***The Official Seattle Seahawks IN-Season Thread 2014-15***

[IMMensaMind 462]

I am going to enjoy the brick sh1tting which is going to take place in Seattle

[Marshall 98]

I am going to enjoy the brick sh1tting which is going to take place in Seattle

 

You mean from the visiting Panthers' fans, aye?

[uwmalcolm 74]

I am going to enjoy the brick sh1tting which is going to take place in Seattle

Haha. You have a one track mind this week. Worry about your QB's tender calf and enjoy eating your words in this thread later tonight.

[IMMensaMind 462]

Haha. You have a one track mind this week. Worry about your QB's tender calf and enjoy eating your words in this thread later tonight.

 

You 'Hawk fans are so thenthitive.

[phillybear 366]

Haha. You have a one track mind this week. Worry about your QB's tender calf and enjoy eating your words in this thread later tonight.

 

IMMensaMind is a Green Bay fan, venting his frustration after the loss to Buffalo spun the NFC home field advantage into the 'Hawks advantage.

[uwmalcolm 74]

 

IMMensaMind is a Green Bay fan, venting his frustration after the loss to Buffalo spun the NFC home field advantage into the 'Hawks advantage.

I know. It's quite sad really. I feel for the old chap.

[IMMensaMind 462]

 

Haha - you guys take this very seriously. I'm screwing with you, and it's like fishing for cod in a bushel basket.

[phillybear 366]

 

Haha - you guys take this very seriously. I'm screwing with you, and it's like fishing for cod in a bushel basket.

 

Wut?

 

 

Nothing you posted indicated a fishing trip.

[IMMensaMind 462]

 

Wut?

 

 

Nothing you posted indicated a fishing trip.

 

Truth told, in a big fan of Wilson - but I also know what kind of team can beat SEA in SEA - and if Newton can run fairly well in this game, they're just the right sort of team... although the loss of Star takes the mustard off the hot dog quite a bit.

[Connorsdad 38]

Congrats Seahawk fans ! Good luck in the NFC Championship game !

[uwmalcolm 74]

I am going to enjoy the brick sh1tting which is going to take place in Seattle

 

Go go gadget calf!! Personally, I don't care who we play in Seattle next week. I just want to watch a good game tomorrow. But this simpleton will be all excited on the morrow.

[uwmalcolm 74]

Congrats Seahawk fans ! Good luck in the NFC Championship game !

Thanks man!

[uwmalcolm 74]

 

Haha - you guys take this very seriously. I'm screwing with you, and it's like fishing for cod in a bushel basket.

Truth be told, you thought you'd take a shot in the dark with the aims of being rewarded for being the one person on that contrarion perch . You said it enough places that it wasn't just a "screwing with you" vibe. No one bought it and your backtracking was kind of cute Now watch him play it off even further as if he never cared enough to post...

[IMMensaMind 462]

Truth be told, you thought you'd take a shot in the dark with the aims of being rewarded for being the one person on that contrarion perch . You said it enough places that it wasn't just a "screwing with you" vibe. No one bought it and your backtracking was kind of cute Now watch him play it off even further as if he never cared enough to post...

Except that in the predictions thread, I called SEA winning by 7 - and my prediction got wider when the Star Lotulelei injury was announced.

 

But I don't want to stop your thenthitive rant, so carry on...

[phillybear 366]

Picking the side: 13-2

Against the spread: 14-1

 

Carolina Panthers at Seattle Seahawks (-11.5)

 

Let's look at some numbers:

Seattle offense is #9, Carolina is #16

Seattle averages 5.3 yards per rush and #1, Carolina 4.3 and #13

Seattle is #27 passing offense, Carolina is #19

Seattle is #1 total defense giving up 267.1 yards per game, Carolina is #10 and 339.8 ypg

Seattle gives up 15.9 points per game, Carolina gives up 23.4 ppg

Seattle defense is #8 in allowing 3rd conversions, Carolina is #22

Seattle is the #3 rush defense, Carolina is #16

Seattle allows 3.4 yards per rush which is #2, Carolina allows 4.5 ypr which is #27

Seattle is #1 vs the pass, Carolina is #11

Seattle allows 6.3 yards per pass play and #1, Carolina allows 7.0 yppp and is #12

Seattle has outgained 14 of 16 opponents in total yards

Carolina was outgained by 9 straight opponents in total yards, before outgaining their last 7

Seattle has won their last 6 games by double digits, covering every game

With Center Max Unger in the lineup, Seattle averages 203 rushing yards per game, 6.0 ypr

With Center Max Unger not in the lineup, Seattle averages 153 rushing yards per game, 4.8 ypr

 

