Thursday cyber surfing: Kearse impressing everybody; Baldwin a limited participant in practice
Good morning, and here’s what’s “out there” about the Seahawks for today, November 1.
Danny O’Neil has his story on wide receiver Jermaine Kearse, who was promoted from the practice squad to the active roster earlier this week, “He’s going to be playing some special teams at the very least after being promoted to the active roster to replace Obomanu, who became the first Seahawk placed on injured reserve since the regular season began. Obomanu suffered a wrist injury that will require him to be in a cast for at least six weeks, and more likely eight. That creates an opportunity for Kearse, who was undrafted out of Washington, but signed with Seattle and worked himself from training camp to the practice squad to the 53-man roster. ‘Jermaine has done a very good job,’ Carroll said. ‘He has impressed everybody in everything he has done. He is going to be involved in special teams this week, extensively. He has made great impressions so we’re fortunate to have him available to pop up.’ “
O’Neil also has the Seahawks and Minnesota Vikings’ injury reports from Wednesday. Seattle’s Doug Baldwin returned to practice in limited fashion for the first time since suffering a high ankle sprain in Week 7 against the San Francisco 49ers.
Larry Stone of the Seattle Times highlights the Vikings’ Jared Allen, the outgoing defensive end who showed up to Minnesota’s practice facility yesterday in full Halloween gear, “Allen, now 30 and fully established as one the greatest pass-rushing defensive ends in NFL history — his 22 sacks last year were just a half-sack behind Michael Strahan’s 2001 season record — is still a wild and crazy guy. The only difference is now he limits his fun to such socially acceptable activities as knocking the stuffing out of opposing quarterbacks, and thrill-seeking activities like running with the bulls in Spain, boar (and bear) hunting, sky diving and zip-lining. He’ll be attempting to partake of the former Sunday when the Vikings meet the Seahawks, who know that slowing down Allen’s pass rush is a prime focus. ‘He’s long, lanky with a knack for getting sacks,’ Seahawks center Max Unger said. ‘You have to know where he is and what he’s doing all the time out there.’ “
Eric Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune has his report from Wednesday, noting Baldwin is coming along better than expected from his high ankle sprain, “The Seahawks could use Baldwin because they lack depth. Ben Obomanu was placed on the season-ending injured reserve list with a wrist injury and Braylon Edwards may not be available because of a swollen knee. That leaves four healthy receivers on the active roster. ‘He looks better than we expected coming into the week,’ Carroll said of Baldwin. ‘I don’t know if that’s going to happen, but we’ll see.’ “
Dave Boling of the Tacoma News Tribune has praises from Kearse’s fellow receivers on his recent promotion, “Receiver Golden Tate, specifically, approached Carroll with his support for Kearse. ‘He’s a young guy who is going to be really good,’ Tate said. ‘From Day One he showed what he could do and hasn’t made many of those rookie mistakes. He has some wiggle, and is a strong guy with great hands.’ Kearse was set back early in the offseason with a foot injury, which made it more impressive that he landed on the practice squad. ‘I told him back then that I thought at some point this season he was going to be activated,’ Tate said. ‘He’s got a positive attitude, he works hard every day.’ “
Ryan Divish of the Tacoma News Tribune also calls attention to the Vikings’ Allen, “Sure, he isn’t the pure speed-rushing spitfire he was back in 2004, fresh out of Idaho State University and a fourth-round draft pick of the Kansas City Chiefs. But it doesn’t mean he isn’t effective. He might be a little slower, but he’s a lot smarter player. ‘I think I’m a different player from week to week or year to year, just trying to build and correct mistakes,’ Allen said. ‘Mentally, you learn to rush smarter. When you are younger, you are guessing. But I’ve always been a leverage, technique guy. I’m never going to get away from the base of what I do. I believe (in using) hips, hands and feet and out-leveraging and out-working the guy in front of me.’ Allen won’t be outworked in practice, a trait that has earned the respect of coach Leslie Frazier. ‘He’s a terrific player,’ Frazier said. ‘He’s on the pace again to have another double-digit sack year. So close a year ago to breaking an NFL record with sacks, and he’s just a joy to be around in practice because he works hard every single day.’ “
John Boyle of the Everett Herald has a feature on Seahawks left tackle Russell Okung, who Boyle says is living up to his high expectations, “For much of his first two seasons in Seattle, the talk about Okung, the No. 6 pick in the 2010 draft and the man handed the unenviable task of filling Walter Jones’ sizable shoes, was about his inability to stay healthy. And when this season started, Okung found himself in the spotlight for one of the worst reasons possible for a lineman—a plethora of penalties. But lately, you probably haven’t heard much about Okung, and when you’re not hearing discussions about an offensive lineman, it’s usually because he’s doing his job. And when you do actually focus on Okung, you realize that now more than ever, he is living up to the lofty expectations that were placed on him when he was picked in the first round, then immediately named the starter at one of football’s most important positions.”
Bill Swartz of 710Sports.com has his report from Wednesday, pointing to the similarities between the Seahawks’ Marshawn Lynch and the Vikings’ Adrian Peterson, ” ‘Angry runners’ is the term Seahawks offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell uses to describe Seattle’s Marshawn Lynch and Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson. Two of the top backs in the NFL will be featured front and center at CenturyLink Field Sunday. Bevell has drawn up plays for both elite backs and says their teammates must assume both Peterson and Lynch will keep a play alive after the initial tackle attempt. ‘They have many similarities in their running styles,’ said Bevell, who came to Seattle from Minnesota. ‘If you’re blocking for them downfield, you have to assume they will break free from the first contact.’ “
Tim Booth of the Associated Press writes that the Seahawks could potentially be down to just four receivers on Sunday against the Vikings, “Rice is one of the few certainties the Seattle Seahawks have at wide receiver going into this week’s key home game against the Vikings, which could have long-term effects on the NFC playoff race later in the season. With Ben Obomanu on injured reserve and questions about the health of Doug Baldwin and Braylon Edwards, the Seahawks could head into Sunday’s game with just four healthy wide receivers. Rice, Golden Tate, Charly Martin and practice squad call-up Jermaine Kearse are the only receivers expected to be fully healthy for the Vikings. ‘It’s going to be pretty tough. We have a couple of guys that are down,’ Rice said. ‘… It’s definitely going to have to be on those guys. That’s a talented smart group on that side of the ball, a lot of vets that move around very well and some of our guys that haven’t played so much it’s going to be tough for them to process all the information.’ “
Curtis Crabtree of 950 KJR AM has a look at the Seahawks’ defensive struggles on third down, “Overall, Seattle is allowing teams to convert 43.9-percent on third down, which is 27th out of the 32 teams in the league. Only Pittsburgh (44-percent), Minnesota (44.2), the New York Jets (45), Tennessee (45.7) and Buffalo (47.3) are allowing teams to convert more frequently on third down. LB K.J. Wright said it’s not something they’re worried about because they know it’s something they can get corrected. ‘It don’t worry me at all,’ Wright said. ‘I know we’re a good defense and I know we can adjust to anything so I’m not worried.’ Wright said it’s partly an experience issue in getting used to see the various route combinations and being able to react faster to what they’re seeing. Between Wright in his second year, rookie LB Bobby Wagner and CB Marcus Trufant adjusting to a new position, the Seahawks have been just out of position at times. It’s a chemistry that is still developing between the group. ‘I recognized one (route combination) last week but it was a little too late and they got the first down so it just comes with experience. We’ll be able to get the job done. We’re still learning,’ Wright said.”
