Seahawks head coach Jim Mora said the team will have some players limited today in practice. And they will include quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, who banged his shoulder against Detroit on Sunday.
Mora said Hasselbeck’s shoulder was sore going into the game, which was further aggravated when he made the tackle on the interception on the first offensive play of the game against Detroit.
However, Mora reiterated that Hasselbeck will play on Sunday.
Mora said the fact that injuries were minor and everyone will again be available for the second straight week is a positive for the organization.
Mora would not say if Damion McIntosh or Sean Locklear will be the starting left tackle this week, so we’ll see how that play out through the rest of practice. Mora said he’s been pleased with the way McIntosh has played so far.
“We like what he’s given us,” Mora said. “He’s very solid. He’s assimilated very well into the team. Regardless if he starts or Sean starts, or how we do that, we feel good about that position right now.”
And although he tried to downplay this Sunday’s Arizona game as just another road game, Mora did say there is a heightened sense of urgency to build on last week’s win against Detroit.
“There’s a tremendous sense of urgency to win this game,” Mora said. “A tremendous sense of urgency, just like there was a tremendous sense of urgency to win last game, and we’ve got to continue to prepare with that mindset. We’ve got to realize the significance of our situation, and I believe we do.”
Mora said it will be important to try and get pressure on Arizona quarterback Kurt Warner, who’s been sack the fifth fewest times in the league per pass attempt.
“People try to get pressure on him, and it’s tough,” he said. “When you watch people play him, you see varying degrees of success with pressure, as you do with sometimes three-man rush.
“So I think what’s important is you try and get pressure, you mix up coverages, you make plays on the ball, you make him make decisions with the ball in his hand to try and confuse him a little bit with disguise. But if you think you’re just going to knock him around all day, that hasn’t proven to be the case with him the last, couple of years. He’s too crafty. And he’s too quick getting rid of the football.”
Mora was a little surprised to hear that the Seahawks have not won a road game against a playoff team since 27-23 win over Minnesota on Dec. 12, 2004.
Asked what he would say to fans in order for them to keep the faith with the team playing the next three games on the road, Mora had this to say.
“That’s pretty compelling,” he said. “I would say know that we’re working as hard as we can and doing all that we can every single day to turn that around. And these next, two weeks we’re going to have two chances to do that.”
How about we don’t start the game with turnovers in our own territory? That would be a start.
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How about letting Hass take over the game and using Forsett to mix in the run…Let’s get the ball in the hands of our best players. Leave Mcintosh where he’s at unless he falters…if it’s not broken, let it be. I think we should give Warner a dose of Nick Reed this week as well. See if he can have success with his speed.
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It will be nice to have Dockett against Mcintosh because Dockett isn’t the quickest guy and it will be pretty difficult for him to over power Mcintosh. We all know that Mcintosh is a huge man. He straight up steam rolled right on over Kyle Williams. It’s going to be a different kind of game this weekend.
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Our playoff lives are on the line for the second week in a row. We are 1-4 over the past five trips to Phoenix, and that record was compiled when we had a better team. We have a chance to win, but it is not a great chance, we need to play better than we did last week to have any chance. If we stick to the passing game on offense, and stop Warner from picking us apart on defense we can win. Both of those things are tall orders against a quality opponent.
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Coaches have no excuses these next couple of weeks. They have a team with no significant injuries. The coaches know the talent and capability of the team now. They should have a game plan built around those talents.
If the team gets beat coaches need to call out themselves or call out the slackers on this team.
I dont want to see 1st and 2nd down run – pass on 3rd. We dont have the run game for it. We need to get the ball to Housh/Burl/Branch/Carlson and in there hands 3 out of 4 plays.
This Mora quote from this week scares me.
“We’re very confident that given time in this system, with these players, that it can be a successful run scheme,” Mora said. “It has proven to be.”
Coach we dont have that time.. Do that in your 1 outa 4 plays. Win it with a pass first system that most are comfortable with on the team.
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like your comment spitbird….
“I dont want to see 1st and 2nd down run – pass on 3rd. We dont have the run game for it. We need to get the ball to Housh/Burl/Branch/Carlson and in there hands 3 out of 4 plays.”
I couldn’t agree with you more! Though with some new faces on the offensive line next year, Im sure the running game will be something to look forward to!
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At least we’ll have reason to be excited if we can win. Optimism will be oozing and it’ll be fun to be a fan again. Too bad a date at the Vikings would be next. Two wins in a row and we’ll all be kool-aid drunk and it’ll be A LOT of fun around here (except for the ones who want Ruskell gone at all costs). It’s too early to focus on the draft (although that’s what I’ll do if we get killed again).