I went into the stats looking for some edge that Carolina may have, some way they can compete. And I just don't see anything. In fact, I came away even more convinced of a convincing Seattle win due to some surprising numbers. 3rd down converstion rate on defense. Everybody knows that Seattle has the best defense in football and would have the superior stats. But Carolina is #22 at stopping teams on 3rd down, which will lead to long, time consuming drives, which Seattle is really good at. Carolina is also poor on a yards per rush basis, which feeds to Seattle's NFL best rushing attack. Sure, some of that is due to Russell Wilson's rushing. Next, it can't be minimized how important Max Unger is to the offensive line, most likely the most important offensive lineman, who is finally coming back to the lineup. The team's rushing attack improves exponentially. Coupled with the loss of a key defensive lineman for Carolina, and I suspect Seattle will gash Carolina's defense with Lynch, Turbin, and Girl's Name. Seattle has been able to hit some big passing plays down the field on Carolina in the recent past, and there is no reason they can't go down the field today as Russell Wilson's deep ball seems to be back and accurate again. Offensively, Carolina is going to struggle, as Newton has an injured back and gimpy leg. You can draw a comparison of Newton to Kaepernick in their physical traits, scrambling ability, and lack of ability to go through progressions to find an open receiver. But Newton will be less mobile due to injuries and has far less weapons on offense to work with than San Fran did. And Seattle dispatched SF fairly easily twice down the stretch of the season. Emotionally? Well, Carolina has momentum, but they were beating up on terrible NFC South teams and the Browns. Ron Rivera's home burned down, so that's a distraction. I know Carolina has made whole sale changes to the starting lineups all over due to injuries and subpar play since the last time the Seahawks played them. Also, Seattle had a boatload of injuries back then and have gotten healthy and have even more momentum than Carolina. I have no preconceived hate towards Carolina, a respectable team. And they've played the Seahawks tough the past 3 years in Carolina, but lost each game. I just think they are overmatched on the field whether they are on offense or defense. And no team is better at 2nd half adjustments than Seattle. This is going to be a strong contender for the most boring game of this round of the playoffs this year.

 

Seattle Seahawks 26

Carolina Panthers 6

 

For the Seahawk fans going to the game, scream your balls off. Go 'Hawks!!

 

Picking the side: 14-2

Against the spread: 15-1

 

Right on some stuff, wrong on other stuff. Turnovers killed Carolina. Bottom line, Seahawks won and covered.

 

Not sure who I'm rooting for today, Green Bay or Dallas.

[donhaas 18]

 

Truth told, in a big fan of Wilson - but I also know what kind of team can beat SEA in SEA - and if Newton can run fairly well in this game, they're just the right sort of team... although the loss of Star takes the mustard off the hot dog quite a bit.

 

I thought you were a Marquette fan.... weren't you taunting me when UW basketball lost?

 

I kept wanting to believe in you. I really tried. And even though Phillybear listed 1,000 reasons why Seattle was better than Carolina, your reasoning was "they're just the right sort of team!"

 

Whoever knew that the "right sort of team" to beat Seattle in Seattle was a mixture of mediocre defense and supreme crapass quarterback play

[Vikings4ever 551]

http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2015/1/10/7526813/paul-richardson-knee-injury-seahawks-panthers

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Paul Richardson tore his ACL Saturday night against the Carolina Panthers, according to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports. Richardson limped off the field with a left knee injury during the team's Divisional playoff game. He previously tore the same ACL in 2012 while at the University of Colorado.

[IMMensaMind 462]

I thought you were a Marquette fan.... weren't you taunting me when UW basketball lost?

I am a Marquette fan, but I'm also a Wisconsin fan (who lost to Rutgers today? ), so I think you're confusing me with someone else.

 

I kept wanting to believe in you. I really tried. And even though Phillybear listed 1,000 reasons why Seattle was better than Carolina, your reasoning was "they're just the right sort of team!"

 

Whoever knew that the "right sort of team" to beat Seattle in Seattle was a mixture of mediocre defense and supreme crapass quarterback play

Meh. That doesn't mean that they weren't the right sort of team. If Cam had not played incompetently in that game, one could easily have seen a win, and as it was, it was a game for 3 quarters. Cam's horrid int + inaccuracy/field vision in that game doomed them.

[Groundhog 24]

Hawks-Pack.

Is it trolling to ask Golden Tate to return to raise the 12th man flag for us? Too soon?

[IMMensaMind 462]

Hawks-Pack.

Is it trolling to ask Golden Tate to return to raise the 12th man flag for us? Too soon?

It isn't trolling. It's setting the karma - and I'm ok with it!

[SUXBNME 1,515]

Love to see the pack win, but prolly an unlikely scenario.

[YourBreathStinks 2]

Seattle doesn't wanna face GB.

I pick GB

[phillybear 366]

Based on coaching hires the past few days, Vic Fangio and Todd Bowles, two pretty focking good defensive coordinators, are leaving the NFC West? Excellent.

 

Teams are bailing out on waiting for Dan Quinn and in a seeming panic filling up their vacancies in a hurry. I'm surprised by the lack of patience.

[Sho Nuff 720]

Based on coaching hires the past few days, Vic Fangio and Todd Bowles, two pretty focking good defensive coordinators, are leaving the NFC West? Excellent.

 

Teams are bailing out on waiting for Dan Quinn and in a seeming panic filling up their vacancies in a hurry. I'm surprised by the lack of patience.

 

I think you have lack of patience (because you then have to put staffs together quick of what is left)...and some are wondering how much of it is Quinn and how much of it is Carroll.

[Hawkfin 32]

 

I think you have lack of patience (because you then have to put staffs together quick of what is left)...and some are wondering how much of it is Quinn and how much of it is Carroll.

Quinn will go to Atlanta I think. They look to be patient for him. Other teams probably know that Quinn wants to go there too.

Good spot for Quinn I think.

 

But, I am also glad to see the other teams in our Div. lose some of their good coordinators.

 

We are plug and play system now. Like NE. Whoever fills are slots will be good. Whoever leaves won't be as good.

I say it's mostly because of Carrol, but also Mr. Schneider. Those two are amazing!

And as much as I don't like Cable doing any of our draft picking or input for draft picks, I think he's a great coach too.