Art Thiel of SportsPressNW.com comments on the Seahawks’ recent struggles on defense, “Against the past three offenses, the Patriots, 49ers and Lions, the defense was learning the hard way. There is really no other way. ‘You watch film, but you can’t really get used to it until you get on the field,’ said Bobby Wagner, a rookie starting at middle linebacker — the quarterback of the defense. ‘A lot of rookies mess up on plays they’ve never seen. It’s just experience, seeing plays come so fast. We take false reads that (veterans) don’t, because of experience. A team like the Carolina Panthers (against whom the Seahawks have their only road win), which runs read options, we tend to have a good feel for it because that tends to be what we have seen (in college). You just have to have experience (with the more standard pro offenses), and I feel like we’re catching on pretty quick.’ “
Mike Sando of ESPN.com has a look at injury situations around the NFC West, “The Seahawks are light on receivers after losing Doug Baldwin to a high-ankle sprain and Ben Obomanu to a season-ending wrist injury. Braylon Edwards missed practice with knee trouble Wednesday. Baldwin was limited. The team still has good enough quality at the position with Sidney Rice playing well (except for a drop in Week 8 ) and Golden Tate bouncing back from a tough game against San Francisco. Depth is a concern, however, particularly without a strong No. 2 receiving tight end to pair with Zach Miller. Defensive tackle Jason Jones (ankle) missed practice. Seattle’s nickel defense missed him against Detroit. He could test the ankle later in the week. The nickel defense figures to play less this week based on Minnesota’s personnel tendencies. Seattle did not list fullback Michael Robinson on its injury report. He hurt a wrist against the Lions.”
Here at Seahawks.com Clare Farnsworth recaps “Wednesday in Hawkville” with a focus on the rookie Kearse, and gets Sidney Rice and Heath Farwell’s take on the running backs Lynch and Peterson.
Tony Ventrella has his “Seahawks Daily” as the team kicks off their first practice of the second half of the season.
We have coach Carroll and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell‘s full video press conferences from yesterday.
And finally, team photographer Rod Mar has a look at “Competition Wednesday” in photos.
Carroll: “[Kearse] is jacked up about this opportunity”
Head Coach Pete Carroll addressed the media this afternoon as part of his weekly Wednesday press conference ahead of this afternoon’s 1:30 p.m. practice and preparations for their Week 9 home matchup with the Minnesota Vikings.
When asked about the team’s wide receiver situation heading into this weekend’s game, Carroll said they will take a “wait and see” approach with Braylon Edwards, who had a knee swell up prior to their Week 8 game in Detroit, and that he is expected to get work in practice this week.
On Doug Baldwin, Carroll said he is coming along “better than we thought” from a high ankle sprain and he is challenging the trainers and coaches every day to get back on the field.
Carroll said Ben Obomanu, who was placed on season-ending injured reserve yesterday, is expected to be in a cast for six to eight weeks with a wrist injury, and that the injury would have hampered him too much if he were to try and play through it.
Of Jermaine Kearse, the former University of Washington Husky wideout who was called up from the team’s practice squad to replace the injured Obomanu yesterday, Carroll said he has impressed everybody in everything he’s done and will contribute on special teams as well.
“He’s been solid the whole time and right in the middle of it,” Carroll said. “He’s jacked up about this opportunity.”
Also of note, Carroll said that it is possible that they go into this weekend’s game with just four active wide receivers, which would presumably be Sidney Rice, Golden Tate, Charly Martin, and the recently-activated Kearse.
Carroll said he is not sure if defensive tackle Jason Jones will be available this week. Jones missed last week’s game against the Lions with an ankle injury.
No decision has been made on whether or not to activate cornerback Walter Thurmond to the active roster. Thurmond is still within the three-week practice window on the team’s PUP list and the Seahawks will have until Nov. 5 to make a decision on whether or not to activate the third-year corner. Carroll did say that Thurmond will get featured work in practice this week so that he and the coaching staff can obtain a better idea of where he is at.
Our Insiders Clare Farnsworth and Tony Ventrella will be back with more following today’s player availability and practice session. And in case you missed it, stay tuned to Seahawks.com for Carroll’s full video press conference.
Friday cyber surfing: Wilson, offense look to get game right on the road
Good morning, and here’s what’s “out there” about the Seahawks for today, October 26.
Larry Stone of the Seattle Times writes that rookie quarterback Russell Wilson is looking to take the success he’s had at home to the road, “Wilson has completed 60 percent of his passes at home, averaging 191.3 yards, with six touchdowns, no interceptions, and five sacks. On the road, he’s completing 59 percent, averaging 164 yards with just two touchdowns, seven interceptions and nine sacks. Even in his one road victory, against Carolina, Wilson’s QB rating of 82.3 was lower than in any of the home games. Asked Thursday about the disparity, Wilson pointed out how close the Seahawks were to winning all three games that turned into road defeats. ‘I think the biggest difference is that we have to play a little bit better,’ he said. ‘We’ve lost some very, very close games on the road, and so we just need to finish those games. That’s what it really comes down to. Just focusing on executing and finishing, especially in the second half, third quarters and fourth quarters. We just have to make the plays when we need them.’ “
Danny O’Neil of the Seattle Times has the Seahawks and Lions injury reports from Thursday, noting Detroit wide receiver Calvin Johnson participated in limited fashion with knee soreness.
