2011 honor roll
Seahawks.com passes out its honors for the just-completed season:
MVP: Marshawn Lynch. Beast Mode. Skittles-back. Free spirit. Call him what you will, but the hard-running Lynch proved his value week after week, game after game, down after down – especially in the second half of the season after the coaches decided that running the ball was the offensive indentity. Lynch finished with career-highs in rushing yards (1,204) and touchdowns (13), and 941 of those yards and 10 of those scores came in the final nine games – when his totals were league-highs over that span. And with Lynch, it wasn’t so much what he did, but how he did it. The entire team followed his refuse-to-go-down lead.
Best offensive player: Doug Baldwin. All the rookie free agent did was lead the team in receptions (51), receiving yards (788) and touchdown catches (four). Not bad for a guy who was passed over by all 32 teams in the NFL Draft. In fact, coach Pete Carroll tabbed Baldwin as the player who most surprised him this season, offering, “I think that’s the biggest surprise – that he could take it that far.”
Best defensive player: Earl Thomas. This is a tough choice, despite Thomas’ selection as the starting free safety on the NFC Pro Bowl squad, because of the efforts of strong safety Kam Chancellor, who finished second on the team in tackles (94) and tied for second in interceptions (four); end Chris Clemons, who tied his career-high with 11 sacks; and end Red Bryant, who returned one of his two interceptions for a touchdown. But each of those players point to Thomas’ contributions in allowing the defense to rank No. 9 in the league, and the other players and coaches in the conference were impressed enough that they made Thomas the Seahawks’ first Pro Bowl selection since 2008.
Best special teams player: Jon Ryan. The Seahawks’ Canadian-born punter broke his own team records for average (46.6) and net average (39.3) and tied the mark for punts inside the 20 with a league-high 34. Oh, and his 77-yarder in the season-opener against the 49ers? Another club record, this time bettering a 16-year-old record that was held by Rick Tuten (73 yards).
Best offseason addition: Tom Cable. This just in: The former Raiders head coach can coach. Cable was hired on Jan. 18 with the title of assistant head coach/offensive line coach. But the running game was his baby, and boy did it deliver down the stretch when the Seahawks rushed for 100-plus yards in eight of their last nine games – a run that was capped by the season-high 178-yard performance in the finale against the Cardinals. And a lot of this was done with Breno Giacomini, Lemuel Jeanpierre and Paul McQuistan stepping in for the injured starting trio of right tackle James Carpenter, right guard John Moffitt and left tackle Russell Okung. It was Cable’s belief in his system that made believers of the players, and eventually even the skeptics.
Best free-agent addition: Brandon Browner. The 6-foot-4 cornerback wasn’t even your typical free agent. He was signed to a future contract in January after playing the past four seasons in the CFL. He stepped in on the right side during training camp because Walter Thurmond was out with a sprained ankle and stayed there. Browner led the team with six interceptions; and the conference in secondary intimidation. His 94-yard interception return for a TD in Week 5 not only iced the upset of the Giants, it broke a team record that had lasted since 1979 (91 yards by Sammy Green). Browner added a 42-yarder for a score against the Bears and a 68-yarder against the Eagles in racking up 220 return yards to demolish the team record (179 by Dave Brown in 1984).
Best rookies: It’s a Stanford thing, as it’s impossible to separate Baldwin and cornerback Richard Sherman. After Marcus Trufant and Thurmond were lost to season-ended injuries, Sherman was the third option on the left side. In 10 starts, the fifth-round draft choice produced four interceptions, 17 passes defensed and 53 tackles. In addition to his team-leading totals as a receiver, Baldwin had a five-minute span against the Rams where he popped a 37-yard kickoff return, downed a punt at the 6-yard line and then blocked a punt that Michael Robinson returned for the touchdown.
Best in-season addition: Heath Farwell. He not only led the Seahawks, but the league with 21 coverage tackles on special teams. And he wasn’t signed until Oct. 19. He had multiple tackles in eight of the 11 games he played and also blocked a punt against the 49ers.
Comeback player of the year: Bryant. After playing in only seven games in 2010, Bryant returned to start all 16 this season. In addition to intercepting two passes, he also anchored the stout run defense and blocked a club record four kicks (three field goals and a PAT). His teammates rewarded Bryant by voting him the Ed Block Courage Award and the Steve Largent Award.
What would they do without …: McQuistan. Like Browner, the versatile offensive lineman was signed to a future contract in January. Like Browner, McQuistan never was expected to start. But start he did, in 10 games – three at left guard for an injured Robert Gallery; three at right guard for Moffitt; four at left tackle for Okung. If Chuck Knox was still around, he’d present McQuistan with a symbolic lunch pail and a hardhat.
Best third-day draft choice: K.J. Wright. A bit of a contrived category, but the rookie linebacker deserves some mention. He started the season opener at middle linebacker because David Hawthorne was out with an injury. Wright started the final 12 games on the strong side because, well, he was too good to keep off the field – and good enough that former first-round draft choice Aaron Curry was traded to the Raiders for a couple of draft choices that could turn into another Wright. He finished fifth on the team in tackles (61), including two sacks. He’s just one of the many young players on this team that needs a pair of shades, because his future is so bright.
Best win: Week 5 over the Giants. The Week 10 upset of the Ravens also deserves mention, but the upset of the Giants came on the road, in a 10 a.m. Seattle-time start, when the Giants were 3-1. The game featured the Seahawks scoring a touchdown on their first possession, which they did only twice all season; Charlie Whitehurst stepping in for injured QB Tarvaris Jackson to throw a go-ahead TD pass to Baldwin in the fourth quarter; and Browner’s record-breaking interception return to snuff the Giants’ late bid to steal the game.
Worst loss: Week 12 to the Redskins. Again, the 6-3 loss to the Browns in Cleveland in Week 7 deserves consideration, but the Seahawks played without Lynch and Jackson that day. The loss to the Redskins came at home to a team that had lost six in a row. It also came because the Seahawks allowed a team that had been averaging 16 points a game to score 16 in the fourth quarter.
Best quote: It was the choice at midseason, and no one said anything better or more telling than this evaluation from general manager John Schneider after the team’s 2-6 start: “I always likened it to the ‘Three Little Pigs.’ You can build it with straw or sticks. Or you can work your tail off and know that you’re doing the right thing and kind of do it the old-fashioned way and have a big, strong, sturdy foundation. Then you can weather all the storms.”
