SB Nation - Craig Terrill

John Lynch Nails Jim Mora Dead to Rights

John Morgan — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 01:18:26 -0000

John Lynch is not the most eloquent person. Ron Pitts is the eloquent counterpunch to Lynch's disarming enthusiasm. That's the typical play by play-color commentator dynamic. Pitts is intelligible. Lynch is emotive.

Their purpose is one part atmosphere and one part information. I typically take the atmosphere and tolerate the information. A football fan shouldn't look to the commentators to provide piercing insight or real-time strategy breakdowns. Coaches want to be opaque and unpredictable, but also logical and efficient. It's not enough to be either. A good coach must be both.

A good coach should not be caught dead to rights by color commentator John Lynch.

Lynch met with Matt Schaub in a production meeting prior to the game. Before this play, Lynch relayed that Schaub expected his old coach to drop coverage early

(3-10-SEA 40 (13:36) (Shotgun) 8-M.Schaub pass deep middle to 80-A.Johnson to SEA 17 for 23 yards (36-L.Milloy, 27-J.Babineaux)

And if that didn't work, blitz.

(1-10-SEA 17 (12:58) 8-M.Schaub pass short middle to 80-A.Johnson for 17 yards, TOUCHDOWN)

Seattle rushed Darryl Tapp, Craig Terrill and Patrick Kerney on third and ten. The Texans responded with a four-wide receiver set that, absent a pass rush, eventually shredded Seattle's zone.

Seattle rushed six, including Aaron Curry and David Hawthorne, on the subsequent play, and Andre Johnson streaked into the vacated middle for an easy reception and score. The Texans play calls could not have been better fit to beat the Seahawks defense.

Schaub last played under Jim Mora in 2006. Mora was then fired and hired by the Seattle Seahawks. Schaub, Lynch, millions of home viewers and Gary Kubiak perfectly anticipated Mora's tendencies. Tendencies, we can only assume, that have not changed since his time in Atlanta. Tendencies, described by Lynch by way of Schaub, that are fixed, motivated by frustration and easily exploitable.

I once worked in a warehouse finishing furniture. I would play chess with a coworker during breaks. Every time I won, he wanted a rematch, and would play worse, and become more frustrated and sloppy, and play worse, and become more frustrated and sloppy, and play worse...

Anatomy of a Game Changing Fumble Recovery

John Morgan — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 02:00:07 -0000

More photos » by Elaine Thompson - AP

A routine play punctuated by hustle made this amazing pass possible.

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I hit on the staggering consequences a dropped route and blown block can cause when Nate Burleson indirectly assisted a forced fumble by the Dallas Cowboys. Seattle hustled its way into a fumble and fumble recovery in a similar fashion this last Sunday. Fumble recovery is not luck, strictly speaking; it's just unpredictable. Luck implies a lack of skill, whereas fumble recovery is a skill, just one that is exceedingly hard to measure.

The play didn't look too exciting at the onset. Seattle broke in a nickel package against the 49ers two-tight end, power formation. David Hawthorne knifed into the backfield but lost Frank Gore when Gore followed his lead blocker left. Jordan Babineaux followed but overpursued. Bad things were about to happen. Seattle was in nickel against a run, and two of its three run stuffers, the linebacker and strong safety, were behind and out of the play. Bad things were about to happen for the 49ers.

Darryl Tapp anchored against tight end Delanie Walker and forced Gore to cut back inside. Tapp slowed Gore and ankle tackled him into and onto prostrate non-entity Craig Terrill. Terrill, through no achievement of his own, played an essential part in the play. His was the body that kept Gore from being down.

Here's where hustle gets its due: Wilson started the play just outside the tackle box and in position to be blocked by a pulling lineman. And so he was. Right tackle Adam Snyder pulled out and put a body on Pistol, but Pistol didn't quit. He went high on Snyder and yanked him aside by the shoulder pads. Back in the scrum, Babineaux recovered and punched out the fumble. Gore was attempting to wrestle his ankle free and somewhat atop Terrill. The ball bounced forward and toward no team in particular before a streaking Wilson looped into the action and recovered for 43 yards.

