Huh?

The title for my post will be self explanatory after you read this so bear with me.
In a recent post, ADP brought up a point that I really don't hear anyone talking about, but which I have noticed and has bothered me excessively for the last two seasons.
Why in the world is it, that on third down situations, Mike Holmgren is not going with the guy who is our most dangerous weapon? Why is it that on third downs he pulls Shaun Alexander and chooses to run third and short with Mack Strong again and again and again with the same lousy results? I have seen this exact same play, repeated over and over the past two seasons and so has every other coach in the NFL. Every team in the NFL knows what is coming and it simply doesn't work.

Also, why in the world is it that whenever Shaun Alexander is on the sidelines getting a breather and Maurice Morris is in the game, you can rest assured that the call will be sweep left? I mean every single time for cryin out loud. Again, every team in the NFL knows it is coming!

Finally, and most importantly, why is Shaun Alexander, our most dangerous weapon running the ball, on the sideline on third downs anyway?
I know I am going to hear a bunch of SA haters whine that "he doesn't block and has lousy hands." I know, I know that is what you all will say, but trust me, what we are doing now isn't working any better. Watching Strong get stuffed for a loss on yet another third and short, is humiliatingly predictable. Watching MoMo sweep left every single time he is in the game, is just plain embarrassing.
Is this really the best Holmgren can come up with? I would rather see us throw the ball than do either of those two plays yet again.
If it's true that Strong is brought in on third downs to block, then let him block already!
And if it's true that MoMo is our backup because he is an NFL caliber running back, then let's him bust one up the middle just one single time! Let's see if he can actually run between the tackles once.

Apparently I am not the only one who has noticed this, but am I the only one who is truly fed up with it? Am I overreacting? I cannot see how I am when we continue to fail to convert on third and short because we have become so bland and predictable that the entire universe knows what is coming.

Look, this whole thing is very easy to solve; if you want to frighten teams, and be unpredictable on third and short, here's all you have to do leave Shaun Alexander in the game! It's that simple! Why? Because if he is in the game, defenses cannot simply load up and go after Hasselbeck, because the threat that he can take one to the hole is always there. With Strong or with Morrris the threat is simply not there. The point isn't whether or not Strong can block better, or whether or not Morris has better hands (something I am entirely unconvinced of) the point is that with Shaun Alexander in on third and short, the defense, if it wants to take something away, has to guess. They have a 50% chance of quessing wrong and getting hurt bad. With Alex in the game on third downs, the defenses are forced to play more conservatively, because they have to respect BOTH the pass and the run.
As it is now, they are simply loading up in the box, and run blitzing our pants off. A run blitz, even if we are throwing the ball can quickly turn into a pass blitz which puts pressure on Hass. Thus our third down conversion rate is still MUCH lower than it should be, given the weapons we have on offense.

The bottom line is that we are doing right now, with Strong and Morris is like forcing a boxer in a very big round to fight with one hand behind his back; and in my opinion, until we start leaving Alexander in on third downs, we will continue to have a lower third down coversion ratio than we should have.

who will be the M.O.P? (most outstanding player)

What I mean by M.O.P. is not necessarily the MVP (though it could be), but just the one guy who simply had the outstanding game regardless of positon.

Let's face it people, I am the M.O.P. king, so far I have NAILED it every week. Last week I picked DJack and Hamlin and they both excelled, before that I picked guys like Lofa and Stevens and Jurivicius and Tubbs. I have freakin NAILED it each and every game. Too bad I am completely burned out and CLUELESS this week. *sigh*
I have absolutely no idea who I should go with this week because I get the sense that the game will go much differently than the way I would have it go if I were the head coach. I just have no pregame "feeling" for this one at all.

Anyway, guess I gotta go with somebody, so here's how I'll do it. The ofeensive M.O.P. (if I were head coach) would be Jerramy Stevens. I really think he has the size and speed to be the single biggest matchup problem for the Skins this week. Having said that, I will probably be wrong, it'll probably turn out to DJack again or Bobby Engram. But I will go with Stevens even though I think I'll be wrong.
Defensively is a little easier, but still very tough. I would like to say that Trufant will have the big game shutting down the Skins recievers, or that Tubbs or Wistrom will have the big game getting a couple of sacks and putting all kinds of pressure on the QB. But I am probably wrong again, so just to name someone, I will say......Wistrom. Two sacks and a forced fumble. There those are my picks, (which I have absolutely no faith in whatsoever for the first time this year) who are yours? Who do you guys think will be the M.O.P. and why?

Don't Tobeck yourself...

Yesterday on the local sports station, KJR, Chad Eaton told a great story about the last Seahawk visit to RFK. I thought you out of towners might enjoy it.

Back in 2003, Robbie Tobeck missed most of the week leading up to the game because of the flu. But being a Coug, Robbie wasn't going to let a little flu keep him out of the game.

The first series started as expected--first and 10 on the Washington 43--the O-line broke the huddle, Matt surveyed the defense, Robbie got set on the ball and it happened.

Deep in thought studying the defense, Matt didn't notice, but the sideline errupted. The sound was deafening, unmistakable. Matt hit Engram for 9 yards. Second and 1, hand off to Shawn for 2--first down. The Skins got a good rush on the next play, forced Matt to throw the ball away, and the Hawks were flagged for intentional grounding.

