SB Nation - David Hawthorne

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...

The Continuing Misadventures of Aaron Curry

John Morgan — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 02:59:25 -0000

More photos » by Steven Senne - AP

Texans receiver David Anderson receives a pass from Matt Schaub.

Browse more photos »

Aaron Curry was back in action before the Seahawks defense could even take the field. He was wracking up a fifteen-yard unnecessary roughness penalty for an unjustifiably late hit. Jacoby Jones was tackled by two Seahawks defenders, his elbow clearly down, seconds before Curry gave him the ol' Brian Russell. It didn't register as dirty to me, but frighteningly unaware.

He started the next series by backing away from his gap and taking himself out of a run play directed at him. It looked like Curry was held, but not flagrantly and not impactfully. The remaining series went:

2. Contain but did not factor.

3. Timed and blitzed perfectly off right end, but lands only an after the fact hit on Matt Schaub. Josh Wilson was burned badly on this play. Ron Pitts called it a nightmare play for a nickelback because the slot receiver has a two way go. Wilson was burned defending the outside route when David Anderson cut in on a post.

4. Stands up and sheds fullback Vonta Leach.

5. Dominates Joel Dreessen but is held and dragged right and out of the play. This would become a theme.

6. [Out] This looked like a 3-3 stack.

7. Stands up left tackle, sheds him with an inside move, closes to the ball carrier and joins David Hawthorne in a gang tackle.

Then Curry executed to perfection and still allowed Dreessen to squirt out for five on second and seven. He was subbed out and Hawthorne, keying Ryan Moats from before the snap, took a bad angle of pursuit, bubbling up and away from Moats to stay parallel, and whiffed so badly that Moats didn't break stride, didn't even slow as he ducked then drove into the end zone. Lofa Tatupu at least gets a shoulder tackle on Moats, and a shoulder tackle would have staggered the roster cut veteran and allowed Seattle's defense to swarm and stop him.

Three more plays before the quarter ended:

1. Bites hard on play action, does not factor.

2. [Out]

3. Can't separate from Dreessen and is unambiguously held.

Now, I'd rather a rookie that lacks awareness than a rookie that lacks tools, but this was a bad, bad start for Curry. He looked as clueless as he did unskilled, and all his size, strength and speed didn't help him when he was reading wrong, reacting wrong and rarely where the ball was.

On Zone Defense and Aaron Curry's First Two Drives

John Morgan — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 02:20:07 -0000

More photos » by David J. Phillip - AP

Maybe the Seahawks defense is too practiced defending Matt Hasselbeck. Its zone scheme could dominate an indecisive and weak-armed quarterback, but looks inherently flawed against Peyton Manning, Brett Favre, Kurt Warner and now Matt Schaub.

Browse more photos »

Zone defense looks comically inadequate when defenders are not executing. Houston Texans receivers were flashing open, sometimes in pairs, before Seahawks defenders could finish their backpedal. Quick hitters attacking Seattle's off coverage have been a staple attack for Seahawks opponents since at least 2007. Sometimes what we perceive as poor planning is poor execution and sometimes what we perceive as poor execution is poor planning.

Consider this set of plays by Aaron Curry. In the first, both Curry and David Hawthorne backpedal too deep and allow indefensible space underneath.

The result: 1-10-SEA 31 (11:53) 8-M.Schaub pass short left to 44-V.Leach to SEA 22 for 9 yards (59-A.Curry, 27-J.Babineaux).

Nine yards on first down is a sizable blow to a defense. Curry dropped too deep, but his misread may have only meant the difference between five or nine yards gained. It didn't impact the reception. That was obvious later in the quarter when Curry did everything right and still allowed an easy and successful reception. He read the target, avoided a built-in pick and closed on his receiver as he approached the right sideline.

The result: 2-7-SEA 9 (3:39) 8-M.Schaub pass short right to 85-J.Dreessen to SEA 4 for 5 yards (59-A.Curry).

Which tells you something about Seattle's zone defense: It breaks down when its players fail to react and execute and it breaks down when its opponent calls the right play. I hope the coaches witness plays like the latter and debit themselves. Curry could not have reacted to the play faster, better avoided the pick, or closed quicker, and he's among the fastest linebackers in the NFL, yet the Texans achieved 71% of the yardage needed to achieve first down. The Texans ran a quick out to their second string tight end and made it look like an unstoppable new tactic. They would score a touchdown on the next play.

