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Quandre Diggs

New York Giants Stun Seattle At Home

by Kevin Nesgoda December 7, 2020

written by Kevin Nesgoda

The Seattle Seahawks took on the New York Football Giants on Sunday, where they were beaten 17-12. As Seattle’s defense is trending in the right direction nearing the playoffs, the once explosive offense is now starting to sputter. A mix of spotty quarterback play by Russell Wilson, and lack of ability to get anything going on offense was the demise for Seattle. Colt McCoy, who was replacing an injured Daniel Jones for the Giants, did what he had to for the Giants even with Seattle’s defense playing particularly well.

Russell Wilson and the offense had no trouble moving the ball between the 20’s. The offense was able to combine for 374 yards of total offense. That being said, they were never able to get the ball in the endzone efficiently, and if they were in field goal position, penalties came into play taking the offense out of field goal range. The New York Giants were also able to get to Wilson in the backfield, sacking him five times for a loss of 47 yards again on certain drives taking them out of field goal range as well.

Russell finished the day 27-43 with 263 yards through the air with one touchdown and an interception. He also rushed seven times for 45-yards. DK Metcalf was able to still perform at a high level racking up 80-yards on five catches against a solid secondary.

Touchdown, @ccarson_32 🙌

Q4: SEA 12, NYG 17 pic.twitter.com/vMWagnpTx6

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) December 6, 2020

Giants defense was able to hold Seattle to 4 of 13 on third down. The lack of ability to convert on third down hindered Seattle and forced them to go for it on fourth down. Giants defense again, was able to stop Seattle on both their attempts, giving them great field position to start their own drives.

The defense of Seattle looked quite good in today’s game. However, facing a 4-7 team you would assume they would be able to handle them with confidence. Quandre Diggs was able to have his second straight game with an interception and the secondary for Seattle was able to hold Giants offense to 105- yards through the air. Where the defense struggled was in the running game. Seattle’s front seven gave up 190-yards on the ground to a team that doesn’t even have their number one back in Saquon Barkley. Wayne Gallman was able to rush for 135 yards for the giants, notching his best game of the year against Seattle.

As we look ahead Seattle is now in a peculiar position. They play Jamal Adams ex team next week, which should be a win considering the Jets are winless on the season. Then moving forward to a Washington Football team that has won their last two games and are improving as the season goes on. Seattle will end the season facing their final division games against the San Francisco 49ers, and the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams are breathing down the neck of the Seahawks for that first-place spot in the division. So, with this loss there is now some uncertainty moving forward. What seemed to be a breeze of a schedule is now turning into a must win mentality. If not, Seattle is jeopardizing holding onto that number one spot in their division.

There goes @qdiggs6, still on his feet for the interception! 💨

Watch #NYGvsSEA on FOX. pic.twitter.com/UeLwHbMk9J

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) December 6, 2020

Seattle takes on the New York Jets next week at Lumen Field. Kickoff is set for 1:05 PT time. Check us out on twitter for live game updates @CascadiaSN.

December 7, 2020 0 comment

Seattle Seahawks

Seattle Seahawks vs Miami Dolphins Preview

by Kevin Nesgoda October 4, 2020

written by Kevin Nesgoda

Miami bound! ✈️#GoHawks x @Delta pic.twitter.com/2eZn24VtnH

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) October 2, 2020

As Russell Wilson, and The Seattle Seahawks take on the Miami Dolphins, we are expecting to see another high scoring game put together by the explosive Seahawks offense. With the offensive weapons Seattle has, and lack of experience in Miami’s secondary, Wilson should be able to have a field day airing the ball out. Miami’s defense ranks 25th in the league for passing yards, allowing teams to rack up around 266 yards per game. That means Russ should be able to pad his MVP stats that he has already posted so far this season.

However, Seattle has been dealing with their own injuries so far this season. Starting strong safety, Jamal Adams, who has been battling a groin injury he received last week against the Cowboys has been ruled out for this weekend’s contest. Quinton Dunbar who was acquired from The Washington Football Team, is also ruled out for Sunday’s game still battling a knee injury. This leaves Shaquill Griffin and Quandre Diggs as the only starters left in the secondary from the start of the season. Seattle will also be missing rookie linebacker, Jordyn Brooks, which means increased playing time for pass rusher Shaquem Griffin.

Touching on the running game, Miami’s defense ranks 23rd in the league for defending the run. However, with questions about Chris Carson’s health will see how Seattle shrinks his workload on the day. With it being early in the season there is no point in pushing him to far, especially with the opponent Seattle is facing this weekend. Expect Carlos Hyde and Travis Homer to handle most of the touches on the day.

Seattle’s biggest concern should be in second year back out of Washington, Myles Gaskin. He is currently averaging 3.8 yards per rush, and with injuries in the front seven Seattle will need their inexperienced players to step up and win the battle in the trenches.

In the end Seattle should win the game favorably. The way the teams is clicking there isn’t a defense that can seem to slow them down. Expect Russ to throw for over 300 yards and 3 touchdowns. I believe the defense will be able to step up and shut down “Fitzmagic” and come out on top 31-17. Kickoff takes place at 10:00 AM pacific time in Miami.

If you are placing bets on the game, the Seahawks opened up as a 6.5 point favorite, but lines have closed closer to 5 points. The Seahawks have also covered on all three wins this year and have gone over the point spread.

October 4, 2020 0 comment

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Russ cooks, Adams feasts in Seahawks’ 38-25 win over Falcons

by Kevin Nesgoda September 14, 2020

written by Kevin Nesgoda

ATLANTA – I’m not sure if the Seattle Seahawks’ season-opening win over Atlanta was a preview of things to come, but it sure was fun Sunday watching Russell Wilson carve up the host Falcons with surgical precision and leading the Seahawks to a 38-25 win that wasn’t as close as the score may indicate.

What a start to the season! 🙌#Seahawks WIN! pic.twitter.com/gs1eOQCu5X

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) September 13, 2020

Wilson got his opportunity to cook and roasted the Dirty Birds for 322 yards and 4 TD passes. More impressively, Russ completed 31-of-35 attempts and finished with a rating of 143.1. Equally impressive was the team’s newest star, safety Jamal Adams, who gave Matt Ryan and the Atlanta offense fits and tallied 12 tackles, 2.5 TFL, a sack and two hits on Ryan. Adams’ versatility was certainly on display, and if Sunday was any indication, it doesn’t appear he will “get bored” in the Seahawks’ scheme any time soon.

Ryan would go on to pass for 450 yards but needed 54 attempts to do so and tossed just two scores and was picked off by Quandre Diggs. Three Falcons had 100+ receiving yards, including Julio Jones (9-157), Calvin Ridley (9-130) and Russell Gage (9-114). Ridley hauled in both TD passes, covering 18 and 7 yards.