Cyber surfing: Friday
Good morning. Here’s what’s “out there” about the Seahawks for today, Dec. 30:
Eric Williams at the News Tribune looks at Tarvaris Jackson, who has done enough this season to be the incumbent QB for next season: “Asked this week who will start at quarterback for the 2012 Seahawks, coach Pete Carroll said he plans to stick with Tarvaris Jackson. ‘Yeah, that’s where we are,’ Carroll said. ‘… Now, that doesn’t mean that we’re not going to look at the draft really hard and all the opportunities. We’ll always do that at every position.’ The sixth-year pro will be in the second year of a two-year, $8 million contract. He’s 7-6 as a starter, passing for 2,869 yards and 13 touchdowns with 12 interceptions – all career bests. He thinks he’ll be even better with a full offseason of work.”
Danny O’Neil at the Seattle Times offers his take on the same topic – Jackson as the QB in 2012: “Tarvaris Jackson will end this season Sunday in Arizona the same way he began it: as Seattle’s undisputed starting quarterback. Jackson outlasted the chants for backup Charlie Whitehurst early in the season. He came back from a strained pectoral muscle. He survived Seattle’s 2-6 start, more than 40 sacks at the hands of opponents, and he has started more games this season than any of his previous five. And after all that, coach Pete Carroll says he’s comfortable with Jackson as Seattle’s starter going forward. ‘That’s where we are,’ Carroll said. “That doesn’t mean that we’re not going to look at the draft really hard and all of the opportunities. We’ll always do that at every position. But (for) T-Jack, understanding what this season has been like for him is really important.’ “
Alex Marvez at FoxSports.com has this to say about Golden Tate after interviewing the Seahawks’ receiver on a radio show: “His heart wishes the Seattle Seahawks had two extra weeks to vie for the postseason. The rest of Golden Tate’s body knows better. If the NFL had its way, the regular season would grow from 16 to 18 games. Under such a scenario, the 2011 Seahawks (7-8) would still be in contention for a wild-card berth with three contests left to play. Instead, the playoffs are now a pipe dream after last Sunday’s 19-17 loss to San Francisco. Tate is saddened that his season will come to an end Sunday. But the second-year wide receiver also believes the ancillary effects inherent in a two-game expansion aren’t worth it. ‘You’re adding two more games, you’re adding two more weeks of practice also,’ Tate said. ‘For guys getting hit constantly, that will do nothing but shorten careers. I like the schedule the way it is right now – 16 games and you’ve got the playoffs. I don’t see any problem with it.’ ”
Here at Seahawks.com, we look at Brandon Mebane, who has more tackles than any interior lineman in the NFC but whose tackles also are sometimes difficult to see: “The best way to put it is that Mebane makes a habit of making piles, with the ball carrier on the bottom and Mebane on top of him. There also are a couple of teammates, as well as a would-be blocker or two, in this mass of oversized humanity – protruding at various angles and attached from various directions. (Defensive line coach Todd) Wash smiles when that picture is painted and then offers, “It usually is in big glob of bodies. So it’s hard to see.”
We’ve also got a look at how Tom Cable handles his offensive linemen in “Thursday in Hawkville,” as well as Tony Ventrella’s video recap and his “Seahawks Insider” that this week features Ricardo Lockette.
And speaking of Lockette, Mike Sando at ESPN.com has “Five Observations” from last week’s loss to the 49ers, including: “No idea how that deep ball succeeded. The 49ers had to like their chances on the Seahawks’ second offensive play. Their Pro Bowl defensive end, Justin Smith, beat left guard Robert Gallery to the inside and was bearing down on quarterback Tarvaris Jackson right away. The 49ers had two about-to-be-minted Pro Bowlers, cornerback Carlos Rogers and free safety Dashon Goldson, shadowing an undrafted rookie receiver making his regular-season NFL debut. There is simply no way Jackson-to-Lockette should beat three Pro Bowlers for a 44-yard gain. Jackson gets credit for hanging tough and delivering the ball just as Smith was about to blast him. Lockette gets credit for catching a ball Rogers contested well. This was exactly the type of play Seattle needed early against a tough defense.”
Also at ESPN.com, Duff McKagan touches on his beloved Seahawks while answering readers’ questions: “It just seems that rock ‘n’ roll and sports go hand in hand for whatever reason. The Seahawks have made great improvement throughout this second half of the season, but alas, 10-6 was not our lot. Here is hoping for a .500 season anyways!”
For a look at the rest of the league, there’s John Clayton’s “First and 10” at ESPN.com; and Peter King’s “Weekend Pickoff” at SI.com.
Thursday in Hawkville
A recap of the activities at Virginia Mason Athletic Center for Dec. 29:
FOCUS ON
The rush continues. How is it that the Seahawks have been able to run for 100-plus yards in six of their past seven games, while losing three starting linemen during this stretch?
The linemen point to Tom Cable, while the team’s first-year assistant head coach/offensive line coach points to his system – and his approach to those who make the blocks that have helped Marshawn Lynch rush for a league-high 855 yards in the past eight games.
Breno Giacomini (for right tackle James Carpenter), Paul McQuistan (first for right guard John Moffitt and now for left tackle Russell Okung) and Lemuel Jeanpierre (for Moffitt) have been able to step in with the running game missing nary a beat because they’ve been treated like starters since training camp opened in late July.
“It’s the teaching, the coaching,” Giacomini said when asked the key to unlocking the continued success in the running game. “Every guy in the room prepares like they’re the starter, especially seeing all this change.”
Giacomini said his “moment” with Cable came during the second week of the season, when the Seahawks were not running the ball well but Cable stuck to his plan.
“That’s when I was like, ‘OK, I’m really going to listen to everything this guy says – every sentence; every “i” he dots and every “t” he crosses,” Giacomini said. “It’s been gradual, but you could see it pretty quick.”
It’s just the way Cable always has coached the position, and always will. And that starts with always treating all the linemen the same.
“I never have liked, or understood, how you can make this guy ‘all that,’ or this guy ‘all that,’ ” Cable said. “It’s B.S. to me. They’re all just tough guys who work hard, and want to get a job, and play professional football. So I think they ought to be treated that way.
“In our room, there’s no one bigger or greater than anyone else.”
With the possible exception of Cable, who has proved to be one the Seahawks’ best “gets” in a year where they’ve made 231 transactions.
ON THE FIELD
The players practiced for 105 minutes in the indoor practice facility as they continued to prepare for Sunday’s season finale against the Cardinals in Arizona. Linebacker Leroy Hill, rookie cornerback Byron Maxwell, practice-squad corner Coye Francies and cornerback Brandon Browner came up with interceptions on the final Turnover Thursday of the season. Browner made his in the end zone, while Maxwell’s came off a ball that was tipped by defensive end Chris Clemons.