John McGrath of the Tacoma News Tribune comments on the NFL trade deadline, and on the Seahawks’ lack of interest in making a move to add to their receiving corps, “The NFL extended its trade deadline by two weeks this year, from the Tuesday following Week 6 until the Tuesday following Week 8. So there’s time for the Seahawks to swing a deal – 11 days – but I doubt they’ll be active. Acquiring somebody like [Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Dwayne] Bowe would require them to surrender future draft picks, and future draft picks are a more coveted commodity in the NFL than actual players, even those who are proven.”
Ryan Divish of the Tacoma News Tribune highlights Detroit pass-rusher Ndamukong Suh, “The Seattle Seahawks are more than aware of the havoc that Suh and his defensive linemates can cause Sunday in Detroit. ‘He’s a real good defensive lineman,’ said Seahawks center Max Unger, who will have to block Suh on more than a few occasions. ‘He’s a talented player and you definitely need to know where he’s at on the field.’ Just ask Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler about the Suh experience. On Monday Night Football, Suh needed all of one arm and a little momentum to body-slam the 6-foot-3, 220-pound Cutler into the Soldier Field turf like he was feather pillow. It was a gruesome, nasty but legal hit that left Cutler with a sprained left shoulder. The seemingly 2 million replays in the days following didn’t make the hit look any less painful. Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson has seen it more than enough times. ‘I’m not worried about that at all,’ he said. ‘I focus on what I can control, getting the ball out on time, with rhythm and an accurate football. And I just play the game.’ “
Michael Rushton of The Sports Network previews Sunday’s matchup in the Motor City, “It has been bizarro world for the Lions, who have struggled scoring while watching their defense continue to exceed expectations. Detroit would be one of the league’s more dangerous teams if it can get the offense on the same level as the other side of the game. A matchup with Seattle’s hard-nosed defense with extra rest isn’t the best remedy, nor is the loss of Burleson. The Seahawks’ offense doesn’t set the world on fire and that is the reason that the Lions may have the edge this weekend since they luck out by not having to travel to Seattle. Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Lions 17, Seahawks 16″
John Boyle of the Everett Herald also touches on Wilson’s struggles away from CenturyLink Field this season, “Wilson is convinced that improvement isn’t too far away, and that no drastic changes are needed. If a few more passes had been caught last week, or if Wilson hadn’t forced a ball into triple coverage, the passing-game numbers would look drastically different. ‘We just have to make a few more plays here and there,’ he said. ‘That’s really what it comes down to. In all the games we’ve lost, we’ve had an opportunity to win the game at the very end and we just fell short for whatever reason. We’ve also won one as well on the road, and we’ve made those plays when we needed to. I think that’s the only difference. There’s no need to go searching for an exact answer, that is the answer: just making the plays when we need to make them.’ “
Bill Swartz of mynorthwest.com notes that despite the Lions recent struggles on offense, the Seahawks defense knows what they are capable of, “While the 2-4 Lions have struggled to find the end zone this season, they are still a potent offense. [Seahawks defensive coordinator Gus] Bradley pointed out that quarterback Matthew Stafford and Detroit’s offense is still averaging over 400 yards per game. Part of Detroit’s struggles, Bradley said, has been fumbles in the red zone. Turnovers killed two scoring chances Monday in a loss at Chicago. Bradley said he has been stressing the importance of his defense causing more interceptions and fumbles, especially in road games. Bradley said the Seahawks defense had its pride hurt by several big running plays against San Francisco. Detroit runs similar quick-hitting trap run plays up the middle.”
Swartz also says the Seahawks have great respect for Suh and the Lions’ pass rush, “Preparing for his first confrontation with Suh, Seahawks center Max Unger sees a very good lineman who plays the game hard. ‘He’s made a lot of great plays in the first couple years, and you just have to know where he is and not do anything crazy,’ Unger said. ‘You can’t freak out against a player that good. You have to have a game plan and stay with it.’ Suh has mutual respect for the Seahawks, most notably running back Marshawn Lynch. The two have spent time together on television and photo commercial shoots.”
Bob Stelton and Dave Grosby of 710 AM ESPN Seattle’s “Bob and Groz” discuss whether or not getting tight end Zach Miller more involved in the passing game would help the rookie quarterback Wilson in this short video.
Brock Huard and Mike Salk of 710 AM ESPN Seattle’s “Brock and Salk” offer their opinions on the Seahawks’ Week 8 road matchup with the Lions in this short video.
Curtis Crabtree of 950 KJR AM has his report from Thursday’s practice, including a couple interesting nuggets of knowledge on the Lions, “The Lions’ offense has the potential to break out at any time but they have a challenge in facing the Seattle defense. Detroit is 3-43 over their last 46 games dating back to November 2007 when scoring 21 points or fewer. Seattle is allowing just 15.1 points per game and has only allowed 21 points once this season in their 24-23 win over the New England Patriots. If Seattle can keep the Lions offense under 21 points, history shows Seattle should have a very good chance to win the game.”
Tim Booth of the Associated Press points to historical evidence that NFL teams can succeed when they limit their throws on offense while acclimating a rookie quarterback to the League, “Seattle is averaging 25 pass attempts per game and is on pace for 400 pass attempts this year. In the last 12 seasons, only five teams have attempted less than 400 passes in a season: Atlanta in 2004, Pittsburgh in 2004 and 2005, San Francisco in 2005 and the 2009 New York Jets. Not surprisingly, in three of those circumstances the teams were starting rookie quarterbacks – Ben Roethlisberger, Alex Smith and Mark Sanchez. Perhaps surprisingly, the combined record of those five teams was 50-30 with three of those teams winning at least 11 games. In no way is that an indication of how the Seahawks’ season will go. But it’s recent historical proof that playing with such a limited passing game can still be successful.”
