Well, it's been absolutely fascinating to watch our Seattle
Seahawks football team, scratching, clawing and fighting their way to a
franchise best, 9-1 record, 10 games into the 2013 National Football League
season. It hasn't always been pretty, it
hasn't always looked easy, and it hasn't yet been perfect-- but this young,
tough, aggressive and confident football team just continues to find ways to
win, at home… and now on the road. Each
week it seems to be a different player stepping up and making the plays
necessary to lift the team to another victory. This group of smart, talented
and driven Ball-Hawking players have willed themselves to success despite; key
injuries, frequent poor officiating, and a slew of self-inflicted wounds, as
well. This is a uniquely gifted team
assembled by the innovative thinking of Coach Pete Carroll and GM John
Schneider. Carroll and Schneider have
implemented an unorthodox philosophy that seemingly destroys the conventional
thinking by some of the greatest and most successful football personnel minds
in NFL history. However, pro-football is
one of the most rapidly evolving sports in America and has a history of leaving
those who refuse to evolve with it, out in the cold –- like an ice age to
prehistoric beasts, and as everyone knows from history… Dinosaurs get left
behind.
The Pete Carroll coached Seahawks football team looks
different and it doesn't take long to notice how it breaks the mold for
traditional personnel and position matching; and you can start with the quarterback
position. Russell Wilson stands
5'10" 5/8, in a league that traditionally believes that starting
quarterbacks less than 6 feet tall cannot be successful in the NFL. However, Wilson led the Seahawks to an 11-5
season as a rookie and succeeded in taking them to their first road playoff
victory in 30 years. The diminutive,
Wilson, tied Peyton Manning's rookie touchdown passing record (26) with only
(10) interceptions in 2012. In Manning's
inaugural season with the Indianapolis Colts, he threw (28) interceptions. Wilson also ran for nearly 500 yards, with 4
rushing touchdowns and a 5.9 yard per carry average. In his brief career, Wilson has also led 9
come-from-behind victories and has never lost at CenturyLink field, 12
consecutive victories and counting.
Wilson may not make anyone forget Peyton Manning, but he has begun to
forge his memorable career quite nicely only 10 games into his 2nd year in the
NFL. I believe it is his biggest
pleasure to prove people wrong who doubt him for any reason. So far, I think he's doing an admirable job
at turning heads and proving points. He
has a bright future in the NFL.
Carroll and Schneider have raised eyebrows with several
other personnel decisions, not least of which includes the drafting of
defensive end, Bruce Irvin, with the 15th overall selection in the first round
of the 2012 college football draft.
Irvin was touted as a (2 down) relentless pass rushing, sack specialist.
He played the "edge" DE without any "real" disciplined
ability to help on running downs and because of his freakish athletic ability,
his former coaching staff at West Virginia failed to hone the technical aspects
of Irvin's pass rushing potential. He
did log 22 sacks in 2 years at West Virginia, but because of his limited
ability to be on the field, scouts turned their noses up at him allowing the
Seahawks the chance to draft one of the most dynamic defensive pass rushing
players in the nation. ESPN, NFL Network
and practically every other draft analysts discredited the Seahawks for making
such a foolish selection so early in the first round when there were several,
better, safer, more accomplished college players available on the board at the
15 pick. Irvin played in all 16
regular-season games for the Seahawks in his rookie season and led all rookies
with 8 sacks. However, his unique and
specialized physical abilities compelled Schneider and Carroll to draft
Irvin. He was the fastest, quickest
defensive end in the draft and scored better in nearly all of the physical benchmark
qualifications at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis eclipsing all of the
linebackers as well, the only exception being the bench press which he did not
participate in. The innovation and
thinking outside the classic conventional thinking led the Seahawks to draft
Irvin and what is scary is that his best football is in front of him, not
behind. Also, because he played in such
a limited basis in college, his odometer for football longevity is much lower
than most players coming into the NFL after playing 4 years of college
football. After seeing Irvin up close
and all season long last year, the coaching staff decided to move Irvin to a
position that would take more advantage of his superior athletic ability to get
off the line so quickly and use his speed in pass coverage as a strong side
linebacker. So far this season, it
appears to be a stroke of genius.
Already, Irvin has logged more tackles (26 in 6 games) than he made all
of last year (10 in 16 games) with 2 sacks and he also has his first career
interception in a big game where the turnover was partially responsible for
turning the game around in the Seahawks favor.