VIEW BOX SCORE

Chris Carson – after catching just two TD passes all last season – matched that total in the first quarter with catches of 3 and 19 yards, helping Seattle (1-0) to a 14-3 lead after one. Todd Gurley II plunged in from a yard out in the second, but had a relatively quiet Falcon debut, and Atlanta (0-1) trailed just 14-12 at the break.

Things unraveled for the hosts in the third when Wilson connected with DK Metcalf for a 38-yard TD on 4th & 5. The Falcons would fumble on the ensuing possession, setting up Wilson’s fourth TD pass, a 7-yard strike to new TE Greg Olsen, giving the Seahawks a 28-12 lead heading into the fourth. Seattle held leads of 19 points (31-12) and 20 points (38-18) in the fourth. Carlos Hyde added a short TD run for Seattle.

Atlanta outgained Seattle 506-383, but ended with a minus-2 in the turnover category and went 0-for-4 on fourth down attempts. Despite just 84 rushing yards as a team (with Wilson totaling a team-high 29), the Seattle offense got big days from Metcalf (4-95) and Tyler Lockett (8-92). Benson Mayowa had a sack on Ryan while Bobby Wagner, Shaquill Griffin and Marquise Blair each had seven tackles.

The Seahawks open their home schedule Sunday evening when they host the new-look New England Patriots (1-0) and Cam Newton on a national TV broadcast with kickoff slated for 5:20 PM PT at CenturyLink Field in Seattle.

September 14, 2020 0 comment

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Legion of Boom Reborn

by Kevin Nesgoda August 22, 2020

written by Kevin Nesgoda

The Seattle Seahawks have been making moves this offseason that truly shows just how serious they are about being Super Bowl contenders. There isn’t a spot on the roster where they have not tried to upgrade or add more depth to make sure they are ready for a championship run. However, the biggest jump they have made has been in their secondary. With additions of all pro safety, Jamal Adams, and arguably one of the best statistical corners in the league, Quinton Dunbar, the Seahawks made a massive jump in the defensive back department. While Seattle’s secondary now might not have all of the pieces that the original Legion of Boom possessed, they will have as good or even better talent than before.

When trying to compare a historical defense to a team that hasn’t even stepped on the field, things can get dicey. However, one thing I can say is that Seattle has brought in a group of high caliber players to emulate their success that they had between 2011-2015. While the Seahawks have always stayed competitive, they have also had huge weaknesses. So, to get started on the comparison, I wanted to start with the cornerbacks.

Corners

Looking back on the original legion of boom, Seattle had Richard Sherman, Brandon Browner, and Byron Maxwell. Sherman brought a high IQ to Seattle’s cornerback group, and with his size and speed he was able to man up most of the time and essentially be on his own island. Over his time with the Seahawks he was able to cover well in one on one situations giving his safeties the ability to play with instinct and wreak havoc on opposing offenses. Brandon Browner was a CFL product that was given an opportunity to join the Seahawks 2011. The 6’4 corner was a solid role player and was able to hunker down on the right side of the defense. Byron Maxwell was the extra depth that really helped this defense and would see significant amounts of playing time, especially when Browner got suspended in the Seahawks super bowl run in 2014.

The first comparison I want to point out is the amount of depth at the corner back position. On roster, Seattle currently has ten CB. While not all of them will be there by the time the season starts just the sheer number shows how strongly they value depth at this position. If I had to pick the starting corners today however, I would say Shaquill Griffen and Quinton Dunbar, with Tre Flowers and Quadre Diggs both getting significant playing time. With time and experience we have already seen Griffen grow leaps and bounds from when he started in Seattle. This year I believe we will see him be able to lockdown receiver’s more often and turn his batted balls into interceptions. Quinton Dunbar is a tall lanky corner, that possess speed and is known for interceptions. That key factor alone was the reason why Seattle brought him in. Dunbar also fits because he excels in man coverage and his IQ/work ethic shows that he has the ability to make improvements in zone coverage. With these two running the show, quarterbacks are going to have to be able to fit the ball into some tight windows.

Safeties

Now onto the safeties. Going back to the original LOB, Seattle had the dynamic duo of Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor. Thomas’s ball hawk tendencies made him a menace all over the field. He was able to cover a tremendous amount of territory and his stats in the interception department confirmed that. Kam Chancellor was a heavy hitting safety with above average ball skills. His ability to come down and play in the box was really the beginning of the hybrid safety era. In the grand scheme of things, I believe Chancellor would rather steam roll an opposing player than to rack up a bunch of pass breakups. I believe Seattle has tried emulate this with the addition of Jamal Adams, and returning safety Marquise Blair.

My projected starters at safety for the new era Legion of Boom, would be Jamal Adams and Marquise Blair. Jamal Adams as we know is an instant spark in the Seattle defense. He is a young player that brings a lot of different talents. Adams is built as if he could play linebacker, but has the quickness and acceleration that gives him the ability to cover the more athletic tight ends. Adams plays well downhill just like Chancellor and Thomas use to do. He also brings and interesting pass rush option which will give him the ability to rack up some sacks in Seattle’s so called “boring” defense. Marquise Blair brings that “Earl Thomas” attribute. His quick reaction gives him that ball hawk instinct while also allowing him to make plays down around the line of scrimmage. Blair is only twenty-three and had tremendous upside in the Seahawks new Legion of Boom. As the season progresses, we will be able to truly tell if we are seeing the birth of a new era for Seattle’s defense, but all signs are showing they are going to have a championship caliber team.

August 22, 2020 0 comment

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Seattle Seahawks at Green Bay Packers Playoff Preview

by Kevin Nesgoda January 8, 2020

written by Kevin Nesgoda

Seahawks at Eagles: A Wildcard Recap,Short Preview for Packers

Happy Winning Week, 12s! Everyone should be elated that the Seahawks were able to continue their road warrior hot streak, extending their season for another playoff game in Green Bay. Before we touch on that, we will take a look at the good and the bad of this last game against Philadelphia.

The Good.

Defense. I tweeted this out from the @CascadiaSN account but I’ll say it again: Say what you want about the defense, but they showed up and did their job. They were able to tally seven sacks—Carson Wentz was taken down for a sack while Josh McCown was taken down the additional six times. The 40-year old McCown replaced Wentz in the first quarter when Wentz took a controversial helmet to the head by Jadeveon Clowney. The Seahawks defense also limited Eagles to nine points while keeping them out of the end zone. The Seahawks stymied the Eagles on third down, only allowing them to convert 3 for 11 (27%). The Eagles were also stopped on fourth down twice, turning the ball back over to Seattle.

