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2015 Seahawks Re-Watch, Week 14: Baldwin Blows Up

2015 Seahawks Re-Watch, Week 14: Baldwin Blows Up

Wilson’s primary target was the often overlooked Doug Baldwin, a gritty player and persona who had never complained about the size of his role in the offense and was vocal about his demands that the other pass catchers follow suit. What had led Baldwin’s burst was his running style. Baldwin was able to go off-stride and change direction with precision, oftentimes using shoulder and head movements to disguise his feet. In doing so, he was tying defenders into knots and then blowing past them, where he would be—by no exaggeration of the term—wide open with nary an opponent’s jersey in sight. Against the Steelers, Baldwin put up 145, for a 24 yard/catch average. Against the Vikings, it was 94, for an 18.8 yard average. Against the Ravens, it was 82, for a 13.7 yard average. Out of Wilson’s 11 touchdown passes during the last three weeks, Baldwin had accounted for five. Against the Ravens, he and Wilson added three more.

For his final TD, Baldwin was covered by cornerback Ladarius Webb. Webb, whose slight nudge on Baldwin had prevented an earlier touchdown, had decided he needed a bigger cushion against the speedster. Backpedaling from Baldwin before the snap, Baldwin started at Webb furiously but then laid off the speed while still accelerating and lengthening his strides. The result was like an off-speed pitch in baseball. At the release, it felt like the pitch would come in hot, but it arrived so late that the batter had already swung. In this case, Webb had panicked when Baldwin rushed him and had gotten happy feet, forcing him to leap when Baldwin stutter-stepped to the outside. Webb flopped onto his hands and knees. He was turned so far around that he was able to watch Baldwin complete the catch.

2015 Seahawks Re-Watch, Week 13: A Complete Win

2015 Seahawks Re-Watch, Week 13: A Complete Win

After an offensive juggernaut against the Pittsburg Steelers, and being 4-1 over their last five games, the Seahawks were resembling the team of yonder. Spending most of the season in a daze, it was hard to know if these point explosions—in the last three contests, the offense had scored 32, 29, and 39—were signs of true development or simply a fluke. The team would be tested once again in week 13, facing another likely playoff team. The surprising Minnesota Vikings, who had amassed an 8-3 record, were winning in a way the Seahawks recognized. By utilizing a smart, tough defense, the Vikings kept games close, and by utilizing their dynamic tailback, Adrian Peterson, they set a slow and suffocating pace to games.

The way to beat the Vikings was not so different from the way to beat the Seahawks. Use the pass to build an early lead and put that great defense on its heels instead of its toes, thereby relegating that great running game to the bench. Victory was only a matter of sinking the Viking defense’s low scoring ambitions, but could the offense deliver?

2015 Seahawks Re-Watch, Week 12: The Youth Movement

2015 Seahawks Re-Watch, Week 12: The Youth Movement

The Pittsburg Steelers were in a similar position as the Seattle Seahawks, both had had rough stretches of the season, but had seen a recent uptick in play, and both were battling to obtain a wildcard spot. A victory on this Sunday would put either the Steelers or Seahawks in the driver’s seat. The challenge for the Seahawks was an awesome one. The once elite Legion of Boom had been surgically splintered by quarterbacks who could make pre-snap reads and deliver accurate throws. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was just that, and he was in the midst of an elite season thanks to his chemistry with receiver Antonio Brown. Since returning from injury, Roethlisberger had led the Steelers to a pair of commanding victories, scoring 38 and 30. The Steelers were going to score on the Seahawks, this much seemed certain. A sub-20 point performance from the offense would result in a costly loss. The offense couldn’t just be good—they had to be great. Or more specifically, Russell Wilson had to be great.