He was actually starting to turn Oakland around before he left. I wonder if he gets promoted if we lose Quinn or where we turn if we lose Quinn?

[phillybear 366]

 

I think you have lack of patience (because you then have to put staffs together quick of what is left)...and some are wondering how much of it is Quinn and how much of it is Carroll.

 

Quinn is still a good coach. He did a nice job running Florida University's defense before coming back to Seattle to replace Gus Bradley. Under Bradley, our defensive line was subpar. Quinn was the Seattle defensive line coach prior to Florida, and when he returned, our line became dominant. Doesn't hurt that we also signed Michael Bennett, Cliff Avril, and Tony McDaniel. Some of the younger players really seemed to improve greatly, like Clint McDonald. We had attrition, losing Chris Clemmons, Red Bryant, Clint McDonald, and had some injuries. The line is still putting great pressure on QB's, without running blitzes. Quinn is the defensive line guru, Ken Norton Jr the linebackers guru, and Pete Carroll and Kris Richmond coach up the secondary.

 

Is Quinn a product of the system? Somewhat. But he's overseen the defense going to the next level since Gus Bradly left so he has to get some credit. He might still end up in Atlanta, but I think they are also interested in another candidate quite a bit. I read an article recently how Carroll spends time developing his coordinators and coaches to become head coaches, much like the coaches work with players to improve their talents. Carroll does everything he can to help his coaches move on, which is not something all NFL head coaches do.

[phillybear 366]

Quinn will go to Atlanta I think. They look to be patient for him. Other teams probably know that Quinn wants to go there too.

Good spot for Quinn I think.

 

But, I am also glad to see the other teams in our Div. lose some of their good coordinators.

 

We are plug and play system now. Like NE. Whoever fills are slots will be good. Whoever leaves won't be as good.

I say it's mostly because of Carrol, but also Mr. Schneider. Those two are amazing!

And as much as I don't like Cable doing any of our draft picking or input for draft picks, I think he's a great coach too.

He was actually starting to turn Oakland around before he left. I wonder if he gets promoted if we lose Quinn or where we turn if we lose Quinn?

 

Tom Cable is already the assistant head coach. I think if he took a coordinator job, it would be a step down technically. And I think he's spent more time with the offense so I don't know if he would be the best guy to take over the defense.

 

Looks like the interest in Bevell and Cable has dried up. So I guess we are stuck with them, good or bad, for next season most likely.

[Hawkfin 32]

 

Tom Cable is already the assistant head coach. I think if he took a coordinator job, it would be a step down technically. And I think he's spent more time with the offense so I don't know if he would be the best guy to take over the defense.

 

Looks like the interest in Bevell and Cable has dried up. So I guess we are stuck with them, good or bad, for next season most likely.

Oh, I didn't realize Cable had that title.

Your probably right then. I don't think those two are bad. Bevell can be trouble sometimes as he gets boring, but it's not horable ether. Sometimes our play calling is masterful even. Way better then the old days at least.

 

I guess bring in some new blood then for D-Cord? I think Quinn will be gone.

[Sho Nuff 720]

Quinn will go to Atlanta I think. They look to be patient for him. Other teams probably know that Quinn wants to go there too.

Good spot for Quinn I think.

 

But, I am also glad to see the other teams in our Div. lose some of their good coordinators.

 

We are plug and play system now. Like NE. Whoever fills are slots will be good. Whoever leaves won't be as good.

I say it's mostly because of Carrol, but also Mr. Schneider. Those two are amazing!

And as much as I don't like Cable doing any of our draft picking or input for draft picks, I think he's a great coach too.

He was actually starting to turn Oakland around before he left. I wonder if he gets promoted if we lose Quinn or where we turn if we lose Quinn?

 

Agreed...when you have a head coach working that well...and that works well with a GM who knows his stuff...the assistants matter a bit less.

Similar with GB having ongoing success with Thompson and McCarthy. They understand each other and their roles and do well finding the right guys to plug in to coach.

[Sho Nuff 720]

 

Quinn is still a good coach. He did a nice job running Florida University's defense before coming back to Seattle to replace Gus Bradley. Under Bradley, our defensive line was subpar. Quinn was the Seattle defensive line coach prior to Florida, and when he returned, our line became dominant. Doesn't hurt that we also signed Michael Bennett, Cliff Avril, and Tony McDaniel. Some of the younger players really seemed to improve greatly, like Clint McDonald. We had attrition, losing Chris Clemmons, Red Bryant, Clint McDonald, and had some injuries. The line is still putting great pressure on QB's, without running blitzes. Quinn is the defensive line guru, Ken Norton Jr the linebackers guru, and Pete Carroll and Kris Richmond coach up the secondary.

 

Is Quinn a product of the system? Somewhat. But he's overseen the defense going to the next level since Gus Bradly left so he has to get some credit. He might still end up in Atlanta, but I think they are also interested in another candidate quite a bit. I read an article recently how Carroll spends time developing his coordinators and coaches to become head coaches, much like the coaches work with players to improve their talents. Carroll does everything he can to help his coaches move on, which is not something all NFL head coaches do.

 

I agree with you...but I think between having to wait...and there is always the notion with strong minded coaches like Carroll that excel on one side of the ball that their coordinator may be window dressing. I don't think its the case with Quinn...I think he is a very good coach.

But sometimes those guys also make better DCs too...and that is a worry (which is why you see so many recycled head coaches sometimes).

 

Biggest example I can think of there is Ray Rhodes who finally got his shot and was just terrible at being a head coach.