During the penalty break Matt went to the sideline to check in with Holmy. While they talked Xs and Os, the trainer offered Matt some anti-bacterial lotion. Only then did he realize.

Two plays later Matt hit Bobby for a TD, but the rest of the half didn't go so well. The constant application of lotion made Matt's hands slick and the game just went down hill from there.

According to Eaton, during halftime Holmy called Matt and the QB coach, Jim Zorn, into a back room and gave them a verbal thrashing--worse than Eaton had ever seen delivered by Holmy, which is saying a lot considering Eaton and Holmy's relationship. Apparently the last thing Holmy said was, "...And wash that damn lotion off your hands!"

Tobeck changed during halftime but the damage was done.

Thursdays With Idiots

If you don't understand what to do, look at the image, and take a wild guess at who the image is of...it could be a CURRENT or FORMER Seahawk...Ill give you 3 clues...and a bonus for those who may need it.


Clue #1: I used to make the players whine and beg, but that was before I spent my time with my old friend Greg

Clue #2: I was not one of the Seahawk haters, instead I loved the Raiders

Clue #3: They say after your playing days are over, life is a beach...so just in case, I made sure im ok afterwards, I perfected my speech




Bonus Clue: I dont know which I liked more...Oranges or Tangerines? Ill just ask my team's defense who last season ranked 15th



Last Week's Answer: Kenny Easley...Ill explain the clues in the thread...



Try to solve it in one clue, as only can an idiot who is true! Next week, Ill reveal the answer...please do not cheat or post pics...give it a chance...are you an idiot?

monKEYS to the Game

A big question faces the Seahawks this week; will they be two and two or three and one heading into the most important game of the season?
While in my mind, and on paper, I look at the Redskins and think that they are really no better (and not much different) than the Cardinals at least talent wise, there are some things that we will have to overcome this week that we didn't last week, such as crowd noise, another long trip to the east coast, and a legendary head coach whose team has been quite lucky, but is playing with some confidence, having not lost and coming off of a bye week. Also it would be very easy to look forward to next weeks game, which is the far more important game for this team, and which will no doubt, be a real measuring stick of just how good we can be this year.
So with those differences and factors in mind I present monKEYS key to the game week 4.

monKEY #1 for entire team: We must not look past this team to next week. Granted next weeks game is HUGE but it would be so much better going into that game with a winning record and a swagger. This is another one of those games that we should win on paper, we need to take care of business.
monKEY #2 for entire team: Avoid distractions and mental errors which tend to crop up on long road trips like this one.

monKEY #1 offense: Stay balanced even when early on it will be tempting to get pass happy. The Redskins do have a very good defense, and they will no doubt stack 8 in the box often to take away the run. I personally do not see us running roughshod over this defense the way that we did against the Tards. However, that does NOT mean that we should abandon the run, we must try to keep them honest, even when the passing game is successful, (as it no doubt will be).
monKEY #2 offense: Take advantage of our hieght avantage at reciever and tight end. Right now Darryl Jackson is hot RED HOT, and he will no doubt get his catches throughout the game as the primary reciever. We do not have anyone on the recieving corps who is a true burner, but we do have hieght, in guys like like Jurivicius and Stevens. We can utilize this hieght to our advantage against the smaller secondary of Washington much the same way that other teams use raw speed. Jerramy Stevens, especially presents matchup problems for the Redskins, as he is too fast for any linebacker of the Skins to cover, and too tall and strong for any corner to cover. Use that advantage! Send Stevens deep and throw to him. So far, in every single game this season Stevens has gotten very open, very deep at least twice, and has not been thrown the ball. Take a shot Hass! Also, Matt Hasselbeck is at his best when he is utilizing multiple recievers, when he throws to five or more diffferent recievers we almost always win.
I feel like reiterating my second monKEY to the entire team about eliminating mental errors in a road game as this has been a week spot for our offense, but I already covered it so I will not put it as a monKEY, but I just had to reemphasise. Turnovers cost games plain and simple, the recievers must run crisp routes and Hass must not try to force the ball into places it doesn't belong. Those kinds of mental lapses (which we have seen in the past on the road) lead to turnovers, which lead to losses.

monKEY #1 Defense: Don't let them beat you deep! It's true that the single most talented player on the Redskins offense is Clinton Portis, it's true that stopping the run will be, as it should be, the focus of our defense; but NOT at the expense of getting beat deep. This reminds me of what I said in week 1 which proved to be prophetic, we can live with them running the ball 20-25 times and getting 80-90 yards, we cannot live with their recievers flying by our secondary for easy scores. Santana Moss can hurt us more in one play, with one catch, than Portis can in twenty carries, if we are not careful. The Redskins showed last week, in a game they should have lost and in which they were badly outplayed, just how dangerous the deep ball can be.
monKEY #2 Defense: Remain aggressive, take the intensity we saw at home and bring it to Washington DON'T PLAY NOT TO LOSE!. No offense to Ray Rhodes, (well maybe a little) but the defense, coincidentally or not, became much more aggressive when Rhodes was not on the sideline; that aggressiveness has won games for us. Never again do I want to see our defense back on their heals playing not to lose. I want to see this defense taking it to their opponents, bringing it like they can, aggressively with intensity. Too often in road games, our defense has looked flat, or looked as if they just didn't want to lose the game, but at home they look much different. Bring the home attitude with to Washington and we will be just fine. Also stop allowing those little 6-8 yard passes uncontested, get up in their facemasks and take those away! I am not sure why our secondary still plays so darn far off the recievers or why we still allow recievers to catch those short passes and then settle for the tackle, SHOW SOME CAJONES, and take that crap away. Heck that could almost be another monKEY but it is all a part of aggressiveness and intensity.