IN ’N OUT
Leading tackler David Hawthorne and starting split end Ben Obomanu sat out practice for the second day, and were joined this afternoon by Giacomini and defensive tackle Anthony Hargrove.
With Giacomini out, Allen Barbre and Jarriel King got work at right tackle with the No. 1 line. K.J. Wright and Heath Farwell continued to replace Hawthorne at middle linebacker.
Obomanu ran sprints as well as routes on the side under the supervision of assistant trainer Donald Rich.
Here’s the official injury report:
Did not practice
MLB David Hawthorne (knee)
WR Ben Obomanu (knee)
OT Breno Giacomini (abdominal)
DT Anthony Hargrove (calf)
Full participation
CB Kennard Cox (hamstring)
QB Tarvaris Jackson (pectoral)
DT Clinton McDonald (concussion)
LB Malcolm Smith (concussion)
For the Cardinals:
Did not practice
OT Brandon Keith (ankle)
CB Patrick Peterson (Achilles)
Limited participation
S Rashad Johnson (knee)
QB Kevin Kolb (head)
RB LaRod Stephens-Howling (hamstring)
RB Chris Wells (knee)
S Kerry Rhodes (ankle)
Full participation
CB Michael Adams (shoulder)
S Sean Considine (foot)
Rhodes got some work today after being sidelined on Wednesday, and it’s looking like John Skelton will get the nod over Kolb because the Cardinals’ starting QB continues to be bothered by concussion-like symptoms.
STAT DU JOUR
The Seahawks’ defense heads into Sunday’s season finale with a chance to do something only five other defenses in franchise history have accomplished: Finish in the Top 10 in the league in average yards allowed. If they pull it off, it will be the first time since 1997 it has happened. The Seahawks currently rank No. 9, allowing an average of 328.5 yards – only 2 yards fewer than the 10th-ranked Browns and 6.6 fewer than the 11th-ranked Chargers. The Cardinals are averaging 354.2 yards, so …
Here’s a look at how this year’s unit stacks up against the other Seahawk defenses that ranked in the Top 10:
Year Rank; average yards allowed
1984 No. 6; 310.2
1990 No. 9; 288.1
1991 No. 8; 293.9
1992 No. 10; 286.4
1997 No. 8; 303.1
2011 No. 9; 328.5
UP NEXT
The final Friday of the regular season. The players will have a walk-through, practice and meetings in their final full day of preparation for Sunday’s season finale.
YOU DON’T SAY
“ ‘Lock’ came a long way. He was kind of a deer in headlights when he first got here; just running real fast. Like Forrest Gump, just running. Just running. He’s gotten better throughout the season. He’s come out here and worked real hard every day. You see every day; he’s making a great catch or outrunning somebody. That shows his ability. But he’s building on it and working on the mental aspects of it. He’s come a long way since Day One of training camp. He’s got a long ways to go. But he can definitely do it.” – QB Tarvaris Jackson on rookie free agent wide receiver Ricardo Lockette
Cyber surfing: Thursday
Good morning. Here’s what’s “out there” about the Seahawks for today, Dec. 29:
Mike Sando at ESPN.com looks at the mold-breaking strong safeties in Sunday’s season finale – the Seahawks’ Kam Chancellor and the Cardinals’ Adrian Wilson: “(They) tower over the other strong safeties in the NFC this season. That is true not only in their accomplishments – Wilson is a Pro Bowl starter, Chancellor a first alternate – but in their physical dimensions. They are the biggest starting strong safeties in the NFL at a time when the prevailing NFL trends have led teams in another direction at the position. Wilson stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 230 pounds. Chancellor goes 6-3 and 232. The other 30 starting strong safeties average 6 feet and 207 pounds.”
Sando also has a look at the injury situations that matter for both teams. First, the Seahawks: “The Seahawks, like the Rams, have a long list of players on injured reserve. Unlike the Rams, their 53 active players are relatively healthy, and they have developed young depth throughout the roster. Linebacker David Hawthorne and receiver Ben Obomanu missed practice Wednesday. Both have knee injuries. Depth at receiver is a concern for the Seahawks now that Sidney Rice and Mike Williams are on injured reserve. The team expects to have Obomanu against Arizona on Sunday.” But also the Cardinals: “It’s looking like John Skelton will remain the Cardinals’ starting quarterback while Kevin Kolb continues to work through concussion-related symptoms. Kolb is practicing on a limited basis. Skelton was the player Cardinals officials made available to Seattle reporters on a conference call Wednesday. Patrick Peterson’s injured Achilles’ tendon will not require surgery, but his availability for Sunday remains in question. Peterson, right tackle Brandon Keith and free safety Kerry Rhodes missed practice Wednesday. Playing without Peterson on Sunday would affect the Cardinals significantly in the return game and on defense. Running back Beanie Wells was limited. His knee injury remains a factor. Wells has not exceeded 15 carries in any of the Cardinals’ past three games. He has had no runs longer than 9 yards in the four games since setting a franchise record with 228 yards against St. Louis.”
Joshua Mayers at the Seattle Times looks at Marshawn Lynch, the Seahawks’ first 1,000-yard rusher since Shaun Alexander in 2005: “ ‘I feel I became a pro this year,’ said Lynch.”
Also at the Times, Danny O’Neil checks in with Brandon Browner, who has gone from CFL cornerback to Pro Bowl alternate in his first season with the Seahawks: “ ‘I kept my room TV on the NFL Network,’ he said. ‘Throughout the whole time I was in the CFL. It never left the NFL Network unless I was playing a video game. That was a must-have.’ That long-distance relationship is what makes this season, and Browner’s selection as a Pro Bowl alternate, one of the most unlikely, endearing stories not just on the Seahawks, but in the entire league. ‘Brandon just comes out of nowhere,’ coach Pete Carroll said.
Eric Williams at the News Tribune says the selection of Earl Thomas to the Pro Bowl and the first alternate status of Browner and strong safety Kam Chancellor indicates the secondary should be an area of strength for seasons to come: “Seattle defensive backs coach Kris Richard sensed this group was special during training camp. ‘I’m very humbled by the acknowledgement,’ Richard said. ‘And it’s a testament to the guys’ hard work and their dedication. And it’s been emphasized from Day 1. They set high standards for themselves, and have competed well to live up to or surpass those standards.’ ”
Also at the News Tribune, Dave Boling says Thomas earned his Pro Bowl berth: “Many players in the NFL say they aspire to greatness. Far fewer are willing to put in the work it takes to earn it. Earl Thomas is one of those. And this week it was recognized when Thomas was voted the Seahawks’ first Pro Bowl starter since 2008. ‘We always know what we’re going to get out of Earl,’ defensive end Red Bryant said. ‘He’s the hardest worker. He studies hard. He’s all about his teammates and he’s all about business.’ ”
John Boyle at the Everett Herald looks at how the depth on the injury-depleted offensive line has helped the second-half surge in the running game: “As seems to be the case every year with the Seahawks, offensive line injuries have piled up this season, but unlike the past couple of seasons when injuries have caused the offense to go stagnant, the Seahawks have managed to show continuous growth even as starters go down with season-ending injuries.”