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Those of us who wants Ruskell gone don’t want the team to lose, we just realize that this team has to go at least 6-2 to make the playoffs, and that simply will not happen.
You’ll see why on Sunday.
You saw why last Sunday.
This isn’t a good football team.
Three wins over St. Louis, Jax, and Detroit.
AZ went into Chicago last week and beat the ever-loving crap out of them. That’s a playoff football team.
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“It’s going to be a different kind of game this weekend. ”
No, it’s really not.
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“There’s a tremendous sense of urgency to win this game,” I don’t know why exactly, but I find that infuriating. Why is there not this mind set to approaching every game? Waiting until week 8 or 9 to really emphasize this is a significant component into just how they got to this point. And it’s not just the season either, they begin far to many games with the same approach. Not prepared to play their very best at 100% when the whistle blows. “Oh, okay. NOW we’ll begin to play.” It seems too easy to place the blame for this on just Mora. I can tell you this, every damn week needs to be treated like it’s the most important game they’ll play. Every god damn one of them needs to approached with a “tremendous sense of urgency”. How can one expect excellence any other way?
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Hawks are 0-3 on the road this season, Cards are 1-3 at home. Something has to budge this week.
I hope that if Locklear is healthy enough to play that they put him at RT, McIntosh has been doing a fine job at LT thus far.
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“I hope that if Locklear is healthy enough to play that they put him at RT, McIntosh has been doing a fine job at LT thus far. ”
Agree with that. I re-watched a big chunk of the game – and Willis did not have a good game passblocking at RT.
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I think McIntosh is playing well too. He may not be a Pro Bowler, but he’s certainly playing better there than anyone else.
Sims is our best option at LG.
I do NOT think Spencer is our best option at Center. IMO Max Unger needs to take over. His era needs to begin.
Even though Unger is our best option at Center, I do not think he’s our best option at RG. I think the combination of Willis/Lock is what we need on the right side to our line. Lock and Willis both would do better than what Unger has done at that specific position up to this point. And even if there is a change in the OL… it’s not like we have had a lot of time to build any continuity anyways. If this is the best 5 for the job… that’s who we should go with and that is why I firmly believe it’s;
McIntosh
Sims
Unger
Willis
Locklear
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pdway – I agree. That’s why Willis should be at RG. He’s a hell of a lot more powerful at the point of attack than Unger. We’d certainly improve our interior running game with him at RG. And Lock is a much better fit for the ZBS at RT than Willis. Another thing with Lock at RT… he is a well above average RT in pass protection. This would allow Carlson to get in his routes much more often than helping out Willis (who does struggle a bit in pass protection, but certainly makes up for it in drive blocking). IMO this is a no brainer if everyone is healthy.
I can see where some may argue that it’s Unger who needs to go to the bench instead of Spencer and that’s fine… it’s just not how I see it. The Unger era should begin soon at Center. I’m not exactly comparing him to Tobeck, but there are similarities. I don’t see Unger/Tobeck as very good guards. I see them as technicians. Very good technicians. That’s what you need in a Center (and brains to make the line calls). But at guard you need power/bulk (even in the ZBS, although you can get away with it less). Unger/Tobeck aren’t or weren’t suited to this as well.
Mr. Mora – please move Unger to Center. Soon. Now. Yesterday.
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BobbyK…I totally agree.
If Mora’s serious about holding players accountable for their play, this is our starting OL:
McIntosh
Sims
Unger
Willis
Locklear
Before dumping Spencer, I would like Solari to try him at RG in practice to see how he performs there. If that goes well, fine…if not, he’s a back-up to Unger until his contract expires, unless we can work out a trade with the Raiders.
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If Spencer can run a 4.6 as a Center, I bet Al Davis would give us a high pick (nevermind that he will be a FA at the end of the year… Brain Dead Al would trade for him in Feb. to get his rights and then franchise him to make sure nobody else can have him:)
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Week 6 vs AZ: (AZ 27 – SEA 3)
Hawks O vs Cards D – Hawks offense ran 47 plays in 12 drives = 3.9 plays/drive.
Cards O vs Hawks D – Cards offense ran 73 plays in 13 drives = 5.6 plays/drive.
