Quick In-Game Note, 3rd Q

Seeing some new things for the Hawks.  Deion Branch is actually active this game.  He and TJ are the leading receivers this game so far.  Burleson is not having much of an impact.

Jones is getting stuff, the usual state of the game for him. Actually, the Colts are not doing so hot in that department either.

Tatupu and Babs are having a good game with a quarter to go.

Amazingly, both teams are equal in terms of time of possession.  The BIG difference is that the Colts have twice the passing yards that the Hawks have.

Game 4 Preview

What preview?  They are playing INDIANAPOLIS.  They are going to lose, and lose badly.  It would be a major upset of Husky-USC proportions if the Hawks were to win this game.  The best one can hope for is *no more major injuries*.

I’m very interested in finding out how the defense will do with Mora’s “Silent” calling of the signals.  This week the team is using wristbands and numbers in a effort to mask their plays against Payton’s knowledge and experience.

I’d also like to see if the OL & Jones can establish and keep a running game going.  How will Burleson, Carlson, and TJ do?  Lofa’s back on defense, YEAH.  Can Curry be a burr under the Colts’ skin?  Seneca is going to have to do more than play solidly; he’ll have to play well and not make errant passes.  The whole defense needs to make a concerted sustained effort to limit Payton’s ability to pick secondaries apart.

Clare Farnsworth, Blog, seahawks.com, has the best description of the Seahawks vs Colts matchup:

Fun to watch

MLB Lofa Tatupu vs. Manning: This is the game within the game that is the Seahawks’ defense vs. the AFC offensive player of the month for September. Tatupu returns just in time for the cat-and-mouse segment of the prolonged pre-snap portion of the Colts’ offense. It’s during this arm-waving, finger-pointing, foot-lifting ritual that Manning tries to create the mismatch he will manipulate. It will be up to Tatupu to make the proper counter adjustments to try and minimize Manning’s extended excursion into audibles – the real, as well as the exaggerated.

Late After-Game Report #3

The Seahawks did play better, as Coach Mora promised.  They displayed better team effort and had less errors, physical and mental, than the previous game. Statistically, they won the game–more 1st downs, more 3rd down conversions, greater net yards + running yards + passing yards.  The key of the game was that Chicago made their one and only 4th down conversion and had more return yardage/better ST play.

Coach Mora took plenty of heat for his post-game comments regarding Mare’s play.  I understood his frustration in that 6 points would definitely have made a difference.  Would it have been enough to win the game? That’s debatable.  I wondered, as I’m sure many others did, if he would regret his words the next day.  He did, and he made an apology.  The team, from all accounts, is fine with what he said and did.  Some fans are not.  Many fans felt/feel Coach Mora should be critisized for his play-calling & game mangement and that was why/how the team lost.  Personally, I think it’s a combination of errors by a number of key players and Chicago making the plays when they had to.

Here’s a summary of my “Players to Watch For”

Offense

• Standout – Burleson.  Awesome game for him.   Julius Jones, someone I didn’t list.  He had almost a hundred yards rushing + a TD reception!  I certainly was not expecting that.  Maybe all that talk by coaches that it takes 6-8 weeks for the players to fully understand & play the ZBS is true….
• Solid – Wallace.  Again another very solid effort.  He did not lose the game all by himself.  Frye – did well again this week, too.

Defense

• Standout – Heater!  What an explosion by this guy.  David Hawthorne lead the team with *15* tackles, 1 INT, and 1 pass deflection.
• Solid – Curry was not slouch either getting 6 tackles, 1 assist, and a sack.  Herring had 5 tackles and 2 assists.

Proving the Doubters Wrong

Myself included.  I’m very happy to be on the wrong side in this one.  I was one of the doubters during training camp about whether or not L0-Jack was going to be a solid player much less a starter in a game.

Lawrence Jackson has been playing very well in the past few games even though he’s not starting, increasing his tackles and getting some sacks.

I enjoyed Dave Wyman’s article about why this is happening now for him at mynorthwest.com

Here’s to hoping he gets some more sacks this week!

Players to Watch vs Chicago

On the Offense

• Seneca Wallace (QB) – took
• Brandon Frye, who did such a solid job last week at RT
• Deion Branch (WR) is finally going to be ready to make an appearance!
• Chris Spencer (C) coming in after rehabbing his injury
• Owen Schmitt (FB) He’s got tough shoes to fill if Griffith doesn’t start
• John Carlson (TE) – Will he be able to have a big day vs the Bears defense, which is notoriously stingy against tight ends?
• Nate Burleson (WR) – Needs to stay active & ready

On the Defense

• Brandon Mebane (LDT) – this is huge for the Hawks! Great time to be ready
• David Hawthorne (MLB) – Go Heater! He’s a starter Sunday
• Will Herring (OLB ) – Starting this game
• Aaron Curry (OLB) – Because he’s such a firebrand! GO, GO, GO!
• Kelly Jennings (LCB) – Starting this game

Links to Previews of Sunday’s Game vs Chicago

seahawkaddicts.com

• Keys to the Game
• A lengthy & informative interview with a Chicago Bears blogger here
• This title clues you right away as to it’s content:  “What is This Team Made of?”

Seahawks Blog, mynorthwest.com

• Brock Huard

Blog, seahawks.com

• Clare Farnsworth
• Historical Review & Notes

Tidbits for Game #3

Mike Sando, ESPN Blog, has some great stuff this week:

1. For those wanting to see Forsett start, he explains why that’s not a great idea
2. He also points out another side of TJ Houshmandzadh due to a couple of comments he made this week.  TJ is valued for his competitive spirit, his WR skill set, being a great teammate.  These comments seem to me, and Sando, to be a deviation from that reputation. His comments are in this blog entry “The political side of Houshmandzadeh”

In general, Seneca Wallace is just getting slammed simply for starting as a QB by most of the press & fans.  I don’t agree with this.  He’s a very solid player who knows the Seahawks system, rarely makes mistakes, and can throw the ball deeper than Matt can.  He’s also more mobile in the pocket than Matt.  He’s more than capable of dealing with the Bears.  The matter is going to lie more with the WR, OL and the defense!

Chris Sullivan of Seahawkaddicts.com had a nice blog article recapping last week’s game

After Game Report #2

One of the Hawks players, I forget who, summed it up in one sentence:

“They brought their A game and we played an F game”