Here at Seahawks.com, we look at how Earl Thomas, a Pro Bowl starter, and cornerback Brandon Browner and strong safety Kam Chancellor, first alternates, shared their recognition with their teammates on the Seahawks’ ninth-ranked defense: “Said Thomas, ‘As a whole, we’ve been playing great together. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for those guys. You’ve got guys that deserve to be here – guys like ‘Big Red’ (defensive end Red Bryant); ‘Clem’ (defensive end Chris Clemons); Kam has been playing great; both our corners (Browner and rookie Richard Sherman). I could name the whole defense. It’s just great when you have that kind of chemistry back there and everybody knows each other.’ ”
We’ve also got a look at Michael Robinson’s real role in “Wednesday in Hawkville”: “In official Pro Bowl parlance, the Seahawks’ lead-blocker is listed as the first alternate at fullback to the NFC squad that was announced Tuesday. But Tom Cable has a different take on the situation. ‘I have a running joke, I think the fullback is just a pseudo guard,’ Cable, the team’s assistant head coach/offensive line coach said today after practice. ‘I think he has to buy in like they do up front (on the line) about where he fits. You can’t fit in the middle; you’ve got to fit on the outside half. Or you’ve got to fit in the middle on this. Or whatever it is, to where you fit. So you’re just like a lineman to me. You have to be in the right place at the right time. Mike has been exceptional at growing that way.’ ” And there’s also Tony Ventrella’s video recap.
Peter King at SI.com gives a thumbs-up to Thomas’ selection to the Pro Bowl in this video report. And Doug Farrar at YahooSports.com looks at hidden Pro Bowl players on defense, including the Seahawks’ Chris Clemons, Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor; and on offense, including Marshawn Lynch, Michael Robinson and Doug Baldwin.
Wednesday in Hawkville
A recap of the activities at Virginia Mason Athletic Center for Dec. 28:
FOCUS ON
Michael Robinson. In official Pro Bowl parlance, the Seahawks’ lead-blocker is listed as the first alternate at fullback to the NFC squad that was announced Tuesday. But Tom Cable has a different take on the situation.
“I have a running joke, I think the fullback is just a pseudo guard,” Cable, the team’s assistant head coach/offensive line coach said today after practice. “I think he has to buy in like they do up front (on the line) about where he fits.
“You can’t fit in the middle; you’ve got to fit on the outside half. Or you’ve got to fit in the middle on this. Or whatever it is, to where you fit. So you’re just like a lineman to me. You have to be in the right place at the right time. Mike has been exceptional at growing that way.”
Whatever Robinson is doing, it’s working. Heading into Sunday’s season finale against the Cardinals in Arizona, the Seahawks have rushed for 100-plus yards in seven of their past eight games – after doing it twice in their first seven games. Saturday, in a two-point loss to the 49ers, Marshawn Lynch became the first player this season to score a rushing touchdown against the NFC West Champions, as well as the first back to rush for 100-plus yards against San Francisco since 2009.
And Lynch is the first to point to Robinson for his thankless contributions for everything Lynch and the running game has been able to accomplish as the Seahawks have won five of their past seven games.
Not bad for a guy who played quarterback in college, and didn’t become a true lead-blocking fullback until he signed with the Seahawks last season.
“No. No. I didn’t think that,” Robinson said when asked if he ever envisioned himself being a Pro Bowl alternate at the position when he entered the NFL. “But it’s definitely an honor to know that people thought that much of me to vote for me to be an alternate.
“But again, the coaches did a great job putting me in advantageous situations and all I had to do was go play.”
At a Pro Bowl level.
“He’s not maybe the most physical guy at it, but he’s very intelligent and he’s just continued to grow like everybody else,” Cable said.
IN ’N OUT
Leading tackler David Hawthorne and starting split end Ben Obomanu sat out today’s 90-minute practice to rest sore knees. Obomanu tweaked his in the Christmas Eve game against the 49ers, while Hawthorne has been playing with a sore knee for much of the season.
With Hawthorne out, strongside ’backer K.J. Wright and Heath Farwell both worked at middle linebacker with the No. 1 defense.
Coach Pete Carroll said he thinks Obomanu will be able to play Sunday, but when asked about the receiving crew if the 6-foot-1 Obomanu can’t play, he said, “Well, it’s getting thin. And we’re getting younger.” Carroll then laughed as he added, “And we’re also getting shorter.”
That’s because 6-5 Mike Williams, 6-4 Sidney Rice and 6-6 Kris Durham are on injured reserve. So with Obomanu watching today, the wide receivers were Golden Tate, Doug Baldwin and Deon Butler, all 5-10; and 6-2 rookie Ricardo Lockette.
“Ricardo Lockette is towering over everyone right now,” Carroll cracked.
Here’s the official injury report:
Did not practice
MLB David Hawthorne (knee)
WR Ben Obomanu (knee)
Full participation
CB Kennard Cox (hamstring)
QB Tarvaris Jackson (pectoral)
DT Clinton McDonald (concussion)
LB Malcolm Smith (concussion)
Cox, McDonald and Smith were back after sitting out the game against the 49ers and not practicing last week.
For the Cardinals:
Did not practice
OT Brandon Keith (ankle)
CB Patrick Peterson (Achilles)
S Kerry Rhodes (ankle)
Limited participation
S Sean Considine (foot)
S Rashad Johnson (knee)
QB Kevin Kolb (head)
RB LaRod Stephens-Howling (hamstring)
RB Chris Wells (knee)
Full participation
CB Michael Adams (shoulder)
John Skelton is 5-2 as the starting QB in Kolb’s absence, but the concussed Kolb was the Cardinals’ big acquisition this season.
Asked about his QB situation during a conference-call interview today, Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt put it this way, “We’ve been preparing (Kolb) to play with the idea that he was going to get better and be able to do it and then he would have a setback. So we’re kind of in that cycle right now. As he continues to progress, he won’t have those and then he’ll be able to play. So we’re working Kevin, and we’re working John. And we’re trying to see if Kevin can be ready or not.”
STAT DU JOUR
Despite allowing a touchdown and three fields in the second half of Saturday’s two-point loss to the 49ers, the Seahawks’ defense still ranks second in the league in touchdowns and points allowed in the second half this season. Here are the leaders in both categories:
Second-half defensive TDs allowed
Team No.
