Cigar Ideas, Sport 14: Not there but

One of many challenges of being a fan of an NFL staff— and definitely of writing about one— shouldn’t be being sucked into feeling like no matter the newest outcome was is a referendum on the staff itself. Make no mistake, the Seahawks’ efficiency tonight was a real comedy of errors and I’m not going to spend this text pretending in any other case. Seattle stunk in a sport the place their opponents have been sharp and the scoreboard mirrored it.

You don’t want a blow-by-blow account of the loss. Inexperienced Bay jumped out to an enormous lead early and leaned on it till their opponent collapsed. There was a sliver of hope that the Seahawks may punch their manner again into the battle however then Geno Smith obtained damage and the remainder of the sport turned laughable. That’s to not say that Geno was wonderful on this sport, as a result of he wasn’t, however on an evening when virtually every thing was dangerous, your solely actual probability is that your QB can create some magic down the stretch and Seattle’s hopes of a miracle evaporated as quickly because the wrap went on Smith’s knee.

All of us carry preconceived notions into every sport our favourite staff performs and we’re collectively horrible at parsing the particulars that make up every final result. These of you who’ve been alongside for the trip know the way exhausting this column tries to look at the rights and wrongs of the Seahawks’ weekly performances and I can’t assist however lament how poisonous the dialogue surrounding the staff has grow to be. And tonight’s loss definitely gained’t be the fulcrum of change in that regard.

Seattle got here into this sport driving a month-long win streak however they confirmed their entire ass to the nation towards the Packers and regardless of their (for my part spectacular) 8-6 document, there wasn’t lots to be ok with tonight. Inexperienced Bay gained the coin toss and selected to obtain the opening kick, belying the arrogance that they had of their offense to beat a protection that has been distinctive over the past month. It was an influence transfer from head coach Matt LaFleur and his swagger was validated by a crisp landing drive on the opening possession.

Jordan Love, Josh Jacobs, and the Packers OL dominated that first drive and admittedly, by no means seemed again. Make no mistake, Inexperienced Bay is an excellent staff and so they confirmed it tonight. Positive, they got here in with 4 losses however these 4 losses carried the best opponent profitable share of any staff within the final 50 years. To place it extra succinctly, if you wish to be the Packers, you higher be actually fucking good and tonight, the Seahawks have been something however.

Actually, Inexperienced Bay scored on all 4 of their first half drives and the Packers protection, among the many league’s worst in stress fee, dominated Seattle’s O-line from the leap. The outcome was a 20-3 halftime lead that the Seahawks began to carve into earlier than tragedy struck within the type of a low sort out that eliminated Geno Smith from the sport. The Packers gained just a few huge pots early within the event and performed efficient big-stack poker the remainder of the best way en path to a convincing 30-13 victory.

The loss places the ‘Hawks at 8-6— a record I think most of us would’ve readily accepted if supplied it earlier than the season— however the sword that cuts its option to 4 straight wins has two edges. The factor about current success is what it does to our expectations and I think only a few of us anticipated the beatdown we witnessed tonight.

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SMOKE RINGS

*Essentially the most discouraging side of Seahawks-centric dialogue surrounds their quarterback, who by and enormous has excelled behind an atrocious offensive line. There may be an avalanche of under-pressure metrics supporting the notion that Geno Smith is an excellent QB however there are far too many people who lack the need (or comprehension) to precisely look at Smith’s total efficiency.

But for as bullish as I’m about Smith’s total contributions, tonight was not the sport any of his supporters would maintain up as proof. Geno merely has to cease throwing interceptions within the redzone. For all of Smith’s strengths, we’re past small pattern dimension relating to money-time turnovers.

