Game Thread: Seattle Seahawks @ Green Bay Packers

[blstoker]

Positives:

Russell Wilson - Russell has been labeled as a game manager, but he has been able to put the team on his back when needed and carry the team. Last week he had career highs in attempts and completions, while spread the ball around (Kearse 10, Baldwin 9, Graham 8, Lynch 7). Despite so many passes, Seattle still had the ball nearly 10 minutes more than the Rams.

Marshawn Lynch - Beast Mode will be a help in taking pressure away from a young offensive line. Seahawks need him to come up big today, cause the best defense against Rodgers is to just keep him on the sideline.

Richard Sherman - Aaron Rodgers has shown very little inclination to throw in the direction of Richard Sherman - and Green Bay has done it's best to keep their best WRs away from Sherman's side of the field. Seattle moved him around some last week, so Rodgers will either have to challenge Sherman, or accept that this time his best targets may be out of some plays.

Negatives:

Lambeau - Seattle may have appeared to have solved their issues on the road, but they are still only 16-13 away from CenturLink the last 3 years. Though this is early in the season, so Lambeau weather shouldn't be a factor (and it's a prime time game so no 10 am issues either), still a road game.

Aaron Rodgers - 41 TD/0INT in last 541 pass attempts in Lambeau. He's probably the best in the NFL right now and has been for the last few years. He'll look at mostly short passes, but will still challenge you deep when he thinks you're sleeping.

Injuries - Both teams are coming in beat up all ready. Obviously, Green Bay has lost Jordy Nelson and Bryan Bulaga, but the length of Seattle's injury report is nearly as long as last year's Super Bowl - including 2 of the 3 starting linebackers. How injured players and replacement players do in this game may have more impact than those who are suiting up healthy.

Matchups:

Eddie Lacy vs. Bobby Wagner - Wagner had a bad week last week, and Benny Cunningham had a big game because of some Wagner misplays. Lacy is a much more difficult back to deal with. Wagner making tackles will make a major difference in this one.

Randall Cobb vs. Richard Sherman - Rumors are that Sherman moving to the slot last week were to prepare him to match up against Cobb this week. If this really is the case, will Sherman be an effective enough nickel to keep Cobb out of the game.

James Jones/Davante Adams vs. Cary Williams/Marcus Burley - If Sherman is used to take Cobb out of the game (or anyone else), the real key may be how well the other CBs take out the other WRs out of the game. If they can keep the damage to a minimum, it could be a good day, but if they don't this could get ugly.

Overview:
Yards after catch. Those three words decided the game last week, and it has a big chance of deciding this one. If the Seahawks defense allows so many YAC, this game will be another 30 point defensive effort - if not worse. But, if Seattle limits the YAC damage like they have been known to do in the past, then it could be a long day for Rodgers and Company.

 

[SonnyCID]

I'd like to see some comparisons with some other road teams over that span of three years. The past two years, the Hawks have been THE BEST road team in the league. And they finished 2012 4-1 on the road down the stretch.

 

[blstoker]

I'd like to see some comparisons with some other road teams over that span of three years. The past two years, the Hawks have been THE BEST road team in the league. And they finished 2012 4-1 on the road down the stretch.

I am not comparing them to what happened with other teams, just what it may mean for this one game only. Seattle could be the best road team in the NFL - but that doesn't change the fact that Seattle has a much greater chance at losing this game than if it had been played at home. Put in it that the Packers have been as good (or even better) at home than the Seahawks, and it's not exactly a good thing for Seattle to be @ Lambeau.

 

[JMR]

Winning on the road in the NFL is difficult. I'm not sure saying we are "only" 16-13 away from Seattle captures a true vulnerability; if we take of business at home and go at least .500 on the road, that's 12-4 -- our average for the past 3 years -- and probably div champs and maybe a first round bye.

I think it's very likely we walk into our home opener vs Chicago with an 0-2 record, but there's still going to be opportunity in those last 14 games to get to where we want.

 

[Podunkparte]

I want to see serious pressure on Rodgers all day. With Bulaga out and our D line rotation, he needs to feel us coming regularly. It would seriously help our secondary situation as well.

Offensively, big dose of lynch in power formations. Stop with the fucking shotgun draw when we need 1 or 2 yards!

 

[Banned 10x]

I want to see serious pressure on Rodgers all day. With Bulaga out and our D line rotation, he needs to feel us coming regularly. It would seriously help our secondary situation as well.

Offensively, big dose of lynch in power formations. Stop with the fucking shotgun draw when we need 1 or 2 yards!

this is such a key tonight, grind out 1st down and they have to win the TOP battle tonight. I might throw something at my TV if I see bubble screens and delayed hand offs often in this game.

 

[JMR]

Offensively, big dose of lynch in power formations. Stop with the fucking shotgun draw when we need 1 or 2 yards!

It's effective though, the final play from last week notwithstanding. Lost track yesterday watching the various games how many times it was used in similar situations successfully. Denver ran it quite a bit in KC as well

The truth is: it's a pretty common running formation these days. And when you have a mobile QB like RW, you can do pretty much anything from that formation. We ran something like 75% of our plays from either the shotgun or the pistol vs the Rams.