Passing. Offensively, Russell Wilsonthrew for over 300 yards (325) for the fourth time this season. He was therushing leader putting up 45 yards with his legs. Russ was able to complete 18of 35 passing attempts, targeting D.K. Metcalf nine times and Tyler Locketteight times. Metcalf racked up 160 yards and a touchdown while Lockett had 62yards. Marshawn Lynch was able to channel his vintage Beastmode, muscling andchurning for a 5-yard rushing score with 1:11 left in the first half. With thattouchdown, he is the sixth player in history to score 10+ postseason touchdownsfor a single team.

Third down conversions. The Seahawks were8-15 (53%) on third down. While that might not seem very great, they were ableto do this without establishing a rushing game at all.

The Bad.

Penalties. The Seahawks were penalized 11times for 114 yards. Bradley McDougald was flagged for holding twice (10Yards). Germain Ifedi jumped too soon (5 yards). Jacob Hollister pushed off adefender for OPI (10 yards) and moved too early twice (10 yards). DJ Fluker gota hand full of a defender’s jersey (10 yards). Delay of Game (5 yards).Jadeveon Clowney jumped the gun (5 yards). Tre Flowers had a rough game and wasflagged for DPI twice (59 yards). The Eagles were flagged seven times for only45 yards.

Rushing. Seattle’s running backs rushedfor 19 yards. I honestly cannot remember when Seahawks running backs,regardless of injuries, rushed for under 20 yards. They did implement pitchesand screens, but really could not get anything going from the backfieldotherwise. Seattle rushed the ball 26 times for 64 yards. Five rush playsresulted in a loss of yardage resulting in 11 total yards lost.

Injuries. Ziggy Ansah left the game afterre-aggravating his stinger injury. Mychal Kendricks and Mike Iupati were out ofthe game Sunday with injuries. Jadeveon Clowney is also not 100% with a coremuscle injury (hernia) that will likely require off-season surgery. I do notexpect Ansah to be active against Green Bay, but I expect the full power of thedefense to play through injuries this upcoming week as they play the Packers.

Looking ahead.

The Seahawks will get in a week of practice before heading northeast to Green Bay. Sunday’s weather looks chilly with a high of 29°. The Packers had a bye week to rest, watch, and study the Seahawks game, which is part of why SBD’s NFL odds page opened with Green Bay as four-point favorites this weekend.

Looking at the NFL’s team statisticspage, the Packers are NOT even in the offensive or defensive top-5 for totalyards, passing, or rushing. Here are some quick rankings:

Offense:

YPG: Seahawks 8^th(374.4),Packers 18^th (345.5).

Passing YPG: Seahawks 14^th(236.9), Packers 17^th (233.3)

Rushing YPG: Seahawks 4^th(137.5), Packers 15^th (112.2)

Defense:

YPG Allow: Seahawks 26^th(381.6), Packers 18^th (352.6)

Passing YPG Allow: Seahawks 27^th(263.9), Packers 14^th (232.9)

Rushing YPG Allow: Seahawks 22^nd(117.7), Packers 23^rd (120.1)

Sacks Total: Seahawks 29^th(28), Green Bay 15^th (41)

I’m not going to analyze or look too muchinto these numbers and rankings. I mean, the Seahawks are definitely no longera top-10 rushing team, but have shifted their focus to passing. The defense isstill banged up, but Quandre Diggs is back, while not 100%. Aaron Rodgers willair it out as he always does. I’m looking at Jimmy Graham as being a seriousthreat to the Seattle defense. It’s cliché, but true: The Seahawks struggleagainst TE screens and slot passes. On the other side, the Packers are generouswith total yards and passing. I’m thinking Russell Wilson will use Metcalf andLockett early and often. They might toss in a few screen passes to the runningbacks once the passing game is established.

This matchup is highly anticipated and I (nervously) look forward to this game! Seattle has been very good on the road this season. I hope this success continues.

January 8, 2020 0 comment

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San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks NFC West Championship Preview

by Kevin Nesgoda December 27, 2019

written by Kevin Nesgoda

What a difference a week can make, right? Happy Holidays andHappy Blue Friday, 12s, it’s that time of the week where we take a look at whatthe Seahawks are up against this week.

Typically, I would dig into statistics, try to analyze whatthe game should look like, but Ireally don’t see much of a point due to the injuries the Seahawks have sustained.None of the numbers will reflect what the current roster is producing, at leastfrom a ground game perspective.

Last week, the Seahawks lost two running backs: Chris Carson and C.J. Prosise. Carson suffered a hip injury that put him on the injured reserve for the remainder of whatever happens this season. Prosise suffered a broken arm, which too, ended his season and most likely his injury-plagued tenure with the Seahawks.

Surprise, the @Seahawks have signed @Turbo and @MoneyLynch. #GoHawks https://t.co/h6DQ7Me47U

— Seahawks PR (@seahawksPR) December 24, 2019

The front office did make some interesting moves this week by bringing back two veteran running backs and former Seahawks who haven’t played a single snap this season: Robert Turbin and Marshawn Lynch. Honestly, I dusted off the 2013 internal memories and got hyped for a little while but then reality set in. I have zero ideas how they will fare against a tough defensive front of San Francisco, especially with a banged-up O-Line coupled with the fact these guys haven’t played in a game. The odds are not in their favor, but hopefully, the emotional aspect will drive the line, fans, and backs to another higher level of performance.

In addition to the injuries to the running backs, DuaneBrown is now out for the remainder of the season due to nagging injuries thatrequired surgery. Al Woods and Josh Gordon are suspended, Quandre Diggs isnursing an ankle sprain, and Mike Iupati is dealing with a stinger.

We do have some good news: Jadeveon Clowney said, “There isno way I’m missing this game.” Mychal Kendricks and Shaquill Griffin were fullparticipants in practice Thursday. Therefore, the defense is healthier thanthey were a week ago to make that final push into a reasonable playoffposition.

Speaking of playoffs, here is what needs to happen forseeding: Seattle can clinch the NFC west with a win. They can clinch a firstround bye with a win and Green Bay loss. Seattle can clinch home-fieldadvantage (you know, since they’ve played so well at home this season) with awin plus a Green Bay and New Orleans loss.

San Francisco can clinch the NFC West, first round bye, andhome-field advantage with a win. They could also tie, but would need Green Bayand New Orleans to lose to obtain the latter two.

So, you better believe the Niners are going to come out gunsblazing.

Losing last week to the Cardinals put the Seahawks in atough position, but at the same time, we have to remember they’re going to thepostseason. Fans of 20 other NFL teams will watch the last game of the seasonon Sunday—Seahawks fans aren’t one of them.

