On any given Saturday right? Here are six quick-hit thoughts on the Seahawks’ shocking 41-36 win over the Saints on Saturday.

1. That’s why they play the game.
Gregg Williams said it perfectly this week when he told the media that if the playoffs were about predictions, the Saints would have advanced to the second round already. Everyone was so sure that the Saints would beat the Seahawks that this upset was almost set up perfectly. I don’t buy that New Orleans took Seattle for granted because there’s too much veteran know-how on that Saints’ sidelines for them to look past any opponent. But a game like this is proof that we as fans get caught up too much in records. The Seahawks only won seven of their 16 games this year but they were the ones that created momentum last week with their win over the Rams, they were the ones that had home field advantage and they were the ones that played with an emotional edge. In the end, those three factors play a bigger role in the outcome of a football game than records do (especially in the playoffs).

2. Matt Hasselbeck can still be a difference maker.
Hasselbeck had some rough games this year but when his team needed him the most, he completed 22-of-35 pass attempts for 272 yards and four touchdowns. He was intercepted once but that came off a deflection and had his receivers not dropped a few passes, his numbers would have been even better than they were. This was by far his best game in years and without his performance, Seattle doesn’t pull off this shocking upset.

3. Roman Harper, Darren Shaper, Gregg Williams, Julius Jones and Devery Henderson.
Fail, fail, fail, fail and fail. That was one of the worst performances I have ever seen out of a safety tandem in any game, not to mention in the postseason. Safeties are supposed to act as a team’s last line of defense, yet Sharper and Harper routinely allowed Seattle receivers to get past them deep coverage. I know the Saints were hurt by Malcolm Jenkins’ injury but Sharper has to play better than that. He looked like he had never played a professional game before and retirement is calling his name. And how about Williams? This was the best he could come up with after a week of preparation? The Seahawks’ offense is the epitome of mediocre and yet they hung 41 points on a unit that was supposed to be one of the best in the NFC. Holy terrible, Batman. Offensively for the Saints, Jones cost his team three points by fumbling the ball deep in his own territory in the first quarter and Henderson couldn’t catch a cold. He dropped at least two potential first downs, including an alligator-armed attempt late in the game when the Saints only needed a touchdown to re-claim the lead.

4. Sean Payton doesn’t escape criticism.
It shouldn’t be overlooked that Payton lost his offensive balance when Pierre Thomas and Chris Ivory were placed on IR earlier in the week. People always want to talk about the Saints’ passing attack but it was their power running game that won them a Super Bowl last year. Without it, Payton and the entire Saints’ offense was at a disadvantage. But he doesn’t escape criticism for a couple of decisions he made in the second half. The decision to go for it on 4th-and-1 from the 37-yard line down 14 points with just under five minutes remaining in the third quarter was fine. Payton has always been an aggressive coach and he was staying true to himself by keeping his offense off the field. But why run it right up the gut with Julius Jones when your quarterback is Drew Brees? Was Payton not paying attention this season when his team couldn’t run the ball? And how about taking the ball out of Brees’ hands again at the end of the game on the two-point conversion attempt? Talk about outsmarting yourself twice.

5. What a run by Marshawn Lynch.
This may just be the excitement of the upset talking but Lynch’s fourth quarter touchdown was one of the best runs I have ever seen in any game. Granted, the Saints’ defenders were trying to strip the ball at first. But he still shook through about three defenders, stumbled sideways after delivering a stiff-arm downfield and then managed to race 67-yards for a touchdown. Absolutely incredible.

6. What’s next?
Well, what’s next for the Saints is that they get to go home and watch the rest of the playoffs from their couch after choking. As for the Hawks, they’ll wait for the outcome of the Philadelphia-Green Bay game on Sunday night. If the Packers win, the Seahawks will play in Chicago next weekend. If the Eagles win, the Hawks will travel to Atlanta to play the Falcons. Either way, do ya think the Hawks will be underdogs again?