Comments: Like I said earlier, this is a game we should win. We are the superior team talent wise in every aspect of the game to the Skins, we are simply much better. The problem is, on the road, we have not put teams like this away in the past. Can we? Are we capable? I believe that we are, but I need to finally see it.
As I also said before, the Skins will try to take away the run, the key word (or should I say monKEY word)for this week should be PATIENCE. We must remain patient with the run, even when it seems like it is going nowhere. Hasselbeck must remain patient with the pass, and not try to force things, but rather throw it away if need be. If we remain patient, take our shots downfield when they presnet themselves, we will win through attrition if nothing else.
My prediction: Seahawks 21 Redskins 17

Can We Breathe Yet?

Given the lack of activity on this and other Seahawks sites, I feel that Seahawk Nation is holding its collective breath until we make it through the next two road games, hopefully returning home to Seattle no worse than 3-2.

The Washington Redskins have had our number the past few seasons, and in fact, are one of only two teams we have never defeated in the Mike Holmgren era. They are currently ranked #3 on defense, so it won't be a walk in the park against them again this year.

How we fair in the nation's capital could very well predetermine the outcome of the following game, which of course is our return trip to St. Louis to face the Rams. Even with the 49ers coming out of the gates stronger than anyone expected them to, the NFC West still appears to be a two horse race between us and the Rams, and this game will be our first opportunity to not only defend our divisional crown, but get one gorilla-sized monkey off our backs by beating our arch nemesis.

We all know that this year's Seahawks team is much different than last year's version, from the personnel, attitude, coaching, to relative good health, but that still can't stop the Seahawk faithful from being skeptical, and downright a little fearful, of the next two ball games.

We've seen Seahawks teams of the past start strong, come out flat in games they should win, and experience tough losses, the result of which can carry through the entire rest of the season.

But I'm here to tell everyone to relax...breathe deep...and drink a big-ass cup of Ruskell Kool-ade. All will be fine.

We will play a competitive game against the Redskins and come out with a close victory, and then bust out all the stops and have the game of our lives against the Rams, making the second half of the Cardinal game look like nothing.

On The Road Again

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Power Rankings Are Dumb

People move up, people move down, all based on where they were last week, which is based on where they were ranked at the beginning of the season, which is based on pure speculation and pre-season hoopla. Record doesn't really matter, it's all completely arbitrary. Teams with more publicity are ranked higher than the less-publicized teams. It's so dumb.

So in answer to all this, I will not-so-humbly submit to you my subjective opinion of the top 4 teams in each conference. And by "Top 4", I mean the teams that I believe will be a force all the way through the season. This takes into account how they are doing now, and how I think they will handle the remaining schedule. Of course, each year there is some team that completely turns things around and comes into the playoffs red hot, and another team that does the polar opposite and misses the playoffs altogether. It's kind of hard to predict that stuff.

But that said, I can say that these guys are my picks for the strongest teams in the league. I'll start with the AFC.

1. Cincinatti Bengals. They are for real, and I think they can keep it going.
2. Indianapolis Colts. The defense is improved, and the offense will come around.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars. Scary defense and an up-and-coming offense.
4. Pittsburgh Steelers. Solid enough to get in and be dangerous.

You may notice that I skipped the Patriots. And while they are still very dangerous, I think their schedule and injury situation will make it a tough year for them. They can probably still get in the playoffs though with their weak division. Ok, now for the NFC.

1. Tampa Bay Bucs. Dominating defense and a running game is a good combo.
2. Philadelphia Eagles. Overrated, but still pretty solid.
3. Seattle Seahawks. If they can learn to win on the road, then watch out.
4. Atlanta Falcons. Dangerous enough to be big in the wussy NFC.

We've already played two of these "elite" teams, and went 1-1. We play two others in the last half of the season, and I think that will be a good barometer of how we really measure up.

Tuesdays With Morons

Hail Walter!

These pics are from a thread on the PI Fan Forum that are just too precious not to share with all Seahawks fans!





Drop in at that forum and give the artists proper credit for jobs well done!

NFC West update

I figured this could be an interesting way to start the week. Instead of focusing just on the Hawks, this segment will look at our rivals. Rate them on their threat to win the division (high, medium, or low) see whats good for them and not. I hope you like it.

Saint Louis 2-1
Last week: 31-27 win over Tennessee
Threat to win the division: High

Analysis: The Rams offense isn't as scoring as much, but its enough. The Rams can still move the ball and score in bunches, but the offense has been inconsistant. The early theme seems to be that Bulger will get hit hard and often. The only thing keeping teams from just teeing off is the running of Stephen Jackson.

The defense has been decent, but not great. This team has yet to play its best football.

