When I first looked at this game and wrote it off as a loss taking solace that if we can keep it at a one score game, it would bode well for the rest of the season. But in the run up to the game itself, I've become more hopeful. I look at all the key areas where we improved (OL, WR, DB's, and FB) and it looks, at least one the surface, the Seahawks might have lost a half a step, especially with the loss of their star S for this game and having to start a rookie at RB
Still Seattle is a REALLY tough place to play under any circumstances, and I also worry about the fact 90% of the starter haven't taken a SINGLE snap under game conditions. Hardly and of the defensive starter have tackled live opponent. None of the RB's have been tackled to the ground, nor have any of the starting receivers faced a live hit from a DB/LB. I don't know the Seahawks ran their camp, but it's likely similar to ours. I really don't how they can start the season so "uncalloused". My HS kids hit more in a simple regular practice than some of these pros do in a week. (Pardon the hyperbole as slight as it is)
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At any rate, I'm not sure how the Seahawks ran their TC, but I'm guessing it had to be tougher than the summer camp that Mike ran this summer, though I doubt it was much tougher, so we can expect a sloppy game with a lot of missed Tackles on both sides and more than a few TO's, On the plus side, it will be a great test for our new OL though with that stadium noise, it will be a tough environment to play in for a group that haven't seen a lot of live snaps together this off season. Whatever they look like on Wednesday, it should be a lot better as we get into October. So if we look solid this early, it will bode well for the OL going forward.
I wouldn't expect to see a complex game plan this week. In a tough environment OC's often simplify the gameplan. The more complex, the greater the chance for miscommunications and mistakes. Execution takes priority over out Xing and Oing your opponent. I'm feeling better about our chances, though I recognize the issues they face. But I will say this, whatever happens after this game it does NOT represent who or what this team will eventually become. Remember we lost our first game last season to a team that picked first in this year's draft, while WE went to the superbowl. Go figure.
I am usually very objective when it comes to picking the Pats.
The post Brady years when winning was an actual question mark, I did incredibly well picking their games.
Like 80-90% success rate. That's easy to do when a team is winning 12-14 games every year, much harder when they are a 3-10 win team.
That all said, I have a suspicion we are winning this game by 2 scores.
Not only is Emmanwori potentially not playing, they lost their other starting safety (Bryant) in FA. Could be starting 2 new safeties Wednesday. Bud Clarke was a likely starter before a season ending injury.
The lost their best RB and are starting a rookie with zero NFL experience. Also lost Mafe who had 5 pressures in the SB.
They haven't really added anyone of note to effectively replace those guys (Price excluded, but again, completely green).
One big question mark today is the availability of Henderson, Barmore and Gonzalez. For now I will assume all will play.
If you compare rosters, who has the better units?
QB: Pats
RBs: Pats
WRs: Pats (JSN is a stud, but top to bottom we have the better unit).
Oline: Seattle
TEs: This is a wash to me, others may see it differently.
Dline: Seattle (we have a good interior, Edge is a very big question mark)
LBs: Seattle
Secondary: Pats
Just my view, others may see it differently.
The number one key to this game is our Oline. If we can protect Maye and be even decent in the run game, I have a hard time seeing how Seattle can beat us.
Homefield, crowd noise, dropping the banner, those all are intangibles that could impact the outcome.
I also think Mcdonald is a really good coach. I saw a few interviews with him this offseason, and he is a bright guy, and you can tell he is locked in and his team will be prepared. They do however have a new O coordinator.
Oline on O, and setting the edge and limiting the outside run game on D. That's the game right there. We do both of these reasonably well and we're walking out 1-0.