I honestly don’t know what to think of this upcomingmatchup. There is a lot on the line for both teams as I just mentioned. I knowRussell Wilson will have to have an excellent game under center. Last week Inoticed he wasn’t scrambling like he usually does and took way too long tothrow the ball. Ultimately, he was sacked multiple times, which stopped anysort of momentum moving forward. The San Fran secondary is pretty elite soerrant passes cannot be made.

Defensively, the Seahawks are in a lot better shape than last. Jadeveon Clowney had one heck of a game against the last meeting of these two teams. Rasheem Green, Ziggy Ansah, and Clowney could be the momentum shift this team needs to get through this week. Jimmy Garappolo, when under duress, made some mistakes I think the Seahawks must capitalize on.

The Seahawks have fallen victim to screens, sweeps, and TE check-downs this season. If SF begins this game plan, like the Rams, it will be tough to come back from. They must stop the 49ers on third down. Conversely, the 49ers have one of the lowest defensive third-down conversion allowances. So, expect that not to change against Seattle who is about average league-wide on third down.

I’m not expecting a high scoring game. In fact, I wouldn’tbe surprised if this is a kicker shootout. I’m not saying that’s going to happen,but, you know…I wouldn’t be surprised.

December 27, 2019 0 comment

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Seahawks vs. Cardinals: A Rigorous In-Depth Statistical Analysis and Preview

by Kevin Nesgoda December 20, 2019

written by Kevin Nesgoda

Happy Blue Friday, 12s! Yes, I will continue to call us “The 12s” even though “Primetime” doesn’t think it matters a whole lot. Well, Centurylink averages nearly three false starts per game and crowd noise is a key factor.

Anyhow, the Seahawks are set to play in front of their home crowd against the Arizona Cardinals this weekend. Arizona has always been a thorn in Seattle’s side, historically, but I believe the Seahawks have the edge in this game. As always, I dig into the basic statistics for both sides and attempt to analyze and predict what could happen.

In my preview from last week, I was dialed in with my projections if you want to take a look by clicking here. If you’re like me and just want the bottom line up front, here it is: I predicted that Chris Carson would have a massive game rushing, that Tyler Lockett would find his groove once again, Seattle defense would pick the ball off, and that Christian McCaffrey would be limited to less than 100 yards on the ground, but thrive as a receiver. All came to fruition. I also predicted the Seattle defense would score six points, and that happened. However, it was reviewed and reversed to negate the play.

This week, the Seahawks are taking on a reeling Arizona team who is trying to find their identity. The Cardinals are among the worst defensive teams in the league and the Kyler Murray led offense is not all that stellar either. I’m terrible at fantasy football and projections, but if you’re in your finals, I would recommend starting Russell Wilson, Tyler Lockett, and Chris Carson—all three are statistically likely to have a massive game.

Let’s dig in and take a look at the chart below, noting the previous week differences:

The Cardinals are good at one thing: holding on to the football. They lead the NFL by only coughing up the ball 6 times. I talk more on this down below under the passing category. The Cardinals rank in the bottom 10 in terms of total yards, first downs, and third-down conversions. The Seahawks, however, are extremely generous to opposing teams with total yards per game (YPG)—but not as generous as the Cardinals who rank dead last giving up 413.1 YPG. The Cardinals also give opposing offenses the most first downs per game and the second-highest third-down conversion rate where the Seahawks rank pretty high offensively in those categories. As always, the Seahawks have had issues fumbling the football, which needs to continue to tighten up as they work their way into the postseason.

I have discovered some interesting numbers regarding points per quarter. Here is a little spreadsheet detailing how both teams defenses fare. Included are the home statistics for the Seahawks and away statistics for the Cardinals since the game is in Seattle:

***Seahawks and Cardinals Offensive and Defensive Statistics Per Quarter***

This is a concerning graphic if you are going to solely focus on the numbers. Cardinals are averaging 24 points on the road this season. The Seahawks have allowed an average of 29.4 points to visitors. Conversely, the Seahawks average 27.5 points per home game this season whereas the Cardinals give up 27.3 points per game while visiting. At home, the Seahawks tend to come alive in the fourth quarter, thanks to Russell Wilson and his determination to come from behind and secure a victory. This comes as good news since the Cardinals defense gives up an average of 11.7 points in the fourth quarter while on the road. The Seahawks tend to be giving in the second quarter at home relinquishing 10.2 points on average. The Cardinals, on the other hand, tend to struggle in the second quarter so that average might go down after this weekend.

Digging Deeper

***Seahawks Scoring Trends by Quarter***

As you can see, the Seahawks score more in the second and fourth quarters. In fact, they have always scored in the fourth quarter of every game this season. The reason the trend line goes down is because of how often they have scored in those quarters. Look at the third quarter. The trend is moving upwards because they have been blanked six times in the third quarter this season. Naturally, the trend will rise since anything is higher than zero. In Week 4, against the Cardinals, the Seahawks’ scoring by quarter went 10, 10, 0, and 7.

One thing the defensive plot graph pointed out was that the Seahawks have yet to surrender more than 14 points in any quarter this season. For a defense that is banged up and statistically ranked low, that seems impressive. Scoring in every quarter is decreasing since the beginning of the season up to last week. Quarters two and four seem to be the thorn in the defense’s side. Fatigue could likely be a factor since these are the later minutes of each half.

Additionally, in nine games this season, the Seahawks have not allowed opposing teams into the end zone in the third quarter, and seven of those nine games did not allow a single score.

As for this match-up, both teams defensively have a better third quarter than the rest of the game. This is likely due to coin toss deferments where the offense is on the field.

Rushing: Offense andDefense

Offense: The Seahawks, to no surprise, run the ball more often than not. I don’t expect this to change. Chris Carson averages nearly 20 touches and 4.4 yards per game. He’s tallied 1,190 yards and averages 85 YPG. He has 7 rushing touchdowns to his name. He has six games over the century mark and has at least 50 YPG 12 times this season. He’s fumbled seven times, losing four—which is likely why he did not get the Pro Bowl nod. This season, Seattle has rushed the ball on 47% of their plays while rushing 53% of the time last week. At home, the Seahawks rush the ball 45.8% of the time. Therefore, I expect another heavy workload for Carson against a Cardinals defense who gives up 122.7 YPG to opposing teams on the ground.

The Seahawks average one rushing touchdown per game and tendto find the end zone less at home averaging 0.8 touchdowns per game at homethis season. However, in their last three games, they have found the end zoneat least once and twice last week against a porous Carolina defense.

