SB Nation - John Owens

Missed Opportunities Two and Three

John Morgan — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:32:43 -0000

The drive never recovered from its first big attempt. Matt Hasselbeck targeted John Carlson and nearly threw an interception to Gerald Sensabaugh. Justin Griffith motioned out of right trips to fullback and Julius Jones picked his way up the middle for ten. Part of Griffith's value is that he guides Jones where to rush. On a previous run I didn't detail, Griffith and Jones started slight-right, but Griffith circled wide left and Jones followed. It was the right read and Jones ran for six.

Griffith was out for Jones next rush, and Jones misread his blockers and effectively tackled himself. The play was a pitch right. Seattle's blockers swooped to the right and attempted to create a long lane to the right flat. Spencer was beat back at the snap. John Owens blocked in and did his best against left defensive end Marcus Spears, but was blown back by play's end. Right tackle Ray Willis released into the right flat.

Jones picked his way towards right end, but cut in and into the teeth of Dallas' defense. He ran into Spears and struggled to get back to the line. The best explanation I can offer for Jones cutting in when the play was designed to be run right, is Jones was minimizing damage. He saw the beaten blockers and decided to avoid a costly tackle for a loss. He had space in the right flat, but didn't take it.

Then Hasselbeck threw the sure to be infamous strike that should have been a lob. T.J. Houshmandzadeh, mouthy as he is, was right. Terence Newman swatted it, Housh couldn't track the deflection and the ball fell incomplete. He was single covered and had timed his burst just enough to separate from Newman. Newman was turned and a slight step behind, but Hasselbeck threw it flat, as if Houshmandzadeh were breaking in, and Newman jumped and deflected it.

It was another opportunity lost and led to yet another lost opportunity. Strike three stopped the drive. Dallas blitzed six out of a 3-3 nickel formation. Hasselbeck sagged and sagged, drawing the defenders in. At the last moment he jumped and threw across his body. The pass was flat and slapped away by Stephen Bowen. Justin Forsett dropped his shoulders, Chris Spencer to his front, Max Unger and Rob Sims at either side; not a defender between him and the first.

Olindo Mare converted from 43 to put Seattle ahead.

Keep the Rhythm but Sell the Hooks

John Morgan — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:42:17 -0000

More photos » by LM Otero - AP

Football is both a battle for ten and a battle for the end zone. A team must keep the rhythm to keep the drive alive, but it also must cash in with its money calls.

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My friend Uncle Mike taught me how to freestyle. He said: You memorize the good lines and improvise the filler. It should sound smooth, integrated and uncontrived. The filler keeps the beat and the money lines punctuate the point. He said: Count off the beat and be ready.

Greg Knapp may not know hip-hop, but he gets the good and the filler.

Chris Spencer was blown back and dropped by Jay Ratliff and Ratliff virtually stood atop Spencer when he tackled Julius Jones for a loss of one. It was a worrying start for Seattle's offense compounded by miserable field position. Matt Hasselbeck was working from his own end zone on the next play, and the man with two busted ribs and a Fangoria-spread of aches and pains stood tall in the pocket, keeping his eyes at the marker and turning to read right just long enough to target Nate Burleson and connect for ten. Seattle converted the first on a screen pass to T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Housh was grouped with John Carlson and John Owens in trips right and turned two good blocks, a little too much patience and a veteran spot into a first down.

Spencer got revenge. He forced back Ratliff and turned him allowing Julius Jones to cutback left and rush for six. Seneca Wallace handed off to Jones on the next snap and Jones glided for seven. Seattle had escaped jail, was first and 10 on the 29, and after keeping beat for a string of snaps, was about to punctuate the action with a series of big plays.

First Hasselbeck found Carlson for 18 out of play action. Then Jones snaked the ball for three. Then Knapp dropped mathematics.