It was the single most important play of the game, worth 30% of win probability, worth more than Matt Hasselbeck's late strike to Deon Butler, and more than the field goal that won it. It ended a menacing looking drive by San Francisco that had advanced into Seahawks territory and flipped field position. Seattle took the lead on the ensuing drive. It wasn't the better team all game, it isn't the better team on paper, but it mustered all the character Tim Ruskell saw in it and granted him his parting wish: Win.

Matt Hasselbeck Slings to Deon Butler for 32 and Game Winning Field Goal Range

John Morgan — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 01:15:19 -0000

More photos » by Elaine Thompson - AP

Matt Hasselbeck's pass to Deion Branch bent like a curveball and sought like a missile.

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Matt Hasselbeck gets the game ball.

The NFL Draft is designed to assist weaker teams and create parity. Bad teams get better players and become better teams. The very worst teams can pick any player to help rebuild their franchise around. That intent has been disputed by research conducted by Massey and Thaler. Common wisdom is that rookies are overpaid and the strict salary structure punishes bad teams by awarding them potentially crippling investments.

Two things are true: High salaries in the top ten punish bad teams by increasing how much is risked. The best players are usually drafted early.

The San Francisco 49ers started eight picks selected in the top fifty: Alex Smith (1), Vernon Davis (6), Michael Crabtree (10), Patrick Willis (11), Manny Lawson (22), Joe Staley (28), David Bass (33) and Chilo Rachal (38). It took a lot of ass football to assemble that cast. If not for the 90s Niners spilling into the early 2000s, San Francisco would have a dog in the race for worst team of the new millennium.

Smith looked like a competent if unsexy quarterback. Dilfer with a better arm. He's 25.

Davis ran a 4.38 forty. Match him against Aaron Curry on a crossing route and Curry is probably going to get burned.

Crabtree is athletic and explosive and-Oh shit! Lawyer Milloy!

I won't continue fawning. My point is that Seattle beat a better team than itself today. It beat a younger team with far greater resources invested in that youth. It beat that team because the 49ers are better than Seattle, but not significantly.

Josh Wilson was the best all around cornerback playing today. He is a fiend against the wide receiver screen, aware and responsive to his surroundings like a Shaolin Monk. Wilson isn't a stride-for-stride, Asomugha-like shutdown corner. He's a zone corner, but a hell of a zone corner, and drafted to play in a zone scheme. He was supposed to be Ronde. He's supposed to bury the screen, intercept the bounce, jump the route and find the fumble and fly.

Brandon Mebane is an incredible machine. He's a backloaded piston; a battering ram shaped like candy corn. The day Mebane synced to NFL snap counts he became a great young defensive tackle. Mebane is quick, powerful and hard to block. Seattle doesn't need Suh to showcase Mebane, just someone better than Rocky Bernard, Colin Cole, Craig Terrill and the whole sick crew. Like, motile matter -- ambulatory would be an upgrade.

Jordan Babineaux is a young, cheap and functional free safety.

Tim Ruskell never did rebuild but he added some talent while the core rotted. Seattle's next GM inherits a heck of a fine position. I hope he realizes it.

. . .

Two years ago I faced the Shaun Alexander dilemma. Alexander was no longer a good running back. On his best days rushing, he was still a liability as a receiver and pass blocker. But he was beloved even by we who hated watching him. I never feared a miraculous recovery disproving all my theories. I cringed because others saw a miraculous recovery every time he rushed for five.

Hasselbeck isn't there. Quarterbacks do not fall like running backs fall. Losing a little arm strength is not like losing the first gear that got you the job. Hasselbeck can toss a nice pass when he needs. The bender over the defender to Deion Branch was indefensible pass at its best. He threw another high-arcing bomb to Branch that Branch lost behind the defender. It was pretty for a second. Real pretty.

Unlike seeing Shaun sprinting for fourteen, I never cringed seeing Hasselbeck spark to life. It was thrilling. Hasselbeck was never a great quarterback. Well, screw that. Matt Hasselbeck is one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play American football. Any quarterback that's made a Pro Bowl can claim that. Hasselbeck is not Manning or within the discussion. He's not Fouts or Unitas or Tarkenton or Marino or-

But HE's THE BEST GODDAMN QUARTERBACK WE'VE EVER HAD!!

