Seattle Sports Insider

Seahawks shooting for a quick 7-and-2

looking past the 'Skins, Dept.

Posted by

11/4/17

7-2 if you count next Thursday's game against a Cardinals team that is down by one Carson Palmer. John Clayton writes "timing is everything":

The Seahawks visited the New York Giants when they lost their top four wide receivers. On Thursday, the Seahawks play the Arizona Cardinals minus Carson Palmer and David Johnson. This Sunday, they are playing a Washington Redskins team that might be as banged up with injuries more than any team I can recently remember: Kirk Cousins comes to town minus two injured tight ends, at least three starting offensive linemen, and a banged-up receiving corps.

His 5 Things To Watch all seem to be variations on the idea of "Watch for which 2nd string the Redskins will play." But he also wants to know about the Seahawk run game.

Everybody wrings their hands about This way or That way or The Next way to get a running game established. Dr. Detecto's way of looking at it is much different. He has watched many, many teams win with the idea ---- > PASS TO SET UP THE RUN. One of the first teams he watched do this was the John Elway Broncos, which thrummed the Chuck Knox Seahawks regularly using the tactic. But you could name many of the Brady teams, the Greatest Show on Turf with the Rams, go on and on ...

....

You've got Russell Wilson in perfect sailing trim. For me, last week he came into his own as one of the NFL's top three QB's, him and Brady and Rodgers. It's not just the sight of a 450-yard game; it is (1) being at the perfect point in his career arc, (2) the escapability / backyard football thing that John Elway used to have, and (3) the savage look on Wilson's face when he stiffarmed #40 going out of bounds.

Well, okay, (3) is a bit of whimsy. But not kidding about (2), I'll tell ya that. I'd rather try to defend any QB in the NFL, any (other than NE and GB), than try to deal with Wilson's backyard game -- which is merely a BACKUP to his first two checks.

And if Wilson emerges as a HALL OF FAME quarterback -- producing like one, that is -- well, I don't remember Tom Brady ever having 9 Pro Bowl defenders helping him out. The Seahawks stand on the cusp of something remarkable.

....

... all of a sudden you've got not one, but four (4) legitimate downfield targets for him. Cindy made the observation last week, "If Carroll would let Wilson throw down the field every week, he'd wind up with 40 points every week." Dr. D suspects that this may be accurate, and that Pete Carroll's problem with that is probably little more than an aversion to 42-35 victories.

So we're left with the Seahawks "managing" the Redskins until the Hawks are down 14-3, and THEN Wilson throwing the ball downfield, right?

....

Oh, and Cut Eddie Lacy Right Now.

Be Afraid,

Dr D

...

image: deviantart.com

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Comments

Fudging Franchise Filosofical Focus

Crossroads time for the Seahawks....starting now....continuing through the next roster churn.

Rule #1

Russell Wilson is your Brady/Rodgers combination. Absolutely everything else - everything - is secondary.

Rule #2

Refer to Rule #1.

This is not to say you don't use the same defensive philosophy and scout and find the same players in the mold you want. You still do that. But if it's me, I bring whatever resources I need to bear to protect that QB investment. Wilson is not replaceable in the sense that if you needed one there is very little chance you could readily find one. Part of doing this might mean that you cut bait on a possibly very good player a year early rather than a year late (Chancellor? Wright? Graham?). It also makes offensive line investments, even schemes, more crucial. Is the zone blocking scheme the best thing for this franchise? I'm not an OL technician, so I can't say. But from the limited knowledge I do have, it needs more experience to function properly. If the Seahawks are going to continue on that path, they simply cannot churn the line with potential - they have to have continuity. If they want to hedge their bets, maybe they go with more of power blocking scheme for running. If it's me I do not stay with ZBS and not have experienced lineman to execute it. Whatever choice they make there, it should be in keeping Rule #1 front and center.

People are talking about how Deshaun Watson is the Jordan of the NFL. He may someday be in the same conversation as Wilson, but it remains to be seen if he has that extra football IQ that Wilson has already, to go along with the immense talent he has, which to me is debateable if he has as much as Wilson does.

This may mean giving up a few more points per game. At some point it has to. Wilson is going to outlast ETIII, Chancellor, Wagner and all of them, except maybe Baldwin. Finding the next ETIII will be hard. But finding the next Wilson will be harder. You have to do what the Pats have done with Brady, and what the Packers have done with Rodgers.

If they let Wilson cut loose, and if the O-line is above average, or even average, it will be patently obvious what a Hall of Fame talent at QB the Seahawks have. You can win it all with that right?

I think this coming offseason could be INTERESTING in Seattle...

I could see all kinds of crazy moves being made. Sherman could be traded. Bennett could be traded. Avril could retire. Jimmy Graham could walk. Heck, even Chancellor could find himself elsewhere. I don't think Wright and Wagner are going anywhere; the longevity at their positions is too good to let them go just yet.

I do think that the team is going to be forced into the route Padna outlines, though, with Wilson's continued growth. Watson is a GREAT young, mobile QB, but he doesn't have the ARM that Wilson does (at least not according to what I've read/heard/seen). He's mobile, but he's more like Kaepernick+ than he is Wilson, to my eye. Absolutely could be wrong; haven't watched many games this season.

I think the team just signaled their willingness to invest in the O-line with the Duane Brown trade. He's a top 10 LT, from what I've read, and *possibly* a little more than that (but he is likely on the back side of his career) so it will be interesting to see if they double down on that this offseason.