The screen pass is a money play in the Knapp playbook. We've seen it's a worthy one when executed. Dallas was blitzing off left end. Justin Forsett was the sole receiver on the left. Hasselbeck skated back and slung it to Forsett curling under on the left. Dallas is boned. If only.

Spencer shoves out nose tackle Junior Siavii and then flops, cutting inside linebacker Bradie James. Forsett does not curl in quite enough, and Damion McIntosh struggles to set a block in front of him. Seattle loses time. Forsett jukes behind McIntosh, attempting to zigzag forward while keeping the tackle between him and the defender. Seattle loses time. Forsett runs up Rob Sims legs and Sims stumbles but regains and runs straight ahead. Seattle loses time. Forsett finally releases from his lead blockers, but without great speed - without sufficient speed to evade Keith Brooking. Max Unger never gets round from the right and in front of Forsett to throw a block. He can be seen jogging just outside the action. Sims runs past Brooking, when if he had stopped and blocked, Forsett could have evaded him. But Brooking was not supposed to matter. Forsett splits his blockers and releases clean into the second level, but Seattle had already lost too much time, and Forsett doesn't have that gear to recover and outrun a linebacker with the angle.

And so the first money play was clever but it lacked teeth. 14, 14..it stings when it could have been 50.

It Starts with Chris Spencer and Ends in Victory

John Morgan — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 01:41:17 -0000

More photos » by Michael Conroy - AP

Edge has the initial speed to help neutralize the Cardinals hole crushing defensive line, but he hasn't show much else as a rusher. This could be the game Justin Forsett breaks out.

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Let's finish up with the run game and then explore the Cardinals passing attack over the next two days. An effective run game is not necessary for a team to win. Seattle was not very effective running against Jacksonville, but its defense was so dominant it didn't matter. Matt Hasselbeck was firing and the run was mostly used to grind out the clock.

Seattle would like to keep the run game in play, though. That is most dependent on having a lead or keeping the game close, but it also depends on Seattle getting the little bits and pieces rushes that keep defenses honest. It ran on the first play of each of its scoring drives. Greg Knapp frequently passes off play-action and so far Seattle's unspectacular but functional run game has made that possible. Play-action should be particularly important this Sunday.

The Cardinals secondary peaks. It tracks the quarterback and relies on its athleticism to correct mistakes. That will not work against Peyton Manning, but it can work against Seattle. The Seahawks lack a built in deep threat. Deon Butler is fast, Nate Burleson athletic and T.J. Houshmandzadeh is physical, but Hasselbeck floats his deep pass and Seattle is without a jump ball specialist. Deion Branch might be the best mix of speed, athleticism and route-running, but I no longer count on Branch to get targets. Instead, Seattle attacks deep by attacking the middle. The goal is to get good separation and trust the receiver to run the yards Hasselbeck can't pass. If the run game is viable, Hasselbeck can sell play-action and target Burleson on crossing patterns, Branch and Butler on post patterns and Carlson on a skinny-post attacking the seam.

Keeping the run viable could be a Herculean task. Seattle doesn't have a lot of power beside Chris Spencer to control the middle. Edgerrin James might be best matched for attacking inside, his first gear compensating for spotty and vanishing holes, but Julius Jones is the better back and deserves more carries. Justin Forsett also has a strong first gear and his smaller frame and young legs could power him through an inside crease. I am not ready to count on Forsett, but he could sure show something Sunday.

Whoever gets the rock is going to need to stay disciplined. He must move forward and pick his hole and settle for what's given. Seattle will not consistently win its matchups on the edge. Ray Willis faces one of the few defensive ends in the NFL that can best his reach. Calais Campbell will stay in plays Willis would wall other ends out of, and that should create a long edge on rushes right. It doesn't help that John Carlson has been Seattle's least consistent regular blocker. Kyle Williams will face a lifetime's worth of Darnell Dockett if Cardinals defensive coordinator has any sense. Stopping Dockett will be asking too much of Williams, and the Cardinals are sure to take advantage of that matchup by overloading the blindside. Seattle will strap a tight end to Williams hip, but a chip can backfire. A wide rushing defensive back or linebacker can turn a perfunctory chip by John Owens into a free release around the edge. Nothing would slow that faster than a few good gains off left tackle.