Our friends at NFL Films preview Sunday’s game in Detroit in this short video.
Here at Seahawks.com Clare Farnsworth looks at the maturation of Wilson through seven NFL starts and has a recap of yesterday’s activities in his “Thursday in Hawkville,” as he catches up with third-year wideout Charly Martin, who is expected to garner more snaps this week in place of the injured Doug Baldwin (high ankle sprain).
Tony Ventrella has his “Seahawks Daily” with a focus on finishing the first half of the season.
We have Wilson and coach Bradley‘s full video press conferences from yesterday.
And finally, team photographer Rod Mar has a look at the week of practice in photos.
Thursday in Hawkville: Martin preparing to make most of his opportunity
A recap of the day’s activities at Virginia Mason Athletic Center for Oct. 25:
FOCUS ON
Charly Martin. Opportunity is knocking for the third-year wide receiver who signed a future contract with the Seahawks in January, and Martin is planning on being there to answer.
Doug Baldwin, last year’s leading receiver, is sidelined after getting a high ankle sprain in last week’s loss to the 49ers in San Francisco. So Martin will be active for the third time this season and see some time as the slot receiver in Sunday’s game against the Lions in Detroit.
“You’ve always got to be ready,” Martin said today. “In this business, you never know. I prepare like I’m going to play every week, so I’m going to continue doing the same things I’ve been doing.”
Except that Martin knows he’s going to play this week. His source on the situation: Coach Pete Carroll, who announced Monday that Martin will be in because Baldwin is out.
“Yeah. Yeah,” Martin said. “But I take it day-to-day, because you never know what’s going to happen on game day. But I’m looking forward to it, for sure.”
Martin also was active in the season opener against the Cardinals in Arizona when starting split end Golden Tate was out with a sore knee, and also the Week 3 game against the Packers on Monday night when Baldwin was sidelined with a shoulder injury. Martin has two catches for 25 yards.
“Charly brings an understanding to the game,” rookie QB Russell Wilson said. “He’s very quick; catches the ball consistently. He’s a great player.”
As for the chemistry between pitcher and catcher, you can cross that concern off the list. Martin was one of Wilson’s constant companions when he would throw during the offseason.
“We’ve had that chemistry throughout the whole entire (training) camp and through the beginning of the season,” Wilson said. “I’ve thrown a lot of footballs to him, so he’ll do a great job.”
PLAYER WATCH
Brandon Browner and Richard Sherman. We covered the challenge that awaits the Seahawks’ cornerbacks against the Lions yesterday. But here’s a look at them, as well as safeties Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas, through the eyes of Lions coach Jim Schwartz.
“They have giants in the secondary,” he said during a conference-call interview on Wednesday. “They have 6-4 and 6-3 cornerbacks. I think Kam Chancellor is 6-3. With all those guys it’s like a junior college basketball team out there with their great length.
“There are a lot of big receivers in the league, and we have one (6-5 Calvin Johnson). But Seattle has come a long way to matching up with those guys. They’re out there on an island quite a bit, and they have survived out there. They have an overlap player in Earl Thomas. He can make a lot of plays back there and he’s very instinctive.”
OPPONENT WATCH
Matthew Stafford. The Lions are averaging 46 passes a game, and the launch point is Stafford’s right arm. Last season, he passed for 41 touchdowns and 5,038 yards. He’s off that pace this season (1,754 yards, five TDs), but it’s not for a lack of trying.
Stafford has thrown 40-plus passes in five of the Lions’ six games, with a high of 51 against the Vikings in Week 4. But it’s not like the Seahawks haven’t seen this before. Tom Brady threw 58 passes against them two weeks ago.
“He’s got a loose arm, so you know he’s always going to look downfield for the deep shot,” Chancellor said. “We’ve got to stay disciplined and stay back.”
And even tight coverage might not be enough, especially when Stafford’s target is Johnson.
“Where he’s most dangerous is when they throw it up and he goes up and makes his plays, especially when you’re defending him and he still wins. He’s already famous for all of that in the early part of his career,” Carroll said of Johnson. “The problem is that Matthew Stafford knows that, so he keeps chucking it to him.”
INJURY REPORT
The official report, as issued by the team:
Out
WR Doug Baldwin (ankle)
Did not practice
DT Jason Jones (ankle)
CB Byron Maxwell (hamstring)
Limited participation
OG John Moffitt (knee)
Full participation
RB Marshawn Lynch (back)
With Jones still sidelined, Alan Branch and Greg Scruggs got some work on the nickel line.
For the Lions:
Did not practice
DE Cliff Avril (back)
DE Jacob Lacey (concussion)
LB DeAndre Lacey (hamstring)
S Amari Spievey (concussion)
Limited participation
CB Dwight Bentley (shoulder)
S Louis Delmas (knee)
TE Brandon Pettigrew (knee)
LB Stephen Tulloch (knee)
DT Corey Williams (knee)
WR Titus Young (knee)
WR Calvin Johnson (knee)
STAT DU JOUR
More sacks. Yesterday, we looked at the Seahawks’ improved production and how the tandem of Chris Clemons and Bruce Irvin has been vital to the team’s increased sack total. Today, it’s where Clemons’ 29 sacks since joining the Seahawks in 2010 rank among the league leaders during this stretch:
Player, team Sacks
LB DeMarcus Ware, Cowboys 41.5
DE Jared Allen, Vikings 39
DE Jason Babin, Titans and Eagles 33
LB Tamba Hali, Chiefs 30.5
DE Chris Clemons, Seahawks 29
DE Cameron Wake, Dolphins 29
DE John Abraham, Falcons 28.5
LB Clay Mathews, Packers 28.5
LB Terrell Suggs, Ravens 26
DE Jason Pierre-Paul, Giants 25.5
Ware, Allen, Babin, Hali, Matthews, Suggs and Pierre-Paul were voted to the Pro Bowl last season.
UP NEXT
Get-away day, as the players will hold a midday practice before the team flies to Detroit for Sunday’s game. The players also will hold a walkthrough in Detroit on Saturday.
Also Friday, Wilson and Thomas will be featured on “The Whistle,” NBC Sports Network’s weekly series that centers on kids and airs at 1 p.m. PDT. Wilson discusses memorizing playbooks and Thomas talks about the toughest receiver to cover.