Next week: at New York Giants

San Fransisco 49ers 1-2
Last week: 34-31 loss to Dallas
Threat to win the division: Medium

Stop me if you've heard this before. A team drafts a qb #1 overall, but keeps the incumbant starter for awhile. The talking heads say the college phenom should start in week 4. Incumbent exceeds all expectations.

If you said San Diego last season, correct. We also would have accepted San Fransisco this season. Tim rattay is playing very, very good and the 49ers in general are playing better than expected under Mike Nolan. The team should be 2-1, but the defense couldn't hold off the Cowboys.

The 49ers are good for at least three or four more wins this season. The Seahawks will have to be prepared.

Next week: vs Arizona, at Mexico City

Arizona Cardinals 0-3
Last week 37-12 loss to Seattle
Threat to win the division: Low

If you ever needed proof that the national media doesn't pay attention to anything west of Chicago, look no further than the trendy pick being Arizona to win the NFC West. There are so many things wrong with this team...the offense is inconsistent, the defense can't stop anybody, they play sloppy, they commit penalties, they turn over the ball...and so on.

If the national media hates Seattle for making them look bad a year ago, the Cardinals will never be popular again in Bristol.

Next weel: vs. San Fransisco, at Mexico City.

Hope you liked this idea. Looking forward to the feedback.

Reservoir Dogmas

How did YOU become a Seahawks fan?

If you've looked at my Blogger Profile, you'll see that my Seahawks story involves "...NFL Expansion, a Catholic nun and Don Shula!"

While I was looking for an appropriate nun graphic for this piece, this picture reminded me of the classic group shot from the movie Reservoir Dogs.

The pun came very quickly, and then I realized it was perfect.

Websters defines Reservoir as "A large or extra supply; a reserve:", and Dogma as "An authoritative principle, belief, or statement of ideas or opinion."

Since the purpose of this topic is to create a "reservoir" of stories on how the very "authoritative and opinionated" contributors and visitors to this blog site happened to become Seahawks fans, it seemed to tie in the two unrelated streams of consciousness together.

I've started the ball rolling with my story in the first Comment on this topic, so let's keep it going and find out how folks from Alaska, Maryland, South Carolina, and of course, Seattle, came to be such ardent supporters of this team.

W3: Contributor Awards

Click the links below to see the recipients of the Week #3 "Streeties" - the 12 Seahawks Street Blog Contributor awards. Each award is given for a specific accompishment by a player or the team, which is somehow particular to the sponsoring contributor. Any contributor can create and present a "Streetie", and any visitor can provide comments on each award, either agreeing or disagreeing with the selection logic and winner.

So, without any further review, the "Streeties" go to...

Alan's DOG: Drive of the Game *NEW!

Bluefoot's Weekly Grades

Blue7's Lucky Bastard of the Week Award

This One's on Check Award *NEW!


Citizen K Likes This


Monkey's Banana Peel Award *NEW!


alba's Moonlight Graham Award *NEW!


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GAMEDAY: Seahawks vs. Cardinals (War of the Birds)

It's time to defend the crown.

This game features the NFL's second most productive receiving tandem in Jackson and Engram - Only to be bested by the #1 ranked duo in Fitzgerald and Boldin.

My take? Whoever has the best pass rush wins this one.

Join us today in LIVE GAMEDAY CHAT by clicking on the jersey with your number.

All Seahawks fans are welcome, no membership, no registration. After a couple of failed experiments, the 'Super Flooble' is back, with some mods to help with navigation. Your feedback is appreciated.

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GO SEAHAWKS!!!

The Greatest Coach in Seahawk History

Not only is Sunday important because it is our first game against a divisional opponent, but half time is going to be memorable, as they finally induct Chuck Knox into the Ring of Honor.

The second coach in Seahawks history, he's most noteworthy for bringing the franchise within a game of the SuperBowl, but in addition, he brought class, respect and notoriety to an obscure expansion team stuck somewhere northwest of Egypt.

All Seahawks fans owe a debt of gratitude to Coach Knox, but visitors to this blog need to pay a little extra homage, for it was under his tutelage that our first team jersey was retired.

The Seahawks were 30-18 in a span of three seasons - the best run in franchise history. The Kingdome became a nightmarish place for any and all teams that dared step on the turf. The vaunted "12th Man" was born out of the delirious sellout crowds every home Sunday.

Throughout his career, Knox was known as a no-nonsense "players coach", who succeeded with a simple game plan executed to perfection. Everyone knew what a Knox coached team was going to do, they just had no idea how to stop it.

Chuck never had to write "Commit to the Run" on his gameday play chart, it was written on his heart and he drilled it into the soul of his teams. (point of history, I'm not sure he ever HAD a gameday play chart!)

"He had this sense of toughness that exceeded everybody else's sense of toughness. He created the atmosphere of that style of football and the way we were going to do it with all of his little colloquialisms. It created a great atmosphere around here. He loved veteran players, and they responded to him.

It seems appropriate that Knox is getting inducted in the Ring of Honor now, this year, as the above paragraph could be describing the new found focus and ambition of our current young Seahawks team, and not the team from over 20 years ago.

Given the way we squeaked out a victory last week, hopefully the emotional ceremony will fire the team up and we'll come out in the second half with intensity and a sense of urgency.

But before we go apologizing for outlasting the Falcon comeback last week, let's listen to a signature quote from the greatest coach in Seahawks history:

"I have never been associated with a bad win."