[Groundhog 24]

The biggest thing Quinn is going to have to deal with, wherever he goes, is that his defense pretty much depends on superior athletes, speed more than brawn in general. There's not much deception built into his Cover-3 scheme. They line up, they play it straight, and depend on solid players at every position to stick to the fundamentals and do their job.

 

So if he goes somewhere that lacks the athleticism on defense he needs, somebody on the field is going to be a liability. Now maybe Quinn has a hand in suggesting which guys he wants to upgrade and finding those guys in the draft, but whoever asks him to be coach should probably give him a long leash to get the talent he needs to let the D flourish.

[phillybear 366]

Picking the side: 14-2
Against the spread: 15-1

 

Green Bay Packers at Seattle Seahawks (-7)

 

Seattle offense is #9 with 375.8 yards per game, Green Bay is #6, 386.1 yards per game

Seattle averages 5.3 yards per rush and #1, Green Bay is #10 with 4.4 ypr

Seattle is #27 passing offense, Green Bay is #8

Seattle is #6 in yards per pass play with 7.7, Green Bay is #2 with 8.3

Seattle is #1 total defense giving up 267.1 yards per game, Green Bay is #15, giving up 346.4 ypg

Seattle gives up 15.9 points per game and #1, Green Bay gives up 21.8 and is #13

Seattle defense is #8 in allowing 3rd conversions, Green Bay is #18

Seattle is the #3 rush defense, Green Bay is #23

Seattle allows 3.4 yards per rush which is #2, Green Bay allows 4.3 which is #19

Seattle is #1 vs the pass, Green Bay #10

Seattle allows 6.3 yards per pass play and #2, Green Bay 6.9 ypp and #10

Seattle has outgained 14 of 17 opponents in total yards

Green Bay has outgained 13 of 17 opponents in total yards

Seattle has won their last 7 games by double digits, covering every game

Green Bay has won 6 of their last 7, covering 3 times.

At home, Green Bay average final score was to win 38-20. On the road, the average score was a 21-23 loss.

On the road, Green Bay allows 138 yards rushing per game, 4.6 yards per rush.

On the road, against the 3 best defenses they faced, Green Bay put up 16, 13, and 7 points.

 

What do the numbers tell us? Nothing extremely surprising. Green Bay passes the ball a bunch, Seattle runs the ball quite a bit. As a result, the teams aren’t far apart in total offense, #6 vs. #9. And Seattle is averaging 7.7 yards per pass play to Green Bay’s 8.3, so it’s not that Seattle isn’t as efficient in throwing the ball, it’s just that they choose not to do so with the same frequency. I think the biggest issue is on the defensive side of the ball.. Green Bay throws the ball better than runs it, but they are going up against the best pass defense in football. On the other side of the ball, Seattle will be running the ball against the #23 ranked rush defense. There is a decided edge here. Strength vs strength, but also strength (Seattle rushing attack) vs weakness (GB rush defense). It’s not imagined, as Murray had a pretty good game last week running against Green Bay.

 

Seattle had trouble putting Carolina away last week until the second half. Carolina actually finished ahead in total yards, 362 to 348. Why? Well, kudos to the Carolina coaching staff in putting together a nice game plan. They controlled the clock, moved the sticks, kept some drives going, and got garbage time production. Not that it was all bad news for Seattle, who had the decided advantage of better yards per play average of 6.7 to 5.3; Seattle had more explosive plays during the game. On a yards per pass play, Seattle had the advantage 10.3 to 6.1. Still, Newton made some good throws in intermediate to deep routes into the Cover 3. But in my opinion, the biggest issue was the surprising scratch of starting corner Byron Maxwell. He didn’t play, suffering from an upper respiratory illness and was on the sidelines. His replacement, Tharold Simon, had a miserable game. Newton threw at Simon 10 times, who was covering Kelvin Benjamin for a healthy portion of the game. How many of those 10 targets did Newton complete? 10. Yep. About half of Carolina’s passing offense was a pitch and catch game against Tharold Simon. Fortunately for Seattle, Maxwell is going to play this week. Did anybody else notice Marshawn Lynch vomiting during the game on the sidelines? Yeah, he was under the weather too, as he only ran for 59 yards in limited action.

 

Well, Carolina, as many other teams down the stretch, game planned to take away the Seattle running game. And Wilson continues to beat defenses with his throwing. Sure, he’s scrambling around and running the read option. But his release time has decreased significantly lately, to somewhere around 2.2 seconds from snap to pass attempt. It’s getting harder to sack him, not because the line is pass blocking any better, because they still suck at that, but Wilson is processing information and making decisions faster. It also helps when you have WRs making one handed 61 yard TD catches. Seattle will run right at Green Bay, take their shots passing the ball. Nothing fancy. On defense, they pass rushed with emphasis on containment last week to bottle up Newton’s running lanes This week, zero emphasis on containment and it’s full on pillaging and plundering at a sitting duck. That calf injury by many estimates is going to take 4 months to heal. Sometimes you can take a step and be fine, sometimes you take a step and it feels like you got shot. My theory is that when Rodgers starts to feel pressure from a defensive line, he will start to check down with frequency, throwing plenty of short passes. Kind of what he did in the first game of the season. That’s an issue against the fastest defense in the league, and the best tackling defense in the league. You would have to be perfect to execute that kind of game plan to win, which San Diego achieved early this season vs. Seattle and nobody else. It’s also the area of the field patrolled by Kam Chancellor and Bobby Wagner. I suspect Seattle will take away the Green Bay run and let Rodgers challenge the secondary. The rush defense is missing a few key DT, but overall when the defense wants to stop the run, they will. It just wasn’t the point of emphasis last week. The way to beat the Seattle secondary is with dynamic WRs and a strong armed QB trying to hit the seams deep. I don’t think Green Bay can do this, with a cripple at QB. This isn't the Dallas leaky defense that they are facing this week. But Rodgers may still force the ball a bit because of lack of mobility in the pocket. I will go on record predicting 2 INTs for Green Bay. What? Didn’t Aaron Rodgers have some kind of magical season. Yeah, and he only threw 5 picks. Well, Russell Wilson only threw 7 picks. And when you add in Rodgers 2 fumbles lost vs. Wilson’s 0 fumbles lost, that makes them equally turnover prone this season. Rodgers threw more passes, but Wilson ran the ball more. Pretty equal. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Matt Flynn inserted into the game by the end, a somewhat surreal image given his history with both of these teams.