Game ball guy. I hope you find a team to make your last few millions in the league with. And I hope that team is not the Seattle Seahawks.

Brandon Mebane in the First Quarter and the Optimal Defensive Line, Pt. 1

John Morgan — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:05:46 -0000

More photos » by Ross Franklin - AP

Seattle took an early lead and implemented a smart strategy to defend Kurt Warner. The scheme was right, but the personnel wrong. It has the talent to field an above average pass rushing line, but it needs to sit Colin Cole.

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Has Brandon Mebane struggled to transition to the three tech? That is something I will explore deeper this week, but if he hasn't struggled, nor has he proven himself the force he was at the one tech.

Seattle has three players that are nominal three techs: Mebane, Cory Redding and Craig Terrill. Redding plays end, but is very much more a 3-4 end than a traditional 4-3 end. He influences and collapses the pocket rather than disengages and makes plays. He just isn't quick enough to edge rush and though he has been good and great at what he does, he hasn't provided much pass rush. Terrill is the standard organizational soldier type that is in turns under- and overappreciated. Seattle could upgrade but does not have to upgrade.

It has two one-tech types: Colin Cole and Red Bryant. Cole is the most reliable of the two and one of the most active tackles in Seattle's rotation. He can square against most single blocks, but that's his skill set almost in its entirety. Three tech used to be the feature tackle position in a 4-3, but the proliferation of 3-4 schemes has made the nose position in demand and three tech types less popular.

Signing Cole was a mistake. He hasn't proven much as a Seahawk and his ridiculous contract practically forces Seattle to start him. When Seattle needed its front four to provide pressure, it was exposed. Seattle's ends are average. Lawrence Jackson is developing, but is unlikely to ever be a great pass rusher. Darryl Tapp is a good speed rusher, but aside Cole, he isn't getting the one-on-one matchups he thrives against. Patrick Kerney still has burst around the edge, but his spate of injuries have sapped his upper body strength and he is as much a situational pass rusher now as Nick Reed. It's a nice foundation, but it won't strike fear into this season's opponents.

Seattle had a better front four last season, even minus Kerney. Mebane was a better one-tech than Cole, and though Rocky Bernard had little left to give, Mebane and Bernard were better collectively than Mebane and Cole. Mebane is supposed to be making plays and Cole stuffing tacklers, but Cole can't and so Mebane is again doing both. Bane does not get off blocks exceptionally well and his pass rush arsenal isn't developed. He established himself in this league as the type of punishing bull rusher that two blockers struggled to stop.

Anatomically, it's easy to see why: Mebane has an exceptionally low center of gravity, gets lower in his stance than almost anyone and erupts off the snap with such violence that many blockers are beat before they can defend themselves. As a three, a popular way of combating Mebane's explosiveness and exceptional leverage is to fade and draw his weight from over his feet. He gets ahead of himself, so to speak, and can be blocked whence unbalanced.

My notes on Mebane are mostly positive. He ran through a pulling blocker and tackled Beanie Wells for a loss of four at the start of the Cardinals second drive. He then played nose twice in a three man rush and performed ably, but wasn't able to separate. That's the problem for Brandon: He is great off the snap, but he does not consistently separate from blockers. As a one tech, Mebane was able to collapse the pocket into the quarterback and bull rush into sacks. As a three tech, he needs to be able to fight off a single block and show quickness to the ball carrier. That might not be within Mebane's ability.

From Zero to Seven

John Morgan — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:27:29 -0000

More photos » by Ted S. Warren - AP

Jordan Babineaux sacked Matthew Stafford to force third and 20. Seattle's slack zones allowed Stafford to connect with Brandon Pettigrew for 18 on the next play. Detroit easily converted the fourth and two.

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Seattle allowed Brandon Pettigrew to receive for 18 before Detroit converted the fourth two different ways. By the official scorer's spot, Kevin Smith ran for three to convert fourth and two. The play was ruled dead because the Seahawks had too many men on the field.

I say Seattle allowed Pettigrew to receive for 18 because that is how the zone was constructed. Jordan Babineaux had perfectly timed a delayed blitz and broke down to sack Matthew Stafford for ten. Seattle then went soft. It dropped a loose zone and rushed four. Seahawks defended the first down marker and opened the underneath. Aaron Curry seemingly knocked Pettigrew another three yards over the marker and for the first.