Seattle doesn't need and isn't likely to have a productive rushing attack. It does need a run game to kill the clock if it's ahead and a run game to slow the blitz if it's playing from behind. It needs a run game that can convert short yardage and chip away towards the first down marker, keeping the short passing game involved on third down. Seattle doesn't need a productive rushing attack, but it needs a rushing attack, and that starts with Chris Spencer, but isn't real until the ball carrier can get around Kyle Williams and Ray Willis.

Step Three: Julius Jones Becomes Paramount

John Morgan — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 22:53:31 -0000

Seattle is well on its way to a successful stretch left. In a perfect world, Chris Spencer and John Owens are dominant enough to contain or stagger their respective linebackers enough that neither is able to get back into the play. In the real world, one or both is likely to bounce off their block and get back into the play. This is where Julius Jones becomes paramount.

Jones must first pick a lane. "One cut and go" is for real. A zone blocking rusher loses if he is too choosy. Picking the right hole is a key to success. In the first example, Jones takes the conservative path inside.

This path protects Owens and relies on Spencer. Owens must only pick the right outside linebacker for Jones to run behind Owens block and into the second level. Spencer, however is in a very difficult situation. He is pulling from the right to engage a defender on the left that is moving left. His chances of blocking that linebacker squarely are small, so he must be able to angle-block, reach block or pancake block the linebacker. Alternately, a truly elite rusher could cutback horizontally and behind Spencer, but Jones is not that back.

Jones is in ‘go' mode and must rush and is mostly likely to rush outside and away from the right inside linebacker. His second gear will determine if he can power through the second level or if he gets trapped in the hole and swarmed by the two right linebackers, the right defensive end and the left outside linebacker. The narrowness of this hole limits its big play potential, but the directness and shortness of Jones cut ensures positive yardage.

Alternately, Jones can choose to go outside. This is the money play, with the added risk of the play being blown up. The major advantage of Jones rushing outside is that it moves him away from the opponent's inside linebackers and defensive line. It matches him against two blocked defenders. Nate Burleson must dominate the corner and John Owens must seal or at least sufficiently slow the right outside linebacker.

This is the run I am looking for, but it has its own set of weaknesses, not least of which is exposing Jones in the open field to Adrian Wilson. If Wilson is in the box and reads the play correctly, he should be able to track Jones to the outside and hit him in the open field. Jones can attempt to avoid Wilson by cutting outside and towards the corner, but Burleson must be game with his tackle.

If we take Wilson out of the box and out of the equation, we can explore the more fundamental matchups. Jones is now into his hole and much ‘go'. We assume Seattle' line has moved out the nose tackle and sealed the right defensive end. The next most likely position of failure is Owens blocking the right outside linebacker. If Owens fails, Jones will be tackled, slowed, swarmed or forced to bounce the play even further outside. If Owens succeeds, Jones is enabled to explode into the third level with speed enough to evade the right inside linebacker and only defensive backs to beat. Jones could bounce outside further and still succeed, but that forces Seattle to win one more matchup and decreases the likelihood of a successful rush.

Step Two: Setting the Edge

John Morgan — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 22:11:56 -0000

Against a 3-4, Seattle could double the opposing right defensive end a few different ways. Each has its respective strengths and weaknesses, but because we are attempting to attack the outside, I would suggest the latter two are best. Much of the decision depends on matchups and alignment.

In this one, the right defensive end is sealed and the left guard is allowed to pull out and attack the right inside linebacker. We assume the inside rush is Jones primary option. He will read the action of the right outside linebacker and pick his hole. The major problem with this attack is that it depends on Seattle's line to control the Cardinals defensive line and allow Jones to get through the hole without being slowed or tackled by the right defensive end or nose tackle. It's clear how easily and quickly the hole can collapse around Jones. It does, however, free Chris Spencer to concentrate and assist Max Unger.

