Tag Archives: Darrell Bevell

Conspiracy talk aside, all signs point to Lynch returning

March 2, 2015 cc Leave a comment

It has been exactly a month since the Super Bowl debacle, and we still don’t know for sure whether Marshawn Lynch will return in 2015 for his sixth season with the Seahawks.

But the signs all seem to indicate he will — even if he apparently thinks Pete Carroll and Darrell Bevell tried to sabotage Lynch’s MVP chances by not handing him the ball on the Seahawks’ final offensive play.

While in Istanbul for American Football Without Barriers, Lynch said he expected and wanted the ball on the final play but had no problem with the fact that he didn’t get it, even though he vaguely referenced the conspiracy theory that arose immediately after the game (probably started by him).

Continue reading Conspiracy talk aside, all signs point to Lynch returning →

Super Bowl XLIX, X's & O's

Last look at the final play & the reactions to it

February 4, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Super Bowl Carroll dumbfounded as Lynch walks past — Pete Carroll stands dumbfounded as Marshawn Lynch walks by after the interception.

Lynch with the wry smile — What was Lynch thinking as he walked to the sideline? Perhaps: “My price to stay just went up, boss.”

It has been three days, and the
Seahawks’ final
offensive play of the Super Bowl continues to reverberate throughout the football world —
certainly nowhere more than in
Seattle.

In that time, Pete Carroll and Russell Wilson have defended the play and the man who called it, Darrell Bevell. Patriots coach Bill Belichick has spoken out against the critics, lavishing praise on Carroll and his Seahawks.

EA Sports even created an alternate ending in which the Seahawks run the play nearly all of us think they should have run — with Marshawn Lynch scoring the winning touchdown.

And “NFL Insiders” showed the last play from the sidelines, listening in on the coaches and players and catching a shot of Lynch walking off the field after the interception with a wry smile on his face.

Continue reading Last look at the final play & the reactions to it →

State of the team, Super Bowl XLIX, X's & O's

Seahawks never did find an offensive identity

February 2, 2015 cc 1 Comment

The Seahawks struggled to find an offensive identity all season. Obviously that had not changed by the last play of the Super Bowl.

For a bunch that continually says they are a power running team and Marshawn Lynch is their bell cow, the Hawks have a funny way of showing it sometimes. Sunday was one of those times.

Why in the world would the Seahawks consider giving Lynch a big contract extension if they refuse to use him in the most important moment of the season?

The inexplicable decision to eschew Lynch in favor of a pass from the 1-yard line, trailing 28-24 with 26 seconds left, was the most head-scratching move in a season that already had caused most fans to claw their noggins raw.

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CHAWK LINES

January 4, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Dan Quinn reportedly had interviews with five teams lined up.

Darrell Bevell and Quinn both reportedly interviewed with the Bills this weekend. Bevell previously talked with the Raiders, too.

Quinn seems to know who he wants to work with if he gets a top job.

Three Seahawks were named to the No. 1 All-Pro team, and two are on the second team.

Bobby Wagner was named NFC defensive player of the month.

Hugh Millen explains why the Seattle offense had trouble in the first half against the Rams but fared better in the second.

Pete Carroll was miked up for Sound FX, which let us hear a conversation he had with owner Paul Allen.

The offense set records this season despite changing drastically after the Percy Harvin trade, Bob Condotta writes.

Harvin will make a little extra money if the Seahawks win the Super Bowl again.

Former Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren says he has “gotten a couple of inquiries” from teams in search of new coaches.

Coaches, State of the team

Hawks would be fine even without Quinn, Cable, Bevell

January 1, 2015 cc 1 Comment

As Pete Carroll’s assistants interview with various teams this week, plenty of fans are wringing their hands at the prospect of losing them. But there is no reason to fret.

Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn reportedly is on interview lists of San Francisco, Atlanta and the New York Jets. Carroll said offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell already has interviewed with the Oakland Raiders. And Tom Cable will talk to the Jets as well this week.

In fact, Jets owner Woody Johnson reportedly is going to pull off a trifecta interview session in Seattle, talking to Seahawks pro personnel director Trent Kirchner about replacing former general manager John Idzik. Apparently Johnson is not put off by the idea of hiring another Seattle executive.

