Post Mortem: 2021 Playoffs - Seahawks v Lambs
Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2021 7:28 pm
There’s a lot to unpack from that game - a game that honestly felt like a franchise-changing moment.
First, hats off to the Lambs – they came to play. They deserved this game and could be a scary team heading into the next round. They are legit. They were the one team I did not want to play. A lot of people seemed to think Seattle was going to have their way with the Lambs, and I just could not understand what those people were seeing to draw that conclusion.
Seattle came out and did exactly what I expected, and the results were exactly what I expected.
I didn’t watch much after half time. I’ve seen this movie before, far too many times. Every flaw, every philosophy, the botched reviews, the stunning inability to get plays called in a timely fashion, no offensive adjustments, crushing predictability, Wilson taking sack after sack, defensive lapses, all issues no veteran, playoff-caliber team should be having this late in the season.
And yet, here we are...
I did get one last laugh – I saw that Seattle scored a quick field goal to start the second half, at around the 13:40 mark. I assumed they had a big return – and still couldn’t do anything offensively. They literally took less than 90 seconds off the clock.
Same old Seahawks; nothing if not predictable - and that’s the death knell in this league. Adapt or die is the reality.
I will always defend Pete Carroll the man, but Pete Carroll the coach? I cannot defend his coaching blunders and obvious limitations. This was too big of a failure. There’s too much talent on this roster to put on an embarrassing display like that. The ‘culture’ he brings can’t make up for his blind spots anymore. The same mistakes over and over and over, and with the same consequences over and over and over. This team has been treading water, and that’s not going to cut it next year in this division.
Two major plot points that stuck out to me.
First is Wilson’s pick six. It wasn’t the pick or the TD – it was a veteran QB forcing the ball to a player who was pouting. You could clearly see the play as it was unfolding – like the Lambs did. You have to be a leader. You simply cannot be appeasing other players. If DK Metcalf is telling Wilson how to run the show, then all respect is lost for Wilson, and you can’t have that at that position on the field. Wilson’s the General, not Metcalf. The play was obvious, and so was Wilson’s intention – to placate a child throwing a tantrum. Huge, huge mistake. You gotta respect the captain, but the captain is ‘getting guys paid’ and appeasing the children. That’s not noble, it’s ultimately self-defeating. Wilson is far too worried about being liked and his brand image – and I think the franchise is hurting from it.
The second is the failure to use any kind of tempo to get the offense into a rhythm and to stress the Lambs defense. I believe that probably cost them the game. How many times did we see up tempo offenses stress even the vaunted LOB defenses? And yet, with no offensive identity, no real success, you ignore one of the most tried and true weapons in your arsenal. I’ll never understand that. Where are the quick slants to offset the pass rush? Quick throws negate a pass rush, yet we ignore that while playing the best pass rush in the league. Is that on Schottenheimer, or Wilson?
Is Wilson broken?
I don’t know. Is he injured? I don’t know that either, but he’s playing like something’s wrong. He looks lost and without confidence. I’m sure he is relieved that the season is over so he can get back to his true passions; fragrance shilling, podcast hosting, and the never-fucking-ending brand building. Is he the guy to lead the team? I truly hope Seattle brings in some new QB’s. I’d be very interested in taking a look at Wentz. The financials on that create another discussion, but for a team whose mantra is always compete - Wilson seems pretty comfy knowing no one is competing for his job. Maybe that’s what he needs. Maybe that’s what Seattle needs to grow. It's imperative that players, starting with Wilson, acknowledge accountability - no excuses - a flat out admission they blew it and blew it badly.
No matter what, Seattle has to prepare for the future, and they need to get new blood in the QB’s room to either groom or challenge Wilson. Schneider has to be planning for the next Wilson contract, or his replacement. From what I saw this season, another extension seems risky – can you imagine the cost?
What’s next?
Is JS signing an extension? Will Schottenheimer get poached? What coaching changes are coming? I think it’s time for PC to take a different role besides head coach. He’s costing the team too much. It’s hard to argue with 12-4, but if an idiot like me can telegraph exactly what the Lambs game was going to look like, so can the opposing teams.
This loss felt different.
This was a bad loss. There was a lot of expectation - deservedly so. It’s hard not to understand serious changes have to be made, and it starts at the top. Perhaps Carroll has too much power, and he’s not being challenged by his coaches and players. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Every complaint about the coaching and execution were on full display yesterday, and there is no where to hide it and no way to explain it away with soundbites. This was a loss that demands change, now.
It’s painful to see a season with so much hope and potential come crashing down, and that the wounds were mostly self-inflicted. It’s even more painful to have seen them all coming and knowing nothing was going to change that, because the people in those positions don’t seem to have any knowledge that things can be done differently, perhaps even…. better.