In this next one, the left tackle and left guard attempt to seal the right defensive end ‘in'. John Owens then must move out and engage the right outside linebacker, Unger and Spencer must move out the nose tackle and Spencer must pull out and engage the right inside linebacker. This is the best way to attack the outside edge, because if Seattle succeeds it will be able to rush Jones off left edge and into the second level with only the right corner and free safety to beat. It also has the most ‘moving parts', so to speak. Owens must accomplish his block or Jones is stalled. Spencer must accomplish his block or Jones is stalled. Because the left outside linebacker is free to pursue, an edge too long (the right defensive end holds his ground or is able to move offensive left) or a failed block by Spencer or Owens will allow the backside pursuit to catch up and tackle Jones from behind.

The final option is high-reward, but relies on a position of weakness for Seattle. This is the long edge approach, the most 'outside' of the three options and the slowest to develop. It compensates by pulling out the left tackle and matching him against the right outside linebacker. The block on the right defensive end is weaker, but the block on the right outside linebacker is, theoretically, stronger. When this type of stretch is successful, the back uses his quickness to help nullify the right end, running away from him even if he does get good push. The edge is longer in a good way and a bad way. Jones must run longer to get to it, but should he, the left tackle should be able to seal off the outside linebacker effectively enough that Jones has a long lane into the second level.

This step fails if:

1. The right defensive end pushes the blockers back and forces Jones to bubble back his route to the outside.

2. The blocker assigned the right outside linebacker misses his block and allows the outside linebacker to tackle or at least cap the outside rush lane.

3. The line and/or linebacker dictate the flow of the play and continue to push outside left. That makes Jones route to the outside progressively longer, putting the opposing outside linebacker back into play through backside pursuit and the right corner into play by taking the rush too far outside.

Greg Knapp's Masterful Stretch Right, Cutback Left

John Morgan — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 22:37:01 -0000

Ray Willis sleepwalked through the first quarter. What more could he do? He wasn't challenged, protected or counted on. He was invisible -- in a good way.

That put me in a spot. I wanted to follow up on him after his perceived disastrous week in Indy, but if nothing's happening, nothing's happening.

Then something happened.

Seattle is set three wide, two tight ends. The right wide out is Justin Forsett. He motions to running back before the snap. The play starts like a stretch left, but it's not. It's an elegant cutback right that should have scored.

I highlighted the principle players. The wide receivers are important decoys. After Forsett motions in, cornerback Derek Cox moves into the tackle box, over but to the right of Forsett. At the snap, Seattle moves its line hard left. That action lures both inside linebackers into the pile. John Owens (86) runs past left outside linebacker Daryl Smith. Smith pursues Hasselbeck on Matt Hasselbeck's boot motion and takes himself out of the play. John Carlson is matched against right defensive end Derrick Harvey. That's a tough matchup, but one he must and does win.

The trap is sprung when Willis stops his pull right and circles back to block left defensive end John Henderson. All of a sudden, Forsett has a wide open cutback lane (the triangle beginning between 89 and 74 and extending towards the end zone), a cornerback to beat and Owens to block in front.

Forsett times his cut poorly and runs up on Carlson's legs. Carlson could have blocked Harvey better, but not much better. He eventually pancakes Harvey. Forsett's initial hole is not gaping, it's a cutback lane after all, but it's clear and large enough for any rusher to explode through with a head of steam. Instead he stumbles and the defense swarms around him. He gains two, but if he gets through that hole cleanly, he should have no problem taking it to the house. One only needs to see how empty the right side of the field is to see the brilliance of this play call and how close it was to a touchdown.

Greg Knapp constructed a beautiful play, but it was undone by Forsett. Seattle must find a way to use this again. Stumbles happen, and sometimes they cost you yardage, but any play design that can nearly clear out and entire half of the field deserves a prominent place in an NFL playbook.