It seems very unlikely that Bevell or Cable will be hired away — even though they orchestrated the franchise’s best rushing offense ever (the third-best in the NFL since 1985, according to the team).

Continue reading Hawks would be fine even without Quinn, Cable, Bevell →

Week 12: Arizona, X's & O's

Despite great game, Wilson shares blame

November 26, 2014 cc Leave a comment

Russell Wilson clearly had one of his best performances of the season Sunday against Arizona, playing a very efficient game in the face of adversity.

According to ESPN, only 13 passers in NFL history had better ratings than Wilson’s 121.6 when being sacked seven times or more. Wilson was pretty calm in the face of the blitzing Arizona defense, hitting 11 of 13 passes for 153 yards in pressure situations.

But he still missed several opportunities and shared plenty of blame for the seven sacks.

Field Gulls put together screen shots and GIFs of each Seattle play that ended in a sack. After seeing those and rewatching the game, the fact is Wilson probably could have avoided at least four of the sacks if he had made quicker decisions and trusted his receivers a bit more.

Continue reading Despite great game, Wilson shares blame →

Week 10: N.Y. Giants, X's & O's

Passing game is still grounded, but at least the Hawks are running it

November 11, 2014 cc Leave a comment

The Seahawks are finally doing what you, me and everyone else thought they should be doing all year: Running the ball.

Both with Marshawn Lynch and Russell Wilson.

Pete Carroll and Darrell Bevell royally screwed up the offense in the offseason when they plotted to take over the world with Percy Harvin as their weapon of mass destruction. But — as most of the rest of us could have predicted — he imploded, and the Seattle offense blew up with him.

Thanks to the Percy Plan and many injuries on the offensive line (again), Wilson and the passing game have simply not been in sync.

For the fourth time in five games — and third straight game at home — Wilson was very bad throwing the ball. He threw two interceptions — both his fault — in the 38-17 win over the New York Giants. That followed up a 17-of-35 game vs. Oakland and a below-average performance at Carolina.

But the Hawks have won all three because they are running the ball again.

Continue reading Passing game is still grounded, but at least the Hawks are running it →

CHAWK LINES

October 20, 2014 cc Leave a comment

Percy Harvin talked to New York reporters, and GM John Idzik, the former Seattle exec who is on the hot seat with the Jets, said, “This could be a potential coup for the New York Jets.”

Harvin was as frustrated as everyone else who thought he needed to be used downfield more by Darrell Bevell.

Pete Carroll talked about how his players responded to the news and said, “We needed to make a decision to keep us team-oriented and moving ahead.”

Unsurprisingly, the Seahawks were so fed up with him that they apparently were prepared to release him if they could not trade him.

The Hawks reportedly were looking for tight ends in exchange for Harvin, feeling out Denver about Julius Thomas and Cleveland about Jordan Cameron.

State of the team, Week 7: At St. Louis

Seahawks showed folly & wisdom in Harvin saga

October 18, 2014 cc Leave a comment

The Seahawks’ stunning trade of Percy Harvin says a lot about John Schneider, Pete Carroll, Darrell Bevell and the entire franchise.

They were naïve, hopeful, enabling and nearly self-defeating, but they also realized what a colossal error it was and probably made a great move — however shocking it was — in order to save their offense and season.

The ill-advised decision (we said it then, so we can say it now) to trade for Harvin and give him a $67 million contract last year was easily Schneider’s biggest gamble since he and Carroll arrived in 2010. And, unsurprisingly, the GM lost big time.

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Week 7: At St. Louis, X's & O's

Bevell: ‘I can do a better job … but execution is what it comes down to’

October 16, 2014 cc Leave a comment

Darrell Bevell has taken a lot of heat this week for the terrible performance by the offense in Seattle’s 30-23 loss to Dallas on Sunday.

Among the biggest failings, Marshawn Lynch carried the ball just 10 times (despite gaining 61 yards) and Percy Harvin netted minus-1 yard on six touches. That had many people pointing the finger at the play calling.

Bevell laid most of the blame on poor execution by the players, but he also admitted he needs to get the ball to Lynch more.

“It’s overall execution. There’s not one thing,” he said. “I can do a better job. I can get us into some better situations. We can run the ball more like everyone’s asking. … But overall execution is what it comes down to.”

Continue reading Bevell: ‘I can do a better job … but execution is what it comes down to’ →