SI --The All-22: How to beat the Seahawks

[Playoffs]

SI -- The All-22: How to beat the Seahawks

There appear to be two versions of the Seattle Seahawks in the public consciousness. There is the juggernaut that has gone 18-3 in its last 21 regular-season games and is nearly unbeatable at home. That Seahawks team has one of the best young quarterbacks in Russell Wilson, a dominant running back in Marshawn Lynch and a defense that can shut down — nay, embarrass — any offense it faces.

Then, there’s the Seahawks team that has lost two of its last four games — both to excellent division opponents, and one was at home. The Arizona Cardinals’ 17-10 victory at CenturyLink Field provided a template to beat this Seahawks team, even in its own backyard — push Lynch off his axis after you’ve shredded his sub-par line, run Wilson to death after his pass protection erodes and outlast a defense increasingly staffed by backup cornerbacks.

As with most narratives, there’s truth to both sides of the story. The Seahawks are, by advanced metrics, the NFL’s best team — at least in the regular season — for the second straight year. Their point differential of +186 is second-best to Denver’s, and their defense is just as good as the stats imply. Perhaps even better given that those backup cornerbacks, like Byron Maxwell and Jeremy Lane, have jumped in and played like starters from the word “go.” And Wilson has thrown more touchdown passes in his first two seasons (52) than anyone not named Peyton Manning.

On the other hand … the offensive line can be a sieve at times, especially at guard, which is one reason Lynch’s rushing totals have plummeted of late — from 5.2 yards per carry in November to 3.6 yards per carry in December. “Run-to-win” is often an unholy misuse of correlation and causation, but in the Seahawks’ case, it rings true. One of the main reasons they went 3-2 in December was that Lynch is the force around which everything else revolves.

But the road to the Super Bowl goes through Seattle this season, and the last time that happened (the 2005 season), the Seahawks made it to Super Bowl XL, where they lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers. They’re going to be favorites no matter who they face this postseason, starting in the divisional round with a New Orleans team they crushed 34-7 on Dec. 1.

That said, if home playoff status were an inevitability for victory, we wouldn’t bother having the postseason in the first place. The reality is there have been enough five- and six-seeds taking home the Lombardi Trophy in the last decade to make it more than interesting for everyone involved. And with that in mind, here are five ways to take care of a Seahawks team that has been unbeatable at times — and all too vulnerable at others...

http://nfl.si.com/2014/01/07/seattle-seahawks-nfl-playoffs-2014/

 

[Double Barrel]

I guess I'm just a guy that likes underdogs, but also get tired of the (over)hype. Go Saints!

 

[Mr teX]

How to beat the saints? play them anywhere but quest field.. that's a good start anyway.

 

[Norg]

Our good ol Texans were kicking the Hawks ass for 2 and a half qtrs. ...?????

 

[RazorOye]

I guess I'm just a guy that likes underdogs, but also get tired of the (over)hype. Go Saints!

we appreciate the support, DB

some more 'hawk strategy reading:

The Secret Of The Seahawks' Defense? Fouling, Maybe

I hope they let all the DBs play physical. Penalty calls are down this postseason and I'm fine with physical play. We're down 2 of our top 3 corners (Greer and Robinson) and the back end hasn't been as strong since they went down. Lewis is the only one left and he was out last week with a concussion sustained during the game.

Playing Philly with our 4th and 5th DBs was stressful to watch. As it stands, they'll see time in Seattle, still, so if the refs let them get away with being physical it will benefit the likes of Corey White.

 

[infantrycak]

Someone finally calls out the Seahawks:

So what’s the secret of the Seattle Seahawks?

They cheat.

Not in a Spygate way or with any other secret methods. As explained by Kevin Clark and Jonathan Clegg of the Wall Street Journal, the Seahawks engage in blatant pass interference on a regular basis, accepting that a penalty will be called from time to time but realizing that the officials won’t call it every time.

“If you think they’re going to be called and expect that to be the solution to the problem, you’re going to be sadly mistaken,” former Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride told Clark and Clegg. “They’ve perfected the art.”

“They look at it and say, ‘We may get called for one but not 10,’” FOX’s Mike Pereira, a former V.P. of officiating, told Clark and Clegg.

Link

 

[Playoffs]

Someone finally calls out the Seahawks: Link

The Seahawks led the league with 13 pass interference penalties in 2013. They also had 10 defensive holding calls. If they’re indeed committing fouls on every passing play, that’s a small price to pay for 13 wins and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

Gaming the system.

 

[bah007]

PI is a garbage call for the most part in this league now. The refs seem to have no idea what is a penalty and what isn't.

Might as well get your money's worth every time. Some times they'll call it, other times they won't.

 

[TexansSeminole]

I've noticed it for about 2 seasons now. They are very handstand and while they get called on it a lot, they don't get called on it as much as you would think they should. I love watching it though.

PI is a garbage call for the most part in this league now. The refs seem to have no idea what is a penalty and what isn't.

Might as well get your money's worth every time. Some times they'll call it, other times they won't.

PI gets stranger every year. I think you are right to say that refs don't all have the same interpretation of it or don't all seem to understand what is or isn't PI.

 

[bah007]

I've noticed it for about 2 seasons now. They are very handstand and while they get called on it a lot, they don't get called on it as much as you would think they should. I love watching it though.



PI gets stranger every year. I think you are right to say that refs don't all have the same interpretation of it or don't all seem to understand what is or isn't PI.

Perfect example in the first quarter of the SF game.

Patrick Willis mugs Greg Olsen for about three seconds, putting him in prime position to make the INT off a deflection. No call.

On the next possession, CAR gets called for back to back ticky tack fouls that were far less intrusive to the offensive player.

 

[Double Barrel]

Maybe opposing defenses should adopt the same strategy on hitting Russel Wilson. Hit him every play and take the roughing calls if/when they call them.

I'd bet in a war of attrition, Wilson is the last person the Seahawks could afford to lose.

 

[WolverineFan]

Maybe opposing defenses should adopt the same strategy on hitting Russel Wilson. Hit him every play and take the roughing calls if/when they call them.

I'd bet in a war of attrition, Wilson is the last person the Seahawks could afford to lose.

Not sure that tactic would be effective at all. They may not call PI every time, but they will certainly call roughing the QB every time. How many times have we seen plain sacks been penalized this year?

 

[infantrycak]

Not sure that tactic would be effective at all. They may not call PI every time, but they will certainly call roughing the QB every time. How many times have we seen plain sacks been penalized this year?

Don't hit him in the head or knees. JJ instead of pissing and moaning about the rules has adapted and nails QBs square in the chest with his head down after they have let the ball go quite frequently. He only gets flagged if he misses and hits the helmet.

 

[Double Barrel]

Don't hit him in the head or knees. JJ instead of pissing and moaning about the rules has adapted and nails QBs square in the chest with his head down after they have let the ball go quite frequently. He only gets flagged if he misses and hits the helmet.

Exactly. Refs don't want to impact the game with roughing calls any more than they want to influence it with too many interference calls.

My point is if you can't beat 'em, then join them at their own game.

And I think this story puts to rest any of the so-called "shutdown corner" talk about Richard Sherman. Dude is the best CB in football right now, but there is only one true shutdown corner in NFL history, and that would be Deion Sanders.

Deion never had to resort to such tactics, simply because he could straight up beat teams with pure skill. Sherman is nowhere near Sanders, regardless of what the talking heads on tv say about it.