The ball was marked at the Seattle 29. The Lions raced to the line of scrimmage and snapped before Seattle could set, simultaneously converting the first on the ground and forcing the penalty to convert the first. I guess Seattle couldn't fathom a team going for it on fourth and two.

Jason Hanson missed the field goal attempt, but a play later, Detriot would have the ball again.

Seattle had given itself a big thumbs up to the eye socket. Brandon Mebane had blown up their first run attempt in the backfield. Curry had hit Stafford twice and Babineaux had sacked him for a loss of ten. It had forced three third and longs and allowed two conversions - the unconverted third picked up on fourth down. It attacked and retreated for 14 plays, 16 unofficial, and was spared by dumb luck.

In the jubilant arms of fortune, it threw the ball right back to Detroit.

Matt Hasselbeck passed into triple cover or, more accurately, at single cover. He threw it to Louis Delmas and broke to tackle Delmas before he could score. Hasselbeck didn't see Delmas but Delmas saw him. Looking down T.J. Houshmandzadeh and patting the ball once before firing.

Craig Terrill fired into the right tackle and Cory Redding came untouched from left end on a five man line. Redding hit Smith in the backfield and forced a fumble, but the play was ruled dead. Pettigrew had committed a false start. Pettigrew ran between Seattle's zone and Stafford hit him as he turned in a play that looked indefensible. Stafford's pass was too fast and Pettigrew too large for Seattle's zones to factor.

Seattle had played well but was down seven. It could have been down 10. The Seahawks were executing. Why then were they reeling? Hasselbeck bears the brunt: He made an indefensible pass. But that touchdown reception - rookie to rookie - that looked unstoppable -- what explains that? The 18 yard reception that preceded it, that didn't contest the pass and set up a makeable fourth, what explains that? If zones can make routine plays look unstoppable, maybe it is the defensive game plan that is truly indefensible.

Colin Cole Allows a Hole Emmitt Smith Would Envy

John Morgan — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 22:32:56 -0000

This hole? Zombie-Curtis Enis could run through it.

How does a running back rush for 80 yards on the first play of the half? How does a team fail to adjust when that same running back broke a 75 yard run in the first half? Seattle didn't really adjust. It was again eight in the box. Kelly Jennings was manning the right end, making Seattle borderline nine in the box. The starters, minus Lofa Tatupu and Josh Wilson, were in. That means Craig Terrill, but Terrill did his job. He was first off the snap and he drove back right guard Chilo Rachal. Everyone else, oh boy...

Colin Cole bears the most blame, but he wasn't embarrassed the way Patrick Kerney was. Poor, poor Patrick Kerney. It's early but, Kerney might have stepped over that cliff this season. Plays in which he's looked flat bad are beginning to outnumber plays he's looked good.

Let's take this step by pitiful step.

1. San Francisco is set two wide receivers left, tight end right and offset "I" right. Seattle is 4-3 under, so that Aaron Curry is shaded just to the right of slot receiver Josh Morgan.

2. Morgan motions in to the right tackle, but then reverses and aligns at left tight end. This is where things start to crumble for Seattle. The Seahawks shift left to the motion and then attempt to reset on the right. They can't get back into position before the snap.

3. At the snap, Curry and Will Herring read run and rush the line to control their gaps. Every 49er but Josh Hill stays in to block. Ken Lucas stays with Hill.

4. Left guard David Baas engages and blocks out Cole. This is essential, because it is Cole's gap that San Francisco will target. Baas is able to single block Cole allowing center Eric Heitmann to pull into the second level. Heitmann briefly reach blocks Cole, but it doesn't slow his pull. Cole is effectively blocked out by one offensive lineman.

5. Cole is moved hard to the offensive right and Gore's cutback lane stretches from Terrill, right of center, to Curry struggling with (and being held by) Morgan outside of the left tackle. The hole is as large as three to four football players aligned shoulder pad to shoulder pad.

6. Herring is lost in the pile. For good measure and without a better assignment, Heitmann piles on, tracking him into the scrum and shoving to the ground. Staley pulls out and blocks David Hawthorne.