I am looking at Aaron Curry this week. He had a terrifically bad first quarter. Sometimes though, it looks like he and most of Seattle's defense is running a flawed scheme that cannot succeed even when executed to perfection. Months back, I mentioned how Brian Russell personified a incorrect belief that a team could allow yardage if it avoided touchdown scoring plays. Russell is gone, but that thinking persists.

Curry moved towards the left offensive flat before being panned into oblivion. The camera tracked Andre Johnson running uncontested towards the end zone. Curry did not factor.

He next series went:

1. [Out]

2. Cut-blocked out of the play.

3. Pursues horizontally left and chases Ryan Moats as Moats turns the corner runs for the first down.

4. The aforementioned reception to Leach.

5. Pursues end-around motion and blows containment.

6. Drops too deep into his zone.

7. Caught watching the quarterback at the snap, misreads play and takes a poor angle to the ball carrier.

8. Again caught idle at the snap, botches the blitz entirely, so that he never impacts but does remove himself from the play, and is saved when Brandon Mebane tears through the interior and forces an incomplete pass.

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.

Browse more photos »

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.

Carlos Dunlap Careens off Big Timmay's Draft Board

John Morgan — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 23:37:27 -0000

More photos » by Hannah Foslien - AP

Could Darryl Tapp enjoy a Elvis Dumervil-like breakout if Seattle switches to a 3-4?

Browse more photos »

Sours Grapes Treatment

Carlos Dunlap was arrested Tuesday morning for driving under the Artest. He is a potential top ten pick with the size, scouting profile and upside of a great defensive end. What Dunlap lacks is elite production. Dunlap has 17.5 sacks and 24 tackles for a loss in two seasons starting. Good but not elite production, further downgraded by the Gators dominance. Florida is 25-1 over the past two seasons, and Dunlap plays most snaps ears-pinned-back, protecting a big lead. He had a sack against Florida State and Troy, two teams that rank 48 and 53 nationally in sacks allowed. He had three sacks against Mississippi State. The Bulldogs have allowed 1.67 sacks per game, which sounds mediocre at first, but bad when you consider they average 22 pass attempts a game. Mississippi State allows a sack on 7.5% of pass attempts.

Fire Timmay Treatment

Dunlap might bulk up a bit and transition to 3-4 end in the pros. He is listed at 6'6", 290. Dunlap has a good mix of stoutness and playmaking ability against the run, and the height, frame and athleticism required to push the pile, set the edge and keep blockers at bay. Seattle has four linebackers contesting for three spots, and another linebacker, Will Herring, that deserves snaps. Brandon Mebane has proven capable of commanding double teams. His first two seasons, he was bulked up and immovable, yet still agile enough to disrupt. If Seattle re-signed Cory Redding and encouraged Lawrence Jackson to grow into his frame, the pieces are in place to build a 3-4.

That, like drafting Dunlap, only happens if Ruskell is not re-signed. Some teams struggle with the transition to a 3-4, but others, like Green Bay and Denver, have thrived. The key is having the right personnel.

Mebane could be the starting nose tackle. He would rotate with Colin Cole and Red Bryant. Jackson and Redding could play end, with Bryant and Vance Walker in the mix. Nick Reed and Darryl Tapp would be situational pass rushers, and both might benefit from moving off the line. David Hawthorne and Lofa Tatupu would play inside, and Leroy Hill and Aaron Curry on the outside, or Curry inside and Hawthorne outside. The roles could be dynamic. Seattle could move Curry inside on passing downs and sub in Tapp at rush linebacker.

The Seahawks need to improve their pass rush. The team has many good pass rushers, but only two that can consistently work off the line: Patrick Kerney and Tapp. It wants to create pressure without committing additional pass rushers. All teams do. One solution is to add an elite pass rushing lineman. Another is to switch the scheme. Tapp might not benefit as much as Elvis Dumervil, but the two share size and skill sets, and Dumervil has changed from pass rushing specialist, but liability against the run, to pass rush demon--damn the run. Tapp has bulked up to better defend the run. It's worked, but at what cost? He has never looked slower or less disruptive off the edge. Reed is playing his way out of the league. Tackles spring out of their stance and chuck him like so much seventh-round garbage.