 

[Podunkparte]

It's effective though, the final play from last week notwithstanding. Lost track yesterday watching the various games how many times it was used in similar situations successfully. Denver ran it quite a bit in KC as well

The truth is: it's a pretty common running formation these days. And when you have a mobile QB like RW, you can do pretty much anything from that formation. We ran something like 75% of our plays from either the shotgun or the pistol vs the Rams.

And it worked so well, didn't it?

Play to your strengths, don't handcuff your team. Everyone knew Lynch was getting that 4th down carry. You, me, the Rams, Brian Dennehy. Everyone. So what good does it do to start from shotgun there? Russell clearly wasn't keeping the ball and the Rams clearly didn't think so either, so all we did was take away Lynch's momentum he could have had from an I formation, lost a blocker with no FB, and gave ourselves more yards to cover in the backfield.

I like the read option and shotgun formation. Just not when you need 1 yard to not lose and have the best power runner in the game.

 

[JMR]

And it worked so well, didn't it?

Play to your strengths, don't handcuff your team. Everyone knew Lynch was getting that 4th down carry. You, me, the Rams, Brian Dennehy. Everyone. So what good does it do to start from shotgun there? Russell clearly wasn't keeping the ball and the Rams clearly didn't think so either, so all we did was take away Lynch's momentum he could have had from an I formation, lost a blocker with no FB, and gave ourselves more yards to cover in the backfield.

I like the read option and shotgun formation. Just not when you need 1 yard to not lose and have the best power runner in the game.

The fact that it didn't work that time doesn't mean a whole lot. No team has a play that works every time. And just because Bevell's play didn't work doesn't mean that yours would have. Again, the truth is it's an effective formation in a variety of circumstances.

 

[Anointed One]

This game is tough... I don't see the Hawks beating the Packers for a 4th time in a row, especially in Lambeau... With or w/out Chancellor, it's a tall order... It can certainly be done but I just don't see it happening today... I think the Hawks will lose this one 27-17...

I hope my pessimism makes me eat crow...

 

[Podunkparte]

The fact that it didn't work that time doesn't mean a whole lot. No team has a play that works every time. And just because Bevell's play didn't work doesn't mean that yours would have. Again, the truth is it's an effective formation in a variety of circumstances.

But you still have to give your team the best chance at succeeding and IMO a power formation to get Lynch 1 yard when everyone knows you're running is the best option. The shotgun draw only hurts your chances in that situation. Right now I'm not talking about a variety of situations, I'm talking about 1 very clear play in wich the wrong choice was made.

 

[SonnyCID]

But you still have to give your team the best chance at succeeding and IMO a power formation to get Lynch 1 yard when everyone knows you're running is the best option. The shotgun draw only hurts your chances in that situation. Right now I'm not talking about a variety of situations, I'm talking about 1 very clear play in wich the wrong choice was made.

It wasn't a shotgun draw. Just looked like one because Lynch hesitated because the line got demolished. Also, shotgun is 6 yds deep, pistol is 3-3.5 deep.

 

[Podunkparte]

It wasn't a shotgun draw. Just looked like one because Lynch hesitated because the line got demolished. Also, shotgun is 6 yds deep, pistol is 3-3.5 deep.

Either way, under center I formation gets that 1 yard IMO

 

[SonnyCID]

Either way, under center I formation gets that 1 yard IMO

With the power i, you're relying on the line opening a hole in a particular spot. With the option, your QB and RB work together to find a hole wherever it may be. I don't think the coaches have any faith in the line making a predetermined hole against anyone, let alone STL.

 

[Podunkparte]

With the power i, you're relying on the line opening a hole in a particular spot. With the option, your QB and RB work together to find a hole wherever it may be. I don't think the coaches have any faith in the line making a predetermined hole against anyone, let alone STL.

A FB helps. Putting another body between the Oline and Lynch in the backfield gives the best tackle breaker in football a better chance.

These are opinions, I get that. I just hate that play call so much and it gives me little faith going forward in those situations.

 

[blstoker]

How would a FB have helped on this play? 4 of 5 OLinemen were either just plain beaten or blown up at the point of attack. No formation change would have changed the outcome of the play the way it was executed. If the line does it's job on that play, then it wouldn't have mattered how the ball was handed to Lynch, it would have worked. But the line completely folding like it did = disaster. Hell, 4 OLinemen were beaten by just 2 DLinemen!!!

 

[MrS]

I expect the offense to sputter early on, get going out of desparation, then sputter again when the game is on the line.

 

[JMR]

But you still have to give your team the best chance at succeeding and IMO a power formation to get Lynch 1 yard when everyone knows you're running is the best option. The shotgun draw only hurts your chances in that situation. Right now I'm not talking about a variety of situations, I'm talking about 1 very clear play in wich the wrong choice was made.

And you're begging the question when you say your formation gave them the best chance.

They do that, don't pick up the 1 yard (I think Lynch probably would have been met in the backfield right after he got the ball), and now we're all blasting Bevell for lack of creativity, being unimaginative, and running a play from 30 years ago when Knox was the coach. That's just how fans are.

 

[Itsmytime]

Oh look the Rams are getting their shit kicked in....

 

[HaroldSeattle]

Yup, hope it holds up.