One of the reasons Pete Carroll left USC for the Seattle Seahawks in mid January of this year was because he would have the authority to determine how the franchise played football. In other words, Carroll could wipe the slate clean and bring in the type of players and staff that he wanted for his team.

On Saturday, the Seahawks acquired running backs LenDale White (Titans) and Leon Washington (Jets) in two separate draft day trades. In the acquisition of White, Seattle swapped fourth and sixth round picks with Tennessee and also acquired defensive tackle Kevin Vickerson. In the acquisition of Washington, the Hawks sent the No. 138 pick to New York and also received a seventh-round selection in the process.

White has been chopping at the bit to get out of Tennessee and now reunites with the head coach that best found ways to utilize him on the field. While at USC, Carroll used White as his physical, early-down masher and he’s expected to use the running back in a similar role in Seattle.

Many draft pundits thought that the Seahawks would draft C.J. Spiller with one of their two picks in the first round. But after acquiring Washington from the Jets (which was a steal), they got a cheaper player with a similar skill set to that of Spiller. Plus, by not drafting Spiller, the Hawks were able to nab the top rated offensive tackle in the draft in Russell Okung and the second best safety in Earl Thomas. Washington and White should work very well together in Seattle, albeit at the likely expense of Julius Jones.

It still remains to be seen whether or not Carroll can succeed in the NFL like he did at SC, but one thing is clear: he’s going to construct his team the way he wants.

Photo from fOTOGLIF
]]> http://www.scoresreport.com/2010/04/24/pete-carroll-putting-imprint-on-seahawks-trades-for-lendale-white-leon-washington/feed/ 3 http://www.scoresreport.com/2009/11/27/fantasy-football-quick-hitters-peterson-benson-slaton-and-julius/ http://www.scoresreport.com/2009/11/27/fantasy-football-quick-hitters-peterson-benson-slaton-and-julius/#comments Fri, 27 Nov 2009 20:00:52 +0000 John Paulsen http://www.scoresreport.com/?p=29940

Adrian Peterson limited in practice. His ankle is bothering him. This could just be precautionary or there might be a real possibility that he’ll miss Week 12. Keep an eye on the Vikings injury report. If he’s listed as “probable” his owners can breathe a sigh of relief. Chester Taylor obviously becomes starter-worthy if AP sits.

Cedric Benson “ready to play” but still iffy? Marvin Lewis said he was ready to play but was noncommittal about Benson’s availability for Sunday. The Bengals face the Browns, so if Benson sits another week, then Bernard Scott becomes a terrific start. Cincy may want to give Benson another week of rest if they think they can win with Scott carrying the load.

Slaton continues to start; Chris Brown will see time. So much for Ryan Moats turning into a stretch-run starter. It appears the Texans benched Slaton for motivation, but know that he’s their best RB. The Indy rush defense is so-so, which makes Slaton a decent RB2 start this week.

Julius Jones back at practice, but limited. Justin Forsett will get some work whether or not Jones returns this week, but he’s obviously a much better play if Jones sits out. The Rams are pretty bad against the run, so if the two share RB duties, they’re both decent flex starts.

Photo from fOTOGLIF

It was over when…
T.J. Duckett scored on a 1-yard run with 8:39 left in the fourth quarter. The touchdown capped a 15-play, 86-yard drive to give the Seahawks a 21-point lead.

Game ball
Running back Julius Jones’ 29-yard touchdown run in the first quarter gave the Seahawks a 17-0 lead. Jones finished with 140 yards rushing.

Key stat
The Seahawks rushed for 240 yards, while holding The Rams to just 65 yards on the ground.

Noteworthy
Seahawks running back Duckett had his first two-touchdown rushing day in four years. … St. Louis lost for the 16th time in 19 games, and have lost seven consecutive games to Seattle. … The Seahawks avoided starting 0-3 for the first time since 2002.