Ray Willis Excels in Secret

John Morgan — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:17:38 -0000

More photos » by Darron Cummings - AP

Not pictured: Holding

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The New England schoolmarms thought I was retarded. The complete silence the prosecutor, the failing grade and desk stuffed with September lunches the evidence. That's the word they would use too -- retawrded. Bad enough the school board had taken their paddles, they wouldn't lose the right to call a retard a retawrd. My defense was not..cogent. I picked my nose. Till it bled. A nervous wreck dead-wringer for Macauly Culkin, hunched over his spilled desk, balled toilet paper pressed to his nose, stammering nonsense and a little too interested in the greening brown paper bags at his feet, I was neither sympathetic nor promising. If not for second grade CATs*, I would have been sequestered to the second portable from the dumpster: A place of paste eating, high spirits and dim futures.

So I've a bit of a soft spot for late bloomers. I also a bit of soft spot for being right. I said Ray Willis struggles against edge rushers, so little wonder Robert Mathis, all teeth and claws and quarterback sacks, would run around him and sack Seneca Wallace's exquisitely manicured eyebrows. Except I'm-a half in and no havoc do I see. My biased heart is torn. Do I want Willis to succeed, for his good and the future of the team? Or would I rather be right? I fabricated enough evidence about Brian Russell to tip the scales. I still get a little high reminiscing about his release, but this season has presented so few players for me to destroy. My thwarted ambitions and projected self-loathing have an itchy trigger finger, y'know. We need an enemy. Could Russell's release really be the end of me?

Diagram 1

Big Man is not going to keep up with amoebae like Mathis, but Big Man has geometry on his side. An edge rushing end and a shadowing tackle make two sloppy, but near concentric half-circles (Diagram 1). Willis does not need to be as fast as Mathis to protect the quarterback. He must meet Mathis at a critical point in his edge rush: where his feet are out from under him. There he can wash out or pancake the rusher, nullifying the end or creating sufficient time for his quarterback. That is what Willis was attempting to do when Wallace's panic cost him a hold. For posterity, I did not see Willis hold Mathis even after Seneca's mistake. But it was Wallace's decision to scramble back and to the right of Willis that caused Willis to fall on top of Mathis. Had Wallace stepped into the pocket, the above photo would evidence Willis' dominance rather than his penalty.

Diagram 2

When Wallace escapes the pocket, his line must freelance. That leads to penalties and sacks. Wallace undercuts his line another way too. Consider those circles again for a second. Willis' shorter path compensates for his lesser quickness and agility. The less circular the path an end takes, the more flat his angle, the less advantage the tackle has (Diagram 2). On a Wallace 11-step drop, the pass rusher runs an oval instead of a half moon. The comparative lengths of the paths become closer, and speed a greater advantage.

So it's with a clenched teeth I admit, Willis had an excellent second quarter. He played in 22 offensive plays. The final ended in a Mathis sack. He had two holding penalties. One was Wallace's fault and the other I could not see and do not understand. Here is all 22 with notations.

1. 1-10-SEA 38 (14:51) (Run formation) 15-S.Wallace pass incomplete deep right to 11-D.Butler.

Seattle runs a hard play-action. The line blocks run. Willis pulls into the second level and cut blocks Freddy Keiaho.

2. 2-10-SEA 38 (14:44) 32-E.James right tackle to SEA 43 for 5 yards (92-E.Johnson, 23-T.Jennings).

Willis sinks and contains Mathis. Edgerrin James runs to the left of him for five yards.

3. 3-5-SEA 43 (14:00) (Shotgun) 15-S.Wallace pass short right to 84-T.Houshmandzadeh pushed ob at IND 49 for 8 yards (23-T.Jennings).

Willis turns a Mathis inside move into a bash block into the defensive tackle. "Bash block" is not recognized football jargon, so I'll define it thus: a block that bashes one defender into another.