7. Kerney is unblocked. He is standing in the hole before Gore can receive the hand off. It's a tough hole to defend and Kerney has not support, but he most slow or redirect Gore if he can't get a hand on him.

8. He doesn't.

9. Gore is untouched into the third level. Jordan Babineaux takes a bad angle towards Gore, but, again, what can he do?

10. What he does is attempt to flush Gore towards Lucas, the only other defender with a chance to stop Gore.

11. Gore expertly threads between Babineaux and Lucas. He angles towards the sideline to position Lucas and then cuts in. That puts Hill between him and Lucas and clears the lane to the end zone.

Kerney is awful on this play, but the huge hole, the literally superfluous lead blockers and the speed and force Gore is able to take into the third level starts with Cole's inability to hold the center. Even Kerney's failure is partially attributed to the gigantic hole he had to fill. And that hole is Colin Cole's responsibility to prevent from forming. He is the nose tackle, the true nose, playing over center -- the zero gap, and it is his responsibility to contain the push, hold the point and prevent the offensive line from being ripped through like tissue paper.

A Rant about Brian Billick, NFL Analyst

John Morgan — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 23:05:04 -0000

More photos » by Ben Margot - AP

The Seahawks don't need to get healthy. They need to pop and lock to the end zone.

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This is a rant about Brian Billick. If you are not interested in reading a rant about Brian Billick, do not read the rest of this post.

Speak unscripted for three hours and you are going to say something stupid. You will mangle names. You will misdiagnose plays. Much of fan criticism of announcers is petty. It's hater culture. I think the overall quality of NFL announcing could be better, but I don't think the men in the booth are boobs or amateurs.

Brian Billick was almost intolerable. His commentary seemed canned and inappropriate. Lawrence Jackson ran around Adam Snyder for a fast front-side sack, and Billick talked about the coverage scheme. He responded to a wildly inaccurate pass by Shaun Hill by questioning the play call. Billick repeated that the offense might try "running a hard play-action and passing down field" until one team actually did it. He referred to the offense as "we", "us" and "our", once talking about how "we" might run a hard play-action pass down field once "we" convert this third and nine.

Most significantly, Billick offered almost no insight into what was happening on the field. San Francisco ran a misdirection pitch to Frank Gore, and Billick didn't mention how the play targeted Seattle's inexperienced backup linebackers. San Francisco ran an almost identical play one play later, but Seattle had adjusted. Aaron Curry was on the weak side, ready to tackle Gore behind the line, but he overpursued and Gore turned the corner. On the replay, Billick said "Everybody commits to it, has eyes on the fullback and that got Frank Gore around the edge" as if Curry didn't exist. Curry wasn't mentioned at all. Instead we got a shot of Josh Morgan holding Josh Wilson by his jersey and praise from Billick for his blocking. As if the lines were being fed to him and there was no chance to adjust to what was actually happening on the field. The NFL doesn't like it when commentators point out missed penalties, but can we at least not insult the viewers by calling a clear hold a good block?

Misspeak, flub a name, say something stupid, but be insightful. Billick could hardly break his monotony of "rhythm", "pace", "rhythm" and "establish". Litany weasel words that mean little but "accomplish". Do we need a persistent reminder that an offense should complete its passes and run for positive yards? Why do commentators insist on saying a good offensive series is the offense "getting into a rhythm"? I don't think I have ever felt as distracted and annoyed by a commentator as I did Billick. Does he really have so much cachet as a coach that his work as a commentator doesn't matter? The USA is filled with retired players and coaches. Find one that can watch a game and see the matchups, game plans and subtleties most fans miss. Don't just hire the most noteworthy name that was most recently fired.

That little rant covers most of what happened. Lawrence Jackson showed progress as a pass rusher. He edge rushed, but instead of stalling or cutting too deep, he got position on Snyder, stopped, swam the recovering and unsteady tackle and took a good angle to Hill to convert the sack. Darryl Tapp saved a long play on the first pitch out. He was the only Seahawk who diagnosed the play and ran into the left flat to tackle Gore. Without him, that could have been another long run. And Craig Terrill pressured Shaun Hill just enough to make him overthrow a wide open Isaac Bruce coming across on a deep crossing route. The pass still hit Bruce in the hands, but he was outstretched and stumbling to reach the ball. No Terrill, and Hill has that extra split second to time his pass and give Bruce a more catchable pass.