What's more important is that Irvin is on the field a lot more than he
was last season and it's all because this coaching staff recognized that one of
their players wasn't being used to his full potential. Irvin has a bright future with the Seahawks
and to make things even more incredible for Irvin and the Seahawks is that he's
never played the position of linebacker in his life. The sky is the limit for Irvin and after
testing positive for PED's before the season began, causing him to miss the
first 4 games of the season as punishment and hurting his team, Irvin seems
more mature and ready to take on the responsibility of becoming a team leader,
not just a freakishly gifted athlete.
Perhaps the most glaring difference in the Seahawks football
team is its defensive secondary. Seattle
possesses the biggest and most punishing, athletic corners and safeties in the
game. In a league where speed and
maneuverability were considered premium for defensive backs, Carroll bucked the
trend by fielding; 6'3" 215 pound Richard Sherman and 6'4" 225 pound
Brandon Browner at the left and right corner positions, respectively. Kam Chancellor, the Seahawks strong safety,
stands 6'4" and 235 lbs. Chancellor looks more like a linebacker than a strong safety and possesses a svelte, chiseled and punishing physique that can cover the
shallow portion of the field like a panther, a supreme predator patrolling the savanna. It sometimes appears that Chancellor allows a catch or two over the middle in the first quarter, with the strategy of causing the receiver maximum punishment after the catch. Receivers and tight ends begin to think twice before taking their eyes off of Chancellor and onto the floating football. While free safety, Earl Thomas, protects the deep ball, Chancellor can provide an
imposing run blitz attack support on the opponent's running game, as if Seattle needs another hard
hitting linebacker. Earl Thomas is the
only defensive back among the "Legion of Boom" that stands under
6'3". However, Thomas is like a heat-seeking missile, covering more ground than any free safety in the
game. Thomas is an incredible tackler
and has a nose for the ball like no other defender. He can cover so much ground in a lone cover
one zone defense that it allows Browner and Sherman to play hard, press
man-to-man coverage on the opponents best to receivers, beating them up at the
line of scrimmage disallowing them the ability to get into their route on time
and causing quarterbacks to throw the ball to an area of the field where no
wide receiver can get to. Then, Earl
comes into action, chasing down rainbow passes and intercepting them for
big turnovers and usually big return yardage.
Every one of the "Legion of Boom" has their own unique skill sets that
allow them to work together as a synergy and most importantly, keeping the best
receivers in the game, completely neutralized and ineffective. Most importantly, the way that this defensive
secondary plays, it allows the Seahawks front 7 defenders more time to get to
the quarterback on passing downs and stack the gaps on running plays without
worrying whether or not the deep option is open for the quarterback and
receivers. The defensive line,
linebackers and defensive secondary all work together to make for the best and
deepest defensive unit in the NFL. This
team is also extremely deep and because of that, they will be fresh and that
spells trouble for any team playing the Seahawks in the 2nd half of the
season. This is the time that the
Seahawks defense will begin to impose their will against their opponents the
same way they did a year ago, only this team has more experience playing
together and they have added several dominant defenders to add to the best
defense in football a year ago.
When you look at the Seahawks roster, on both sides of the
football, you see how Carroll and Schneider find talent and use it to the advantage of the team strategy as a whole. Seattle has made
multiple moves in the draft and through free agency where they use a particular
player at one position and move them to the other side of the football, from
defense to offense and vice versa. JR
Sweezy was drafted a defensive end, and yet, started as an offensive guard in
his rookie season after playing his entire life as a defender. Though this move hasn't come to fruition just yet, this year’s conversion project, Jared Smith, was also a defensive
lineman who has been converted to offensive guard. The jury is out on Smith, but the way that
Sweezy made the transition, I wouldn't bet against Smith becoming an accomplished
offensive lineman someday soon. Red Bryant
was drafted by former Seahawks head coach, Mike Holmgren, before Pete Carroll took over, and
Bryant had mixed reviews playing at the 5 technique, as a defensive end, playing
exclusively on the right side of the line.
After discussing the future of Bryant, and considering his lack of production (that would usually
get a player cut), Gus Bradley, Seahawk's former defensive coordinator, and Pete
Carroll, decided to move Bryant to the 3 technique to take advantage of his
quickness on the left side. His enormous 340 pound frame was more suited to give run support
on the interior line… this was a move that has
paid off huge… 340 lbs. Huge, in fact.
Bryant was on the verge of his (brief) career ending prematurely,
because of his lack of production as an end at the 5 technique. For a big man, Bryant possesses a
tremendously quick first step, and the ability to move quickly in small spaces,
(well, relatively small, he is 340 lbs.).