That mentioned, y’all know the way good I feel he’s and I’m not absolving him from an terrible endzone throw within the second quarter, however the hallmark of Ryan Grubb’s scheme is spacing and on that ill-fated go, there have been three Seahawks receivers inside 10 yards of one another, which invited three defenders. What’s actually irritating is that DK was singled up on the opposite aspect of the formation, which nearly by no means occurs. That interception existed on the intersection of dangerous course of and dangerous execution. And that buck stops with the quarterback. I don’t know what number of signal-callers would have and even may have excelled for Seattle tonight however Smith clearly wasn’t amongst them. Perhaps the Seahawks would have had an opportunity down the stretch if he was nonetheless on the market however he was nowhere ok total to beat the circumstances he was offered with. And I’m guessing he’d let you know precisely that in the event you requested him.

This text is prone to be over 3,000 phrases by the point it’s executed and one may simply use simply as a lot display screen house itemizing all of the measurable ways in which Geno has outplayed his state of affairs; however people who acknowledge that don’t want it and people who don’t don’t need it. However in the event you needed a visceral instance of how troublesome it’s to play quarterback behind this offensive line, permit me to introduce Sam Howell.

~There’s an previous saying that the preferred participant for many NFL groups is the backup quarterback. That’s as a result of most of us are horrible at analyzing QB play. However as quickly as Smith left, the multitude of sins that he’d been overlaying turned so evident you possibly can’t assist however snicker.

Howell entered the sport within the third quarter and dropped again 18 instances earlier than the ultimate whistle. These performs resulted in— and I can’t consider I’m typing this— 3 complete yards and an interception. Like I mentioned earlier, Smith wasn’t nice however he dropped again 22 instances behind the identical line, with the identical receivers, towards the identical protection and accomplished 78% of his passes for 125 yards.

There’s no query that the state of affairs he was thrust into was suboptimal however the subsequent time Sam Howell completes a go to his second learn can be his first. I’m not right here to shit on Sam Howell however I’m right here to shit on Seattle’s OL and Howell’s pathetic field rating says extra about how troublesome it’s to succeed behind such dismal blocking than it does about Howell’s NFL expertise or lack thereof. One factor that none of us can argue nevertheless, if we’ve got the bravery to be sincere with ourselves, is that any hope of a Seahawks win evaporated with Sam on the sphere.

“You can’t win a Super Bowl with Geno”. Effectively apparently you possibly can’t win one with Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, Jalen Hurts, or just about anybody else in addition to Tom Brady or Patrick Mahomes. And framing a QB dialogue that manner serves solely to rob us of the power to understand and dissect the infinite nuances of NFL soccer. There’s are causes all of these inarguably nice quarterbacks, plus legends like Dan Marino, Philip Rivers, Jim Kelly, and others by no means hoisted a Lombardi whereas dudes like Trent Dilfer, Nick Foles, and Jim Hostetler have. It’s as a result of soccer is a deeply sophisticated, troublesome, and maybe most significantly, random sport that throws dozens of the very best gamers on the planet on the identical subject each week. Trendy sports activities discourse, sadly, has robbed many people of the power to understand and benefit from the infinite sides of the NFL diamond. However even acknowledging that, tonight sucked and we’re all going tohave to work exhausting to keep away from doing ourselves a disservice in the best way we discuss this sport. There’s lots I’ll miss about writing this text however making an attempt to articulate QB play after losses gained’t be amongst them, lol.

So far as Smith’s prognosis goes, head coach Mike Macdonald had this to say after the sport:

“This guy is probably the toughest player I’ve ever been around. Was severe enough for him not to come back in the game. We’ll do all the tests tomorrow and figure it out as we go. Right now structurally it looks like it’s okay. Got to get it imaged and all that stuff.”

Get nicely quickly, Geno. This staff ain’t going wherever with out you.

~For all of Zach Charbonnet’s greatness final week, sport circulation robbed him of the prospect to comply with It up. I used to be happy to see Ryan Grubb proceed to make use of the lure blocking and pulling lineman that allowed Charbonnet to have a profession sport towards the Cardinals however spending 80% of the clock down by a number of scores makes it powerful to determine the kind of dashing assault that may take over a matchup.