4. 1-10-IND 49 (13:42) 32-E.James up the middle to IND 45 for 4 yards (33-M.Bullitt).

Willis moves out Raheem Brock.

5. 2-6-IND 45 (13:13) (Run formation) 32-E.James right tackle to IND 40 for 5 yards (79-R.Brock).

Mathis separates from Willis with a spin move, but the move puts Mathis behind James. He catches up and contributes to the tackle.

6. 3-1-IND 40 (12:30) 15-S.Wallace pass short left to 84-T.Houshmandzadeh to IND 37 for 3 yards (25-J.Powers).

Willis teams with Max Unger to contain Mathis. Quick throw.

7. 1-10-IND 37 (11:49) (Run formation) 15-S.Wallace pass short right to 89-J.Carlson ran ob at IND 21 for 16 yards. PENALTY on SEA-74-R.Willis, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at IND 37 - No Play.

Willis shadows Mathis, but a Wallace infinity drop undercuts Willis' position. He falls on Mathis attempting to pancake him -- effectively pancaking him. An official five yards away doesn't call a penalty. An official somewhere off screen does. Zebras confer; Willis takes the fall. Fox shows the replay, Charles Davis struggles to remember the name "Robert Mathis". No explanation is given.

8. 1-20-IND 47 (11:24) 32-E.James up the middle to IND 45 for 2 yards (68-E.Foster).

Mathis moves out of position on a run play.

9. 2-18-IND 45 (10:45) (Shotgun) 15-S.Wallace pass short left to 89-J.Carlson to IND 34 for 11 yards (28-M.Jackson, 33-M.Bullitt).

Wallace infinity drops into a screen pass.

10. 3-7-IND 34 (10:02) (Shotgun) 15-S.Wallace scrambles right end to IND 34 for no gain. PENALTY on SEA-15-S.Wallace, Illegal Forward Pass, 5 yards, enforced at IND 34.

Mathis attempts an inside move. Willis bash blocks him into the right defensive tackle. Wallace fucks up royally.

(Next Drive)

1. 1-10-SEA 22 (5:23) (Shotgun) 15-S.Wallace pass short left to 83-D.Branch to SEA 21 for -1 yards (28-M.Jackson).

Willis executes a great cut block. Wallace throws the ball at Deion Branch's ankles.

2. 2-11-SEA 21 (4:48) (Run formation) 15-S.Wallace pass short left to 81-N.Burleson to SEA 25 for 4 yards (25-J.Powers, 98-R.Mathis).

Willis blocks Brock.

3. 3-7-SEA 25 (4:06) (Shotgun) 15-S.Wallace pass short right to 81-N.Burleson to SEA 34 for 9 yards (23-T.Jennings).

Willis shades his man and shoves him out.

4. 1-10-SEA 34 (3:34) (Run formation) 22-J.Jones up the middle to SEA 41 for 7 yards (56-T.Hagler, 41-A.Bethea).

Willis moves Mathis out and away from the run.

5. 2-3-SEA 41 (2:57) (Run formation) 15-S.Wallace pass short right to 84-T.Houshmandzadeh to IND 39 for 20 yards (23-T.Jennings).

Mathis shuffles in pre-snap. Willis contains him.

6. 1-10-IND 39 (2:21) (Run formation) 22-J.Jones up the middle to IND 36 for 3 yards (41-A.Bethea, 55-C.Session).

Willis reach-blocks the left defensive tackle and then pulls into the second level. He gets a hit on the middle linebacker and then blocks the left outside linebacker.

7. 2-7-IND 36 (2:00) (Run formation) 15-S.Wallace pass incomplete short right to 35-O.Schmitt (23-T.Jennings). PENALTY on IND-23-T.Jennings, Defensive Holding, 5 yards, enforced at IND 36 - No Play.

Willis pancakes Mathis. Wallace fingerpaints with my vomit.