The big man from Jasper, Texas has now become the unlikeliest anchor of
the 'Hawk's defensive line, a line that responds amazingly from his honesty and
almost childlike love for the game. He
has become a beast against the run and a very valuable inspirational leader for
the entire defensive team and this is not a defense that lacks and
leadership. No one, but Carroll, saw
this in Red and now the Seahawks have made him (and his family) financially secure for life. He is an institution at CenturyLink
Field, the nephew of the great Seattle defensive end (Jeff Bryant) and has an
almost cult-like following of fans that love him for the reasons that this
football team has adopted him "Big Red.”
Another player that has found instant success within Pete
Carroll's system is Chris Clemons, the Seahawks top sack leader and another
special player with a skill set that fits Carroll's defensive model for
success. Clemons is just 240 lbs., but
plays much bigger without losing speed on the edge playing the Leo-end position. He is a secure and fundamentally efficient
tackler against the run and has a true "3 down game" that never requires him to
leave the field. Even though he never
had a bookend pass rusher on the other side, Clemens has managed double digits
in sack production with 33.5 sacks in his first 3 years in Seattle. In his
previous 6 seasons, playing with (Redskins, Raiders, and Eagles) managing low single digits in sacks each season before becoming a Seahawk. Clemons has benefited greatly from Carroll's
defensive system with a coach that utilizes his specific skill set to be
successful when he never really found success in his previous chances
elsewhere. He's too tall, he's too thin
and fits more of a linebacker type body and quickness, but Pete Carroll doesn't
follow the rules of other coaches or systems. He has a specific vision and continues to
find players that fit into that system and so far, it's working beautifully. Clemons is one such player that has found great success in the Seahawks unusual defensive scheme.
It's no secret that the Seahawks are a football team on the rise and they
are turning heads all over the NFL. The
12th man has always been loyal to the blue and green, but never before has the
NFL seen the kind of fervor and excitement generated in the Pacific
Northwest for their beloved Seahawks. Franchise owner, Paul Allen, wanting to develop a football team that
reflected his idea of the Pacific Northwest and he wanted the citizens of
Washington to invest into this football team, emotionally and somewhat
financially, but make no mistake, he wasn't interested in buying the Seahawks
franchise unless the city was prepared to support a professional football team
here. He made specific moves to involve
the fans with the team and created a sense of involvement that the team would
have with the fans in very specific and personal ways. Rescuing the Seahawks to the city of Seattle
and surrounding areas would only work if the team was wanted and the fans of
the Northwest region of this country responded in an enormous way. It's really time for the fans of this
football team to realize exactly what is happening to the city and to this
Seattle Seahawks football team. Pete
Carroll was a great signing for this organization and John Schneider was a
perfect complement because of their unified vision of what kind of football
team they want to assemble and how they plan to implement these great players
for the most likely scenario of success on the football field. Bringing in players like; Russell Wilson who
was thought to be too short, and wasn't drafted until the 3rd round, 75th
selection overall. Richard Sherman, a
wide receiver converted to corner at Stanford, drafted in the 5th round, and
now possesses the title of the best "shutdown corner" in the
NFL. Kam Chancellor, a pro-bowl safety,
also drafted in the 5th round and thought to be too big and too slow to play
safety. Wide receiver, Doug Baldwin, who
led the Seahawks in receptions as a rookie, an undrafted rookie out of Stanford
and a player with 2 chips on his shoulders after being snubbed by all 32 NFL
franchises. Earl Thomas, a player many
believed to be too small to make it in the NFL, who now holds the honor of
being and All-Pro safety in the NFL and an early candidate for defensive MVP
this year. Brandon Browner, a 6'4"
225 pound corner who was also not drafted to the NFL and was forced to play
several seasons in the Canadian football league because he was considered too
big and too slow, until he was discovered by Carroll and Schneider and became a
pro-bowl corner. KJ Wright, a 6'5"
linebacker who was considered too tall and lanky to play middle linebacker,
lacked the ability to create leverage because of his long arms and legs,
drafted in the 4th round, 99th overall.
Rookie TE, Luke Willson, 6'5" 251 lbs. a tight end drafted in the
5th round 158 overall. Willson was
actually the backup tight end at Rice University to Vance McDonald, a player
drafted the same year by the San Francisco 49ers. McDonald was the starting TE after the Rice
coaching staff changed their entire offensive system, utilizing Willson as
primarily a blocking back and McDonald a pass receiver. Currently, McDonald has a total of (6)
catches with the 49ers and Willson 12 catches, 9 first downs, 163 yards, 14.9 yards
per catch.