While I'm totally supportive of his induction into the Ring of Honor, I'm not sure it's right to have his name emblazoned high above the crowd. No, in Chuck's case, it would be much more appropriate if his name was immortalized on the Ground!

What the Hell is THIS?

Have you ever scrolled to the bottom of the home page on Seahawks.com?

I have, and I guess I really never noticed this before, but couldn't we find SOME OTHER restaurant to advertise on our web site?

What's next, "Green's Poker and Cards Emporium?" and "Sam Frans Bikini Wax and Yoga Studio?"

Just trying to set the right tone for our first divisional game!!

We want the ball and we're going to score...

Reported on Mike Sando's blog; during the pre-game interview with the Denver media Patrick Surtain said that he can see when a "quarterback goes click-click and seems to just get things", and when asked who "stands out in that regard" he replied "A guy like Hasselbeck in Seattle. It was evident in the playoff game with the coin toss and he said we want the ball and we’re going to score..."

Just seeing it again made me think of the day he said that. So in this early stage of this season still brimming with potential and hope, how did that comment make you feel when he said it? How does it make you feel now? Do you think Hasslebeck is better, same or worse now? Did that comment solidify his standing as a leader, or did it cause a backstep, since it of course backfired. Has he recovered? Anecdotes encouraged.

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who will be the M.O.P? (most outstanding player)

What I mean by M.O.P. is not necessarily the MVP (though it could be), but just the one guy who simply had the outstanding game regardless of positon.

So far I have been nailing these pretty well. I have been calling out names like Lofa, Stevens, Tubbs and Jurivicius and have been nailing them (at least in my opinion anyway); so it will be hard to go away from these guys as I think they are the real deal and will continue to excell. Those four guys are just darn good plain and simple and will continue to put up great game after great game. Still I gotta try to mix it up a bit, (don't want to be predictable) and I will say that this week we will see M.O.P. performances from someone other than those four. Alexander and Hass always have the potential to be a M.O.P. just because of the number of times they touch the ball, but this week I will go out on a limb and call out Ken Hamlin as the defensive M.O.P. I think that he will force at least one turnover and will make some absolutely bone jarring hits, that will leave the Tards recievers scared.
I will say that the offensive M.O.P. will be Darryl Jackson. I just get the feeling that he's about to blow up on somebody, and that this team is just the right one to do it on. The Tards secondary is very beatable, and since DJack is the primary reciever, I think he will torch the Tards for a bunch of yards and at least one T.D.

So what do you guys think? Will it be Hass or Shaun? Will it be Wistrom or Boulware? Give me some names and tell me why you think they will be the M.O.P

monKEYS to the Game

Week three already upon us, and this game, which should be an easy victory for the Hawks, scares the beejeesus out of me. Sure we're at home, sure we beat the Falcons last week, but that's the problem. Will there be a let down this week? Last week in a home opener, it was fairly obvious that the Hawks were playing inspired football against what they knew would be a tough opponent. Will the inspiration be there against the Cards?
With my fingers crossed, and my knees shaking a bit, here are the monKEYS to the game.
Offense: I have only ONE key for the offense this week:
monKEY #1 Get Shaun Alexander on track early and keep him on track all game long. Shaun MUST touch the ball at least 25-30 times for us to be successful this week. Last season we split with the Cards home and away, in our loss SA got 12 carreis for 57 yards with no TDs. In our win, SA got 30 carries for 154 yards and 3 TDs. Any questions? I will not even bother elaborating on that key, the numbers speak for themselves.

Defense: I am sure I will be saying this all year but I must say it again:
monKEY #1 We must get a strong and consistent pass rush throughout this game.The matchup that I will be watching this game will be the matchups of Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald against Marcus Trufant and Andre Dyson. If Curt Warner is given enough time, even he can find ways to get the ball to these very dangerous recievers. However, if we can get to Warner early and often, we will rattle him and shake his already paper thin confidence, and he will make mistake after mistake after mistake. The Cardinals offensive line is in all reality, pretty pathetic, we SHOULD be able to do this, it's not as if our D-Line will be trying to get around the Pats O-Line or the Steelers O-Line. This is the Cards, and in spite of what the "experts" think, they are still a lousy team, as their play up till now, and their record, clearly proves.
Now here's the part where I say something that may not seem to make much sense, but trust me, it does if you think about it. The best way for the Cardinals to get Warner ontrack is to run the ball effectively early on. I know that on face value that doesn't seem to make sense, but here's the thing; if the Cardinals can run the ball early, forcing us to cheat our safeties up, to help against the run, then not only will Trufant and Dyson have a much more difficult job, but the D-Line will be focused on stopping the run and NOT on getting into Warners facemask.
So having said that, here is:
monKEY #2 Make the proper adjustments to what the offense is trying to do. We MUST be able to stop the run early, then make the adjustments necessary to carry out the pass rush.Sports Weekly, picked us to lose this week (actually they usually do, as does nearly every sports publication around) but the reasons they gave for us losing are that they believe that, (and I quote) "Warner will pick the Seahawks secondary apart." As usual, the "experts" are full of it. While I grant that it is a possibility, (anything is possible in the NFL) the ONLY way this could happen is if they establish a consistent run early on, which would slow down the pass rush.
The way I see it, the Cardinals will no doubt try to establish the run early on, but the way our DT's and LB's have played, I don't see the run as nearly as much of a threat as the passing game potentially could be. So what we need to do is make them one dimensional early, take the run away, right out of the gate, then pass rush, pass rush, pass rush! If we can make the Tards one dimensional, then Warner will throw picks; if in the other hand, they can establish the run, thereby slowing down our pass rush, Trufant and Dyson will be in for a very, very long day.

