Preseason Game #1: Seahawks @ Chargers

[Sweezo]

Hey, let's see if we can get a dormant board going since football season's here. Fourth quarter's just started...anyone have some thoughts on what you've seen in an entirely meaningless game?

Ben Obamanu: Looks pretty good. Nice hands, and seems to be right where his QB wants to throw the ball. And as I type this he makes a one handed grab in the back of the endzone for a TD. Very nice. And as I type further, he gets a nice burst on a punt return. Oh, this team looks loaded at WR once again...

Deion Branch: His TD catch came off a nice move to get past the corner, and the safety did nothing about it. Nice pass by Hass to thread it in over everyone where only his WR could catch it. Only one series, but a clue that the chemistry might be developing between those two.

Ray Willis: I struggle to pay attention to what linemen do when a game is going on since they're away from the ball, but he looks like he can pull pretty well and take up space. I like Gray, but I'm rooting for the future...

Josh Wilson: Got beat once or twice, made some nice tackles, showed off his speed, and fumbled a ball on a kickoff. He did that alot in college...if he shows any hint of doing that in the preseason, I hope the team does the right thing and sticks with Burleson as the return man.

Hass: He looked a lot better than I expected given his surgeries. He looks so damn good when he's healthy, and the first team offense looked very crisp.

Seneca Wallace: Well, he looks like he needs reps. Seemed largely out of control by turning the ball ove rin the air and on the ground, missing with passes, and struggling to get the ball over linemen. Looks much better in the fourth quarter, but...he's probably still playing because he clearly needs the reps.

Darryl Tapp: Meet your new starter at right DE...? The guy gets to the QB and can disrupt the run. Love him. I don't think the team will be hurt by giving him more reps and bringing others off the bench to spell him. Also, you can see why the team drafted Atkins...he's got some speed and a nifty little pass rush.

The defense as a whole...still giving up long runs when they can't afford to do so. And there were certainly plays where the new improved secondary was getting beat. But the pass rush and blitz formations looked good. I can see this team getting alot more pressure on the QB with the new defensive front taking up more attention from the blockers and allowing the linebackers to do more damage.

Also, the pass protection...I don't think I saw a 'Hawks QB touched all game unless he was scrambling, which isn't bad against the Chargers defense (even if they weren't playing at full capacity).

[vegas_runnin_rebel]

I really hope Ben Obannummuoomoomu makes the team. We kept 5 WR's last year, so we should do the same this year.

Our o-line looked very, very good. I think Rob Sims will be our starting guard for the next decade. I think the emergence of Sims will allow Walter to return to his dominating ways.

If Tapp proves to be the real deal (and I think he is), the Seahawks could have one best rushing duos in the league in Tapp and Kerney. I also love what I saw from Hill. We're much better off blitzing Hill and dropping Peterson into coverage.

I'm not too concerned with the play of Wallace . I think he showed enough filling in for Matt last year in the regular season...He's a capable backup.

[Sweezo]

If Tapp proves to be the real deal (and I think he is), the Seahawks could have one best rushing duos in the league in Tapp and Kerney. I also love what I saw from Hill. We're much better off blitzing Hill and dropping Peterson into coverage.

If Tubbs gets healthy and Mebane ends up being close to what the press corps says he is...this team is going to cause fits for offensive lines. Two lane clogging tackles, two speedy edge rushers, and three interchangeable LBs who can rush the QB, play the run, or drop back into coverage.

Lots of ifs there, but I like this team's chances if people stay healthy.

And I agree with that last bit about dropping Peterson back in coverage. Peterson neutralizes TEs, and Hill can lay into a QB just as good as Peterson can.

[vegas_runnin_rebel]

Chris Spencer on the Rob Sims catch:
"That was the Fat-Boy Route."

from the TNT Blog:
The best interview of the night was Rob Sims, who had a 16-yard reception of a deflected pass. I asked him what route he ran, and Chris Spencer, standing next to him, chimed in: "That was the Fat-Boy Route." Sims played along with it, saying he had about 20 moves he was prepared to lay on the safety in his way, but the guy cut him low and he had no hope.

[Sweezo]

I missed that catch because I was outside picking a watermelon at the time. Damn...

The TNT blog also gave props to Mebane for pushing into the backfield all night. See, that's a performance I did not really see...when watching a game live I end up focusing on the guy with the ball or the guy in the backfield instead of the guy who helps free up the pass rusher.

There's not much I can say I was disappointed in, which is good. I was concerned about the offensive line heading into this season, and like you I was impressed tonight.

[b_roy7]

Nice to see Matt and Deion connect. I have Branch getting 10+ TD's this year, barring injuries.