Here are the rushing trends for the Seahawks:

The graphic above shows that the Seahawks are gaining more and more rushing yards per game. Per the trend line, the Seahawks are expected to get around 125 yards on the ground, barring any outliers. The Seahawks have also rushed for 100+ yards in every game this season except Week 1.

For the Cardinals, newcomer Kenyan Drake is coming off a 137 campaign against the Browns where he scored four touchdowns. On the season, he has rushed for 591 yards and has tallied five touchdowns. Obviously, most of his numbers come from just a week ago. Whether at home or on the road, the Cardinals rush the ball roughly 39% of the time. However, they found success in the running game against Cleveland a week ago, rushing nearly 60% of the time. I do want to note that Cleveland is the sixth-worst rushing defense in the league. I don’t expect the Cardinals to put up the same number against the Seahawks.

Lastly, the Cardinals average 1.1 rushing touchdowns per game this season, while finding the end zone slightly more on the road at 1.2 per game.

Defense: Opponents’ rushing trends against the Seahawks are moving upwards. With the nagging injuries to Jadeveon Clowney, Ziggy Ansah, and Al Woods, this trend is going to likely continue going up until all three are healthy and on the field at the same time. Additionally, Bobby Wagner, the leading tackler for the Seahawks, tweaked his ankle against the Panthers. The Seahawks did sign veteran linebacker Dekoda Watson due to these injuries.

https://twitter.com/seahawksPR/status/1207388976975237120?s=20

I’m willing to bet the Cardinals are going to do a whole lot of running. In Week 4, the Seahawks allowed the Cardinals to rush for 115 yards. I imagine the Cardinals will be on target to do the same this weekend, considering the injuries sustained on the Seahawks defense.

***Seahawks’ Defense Rushing YPG Allowance***

For the Cardinals, I don’t expect them to hold the Seahawksto under the century mark. They are allowing an average of 122.7 rushing yardsand 27.6 attempts per game. As I mentioned, the Seahawks rushed for 115 in Week4 so they, too, should be on target to meet or exceed that previous mark.

Passing: Offense and Defense

Offense: Despite rushing the ball as much as they do,the Seahawks rank tenth overall in the NFL in the passing category. However, RussellWilson is one of the most sacked quarterbacks in the NFL. Infact, he is one sack shy of being the most sacked QB in franchise history.He is currently tied with David Krieg with 341 sacks. Krieg played 12 seasonsin Seattle to amass the sacks where Russell is in his eighth. Russell has onlyfour games this season under the 200 yards benchmark. Additionally, theCardinals rank dead last in the NFL in passing YPG allowance at 290.4 yards pergame. Quarterbacks facing the Cardinals also tend to have the highestcompletion percentage of 71.6%, also ranking the Cardinals’ defense dead lastin the league.

As you can see, Russ threw for over 200 yards in Week 4 and will likely do the same this week against an atrocious Cardinals secondary. The passing YPG is on the downslope but that is likely due to the two anomalies where Wilson threw for 400+ yards in Week 3 and nearly 350 yards in Week 9.

Unfortunately, Russell Wilson will be without Josh Gordon, who was suspended indefinitely for illegal substance violations. I truly enjoyed watching him play, as limited as it was. Let’s relive that catch from last week:

https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1206284982513061888?s=20

For the Cardinals, they are averaging 214 YPG which is amongthe worst in the league. Believe it or not, Murray has been sacked five morethan Wilson this year. The Cardinals are a heavy throwing offense averaging38.2 pass attempts per game but that comes at a cost of interceptions (13 forthe Cardinals) where the Seahawks’ defense is third in the league with 16picks.

Defense: Quarterbacks usually lead the way on every team in terms of fumbling the football. Kyler Murray has been sacked a massive 46 for a loss of 305 yards times this season but has only fumbled the football four times. While the defensive front is banged up for Seattle, even if they get to Murray, I don’t expect a whole lot of turnovers.

For the Seahawks’ defense, they have had issues. However,those numbers went down after Week 9 where opposing quarterbacks have beenlimited to under 300 passing YPG. In Week 4, Murray threw for a shade over 200yards, is considered stellar for the Seahawks’ secondary. As I mentioned, theSeahawks statistically have a mediocre defense, but they have never allowed anopponent to score more than two touchdowns in any quarter this season. Therefore,I consider that to be successful.

Injury Report

As of Thursday, non-participants include S Quandre Diggs, T Duane Brown, LB Bobby Wagner, DE Jadeveon Clowney, CB Shaquill Griffin, DT Al Woods, and LB Mychal Kendricks.

Limited participants include C Joey Hunt, G Mike Iupati, TE Luke Willson, WR Tyler Lockett.

Full participants include DE Ziggy Ansah, T George Fant, LB Cody Barton.

https://twitter.com/bcondotta/status/1207820540662038528?s=20

Kendricks, Griffin, and Clowney are game-time decisions, where Ansah and Willson are expected to play.

Up-to-date injury coverage will be provided when it becomesavailable. Make sure you follow us on Twitter @CascadiaSN to see those updates.

Bottom Line

I’m expecting a high scoring shootout type of a game. Depending on which defensive players are available for the Seahawks, there could be some disruption upfront and Kyler Murray will end up making mistakes. The Seahawks have been picking the ball off lately so I expect that trend to continue. I am expecting a run-heavy game for both teams. If Seattle’s middle defensive starters are out, Arizona will have a lot of success on the ground. However, I think Russell Wilson will decide to air out the football a little more than usual considering the poor pass coverage of Arizona.

Based on my numbers above, I’m expecting a 28-24 score favoring the Seahawks. Carson will get at least 100 yards on the ground and Russell should surpass 250 yards in the air. I think the secondary, even without Diggs, will come away with at least one interception, but I would guess two. The Cardinals don’t fumble often so I figure INTs is the only way Seattle will force turnovers.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. It took a while to put it all together to get a better understanding of what to expect. Your feedback is always appreciated and I look forward to putting up the final piece of the regular season next week.

Give me a follow on Twitter @BaseballDudeMan! Go Hawks!

December 20, 2019 0 comment

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Seattle Seahawks at Carolina Panthers: Recap and Injuries

by Kevin Nesgoda December 15, 2019

written by Kevin Nesgoda

The Seahawks flew to the East Coast to take on the reeling Carolina Panthers and secure a 30-24 victory. This win was also Pete Caroll’s 100th as the Seahawks’ Head Coach. However, while the Seahawks are now 11-3, it came at a cost of a couple of key defensive players.

https://twitter.com/Seahawks/status/1206321799476084736?s=20

Seattle was successful during their first three drives of the ballgame. After the kickoff, Chris Carson was able to pound the ball downfield, fueled by a 23-yard run, to get the score. Jason Myers missed the PAT to give the Seahawks a 6-0 lead after an 8-play, 74-yard drive. The Panthers’ first drive resulted in a punt to give the ball back to the Seahawks.