QB Passing: M.Hasselbeck had 29 pass attempts. 4 thrown away + 2 batted (1 by Dockett + 1 Okeafor) = 23 aimed passes. Of those 1 was dropped (Griffith), 1 picked (thrown to Housh – either mix-up on the route or bad throw, A.Rolle got it), and 10 were completed for 112 yds. Of the 11 remaining incompletes, 1 was deflected by B.McFadden, 2 by A.Rolle (besides the int), 2 by DRC, 1 by R.Brown, and 1 by K.Dansby. So 7 of the 11 incompletes were defensed by the Cards. With two fractured ribs, Matt was sacked 5 times, hit 6 times and under pressure 6 more times. That accounts for remaining 4 passes that didn’t become completions. Either that or the receiver and the QB weren’t on the same page, which was also very likely since that was Matt’s first game back after missing 2nd half of SF game in week 2.
Hawks Receivers:
TJ was targetted 8 times and caught 4 for 34 yds. TJ ran pass patterns 35 times and run-blocked 8 times.
J.Carlson was targetted 6 times and caught 2 for 55 yds (incl 42 yder on fake punt). JC ran 28 pass patterns, pass blocked 5 times, and run-blocked 11.
N.Burleson was targetted 5 times and caught 2 for 40 yds. NB ran 34 pass patterns, and run-blocked 8 times.
D.Branch was targetted 7 times and caught 2 for 9 yds. DB ran 28 pass patterns, and run-blocked 3 times.
J.Forsett was targetted once and caught it for 16 yds (screen). JF ran 9 pass patterns, and pass blocked 5 times.
D.Butler and J.Griffith were each targetted once for an incomplete.
TE-L J.Owens ran 3 pass patterns, was not targetted.
Hawks OL Pass Pro:
LT K.Williams pass blocked 36 times, allowed 3 sacks, 1 hit, and 1 pressure.
LG S.Vallos pass blocked 36 times, allowed 1 sack, and 2 hits.
C C.Spencer pass blocked 36 times, allowed no sacks, hits or pressures.
RG M.Unger pass blocked 36 times, allowed 4 pressures.
RT R.Willis pass blocked 36 times, allowed 2 hits and 1 pressure.
TE-R J.Carlson pass blocked 5 times, allowed no sacks, hits or pressures.
J.Jones pass blocked 7 times, allowed one hit.
J.Forsett pass blocked 5 times, allowed no sacks, hits or pressures.
Matt had 20 offensive passes without pressure. AZ blitzed 13 times, getting pressure, plus they got pressure two additional times without blitzing. Of the 20 throws without pressure Matt completed 8 and was intercepted once. Of the 15 passing downs under pressure, Matt attempted 9, completed 2, got sacked 5 times, and pretty much got clobbered the remaining times.
At Qwest vs AZ’s #1 run-defense, Hawks got 14 total yards rushing 11 times. M.Hasselbeck got 2 yds on 1 carry, Edge got 3 yds on 3 carries, Forsett got 4 yds on 2 carries, and JJ got 5 yds on 5 carries. Not so good.
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Leave McIntosh at LT instead of playing Lock there?
Wk 1 v STL: Lock played 70 plays, 36 pass-blocking, allowed 1 QB pressure.
Wk 2 v SF: Lock played 19 of 71 plays, 10 pass-blocking, no sacks, hits, pressures.
Wk 8 v DAL: McIntosh played 65 plays, 43 pass-blocking, allowed 1 sack, 1 pressure.
Wk 9 v STL: J.Peterson played RDE and got no sacks but 1 QB hurry.
McIntosh is playing well at LT and there has been a little bit of stability on the OL since he’s played there two weeks inna row, but getting Lock back there might also be OK. Willis has struggled at RT and I’d move Lock there rather than McIntosh if Ray ever got hurt. But as long as Lock is healthy now and ready to play Hawks should be inna good position at LT. In case Lock does get hurt, Hawks have a great backup in McIntosh.
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Man…..this is fun! A lot of great reads from you guys, and possibly gals. I can’t quote the great stats a lot of you do, I just support every guy who puts on the jersey on Sunday. Lots of trouble at LT, but compare that to our defensive captain going down, and his replacement plays lights out. I feel that this team is coming together, with Matt leading the way on offense and the OL starting to stabilize, if not gel. Defensively, Tru gives a boost to that side. I thought that the DB’s really contested the pass and got picks as a result. I know it was only the Lions, but a confidence booster nonetheless. I’m looking forward to our Hawks showing up for a big divisional game, and kickin’ sum cardinal cans.
GO SEAHAWKS!!!
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Does anyone know if there are any starter caliber O-line men in the UFL? I might not have the name of the league right. But when their season ends NFL teams can sign any of those guys that are thought to be good eneough. So does anyone know anuthing about any tackles in that league?
The question doesn’t matter if the hawks lose anymore games. No playoffs no need to bring anyone in now.
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