Against Rams Seattle had a Punt return TD [Lockett], a defensive TD, won the turnover battle 3-1 and won possession by 9 minutes and sill lost. And Rams are losing to Washington now.
On Defense:
When the SeaLemmings try that High school/sandlot zone read crap, you send a guy at Lynch and one at Wilson, if Wilson tosses pitches the ball, Wilson must still be hit, REPEATEDLY!
So you’re worried about Barclay? Seattle had FOUR BARCLAYs playing last week. Week one PFF Grades after 6 sacks and 17 pressures by Rams=:
LT Russell Okung: -4.6
LG Justin Britt: -4.8
C Drew Nowak: +0.2
RG J.R. Sweezy: -6.8
RT Garry Gilliam: -11.1
I expect Okung and Sweezy to get better as they get in football shape. Raji will have another big game. Daniels after being humiliated in the film room this week and having his agent call and tell him Packers lowered their offer from $8 to $3M per year is going to come out in beastmode. Boyd I’m thinking will start for Pennell unless they’re certain he’s over the yips. I expect Jones is not in 100% football shape as he missed that last 2 PS games w/ an ankle, so I see him playing only in pass rush packages. But, if Jones is ready, I’d love to see him start at LDE. He’s the guy who can hit Wilson on that zone read and rush him if he passes. GB will control the line! Datone Jones will score 2 TDs because its what happens every time a player goes on IR and he’s replaced by a previous Packer Jones; look for Brad to be traded for in the coming weeks.
Seattle says 3rd round pick Lockett is a great route runner. Don’t know how true, but this is a guy that scares me and they’re going to try to get him isolated. He got 58 snaps out of the slot and Hyde will be unable to cover this guy. Shields should be brought into slot [Hayward and Randle Outside], when manning up on this guy. Note: Randall graded better than all rookie CBs and 4th best grade amongst all 1st rounders [+1.1 means he’s already an above average CB]. He didnt allow a catch in 5 targets and I know Cutler was “targeting” him more, he just didn’t throw it.
I’d like to see Peppers back on left to abuse Gilliam and Perry on right on run plays.
For this game I love Palmer in the middle on passing downs as he can cover Lynch or Jackson; he can spy on Wilson; he can cover Graham in short middle, etc. When Hyde’s in w/Graham, I expect Hyde to get that main assignment, although like in 2014 Saints game, Dom will have a whole bunch of others [CB, S, Lbers] covering on occasion.
Seattle converted a lot of 3rd and 1s against Rams running up the middle, because Rams stayed in nickel and base on jumbo packages. On 3rd and 1 Capers will have the fat boys in: Raji, Pennell, Boyd and maybe doughboy Daniels if they bring in a jumbo package will be more stout than the vaunted Rams DL was on 3rd and short. Seattle will convert less than 50% of these.
When Seattle comes out w/ 2 TE [about 18 times v. Rams] or a FB and TE [6 plays v. Rams] I expect the base D and CM3 in middle. I HOPE Seattle tries to run and control the clock; though wonder if Seattle held back game plan against Rams to save to for Packers to throw downfield, of course Wilson will be throwing on the run a lot.. If we get them in 2nd and 3rd and long Jones, Peppers, Neal and CM3 performed a great controlled pass rush in the champ game, we might see some Daniels sprinkled in there today.
When Seattle went w/ 3 WRs, the Rams played the entire game in a cover 2 zone w/ 5 underneath and had their DL stop the run. And Seattle rarely if ever threw deep. On several plays every pattern was a 5 yard route, which played into the strength of the D [Mama lynch was right]. I believe Bevell did this because he didn’t think Wilson would have time to throw any deeper. Not sure if he’ll have the same fear v. GB.
Our most popular zone is the cover 3 w/ 4 men under. I wonder if Capers will change up and play more cover 2 w/ 5 under. We don’t have the DL the Rams have; so the short zone will have to play the run first.
Okung has a surprising really bad game at LT. 2 years ago he was dominant; last year good, not great. He’s never played a full season his body may be breaking down.
Offense:
Sherman played in slot and Snead, the guy who was supposed to start in Chancellor’s place at S, played CB outside. This makes no sense, Sherman’s greatest strength is getting his hands on the WR at LOS. If Sherman tires to cover Cobb in slot, we need to run wheel routes with him out of backfield. It will reduce Sherman to a quick LBer trying to cover Cobb.
On D they got a new DC, he seems to be a bit more blitz happy than Quinn, hope he blitzes AR. W/o Chancellor and Maxwell, we will have our share of mismatches and the OL, even w/ Barclay, will give Aaron Rodgers time to find them. If Aaron Rodgers plays a good game the Offense should dominate and the D will be solid; if Aaron Rodgers has a bad game like in Champ game, it’ll be close.