8. 1-10-IND 31 (1:52) 15-S.Wallace pass deep right to 83-D.Branch pushed ob at IND 9 for 22 yards (41-A.Bethea).

Willis holds the middle. Branch puts a slick move on Jennings to get free.

9. 1-9-IND 9 (1:47) (Shotgun) 15-S.Wallace pass incomplete short right to 84-T.Houshmandzadeh.

Wallace runs a naked bootleg to the right. Willis does not factor.

10. 2-9-IND 9 (1:43) 22-J.Jones right end pushed ob at IND 2 for 7 yards (23-T.Jennings, 41-A.Bethea). PENALTY on SEA-74-R.Willis, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at IND 9 - No Play.

This one is weird. Indianapolis sets in a 3-4, with Mathis standing over right end, showing blitz. Seattle has two wide receivers left, a wide receiver right, a tight end right, Julius Jones offset slightly left and Wallace under center. Indy is running a kind of blitz, and Mathis edge rushes right end at the snap. That takes him out of the play. Seattle is stretching right, and Willis is responsible to kick out and take out Mathis, but because Indy is blitzing, Willis runs after Mathis after Mathis has run past Jones. Mathis virtually cannot impact this play. The left defensive end cuts in and John Carlson seals the interior. Jones runs directly at where Mathis has vacated. Everything about this play screams good play-call and good execution, but then there is the flag that I never see thrown. Holding: Number 74.

11. 2-19-IND 19 (1:38) 15-S.Wallace pass short left to 22-J.Jones pushed ob at IND 16 for 3 yards (28-M.Jackson).

No one enters Willis' zone and he does not factor nor block anyone.

12. 3-16-IND 16 (1:31) 15-S.Wallace sacked at IND 21 for -5 yards (98-R.Mathis). WATCH HIGHLIGHT

Might as well click the link and not take my word for it, but Seattle stacks two tight ends left and runs max protect. It's a wonder then that Willis is able to shade, shove out and nearly shove down Mathis, but that John Carlson, John Owens and Brandon Frye cannot contain Dwight Freeney. He sends Wallace a skitterin and skatin towards getting sacked by a stunting Brock and a recovering Mathis. Willis doesn't own his man, but he damn nearly does.

So what to say? What to say. One half in the books, an eye trained on Willis and a notebook full of scribblings, I see little proof Willis struggled. I see Ray Willis knocking around an elite** defensive end.

**Not elite.

*I was later accused of cheating on other standardized tests, including the WASL. This was the administration's way of saying, as my chum Stephen once put it, "you don't look smart."

Seattle Seahawks Dominate First Half but Fumble Away Lead and Cannot Recover

John Morgan — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:15:12 -0000

More photos » by Elaine Thompson - AP

T.J. Houshmandzadeh could not turn his pre-game boasting into production. He was targeted nine times, but received for only 35 yards. His fumble on the second play of the second half led to a Chicago touchdown and the Bears first lead of the game.

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Seneca Wallace rolled out and targeted John Carlson, but John Owens stepped in and received the pass for a first down. With 46 seconds remaining, Seattle was first and ten from the Chicago 37--needing a score. Four plays later, Wallace would throw incomplete to Julius Jones and the Seahawks would turn over the ball on downs, effectively ending the game.

It was a game that started strong for Seattle. Seattle went up 7-0 when Jones took a screen up the right sideline and broke a tackle in the open field to receive for 39 yards and the touchdown. That screen pass made up for a bad hand off and bad decision by Wallace. He pitched it the wrong direction, recovered and then ran the ball out of bounds when a legal throw-away would have saved Seattle from a 14 yard loss.

With the early lead, the Seahawks young defense got after it. Middle pressure by Brandon Mebane and edge pressure by Darryl Tapp forced Jay Cutler into a bad-idea lob that David Hawthorne caught for an interception. Hawhthorne's interception led to an 11 play scoring drive that put Seattle ahead 10-0. Olindo Mare converted from 46.