I know it was against the Rams’ defense, but how good did Julius Jones (22 carries, 140 yards, 1 TD) look? Maurice Morris’s injury has opened the door for Jones to be the feature back and he hasn’t disappointed. Amazing how productive Mike Holmgren’s offense can be with a running game. Matt Hasselbeck even looked good for the first time this season, completing 12 of 20 passes for 172 yards and a touchdown.

There isn’t much you can say about the Rams. They easily rival the Chiefs as the worst team in the NFL and at least KC has an excuse as to why they’re so bad; Tyler Thigpen is starting at quarterback for Larry Johnson’s sake. St. Louis is this bad with a healthy Marc Bulger, Steven Jackson and Torry Holt. Amazing.

But all five of these teams have started the 2008 season 0-2. And all five teams have major issues.

So is it time for these teams to the hit the panic button? Let’s take a closer look.

Cleveland Browns

What’s gone right: Not much. The only real bright spot offensively has been TE Kellen Winslow Jr., who has 12 receptions for 102 yards and a touchdown. And DT Shaun Rogers, the team’s top offseason acquisition, has made an immediate impact with 10 tackles, one sack and two tackles for loss.

What’s gone wrong: Everything. The defense was brutal in Week 1 against Dallas, but bounced back in Week 2 against Pittsburgh (thanks in large part to bad weather conditions and Ben Roethlisberger’s bum shoulder). The offense that averaged over 25 points a game last year has managed just 16 points total in two games this year. Turnovers, penalties, poor quarterback play (Derek Anderson currently has a QB rating of 57.1), and bad coaching have buried this team so far.

Time to hit the panic button? Yes. The Browns’ poor preseason play has carried over into the regular season and the schedule doesn’t get any easier with the Ravens, Giants, Jaguars, Broncos and Bills coming up over the next eight weeks. Outside of Rogers, the offseason acquisitions Cleveland made on defense have not paid off and the offense has been non-existent. Worse yet, the Browns aren’t sneaking up on anyone this year and Romeo Crennel is starting to look overmatched once again.

Jacksonville Jaguars

What’s gone right: Even though they did play the Titans (and their below average passing attack) in Week 1, the Jaguars defense has held opponents to less than 200 yards through the air in their first two games. The run defense hasn’t been that bad either, even though they’ve allowed an average of 106 yards per game.

What’s gone wrong: The two things that made the Jags successful last year, the running game and David Garrard’s (above) mistake-free play, have both gone against the team this year. Shockingly, Jacksonville has averaged just 65.5 yards on the ground in two games and Garrard has already thrown three interceptions, which matches is entire total from last season. The defense has also been bad in the clutch, giving up go-ahead touchdowns in the fourth quarter in each of the Jags’ two losses.

Time to hit the panic button? No. Jacksonville is still a playoff contender, but they need to start executing. It doesn’t help that the offensive line is banged up, but Garrard must stop turning the ball over and the running game has to get out of its rut. The defense, which has been left on the field entirely too long, should be fine once the offense starts to pick up. But things don’t get any easier with the Colts and Steelers coming up in the next three weeks.

Minnesota Vikings

What’s gone right: Forget about RB Adrian Peterson having a sophomore slump; the second year back has already rushed for 263 yards and a 5.5 YPC average. What’s more impressive is that he’s been effective despite not having LT Bryant McKinnie (suspension) opening holes for him on the offensive line.

What’s gone wrong: A couple things. One, Tarvaris Jackson hasn’t done enough in the passing game. He hasn’t been bad by any means, but he needs to make more big plays, especially with defenses loading up to stop Peterson and the running game. Secondly, the team gave up a first round pick to acquire DE Jared Allen in the offseason and even though he registered his first sack of the season last week, his presence hasn’t helped the secondary like the Vikes thought it would. Minnesota’s defensive backfield, which ranked dead last in the league in 2007, continues to give up big plays.