YOU DON’T SAY
“They can be so explosive. They’re still averaging over 400 yards a game. I just watched the Green Bay game from last year. Probably shouldn’t have done that before I came out there.” – defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, after practice, on the Lions rolling up 575 yards of offense, Johnson catching 11 passes for 244 yards and Stafford passing for 520 yards and five TDs in the Lions’ 2011 regular-season finale against the Packers
Wednesday in Hawkville: Baldwin out with high ankle sprain
A recap of the day’s activities at Virginia Mason Athletic Center for Oct. 24:
FOCUS ON
Doug Baldwin. Remember that old B.B. King tune? The one that goes, “If it wasn’t for bad luck, I wouldn’t have any luck at all”?
The Seahawks’ second-year slot receiver doesn’t because he’s too young, but it could be the theme song for Baldwin’s injury-filled season. Coach Pete Carroll said today that Baldwin will miss Sunday’s game against the Lions in Detroit because of the high ankle sprain he got in last week’s game against the 49ers in San Francisco.
This just after last year’s leading receiver was working his way back into the passing game after missing time with a shoulder injury. And that after his missed most of training camp and all of the preseason with a hamstring injury.
Baldwin has only 11 receptions – compared to 25 after seven games last season – because he can’t catch a break.
“Unfortunately, he’s going to be a couple of weeks away,” Carroll said. “And that’s going to be a change for us because we were just getting him going and it felt like he was coming around.”
Baldwin had two catches for 15 yards against the 49ers, but was injured while blocking on a special teams play when another player fell into his leg.
“I’m just trying to stay positive and be as patient as I can,” Baldwin said.
With Baldwin out, Charly Martin will be active for only the third time this season against the Lions and see time in the slot – as will split end Golden Tate, with Braylon Edwards taking over at split end in those alignments.
PLAYER WATCH
Russell Wilson. The Seahawks’ rookie quarterback doesn’t hold his weekly Q&A session with the Seattle media until Thursday. But he did a conference call today with reporters who cover the Lions.
And Wilson admitted he will be pulling for one Detroit team this weekend.
“I’m actually family friends with Justin Verlander,” Wilson said. “I grew up right near him (in Virginia). I’m rooting for the Detroit Tigers there.
“My (older) brother played with him all throughout middle school, high school, Little League, all that stuff.”
OPPONENT WATCH
The Lions’ defensive line. From Pro Bowl defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, last year’s NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. To defensive end and sack leader Kyle Vanden Bosch. To defensive end Cliff Avril, who had 11 sacks in 2001. To defensive tackles Corey Williams, a 320-pounder, and even Nick Fairley, the Lions’ first-round draft choice in 2011.
“Yeah, probably as a whole,” Seahawks offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell said after practice when asked if this is the best defensive front his unit has faced. “All the way across. All four of them. They all have great skill. They have some nastiness to them. They’re very tenacious. They keep coming. It’s a big group; a good group.
“If you don’t take care of the front four, it can screw up the whole game.”
Asked how you handle Suh, Bevell offered, “Block him.”
When the laughter subsided, Bevell added, “You have to make sure you account for him. I mean, really their whole front four. That’s the strong part of their defense. They can wreak some havoc.”
INJURY REPORT
The official report, as issued by the team:
Did not practice
WR Doug Baldwin (ankle)
DT Jason Jones (ankle)
CB Byron Maxwell (hamstring)
Limited participation
OG John Moffitt (knee)
Full participation
RB Marshawn Lynch (back)
For the Lions, who held a walkthrough today so the report is an estimation:
Did not practice
DE Cliff Avril (back)
WR Calvin Johnson (knee)
DE Jacob Lacey (concussion)
LB DeAndre Lacey (hamstring)
DE Ronnell Lewis (not injury related)
S Amari Spievey (concussion)
Limited participation
CB Dwight Bentley (shoulder)
S Louis Delmas (knee)
TE Brandon Pettigrew (knee)
LB Stephen Tulloch (knee)
DT Corey Williams (knee)
WR Titus Young (knee)
Also, the Lions placed for Seahawks wide receiver Nate Burleson on injured reserve because of the broken leg he got in Monday night’s loss to the Bears and signed wide receiver Brian Robiskie.
STAT DU JOUR
Today, it’s all about the joy of sacks. The Seahawks produced 33 last season, but already have 19 in their first seven games – a pace that will produce 43. A big reason for the increase is the addition of rookie rush-end Bruce Irvin (4.5 sacks) to complement Chris Clemons (7), who had 11 of the team’s 33 sacks last season. Here’s a look at the top sack teams in the league, as well as the top sack tandems among defensive ends:
Team sacks
Team No.
Packers 24
Bengals 23
Cardinals 22
Vikings 22
Texans 21
Bears 21
Rams 21
Seahawks 19
DE sack tandems
Players, team No.
J.J. Watt and Antonio Smith, Texans 13.5
Chris Clemons and Bruce Irvin, Seahawks 11.5
Robert Quinn and Chris Long, Rams 11.0
Jared Allen and Brain Robinson, Vikings 10.0
Cameron Wake and Olivier Vernon, Dolphins 9.0
Chandler Jones and Rob Ninkovich, Patriots 9.0
TOO MANY COOKS?
Never. Especially when the extra cooks who helped prepare lunch for the players and coaches today were soldiers from Joint Base Lewis McChord and members of 1st Special Services Support.
Helping head chef Mac McNabb and his staff were Master Sgt. Scottie Ingram, Sgt. Erik Melendez, SPC Darrell Riley, SPC Julius Williams-Cox, SPC Samuel Balicanta and SFC Daniel Sotoamaya.
UP NEXT
“Competition Wednesday” gives way to “Turnover Thursday” as the players continue to prepare for Sunday’s game against the Lions in Detroit.
After Sunday, the Seahawks’ fourth road game in a five-week span, they will play back-to-back home games against the Vikings (Nov. 4) and Jets (Nov. 11) before getting their bye week.
