Gene Hackman played a professional coach in a movie loosely based on the NFL strike. With Keanu Reeves as his quarterback, his team was high flying, having fun, and winning games. Brett Cullen crossed the picket line, and rejoined the team as the starting QB to try to make a run at the playoffs. At halftime, the team was losing, and no one could really figure out why, or what it would take to come back. Hackman makes reference to another movie, “Damn Yankees”, and in doing so prescribes the cure for the rest of the Seahawks season. “Miles and miles and miles of heart.”
When I watch this team, I don’t have the sense that anything specific is wrong. I watched the Cardinals game live, and it never seemed like they were doing anything that was seriously detrimental. The turnovers hurt, and big plays stung a little, but overall they should have been easily overcome. As I watched the 49ers game, I saw much of the same thing, minor mistakes, but nothing that should have hindered the team. But I did notice that the team is not playing with the same fire they once did.
Many people will make comparisons to last season. I agree fully with Mike Sando that last season was something to be proud of, but not something to expect every year. My complaint about the fire and passion being gone isn’t related to last season, it’s related to my entire life of watching the Hawks. I have difficulties remembering any Hawks team that didn’t play to win. Even during the lean years, I can remember defensive players flying around and making big hits, and offensive players playing above their potential and doing everything in their power to get things done. But this year I see drops, arm tackles, poor blocking, confusion by blitzers, and I wonder where it all comes from, and where it all ends.
Is it coaching? I’m a huge Holmgren supporter, but is he really doing everything he needs to in order to get the team up for every game?
Is it leadership? From what Gumbel was saying last night, Hutch used to get into peoples faces to get the O-Line straightened up, and no one is doing that now. Maybe he was a loss, not from a playing standpoint, but from a leadership role?
Is the team reading the reports? Negative news can drag a team down to a point where they have no energy too.
I don’t have answers for everything plaguing the team. 7 different O-Line combinations is awful tough to overcome. Losing your QB and star RB for much of the season is debilitating for most teams. Losing WRs to injury and illness can drag an offense down. We can complain about injuries and inequities all day long, but really, the thing that seems to be hurting us the most is the listless play. And to fix that, they’ll need heart.Miles and miles and miles of heart.
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Nothing to add. Well said.
ReplyDeleteThis team ain't worth the effort of writing a negative post anymore.
ReplyDeleteAll I have to say is that had some of the receivers (esp. the tight end) held onto the ball every time it was thrown to them, the game would not even have been close. SF would have been out of it by halftime, and SA would have topped 140 yards. In addition, that interception was incredibly ill-timed, with the Hawks about to punch one in to begin the second half.
ReplyDeleteYes, drops and turnovers, to me, are the real culprits—moreso than any play calling or running foibles—for the Hawks' supposed "offensive ineptitude." For instance, the first two throws to Stevens would have converted first downs, on third down, HAD THEY BEEN CAUGHT. The drives could have been extended--the second one would have been in the effing Red Zone--but instead the team was forced to punt. This happened more times than two last night.
Also, turnovers contributed DIRECTLY to 10 points for the opposition in the Hawks' loss in AZ last Sunday. If any two of their fumbles not occurred, they probably would have won the game, (assuming a 17-24 point swing.) In addition they had several more third-down drops of potential first-down-yardage catches...
The Hawks' defense OWNED the first half; had the offense done its share the game would have been a laugher. If they could just hang on to the darn ball--IN ALL SITUATIONS--they'd be fine. It's as simple as that.
Enough is enough. "Realist", your post is deleted.
ReplyDeleteSorry K but you cannot point the finger at Matt and the recievers and not throw Shaun into the mix.....Can you really ignore his equally uninspired play? Really?
ReplyDeleteI was a TOTAL Offensive breakdown, not just the passing game.
I haven't said anything hear about Alexander because I respect everyone's love for him, but folks, this guy is not pulling his weight either.
K, did you stop to think that perhaps if Matt and Mike trusted Shaun they wouldn't have forced the pass so much?
Why did they pass on third and short? Why didn't they convert on third and one?
Just answers I don't have when we apparently have this "awesome" HB.
Maybe Holms should have the team watch the Replacements this week for inspiration. It could have a double meaning.
ReplyDelete