Thanks in advance for the intelligent conversation of the board.
As evident from my name, I am a Seahawk fan, however I try to be as unbiased as humanly possible, and first and foremost love football and the strategy behind it. It is with that in mind that I come to try to give a unbiased Seahawks Scouting Report.
First off, I love the enthusiam from both sides, I love it when both sides know there team is going to win. It makes the work week far more tolerable. I won't get into my prediction until the end but know that it won't be +7 for either team. This one is going to be close.
On Offense.
Marshawn Lynch, is not the same RB you saw twice a year in Buffalo two years ago. Statisically he is the best Rb in the league since week 9 of last season. Robert Turbin is a great backup. He is phyiscal. This isn't a typical thunder and lightning combo. Its more of a thunder and then some more thunder combo. Seattle we run the ball early and often. They don't break from this gameplan. Teams have been stacking boxes all season with limited sucess.
The Seattle offensive line is a mixed bag. Okung (LT) to put it nicely is shizoprenic. Looks good one week, bad the next, is dominant in the run then gets pushed around. The remainer of the of oline Carpenter, Unger, Moffitt/Sweezy and Giacomini are the definition of roadgraters, they are weak in pass pro. But can and will move a pile. The key for NE is to force 3 and +6. Seattle is the type of team that has to stay ahead of the sticks on offense.
Russell Wilson is hard to diagnose. I have read on this board that he turns the ball over alot, don't read to much into it. True, he has 7 ints, but 3 were from WRs dropping the ball, 1 was caused by the TE falling down on a cut, 1 was from a hit in the pocket that caused the ball to go straight up in the air, and one was from a hail mary at the end of the half. He is not making many mistakes. They haven't "let him lose" yet, and I doubt this is the game they do. He is gaining confidence in his recieving core, I think that has alot of fans in Seattle optimisic.
Pete Carrolls Gameplan has been vanilla. His gameplan continues to be don't turn over the ball, control the clock, let the defense put us in position to win the game. I suspect that won't change this week.
The defense.
This is where I think the game will be won or lost.
Defensive Line. Seattle utlizes 2 line packages, on early run downs you will see Bryant, Mebane, Branch, Clemons. This is basically is a hybrid 3-4 line with a DE(bryant) at 330lbs. It is a very difficult line to run againist, expecially to bryants side. He is a earth mover, and is great at swallowing up running games. Running outside has been alittle more succesfull however, as I will get to, the Seattle corners are big, tough to block and excellent tacklers.
On passing downs, Seattle utilizes a package similar to the Giants NASCAR package. Clemons, Jones, McDonald, and Irvin. It is a small line but incredibly fast. Seattle doesn't blitz often and counts on its front four to get to the pass rusher. The goal for NE is to stay unpredictable. Run on 3 and long, and utlize short passing plays on 1st and 2nd down. This defense line is for real, the Pats cannot play into their strengths.
The LB core is fast and like to hit and tackle well, but can get lost in coverage at times. Expect Wagner and Wright to be responsible for Gronk in one on one coverage. I am not one that believes Gronk will be a not factor, (if healthly) However, Seattle has the atheletes to help limit him from a break out game.
The Secondary is the strength of the team. They are arguably the best in the NFL. Browner and Sherman are huge (6'4" and 6'3" respectively) they swallow up recievers in press coverage. They aren't burners and can be beaten deep. Thomas and Chancellor are polar opposites at the safety position. Thomas is small and fast, he will play centerfield all day, but is still good and run support. Chancellor is a big bruiser (6'4" 240lbs) He can be suspect to cover 2 at times. His strength is under zone coverage, and covering athletic TE's.
I hope that sheds some light on who you are playing this weekend and what to look for.
As for a prediction, Carrolls ideal would be 17-17 with 2:00 mins to go, and Seattle with the ball, that is the way his is game planning this season to protect his young offense.
The defense is good enough to get there. The offense struggles on 3rd down, and I can't over look that, not yet anyway. Pats 20- Seahawks- 16