This is all food for thought. Seattle doesn't need to draft Dunlap to transition to a 3-4, but his recent arrest is an opportunity to discuss alternative paths for Seattle's young defense. Tim Ruskell does not deserve to be fired, but the move still might be in the best interest of the Seahawks. He has made some shrewd moves in his time and added talent, but like Mike Holmgren, his execution might be masking a flawed plan. Holmgren disliked trick plays, was adverse to the shotgun, and taught a twenty-year old version of the West Coast. It worked when it was perfect, crafted by the master himself, but was resource intense and fragile. I assume Ruskell is building something like to a Tampa 2. He has concerted resources into linebackers and pass rushers. Gus Bradley taught a Tampa 2 in college and broke into the NFL under Monte Kiffin.

But when was the last time a Tampa 2 defense dominated? And can a Tampa 2 succeed without a Simeon Rice, Jared Allen or Dwight Freeney? The two great Tampa 2 teams of the past are both below average defensively this season: Chicago and Tampa. I do not believe a 3-4 is intrinsically better than a 4-3, but, perhaps by accident, Ruskell has assembled a roster that fits a 3-4 in some ways better than it fits a 4-3. In the past, Seattle's best players, like Kerney and Tatupu, were 4-3 players playing in a 4-3 scheme. It could maybe make a 3-4, but was not going to. We're in flux. Ruskell has not been fired, nor re-signed. Suddenly, anything is possible. Even Seattle drafting Carlos Dunlap.

David Hawthorne is Playing Big But Can He Play Correct?

John Morgan — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 01:42:00 -0000

More photos » by Ted S. Warren - AP

At ends of the spectrum: D.D. Lewis is the elder linebacker that does his job and only that. David Hawthorne is the prospect flashing great potential, but struggling with fundamentals.

Browse more photos »

David Hawthorne has three sacks, five tackles for a loss and three interceptions in three starts. It's a line that has a few thousand Lofa Tatupu backers questioning their allegiances. Few want to say Hawthorne is better than Tatupu, but fewer still know how to prove otherwise. Hawthorne is active, making plays, making tackles, forcing turnovers, and Tatupu is on IR, on IR in his get-healthy season. If Tatupu has been Tats of old in 2008, this discussion might be more muted, but Tats of old is starting to look like, well, a player that doesn't exist anymore.

If Hawthorne had accumulated his eye-popping stats over a season, it would have inspired heated Hawthorne versus Tatupu debate. Heater had to do it in four. So how are we going to do this? Should I make rules or just hand out handguns. Field Gulls is place as any to wage this war. Let's pick sides and tear each other apart.

Ok, but really: Hawthorne is a find, but he's miles away from Tatupu when it comes to fundamental linebacker play. I gave myself a short schedule and stumbled into the most boring tape dissection I've had since Seattle at Pittsburgh in 2007. It's hard to judge an offensive line when Matt Hasselbeck pitches a tent in the pocket. It's hard to evaluate the wide receivers when they are never targeted. It's hard to evaluate a defense that started strong and then sat back and awaited the next drive ending pick. One drive was instructive, and it spoke to this debate.

Nate Burleson had committed pass interference in the end zone and still managed to drop a gimme touchdown. Detroit was back on the field, hoping to stem the comeback or at least kill some clock. It did neither, but it was close to achieving both.

What matters is Hawthorne. Seattle's linebackers are synchronized and interdependent. When Leroy Hill gets a tackle, Tatupu might have jammed the fullback and Aaron Curry contained the cutback lane. The tackle is typically the easy byproduct of team execution. On the first snap, Hawthorne jumped back and out of position. He did exactly same on the next snap, perhaps anticipating pass. His linebackers in smash did their job, but Hawthorne was sealed out by bad anticipation and a poor angle to the ball carrier. He made both tackles, the first after seven, the second after eight.

Hawthorne took a bad angle on a toss right to Aaron Brown. He couldn't bluff his way back into the action this time and Jordan Babineaux cleaned up after 19. Hawthorne didn't stand out on the next play, but he was all to apparent on the interception. Seattle got excellent pressure from its front three, and thankfully for us, Patrick Kerney shielded Stafford's vision before Stafford chucked an interception to Deon Grant. Behind Kerney, wide open in the middle stood Casey Fitzsimmons, open, open where Hawthorne had failed to drop. As the camera panned to Grant running under the pick, it was obvious a better quarterback would have found Fitzsimmons for the first.