YOU DON’T SAY
“I look at this week like we’re playing for first place. We can be in first place after this game, so it’s another championship opportunity and we have to be able to match the opportunity with our intensity, focus and all that.” – Carroll, with an eye toward the Monday night matchup between the 5-2 49ers and 4-3 Cardinals in Arizona
Thursday in Hawkville: ‘Rules are rules,’ Tate says of his fine
A recap of the day’s events at Virginia Mason Athletic Center for Sept. 20:
FOCUS ON
Golden Tate. The Seahawks’ third-year wide receiver plans to appeal the fine the NFL levied against him on Wednesday for his block on linebacker Sean Lee in Sunday’s victory over the Cowboys, in part to find out what he can do if put in a similar situation.
“I’m sure the commissioner went long and hard thinking about it and he thought that was right,” Tate said Thursday, when the team began preparing for Monday night’s game against the Packers at CenturyLink Field. “So I have to deal with it, fix the problem and make sure it doesn’t happen again.
“It’s unfortunate that I got fined, but rules are rules.”
Tate also went long and hard thinking about the situation.
“That night, I looked over the hit several times, talked with some other people that had knowledge of the game, and I had mixed reviews. Some thought it was illegal, some thought it was legal. So I’m sure it was a tough decision.”
Tate will be seeking some clarification during his appeal process.
“When I do my appeal I’m going to ask them that: What would you suggest that I do to make sure that this doesn’t happen again?” he said “Because I never have intentions on injuring a player and I always want to play within the rules. So that’s a question that is going to come up when I have my appeal.”
Is the situation a distraction as Tate prepares for the Packers? Hardly.
“There’s been a lot,” he said when asked about the attention the block generated. “I try not to worry about it though. It’s a new week. I’m trying to forget about what happened last week and prepare for the Packers.”
PLAYER WATCH
Danny Gorrer. The newest member of the 53-man roster practiced with the team for the first time and the fourth-year cornerback broke up a sideline pass. Pro Bowl free safety Earl Thomas gets an assist for the team giving him a workout and then deciding to sign him on Tuesday.
“We had some inside scoop on him. Earl had grown up with him, and looked up to him as a young kid,” coach Pete Carroll said. “So we had some insights about him.”
Thomas grew up in Orange, Texas; Gorrer in Port Arthur, also the home of former Cowboys and Dolphins coach Jimmy Johnson, former Seahawks defensive back Jordan Babineaux and late rock-blues singer Janis Joplin.
“That’s only about 10 minutes from Orange,” Thomas said. “He’s been an inspiration in my life.”
Now, he’s the latest member of the Seahawks’ secondary with silly speed. During his workout, Thomas said that Gorrer ran the 40-yard dash in 4.37 or 4.38 seconds.
“He’s very fast,” Thomas said. “It was funny to see him out there running. He didn’t stretch that much and he still ran (that fast). So that’s one thing you can’t coach.”
OPPONENT WATCH
(AP Photo/Mike Roemer, File)
Clay Matthews. Once a 208-pound walk-on at USC for Carroll, Matthews has grown into one of the best pass rushers in the NFL. In two games, the 255-pound linebacker has six sacks for the Packers.
Finding out where No. 52 is on every snap, and having a plan for how to deal with him, is Priority One of the Seahawks’ offense this week.
“He’s just about as tenacious as a player as you come up against,” coordinator Darrell Bevell said after practice. “He’s got great skill. His speed. His power. But I think the best think about him is he never stops. He continues to go from snap to whistle.”
INJURY REPORT
The official report, as released by the team:
Did not practice
CB Byron Maxwell (hamstring)
Limited participation
TE Zach Miller (foot)
RB Marshawn Lynch (back)
WR Doug Baldwin (shoulder)
Full participation
WR Charly Martin (chest)
OT Russell Okung
The Seahawks got one receiver back – Martin, who practiced for the first time since bruising a lung in the opener against the Cardinals. But they then lost one – Baldwin, who had to leave practice.
While Lynch did very little in the team portions of practice as far as carrying the ball, he was helping the linemen with their reads and fits before and after snaps.
For the Packers:
Did not practice
TE Tom Crabtree (shoulder)
WR Greg Jennings (groin)
LB Jamari Lattimore (ankle)
Limited participation
WR Randall Cobb (hamstring)
CB Davon House (shoulder)
OG Josh Sitton (knee)
RB James Starks (toe)
DE C.J. Wilson (groin)
Full participation
LB Terrell Manning (concussion)
LB Nick Perry (wrist)
UP NEXT
“Turnover Thursday.” But today is Thursday. Only outside VMAC. Because of the Monday night game, the calendar week has been pushed back a day in the preparation week. Today was “Competition Wednesday,” as the players returned from their second off day this week. After “Turnover Thursday” (on Friday), it will be “No Repeat Friday” (on Saturday).
YOU DON’T SAY
“Concerned isn’t really the right word. I just think you have to be aware of it because it’s a factor. Those fans are really intelligent fans. They know when to cheer. They get so stinkin’ loud out there. They do a really good job of giving the defense that advantage when you have to go on some silent counts or when we’re trying to hear each other or communicate with each other. They do a real good job of that. They should be commended for that. … It’s definitely an extra factor and aid for that defense.” – Packers QB Aaron Rodgers when asked about the 12th Man crowd at CenturyLink
Carroll: Martin out; Tate expected back; Moffitt to start at RG
Head coach Pete Carroll spoke with reporters this afternoon at Virginia Mason Athletic Center as part of his weekly Wednesday press conference, and offered a few interesting nuggets of knowledge before his team hits the practice field today at 1:30 for “Competition Wednesday.”
Carroll said that wide receiver Charly Martin, who suffered a bruised lung in last Sunday’s loss to the Arizona Cardinals, has been ruled out for this weekend against the Dallas Cowboys. Carroll called the injury “fairly serious” and they will monitor Martin’s status through next week.
With Martin out, Carroll was asked if the team will make a move to add a wide receiver to the active roster, to which Carroll replied there is no plan to do so at this time.
Wide receiver Golden Tate, who missed Week 1 while resting a knee injury, is expected to practice today.
John Moffitt is set to get the start at right guard Sunday against the Cowboys, replacing J.R. Sweezy, who got the start in Week 1. Carroll called the right guard position, “a very competitive spot” and he expects Sweezy to see playing time in Week 2, despite not being named the starter.
