Game: 7 Seattle @ Oakland nsfw again again

[Danny Darko]

VS.


*Once again- 'Hawk hooters stays until proven a loser.

Game 7 features a team Tony Dungy refers to as the best in the NFC (Seattle... wtf, really? yes really) vs a Raiders team that has found it's running mojo behind Darren McFadden. This matchup will be strength vs strength both directions as the resurgent Mike Williams matches against Nnamdi Asomugha. The Seahawks won their last road trip game vs the Bears, but they need a win here for many reasons including an exorcism of the ghosts of travel past.

Injury update:

Seahawks-
Okung (LT) is doubtful with a second high ankle sprain. Mebane (DT) still looks gimpy with a calf injury. Jennings (CB) has also remained out of practice with advanced midget hamstring. Stokely(WR) is iffy with an oblique. M-Robinson(FB) is doubtful with a hammy. Thurmond(CB) has some cobwebs after a hit to the head, but should play.

Raiders
QB Bruce Gradkowski (shoulder) is out. WR Murphy is out. OG Robert Gallery (calf) did not practice.


Things to Watch:

1-Raiders inside running vs the Seattle D-line. The raiders are a north/south middle of the pile running team. The Hawks faltered a bit vs Arizona without Mebane. This is a game or Cole, Lofa, and hopefully Mebane to earn their keep.

2-Williams vs Asomugha. Mike you are a jedi continue your quest.

3-Leon Washington & Golden Tate- two guys that might be due to bust a big one at any moment and may need to for us to win.

4-Russell Okung could he be back? If so, will he be effective, if not which Polumbus do we get?

5-Hass vs turnovers and sacks. The old man got roughed up last week, but didn't thrown an int can he stay turnover free and healthy at the same time?

6-Carlson has be very average this year. If he can't produce, is he working on a ticket out of town? Pete cannot be pumped or jacked for his play this season so far.

7-Bosworth 2010 watch... fair or no, the Seattle faithful patiently(yea right) away a true breakout game for Aaron Curry.

8-That new Beastmode smell, how long does it last? We hope all year.

9- Scarier: Paranormal Activity 2 or Al Davis?



Predictions-

21-20 Seattle. Seattle wins a close one on a short field after a Raider fumble score to Air Tate, a Thomas int return, and a big play from either Butler, Williams, or Forsett.

[Bulltalk]

I'm really back-and-forth about predicting the outcome of this game. I think we need to get up in their face and stop the run. Period. If we stop their running game, don't lose the turnover game, then I'm inclined to think we win the game.

Oh hell, Seahawks 20 Raiders 17.

[Sweezo]

Please God, let Mebane be healthy. I agree with everyone else in here: This game totally hinges on our ability to stop the run. We've done well to stop the run all year, although the Cardinals got some traction against us without Mebane in there.

Seahawks 21, Raiders 14

P.S. Worst. Nick Fury. Ever.

[Bulltalk]

Alright. I'm a bit excited. This should be a good game. Let's get it on!

[Bulltalk]

Tight game. We've had ourselves some untimely penalties.

Ugh! That 4th down TD really sucked. Our offense is going to have to get on track now.

[Bulltalk]

5 for 5 in three-and-outs for our offense. Come on! Can we get a first down, for heaven's sake. Where in the hell did Mike Williams disappear to?

If I was a coach, I would have torn Clemons a new arsehole for that penalty. That was awful.

[Bulltalk]

PLEASE! Cease with the effing penalties.

[Bulltalk]

I give up. Williams drops a TD or first and goal from the one catch right in his hands, and then Mare misses a chip-shot FG. Our offense is playing like we don't want to win this game. Just bleh. I think we need the defense to score a TD for us.

[Sweezo]

Our offense is broken. I have no idea how to fix it. The pass pro has been poor and Hass holds on to the ball too damn long.

[Bulltalk]

Our offense is broken. I have no idea how to fix it. The pass pro has been poor and Hass holds on to the ball too damn long.

It was just the most dispirited offensive performance. I don't know any other way to put it. It was like they didn't want to be there. No one would step up and make a play when we needed it. No one. How many balls were in the hands of Butler that he didn't come up with? I think five. True, they all were difficult catches; but couldn't he have come up with one of them? Then all the stupid penalties in the first half at critical times. Drive killers.

On a side note, can I please have my weekend back. I spent like 6-7 hours watching my Huskies and Seahawks. I went 7 quarters and 5 minutes without a point before the Hawks finally kicked a FG. The Huskies turned in a defensive performance in the first half yesterday that equalled or surpassed the worst Husky defensive performance I've ever seen. I knew we were a bad defensive team, but we didn't stop ONE element of their offense ever.

Now, both teams were underdogs going into the weekend, the Huskies clearly so. That I know. But both teams put in hideous, dispirited and embarrassing performances. They didn't show up to play the game.

As for my pregame prognostication...we didn't stop the run, and they won the turnover game. That's for sure.

Stanford/Oakland 74 Huskies/Seahawks 3.

Goodnight.