If you're the right age, you probably remember thinking Michael Boulware was a superstar safety in the waiting. He had that Babineaux knack to be where the action was. In two seasons he had nine interceptions, three forced fumbles, three sacks and a touchdown return. His play was noticeable, electric, and terrible. Boulware couldn't read a route or defend play action. He was around tips but not in throwing lanes, he was a good blitzer, but absent in deep cover. Seattle never mustered much of a pass defense with Boulware and when Ruskell deigned to remake the secondary, Boulware was shipped out, benched by the Texans and then run out of the league.

Hawthorne is auditioning for a starting role, be it at MLB in Seattle, OLB in Seattle or LB somewhere else. His highs are exciting and his lows too subtle for most fans. His weaknesses reading an offense are apparent, but he's young. He could improve his execution and awareness with experience, and soon combine what he already has, playmaker potential, with what he needs to start. But I beg, before we pit these two young linebackers in combat, let's be sure the apprentice is good and not just bumbling his way into big plays.

Final Notes for the Third and Fourth Quarter

John Morgan — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 19:10:59 -0000

by LM Otero - AP

I would be surprised if Matt Hasselbeck makes it through this season without missing further time.

View full size photo »

Here's a final notes roundup for the third quarter and whatever it was that followed.

Max Unger struggled playing from behind. Jason Hatcher ran through him with ease and hit Matt Hasselbeck, producing the image we see above.

I cringe thinking Nate Burleson is Seattle's #1 receiver. He is low motor, struggles with drops and is every bit the receiver DVOA casts him as: -5.2%. When we talk trade candidates and remaking the Seahawks roster, I hope Burleson continues his thousand yard pace and can fetch something fair this spring.

To the bitter end, Greg Knapp got his fullback involved in the pass game. To the bitter end.

Kelly Jennings has worked the futile attempt at the ball into his repertoire. It joins the "fall down", the "where's the ball", the "leapt over" and, of course, the "close but no cigar".

It's not epidemic, but it is weekly. Colin Cole was doubled almost to the first down marker and Marion Barber converted the first on his was to an easy 15.

Cory Redding played extensively at defensive tackle and looked active and disruptive. His presence inside allows Seattle a couple new looks in its rotation: the double three paired with Brandon Mebane and the hands unit paired with Red Bryant.

David Hawthorne blitzed into Mebane but moved with such force that he freed himself and Mebane from his blocker. Mebane delivered a finishing hit on Tony Romo, but Hawthorne tore through for the hit and strip. Hawthorne might be the best in-line blitzer on this roster - better even than Leroy Hill.

Jordan Babineaux continued to play ably against an elite corps of Cowboys skill position players. If he can continue to improve, don't be surprised if Babineaux is Seattle's free safety in 2010 and beyond.

Patrick Kerney Subtly Swings into Irrelevance

John Morgan — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:40:20 -0000

More photos » by Elaine Thompson - AP

Above we can see where the blitz broke down.

Browse more photos »

That drive was another pin in the Seahawks hopes. Seattle barely budged the ball before Jon Ryan and Seattle's coverage unit combined to undo the Seahawks field position advantage. The resulting drive would sap what was left of Seattle's comeback chances.

Marion Barber scurried for six and Tony Romo converted the first on a pass to Martellus Bennett. Seattle, for its part, put a lick on Bennett: Aaron Curry standing him up and Jordan Babineaux delivering the blow.

Then, for a brief shining moment, Darryl Tapp nearly undid a half's worth of damage and put Seattle back in the lead. It was another moment where Seattle missed by inches. Tapp rushed around left end and forced back Flozell Adams enough to block out Romo's preferred throwing lane. Tapp jumped as Romo motioned and Romo tucked before taking another attempt. The ball sailed behind intended receiver Roy Williams, but where a good break nets a pick six, Josh Wilson skidded and the pass proved too errant. Ironically, an accurate pass results in a pick six.

Then the wheels came off. Seattle was attacking and Romo forced consecutive offside penalties to convert the first. Penalties would decide this drive.