Browns 8
Seahawks 10
Lions 11
Ravens 12
Second-half defensive points allowed
Team No.
Browns 104
Seahawks 109
Steelers 110
Lions 114
Ravens 117
UP NEXT
The players will be back at it on their final Thursday of the regular season, with meetings, a walk-through and practice as they continue to prepare for Sunday’s season finale.
YOU DON’T SAY
“He’s just a guy that really is open even when he’s not open. He makes a quarterback’s life easier. He’s a big target out there. Even when he does get covered, it attracts a lot of attention and it opens things up for other guys. Being a young quarterback and having someone like that in your development really helps.” – Skelton on teammate Larry Fitzgerald, who has caught 93 passes for 1,222 yards and 10 touchdowns in 15 career games against the Seahawks
Wednesday in Hawkville
A recap of the activities at Virginia Mason Athletic Center for Dec. 21:
FOCUS ON
Paul McQuistan. Pete Carroll has let everyone in on a not-so-little secret.
“In our meeting today I made a big deal about Paul and the play that he brought in that game in Chicago,” Carroll said Tuesday during his midweek news conference. “He did a fantastic job for us.”
The trials and tribulations of the Seahawks’ injury-ravaged offensive line can he traced by following McQuistan’s progression from being a backup; to starting at left guard; to returning to his backup role; to starting at right guard; to starting at left tackle. McQuistan stepped in at left guard because Robert Gallery was out with a groin injury. He moved in at right guard after rookie John Moffitt went down with a season-ending knee injury. He slid over to left tackle when Russell Okung needed season-ending surgery to repair a torn pectoral.
McQuistan, who was signed to a future 2011 contract last January, never was expected to start. But in Saturday’s game against the 49ers at CenturyLink Field, he’ll make his ninth start – at what has become his third position. Before the season ends next week against the Cardinals in Arizona, and barring any more injuries, McQuistan will finish with more starts than anyone except center Max Unger (currently with 13) and Gallery (10).
“That system and approach and consistency is really good leadership by Tom and the guys on offense,” Carroll said.
Tom would be Cable, the offensive line coach/assistant head coach. The unit that helped the Seahawks rush for 100-plus yards in six consecutive games also includes Breno Giacomini at right tackle for Carpenter and Lemuel Jeanpierre at right guard, where McQuistan was playing for Moffitt before Okung went down.
“With the new guys plugged in, we’re still able to do what we do,” Cable said. “That’s the system: You lose someone, you can plug someone in.”
And Cable shared a little secret to that success, as well.
“I do not like to stand around and just talk things through,” he said. “I’d rather them experience it and fail, because I think that’s the only way they learn is to fail. So I try to make them fail. I try to get them to a point where they make mistakes or they get it wrong; or their foot is wrong or they’re helmet is wrong. So I can emphasis why it has to be in a certain place, or why you have to set the certain way.
“So that’s really important, and the only way to do that is to do it as fast and hard as you can.”
That way, it’s closer to game speed and game situation.
And McQuistan’s take on this hey-look-what-he’s-doing scenario?
“It’s nice, both ways,” he said of Carroll singling him out in the meeting. “You want to be able to go in with the mindset thinking you can play the game, or know you can play the game. And then for (the coaches) to see that, it’s cool.
“Four weeks into it, we’ve already shown that we can keep winning and keep running the ball. With Cable’s system, we step in and it’s next guy up.”
ON THE FIELD
The players took advantage of the sunny, but chilly, weather by practicing outside on “Turnover Thursday.” Linebackers Leroy Hill and Mike Morgan got into the theme of the day by intercepting passes.
Wide receiver Deon Butler turned in the offensive play of the 105-miunte practice with a falling, arms-fully-extended, all-fingers catch for a touchdown.
IN ’N OUT
Defensive end Red Bryant was excused from practice because his wife, Janelle, is expecting their first child. Janelle, of course, is the daughter of Jacob Green, the Seahawks’ all-time sack leader and a member of the team’s Ring of Honor. Anthony Hargrove filled in for Bryant in practice.
Leading receiver Doug Baldwin tweaked an ankle during practice and sat out the rest of the session.
Here’s the official injury report:
Did not practice
DE Raheem Brock (not injury related)
DE Red Bryant (not injury related)
CB Kennard Cox (hamstring)
DT Clinton McDonald (concussion)
LB Malcolm Smith (concussion)
Limited participation
WR Doug Baldwin (ankle)
Full participation
OG Robert Gallery (pelvis)
QB Tarvaris Jackson (pectoral)
MLB David Hawthorne (knee)
For the 49ers:
Did not practice
LB Blake Costanzo (not injury related)
WR Ted Ginn (ankle)
LB Patrick Willis (hamstring)
Limited participation
WR Braylon Edwards (knee)
RB Bruce Miller (knee)
STAT DU JOUR
Not only have the 49ers yet to allow a rushing touchdown, they’re on pace to break the NFL single-season record – which is two, set by the Lions in 1934 and tied by the Giants (1944), Cowboys (1968) and Vikings (1971). But the Seahawks also find themselves in the Top 7 in fewest rushing TDs allowed, and are tied for fifth in fewest defensive TDs allowed:
Team Rush TDs Total TDs
49ers 0 18
Dolphins 6 27
Steelers 7 22
Titans 7 27
Chargers 7 31
Seahawks 8 25
Texans 8 23
NFL averages 11 31
UP NEXT
Thursday, which will be Friday at VMAC because this week’s game is on Saturday. So the players will have their final full workout.
Tickets for the Christmas Eve game against the 49ers are available and can be purchased here.
