Tag Archives: Jimmy Graham

October 14, 2015 cc Leave a comment

The Seahawks waived B.J. Daniels and Rod Smith and were expected to add cornerback Crezdon Butler. Their other addition could end up being a defensive lineman, with Jordan Hill and Demarcus Dobbs down. Also, recall that Paul Richardson can start practicing next week.

What has happened to Russell Wilson’s game-winning magic?

Brock Huard explains how the Hawks need to use Jimmy Graham: Forget the short crap and send him deeper into the middle of the field. We agree.

Some people apparently want to get rid of Graham. No, they just need to use him better.

The Seahawks’ turnover stats are upside-down, but Pete Carroll expects them to turn right side up soon.

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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?

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

CHAWK LINES, Week 5: At Cincinnati

October 8, 2015 cc Leave a comment

The Seahawks are not making any changes on the O-line at this point, hoping the unit will get better as constituted.

John Boyle of Seahawks.com reviews the first quarter of the season.

The Seahawks are still the No. 3 betting favorite, at 6-1, to win the Super Bowl. Like us, Vegas knows better than to panic.

Here’s a good look at how the Seahawks always turn it on in the second half of the season.

The Seahawks have flipped the script on penalties this season, Bob Condotta writes.

That’s ironic, considering the rest of the NFL is on pace to set a record for penalties.

Russell Wilson said he feels just fine despite being sacked 18 times — a pace for a team record.

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CHAWK LINES, Week 4: Detroit

October 4, 2015 cc Leave a comment

With Marshawn Lynch and Brandon Mebane out, “Monday Night Football” might be a preview of the 2016 Seahawks.

Nice look at Seattle’s new No. 2 running back — and No. 1 again this week — Thomas Rawls, by Bob Condotta.

The big storyline for #DETvsSEA, of course, is the return of Golden Tate to face his old team and the Legion of Boom. “We had our battles in practice for years,” Richard Sherman said. “It’ll be another fun battle.”

Even in Detroit, Tate has been creating controversy at the usual rate.

Cliff Avril will be playing his old team Monday, but he calls it “just another game.”

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CHAWK LINES, Week 3: Chicago

September 29, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Pete Carroll doesn’t really care that the Seahawks’ offense is struggling in the first half. Jimmy Graham does, though.

Doug Baldwin doesn’t like the offense’s performance either: “We’re awful on third down right now.”

Baldwin also said he doesn’t want to find out how the Hawks would do without Marshawn Lynch, who is questionable for Monday vs. Detroit with a hamstring injury after a calf injury sidelined him to start the game vs. the Bears.

Golden Tate, former Hawk now with the Lions, said defenses know what Detroit’s offense is doing before it does it.

The Lions and 49ers are running very simple offenses, allowing defenses to beat them consistently, John Clayton surmised.

The Seahawks are getting big contributions from rookies for the first time since 2012.

The Seahawks are again chasing the Cardinals in the NFC West. Here’s a good look at the factors in that race by Bob Condotta.

The Bears were good medicine for the Seahawks’ defense, which improved from 17th to third in overall defense and 21st to second in pass defense.

NFL teams set a record for penalties through the first three weeks, but the Seahawks were a small part of that — tied for the second fewest penalties (18), if you can believe that.

CHAWK LINES, Week 3: Chicago

September 28, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Kam Chancellor got a warm welcome from the fans and inspired his teammates to their first shutout since a 23-0 win over the Giants in 2013.

Jimmy Graham played a big role, scoring the only offensive touchdown. His seven catches were the second most by a tight end in team history.

With Marshawn Lynch sidelined, Thomas Rawls gave the Hawks a spark — becoming the first Seattle runner other than Lynch to go over 100 yards since Robert Turbin in 2012.

Lynch’s calf/hamstring injuries are “nothing to be alarmed by,” Pete Carroll said, although his status was unclear after the game.

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CHAWK LINES, Week 3: Chicago

September 26, 2015 cc Leave a comment

The Seahawks activated Kam Chancellor and waived Dion Bailey on Saturday. Bailey could end up back on the practice squad.

As Chancellor returns, the Seahawks are starting over.

The Jimmy Graham Conundrum explained by the principals.

The Chancellor saga showed new Seahawks fans it’s not all fun and games. Will they welcome him back Sunday vs. Chicago?

#CHIvsSEA will pit the Bennett brothers against each other for just the third time.

Three keys to the game from Seahawks.com include the Seahawks stopping Matt Forte.

The Chicago Tribune (via The Seattle Times) breaks down five keys to the game.

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CHAWK LINES, Week 2: At Green Bay

September 22, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Controversy king Mike Freeman is at it again, claiming Jimmy Graham is ready to “explode” if he doesn’t get the ball. Freeman is the same dude who put out the inflammatory report last year claiming there was a schism in the locker room over Russell Wilson, who wasn’t black enough for some teammates. Pay no mind to his anti-Seahawk ramblings.

On a more constructive note, Bob Condotta reviewed every pass play that might have been able to go to Graham and determined what we all knew: He could have been more involved.

Field Gulls gave a much longer breakdown (with screenshots) of Graham’s Green Bay game.

At 0-2, the Seahawks look a lot like last year’s Super Bowl team.

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State of the team, Week 2: At Green Bay, X's & O's

Carroll on Graham: ‘We want him to be a big part of the offense’

September 21, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Pete Carroll is just as frustrated as everyone else that Jimmy Graham was invisible Sunday night, especially when the Seahawks planned to have the Pro Bowl tight end heavily involved from the beginning, and the coach promises Graham will be more involved going forward.

Graham caught one pass in the first half of the opener in St. Louis, but Russell Wilson went to him more in the second half and he finished with six catches for 51 yards and a touchdown. But in Green Bay he was thrown to just twice and caught one (for 11 yards).

“I’m disappointed because … we want him to be a big part of the offense,” Carroll said. “(Six) balls in the first game and a touchdown pass. (Six) balls is a pretty good day. This day it didn’t work out. We were trying to go to him four out of the first five passes.”

Asked why Wilson did not throw to Graham on those plays, Carroll said, “There’s all kinds of things that happen. We get flustered here or there, get pushed away from the route where it’s going. There’s all kinds of stuff that happens and it isn’t any one thing. If it was one thing, it’d be really easy. It’s a variety of things that happen in the route.”

Continue reading Carroll on Graham: ‘We want him to be a big part of the offense’ →

Week 2: At Green Bay

Carroll: Time to get season started

September 21, 2015 cc Leave a comment

“We’re going to go back to work and get the season started.”

— Pete Carroll, after the Seahawks self-destructed in Green Bay.

The Seahawks were their own worst enemy vs. the Packers on Sunday, as they lost by double digits (27-17) for the first time since 2011.

Kind of like the loss to the Rams, the errors came from every corner. Michael Bennett jumped offsides three times, Richard Sherman gave up two big plays, Darrell Bevell and Russell Wilson put together another subpar performance, the offensive line was horrible in the first quarter, Jimmy Graham was nowhere to be found, the Seahawks still can’t run a screen play to save their lives, and the defense once again got picked apart by the short passing game.

After that game, some fans probably are wishing Bennett had held out alongside Kam Chancellor. Bennett led the NFL with 13 pre-snap penalties in 2014, and he now has five in two games this season.

Continue reading Carroll: Time to get season started →