In closing, I think this is a special time to be a Seahawks
fan and a time to be grateful that we have an innovative and energetic coach
who relates with young players the way he does and keeps his players excited
and having fun. Seahawks fans should be
grateful that Paul Allen hired John Schneider to tool his football team with
players with great talent and players who play well together and complement
each other's abilities. Hawks fans
should be grateful that the front office saw past Russell Wilson's lack of
height and the things he couldn't do, instead focusing on the countless
intangible qualities that he has and his ability to make plays with his
intelligence, effort and the tangible physical abilities (quickness, arm
strength, speed and toughness) than he does have. Above all, Wilson has all the qualities that
you want in a field general team-leading quarterback. He works harder than anyone and most of all;
he knows his limitations and has worked tirelessly to overcome the things that
he has no control over. His attitude and
positive, never say die demeanor is infectious and he makes all of the other
players on the team better just by the example of his impeccable character and
sensational ability to make believers of everyone he meets, plays with or even
plays against. This young man is spoken
almost universally in superlatives and admiration. Seahawks fans should be grateful that 74
selections passed in the 2012 NFL draft, giving Seattle the unlikely
opportunity to draft this special young man with the 75th pick overall in the
3rd round of the draft.
This is a very special football team from top to
bottom. This 9-1 record hasn't occurred
because a few great players and a couple of coaches appeared in Seattle. This is a complete team effort with an entire
roster of players that all contribute in a multiplicity of ways. The coaching staff has implemented the
players who have been discovered by a number of Seahawks scouts in connection
with the Seahawks general manager as well as a considerable amount of input
from owner Paul Allen. There are 53
players on the Seahawks roster at any given time and 46 of those dress for each
of the games and of those 46, each must contribute and constantly attempt to
reach their potential as athletes and students of the game of football,
offensively, defensively and special teams, the Seahawks have a special
chemistry that is very difficult to achieve and that balance can be disturbed
by one player, while it takes all 53 to become NFL champions. It is a delicate balance played by some of
the roughest, toughest and most physical football players in America. It is the ultimate team game and a game of
strategy and reaction to adversity.
Seattle Seahawks fans should enjoy this ride, because it
doesn't happen every day. In fact, it is one of the most difficult and elusive
of achievements in sports, anywhere. It
still uncertain how the Seahawks will fare in this season of high
expectation. They are perhaps the most
complete and balanced football teams in the NFL, but the balance is sometimes
fleeting in a sport where the objective is to physically disable your opponent
in one of the most violent of sports in the world. Players get hurt and destiny changes almost
weekly, if not daily. Russell Wilson has
avoided serious injury throughout his brief career, but he has been belted and
beaten far too often while Seattle waits for their starting tackles and center
to return and protect their precious QB.
The Seahawks, like every other team in the NFL, have been hit by the
injury bug to vital positions on the team.
However, through tenacity, great coaching and a supreme belief that they
are destined to do special things, the Seahawks have managed to get through 10
games with only one loss. Even in the
moments of pure frustration and futility, the Seahawks have managed to win in
the most unlikely of moments, leaving many to believe that destination is not
just a catchphrase for the 2013 Seahawks.
In the NFL, there are 32 teams comprising 2 conferences and 8
divisions. Of those 32 franchises, there
are 4 remaining teams that have yet to play in a Super Bowl game and 10 teams
who have made the trip, but returned home without a Lombardi trophy. The
Seahawks are one of those 10, after Super Bowl XL, when they returned to
Seattle losers after being defeated by the Pittsburgh Steelers after the 2005
season. The Seahawks are currently 2.5
games in the lead of the NFC West.
Winning their division and being awarded a first "playoff bye"
is project number one; "capturing home-field advantage throughout the
playoffs" is project number 2. The 3rd objective is fairly obvious… Could
this be the year for the championship famine in Seattle? Is this the roster
that Pete Carroll needs to achieve the ultimate NFL goal?
Seattle hosts the Minnesota Vikings and the game’s best
running back, Adrian Peterson. Russell
Wilson has never tasted defeat in his own house and the Seahawks are bringing
back many key personnel who have been out with injuries for a significant
portion of the first half of the season.
Notable players to return; wide receiver
Percy Harvin (hip), left tackle Russell Okung (toe), right tackle Breno
Giacomini (knee), center Max Unger (concussion), defensive end Red Bryant
(concussion) safety Jeron Johnson (hamstring), and more to the practice field.