 

Green Bay is a very good team, but they are so much better at home than on the road. They lost at Seattle by 20, lost at Detroit by 12, lost at New Orleans by 21, lost at Buffalo by 8. They beat Chicago, Miami, Minnesota, Tampa Bay. Eh, not a great resume on the road. Seattle has an extra day of rest. Seattle is 25-2 at home with Russell Wilson starting. Seattle is 13-1 in prime time games in their last 14. Oh, and the boisterous home crowd is usually a factor.

 

Seattle Seahawks 37

Green Bay Packers 17

[donhaas 18]

Picking the side: 14-2

Against the spread: 15-1

 

Green Bay Packers at Seattle Seahawks (-7)

 

Seattle offense is #9 with 375.8 yards per game, Green Bay is #6, 386.1 yards per game

Seattle averages 5.3 yards per rush and #1, Green Bay is #10 with 4.4 ypr

Seattle is #27 passing offense, Green Bay is #8

Seattle is #6 in yards per pass play with 7.7, Green Bay is #2 with 8.3

Seattle is #1 total defense giving up 267.1 yards per game, Green Bay is #15, giving up 346.4 ypg

Seattle gives up 15.9 points per game and #1, Green Bay gives up 21.8 and is #13

Seattle defense is #8 in allowing 3rd conversions, Green Bay is #18

Seattle is the #3 rush defense, Green Bay is #23

Seattle allows 3.4 yards per rush which is #2, Green Bay allows 4.3 which is #19

Seattle is #1 vs the pass, Green Bay #10

Seattle allows 6.3 yards per pass play and #2, Green Bay 6.9 ypp and #10

Seattle has outgained 14 of 17 opponents in total yards

Green Bay has outgained 13 of 17 opponents in total yards

Seattle has won their last 7 games by double digits, covering every game

Green Bay has won 6 of their last 7, covering 3 times.

At home, Green Bay average final score was to win 38-20. On the road, the average score was a 21-23 loss.

On the road, Green Bay allows 138 yards rushing per game, 4.6 yards per rush.

On the road, against the 3 best defenses they faced, Green Bay put up 16, 13, and 7 points.

 

What do the numbers tell us? Nothing extremely surprising. Green Bay passes the ball a bunch, Seattle runs the ball quite a bit. As a result, the teams aren’t far apart in total offense, #6 vs. #9. And Seattle is averaging 7.7 yards per pass play to Green Bay’s 8.3, so it’s not that Seattle isn’t as efficient in throwing the ball, it’s just that they choose not to do so with the same frequency. I think the biggest issue is on the defensive side of the ball.. Green Bay throws the ball better than runs it, but they are going up against the best pass defense in football. On the other side of the ball, Seattle will be running the ball against the #23 ranked rush defense. There is a decided edge here. Strength vs strength, but also strength (Seattle rushing attack) vs weakness (GB rush defense). It’s not imagined, as Murray had a pretty good game last week running against Green Bay.

 

Seattle had trouble putting Carolina away last week until the second half. Carolina actually finished ahead in total yards, 362 to 348. Why? Well, kudos to the Carolina coaching staff in putting together a nice game plan. They controlled the clock, moved the sticks, kept some drives going, and got garbage time production. Not that it was all bad news for Seattle, who had the decided advantage of better yards per play average of 6.7 to 5.3; Seattle had more explosive plays during the game. On a yards per pass play, Seattle had the advantage 10.3 to 6.1. Still, Newton made some good throws in intermediate to deep routes into the Cover 3. But in my opinion, the biggest issue was the surprising scratch of starting corner Byron Maxwell. He didn’t play, suffering from an upper respiratory illness and was on the sidelines. His replacement, Tharold Simon, had a miserable game. Newton threw at Simon 10 times, who was covering Kelvin Benjamin for a healthy portion of the game. How many of those 10 targets did Newton complete? 10. Yep. About half of Carolina’s passing offense was a pitch and catch game against Tharold Simon. Fortunately for Seattle, Maxwell is going to play this week. Did anybody else notice Marshawn Lynch vomiting during the game on the sidelines? Yeah, he was under the weather too, as he only ran for 59 yards in limited action.