Lawrence Jackson moved into right defensive tackle alongside Tapp, and stopped the next two plays near single-handedly. He tackled Barber after two and read and reacted to a draw and curled in to stop Barber for a loss of one. Jackson has looked every bit the end I wanted him to be: aware, active, athletic and everywhere.

From the official NFL rule book:

Actions that constitute defensive pass interference include but are not limited to:

. . .

(e) Cutting off the path of a receiver by making contact with him without playing the ball.

This play pissed off a lot of Seahawks, but the ruling was justifiable if not maybe right. Marcus Trufant was attempting to curl underneath Miles Austin's deep route. Jordan Babineaux was to play over top, though he clearly wasn't deep enough and would have been beat on a clean throw attempt. Trufant curled into Austin's route. The contact looked incidental, with Trufant clearly not attempting to cut off the path of Austin, but he did cut off the path of Austin and Dallas got the call. So it goes.

In the same play, but of less interest, Nick Reed dropped into cover and was literally stride-for-stride with Patrick Crayton. That a player - and damn Crayton is slow.

Seattle cued up a Marshall seven-man blitz and forced an incomplete.

Seattle sent Josh Wilson on its next blitz and Deon Grant hit Crayton to force an incomplete.

Third and 9: Miles Austin for 16. This was a failure of pass rush. The blitz design was..not so good. One could see it working, but there was one major flaw inherent in its design. Perhaps this graphic can illuminate what I mean. For sake of clarity, I'll only show the key players.

You'll have to excuse me if that's too subtle, for I am a humble caveman confused and frightened by your modern world. It's a perfectly cromulent blitz design and swinging Patrick Kerney across the line should give him a strong matchup against the left guard, but Kerney is far too slow to get into the action before Romo finds an open receiver. This will rile some feathers, but do not be surprised if Seattle drafts a defensive end in the first round of next year's draft.

Cory Redding and David Hawthorne combined to delay the inevitable. Redding created the pressure and Hawthorne hit the ball out of Jason Witten's hands. A play later Roy Williams palmed the ball into the end zone and the Seahawks fell behind by two scores to end the half.

Seattle got the ball back and ran a simple run to kill the clock. The fun was over. The third quarter awaited.

David Hawthorne: Pretty Boy-seeking Missile

John Morgan — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:14:04 -0000

More photos » by LM Otero - AP

Jordan Babineaux showed great spacing by consistently hitting his man before the first down marker. Felix Jones was able to spin through for the first.

Browse more photos »

Today I finish up with last weekend's game notes. I rewatched the second quarter last night and I had an absolute blast. Here are my notes and highlights.

We left off with Seattle pulling close on one of those Greg Knapp third-down deep passes that drive folks crazy. A block in the back penalty would pin Dallas at their eight to start the next drive. Things looked up. Seattle needed its defense to hold field position and get Matt Hasselbeck the ball back.

Miles Austin responded with a beautiful catch on the right sideline. He was double covered and reached out nearly out of bounds to grab the ball. It's worth noting that Austin looked every bit the real deal, exploding out of the blocks and running tight routes.

That got Dallas out of jail. On the next play, Dallas pulled out its left side and directed fullback Deon Anderson at right end Darryl Tapp. Tapp has to win this, but doesn't and that allows Felix Jones a clean release through the hole -- Flozell Adams and Kyle Kosier blocking into the second level. Adams destroyed Aaron Curry and Jones was picked his way towards the third level. Jordan Babineaux hit him before the marker but Jones twisted for the first. It could have been worse. It should have been worse.

Brandon Mebane pressured up the middle and Leroy Hill was in position and aware of the pass on a high floater that overshot Martellus Bennett.

Dallas again targeted the Seahawks right side and doubled to stampede through Colin Cole. Deon Grant was controlling the right end and made contact with Jones at the line, but Jones spun right through Grant's tackle and reminded me again why I've stumped so vehemently for him to be positioned at free safety. Ken Lucas made a saving tackle that forced third down after a gain of nine.

Marion Barber converted the first. He was the up back.

Seattle overloads the right and Curry comes free around right end forcing Tony Romo up into the pocket. Seattle struggled with getting edge rush but failing to establish interior pressure, but this time Red Bryant plows through the right guard and forces and incomplete pass. Babineaux can be seen covering Jason Witten streaking up the right hash mark. However Seattle did it, the Seahawks shut down Witten.