* * *

The Seahawks were the top rushing team in the league and had a history of being a top rushing team. With the emergence of Thomas Rawls, and his break-out game against the 49ers, the Steelers decided to send a clear message. Thomas Rawls would not do to them what he had done to others. If the Steelers lost, it would be due to Russell Wilson’s arm. It was a familiar theory. Many teams had had success by selling out to the run and putting the Seahawks in difficult third downs, where the team felt forced to pass. Initially, the Steelers were happy with the plan. While the Hawks had managed to move the ball, the first quarter was a shut-out. A low-scoring game was what the Steelers wanted, but wait…

2015 Seahawks Re-Watch, Week 11: My Name is Thomas Rawls.

2015 Seahawks Re-Watch, Week 11: My Name is Thomas Rawls.

Thomas Rawl’s statline against the San Francisco 49ers was to a scene stealer by itself—30 carries for 209 rushing yards and two touchdowns—but the numbers only hinted at the production. Rawls, the undrafted rookie, in only his third start, went from a frieght train of potential to an all-purpose, every-down back—a rarified package. Rawls was so quick to the attack point, and so decisive, that he was through the gap before the defense could even square up for a tackle. Once a defender was out of position for a tackle, Rawls would turn on the power. Fighting off arm-tackles and shin grabs, he would plant his feet forward, producing meaningful yards after contact. As the game went out, he turned into a first down machine, moving the chains again and again. Hell, he even did a little read-option with Wilson.

His dominance commanded such respect, he even came to run the play-action for himself. In the fourth quarter, 49er safety Jimmie Ward crashed to the line of scrimmage to establish early position on Rawls. Ward stayed with Rawls on the snap, but Ward soon gave up, as Rawls was not given the hand-off. Rawls went slightly limp, slowing down, serving as a minor obstruction to Ward. Ward’s eyes were so stuck on the ball, he gave no notice that Rawls had escaped upfield. While Rawls did this, tight end Luke Willson had also played as if he would run block, but like Rawls, he soon become disinterested, and snuck into the open field. On his third progression, Russell Wilson threw to an open Rawls. With Willson as lead-blocker, 49ers linerback Michael Wilhoite had to slow up, giving Rawls time to secure the ball and cut inside on the overpursing Wilhoite. Rawls took off in a straight line for the end zone, finding Willson at his front to obstruct cornerback Marcus Cromartie.

The result was a touchdown.

2015 Seahawks Re-Watch, Week 10: The Tale of Two Halves

2015 Seahawks Re-Watch, Week 10: The Tale of Two Halves

For the second time in 2015, the Seahawks were .500—but .500 at 2-2 and .500 at 4-4 were different animals. The season half over, nothing short of a two victories against the division leading Arizona Cardinals would allow the Hawks an opportunity at the NFC West crown and a home playoff game.

2016 Seahawks Opponents, NFC West

2016 Seahawks Opponents, NFC West

Post his Jake Delhomme-esque conference championship meltdown, Carson Palmer will enter this season with some serious psychological ghosts. No doubt, the Arizona Cardinals will feel no better about the prospect. In a QB starved league, the Cardinals can do no better than Palmer, but can Palmer do them any better?

2015 Seahawks Re-Watch, Week 8: Sherman Shines

2015 Seahawks Re-Watch, Week 8: Sherman Shines

Not often does one say that a quarterback made the most important tackle of a game, but Russell Wilson did exactly that. Offensive lineman Alvin Bailey had drawn the short stick against defensive end Greg Hardy, an immensely talented yet deeply troubled player. Bailey’s job was to use a cut block against Hardy, a technique where Bailey would obstruct Hardy by attacking Hardy’s lower torso and thighs; instead, Hardy side-stepped Bailey, using his strength to spring free. At 6’5” and 280lbs, Hardy swallowed parts of the sky as he plucked Wilson’s pass from the air. Already in the backfield, Hardy took off for what he expected was a touchdown. However, the undersized Wilson went low on Hardy, wrapping up the defender’s knees. Once again, Hardy powered through, leaving Wilson one final option. He clamped onto Hardy’s ankle, tripping him—an impressive improvisation for a player whose employment was based on avoiding tackles, not making them.

2015 Seahawks Re-Watch, Week 7: Kaeper-can’t

2015 Seahawks Re-Watch, Week 7: Kaeper-can’t

The Seahawks were 2-4, a record that reflected poor play but also a murderous schedule. Of the five teams remaining in the league with a perfect record, the Seahawks had lost to three of them. In each game, the lead was forfeited in the final two minutes. What had happened in 2015 was a mix of things, but mostly, the letdown was on account of incredibly high expectations, maybe to a level where only disappointment could follow.