 

Well, Carolina, as many other teams down the stretch, game planned to take away the Seattle running game. And Wilson continues to beat defenses with his throwing. Sure, he’s scrambling around and running the read option. But his release time has decreased significantly lately, to somewhere around 2.2 seconds from snap to pass attempt. It’s getting harder to sack him, not because the line is pass blocking any better, because they still suck at that, but Wilson is processing information and making decisions faster. It also helps when you have WRs making one handed 61 yard TD catches. Seattle will run right at Green Bay, take their shots passing the ball. Nothing fancy. On defense, they pass rushed with emphasis on containment last week to bottle up Newton’s running lanes This week, zero emphasis on containment and it’s full on pillaging and plundering at a sitting duck. That calf injury by many estimates is going to take 4 months to heal. Sometimes you can take a step and be fine, sometimes you take a step and it feels like you got shot. My theory is that when Rodgers starts to feel pressure from a defensive line, he will start to check down with frequency, throwing plenty of short passes. Kind of what he did in the first game of the season. That’s an issue against the fastest defense in the league, and the best tackling defense in the league. You would have to be perfect to execute that kind of game plan to win, which San Diego achieved early this season vs. Seattle and nobody else. It’s also the area of the field patrolled by Kam Chancellor and Bobby Wagner. I suspect Seattle will take away the Green Bay run and let Rodgers challenge the secondary. The rush defense is missing a few key DT, but overall when the defense wants to stop the run, they will. It just wasn’t the point of emphasis last week. The way to beat the Seattle secondary is with dynamic WRs and a strong armed QB trying to hit the seams deep. I don’t think Green Bay can do this, with a cripple at QB. This isn't the Dallas leaky defense that they are facing this week. But Rodgers may still force the ball a bit because of lack of mobility in the pocket. I will go on record predicting 2 INTs for Green Bay. What? Didn’t Aaron Rodgers have some kind of magical season. Yeah, and he only threw 5 picks. Well, Russell Wilson only threw 7 picks. And when you add in Rodgers 2 fumbles lost vs. Wilson’s 0 fumbles lost, that makes them equally turnover prone this season. Rodgers threw more passes, but Wilson ran the ball more. Pretty equal. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Matt Flynn inserted into the game by the end, a somewhat surreal image given his history with both of these teams.

 

Green Bay is a very good team, but they are so much better at home than on the road. They lost at Seattle by 20, lost at Detroit by 12, lost at New Orleans by 21, lost at Buffalo by 8. They beat Chicago, Miami, Minnesota, Tampa Bay. Eh, not a great resume on the road. Seattle has an extra day of rest. Seattle is 25-2 at home with Russell Wilson starting. Seattle is 13-1 in prime time games in their last 14. Oh, and the boisterous home crowd is usually a factor.

 

Seattle Seahawks 37

Green Bay Packers 17

 

 

This is good. I like this. This is exactly the way it should be. Expert analysis from the same guy that intially argued with me that Russell Wilson is the sh!ttiest quarterback he’s ever seen, the Seahawks wasted a pick, and cry, cry, cry, etc.

I have a ton of friends who live in the Seattle area and they say it is the hugest unknowledgable bandwagon fanbase in America… and not just compared to the greatest fans in the game – Green Bay Packer fans. But I always thought you were smarter, Phillybear (outside your awful initial analysis of Russell WIlson)

 

We keep hearing about that first Seattle/GB game. The first game of the year. Let me tell you what’s different. The offensive line. You can’t run with no legs and the Packers were doomed from the beginning. Forget having a rookie center with no training camp playing his first game in a crazy environment…. The Packers had the worst right tackle (who has since been cut) taking over for injured Bulaga …Derreck “Swinging Gate” Sherrod…. Every play they ran was screwed because of him. The game was tight until he came in and then all hell broke loose.

Forget that the o-line is playing awesome right now and played the worst I’ve ever seen it play at the beginning of the season. That game was also played before Cobb came on…. Before Lacy got untracked. Before Adams and R. Rodgers existed. Remember when DET shutdown the Packer offense far better than SEA did at the very beginning of the season. Remember all the dumb Detroit fans saying that’s exactly how it would go the second time? Remember a one-legged Rodgers hanging 30 on DET the second time despite missing significant time in the locker room with an injury? Remember Lacy running all over them? It’s a completely different offensive team.

Let’s talk defense. The first game of the year, Guion came in for an injured Raji off the street and had no idea what he was doing in the middle and got pushed around and quickly gassed. Now, he’s one of the strong points of the defense. Clinton Dix did not exist as he does now. Peppers trying to figure out the defense did not exist as he does now. The Packers replaced two of the worst inside linebackers in the game since then with two of the most nasty aggressive ILB – Matthews and Barrington – and the number differential in rushing yards allowed is night and day. It’s a completely different defense.

In summary, the Packer team that played SEA first game of the season no longer exists. SEA, of course, is different, too. They don’t have Harvin who tore up the Packers.

Like the DET game, you’re going to quickly be able to tell which way this NFC Championship game is going on the first few Packer drives. Lacy, completely stoned by DET the first game, gashed them right away. And like a prize fight, that opened everything else up for Jordy, Cobb, Adams, Quarless, and R. Rodgers the rest of the way.

I’ve been in your situation. Defending champs… 15-1…. Analyzing stats from early in the year and year’s past to say there’s NO WAY the Green Bay Packers won’t beat the 9-7 Giants by at least 37-17. Extreme overconfidence.

But these are two 13-4 teams. It’s one game. And it’s individual match-ups. The Packer defense is much better than it’s been the past few years. The Packers are well-coached and scheme well..... just ask Belichick and Brady.

 

If you don’t think there’s any possible way that you can lose and that the Seattle blowout is inevitable, it’s just going to hurt that much more at the end of the day. Just be careful.