Nonetheless, Charbonnet did nicely together with his restricted alternatives, working decisively to the tune of 54 yards on simply eight carried together with a 24-yard rating that served because the staff’s solely landing. He added 12 yards on a solitary catch to offer him 66 yards on 9 touches and let’s be actual— that’s fairly rattling good all issues thought of. There was a model of this sport that noticed that effectivity procreate over 20+ touches however the sport script by no means allowed for it.

~Tonight marks the sixth straight sport the place Jaxon Smith-Njigba led the staff in receiving. On the present this week, I requested Sheil Kapadia who the very best receiver on this staff was, and the mere proven fact that it’s a legit query is a serious feather in a really younger JSN’s cap. Right here’s what Sheil and I needed to say about it:

I nonetheless consider that the very best indicator of a staff’s largest menace is how opposing defenses play you and Cris Collinsworth did a fantastic job on the published explaining the gravity that DK Metcalf creates. That mentioned, alternatives are solely nearly as good as what you do with them and Smith-Njigba continues to maximise them. Jaxon as soon as once more led the staff in targets, catches, and yards, with 10 grabs for 83 yards on 12 alternatives. He’s fifth amongst WRs in catches and sixth in yards with 85 and 994 respectively. JSN is an issue and if groups ever swap their focus from Metcalf to him, DK is gonna detonate. It’s a fantastic state of affairs to be in and the truth that Smith-Njigba is bumping up towards the ceiling of his potential at such a younger age is a trajectory-shifting improvement for this staff shifting ahead.

~JSN’s emergence has been completely timed, as DK Metcalf continues to battle by a number of illnesses which have decreased his apply participation to the coaching room for over a month. He’s nonetheless contributing, averaging 4 catches and 60 yards since coming back from his knee and shoulder accidents, however the downfield pictures that highlighted the primary month and a half of his season have disappeared and he’s been decreased to a possession receiver the best way a leopard is resigned to consuming from a handler’s palm in a zoo. His field-flipping potential has main downstream results on this offense and eradicating that menace has exacerbated their flaws. Nonetheless, he’s being prioritized by by opposing defensive coordinators and that’s worthwhile in and of itself.

~Per week after placing forth their greatest efficiency, the O-line regressed to their lowest stage. The Packers stink at producing stress and but they did so tonight at a 50% clip. Heart Olu Oluwatimi, whose been good in reduction of Conner Williams, left early with an damage and was changed by somebody I’ve actually by no means heard of named Jalen Sundell. And he was positive, if I’m being optimistic.

Sataoa Laumea, who put a one-game spotlight reel on tape final week, seemed overmatched tonight. The factor he excelled at in Arizona have been his running-start pull-blocks within the run sport however with Seattle enjoying from behind, his deficiencies in pass-pro have been uncovered.

Inexperienced Bay hunted Seattle’s inside OL with stunts and blitzes all evening and the Seahawks trenches by no means actually adjusted. The truth that Abe Lucas blocked about in addition to I’d have definitely didn’t assist issues and I’m beginning to fear whether or not he’ll ever return to the extent of play that made him a standout as a rookie. There have been two performs I can keep in mind off high the place he was naught greater than a subway turnstile being hopped over by fare-skipping deviants.

All in all, Seattle’s offensive line performed like the primary grade soccer staff I coached years again, milling about aimlessly, seemingly distracted by dandelions and interesting-looking bugs. The quarterback discourse tends to color me, in some minds, as a Geno apologist and, by extension, a Seahawks homer however the shrewdest of you understand that’s not true. As a result of the diploma of my reward for Seattle’s talent place gamers exists in sharp reduction to the abhorrent efficiency of these paid to dam for them. I endeavor to be as harsh about Seahawks gamers as efficiency calls for and plenty of of y’all need that ire to be directed in direction of pre-held notions you could have about Geno, DK, Ken Walker, or others.

