Tuesday 12 January 2010

Pete Carroll introduced, Bruschi on coach


12 comments:

Unknown said...

Hey Rob, what are thoughts about the Hawks having 4 LB's on the field?

Obviously as we saw, Hawthorne had a MONSTER year! Leading the team in tackles, having 4 sacks, 3 INTs, and forcing 2 fumbles. We really can't leave him on the bench. can we? So if we had Curry and Hill guarding short passes and Tatupu and Hawthorne stopping the run, wouldn't that make us alot stronger?

It makes a good pass rushing DE almost a must have!

Kelly

Rob Staton said...

I'm sure Pete Carroll will find a way to get all the guys involved. One way would be to use Curry as the 'elephant' rusher, standing up in space at the line of scrimmage. He'd play alongside three defensive lineman with their hands in the ground, with Lofa, Leroy and Hawthorne the linebackers. That would probably be used mainly on passing attempts, or third and long. They need to be more creative with Curry, I can't help but feel his speed and size wasn't utilised fully in 2009.

Carroll might find ways to mix things up, have different looks to get all the linebackers on the field. However, I think the greater emphasis will come in improving that defensive line and creating a better, consistent pass rush. It all starts by how much pressure can you get on the QB - for two years, the Seahawks haven't come close to enough. A defensive lineman would seem likely in round one.

Unknown said...

Another question I wanted your thoughts on. Do you believe he will target USC players. I know this hard to actually comment on but because we have 2 first round pics and theres at least 4 1st round USC players going. It only makes sense.

I know Taylor Mays doesn't seem like a player of direct need but he should be around at 14 and Carrol has been with him for some time now.

Thanks,

Kelly

Rob Staton said...

I don't think he'll intentionally favor USC prospects, but he has an inside track on them. They'll also know the kind of schemes and setup that will be implemented in Seattle. The Seahawks will likely target defensive lineman. If they can't find one at #6 that fits, Everson Griffen could be an option at #14. Taylor Mays is someone Pete Carroll is particularly fond of, but I think there's a chance he'll fall into the late first round and maybe even the early second. He could be an option at #40. Damian Williams is also worth consideration, potentially as high as #14 and Joe McKnight could offer some playmaking ability in the backfield.

However, Carroll and the new GM will go through all the evaluations, they'll watch tape - scout the combine and work outs. They'll do their homework. The Seahawks might take USC prospects this year, but then they did in the past and will do in the future. But I don't expect any favoritism - the coaching staff are here to be succesful for themselves, the players, the fans and the organisation. There won't be any room for sentimentality or bringing in former prospects on a whim. They'll only take USC guys if it's absolutely right to do so.

Seth H. said...

Hey Rob. I thought I read someplace that Pete Carroll said that he didn't feel Mays could cover talent in the next level?

Anonymous said...

Pete Carroll needs to draft a qb!! Everybody wants to blame the line and the recievers, but poor Matt just sucks. Clausen will be a Hawk, garanteed! Field Gulls breaks it all down, it really was Hasselbeck that was the problem. Hawk fans need to know this.

Rob Staton said...

Seth - I haven't read that personally. I've only ever seen Pete Carroll be tremendously positive about Taylor Mays. Having said that, he'll now his strengths and weaknesses as well as everyone else. I don't think the team are any more likely to draft him today as they were last week - if he falls to #40 then he's an option, but he won't be taken at #6 or #14.

Annonymous - Without doubt the Seahawks need a quarterback for the future. However, I'll be writing another article on Jimmy Clausen later today. I just watched the tape from his best game of the year (45-38 loss to Stanford) for the second time. Needless to say, if the 'Hawks take Clausen, I'll be very surprised.

Anonymous said...

Rob, for all the blog and media bashing of Carroll's "failure" at NY and NE, it hasn't escaped my attention that his 27-21 record at NE is about the same win% that Holmgren had during his tenure in Seattle.

I can envision, particularly in light of Bruschi's comments, that without control over the roster in NE, he had little control over players performance. Sure, he could sit a guy, but the players new he really had little authority and some didn't play up to their potential. You can harldy blame that entirely on him. Hence his statements that in returning to the NFL, his terms included that he had to have at least equal say in personnel moves. I'm optimistic.

Separately, regardless of how you think the Hawks handled the Mora firing, nothing Jim Mora has said or done since has convinced me it was a bad move. I was surprised he was fired, but not looking forward to another year of Mora/Knapp bumbleball and Mora bumbling press conferences, so pleased. Not for him personally, I'm sure he's a nice guy, wish his family well, but I believe the Hawks will be better going in this new direction.

Rob Staton said...

Some excellent points annonymous. I think the Seahawks needed a fresh start - the former GM Tim Ruskell had gone but a lot of his regime (including Mora) remained. This is a clean break and it was the time to do it with two first round picks in the draft.

nightwulf said...

Kelly,
I really doubt that Carroll will be stocking the larder with USC picks, but I'm comfortably certain that if he DOES go with a USC player, said player won't be a bust...

Funny how the Matt bashers around here are always named "anonymous"...I don't know what games you were watching, but in the games I saw, what I saw was a QB who had NO CHANCE WHATSOEVER to play well, regardless of talent. No QB can regularly get off accurate throws in less than two seconds with absoloutly no pocket around him. Just a physical impossibility.

Anonymous said...

Good brief and this mail helped me alot in my college assignement. Gratefulness you for your information.

Anonymous said...

Well I to but I dream the brief should secure more info then it has.