 

With that being said, I expect it to be a great NFC championship game and may the best team win!

[R8RMick 242]

This game is really impossible to call, in light of Rodgers' injury. He looked really gimpy last week against Dallas, but who knows how he holds up Sunday? Maybe he has a dramatic reaction to rehab?

 

Phillybear's take on the game is based on Rodgers being limited, and it's pretty solid. Concise, lucid, objective, bam. Before the Dallas game, I had some friends up in Wisconsin fill me in on the improvements the Packers defense had made since earlier in the year, especially in the run defense. Then I watched DeMarco Murray gash them for almost 150 yards. Really, Green Bay was one great play by Julius Peppers from being on the ropes in that game and giving up 200 yards rushing and two TDs to Murray. For as grinding as the Cowboys running game was this year, it was eclipsed by Seattle. I know some of that was due to Russel Wilson's scrambling, but Marshawn Lynch is a beast. I also think the Seahawk back up running backs Turbin and Michael are unheralded but still dangerous.

 

With a completely healthy Aaron Rodgers, this would be a tight game. Only a QB who can zip a pass an inch past a defenders turned head could pose a danger to Seattle's secondary. But his scrambling is what allows him to be dangerous, and he looked really gimpy last week. If they can run the ball on Seattle to protect him, maybe grab a turnover or two, perhaps get some big plays on special teams, maybe... But if Rodgers health mirrors last week, I think Vegas got this one right.

[R8RMick 242]

Was just listening to Colin Cowherd on the subject of the Rodgers injury. With the way he played in the first half last week, as opposed to the way his play dramatically improved in the second half, conjecture is that perhaps Rodgers took a painkiller injection at halftime.

 

Since you cannot take multiple injections consecutively, and the average buzz is only perhaps two hours, the question arose to when do you take the shot?

 

Do you wait, and risk Seattle getting up early, thereby getting their 12th man rocking, and allowing the Seahawks to pin their ears back and bring the rush in the second half?

 

Or do you shoot up pre-game and risk being limited late when the game is on the line?

 

Assuming Rodgers took the shot of course...

[donhaas 18]

Then I watched DeMarco Murray gash them for almost 150 yards.

 

Really? 123 is almost 150?

Or is it 22 yards (on 6 more carries!) more than Eddie Lacy had despite missing the second quarter with asthma attacks...

 

 

Why do we have to exaggerate and make stuff up so much?

 

We all saw the game.

[phillybear 366]

 

 

This is good. I like this. This is exactly the way it should be. Expert analysis from the same guy that intially argued with me that Russell Wilson is the sh!ttiest quarterback he’s ever seen, the Seahawks wasted a pick, and cry, cry, cry, etc.

I have a ton of friends who live in the Seattle area and they say it is the hugest unknowledgable bandwagon fanbase in America… and not just compared to the greatest fans in the game – Green Bay Packer fans. But I always thought you were smarter, Phillybear (outside your awful initial analysis of Russell WIlson)

 

We keep hearing about that first Seattle/GB game. The first game of the year. Let me tell you what’s different. The offensive line. You can’t run with no legs and the Packers were doomed from the beginning. Forget having a rookie center with no training camp playing his first game in a crazy environment…. The Packers had the worst right tackle (who has since been cut) taking over for injured Bulaga …Derreck “Swinging Gate” Sherrod…. Every play they ran was screwed because of him. The game was tight until he came in and then all hell broke loose.

Forget that the o-line is playing awesome right now and played the worst I’ve ever seen it play at the beginning of the season. That game was also played before Cobb came on…. Before Lacy got untracked. Before Adams and R. Rodgers existed. Remember when DET shutdown the Packer offense far better than SEA did at the very beginning of the season. Remember all the dumb Detroit fans saying that’s exactly how it would go the second time? Remember a one-legged Rodgers hanging 30 on DET the second time despite missing significant time in the locker room with an injury? Remember Lacy running all over them? It’s a completely different offensive team.

Let’s talk defense. The first game of the year, Guion came in for an injured Raji off the street and had no idea what he was doing in the middle and got pushed around and quickly gassed. Now, he’s one of the strong points of the defense. Clinton Dix did not exist as he does now. Peppers trying to figure out the defense did not exist as he does now. The Packers replaced two of the worst inside linebackers in the game since then with two of the most nasty aggressive ILB – Matthews and Barrington – and the number differential in rushing yards allowed is night and day. It’s a completely different defense.

In summary, the Packer team that played SEA first game of the season no longer exists. SEA, of course, is different, too. They don’t have Harvin who tore up the Packers.

Like the DET game, you’re going to quickly be able to tell which way this NFC Championship game is going on the first few Packer drives. Lacy, completely stoned by DET the first game, gashed them right away. And like a prize fight, that opened everything else up for Jordy, Cobb, Adams, Quarless, and R. Rodgers the rest of the way.

I’ve been in your situation. Defending champs… 15-1…. Analyzing stats from early in the year and year’s past to say there’s NO WAY the Green Bay Packers won’t beat the 9-7 Giants by at least 37-17. Extreme overconfidence.

But these are two 13-4 teams. It’s one game. And it’s individual match-ups. The Packer defense is much better than it’s been the past few years. The Packers are well-coached and scheme well..... just ask Belichick and Brady.

 

If you don’t think there’s any possible way that you can lose and that the Seattle blowout is inevitable, it’s just going to hurt that much more at the end of the day. Just be careful.

