 21, 2015 cc Leave a comment

As the Seattle Seahawks seemingly sleepwalk through this season, with little sign of their previous hunger to win and killer instinct, it is fair to wonder whether the players have tuned out Pete Carroll and whether he can regain their ear before the season really does spin out of control.

Back-to-back Super Bowls, contract concerns and Carroll’s game-losing call in the last title game all could be culprits in the Seahawks’ late meltdowns that have resulted in a 2-4 record.

Carroll surely lost some players with his ill-fated decision to throw the ball rather than run it with Super Bowl XLIX on the line, and it is clear he has not gained back the confidence of all of them.

On top of that, he has a new defensive coordinator and the Legion of Boom has not been itself.

Kris Richard, the DC, took the blame for the communication breakdown that resulted in Carolina tight end Greg Olsen being wide open to win the game Sunday.

“I stand up and I absolutely accept full responsibility for what happened at the end,” Richard said. “It will not continue. We must get better and we are examining each and every single possible thing we can do to fix it, again, starting with me.”

On the field, though, it starts with the Legion. And, as Earl Thomas said, “We’re not being ourselves. I think we’re distracted.”

Continue reading Can Carroll recapture his ‘distracted’ team? →

Schedule, State of the team, Week 6: Carolina

Odds look bad, but Hawks can still win NFC West

October 19, 2015 cc 1 Comment

“This league drives you to 8-8.” — Seahawks general manager John Schneider.

John Schneider has said it more than once: The NFL is built for parity and staying on top is a tough task.

Well, at a stunning 2-4, the Seahawks have a long way to go just to get to .500, and their playoff chances, based on history, do not look good. Since 1990, just 14 of 168 teams to start 2-4 have reached the playoffs (per NFL Stats). That’s an 8.3% chance.

But, the Seahawks are a team that has been made for rallies, and Pete Carroll and the players are optimistic they will figure out how to close out opponents and get it going. Plus, the NFC West is still very much within reach.

Continue reading Odds look bad, but Hawks can still win NFC West →

State of the team, Week 6: Carolina

Different year but same opponent and problems

October 18, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Almost a year ago, the Seahawks were in the exact position they are in now — struggling to find themselves as they prepared to face the Carolina Panthers.

The Seahawks have many of the same problems they had last year at this time: Their defense has had trouble against tight ends as Greg Olsen comes to town; their interception total is uncommonly low; Bobby Wagner is hurt; Marshawn Lynch is a story; the offense is in transition; and Derrick Coleman won’t play again.

Continue reading Different year but same opponent and problems →

State of the team, Week 6: Carolina

Lynch is back, but does anyone care?

October 17, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Marshawn Lynch is back. But does anyone care?

Lynch was listed as questionable before practice Friday, but coach Pete Carroll said after practice, “He looked really back to full health. … He made it out, looked good, and we’re counting on him playing (Sunday vs. the Carolina Panthers).”

It wasn’t even close to the most compelling storyline for media this week, though. On Wednesday, 11 questions were asked before the topic of Lynch came up. On Friday, Lynch was the 14th question — partly obscured by news that fullback Derrick Coleman had been suspended after his arrest for hit-and-run.

One of the dumb questions asked by a reporter Wednesday: Does Lynch take his old job back? To which Carroll scoffed, “Heck yeah. I think he’s earned that.”

Of course he has. The Seahawks aren’t paying him $12 million this year to have him sit on the bench, especially after he has run for at least 1,200 yards in each of the last four seasons, scoring 56 touchdowns.

But people now seem more interested in whether rookie upstart Thomas Rawls will continue to get playing time.

Continue reading Lynch is back, but does anyone care? →

Injury report, State of the team, Week 6: Carolina

Defensive depth getting a tough test

October 15, 2015 cc Leave a comment

The Seahawks are focusing this week on figuring out how to finish games, but a fair number might not even get in the game Sunday when they play the Carolina Panthers.

Of the 10 players on the Seahawks’ injury report Thursday, nine were defensive players – and their front seven suddenly has joined their secondary in making the entire defense a M*A*S*H unit.

That could create problems against Carolina, which comes in with the No. 4 rushing offense in the NFL (132.3 yards per game) and has the best toxic differential (turnover margin and big-play margin) in the league.

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State of the team, Week 5: At Cincinnati

Despite epic collapse, Seahawks are not ‘dead and gone’

October 12, 2015 cc Leave a comment

As epic a collapse as the Seahawks committed in Cincinnati, for the first time in franchise history blowing a 17-point lead they carried into the fourth quarter, we’re going to go ahead and agree with Pete Carroll:

“Look, we’re not anywhere like we are dead and gone (at 2-3). We don’t feel like that at all. We’ve just got some things we have to get fixed up, and I think we can.”

In 39 seasons plus four games, the Seahawks had been 71-0 (9-0 under Carroll) in games in which they led by 17 or more entering the fourth quarter, according to Pro Football Reference’s database. On Sunday, they became the first NFL team since 2006 to suffer the ignominy of losing such a game. (Mike Holmgren’s Seahawks blew a 17-point lead in 2004, when they scored early in the fourth to go up 17 and then let the Rams rally to win in overtime.)

Seahawks fans have every right to be upset and disheartened by this massive meltdown, but to think it signals the end of the season or the end of Seattle’s Super Bowl window is an emotionally shortsighted reaction.

Continue reading Despite epic collapse, Seahawks are not ‘dead and gone’ →

State of the team, Trades

Hindsight study: Was Unger-Graham trade a good move?

October 10, 2015 cc Leave a comment

The two biggest concerns during the Seahawks’ 2-2 start have been the struggles of the remade offensive line and the inconsistent use of Pro Bowl tight end Jimmy Graham.

For many critics, the two issues are very closely linked. After all, the Seahawks gave up center Max Unger to get Graham.

For the record, we were very in favor of that trade. But some were dubious, thinking it foolish to give up a top center for a tight end the Seahawks might not even use right.

So, let’s revisit the question: Did the Hawks do the right thing in trading Unger for Graham?

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Injury report, State of the team, The roster

Another busted year for Simon, who is almost out of chances

October 10, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Tharold Simon’s career with the Seahawks looks just about finished.

Sure, he has one more year left on his rookie contract, but the cornerback simply has not been able to stay healthy in his three NFL seasons and it sure seems doubtful he ever will.

The Seahawks have shown great patience with injury-prone players, and it paid off with cornerbacks Walter Thurmond and Byron Maxwell.

Simon’s career arc seemed like it was following Maxwell’s — until Simon’s season was ended yet again Saturday when he was put on injured reserve.

Continue reading Another busted year for Simon, who is almost out of chances →

State of the team, Week 4: Detroit, X's & O's

Wilson carried offense until he dropped ball

October 6, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Before Kam Chancellor and the referees combined to steal the headlines in Seattle’s win over Detroit on Monday, the biggest story was the play of Russell Wilson.

With Marshawn Lynch out and almost no help from his blockers, the quarterback did everything he could for three-plus quarters to keep the Seahawks ahead. And then he dispelled all of that magic with one huge fumble that was returned for a touchdown and put Detroit in position to go ahead in the final two minutes.

Wilson was sacked six times — two or three were his fault for holding the ball too long — and was almost constantly on the run. He is on pace to be sacked 72 times, which would tie Randall Cunningham (1986) for No. 2 in NFL history (David Carr was sacked 76 times in 2002).

Despite the pressure, Wilson completed 20 of 26 passes for 287 yards and a touchdown, with no interceptions. He ran his Monday night record to 5-0, with 10 TD passes and no picks.

Continue reading Wilson carried offense until he dropped ball →