Setting the Stage
Last week, Seattle beat the Panteras 30 - 24. Russell Wilson (who is being considered for league MVP) completed 20 of 26 passes for 286 yds, 2 TDs and 0 interceptions. RB C Carson picked up 133 yds and 2 TDs on 24 carries. Lockett led all receivers with 8 catches for 120 yds and a TD,
Seattle's Last Game
Seattle built up a 13 - 0 first quarter lead and never looked back. . They ;ed 20 - 7 at haftime, widened their lead to 30 - 10 going int the 4Q and hung on to preserve a 30 - 24 win. Statistically, it was a pretty even game, the biggest exception being Run/Pass Ratio (Seattle rushed 34 plays and threw 27 passes. Carolina ran 29 times and passed 42 times. Panthers led in ground yardage 5.0 to 4.5. Seattle averaged 10.6 yds per pass vs. Carolina's 6.6. Neither team was penalized unduly. Seattle won Time of Possession: 31:18 to 28:42.
Possible key factor may have been "yards per pass." Wilson averaged 11.0 per pass. Kyle Allen averaged only 6.8. Lockett was the leading Seattle receiver with 8 catches for 120 yds. 7 other receivers averaged 1 - 3 catches. On the Pantera side of the ball, McCaffery (a RB) and DJ Moore caught 8 passes each followed by C Samuel with 5.
On the defensive side of the ball, Wagner and Barton led the team in tackles. Wagner had the team's lone interception.
First Quarter
Seattle TD - Carson - 16 yd run (XP failed) - Seattle 6 - Panthers 0
Seattle TD - Metcalf - 19 yd pass from Wilson -Seattle 13 - Panthers 0
First Quarter Score - Seattle 13 - Panthers 0
Second Quarter
Panther TD - Mc Caffery - 1 yd run - Seattle 13 - Panthers 7
Seattle TD - Lockett = 19 yd pass fr Wilson -Seattle 20 - Panthers 7
2nd Quarter Score - Seattle 20 - Panthers 7
3rd Quarter
Panther FG Slye - 52 yds - Seattle 20 - Panthers 10
Seattle - FG - Myers - 30 yds - Seattle 23 - Panthers 10
3rd Quarter Score - Seattle 23 - Panthers 10
Fourth Quarter
Sea TD - Carson - 6 yd run - Seattle 30 - Panthers 10
Panther TD - McCaffery- Seattle 30 - Panthers 17
Panther TD - Samuel - 5 yd pass fr K Allen - Seattle 30 - Panthers 24
Finsl Score - Seattle 30 - Panthers 24
Seattle in a Nutshell
R Wilson, C Carson, Lockett and a stingy defense.
Quarterbacks
QB ....03 R Wilson...07 G Smith
Running Backs
RB....32 Carson...20 R Penny...22 Prsosise....25 Homer
FB...44 Bellore
Wide Receivers
WR...14 Metcalf...83 Moore
RWR .16 Lockett...18 J Brown....17 Turner...15 Ursua
Tight Ends
TE....82 Willson...48 Hollister...46 Swoopes
Offensive Line
LT.....76 D Brown...74 Fant...73 Jones
LG..70 Iupati...60 Haynes
OC... 53 Hunt...64 Roos
RG....78 Fluker
RT..65 Ifedi.
Cardinal Defense
Defensive Interior Line
LDE - 92 Kerr...91 Dogbe
NT - 98 Peters, 72 M Brown
RDE - 94 Reid
Linebackers
SAM - 55 C Jones...43 Reddick...57 Dora
ILB - 59 Walker...44 Bierra
MLB - 58 Hicks, 42 Gardeck...47 Z Turner
WILL - 54 Marsh Sr....49 Fitts
Defensive Backs
RCB - 33 Murphy...25 C Jones...30 J Davis
LCB - 21 P Peterson...22 Chachere
SS - 34 J Thompson...35 D Thompson,,
FS - 32 Baker...38 Banjo... 28 C Washington... 40 Tillman*
Matchup: Seattle Passing Attack vs. Cardinal Pass Defense
Wilson is completing 67.4% of his throws for 28 TDs and only 5 picks. He's ben sacked 42 times. Metcalf (87 targets, 52 catches/15.75 ypc) has emerged as a quality receiving partner to Lockett (96 targets, 75 catches/13.25 ypr). Their RB (Carson) is 3rd with 46 targets, 36 grabs and 6.83 ypc)
After a 6-game suspension, Patrick Peterson came back from the dead (but unfortunately continued to play like a zombie). He finally showed signs of life last Sunday vs. Cleveland. His backup (C Jones) had a notable outing - both in coverage and tackling. If both corners continue to hold up, they can challenge any passing attack in the league.
Seattle presents unique matchup problems because their skill players across all positions are good pass catchers. Cards added two LBs (Dora, Bierra) and a CB (Chachere) to the defensive roster.