 

With that being said, I expect it to be a great NFC championship game and may the best team win!

 

I've since admitted that I was wrong about Russell Wilson many times. As did plenty of personnel people in the NFL. I was not pleased he went in the third round as I didn't have him rated to go so early. And I used the tired argument that he was too short. I called him a glorified midget. That being said, I'm more on target than not on player evaluations in the early rounds. And I have 12 years of posts made here to back it up. I am now more leery of evaluating late round picks made by this front office as it turns out, they are using some kind voodoo I can't comprehend which leads to great players, after they coach them up of course. The coaches on this team continue to take in discarded players in this league and draft players, and make them better. Could Wilson have been a starting QB in this league on another team other than Seattle? Who knows. He might still be sitting on somebody's bench. Rodgers had to wait years for his turn. Steve Young too, behind Montana. Who knows. I'm very happy that he is on this team right now.

 

You say Green Bay is a completely different team than when Seattle met them early in the year. And the exact same thing was said about Carolina, how much they had improved and figured things out from an earlier meeting. And in the end, how did it turn out? Seattle won and never was I concerned that Carolina could win because I expected Seattle to pull away in the 2nd half, like they've been doing. Same script. Seattle is a much improved team since early in the season. Much improved. Our secondary depth was decimated at the beginning of year as we had to trade for a guy just to have a body to plug into the nickle corner. Harvin's departure changed the offense, which seems to have worked out. Wilson is spreading the ball around again rather than force feeding it to one guy for 3 yard screens. Believe me, I'd like to have a #1 WR right now, but it's been interesting that Seattle has gone 10-2 without Harvin. But gave up too much draft capital to acquire him. Seattle has played better ball down the stretch, not that Green Bay hasn't been on a roll as well. The Seahawks are a loose bunch based on all their behaviors this week and I expect a convincing win. Their record at home, their record in prime time games vs Green Bay's struggles on the road. It's not like they only lost early in the year on the road, as the Buffalo game shows. It's all very convincing to me. I didn't say that Green Bay has no shot. Of course they do. I said they were a very good team. This is the way I see the game unfolding.

[R8RMick 242]

 

Really? 123 is almost 150?

Or is it 22 yards (on 6 more carries!) more than Eddie Lacy had despite missing the second quarter with asthma attacks...

 

 

Why do we have to exaggerate and make stuff up so much?

 

We all saw the game.

 

Ha ha ha... Apologies, it's a well deserved jab as I should have researched the total. That being said, I would stand by my statement even at 123 yards rushing as being a gashing. Most Cowboy fans I've talked with lamented they didn't run the ball more, as the GB defense WAS giving it up in the second half.

 

If I were you I'd forget about what Eddie Lacy could've done against the Cowboy defense right now, as you'll have your hands full with a defense that's surely more powerful next Sunday.

 

You're a little jumpy, that's understandable given the circumstances. Think of... fluffy white clouds.

[donhaas 18]

 

You say Green Bay is a completely different team than when Seattle met them early in the year. And the exact same thing was said about Carolina, how much they had improved and figured things out from an earlier meeting. And in the end, how did it turn out? Seattle won and never was I concerned that Carolina could win because I expected Seattle to pull away in the 2nd half, like they've been doing. Same script. Seattle is a much improved team since early in the season. Much improved. Our secondary depth was decimated at the beginning of year as we had to trade for a guy just to have a body to plug into the nickle corner. Harvin's departure changed the offense, which seems to have worked out. Wilson is spreading the ball around again rather than force feeding it to one guy for 3 yard screens. Believe me, I'd like to have a #1 WR right now, but it's been interesting that Seattle has gone 10-2 without Harvin. But gave up too much draft capital to acquire him. Seattle has played better ball down the stretch, not that Green Bay hasn't been on a roll as well. The Seahawks are a loose bunch based on all their behaviors this week and I expect a convincing win. Their record at home, their record in prime time games vs Green Bay's struggles on the road. It's not like they only lost early in the year on the road, as the Buffalo game shows. It's all very convincing to me. I didn't say that Green Bay has no shot. Of course they do. I said they were a very good team. This is the way I see the game unfolding.

 

Green Bay is not Carolina. Green Bay is a 13-4 team. Carolina is an 8-9-1 team. Green Bay was pounding Carolina so ferociously a couple months ago that Rodgers was pulled in the 3rd quarter for pure humanity's sake.

 

You do know that Rodgers and part of the crew won a Super Bowl a few years ago entirely on the road, right?

 

Looking forward to this game

[donhaas 18]

 

Ha ha ha... Apologies, it's a well deserved jab as I should have researched the total. That being said, I would stand by my statement even at 123 yards rushing as being a gashing. Most Cowboy fans I've talked with lamented they didn't run the ball more, as the GB defense WAS giving it up in the second half.

 

If I were you I'd forget about what Eddie Lacy could've done against the Cowboy defense right now, as you'll have your hands full with a defense that's surely more powerful next Sunday.

 

You're a little jumpy, that's understandable given the circumstances. Think of... fluffy white clouds.

 

Well, except for that 30-yard-run around the end, I thought the Packers did a pretty good job against the premiere rusher (and MVP candidate )in the league with the great offensive line that Dallas has, the way they pounded him and having to also worry about a dynamic receiver, an MVP candidate at QB, and a very good tight end...

Holding a potent offense like that to 315 yards was actually a pretty decent defensive effort...

 

Felt like you were going out of your way to dog us