However the truth is, there’s one overwhelming weak spot on this staff that creates essential context for the extra headline-worthy discussions surrounding this staff. This O-line fucking sucks and I’m going to be borderline apopolectic if there’s not a single-minded focus aimed toward dramatically bettering it this offseason. You possibly can’t win a Tremendous Bowl with Geno Smith? Perhaps not. However you gained’t have the ability to make that analysis about any QB till the fellows blocking for him cease sucking donkey chode like their lives rely upon it.

~There’s most likely extra to say in regards to the protection than I wish to. Frankly, it’s 11:30pm and I’m not involved in a roll name of gamers who collectively performed rather less than first rate confronted with dangerous subject place towards an excellent offense. Ernest Jones had 9 ntackles and compelled a fumble however was put in a blender by Matt Lafleur’s misdirection. Coby Bryant had eight takedowns and performed fearlessly nevertheless it wasn’t even near mattering. Leonard Williams had a doubtlessly monumental tackle-for-loss on third & 1 within the second half however that was shortly undone by Howell’s interception. He’s nonetheless superior nevertheless it didn’t matter.

~I’ll say that Riq Woolen performed his worst sport of the yr. The standout high quality of nice play-callers is the power and willingness to Determine the opponent’s largest weak spot and hammer it relentlessly. Each protection metric has had Woolen within the desired quadrant this season however one thing was up with him tonight and Inexperienced Bay attacked him like an opposing boxer’s dislocated shoulder. I’m not going to fake to know why Woolen was a lot worse than he’s been for almost all of the yr, I’ll simply maintain out hope that it’ll get corrected. He was dangerous in the present day.

~Boy was it discouraging for the Seahawks to host a primetime sport and have it really feel like a impartial subject. Packers followers have been not less than as influential as Seahawks followers and I’m simply undecided what to say ab out it. The margin of defeat was larger than the lack of any crowd-influenced home-field benefit however the lack of that HFA was evident by the published and even elicited a number of feedback about it from the announcers. That sucks.

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On the finish of the day, expectations have a manner of defining our actuality and Seattle’s current four-game win streak unquestionably altered these expectations for this staff down the stretch. That mentioned, I feel most of us can be largely positive with a loss if mentioned loss had felt even remotely aggressive. However a three-score defeat has a manner of constructing us really feel just like the staff has an extended methods to go and really, I feel that’s correct. The true potential of this staff has but to be absolutely realized however I do assume an 8-6 document is fairly encouraging, all issues thought of.

A digital tie for first place with three video games to go is a actuality we’d most likely all have signed up for in August and definitely would have when the staff was 4-5. However whereas the trail to the postseason stays in Seattle’s fingers, the margin of error has dissipated to virtually nothing. Win out and also you’re in. Lose even one sport and the Seahawks’ playoff hopes grow to be weak to the whims of a blustery NFL panorama.

It doesn’t assist that Seattle’s subsequent probability at redemption comes towards an 11-2 Vikings squad however fuck it, we ball. The Seahawks’ greatest sport is nice sufficient to beat Minnesota however something lower than that may make issues very powerful. This staff is a piece in progress however they keep the power to craft their very own destiny. I can’t wait to see if and the way Seattle bounces again from a nonplussed effort tonight— such is the ever-evolving actuality on this league— and I’ll be proper again right here subsequent Sunday to assist work by whichever final result we get. Till then, onward and upward my buddies.

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***Holding this right here for the remainder of the season — simply need y’all to know the way a lot I admire y’throughout all these years***

Guys, I can’t let you know how a lot I’ve loved scripting this column over the past 13(!) years. It’s with equal components gratitude and sorrow that I announce this can be my last season writing Cigar Ideas.

Few issues have given me larger pleasure than recapping Seahawks video games for y’everywhere in the years and I’m eternally grateful for the unimaginable assist y’all have proven this column through the years. I’m proud, appreciative, and glad.

The podcast will proceed.

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As most of you understand, Cigar Ideas can also be a podcast. Take a look at this week’s dialog with The Ringer’s SHEIL KAPADIA:

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