Left tackle Russell Okung, who left the season-opener against Arizona with a bruised knee, will not practice today. Carroll is hopeful Okung will be ready by weekend, but in his place will be veteran tackle Frank Omiyale.
“Frank is an equipped player,” said Carroll. “He’s started on both sides [of the line]. We won’t change much there if he goes instead of Russell [Okung].”
Wide receiver Doug Baldwin will practice in full today after receiving dental work to repair his two front teeth that were knocked loose when Baldwin dove for a ball in the end zone against the Cardinals in Week 1.
“His smile looks remarkable,” Carroll said. “A couple of days ago he looked like a sawtooth guy.”
Backup quarterback Matt Flynn will be limited in today’s practice with a sore elbow on his throwing arm. Carroll noted that Flynn is not 100 percent quite yet.
Seahawks Insider Clare Farnsworth will be back with more following today’s practice.
Tuesday cyber surfing: Okung OK; Martin out; O-line seeks improvement
Good morning, and here’s what’s “out there” about the Seahawks for today, September 11.
Danny O’Neil of the Seattle Times writes that rookie quarterback Russell Wilson was under constant pressure from Arizona’s defense last Sunday, “Wilson was sacked three times in the game, but that doesn’t give an indication as to how much pressure he faced nor how often he was hit. ‘He wasn’t as sharp,’ Carroll said of Wilson. ‘But it was because I really feel like he had so much pressure that he was dealing with. So he’ll do better. There’s things that he can do better. We need to help him more by playing cleaner up front.’ “
O’Neil also has his recap of Pete Carroll’s Monday press conference, including notes on injured left tackle Russell Okung and wide receiver Charly Martin, “A bruised knee isn’t a positive diagnosis. It’s just that it’s much less severe than the alternatives, which is why the Seahawks breathed a collective sigh of relief after tests confirmed that Russell Okung suffered a bruise in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game, not ligament damage. ‘He’s cleared,’ coach Pete Carroll said. ‘We’ll see how he comes back Wednesday and Thursday, but we expect him to make it through the week and play.’ The injury to receiver Charly Martin was a little more severe as the receiver suffered a bruised lung after he fell hard trying to catch a ball in the end zone on Seattle’s second-to-last play of the game. Martin remained in Arizona after the game as he didn’t return with the team.”
Eric Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune details the good news surrounding Okung’s injury, and says that wide receiver Golden Tate, who sat out in Arizona with a sprained knee, could return this week and be ready to go against the Dallas Cowboys, “Carroll also expects to get receiver Golden Tate back this week. The Notre Dame product sat out against Arizona with a sprained knee. ‘He ran real well today,’ Carroll said about Tate. ‘We think he’s got a chance. I’m not sure if Wednesday will be a full day for him. It depends on how he handles all the change of direction stuff (Monday and today). But he feels like he’s going to go.’ “
Dave Boling of the Tacoma News Tribune writes that the Seahawks offensive line must do a better job of protecting Wilson, “Four of the five linemen up front are veterans, joined by rookie right guard J.R. Sweezy. They should be better. It is not surprising that the Cardinals’ talented defensive front beat them on occasion – physically – but they shouldn’t have fooled them as frequently as they did. Left tackle Russell Okung had three false starts to add to the problem. The young line went through growing pains last season, but Carroll thought that was in the past.”
John Boyle of the Everett Herald also comments on the need for offensive line improvement heading into Week 2 against the Cowboys, “The good news for Seattle is that they won’t face Dockett, one of the game’s best interior linemen, again until December. The bad news, however, is that the Cowboys present another dangerous, though different, challenge. The Cowboys finished with 42 sacks last season, tied for seventh most in the league. Dallas features one of the game’s best pass rushers in DeMarcus Ware, who had 19.5 sacks last season, and has had 11 or more in every season of his career since registering eight as a rookie in 2005. ‘We just have to get better and smarter and cleaner with our stuff,’ Carroll said. ‘There really wasn’t anything that we weren’t able to handle, we just didn’t handle it as well as we should have, and will. We’ll get better that’s just part of playing together. The things that we saw in preseason we were able to handle. This one just got a little bit more aggressive and we weren’t as effective as we needed to be.’ “
Boyle has a few more updates from Monday, “Doug Baldwin should also be OK, though he’ll need some dental work first. ‘He officially got his teeth knocked it,’ Carroll said. ‘It was a mess. He’s getting that work done tomorrow. I’m sure he wishes he could get it done today, because he’s kind of got the clean slate right now. It doesn’t look too good. But he’ll be OK I think for this week.’ Asked if the team might need to add a receiver because of the loss of Martin, Carroll said, ‘That’s a possibility. Yeah, we’re looking into all of that.’ Asked specifically if bringing TE Kellen Winslow back after cutting him prior to the season opener, Carroll said, ‘Everybody’s a possibility at this point.’ “
Tim Booth of the Associated Press writes that Carroll was left disappointed at several missed opportunities last Sunday in Arizona, “Of the 70 offensive plays the Seahawks ran on Sunday, 39 – including three successful field goals and one blocked kick – were run in Arizona’s half of the field. Four times, Seattle started drives on Arizona’s side, either the result of forced turnovers or stellar special teams play from returner Leon Washington. And yet all Seattle could do with that field position advantage was get three successful kicks from Steven Hauschka, one touchdown toss by Wilson and plenty of grumbling about the missed opportunities.”
Brady Henderson of mynorthwest.com has a look at the high number of penalties the Seahawks committed in last Sunday’s loss in Arizona, “The Seahawks were penalized 13 times for 90 yards in their loss to Arizona. There was variety to go along with volume: two for pass interference, three for holding, two for delay of game, three for false start and one apiece for offsides, intentional grounding and facemask. Two personal foul penalties called on Seattle weren’t assessed. ‘When you have 13 there’s enough of everything,’ Carroll said. ‘We didn’t get it done. But it’s an emphasis that will continue to be at the heart of what we’re doing because we just made it harder on ourselves and you don’t need to do that.’ “
Curtis Crabtree of 950 KJR AM has his notes from coach Carroll’s Monday press conference, and details what led to Okung’s bruised knee, “Carroll said that Okung was hit or kicked on his knee while trying to avoid a diving C Max Unger on a play during the team’s final possession of the game. He said that tests came back okay and that they expect him to make it through the week and be able to play Sunday.”