Quick comments: We may want to pay special attention to Chike Okeafor who will no doubt be trying to make a statement against his former team.
Considering the fact that more experts around the country picked the Cardinals to win the division than the Seahawks or even the Rams, the experts are nuts! As I have said all along, the Cardinals were simply the "sexy" pick this offseason, but the reality is that, the Cardinals are still a 5-6 win team. Their defense is decent, (not nearly great), their O-Line is horrendous, their running game is avaerage to less than average, their recievers are young though very talented, and their QB is hack, a has been, whose confidence is so brittle, that at the first sign of trouble he cracks. What the heck were the "experts thinking? Until the Cards get a young QB that they can groom, to replace Warner, the Cards will still be short of being a real contender for a playoff spot.
My biggest worry, which I alluded to at the beginning of this, is that the Hawks come out flat, coming off of the big win vs. the Falcons. The only real hope the Cards have of beating us, is that we play soft, is that we lack the intensity of last week. This is the kind of game that seperates the contenders from the pretenders. This is the kind of game that we SHOULD win, and therefore, f we want anyone to take us seriously, we MUST win. The thing that makes the great teams great, is that they win games like this, they win the games they should win. Let's hope that this week we take care of businees, and that Hasselbeck figures out how to play for a full four quarters, instead of just two.

My prediction: Seahawks 24 Cardinals 18

Thursdays With Idiots

If you don't understand what to do, look at the image, and take a wild guess at who the image is of...it could be a CURRENT or FORMER Seahawk...Ill give you 3 clues...and a bonus for those who may need it.


Clue #1: I remember the days of playing with a broken finger, instead of whining I volunteered to be the team's emergency punt returner...

Clue #2: For several years I took my throne, letting opposing players run downfield, knowing they're not alone...

Clue #3: I had drive like an Oldmobile or Cadillac, if you tried to go downfield on me, you will get jacked...


Bonus Clue: I wouldn't know my lucky number, whether it was 7 or 5, but thankfully the fans will remember me make their hopes come alive...



Last Week's Answer: Taco Wallace...Ill explain the clues in the thread...



Try to solve it in one clue, as only can an idiot who is true! Next week, Ill reveal the answer and make it HARD on you guys...give it a chance...are you an idiot?

ADP, It's Not Just You!

From the Strong Report on Seahawks.com:

I had a hard time with that tripping penalty they called on me late in the game. I don’t know where it came from. But I just had to learn to realize the deal a long time ago. Until you start winning big, you’re not going to get the calls. You’re going to get phantom calls, crazy calls, and you scratch your head and wonder how they made that call. Then you just re-focus and get back to work. We’ve been going through that here for years. It’s ironic the good teams that play well and win games, just don’t get those calls like we do. Those things miraculously get eliminated for them. But it doesn’t matter, because we can’t change the way it is. We just have to battle through that, and once we establish ourselves as one of the elite teams, some of that stuff will go away.

Home Sweet Home

Click on the image or external link to access this week's crickler titled "Home Sweet Home".

Speaking of Crappy Discussion...

GhostofKnox's post made me thing a little bit about the current state of 12 Seahawks Street. I feel that we have done an excellent job providing information about the 'Hawks, our additions (TWM, cricklers, gameday chat, awards, etc.) have been largely successful and make the Street one of the most unique and entertaining blogs out there, not just for 'Hawks fans, but for any NFL fan.

So, what is the point of this posting? Well I feel that in the rush of expanding the possibilities of this site, that in recent months, we've lost a little bit of that which made this site so great in the first place. By that, I mean first rate discussion. Battling the pros and cons of a topic in a forum where we do not degrade each other, but display our insitefulness and intelligence. This is what the Street was born from, and I would like to make sure that this artery still flows for us, along with all of the sweet new additions that are being provided.

So, with this in mind, I'd like to pose a discussion topic, and I hope it garners some interest. I do not want to discuss Shaun Alexanders blocking, or Mike Holmgrems game plan. I don't want to discuss second half failures and team attitude. I want to talk defense.

I am wondering, of the current defense put out on the field by the 'Hawks, who is the best player. Is it the vetrans, Sharper or Wistrom. Is it one of the newbies, Tubbs, Lofa, or even Trufant? It's an interesting question, but merely a segue into what I really want to know:

Of the current defensive starters, or significant contributors, who, if any will end their career in the Seahawks Ring of Honor. Do we have another Kenny Easly in this group? Or a Dave Brown? Or is Marcus Tubbs the next Jacob Green for this team? Is there a player that we have that can rewrite the way we see our defense?

C'mon guys, take a stand, pick your favorite, but be able to defend your choice. Let's make sure that there's still a pulse in this artery on the Street.

Bannister Benched, New Blood Brought In

From Seahawks.com...