YOU DON’T SAY
“Seattle, I believe, is playing as good, if not better, football than anybody in the National Football League.” – 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh
Cyber surfing: Wednesday
Good morning. Here’s what’s “out there” about the Seahawks for today, Dec. 21:
Eric Williams at the News Tribune looks at the Cable effect on the Seahawks’ improved running game in the second half of the season: “(Tom) Cable also played a major role in increasing Marshawn Lynch’s effectiveness. The former California running back was well aware of the success Cable-led offenses have had running the ball. During Cable’s five years working with offensive lines in Atlanta and Oakland, his offenses finished out of the top 10 in rushing only once. ‘Their whole life they’ve just been given the ball and then go do their thing,’ Cable said about his conversation with Lynch. ‘And we all joke about it – they’re extreme that way. But he was more than willing to say, ‘Teach me. I’ll do it the way you need it, and just don’t let me off the hook if I don’t do it right.’ So big props if you will to him, to have that kind of integrity, discipline and desire to want to be great at it.’ ”
Also at the News Tribune, Dave Boling looks at Saturday’s game against the 49ers and how it could be a prelude to many more pivotal matchups between young and improving teams: “Don’t let anybody kid you, this has turned into a rivalry between two young teams on the rise, coached by a pair of very competitive men. This is not just another game. ‘They have clinched (the division) this year, and there’s nothing we can do about that now because we dug ourselves a big hole at the beginning,’ said Seahawks linebacker Leroy Hill. ‘Our playoff hopes are still alive, so we’ve still got a lot to play for. (And) beating these guys would let them know we’re definitely still here. That would be a big statement.’ ”
Danny O’Neil at the Seattle Times also looks at the heightened rivalry between the Seahawks and 49ers: “Saturday’s game at CenturyLink Field is a chance for the 7-7 Seahawks to not only show how far they’ve come since that game, but how far they can go. ‘For us to continue to take the steps we want to as an organization and as a team,’ fullback Michael Robinson said, ‘we’ve got to start winning games like this. We’ve come from hoping to win to now expecting to win. And if we expect to be the team that we all want to grow into, we have to win games like this game.’ “
John Boyle at the Everett Herald looks at the Seahawks’ receivers now that Mike Williams has joined Sidney Rice on injured reserve: “Ben Obomanu, who will step into the starting lineup along with Golden Tate, has started five games this year and was a starter for six games last season. Tate, who struggled to get on the field as a rookie, has shown considerable potential this season and has started three games since Rice’s season ended. Deon Butler, who is coming back from a broken leg that kept him out of the first nine games this season, started eight games last year. Throw rookie Doug Baldwin, Seattle’s surprise leading receiver, into the mix and the Seahawks still feel good about their receiver group.”
Mike Sando at ESPN.com looks at Marshawn Lynch’s touchdown scoring streak as the Seahawks’ Skittles-back prepares to test the 49ers’ streak of not allowing a rushing touchdown this season: “Lynch owns the NFL’s highest touchdown percentage on 2011 rushing attempts inside opponents’ 3-yard lines (minimum five attempts), according to ESPN Stats & Information. 49ers fans know where this one is headed. Their team’s defense hasn’t allowed a rushing touchdown in its last 15 games, matching the 1985-86 Bears for the longest streak since at least 1970.”
Sando also has his weekly NFC West “Stock Watch,” and among his “risers” is Tarvaris Jackson: “Jackson completed 15 of 19 passes after halftime to help the Seahawks turn a 14-7 deficit into a 38-14 victory at Soldier Field. Jackson has three touchdowns with no interceptions over Seattle’s past three games. The Seahawks are 3-0 in those games and have reached 7-7 thanks largely to Jackson’s improved play. Seattle now has every reason to bring back Jackson as its starter heading into next season. The plan would still remain for the Seahawks to draft or otherwise acquire a younger quarterback to begin developing in 2012. On a side note, lots of other Seahawks deserved consideration in this spot, from Red Bryant, to K.J. Wright to Brandon Browner and others.”
Here at Seahawks.com, well, you might want to get another cup of coffee, because we’ve got the definitive behind-the-scenes look at Sunday’s big win over the Bears with Rod Mar’s photo blog and Ben Malcolmson’s “From the Sidelines”: “Considering all the Seahawks have gone through this season, could there have been a more appropriate way for Sunday’s game to unfold? Down 14-7 and downtrodden mentally, the Seahawks entered the locker room at halftime only to come out flying, outscoring the Bears 31-0 en route to a 38-14 obliteration at Soldier Field. Satisfying? Very much so. Symbolic? Even more so. Like Sunday’s game, the Seahawks entered the halfway point of the 2011 season at a low, crawling to a 2-6 record before the results turned. And like Sunday’s game, Seattle has emerged on fire in the second half, winning five of their last six and remaining in the playoff conversation into Week 16. It’s highly unlikely anyone outside of the head coach’s corner office at Virginia Mason Athletic Center thought that could’ve even been a possibility. But here they are at 7-7 and one of the hottest teams in the NFL, culling wins and momentum that could potentially result in great things this season but will undoubtedly equate to great things in the future.”
There’s also a look at “Thunder and Lightning,” the big-play safety tandem of Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas: “The hope when the Seahawks selected Thomas with the 14th pick in the first round of last year’s NFL Draft and then grabbed Chancellor with the second pick in the fifth round was that they would mesh their explosive talents just as they did on those two bang-bang plays. Asked about it, Chancellor broke into a large smile and offered, ‘ ‘Thunder and Lightning.’ We’re a tag team back there.’ The 6-foot-3, 232-pound Chancellor is obviously ‘Thunder.’ Thomas, who has run 40 yards in 4.37 seconds, is just as obviously ‘Lightning.’ Together, they form a formidable storm front in the Seahawks’ secondary.”
And there’s still more: a look at Ben Obomanu as the “Focus on” in “Tuesday in Hawkville”; a look at this week’s opponent, the 49ers, in “Up next”; and Tony Ventrella’s video recap.
Cyber surfing: Thursday
Good morning. Here’s what’s “out there” about the Seahawks for today, Dec. 15:
Jerry Brewer at the Seattle Times offers some advice as the suddenly surging Seahawks enter their final three games, starting with Sunday’s matchup against the Bears in Chicago: “You can still hear the noise if you listen closely. It’s a muffled protest now, not the passionate shout that it used to be. That’s because the outdated idea — tank games, draft high — isn’t just counterintuitive for Seahawks fans anymore. Now that the Seahawks have won four of five games and made something of this season, it’s also counterproductive. Why oppose winning now just to see if a lose-to-win experiment could spur success after prolonged heartache, disappointment and humiliation?”
Also at the Times, Danny O’Neil looks at how the Seahawks’ run-oriented offensive attack is bucking the trend in the pass-happy NFL: “The Seahawks aren’t swimming upstream against the NFL’s prevailing current. They’re running into it. Repeatedly. The Seahawks have spent the better part of the last six games handing the ball to running back Marshawn Lynch and running headlong against the trend that the NFL is becoming a passing league.”
