Tag Archives: Earl Thomas

September 21, 2014 cc Leave a comment

The folks running Earl Thomas’ site give perspective to his impassioned press conference the other day in which he said he regained his “championship spirit” after the loss in San Diego.

Contrary to previous reports that had the Chargers’ receivers saying they “exposed” Richard Sherman, several Chargers expressed admiration for his ability.

Bruce Irvin apologized “to the 12th Man” for his “boneheaded play” that helped lose the game and also cost him some cash.

On to the Broncos …

Peyton Manning, 38, is in his third year in Denver, and he sounds like he will be back at least for a fourth.

Andy Benoit of MMQB predicts some of the strategies the Seahawks and Broncos will use against each other.

Denver tight end Julius Thomas is the next big challenge for Kam Chancellor and K.J. Wright.

And more …

According to this analysis, Russell Wilson is the league’s third-best two-minute quarterback.

The Seahawks aren’t the only team using a WR/RB hybrid (Percy Harvin). Danny Kelly of Field Gulls looks at the NFL trend.

Clay Travis of FOX Sports talks about the politicization of sports (the NFL) in the wake of Roger Goodell’s very politicky apologies-and-promises speech. Along the way, Travis points out that Goodell is just the scapegoat for issues that social media (and one video) have suddenly turned into bigger deals than they were 5-10 years ago.

While the media frets and frowns about a few bad NFL apples and makes it seem as if the entire league is populated by felons, Russell Wilson goes about his daily good deeds.

Week 3: Denver

The things the defense had to fix this week

September 20, 2014 cc Leave a comment

The Seahawks’ defenders have been serious, focused, “locked in” as they prepare for their anticipated Super Bowl rematch with Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos on Sunday.

The defense melted down against Philip Rivers in the San Diego heat last Sunday, putting forth probably its worst performance since the playoff loss in Atlanta to end the 2012 season.

Perhaps not coincidentally, the Chargers pulled out some tricks that the Falcons used against the Seahawks in that game, and safety Earl Thomas said that is one of the lessons the Hawks learned from their first loss of 2014.

He said the Broncos surely will take note of that chink in the armor of a defense that was the league’s best last season and dominated the Broncos in the Super Bowl.

“Obviously, they’re going to go back and see what we had trouble with in past games and even from previous years,” Thomas said. “Last week, San Diego hit us with some concepts from that Atlanta game we lost. So we’ve got to start thinking like that: How do teams want to attack us?”

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Week 2: At San Diego

More bust than Boom: Rough start for Legion

September 15, 2014 cc Leave a comment

San Diego wide receiver Eddie Royal stiff-arms Earl Thomas on Sunday (AP)

The Legion of Boom had trouble with the dehydrating temperatures in San Diego, and the group is taking some heat in the aftermath of a 30-21 loss to the Chargers and a two-game start that has been more bust than boom for the all-star unit.

Whether it was what happened on the field or what was (or was not) said off the field, Seattle’s top defenders did not respond very well in San Diego.

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Week 2: At San Diego

The Gates of Hell: Seahawks burned in the heat of San Diego

September 15, 2014 cc Leave a comment

Antonio Gates catches a TD pass over K.J. Wright in the second half (AP)

The Seahawks have seen the Gates of Hell.

He’s a 34-year-old tight end who seems perpetually injured but who still finds ways to burn opponents.

On a scorching Sunday in San Diego, Antonio Gates caught fire — and three touchdown passes — against a Seattle defense that appeared ill-prepared for the heat and the physical pounding the Chargers’ offense put on it in San Diego’s 30-21 win.

The Seattle defense — so good at stopping tight ends last season — apparently forgot the formula in the San Diego heat. Last postseason alone, the Hawks held Jimmy Graham to one catch for eight yards, Vernon Davis to two receptions for 16 yards and Julius Thomas to four for 27.

But Gates, who was hindered by a hamstring injury all week, caught seven passes for 96 yards and scored against linebackers Malcolm Smith and K.J. Wright and safety Kam Chancellor.

It was the first time Gates had caught three TD passes since a 28-20 win over Kansas City in 2005.

“He definitely capitalized on every opportunity he had,” Chancellor told reporters. “He showed why he is (a five-time) All-Pro tight end. He also has a good quarterback that looks to him and knows him and his timing. They have the quarterback/tight end bond. He is a crafty tight end.”

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Week 2: At San Diego

Seahawks seem to have all of the advantages

September 13, 2014 cc Leave a comment

Chargers McCoy — Chargers coach Mike McCoy (Getty Images)

If the Seahawks don’t beat the San Diego Chargers on Sunday — perhaps handily — it will be a huge surprise. After all, how many advantages can one team have over another?

Shall we count the ways?

1 — The Seahawks saw the Chargers’ personnel in the preseason, during a 41-14 demolition, and we saw what happened the last time the Hawks played a preseason opponent during the season: Seahawks 43, Broncos 8 in the Super Bowl.

The Seahawks blew out the Broncos in the preseason last year, too, and they used that game to familiarize themselves with the Broncos’ personnel. (The Broncos have to really be looking forward to coming to Seattle next week.)

The Hawks did the same thing with the Chargers this preseason.

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Week 2: At San Diego

Earl Thomas: You can sleep easy for now, selfish fans

September 11, 2014 cc Leave a comment

Hawks vs Packers Thomas drops punt — Earl Thomas fails to call for a fair catch in traffic during a punt. He ended up fumbling. (Getty Images)

Plenty of media and fans expressed misgivings about Earl Thomas returning punts, so they had to be happy when coach Pete Carroll took Thomas off those duties this week in the wake of a disastrous season opener.

Thomas fumbled the ball on one return and did not seem very instinctive about judging whether to call for fair catches. Carroll said he thought the return duties were distracting from Thomas’ duties as the team’s defensive quarterback at free safety, so he is putting Bryan Walters in as the returner.

Thomas responded to the move Thursday and ripped fans who didn’t want him returning punts.

“Fans can kind of sleep easier now,” he said. “They can stop sending their regards in. They were a little bit selfish in my perspective.”

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Week 2: At San Diego

Thomas won’t be main punt returner anymore

September 11, 2014 cc Leave a comment

One of the few weaknesses in Seattle’s season opener was the play of Earl Thomas on punt returns. He didn’t show the right instincts for catching the ball in traffic, and he ended up fumbling one of his chances.

Coach Pete Carroll initially said they would work through those issues and keep Thomas at punt returner, but after further reflection the coach decided to remove that distraction so Thomas can concentrate on playing the position he is paid to excel at: free safety.

Bryan Walters will take over as the main punt returner, Carroll said Wednesday.

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Week 1: Green Bay

Legion of Boom had an adventurous opener

September 6, 2014 cc Leave a comment

Amid the Seahawks’ 36-16 runaway win over Green Bay on Thursday, the Legion of Boom walked away victorious but somewhat disappointed.

Earl Thomas made a mess of punt returns, fumbling one that turned into a touchdown for Green Bay and raising further questions about the decision to put the All-Pro safety back there.

Kam Chancellor hit hard all night and made 11 tackles, but he also whiffed more than usual.

Richard Sherman was annoyed that the Packers refused to throw to his side of the field the entire game, opening up once again questions about whether Sherman should be allowed to shadow a team’s best receiver.

Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers and wide receiver Jordy Nelson instead picked on Byron Maxwell, who gave up a bunch of completions to the duo but also picked off a pass.

Of course, none of those mostly minor issues was as big as the loss of nickel cornerback Jeremy Lane, who aggravated his groin injury and is “going to be down for a while,” coach Pete Carroll told reporters.

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