Time to hit the panic button? No. The Vikings’ offensive line will get a boost when McKinnie returns in a couple of weeks and with Peterson running like a man possessed, Jackson simply needs to make more plays in the passing game for the offense to start clicking. One would think that Allen would eventually get going, which should only help the secondary. But these things need to start happening now because the schedule doesn’t get any lighter over the next three weeks with the Panthers, Titans and Saints coming up.

San Diego Chargers

What’s gone right: Philip Rivers has been absolutely fantastic in the passing game, completing over 60% of his passes for 594 yards, six touchdowns and a QB rating of 122.5. WR Chris Chambers has also resurrected his career in the early going, hauling in five catches for 127 yards and three touchdowns.

What’s gone wrong: LaDainian Tomlinson (right) has been limited due to a foot injury and the loss of LB Shawne Merriman (knee/ out of the season) has really hampered the Chargers’ defensive pass rush. Speaking of the defense, the unit has been shredded for big plays in the second halves of each of San Diego’s two losses. They gave up 31 first half points to the Broncos on Sunday and 486 total yards. The secondary has been absolutely torched and currently ranks dead last against the pass in the AFC.

Time to hit the panic button? No. Had the defense batted a Jake Delhomme touchdown pass down in the end zone in Week 1 and Jay Cutler’s non-fumble call go there way last week, San Diego would be 2-0. It’s only a matter of time before LT is healthy again and with Rivers playing as well as he is, the offense is going to be dangerous all season. Plus, even if Tomlinson misses time, Darren Sproles has proven he can keep the running game afloat with his game-breaking speed. But for the Chargers to turn things around, the defense has to prove it can generate a push rush without Merriman and the secondary has to stop giving up big plays. Brett Favre and the Jets will be a challenge next week but after that, the Chargers face the Raiders and Dolphins, so they could easily be 3-2 when the Patriots come to down on Sunday night in Week 6.

Seattle Seahawks

What’s gone right: Outside of Julius Jones rushing for over 100 yards against the 49ers last Sunday, not much. The run defense actually hasn’t been that bad either, allowing less than 100 yards per game, but teams are still finding ways to put the ball in the end zone while averaging over 30 points a game.

What’s gone wrong: Anything and everything. Aside from having practice squad players line up at receiver because the team has been ransacked by injuries, the Seahawks’ defense and special teams have been brutal, and Matt Hasselbeck (48.6 QB rating) is off to an atrocious start.

Time to hit the panic button? Yes. The passing game should get a boost when Bobby Engram and Deion Branch return in a few weeks, but with how bad the defense is playing the Seahawks could be starring at 1-5 or 0-6 by the time that happens. Had they held on to a two-touchdown lead at home against the 49ers last Sunday, things probably wouldn’t have seemed that bad. But with division rival Arizona off to a hot start, the Hawks’ reign in the NFC West seems to be coming to an end.

• This is just the third time in the last five seasons in which the 49ers scored at least 30 points in a road game.
• After losing in his first career NFL start a week ago, J.T. O’Sullivan threw for 321 yards on 20-of-32 passing, including a TD.
• The four-time defending NFC West champion Seahawks (0-2) lost their first two games of the season for the first time since 2002.

The Seahawks built an early 14-0 lead, but couldn’t sustain it after losing two more wide receivers to injuries. The Seattle defense struggled for the second straight week, which is a bit surprising given the overall talent the Seahawks have on that side of the ball. On a positive note, Julius Jones rushed for 127 yards and a touchdown, but unfortunately he couldn’t mask Matt Hasselbeck’s (189, 2 INTs) rough day.

You knew it was only a matter of time before Mike Martz’s offense started to click. J.T. O’Sullivan threw for over 300 yards and a touchdown, while the ageless one Isaac Bruce caught four passes for a whopping 153 yards. I don’t think this game should be a ringing endorsement for the 49ers’ chances this year, but it’s always impressive when a team can beat the Seahawks in Seattle.