Dave Boling at the News Tribune evokes the P-word – and it’s not Pete, as the Seahawks coach isn’t the one talking playoffs: “Pete Carroll is not about to discourage his team – or anybody else, for that matter – if they want to get excited about a long-shot possibility. Even if that includes a mid-December mention of slender postseason odds. ‘It’s natural to have the conversation as long as the focus is here to do the work every day,’ the coach of the Seahawks said Wednesday. ‘They can talk like that. If they get out of whack with it, I’ll (tell) them it isn’t what we can control. We can only do something this week. It’s a long ways away still.’ ”
Also at the New Tribune, Eric Williams looks at the Bears’ offense that is missing running back Matt Forte and QB Jay Cutler as it prepares for the Seahawks’ defense: “The NFL’s Mad Scientist, Chicago offensive coordinator Mike Martz, has had to reel in his aggressive nature of late with the absence of quarterback Jay Cutler, who’s out for at least the last three games of the regular season with a broken right thumb on his throwing hand. Instead, the Bears have leaned on an improved ground game with backup quarterback Caleb Hanie leading the offense. Still, that offense has failed to muster enough yardage to close out games, losing three straight. Playing behind a makeshift offensive line and without his top offensive weapon – running back Matt Forte, unavailable because of an MCL sprain – Hanie has predictably struggled.”
John Boyle at the Everett Herald looks at how the once “soft” Seahawks are making things hard on opposing defenses with their running game: “Through seven games, Seattle ranked second to last in the league in rushing, and with the run game struggling, had fluctuated back and forth between running a no-huddle offense. Prior to that game in Dallas, (Tom) Cable, Carroll and the rest of the offensive coaches got together and a made a decision — no matter how it turned out, the Seahawks were going to run the ball. They were going to have an identity as a physical, run-oriented offense.”
Tim Booth at the Associated Press, via PI.com, stays with that theme: “The stretch of success has thrust Marshawn Lynch into the spotlight. Lynch leads the league in rushing over the past six weeks with 706 yards and five games of at least 100 yards, including 115 in Monday night’s win over St. Louis.”
Mike Sando at ESPN.com has his weekly look at injury situations that matter in the NFC West, including this rundown on the Seahawks: “Linebacker Leroy Hill practiced fully Wednesday despite a neck injury, a good sign for Seattle given the team’s depth issues at the position. Linebacker David Hawthorne rested his injured knee, no surprise. He’s playing with an MCL injury that needs monitoring. Receiver Doug Baldwin (ankle), left guard Robert Gallery (hip) and defensive end Raheem Brock (calf) did not practice. They were expected to play Sunday against the Bears. Quarterback Tarvaris Jackson remained a full participant in practice despite his pectoral injury. Jackson seems to be getting stronger.”
Sando also looks at the latest totals from fan balloting for the Pro Bowl, with punter Jon Ryan and safety Kam Chancellor sitting third at their respective positions.
Here at Seahawks.com, we check in with the newest member of the 53-man roster, rookie wide receiver Ricardo Lockette: “As Ricardo Lockette sat in the dentist chair on Tuesday, he broke into tears. An exposed nerve during a root canal? No just a call from Seahawks general manager John Schneider informing the rookie wide receiver that he was being elevated from the practice squad to the 53-man roster. ‘He was like, ‘Congratulations, we’re moving you up,’ Lockette said Wednesday. ‘Tears immediately started to flow, because it’s been such a tough road for me. Once I got that news, man …’ Lockette paused before adding, ‘I can’t explain it. Best day of my life.’ ”
There’s also a look back at Monday night’s victory over the Rams in Ben Malcolmson’s “From the Sidelines,” as well as recaps of Wednesday in “Wednesday in Hawkville” and Tony Ventrella’s video review.
Cyber surfing: Wednesday
Good morning. Here’s what’s “out there” about the Seahawks for today, Dec. 14:
Danny O’Neil at the Seattle Times takes a look at three things we learned in Monday night’s win over the Rams, including this one: “Rookie receiver Doug Baldwin might have an “S” on that chest. Not only has he caught 45 passes – third-most among all rookies – but in the first five minutes of Monday’s game he returned the opening kickoff 37 yards, downed a punt at the St. Louis 6 and blocked a punt that fullback Michael Robinson returned 17 yards for a touchdown. Baldwin is not going to break the franchise’s record for receptions by a rookie, set by Joey Galloway with 67, but Baldwin has been the biggest boon to Seattle’s offense this season.”
Eric Williams at the News Tribune looks at Golden Tate, and how the second-year receiver is taking advantage of the opportunities that are coming his way: “Tate got his chance when Sidney Rice was placed on the season-ending injured reserve list three weeks ago because of a concussion. Since then, Tate has started two games and has had seven catches for 86 yards and a touchdown in those games – including three catches for 39 yards against St. Louis, along with a 14-yard run.”
John Boyle at the Everett Herald is your guide for a tour of what has to happen for the surging Seahawks to make the playoffs: “If the playoffs started today, these six NFC teams would be in: 1. Green Bay (13-0, NFC North champ), 2. San Francisco (10-3, NFC West champ), 3. New Orleans (10-3, NFC South champ), 4. New York Giants (7-6, NFC East champ), 5. Atlanta (8-5, wild card), 6. Detroit (8-5, wild card). These four would be on the outside looking in: Chicago (7-6), Dallas (7-6), Seattle (6-7), Arizona (6-7). So now the question is what needs to happen in the final three weeks of the season for Seattle to move into that top six. Obviously with Atlanta and Detroit already sitting on eight wins, it will be nearly impossible for Seattle to make it at 8-8, so first thing’s first: The Seahawks must win out. So for the purpose of this story, we’ll assume the Seahawks win the rest of their games and finish with a 9-7 overall record and 8-4 conference mark.”
Mike Sando at ESPN.com has his weekly “Stock Watch” in the NFC West, and Baldwin is an obvious choice for one of the “risers” spots: “The undrafted rookie opened the game with a 37-yard kickoff return. He blocked one punt, downed another at the St. Louis 6-yard line and added a 29-yard touchdown reception. Baldwin was one of several young Seattle players making a positive impact. Rookie linebacker K.J. Wright finished the game with eight total tackles, three tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, one sack and one pass defensed.”
Sando also looks at the YAC impact of the receivers in the division: “Baldwin gained 73 of his 93 yards after the catch Monday night, a season-high for a Seattle player.”
Here at Seahawks.com, “Monday metatarsal musings” morphs into “Tuesday metatarsal musings” because of the Monday night game, and we look at the ability of the running game to keep producing despite the loss of three starters on the offensive line: “ ‘We’re just kind of filling in,’ said Max Unger, who has been a rock at center in the sea of seemingly endless change on either side of him. ‘It’s still the same group that we’ve had for the most part since (training) camp.’ It’s just that the line has reached the bottom of the depth they entered the season with, and still are getting the job done. The players give ample credit to Tom Cable, the offensive line coach. ‘Coach Cable and our offensive coaches prepare us like we could be in there at any time,’ right guard Lemuel Jeanpierre said. ‘Coach Cable always talks about being a professional, and being a professional is not only practicing hard in our individual drills, it’s preparing in the playbook and everything like that. You watch us in practice; we’ve still got the same tempo we had in camp. Coach Cable’s motto is, ‘You take the hill.’ So you just take the hill and try to get better every day.’ ”
We’ve also got a look at just how productive Marshawn Lynch has been running behind that line in “Tuesday in Hawkville,” as well as a look at the Chicago Bears in “Up next.” And there’s also a look back at the win over the Rams in Rod Mar’s photo blog and Tony Ventrella’s video review.
