Tag Archives: Michael Bennett

How much will Bobby Wagner cost?

December 12, 2014 cc Leave a comment

“Him coming back has really changed our defense.”
— Michael Bennett, on Bobby Wagner

Bobby Wagner has been a major reason the Seattle defense has put the clamps on Arizona, San Francisco and — most impressively — Philadelphia over the last three weeks — and teammates are singing his praises.

“He’s the heart of the defense,” cornerback Richard Sherman said. “He cleans up a lot of mistakes made by guys, and other guys clean up mistakes like Earl (Thomas) and Kam (Chancellor). We’ve got a lot guys who are erasers out there, and he has such an instinctual game. He believes what he sees, he plays what he sees. On top of the immense talent and speed that he has, that makes for a fantastic football player that I hope everybody recognizes.”

Wagner’s agent obviously hopes general manager John Schneider recognizes it and will be ready to pay Wagner in the next two years.

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State of the team, Week 13: At San Francisco

Hawks are back at the top — like it or not

November 28, 2014 cc Leave a comment

Pete Carroll talks with line judge Jeff Seeman and referee Tony Corrente before Seattle's game at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. (Getty) — Not a good sign: This was Pete Carroll talking with line judge Jeff Seeman and referee Tony Corrente BEFORE Seattle was called for a season-high 14 penalties against the 49ers (Getty)

You know the Seahawks are back to normal when they are No. 1 again — not just in defense but in penalties.

It’s fairly obvious the two go hand in hand on Pete Carroll’s club.

When the defense is playing like it has the past two weeks, the Hawks can pretty easily overcome high penalty totals. Just ask all of the Hawks who were on the team in 2013, when the Hawks walked off with their first Super Bowl title despite leading the league in flags.

After drawing a season-worst 14 penalties for 105 yards Thursday in a 19-3 domination of the San Francisco 49ers, the Hawks once again lead the NFL in penalties. They had been as low as fourth over the last few weeks, but they have assumed their accustomed place.

Continue reading Hawks are back at the top — like it or not →

Week 8: At Carolina, X's & O's

Hawks adjusting pass-rush scheme to help Bennett and Avril

October 25, 2014 cc Leave a comment

Despite the efforts of Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril, the Seahawks’ pass rush just has not gotten the job done well enough so far this season.

Coach Pete Carroll has noticed it, and he and his coaches are finally taking corrective measures.

The Seahawks’ pass defense ranks in the bottom third of the league after being a top-10 unit in 2013. The Hawks ranked first in passer rating (63.4) and interceptions (28) last season, but they are 28th this year (103.9 rating, just two picks). After allowing just 59 percent completions last season, they are giving up 68.3 this year. And they are worse by many other measures as well.

The Hawks have just seven sacks, which ranks 27th, and the rush has suffered in the face of some of the league’s best quarterbacks — Aaron Rodgers, Philip Rivers, Peyton Manning, Tony Romo.

“We’ve faced the best of the best so far,” Carroll said last week after Romo beat them, “and they’ve been able to hold us off a little bit. We haven’t been quite as effective.”

This week, after yet another game in which the Hawks got little to no pressure on the QB, Carroll said, “The inability to really disrupt the quarterback has been a factor. There are some things that we have to do that will change us a little bit from what we’ve been in the past. So we will make those moves.”

Continue reading Hawks adjusting pass-rush scheme to help Bennett and Avril →

CHAWK LINES

September 26, 2014 cc Leave a comment

Seattle’s next opponent, Washington, was embarrassed at home by the New York Giants. The Washington Post highlights all of the things that went wrong for the home team.

Quarterback Kirk Cousins, filling in for the injured Robert Griffin III, failed to assert his case to hold onto the job, Jason Reid of the Post says.

Danny Kelly of Field Gulls takes a look back at Jon Ryan’s spectacular day against Denver and the overall emphasis Pete Carroll places on special teams.

Hawk Blogger Brian Nemhauser breaks out the stats that show how the Seahawks’ passing game has changed so far this season.

Percy Harvin affects the offense even when he doesn’t touch the ball, Jayson Jenks of The Seattle Times says. (We’ll have a corollary to that later.)

Bob Condotta of the Times has a few thoughts on how bye weeks may or may not affect teams.

Josh Kerns of KIRO and MyNorthwest.com writes about the growing trend of players such as Richard Sherman marketing themselves online with their own personalized merchandise.

Michael Bennett is in Houston this week to have his high school jersey retired, and he ends the interview talking about the power of a Super Bowl ring.

CHAWK LINES

September 18, 2014 cc Leave a comment

Larry Stone of The Seattle Times relates Richard Sherman’s thoughts of the Chargers and Broncos games.

Did the Chargers reveal a way to pick on Sherman?

Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett (that’s two T’s, guys) have been playing great — even if the rest of the defense has not.

Avril and Bennett talk about how the Seahawks like to play their base defense, with minimal blitzing, per Jayson Jenks of the Times.

Bob Condotta of the Times reminds everyone of Robert Turbin’s tragic family history, which Turbin says “plays into my motivation.”

John Fox is 1-4 vs. the Seahawks, but the Broncos are 34-18 — and more stats.

Steve Rudman of Sports Press NW looks at previous Super Bowl rematches and also offers up stats on Seattle’s worst time-of-possession games under Pete Carroll.

Condotta asks whether the off-field legal problems of Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson have “diminished your desire to watch NFL games.” Not sure why they would unless you are a Vikings fan who is bummed that your team is now much worse, but 25 percent of people (probably new fans) apparently think those guys reflect an entire league.