Craig Terrill Lifts Darryl Tapp's Quarterback Sack

John Morgan — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 01:44:40 -0000

More photos » by Elaine Thompson - AP

Darryl Tapp does something cool ten times a game. In his coaches eyes, that can't overcome the two inches God didn't give him.

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The first quarter ended quietly. Craig Terrill sacked Shaun Hill and forced San Francisco to start the second quarter punting. The Seahawks looked to be in it, and maybe if things had broken differently they would have been. But things didn't. Things broke in Matt Hasselbeck's body instead.

Jimmy Raye dialed up a play-action pass to fullback Moran Norris. Deon Grant descended on it and tackled Norris in the flat for no gain. It was a fruitless ending to a futile play call.
Raye then attacked Seattle's center, but this time Seattle stopped him. Red Bryant gave David Baas a hard push off the snap and Baas recoiled clear into Norris. Frank Gore adjusted, but the disruption made the route too long to the hole and unblocked Cory Redding closed from the left and tackled Gore after a gain of one.
Then came Guitar Hero's sack. He didn't do poorly, per se, but he wasn't the star despite recording the stat. Terrill was over center and he battled a double team to a draw. He kept Chilo Rachal and Eric Heitmann out of his body and that allowed him to disengage and wrap Hill when he scrambled.
The star was, is, Darryl Tapp. Tapp was playing right end in Seattle's pass rush line. Beside him was Redding. Redding got a great jump off the snap and that allowed Tapp to move forward and then laterally, stunting towards a sagging pocket. Baas dropped his double team of Redding and engaged Tapp. Or tried to. Tapp met Baas with a swim-spin-swim and ran past him and towards Hill. That flushed Hill out of the pocket and into Terrill's arms. My words don't do the move justice. It was cool.

The Overmatched Colin Cole and the Undisciplined Red Bryant

John Morgan — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 20:10:23 -0000

The Crawl, the MASH unit following the team from city to city, are good distractions. Think long enough about the misfortunes of Seattle and the decisions of its fearless leader and you might forget the Seahawks were kicked around by the 49ers. There is no one player that undermined the Seahawks -- nix that, it was Colin Cole. And Red Bryant. So it was two. One overmatched. The other undisciplined.

San Francisco drove 60 yards on it opening drive. The mechanics of how have all the excitement and complexity of a bull pushing around a stag. Seattle was badly overmatched at the point of attack. It wasn't Craig Terrill. It wasn't only Cole, Red Bryant was bad too. But it was mostly Seattle's newest free agent journeyman turned starter. As much as I love and praise Brandon Mebane, a team's interior run defense should not fall apart minus one man.
Bryant showed an interesting mix of good physicality and poor gap discipline. On the fourth play of the drive following a encroachment penalty on Cory Redding, Bryant weathered a double team and got a body on Frank Gore. He was too deep for it to be a good play, but he held long enough to stop the first. San Francisco converted it on the next play. Cole tackled Gore after five yards. It was second and one.
Ken Lucas showed his versatility, first camping under an underthrown pass by Shaun Hill. Hill has no arm. That, along with a funky delivery, has made him a journeyman quarterback despite his quick read and good decision making. On the next play, Lucas caught Gore in the flat with an ankle tackle and brought him down after two.
That brought up a third and long play that Seattle should have had no trouble defending. Seattle went nickel and keyed on Vernon Davis. Davis was double covered, Curry on the defensive right and Wilson on the left, at least nominally, but neither Josh Wilson nor Aaron Curry actually covered Davis. Both were transfixed on Hill. Davis cut right and away from the two and it took Seattle's entire secondary and Redding to tackle Davis after 15.
That play was worse than it seemed. The 49ers were gouging Seattle's interior line. Bryant held against the Niners double teams, but dropped his gap, flowed too far offensive left and Gore cutback right for an easy six.
Bryant did it again on the next play. He attempted a spin that got caught halfway by Chilo Rachel. He was facing the wrong way when Gore blew past him.
Center Eric Heitmann had no problem single-blocking Cole out of the action on the next play, but a gaping hole and lead blocker was busted by pure talent. Curry hit right tackle Adam Snyder pulling through the hole and knocked him back and through Glenn Coffee for a loss of two. Coffee staggered sideways and Kerney finished the tackle.
Will Herring did his coverage thing. He broke on a short pass to Michael Robinson and was running him into the backfield before he could make a field move. It was Lofa Tatupu's zone, but Herring made a faster read and was faster to his man. Tatupu wasn't 80%. I doubt he was 50%.
Seattle put in its pass rush line: Darryl Tapp, Craig Terrill, Redding and Kerney. Kerney edge rushed Snyder, swam to his outside shoulder, paused briefly as Snyder shaded to catch up, and then swam to his inside shoulder to clear and sack Hill. That sack was pure skill and savvy.