Tyler Lockett was able to find his groove and caught a 44-yard reception from Russell Wilson, who was dialed in throughout the ballgame. Wilson was able to connect with D.K. Metcalf for a 14-yard touchdown. After a successful PAT, the Seahawks were up 13-0 on the 8-play, 84-yard drive. With that touchdown reception, D.K. passed Doug Baldwin for second-most receiving yards by a rookie in Seattle history.

https://twitter.com/Seahawks/status/1206279823670136832?s=20

The Panthers found some life using the screen pass and jet sweep. Christian McCaffrey, who I believe is undoubtedly the best running back in the league, was able to pound the ball in for a touchdown – completing a 12-play, 75-yard drive.

In the second quarter, the Seahawks were facing second down and 18 at their own 17-yard line. Wilson connected on another deep pass to Josh Gordon for a whopping 58 yards. After a few penalties, Wilson connected with Tyler Lockett in the end zone for a 19-yard touchdown, ending the 6-play, 80-yard drive.

https://twitter.com/Seahawks/status/1206284893832937472?s=20

The second half was not as explosive offensively for the Seahawks. They were only able to score another touchdown on a beast of a run by Chris Carson, plus an additional field goal by Jason Myers. The defense took some hits to injuries which allowed the Panthers to capitalize. They scored 17 unanswered points after the Carson touchdown.

https://twitter.com/Seahawks/status/1206312928317591553?s=20

At one point in the fourth quarter, the Seahawks had SIX non-starters on the field playing. Pete Caroll commented after the game that “It was a great statement to walk out with a win with those guys playing.” As for the injuries, Caroll mentioned that “[Bobby] Wagner sprained his ankle a little bit. Quandre Diggs sprained his ankle also, but worse than Bobby.” Therefore, time will tell after more tests, more to follow later this week.

When asked about players’ status for next week, Pete mentioned that “Ziggy Ansah, Luke Willson, and Mychal Kendricks all have a good chance to be back on the field next week–Luke for sure.”

Thrice Picked. Seattle’s linebackers Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright collected all three Kyle Allen interceptions today. Wagner had one, Wright had two.

https://twitter.com/Seahawks/status/1206306065635102720?s=20

Not a runaway. With a banged-up defensive front, the Seahawks were able to limit Christian McCaffrey’s rushing attempts to only 19 carriers for 87 yards. However, they didn’t have an answer to the screens and sweeps. D.J. Moore had 113 receiving yards while McCaffrey collected an additional 88 yards. Christian is the 7th player in history to have 1,200+ rushing and 750+ receiving yards in a season. Seahawks defense tallied three tackles for loss plus a sack on the day.

On of the offensive side of the ball for the Seahawks, Wilson was 20 for 26 with two touchdowns. Lockett broke out of his slump and had 120 receiving yards with a touchdown. This is his fourth game with over 100 receiving yards this season. On the ground, Chris Carson had another 100+ yard game, rushing for 133 yards and two touchdowns.

https://twitter.com/Seahawks/status/1206278629514076160?s=20

The game got close in the fourth quarter when the Panthers were trying to make a comeback, but couldn’t stop Chris Carson’s running game who ultimately sealed the game.

Looking ahead, the Seahawks head back home to take on the Arizona Cardinals. Injuries are a factor here, but it might be a good week to let those who are not 100% to rest an additional week before the final regular-season game at home against the 49ers.

December 15, 2019 0 comment

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Seattle Seahawks at Carolina Panthers: An In-Depth Preview

by Kevin Nesgoda December 13, 2019

written by Kevin Nesgoda

Happy Blue Friday, 12s. This week we have a great matchupbetween the Seattle Seahawks visiting the Carolina Panthers. More on that, butfirst I want to talk about playoff scenarios.

The Seahawks are coming off a loss at Los Angeles (I was there, *eye roll emoji*) where the offense was nowhere to be found/not on the same page/case of the dropsies. The defense could not figure out how to stop Jared Goff from throwing on the run, primarily to tight ends. Defensively, Quandre Diggs came away with a pick-six and an additional interception, but it was not enough.

The loss comes as a wakeup call to the Seahawks who are in afight to the playoffs, even though they have a 99% chance, according to CynthiaFrelund. Additionally, the Seahawks can clincha playoff berth this weekend with the following scenarios:

Seahawks win and a Rams loss or tie.
Seahawks win and Vikings loss.
Seahawks win, Packers loss, and Vikings tie.
Seattle tie, and a Rams loss.

The Rams (8-5) are taking on the Cowboys (6-7) in Dallas so this week is a good week to root for the Cowboys. The Vikings (9-4) are traveling to Los Angeles to take on the Chargers (5-8). Therefore, this will likely be a home game 2.0 for the Vikings since the Chargers cannot seem to sell tickets to their own fans. Regardless, it would be a great week for the Chargers to actually play four full quarters and Phillip Rivers to not throw as many interceptions as he has children.

For the Seahawks to clinch the division, the San Francisco 49ers need to lose when the Seahawks win. However, the division will likely come down to Week 17 when the 49ers are in Seattle. The schedule for both teams is “winnable games” until the clash of the two at the season finale in Seattle.

Okay, on to the Panthers matchup. The Panthers are coming off a blowout loss against the reeling Falcons. They managed to put up 20 but gave up 40. QB Kyle Allen threw for 293 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. Allen also rushed for a score, while fumbling twice, and was sacked five times. Christian McCaffrey had 11 carries for 53 yards and 11 receptions for 82 yards but did not find the end zone.

On the defensive side, Carolina only sacked Matt Ryan once, allowing him to throw for 313 yards and two touchdowns. Devonta Freeman and Brian Hill combined for 146 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. However, the moral of the story is that Carolina gave up 300+ yards in the air. This is something the Seahawks and Russell Wilson should take into consideration.

A couple of other notes: The Panthers are 3-12 in November and December over the last two seasons and the Panthers have allowed 24 rushing touchdowns this season—, which is the most in the NFL.

Time to dig into some statistics. I added a column from last week to show the difference between the previous two weeks’ averages. Let’s just say, last week’s game was not helpful in the stat column. First, we will start with the offense:

*Total offense and defensive statistics through Week 14.*

The Seahawks still rank top-5 when it comes to total offense. Unfortunately, they also rank high on the fumble counts. The Seahawks are able to obtain first downs and have a median 40% third-down conversion rate. The Panthers, however, do not have a powerful offense. They have Christian McCaffrey and that is about it. They rank low on total offense, fumble rate (just behind the Seahawks), and third-down percentage.