The Seattle Seahawks announced today that wide receiver Alex Bannister has been placed on injured reserve and have signed cornerback/returner Jimmy Williams to the 53-man roster. Seattle also released practice squad receiver Kendrick Starling and replaced him with receiver Richard Smith.

Click the links in the blub for the NFL.com stats on these new guys.

Click the external link, or Bannister picture, for the full piece on Seahawks.com.

This is from a post on the PI site regarding these moves:

CB Jimmy Williams
5'11", 190
DOB 3/10/79 Baton Rouge, LA
Vanderbilt
01'-04' with Niners
Released by Saints 05'
74 tackles, 1 INT, 55 punt returns for 576 yards in four years in SF.

WR Richard Smith
5'10", 190
DOB 7/16/80 Shreveport, LA
Arkansas, 34 rec, 582 yards, 4 TD as senior.
In 35 starts at Arkansas, 135 rec, 1858 yards, 17 TD's.
All-American track (triple/long jump)
Rookie with 04' Chiefs practice squad.

Bryan K...Seattle Times Forum Needs to go!

I know... I know....you all have said so for some time now but I cant help myself in going over there....below is a reponse I put up on the site to Bryan K... I think that we need work on getting that site back and positive before Hawks fans become the laughing stock of the NFL:

Hey bryan... You know ..Iam gonna call the front office and have Mickey fired...I want you to take his place...Seeing as how you are such an expert...

And by the way I think that I can be very critical of things the Hawks do..be it coach holmgren , Hass, or SA...so please dont put words in my mouth! I just don't see any reason to sound like a broken record ...

we all know you dont like Holmgren ..you think Hass is an average QB and worship the ground that SA walks ons... that said I think alot of people are sick and tried of the broken record!!!

The Hawks WON last week...we should all be happy...but no you just keep going on ..you and several others....you guys are making us the laughing stock of the NFL....

In staed of supporting the team you bitch bitch bitch...Just go look at other teams Blog boards and see how sad this site has become...instead of hope ...this site is so negative and dysfunctional that it is truley a disgrace! How about this...when the hawks win we all talk about the positives ...

and when they lose then you can vent your posion!

Tuesdays With Morons

Busted Handrail!

It seems that our old friend "collarbone" may be headed to I.R. with another busted coat hanger.

From Mike Sando's blog:

I'm slammed so this will be quick ... Alex Bannister out at least eight weeks with cracked clavicle; could be IR candidate;

The good news is that Pork Chop is ahead of schedule.

Does this spell the beginning of an Urban Renewal for the Seahawks??!!

The Streeties - Week #2 Contributor Awards

Click the links below to see the recipients of the Week #2 "Streeties" - the 12 Seahawks Street Blog Contributor awards. Each award is given for a specific accompishment by a player or the team, which is somehow particular to the sponsoring contributor. Any contributor can create and present a "Streetie", and any visitor can provide comments on each award, either agreeing or disagreeing with the selection logic and winner.

So, without any further review, the "Streeties" go to...

Alan's DOG: Drive of the Game *NEW!

Bluefoot's Weekly Grades *NEW!

Blue7's Lucky Bastard of the Week Award

This One's on Check Award *NEW!

Citizen K Likes This *NEW!


Monkey's Banana Peel Award *NEW!


alba's Moonlight Graham Award *NEW!


(if the link is not active, the award/sub-blog site is not yet ready for publication. check back often to see if updates have been made and new award topics posted)

Seahawks Gameday

All right, I'M FIRED UP. ARE YOU FIRED UP? ARE YOU READY FOR SOME SEAHAWKS FOOTBALL!!!

We've been waiting for this day for, well, about seven days now. All the things we've been ranting about over the past week -- the turnovers, blocking, blitzing, the field position -- we'll see if the 'Hawks can change it around today on the field.

Won't you join us today in LIVE GAMEDAY CHAT?

All Seahawks fans welcome, no membership, no registration. The fast-loading 'Super Flooble' has been replaced by an even faster Tag-Board, with some features I think you'll enjoy. Just click on the #12 Jersey above and you'll be in business.

In the meantime, enjoy these featured links:

Mon-keys to the Game

Seahawks Crickler
(kill time waiting for the game or during halftime!)

Today's Weather

Contributors: Feel free to add links as you see fit.

Remember to join us after the game for post game analysis and Contributor's Awards!

Awesome, I can't wait for kickoff. Now, it all counts. I can't even describe to you how stoked I am right now. Go get 'em guys.

GO SEAHAWKS!!!

Mon-KEYS to the Game

Since it was such an active topic last week, I decided to plagerize my fellow blogger and post the Mon-KEYS to the game.

Let me introduce me to my three friends, Throw No Interceptions, Fumble No Balls, and Miss No Blitzers. After re-watching the tape of the Jacksonville game last night, I'm certain that these are the keys to the game today.

Obviously, when you're minus 5 in turnovers, you're not going to win many games, so we just cannot put the ball on the ground, or throw it to the other team when trying to throw it away. In addition to that, if Matt doesn't have a bounce back game today, then all of the "same old Seahawks" skeletons will come out of the closet, and that just won't be good.

Atlanta's defense gave Donovan McNabb (or should I say McNafro, since I'm shamelessly ripping off my fellow bloggers) a run for his money on Monday night, and he's considered amoung the elite of NFL QBs, so Matt's going to have to keep his eyes open and his head on a swivel. However, the Falcon's secondary is hurting, so it's time for our receivers to step up and be there when Matt needs to make a hot-read and avoid a blitz. Oh yea, MoMo can't allow anymore blitzing safeties a free run at Hass.