The drive resulted in three points, but the writing was on the wall. The Seahawks coaches were doing all they could to fortify the interior. They cycled Cole and Bryant and sometimes teamed the two, but Cole couldn't hold and Bryant didn't know how to consistently. Jimmy Raye makes no bones about attacking the interior. Seattle proved they couldn't stop him.

The Late Emergence of Julius Jones

John Morgan — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 22:45:39 -0000

More photos » by Jeff Roberson - AP

Alex Barron has made a habit of watching on while his skill position players get hit, but he had no trouble containing Patrick Kerney. It was the rest of the Rams expensive offensive line that Seattle's front four excelled against.

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Quick notes from the remains of the third quarter:

Seattle was getting pressure from its front four. We don't know if the Rams have a good offensive line, but the team has invested huge resources into it. Guard Jacob Bell and center Jason Brown were signed to big money free agent contracts. Bell's contract is similar to Leroy Hill's, but without the opt-out clause. Brown is worth potentially $1.5 million more over one fewer season. Alex Barron and Jason Smith were both top twenty overall picks. Though Barron has become a bit of a joke, he shut down Patrick Kerney.

Most of Seattle's pressure came from the interior. Colin Cole was able to stymie Brown and Brandon Mebane and Craig Terrill created pressure in spurts. The single most impressive play by the front four was executed by Lawrence Jackson. Jackson, Seattle's strongside end in training, ran around the Rams' $62 million dollar tackle. It was an effortless edge rush with all the desired components: burst off the snap, straightline speed and the ability to turn the corner without slowing or sagging deep. It was the kind of edge rush that leaves the tackle trailing, falling and the quarterback downed, protecting the ball. Jackson was showing better timing off the snap at the end of last season. It's part of the package that makes him such an exciting mix of tools. He did not show a pass rush move, though, and that's the next step for Lawrence.

Justin Forsett nearly knelt before making an explosive cut through the hole and for the first on Seattle's 99 yard drive.

That drive was capped by the back-to-back big plays by John Carlson. Carlson flashed wide open and showed his field speed receiving for 38. For the final fifteen, he rapped both arms around the ball in classic Pop Warner fashion and switched to choppy, quick steps.

The next play was all busted coverage and Carlson. The busted coverage doesn't need elaboration. It happens. Carlson reigned in a terrible pass from Matt Hasselbeck. It fluttered and still somehow flew behind Carlson, but Carlson caught and redirected. Kid is some kind of athlete. So graceful. He smoothly spun into a turn upfield and turned on the jets for the score.

The final note before I get back to watching my Huskies hold their own against Pete Carroll's demoted NFL squad regards Julius Jones' touchdown rush. Credit goes to Jones who turned a pretty typical stretch right into a 62 yard touchdown. Justin Griffith hit the hole but struggled to clear trash from the rush lane. Clifton Ryan was bullying Steve Vallos and the initial hole was all but closed when Jones arrived. Jones faced his left shoulder and got skinny, juking through the hole. He landed, exploded into his second gear and turned a couple modest lead blocks into a break away into the third level. Once upon a time, Jones had a third gear to rival almost anyone in the NFL, but enough is left that he's still a breakout threat. If he can consistently transition a field move into a second gear burst, he could regain his big play potential.