Defensively, the Seahawks and Panthers are fairly generous to opponents when it comes to total yards and first downs. They both rank near the bottom of the league in the total yards allowed per game. The Seahawks have forced 22 fumbles on defense, which puts them in the top of the league. For first downs and third-down percentages, both teams are somewhat equal.

I expect the Seahawks to push the ball downfield and scorevia the rush. As mentioned, the Panthers are charitable in both of thosecategories. For the Panthers, I expect McCaffrey to have a busy day carryingand receiving. If they can limit him, they can mitigate scoring opportunitiesfor Carolina.

Rushing:

The Seahawks still are one of the premier rushing teams, however, that might slow with the injury to Rashaad Penny, who was just placed on the Injured Reserve to make room for Ethan Pocic. I do not expect Chris Carson to take the full workload, but I expect it to increase from the already heavy load. I am excited to see Travis Homer get some action this weekend. He was my preseason favorite to back up Carson.

On Wednesday, the Seahawks signed Xavier Turner, a rookie out of Incarnate Word (Texas). The Seahawks are top-3 concerning rushing yards per game and attempts per game. Again, fumbles are an issue. Carolina is in the top half of the league with rushing yards, and Christian McCaffrey ranks third with 1220 rushing yards on the season. McCaffrey is only 61 yards short of being the top rusher in the league. He has tallied 12 rushing touchdowns and 4 receiving touchdowns this season thus far. Additionally, Christian has 726 receiving yards so far so he could reach the 1,000 rushing / 1,000 receiving yards running back this season. He could be the first player since Marshall Faulk in 1999 to accomplish this feat and the third player in history to do so (Roger Craig, SF, 1985).

On the defensive side of the ball, the Panthers are near the bottom of the league in terms of rushing yards per game. The Seahawks are stingy to running backs, ranking in the top-10 for rush attempts allowed. Opponents know the defensive front of Seattle is stout and will likely exploit the passing woes the Seahawks have. While Diggs has made a difference in the secondary, short passes and screens still haunt the Seahawks for yards after the catch. I expect McCaffrey to be busy doing both.

My guess is that McCaffrey is going to have under 100rushing yards from scrimmage, but will surpass the century mark receiving(screens and check-downs). This is a good Segway to my final category ofpassing and receiving.

Passing/Receiving:

There is a lot to unfold right here, so I’m going to do it as briefly as I possibly can. Here is what I notice and is likely the key takeaway is that on offense, Carolina’s QBs have thrown a lot of interceptions as well have gotten sacked 50 TIMES! Defensively, Carolina is the second-best in the sack column, racking up 47 this season. They are tied with the Seahawks with third-best in total interceptions.

I expect Russell Wilson will be under a lot of pressure. He has a knack for holding on to the ball and scrambling which will likely work out in the Panthers’ favor. Conversely, so will Kyle Allen.  Fortunately, Allen makes mistakes with fumbles and interceptions where Wilson just loses yardage.

This will be a defensive game. Both teams are decent on that side of the ball, but Wilson has the definite edge under center. Seattle has the rushing edge, even though McCaffrey is on his way to a career season. I expect Chris Carson to have a massive game on the ground. I also expect Seattle to be quiet on the passing front.

Also on Wednesday, they placed Neiko Thorpe on the IR and promoted CB Ryan Neal, a rookie out of Southern Illinois, as his replacement.

https://twitter.com/seahawksPR/status/1204826640842231808?s=20

Jadeveon Clowney and Mychal Kendricks did not participate in practice on Thursday and has officially been declared OUT against the Panthers.

https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/1205640854473457665?s=20

With Ziggy Ansah and Al Woods coming back this week, it should not be too concerning considering how many times Carolina’s QBs have been sacked this season.

Tyler Lockett has been underutilized for the last few weeks, partially due to illness and injury. Hopefully this week he can break out once again. Last week, there were key dropped passes that turned the ball over to the opponent. I want to believe the Seahawks have tuned up their pass-catching abilities to ensure simple, yet critical passes, are not dropped.

Injuries for the Seahawks:

Those who did not participate on Thursday include DEJadeveon Clowney, TE Luke Willson, CB Shaquill Griffin, LB Mychal Kendricks.Limited participants were T George Fant, DE Ziggy Ansah, DT Al Woods, and TDuane Brown.

As mentioned, with Clowney and Kendricks out, that stings the defense. However, Ansah and Woods were back practicing which is a great sign for both. Russell could use the strength of Brown and Fant to help prevent spending any time on his back this game.

A list of actives and non-actives will be posted on Twitter@CascadiaSN when it becomes available—usually Sunday morning.

As always, I expect a close game. Both teams are more than capable of beating each other and it seems that Carolina likes to beat up on the Seahawks. However, with Cam Newton out, I’m going to say the Seahawks put up at least 30 this week with at least six of those points coming from the defense. The offensive line needs to hold up against the speedy defensive front of Carolina in order to open up the passing game for Russ.

Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment below! In addition, a special shout out to our new writer and Englishman Andrew Hughes who will be at the game in Carolina!

December 13, 2019 0 comment

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Seahawks at Rams: A technical review

by Kevin Nesgoda December 9, 2019

written by Kevin Nesgoda

Introduction

The Seattle Seahawks fall to 10-3, miss a chance to clinchthe playoffs definitively and relinquish the first seed to the only NFC teamwith 11 wins, the San Francisco 49ers. Before I talk about this game, I want totalk about the outcome implications a little bit.

In terms of playoff-clinching, Seattle now stands at 98% chance of playoff clinch, with a host of likely scenarios occurring in the next week meaning all that is really up for debate is where Seattle will seed.

The key fixture for the Seahawks future is Week 17 against the aforementioned 49ers as this will decide the #1 seed. It is okay to be a game behind going in because a victory will even the teams’ record and give the Seahawks the tiebreaker. In the case of a split head to head where the 49ers win, the best divisional record wins, which given the most likely outcomes of all the games, means 49ers will advance as the 1 seed. As long as Seattle wins the next 2 games against sub .500 and falling teams (Carolina and Arizona), it all comes down to the 30^th of December at CenturyLink Field.

What this means is that this game is not crucial, however, it is worth noting the obvious upside of the win, to keep pace with the 49ers and improve division record.

First Half

After 6 ½ minutes with 11 plays covering 54 yards, Seattle’s opening drive was ended by a suffocating 3^rd down sack. During this opening drive, Rashaad Penny suffered a “significant injury to his knee” according to Coach Pete Carroll. Monday testing will give a clearer picture of the injury.

https://twitter.com/johnpboyle/status/1203920666241536000?s=20

A Field Goal was successfully attempted by Jason Myers, who has 26/32 FGs in 2019, and has hit 8 straight but would end up missing a PAT in heavy winds later in the game. Myers is 33/36 in terms of extra points in 2019 and previous to today had completed 12 of his last 13, with a miss against Tampa Bay.

