Mike Freeman: Russell Wilson Not Black Enough

No, it was the pass rush. Robert Mays broke it down recently, watching a bunch of tape.

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/seattle-and-st-louis-pass-rush-disappeared/

The Seahawks had maybe the league’s best pass rush a season ago — fifth in sack rate, first in percentage of opponent dropbacks with pressure. This season, those have dropped to 25th and 32nd, respectively.

…

The same goes for the two outside rushers in Seattle. Chris Clemons was a staple there for years, but by the end of last season, Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett were the Seahawks’ two best pass-rushers. Both are still a pain in the ass. Bennett’s huge offseason payday hasn’t slowed him down, and Avril is still a speed-rushing nightmare. Yet the Seahawks’ pass rush has fallen off a cliff. The issue is that without a threat on the inside, quarterbacks are free to move about the pocket as they please.

This is a theme on Seattle’s film all season — Bennett and Avril manhandling tackles on the outside, quarterbacks calmly stepping up and getting off comfortable throws.

Last year, that wasn’t happening, and the change isn’t all that difficult to figure out. In passing situations a year ago, the Seahawks were able to trot out a defensive front with Clemons and Avril on the outside and with Bennett and Clinton McDonald playing defensive tackle. McDonald was an underrated interior pass-rusher who regularly took advantage of mismatched guards. His replacements — Jordan Hill and Kevin Williams — haven’t been the same type of interior force when given the chance. The same goes for the stable of guys used to replace Clemons. The Seahawks are still moving Bennett inside to tackle and should be, but they’re failing to find a second edge rusher to get after quarterbacks who can’t step up in the pockets Bennett is collapsing. Whether it’s O’Brien Schofield or Cassius Marsh, no one is getting much done on the outside.

The lack of interior pass rushing is only made worse by how Seattle plays up front. The Seahawks have a ton of different looks and multiple packages. On first down, that often means both Brandon Mebane and Tony McDaniel inside. Those looks make some sense, considering teams are still running about half the time on first down (compared to 39 percent of all plays), but it leaves Seattle with almost no chance to generate any pass rush up the middle. The Seahawks are getting pressure on just 11.8 percent of first-down dropbacks — 31st in the league.

 

I'll admit that I didn't read it, but the numbers highlighted the the excerpt don't really answer the question.

"The Seahawks had maybe the league’s best pass rush a season ago — fifth in sack rate, first in percentage of opponent dropbacks with pressure. This season, those have dropped to 25th and 32nd, respectively."

This can be equally explained by great rushers as by great coverage, no? I think we would need numbers with seconds before the pressure as compared to the rest of the league to determine.

 

There is also the adjustment factor. The teams that had Seattle on schedule for 2014
had 6 months to look at film and adjust their offensive game plans accordingly.

 

Sherman needs to kick Screaming A. the hell out of his belly.

 

I have no interest in debating this with someone who can't even bother to read the piece I posted. Bye.

 

Double Down is correct on this, the Seahawks pressured the QB far better last year than this. It doesn't matter how good your secondary is if the QB has all day.

 

Not really, no. You give a NFL QB enough time, he'll hit open receivers, because CBs and S can't cover forever. It's the 4-man pass rush that did it for Seattle for most of last year, and an aggressive style (that largely went unpenalized) that negated Denver's quick throw game in the Super Bowl.

I think more teams will run more successfully on Seattle as the year goes on, too.

 

So, Russell, how long have you not been a black quarterback?

 

I take it that Freeman is disliked here. I was not aware as I've never really read anything
negative on him or his work.

I really liked his work when he was The Jet beat writer for The NYT. He was able to get some stories that others missed.

 

I always liked him. He's done some things I'm guessing he would change if he could do it all over again, but I'm sure almost all of us could say the same thing.