Well, mostly. Patrick Kerney was taken down and that tripped Bryant and eliminated much of Seattle's rush. Cory Redding got a parting shot, but the pass was accurate and Witten received for 18.

David Hawthorne is an excellent blitzer, a stand out blitzer from the mike position. Seattle dropped its right end and overloaded the offensive right, but it wasn't a team effort that felled Romo. The goal was to free Hawthorne. Curry and Redding attempted to engage and force the Cowboy interior offensive line left. That plan was for Hawthorne to rush unabated between right guard and right tackle. Instead, Marc Colombo was squatting in Hawthorne's rush lane and Heater had to power through the giant right tackle to sack Romo. He did. That is a big league sack and Heater a major addition to Seattle's pass rush.

Romo scrambled for ten to put Dallas back into a manageable third down. Nick Reed was pwned.

The drive concluded when Lawrence Jackson pressured Romo and forced an incomplete attempt to Patrick Crayton. The resulting missed field goal put Seattle in business at their 38. Grand opening. Grand closing.

What is Wrong with Seattle's Secondary?

John Morgan — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:56:22 -0000

More photos » by LM Otero - AP

Jim Mora cut his teeth coaching Seattle's secondary. Since his arrival, Seattle's secondary has been an awful mess.

Browse more photos »

David Hawthorne shot the gap and tackled Felix Jones for a loss of three. It was the kind of quick turnaround Seattle needed to escape a potentially damning fumble. Then everything crumbled in front of Seattle's high priced secondary.

Roy Williams ran a ten yard curl and ran off Marcus Trufant. Tru was caught in his backpedal and Williams was wide open for the reception. Trufant managed to wrestle him down before the first, but Dallas was left with an easily convertible first and back in field goal range.

The Cowboys motioned Miles Austin into the backfield, using Marion Barber as the up back. They ran a toss sweep off of right end. Seattle's linebackers fought off and broke through Austin's lead blockers, but Austin exploited a crack to effort past the line. He was upright and exposed and stumbling through the marker when Jordan Babineaux sunk his helmet into his arms and popped the ball from his grasp. Seattle failed to recover. The play was called back on a Martellus Bennett hold.

Dallas was third and eleven and either about to pass or about to run and settle for the field goal. We know how this ends.

Seattle's persistent third down futility reminded me of something Brian Burke wrote in an email exchange.

My theory is that this may be why run defense appears so unimportant. Say teams are not operating at the game equilibrium, and passing is, on balance, a more lucrative strategy than running. In other words, there really is a considerable passing premium where the payoff for a pass is generally higher than a run, all things considered.

Having a good run defense would therefore be somewhat self-defeating. Take the 2007 Vikings defense that gave up only 3.1 yards per run (good) but 7.0 yards per pass (bad). Facing such a solid run defense, a good offensive coordinator is forced to pass more...which would be a far more effective thing to do in the first place, especially against a relatively weak pass defense. A team like the 2007 Vikings would essentially be forcing their opponent to unwittingly play a more efficient and effective strategy, all the while exploiting their own weakness.

Seattle's ability to force third and long by stifling the run game was undermining the overall defense. It's maddening. It's infuriating watching Patrick Crayton run past the marker and quick-curl without a man within three yards of him. Deon Grant was assigned over coverage and dropped deep. Josh Wilson was assigned under coverage and played the passing lane. Romo effortlessly split the two and found Crayton for 16 and the first.

The Cowboys reset with Austin in the backfield and Barber again the up back. This time Austin was a decoy. Leroy Hill chased him into the right flat, but Barber had the ball. Babineaux, David Hawthorne and Aaron Curry controlled the interior gaps and Babs shot up and tackled Barber after two.

Seattle blitzed five, dropping right defensive end Darryl Tapp into cover, and Curry closed on Jason Witten before he could receive. Witten twirled and juggled and dropped the ball.

It was again third and long. Seattle rushed seven, Trufant covered Austin, Austin initiated contact and Trufant was flagged for pass interference. A play later, Barber ran off right tackle for the touchdown. In seven plays, Seattle had forced two third and longs, it had forced a fumble it couldn't recover and a hold that negated the play, but it couldn't defend the pass. Why can't Seattle defend the pass?