Field position helped Seattle go ahead 13-0 before an overturned fumble turned momentum in Chicago's favor. Hawthorne forced a fumble that was overruled after a Chicago challenge. Two plays later, the Bears would score. Strong safety Deon Grant got a hit on Cutler, but Cutler had enough to lob a pass for Greg Olsen for the touchdown.

Seattle's offense sputtered. Olindo Mare missed his next field goal attempt, and a good return by Ben Obomanu was wasted.

The Seahawks started the second half with a brief drive that ended suddenly with a sloppy fumble by T.J. Houshmandzadeh.

The Bears took that field position and drove a short length. Johnny Knox ran a crossing route, caught Cutler's pass and put a move on Aaron Curry to get a step towards the end zone. There he squeezed past Kelly Jennings and wrapped the ball around the pylon to put Chicago ahead. Jim Mora challenged it, but the calling on the field stood.

Seattle built its next drive from 30 yards of facemask penalties, but Mare again hooked the field goal left and left points on the field.

The Seahawks forced a quick three and out, but a misjudged punt by Justin Forsett was declared a "fair catch" only for the ball to soar over Forsett and be downed at the Seattle six. On the first play of the drive, Chicago flushed Wallace from the pocket and he scrambled into his end zone before throwing an interception to Lance Briggs.

The Bears took that field position and scored a field goal, putting themselves up 17-13.

Midway through the fourth and with the Bears up 17-16, Curry put the defense on his shoulders and turned the odds in Seattle's favor. Curry shot into the backfield and tackled Matt Forte for a loss of two and then on the subsequent down, Gus Bradley worked a blitz to get Curry outside and around left end. He forced an uncalled hold, and stripped Cutler from behind. Seattle recovered.

After a short drive, Mare hit one from 46 to give Seattle its final lead of the day.

The following possession ended with Devin Hester maneuvering between a colliding Grant and nickel corner Travis Fisher to score a 36 yard touchdown. That pass proved decisive, as Seattle fell 25-19.

John Owens Leaps for the High First Down Reception--SEAHAWKS ARE ALIVE

John Morgan — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 23:17:06 -0000

Seneca Wallace rolls out and attempts to target John Carlson, but John Owens steps in and receives the pass for a first down. 46 seconds remain, Seattle is first and ten. Deion Branch catches it out bounds after a gain of six.

Nate Burleson's Personal Three and Out

John Morgan — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:24:10 -0000

More photos » by Marcio Sanchez - AP

Nate Burleson is the talent skills forgot.

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In between shots of Frank Gore toweling himself off, Seattle ran a drive.

Steve Vallos and Rob Sims powered through Aubrayo Franklin and Edgerrin James had the space between the defensive ends for a hole. He took the ball and ran forward into the pile. It's limited snaps yet, but James has been a disappointment. He hits the hole if he can reach, but a rusher needs some kind of moves or at least cutting ability.
John Owens motioned left to right, and the action worked, drawing Takeo Spikes out wide. John Carlson ran a obtuse angle-route that ended looking like a post. He got past Patrick Willis and that keyed Matt Hasselbeck to pass. Willis wasn't far though, and Michael Lewis was directly over top. The ball arrived to double coverage.
Nate Burleson must have been the last option on this play. Free safety Dashon Goldson was matched against him in single cover, and Goldson all but ignored him. Burleson didn't quite jog his route, but he was looking back and slowing before Hasselbeck threw. If he hit the burners off the snap, he could have had single cover deep on the left. Hasselbeck may have never seen him. Hasselbeck maybe couldn't convert a pass deep left. The play might have been designed to target Carlson from the first, but Burleson must complete his route. If nothing else, a streaking Burleson draws the attention of the deep safety. If Burleson sold his route, maybe Lewis wouldn't have sold out on Carlson's route.
Burleson began running before the catch and dropped the pass on a wide receiver screen to end the drive. After flashing prime ability in Seattle's opener, Burleson again looks like a great talent no closer to being a competent receiver.