Key Matchups - Metcalf and Lockett vs. Peterson and Murphy. Wilson vs. Bake. C Jones vs. D Brown...Willson vs, Marsh. Carson vs. J Thompson
Matchup: Seattle Rushing Attack vs. Cardinal Run Defense
Carson broke the 1,000 yard barrier and has gained 1,190 yds on 270 carries (4.41 ypc). Whenever Pete Carroll has trouble moving the ball, his ground attack on the shoulders of Carson becomes his fall back option.
Gunter is no longer available. Reid becomes our starting RDE
Sometimes Cardinal run defenders have taken the run game away from their opponents/other times they have trouble stopping anyone. We don't know which team will show up Sunday.
Key Matchups - Carson vs. Hicks. Seattle OL vs Kerr, Peters and Reid...Hicks or Swearinger vs. Carson...Spy (Baker?) vs. Wilson
Cardinal Offense
Quarterbacks
01 Murray, 07 Hundley
Running Back
41 Drake... 31 D Johnson, 29 Edmonds
Wide Receivers
WR - 11 Fitzgerald...89 Isabella...12 Cooper,
WR - 13 Kirk...19 KS Johnson...16 Sherfield...14 Byrd
Tight Ends
TE - 87 M Williams...xx Arnold
TE - xx Clay...xx Daniels
Offensive Line
LT- ...74 Humphries...66 Miles,
LG - 67 Pugh
OC- 53 Shipley, 52 Cole
RG- 64 Sweezy...73 Garcia...65 Gailliard.
RT - 71 J Murray...79 J Miles
Seattle Defense
Loaded with talent from sideline to sideline with guys like Ansah, Ford, Kendricks, Wright, Griffin and Flowers flanking MIKE man Wagner. We're not sure where Clowney fits in - is he inactive? Injured?
DE....90 Clowney...95 Collier
DT....91 Reed...72 Woods
NT...97 P Ford.....99 Jefferson
LEO...94 Ansah...98 .R Green....93 B Jackson
Linebackers
SLB....56 Kendricks...49 Sqm Griffin
MLB....54 Wagner....57 Barton
OLB...50 Wright...55 Burr-Kirven
Defensive Backs
LCB....26 Sql Griffin...36 King
SS....30 McDougald..42 .L Hill
FS.....37 Diggs...27 Blair...28 Amadi
RCB..21 Flowers...35 Neal
Matchup: Cardinal Passing Attack vs. Seattle Pass Defense
Kyler Murray looks like your typical talented rookie (i.e. sensational play followed by a rookie mistake)... He makes fewer mistakes than your typical young QB, but that doesn't mean he doesn't make any. He's still not 100% in his decision-making - learning when or where to extend plays, throw the ball away etc. And he's giving opposing defenses plenty of tape to expose any weaknesses. He's making good progress meshing with his receivers - (fitz, Kirk, and Byrd
Key Matchups:
K Murray and the Cardinal OL vs. Wagner, Kendricks, Wright and Ansah...Fitz and Kirk vs. Griffin and Flowers...Byrd, Sherfield, KS Johnson vs. McDougald, Griffin King and Hill.
Matchup: Cardinal Running Attack vs. Seattle Run Defense
Wagner leads the team in tackles with 75, followed by Wright and Flowers (58), McDougald (48), Kendricks (42), S Griffin (40). Clowney - whom we suspect didn't play the entire season) is credited with 20 tackles.
Key Matchups
Wagner vs. Drake..... Shipley and Sweezy vs. Ford, Woods
Special Teams
Lee and Gonzalez have afforded the Cards solid kicking and punting play. Cooper remains solid if not explosive in the return game (He's been more aggressive running KOs back from the end zone). dunno much about Myers and Dickson in the Seattlle kicking and punting games. We give the edge to the Cards in both departments. Lockett is super scary in the return game.
Seattle Special Teams
K .05 Myers
P ..... 04 Dickson
H 04 Dickson
LS 69 Ott
KR ..16 Lockett
PR 16 Lockett
Cardinals Special Teams
P - ...02 Lee.
K- ....05 Gonzalez
H - ...02 Lee
LS - 46 Brewer
KR - 12 Cooper
PR - 12 Cooper
Matchup Seattle Special Teams vs. Cardinal Special Teams
Cards have the better punter and kicker. Seahawks have the more explosive returner.
Key Matchups
We like Gonzalez and Lee over Myers and Dickson. Lockett is more dangerous than Cooper
Coaching / Intangibles
HC Pete Carroll...OC: Brian Schottenheimer...DC Ken Norton Jr...ST: Brian Schneider.... 42 years of coaching experience by the top 3 assistants....Carroll has established a unique "new age" culture to the Seattle football team. It seems to have stood the Seattle franchise in good stead. Kingsbury is still new to head coaching, but he's bright and adept at learning on the fly.
How to Beat Seattle
It will take the combination of (1) mistake-free football, (2) high effort (with only pride to play for), a fall-off in Seattle's play and a degree of luck. Tall order, but do-able albeit under tough odds.
Do I remember correctly that the Cards have some sort of unreal W & L record playing on Seattles' home turf?
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