For the Rams’ opening drive, the Seahawks were dedicated to the run-stuffing style. This focus on the run allowed passes of 19, 15 and 33 yards in the drive. There were 4 runs, 4 passes.

Seattle’s defense continues to aggressively play the run, after comments of Coach McVay that he will be using Todd Gurley more. However, in the passing game, the cover 3 zone was being exploited with many varied concepts and well-targeted routes. Jet sweeps also were used to attack the tunnel vision on Gurley. Through the first quarter, Jared Goff completed 6 of his 7 passes. Many of these plays are very simple reads, which reduces the stress of Goff, who seemed to struggle in a complicated system designed and previously implemented by McVay.

The 2^nd quarter begins with the rams making it 14-3 the Seahawks started their 3^rd possession. After a stalling drive with another attempted inside zone on 3^rd and 2, the Seahawks moved it much further downfield, just outside the red zone, where a contested-catch by Malik Turner goes incomplete on 4^th down. The Seahawks were 4 of 7 on 4^th down conversions until this point.

After only the 13th 3-and-out all year for the Rams and a terrible option play by Russell Wilson the ball goes back to the Rams which allow further gouging of the defense with crossing and horizontal intermediate passing plays, as well as deep passing plays attacking the middle seams that are the weak points of the Seattle cover 3. The Rams cap a 240 yard half with another touchdown to go into the locker room with an 18 point advantage.

Halftime

Here’s what I wrote as I sat down at halftime. I believe these are the keys to the Rams’ success.

A higher emphasis on the run game, which opens up the passing game for Goff.
Lack of pressure on Goff in order to allow free throwing motion. Bootlegs, movement and PA instrumental here
Great interior run-stuffing to stop inside zone from the shotgun in key situations
Good passing defense to consistently contest catches.
Good schematic match-ups to exploit deep inside seam routes and crossing routes to exploit the 4-3 scheme Seattle uses.
Despite high pressure, the relative success of Gurley in the run game.

I am not optimistic about the second half as the main problems for the Seahawks are deep-seated schematic exploits or pure talent problems on both sides of the ball from the rams, as well as great off fieldwork from McVay.

Second Half

In the first drive, a rare pressure from the Seahawks came from a stunt of Shaquem Griffin, a pressured ball caused an off-target throw, which was intercepted by Quandre Diggs, his 2nd interception (3^rd Turnover) of the season since he joined Seattle in week 10. Diggs ran uncontested into the endzone for a Pick 6, but Jason Myers missed the extra point, partially due to high winds.

https://twitter.com/Seahawks/status/1203872855592620033?s=20

The very next drive, the increased pressure was noticeable, with another Quandre Diggs interception, (which obviously makes 3 INTs) and several bad balls from Goff as the defensive line is allowed to pursue the passer as a higher priority than the run. With this focus shift, Gurley is able to generate more production in the run game, such as another run to the edge. The first Seahawks possession of the 2^nd half was a 3 and out from inside the Seahawks’ 10-yard line.

https://twitter.com/Seahawks/status/1203874671206137856?s=20

Gurley’s production continued to increase as the 3^rd quarter progressed but the drive results in a blocked field goal, with Rasheem Green making another big play. Seattle was unable to get points in the ensuing drive, and so the 4^th quarter begins with an 11 point differential and the rams with the ball. They escape the shadow of their own endzone with a bootleg and flip inside to the tight end. Well balanced plays and a strong physical run by Gurley extended the difference to 19.

https://twitter.com/Seahawks/status/1203877940670263297?s=20

A long drive by the Seahawks, ending in a 34-yard field goal cut the deficit to 16, and technically a 2 score game, but with 7 minutes to go the chances were slim. A drive-extending first down by D.K. Metcalf was a beautifully executed stop and go. Metcalf tends to run a lot of comebacks and his large frame makes it difficult for defenders to get at the ball, meaning they aggressively attack the turn, and undercut it, leaving a free over the top route for Metcalf.

The defense forced a 3 and out (#16 for the Rams all year) to give the ball back to the offense with five minutes to go, who respond with two incomplete passes and a sack. Josh Gordon converts the 4^th and 18 for just his 6th catch with the Seahawks. The drive continues past the 2-minute warning until after consecutive holding penalties where Wilson launches a ball into the end-zone to be intercepted, and the clock is run out by LA with a first down.

Spotlights

Cody Barton made a positive impact several times with a batted ball and a good tackle in the red zone. Starting for the injured Mychal Kendricks. He was unsuccessful in setting the edge as effectively as Kendricks, whom he was replacing. The rookie racked up 4 total tackles was briefly injured but returned. While having a quiet performance in the second half, he was partially at fault for some outside breaking intermediate routes but he was put into the role of a vastly different style of linebacker and overall I would say he was passable as a replacement for Kendricks and could be more valuable if given a role tailored towards his strengths.

Shaquem Griffin. After an early-season of mediocre and very limited line-backing play, Shaquem has turned into an impactful pass rusher. Here he has been an absolutely different player. His explosive first step, great ferocity, and good speed allow him to create disruptions and movement in the pocket, but a lack of bulk and technique limits his effectiveness in power situations. He has flashes of power, such as fighting and slipping through a double team, and off-season bulk and training will certainly help. I am a firm believer in Belichick’s philosophy. Focus on what you’ve got, not what you lack. (See D.K Metcalf falling to pick 64 as proof of teams only focusing on drawbacks) he was able to affect Goff multiple times and help force the Pick 6 with his drive.

D.K. Metcalf was the most effective Seahawks receiver in both receptions (6/6) and yards (73) as he continues to be the most productive rookie WR coming into the game with 44 targets, 705 Receiving yards and was tied for second for touchdowns with 5. His body control, hands, and speed separate him already as a very impressive receiver, ranking in the top 30 of all wide receivers for yards. As the season develops, not only has he been successful with the “big man’s route tree” of fly’s, slants and comebacks, but he has had success with traditional routes such as digs, outs, and posts as well.

Bobby Wagner. Lest you forget that Wagner is the heart of the team, a 14 combined tackles, 11 solo tackle game. A Seahawks performance has not been matched since 2016 when Wagner did it again. David Hawthorne was the last player to do it in 2010. Only eight other times this year has there been an equal or better performance across the year. After a punishing first half, Wagner was central to the much stronger defensive performance in the 3^rd and 4^th quarters, allowing just 7 points.

December 9, 2019 0 comment

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