[Sweezo]

Whitehurst took some snaps at the end...why? To send a message? Protect Hass? Get Charlie comfy?

Thankfully I get to root for the ducks instead of thtr huskies so this year has been ok for me. Speaking of the huskies...what the he'll is wrong with Locker? Should he even be on this team's first round draft board?

[Bulltalk]

Whitehurst took some snaps at the end...why? To send a message? Protect Hass? Get Charlie comfy?

Thankfully I get to root for the ducks instead of thtr huskies so this year has been ok for me. Speaking of the huskies...what the he'll is wrong with Locker? Should he even be on this team's first round draft board?

Any good pro scout watching the game yesterday would have concluded that there was NEXT TO NOTHING Jake could have done to have a better game. I truly felt sorry for him yesterday. He didn't have a chance. Luck would have been just as bad had the cleats been on the other feet.

Time out for my Husky-Duck-Hate for a second...the Ducks look awesome this year. I don't think I can even watch the game next weekend. You guys could drop 70 on us and it wouldn't surprise me in the least. I'm not going to do that to myself again next weekend. I can't see anyone beating you guys the rest of the way. That' means BCS title game for you.

[Sweezo]

Thanks! I'm actually going to the game this next weekend! The other half and I are driving down to Eugene for the weekend [she's a Husky]. When the season was just getting started I thought it was going to be quite a game and bought tickets. But then Oregon ended up being better than I thought they would and the Huskies have struggled, so I tend to agree with your assessment of it. But I don't mean that in a smug way...I'd like to see the Pac NW schools battling for the top spot in the conference. It's way more fun to beat your rivals when they're good.

I really wish the Ducks would get a shot at Boise State, considering how things went against them last year. But oh well...if we survive and get to face Auburn, it's going to be a heck of an offensive match-up.

As for Locker, I'm still up for drafting the guy, but I don't think he's one of those rookie QBs who could come in immediately and be a big difference maker. He needs some time to learn, and we may need to get the right side of our line fixed in a big way for any rookie QB to stand a chance. Andrews and Locklear are looking worse as the season goes along.

[Bulltalk]

Thanks! I'm actually going to the game this next weekend! The other half and I are driving down to Eugene for the weekend [she's a Husky]. When the season was just getting started I thought it was going to be quite a game and bought tickets. But then Oregon ended up being better than I thought they would and the Huskies have struggled, so I tend to agree with your assessment of it. But I don't mean that in a smug way...I'd like to see the Pac NW schools battling for the top spot in the conference. It's way more fun to beat your rivals when they're good.

I really wish the Ducks would get a shot at Boise State, considering how things went against them last year. But oh well...if we survive and get to face Auburn, it's going to be a heck of an offensive match-up.

As for Locker, I'm still up for drafting the guy, but I don't think he's one of those rookie QBs who could come in immediately and be a big difference maker. He needs some time to learn, and we may need to get the right side of our line fixed in a big way for any rookie QB to stand a chance. Andrews and Locklear are looking worse as the season goes along.

I agree about Locker. He'll need time. When I look at Jake, there are some things that can't be questioned about him, and I believe he'll wow pro scouts at the combines about them. He's got great character/leadership qualities; he's got breathtaking athletic ability; he's got the physical size to be a pro QB; he's got all the QB tools to be a top flight QB at the pro level (arm strength and the like).

What Jake has disappointed somewhat in is what I would call that QB enzyme, or QB moxie. He has been inconsistent in his "knack" for playmaking, for making the right play at the right time. That is the only thing about his QB package that people in-the-know are truly questioning, the consistency of his playmaking ability.

I'll admit that I'm a little concerned about this in Jake as well now. But I also must say that it's REAL HARD to make accurate assessments/projections about this ability in him. Think about it. He was red-shirted his freshman year. He had Willingham as a coach who was a poor recruiter. He had a former RB as his QB coach his first three years. When Sark finally arrived his junior year, he dramatically improved, and his draft stock rose greatly.

This year has been a bit disappointing in his development, but the Huskies are so undermanned on the OL it's ridiculous. TE (awful); LT (disappointing this year, average at best); C (poor); RG (true freshman); RT (true freshman). Stanford threw this line around like so many rag-dolls. Jake has also been quite bludgeoned this year, and some think he's been playing with broken ribs. I would argue that by far the reason the Huskies won most of the games they did the past year was because Jake played so well in those particular games.

It wil be interesting to see what his draft stock will be next spring.

[Danny Darko]

Hass is out with a concussion it looks like. We might see our first of Charlie vs the Giants.

Hass, Williams, Tate, Okung, Polumbus, Hamilton, Cole, Bryant, Mebane? Wow we are the injury kings again.

[Bulltalk]

I really question the idea of going to an 18 schedule in the NFL. For the injury reason alone.

[Danny Darko]

I really question the idea of going to an 18 schedule in the NFL. For the injury reason alone.

Yeah, at this rate football players aren't just getting sprains, they die early. The quality of the product they put on the field gets diluted and really two extra games doesn't matter to me personally at all for extra entertainment value or to prove who's the best team.