Art Thiel of SportsPressNW.com takes a look at the rough go several Seahawks had on the injury front in Week 1, and has a comment from Carroll on the play of Wilson, “Carroll felt Wilson did all right in his first game, given the conditions. ‘There’s things that he could’ve done cleaner at times,’ he said. ‘He missed on some throws that, an inch here or there, might’ve been a more catchable ball for a guy. Guys had to make great plays on a couple of balls. So he wasn’t as sharp, but it was because he had so much pressure that he was dealing with. He’ll do better.’ “
Mike Sando of ESPN.com brings us his “Silver linings” from the Seahawks 20-16 defeat at Arizona, “Seattle’s defensive front, led by Brandon Mebane, held Cardinals running backs Ryan Williams, Beanie Wells and LaRod Stephens-Howling to 27 yards rushing combined and a long run covering nine yards. The Seahawks limited record-setting return specialist Patrick Peterson to a 9.3-yard average on four punt returns, with a long return covering 17 yards.”
Sando also has a breaks down whose stock is rising and falling in the NFC West, and after Sunday at Arizona, Leon Washington finds himself on the list of those whose stock is on the up-and-up, “Leon Washington, Seahawks returner. Seattle might have scored only six points instead of 16 if Washington hadn’t done such a good job in the return game. His 83-yard kickoff return and 52-yard punt return set up the Seahawks for 10 points. Blocking helps, of course, but it takes a special returner to find and exploit openings in a coverage team. Washington hadn’t fared as well in the return game recently. This performance was encouraging for the Seahawks.”
Here at Seahawks.com we bring you coach Carroll’s Monday press conference in full, Ton Ventrella recaps “Tell the Truth Monday” in his Seahawks Daily, Clare Farnsworth recaps the activities surrounding Monday in Hawkville – with a focus on the injured Martin, and finally, Farnsworth digests the problem the Cardinals’ pass rush posed for the Seahawks last Sunday, “How does Carroll plan to address those [pass rush] issues moving forward, starting with Sunday’s home opener against the Dallas Cowboys at CenturyLink Field? ‘Fortunately, not everybody has (Dockett) on their team,’ he said with a smile. We’ll get better. That’s just part of playing together. The things that we saw in preseason, we were able to handle. This one just got a little more aggressive. It started early and we weren’t as effective as we need to be.’ “
Monday in Hawkville: Martin remains in Phoenix hospital
A recap of the day’s activities at Virginia Mason Athletic Center for Sept. 10:
FOCUS ON
Charly Martin. The free-agent wide receiver did just about everything he could to catch Russell Wilson’s third-down pass into the end zone in the closing seconds of Sunday’s regular-season opener against the Cardinals in Arizona – including bruising a lung.
Martin remains in a Phoenix hospital and could miss a couple of weeks with the injury, coach Pete Carroll said during his day-after Q&A session.
“It’s pretty serious,” Carroll said of Martin, adding that he will not return to Seattle until Tuesday or Wednesday. “We’re going to have to take care of Charly and bring him back. It’s going to be a couple of weeks for him.”
Martin caught one pass for 15 yards in the 20-16 loss to the Cardinals.
In other injury news:
Left tackle Russell Okung has a bruised knee. He also was injured on the Seahawks’ final possession, which ended with rookie QB Russell Wilson throwing three incompletions from the Cardinals’ 4-yard line.
“All the tests proved that he’s clear,” Carroll said. “We’ll see how he comes back Wednesday and Thursday, but we expect him to make it through the week and play (in Sunday’s home opener against the Cowboys).”
Wide receiver Doug Baldwin will have dental work done on Tuesday after he “got his teeth knocked in,” as Carroll put it, on that fateful final drive while trying to make a lunging catch in the end zone.
“It was mess,” Carroll said. “But he’ll be OK, I think, this week.”
Starting split end Golden Tate, who missed the game because of a knee injury, could return to practice on Wednesday.
FLAG FRUSTRATION
Last season, the Seahawks were penalized a franchise-record 138 times for 1,047 yards – the second-highest total in club history. Carroll thought he had taken the necessary steps to reduce the problems, and felt the proof was the team being penalized 21 times for 186 yards in four preseason games.
Now he has to think again, after the Seahawks were flagged 13 times for 90 wrong-way yards against the Cardinals.
“Really disappointing,” he said. “Really disappointing after all the time we put into it. We all take a hit there. It’s a major emphasis for us. The fact that it showed up like that was really disappointing.”
The infractions ranged from two false-start penalties against Okung, to two delay-of-game calls that are charged to Wilson, to a pass-interference penalty on cornerback Richard Sherman.
“We can’t go there,” Carroll said. “We can’t play football that way and expect to be as effective as we hope to be here soon. We’ve addressed it and we’ve worked hard at it. These guys have taken it to heart. It’s just terrible that it showed up again, because it’s something that we’re trying to put behind us.”
UP NEXT
The players are off Tuesday while the coaches work on the game plan for the Cowboys, who beat the defending Super Bowl champion Giants in their opener last Wednesday. The players will return on Wednesday to begin preparing for the home opener.
Tight end Zach Miller will sign autographs from 6-7 p.m. on Tuesday at the CenturyLink Field Pro Shop.
YOU DON’T SAY
“There’s a lot of stadiums in the NFL that are loud. Seattle happens to be one that is fairly loud, but we can’t let that be an issue.” – Cowboys center Ryan Cook
Martin has bruised lung
Wide receiver Charly Martin remains in a Phoenix hospital after suffering a bruised lung while trying to make an end-zone catch in the closing seconds of the Seahawks’ loss to the Cardinals on Sunday.
Coach Pete Carroll said in his just-concluded day-after news conference that Martin could be out at least a couple of weeks and won’t return to Seattle until Tuesday or Wednesday.
The news was better on left tackle Russell Okung, who also left the field on the team’s final drive in the 20-16 loss. He has a bruised knee and could play in Sunday’s home opener against the Cowboys at CenturyLink Field.
Wide receiver Doug Baldwin is scheduled to have dental work done on Tuesday after getting “teeth knocked in,” as Carroll put, also on the final drive.
