Knapp and Hasselbeck put on a show
If we (and Brock Huard) have got the count right, Matt Hasselbeck was touched twice (2 times) by the St. Louis Rams on Sunday.
Once he was bowled over to the ground after throwing a pass, and another time he was sort of chest-bumped-hugged after a throw. The other 30-odd plays on which he passed, he wasn't even touched.
The Rams lost 14 games last year, but they do not have poor defensive ends. They've got a star at one end, and a physically freakish young talent at the other end.
The Rams dogged and blitzed a lot. They were going against a second-string offensive line, so to speak. They never touched Hasselbeck.
Whyfor?
Huard explained on the radio.
..............
First of all, Huard reminded that he'd backed up for Peyton Manning his ownself, and that Sunday's display looked just like a Manning game. From the standpoint of pass rushing.
What the key was NOT, according to Brock, was not the sterling play of the offensive line. Huard gave the OL its due, wasn't trying to disrespect them... but still, if fans were to high-five about how underrated the offensive line is, it would be missing the point.
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=== Key 1 - the Shotgun ===
Apparently Holmgren has never liked the shotgun, and in many years didn't use it at all. But in passing situations the Seahawks went to the shotgun, and they went to it early.
This is key in those situations when the defense is pinning its ears back and going after the passer with no respect for the run. It's a question of being quicker than the defense is, and the shotgun is the difference, much of the time, for Manning in Indianapolis.
This plays off of key 2 ...
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=== Key 2 - Hasselbeck's Vision ===
The Rams cornerback-blitzed four times, according to Huard, resulting in:
12 yards to Burleson
10 yards to Burleson
12 yards to Burleson
Incomplete, missed communication with Houshmandzadeh
We saw this twice on DVR, ourselves. Not only did Hasselbeck read the corner blitz, he read it so early that the corners took only a few steps in, before the ball went sizzling over their heads for completions. You're not going to have a lot of fun that way. The Rams stopped trying.
...........
But the fact that Hasselbeck was in the shotgun, was the thing that amplified his natural ability to read and exploit defenses after the snap.
along with...
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=== Key 3 - 'Scan' Protection ===
For whatever reason, Mike Holmgren didn't like roving backs, picking up whichever pass rusher came free. He used pre-assigned schemes. On Sunday, under Knapp, the Seahawks allowed Jones to rove and seal the pocket as needed. The results were awe-inspiring.
This seems obvious, of course. But you know that if you asked Mike Holmgren, he could list technical reasons that he prefers not to use the 'scan defense' as Huard called it.
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=== Results ===
Whatever the debate that would occur between Holmgren and Mora about Holmgren's pass-protection philosophy vs Mora's, the proof is in the pudding. The Seahawks switched to Mora's / Knapp's / Peyton Manning's pass-protect philosophy ... and the result was 0 sacks, 1 knockdown, and 1 hurry.
Mora and Knapp weren't out to justify their own Mastery Of The Art Of Passing. They were out to exploit Matt Hasselbeck's strengths, and that was exactly what occurred.
Am excited to see if Hasselbeck repeats these Marino-like, clean-uniform performances over the next few weeks.
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=== New Broom Sweeps Clean ===
Bill James has pointed out that the vast majority of Cinderella seasons, and huge turnarounds, come after the manager is changed.
Often this is because the new manager -- if talented -- sees the problems and quirks that the old manager was too stubborn to change. (Don Wakamatsu immediately got rid of clubhouse dissension, and he got rid of static Entitlement playing-time schedules, creating PT competition. Mike Hargrove saw neither the vet/rookie sniping, nor the lack of competition, as a serious problem.)
After one game, I'm beginning to suspect that the great Mike Holmgren had become too stubborn, too vested in vindicating his own schemes. Mora and Knapp, if more flexible, are in a position to immediately take over and exploit the many resources and strengths that Holmgren developed over the years.
I'm psyched. For a year or two, the Seahawks may get all the goodie from the Holmgren era PLUS the goodie from the Mora / Knapp era.
Cheers,
Dr D