Chris Burke at SI.com takes a look at the Bears’ Marion Barber, who’s subbing for injured back Matt Forte, and it’s not a pretty picture: “How unexpected was Barber’s fumble? Well, it was his first fumble since Week 13 of the 2009 season, a stretch of 277 carries. The turnover wouldn’t have been possible, though, if not for Barber’s mental block in the closing seconds of the fourth quarter. … when Barber bounced to his left in an effort to get outside and allowed himself to be knocked out of bounds. The Broncos then got the ball back with 56 seconds on the clock.”
Thursday in Hawkville
A recap of the activities at Virginia Mason Athletic Center for Dec. 8:
FOCUS ON
Marshawn Lynch. The Seahawks’ Skittles-back was a focal point at VMAC as well as in St. Louis, where the Rams are preparing for Monday night’s nationally televised game at CenturyLink Field.
“Marshawn is a great back,” Rams defensive end Chris Long said today during a conference-call interview. “I think he’s a powerful guy, a guy who obviously makes something out of nothing. He’s the kind of guy that breaks tackles and you can’t go to sleep on him.
“I think he’s the guy that makes that offense go. No disrespect to anybody else on that offense, but I do think Marshawn is kind of that X-factor and they’ve built around him and they’ve kind of decided to settle into a certain scheme with him – a zone scheme – and he does a great job with it.”
Lynch definitely is on a roll. He has rushed for 100-plus yards in four of his past five games and scored in his past eight games – which ties for the second-longest streak in franchise history. He’s also coming off a 148-yard, two-TD effort against the Eagles last Thursday night.
But the one game in his run where Lynch did not crack triple digits came three weeks ago against the Rams in St. Louis. He gained 88 yards on 27 carries, for a 3.3-yard average that was his lowest in the past five games.
Despite that minor bump in his road to a 1,000-yard season, and the loss of three starting linemen to injuries, the Seahawks remain committed to featuring their Beast Mode back.
“With a back like Marshawn, things may look dead and he’s going to squirt out of there,” left guard Robert Gallery said.
That was obviously the case on Lynch’s 15-yard TD run against the Eagles, where he disappeared into a pile of players only to pop out and score.
“He kind of got stuck in there, then all of a sudden he’s coming out,” Gallery said. “It’s a tribute to him to be able to keep his feet moving and pop out of there when the time calls for it.”
PLAYER WATCH
Russell Okung. Out of sight, but not out of mind. That’s the Seahawks’ left tackle who is on injured reserve after tearing his right pectoral against the Eagles.
“Obviously he’s had his share of freak things happen,” said Gallery, who has talked to Okung since the injury. “But it is what it is. It’s part of the game. Obviously he’s upset. You don’t want to get hurt. You want to play.
“But he’s in good spirits. He got it taken care of and now he’s just got to get healthy and be ready for next year.”
Okung, last year’s first-round draft choice, will be missed because he had been playing at a high level.
“Really good. Big time,” offensive line coach Tom Cable said when asked about Okung’s performance in recent weeks. “He was playing like you’d expect a guy you draft that high to play. Particularly the last five or six weeks, I don’t think anybody was playing at his level at that spot. It was just dominant, protecting the quarterback and you can run to him you can run away from him.”
IN ’N OUT
Middle linebacker David Hawthorne sat out practice to rest a sore knee and was replaced by K.J. Wright, who in turn was replaced by Mike Morgan at strong side linebacker. But quarterback Tarvaris Jackson took all the starter reps in the 95-minute practice that was held in the indoor practice facility.
Here’s the official injury report:
Did not practice
MLB David Hawthorne (knee)
DE Raheem Brock (calf)
Limited participation
CB Kennard Cox (hamstring)
CB Byron Maxwell (illness)
Full participation
QB Tarvaris Jackson
For the Rams:
Did not practice
QB Sam Bradford (ankle)
QB A.J. Feeley (right thumb)
DE Chris Long (ankle)
KR Quinn Porter (abdomen)
DT Fred Robbins (back)
Limited participation
OT Mark LeVoir (chest)
DE Eugene Sims (ankle)
Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo said today that he is hopeful Bradford will be able to play Monday night, but that No. 3 QB Tom Brandstater will get most of the work in practice.
“We’re always going to put the health of the player first and foremost,” Spagnuolo said. “That’s kind of where we were at last week (going into the game against the 49ers) in deciding that we didn’t want to put (Sam) in a position where it could go backwards. We just felt, and we’re hopeful, (with) another eight days that he’ll feel better and be up on his toes and just get him out of any kind of danger zone.
“Should we get to the end of the week and think that that’s not the case, then we’re going to protect Sam first. … What we’re trying to do is get him to the game. So his reps will be very, very limited and then we’ll see where we’re at when we get to Monday.”
STAT DU JOUR
Despite that 16-points-in-10-minutes blip against the Redskins two weeks ago, the Seahawks’ defense remains one of the stingiest in the NFL when it comes to allowing fourth-quarter points and touchdowns. Here’s where they rank in the league in both categories:
Fourth-quarter points allowed
Team Points
Seahawks 83
Browns 84
Ravens 86
Lions 87
Bengals 93
Fourth-quarter touchdowns allowed
Team TDs
Browns 6
Seahawks 8
Lions 8
Ravens 8
Only five teams have scored fourth-quarter touchdowns against the Seahawks’ defense, but four of the eight TDs it has allowed have come in the past four games: Giants, 68-yard pass; Cowboys, 6-yard pass; Ravens, 11-yard pass; Redskins, 28-yard run and 50-yard pass; Eagles, 2-yard pass.
Opponents also have scored four fourth-quarter TDs against the Seahawks on returns: 49ers, 102-yard kickoff return and 55-yard punt return; Bengals, 56-yard punt return and 75-yard interception return.
UP NEXT
The week that really isn’t as it seems continues, as the players will hold their Thursday practice on Friday and their Friday practice on Saturday in preparation for Monday night’s game.
Tickets remain for the game against the Rams and can be purchased here.
YOU DON’T SAY
“I think it’s contagious. It gets everybody excited. We all know the ability that he has. … That’s what we always felt about him, that he can make those big plays and that he has that ability.” – offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell when asked about Lynch’s style of play and its affect on the entire offense
