False Narrative

[Captain 97]

I am curious what you think he did different in the second half? I have already shown you drive by drive that they primarily threw the ball in the first half and that they actually had more running plays in the second half. There was no "coaching style" difference. If you think there was a change please elaborate with something other than your blatantly false claim of repetitive "dive plays"

You read off a few plays. Did you watch the game?

Every playoff game on the road, just about everyone one under Carroll is the same. Different Coordinators, different lineman, different RBs, WRs and TEs. Matt H in one playoff game and we have all watched the evolution of Russ Wilson. But, in your opinion, it is more likely that each and every time it was one of these multitude of different people that are at fault, and not the one man that is the constant? Can help ya dude....you are wrong.

I didn't "read off a few plays". I read every single play in the half. Like I expected you have nothing but hyperbole.

[Michael K.]

And like said, you "read the plays". Did you watch the first half and think they played aggressively and not comservatively?

Jesus Christ. The ONLY common denominator is Pete, but how dare we think it might be him!?

[trharder]

Seahawk fans watching the Seahawks shit the bed in the first half. "Damn, I wish Russ didn't wait so long to play football."
Everyone else in the Country watching the Seahawks shit the bed in the first half. "Why in the hell does Pete Carroll do this all the time?"
It really is freaking amazing. Anyone that watches Russ Wilson when we are getting our ass kicked and thinks he is simply waiting for the three score deficit to turn it on has either got to be a lunatic or a member of Pete Carroll's family trying to protect his idiotic fossilized philosophy on football!

No one is arguing that they didn't suck in the first half. The point is that the sucking had nothing to do with play calling or philosophy. It had to do with execution. Why does Russell perform better in the second half? I have no clue but its not because Pete Carroll is making him hand the ball off too much THAT SIMPLY DIDN'T HAPPEN. Russell took 3 sacks and completed only 50% of his passes in the first half. The Seahawks came back because Russell Wilson avoided pressure and was more accurate in the second half. The Philosophy and the way they called the game did not change one bit.

Okay, I get it that MK is fired up and killed the horse he's beating a long time ago, but would it surprise anyone that both Cap and MK can be right? That the Seahwawks start slow on offense as a result of PCs blind dedication to the run IS a false narrative. It's a pretty big falsehood when people can't quit saying it even after seeing the stats proving it's wrong. But there is more to play calling and philosophy than just "pass" or "run". PC, RW, Shotty and Bevel before him have forgot more about X's and O's than I'll ever know, but I watch every play. There is a difference in how RW plays. There is an urgency that is required for RW to be at full tilt. Taking off running and throwing on the run is when RW is at his best. He's a unique player. He's a short stop turning the double play - a point guard that can hit the jumper or give 'em the no-look pass. He's also a QB with an accurate rocket arm. No Seahawk fan wants to see him running as a RB like Lamar, but he has to move and dish. When he is playing his game like this he is adding to the running game with the same positive effect for the passing game and wearing down the defense. Everything starts working. Pete and (apparently) RW have a blind faith that as long as RW takes care of the ball, they will eventually win. Early in the game RW seems to be practically okay with punting 2 or 3 drives in a row, regardless if the other team is scoring or not. This is a shitty risky way to win. Just like the running the ball false narrative, the "you can't win it in the 1st and 2nd quarter narrative is also bull shit. Simple math will tell you this is BS in a game that is quite simple won by the team with the most points. MK is right to be pissed. The Danny O stat on recent playoff failures is jarring in it's severity, but that's what you get with this philosophy with this QB.

[D-train]

Awesome post TH.

[Michael K.]

Very well said TH.

[Captain 97]

And like said, you "read the plays". Did you watch the first half and think they played aggressively and not comservatively?

Jesus Christ. The ONLY common denominator is Pete, but how dare we think it might be him!?

Yes I watched the game They absolutely played agressively! The question is did you watch the game? Or are you just remembering something that didn’t happen because you already had your mind made up about what the problem was before it ever happened. They were absolutely aggressive.

I’ll get even more specific with you and describe each play if that will help you out.

First Drive. First play of the game they threw it 11 yards to Hollister. Second Play run for no gain. Third Play Russell sacked. 3rd down long pass about 30 yards down field that was incomplete to Metcalf.

2nd Drive 8 yard run 1 yard run no gain on third down.

3rd drive they threw it again on first down about 25 yards incomplete to Turner then they came right back on second down and threw a deep play action complete to Lockett for 28 yards. Very next play they play actioned again Russ danced around for a while then launched out of bounds 35 yards down field in the end zone. They then ran for 4 yards followed by an incompletion on a crossing route to Hollister on third down.

4th drive they ran on first down for a couple yards then on second down they completed a pass to Lockett for 31 yards. Next play Russ dropped back to pass nobody was open and he scrambled. Next Play was an 11 yard play action completion to Metcalf. They then did an end around to Moore for 6 yards Russell got Sacked on 2nd down and then on third down Russell got flushed out of the Pocket and threw an incompletion under duress targeting Homer.

5th drive
Russell complete to Lockett for 14 yards, Complete to Metcalf for 8 yards. Russell gets sacked. On third Down, Russell scrambles for 13 yards. Russel Spikes the ball and then a hail mary to end the half.

The fact is not only did they throw the ball a ton in the first half. They also threw it deep a lot and threw it on first down 8 out of 11 times . So once again I will ask the question that you refuse to answer where is this so called conservative non-aggressive play calling that supposedly got Seattle into a hole. What do you want to see zero runs?

[Michael K.]

Please re-read TH's post. It was a thread ender.

As for zero runs? No, but I would love to throw out the second and long page in our play book that calls for a dive play to create third and long. I would love to see that.\

You are right Cap, they had an amazing game plan to start the game. You and a few other people in the Carroll household believe that.

[Captain 97]

Never said it was amazing. I said it was aggressive and exactly the same as what the game plan was in the second half. prove me wrong. Still waiting.

[Michael K.]

Never said it was amazing. I said it was aggressive and exactly the same as what the game plan was in the second half. prove me wrong. Still waiting.

You WATCHED that game and think the game plan was exactly the same? Good Grief.

Good to know at halftime our coaches all just sing and cheer and hope things work out better the next half.

[auroraave]

Isn't halftime where they seem to make adjustments that often result in a much higher scoring advantage in the second half? COuldn't you then make a case that they make strong halftime adjustments? Suck in the first half, dominate in the second half, unless it's the Cardinals at home. Their patterns can be frustrating, 100%, but they are also must-see TV and have been one of the winningest franchises of the last decade. Other teams have good coaching staffs too, and Seattle has stayed relevant with virtually no top end draft picks for most of that decade.