Go hawks…
First, hats off to the Lambs – they came to play. They deserved this game and could be a scary team heading into the next round. They are legit. They were the one team I did not want to play. A lot of people seemed to think Seattle was going to have their way with the Lambs, and I just could not understand what those people were seeing to draw that conclusion.
Seattle came out and did exactly what I expected, and the results were exactly what I expected.
I didn’t watch much after half time. I’ve seen this movie before, far too many times. Every flaw, every philosophy, the botched reviews, the stunning inability to get plays called in a timely fashion, no offensive adjustments, crushing predictability, Wilson taking sack after sack, defensive lapses, all issues no veteran, playoff-caliber team should be having this late in the season.
And yet, here we are...
I did get one last laugh – I saw that Seattle scored a quick field goal to start the second half, at around the 13:40 mark. I assumed they had a big return – and still couldn’t do anything offensively. They literally took less than 90 seconds off the clock.
Same old Seahawks; nothing if not predictable - and that’s the death knell in this league. Adapt or die is the reality.
I will always defend Pete Carroll the man, but Pete Carroll the coach? I cannot defend his coaching blunders and obvious limitations. This was too big of a failure. There’s too much talent on this roster to put on an embarrassing display like that. The ‘culture’ he brings can’t make up for his blind spots anymore. The same mistakes over and over and over, and with the same consequences over and over and over. This team has been treading water, and that’s not going to cut it next year in this division.
Two major plot points that stuck out to me.
First is Wilson’s pick six. It wasn’t the pick or the TD – it was a veteran QB forcing the ball to a player who was pouting. You could clearly see the play as it was unfolding – like the Lambs did. You have to be a leader. You simply cannot be appeasing other players. If DK Metcalf is telling Wilson how to run the show, then all respect is lost for Wilson, and you can’t have that at that position on the field. Wilson’s the General, not Metcalf. The play was obvious, and so was Wilson’s intention – to placate a child throwing a tantrum. Huge, huge mistake. You gotta respect the captain, but the captain is ‘getting guys paid’ and appeasing the children. That’s not noble, it’s ultimately self-defeating. Wilson is far too worried about being liked and his brand image – and I think the franchise is hurting from it.
The second is the failure to use any kind of tempo to get the offense into a rhythm and to stress the Lambs defense. I believe that probably cost them the game. How many times did we see up tempo offenses stress even the vaunted LOB defenses? And yet, with no offensive identity, no real success, you ignore one of the most tried and true weapons in your arsenal. I’ll never understand that. Where are the quick slants to offset the pass rush? Quick throws negate a pass rush, yet we ignore that while playing the best pass rush in the league. Is that on Schottenheimer, or Wilson?
Is Wilson broken?
I don’t know. Is he injured? I don’t know that either, but he’s playing like something’s wrong. He looks lost and without confidence. I’m sure he is relieved that the season is over so he can get back to his true passions; fragrance shilling, podcast hosting, and the never-fucking-ending brand building. Is he the guy to lead the team? I truly hope Seattle brings in some new QB’s. I’d be very interested in taking a look at Wentz. The financials on that create another discussion, but for a team whose mantra is always compete - Wilson seems pretty comfy knowing no one is competing for his job. Maybe that’s what he needs. Maybe that’s what Seattle needs to grow. It's imperative that players, starting with Wilson, acknowledge accountability - no excuses - a flat out admission they blew it and blew it badly.
No matter what, Seattle has to prepare for the future, and they need to get new blood in the QB’s room to either groom or challenge Wilson. Schneider has to be planning for the next Wilson contract, or his replacement. From what I saw this season, another extension seems risky – can you imagine the cost?
What’s next?
Is JS signing an extension? Will Schottenheimer get poached? What coaching changes are coming? I think it’s time for PC to take a different role besides head coach. He’s costing the team too much. It’s hard to argue with 12-4, but if an idiot like me can telegraph exactly what the Lambs game was going to look like, so can the opposing teams.
This loss felt different.
This was a bad loss. There was a lot of expectation - deservedly so. It’s hard not to understand serious changes have to be made, and it starts at the top. Perhaps Carroll has too much power, and he’s not being challenged by his coaches and players. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Every complaint about the coaching and execution were on full display yesterday, and there is no where to hide it and no way to explain it away with soundbites. This was a loss that demands change, now.
It’s painful to see a season with so much hope and potential come crashing down, and that the wounds were mostly self-inflicted. It’s even more painful to have seen them all coming and knowing nothing was going to change that, because the people in those positions don’t seem to have any knowledge that things can be done differently, perhaps even…. better.
Go hawks…