Our defense should be fine. Sure Vick is a lot more mobile and dangerous that Byron "Fat Albert" Leftwich, but I liked the pressure that we applied in Jacksonville, and our guys held up pretty well under constantly bad field position last week. Hopefully a few of those tipped balls find their way into OUR hands this week, and if we force a fumble, we're able to cover it too.

So, that's my take on this week's Mon-KEYS to the game. What's yours?

Awards Showcase

It seemed that a lot of people liked the idea of creating a single After Game Day topic with a link to each contributor's specific award.

In order to do this, each contributor who is sponsoring an award will have to create a sub-blog for that award. Now don't go crawling into the fetal position just yet, it's ain't that tough and the instructions are below. I'm ready to lend all the help and support you may need, and I'm sure the other 12SS admins will pitch in too.

You may want to copy and paste the steps below into Word or Notepad and print them out, so you can follow them after you click off this screen. You could also open the 12SS blog in a separate Explorer window and swap between the two as you proceed.

Creating your very own Awards Sub-Blog

1. log into the 12 Seahawks Street blog, if you're not auto logged in
2. click the orange Blogger icon in the upper left corner of the window
3. click the big blue Create A Blog button
4. give your blog a title, i.e. Alan's Drive of the Game
5. for the Blog Address, use 12SeahawksStreet-, for instance, 12SeahawksStreet-DOG (this will keep the URLs similar, and guarantee that you pick a unique name)
6. type the Word verification and click the Continue arrow
7. scroll down and pick the Rounders 3 template (5 rows down, second template) and click the Continue arrow
8. click the Start Posting arrow
9. create a dummy post, or your real award post, and you'll be able to view your blog
10. email albanyhawker@yahoo.com with the exact name of your blog, so it can be added to the After Game Day Awards post

At this point your blog won't look exactly like the Street, but it will contain a lot of the same colors and formats.

Once you create your blog, you can either go to Settings > Members and invite me to participate in it, or just email me (address above) and I'll send you the standard Template HTML code, and some other tips, to configure your blog to appear as a sub-blog to The Street. Make sure to include your exact Blog Address, so that I can add it to the single After Game Day topic for Blogger Awards.

It's really not that hard so I recommend all award sponsors give it a try. I'll be out on Sat. and Sun. afternoon, but am happy to help anyone with questions or problems. I was intimidated by this whole blog thing when I started, and now I'm involved in or managing six!

Can we handle this man?

I really just wanted to post these pictures, although any thoughts are welcome...

What is the plan?

Because Blue mentioned that there is no football talk going on, I thought I would throw up a question. What is this guys actual scheme? Here is an old article from when he first showed up. It says its simple, fast, aggressive, swarm to the ball, make plays, play to your strengths. Then I hear they have to stay home, mind their gaps, don't give up the big play, etc.

They rarely blitz effectively (staying at home?) they give up 5 yard passes like every down is third and long (don't give up the big play), unless of course it is third and long, then they do give up the big play... although few examples in the Jax game, the first TD was on 2nd and long, 30 yard play, the other big plays came on "less critical" downs.

Grant Wistrom had this to say "This really isn't that complicated of a scheme," if we're not a good defense, it's not because of him. Ray Rhodes always puts a good product on the field. If we're not a good defense, it's because we as players aren't executing what he calls and we're not getting the job done out there."

So why no blitzing? Why no physical coverage inside five from the LOS? What are these guys really supposed to be doing? Is it a lack of talent? Admittedly, I think they played Jax well, and getting beat by Jimmy Smith has to be expected for most any corner, he is as wiley as they come. They kept everyone else under wraps, other than Matt Jones trickery, and they let Fat Albert stand in the pocket too long most of the time.

In my opinion, a simple, aggressive, running to the ball scheme means pass blitzing (by LBs not in coverage of the TE and or RB, maybe the SS) on passing downs, bumping the WRs everydown, and play your base/cover the gaps D on running downs and letting our fast LBs and Safeties pursue the ball carrier, ideally outside because the inside gaps are filled. Why does this not seem to happen?

Alba alluded earlier that perhaps the game plan will be more Marshall than Rhodes for this Atlanta game. I for one would like to see that, if only to have a new perspective.

Thursdays With Idiots

Now that the season has started, I decided that this little feature made the team after its preseason tryout...If you don't understand what to do, look at the image, and take a wild guess at who the image is of...it could be a CURRENT or FORMER Seahawk...Ill give you 3 clues...and a bonus for those who may need it.


Clue #1: Like my fellow friend, Gidget, I am popular no more. Although I was great guy, and she was a fine bitch, our play became quite a bore.

Clue #2: I know I've been going in the wrong direction, I always copied George Costanza, and thinking opposite seemed like a great suggestion.

Clue #3: I know I gave the coach indigestion, he watched me alot and I failed without a question.


Bonus Clue: Ive always liked the Ninja Turtles, as they were just like me, only I was more tasty

Try to solve it in one clue, as only can an idiot who is true! Next week, Ill reveal the answer and make it HARD on you guys...give it a chance...are you an idiot?