..next Seattle Seahawks - with the NFL’s Top Defense ~ ~ ~

[kelly]

The Buzz: Since the Pete Carroll regime began in 2010, the Seahawks have made the playoffs in five of six seasons and they claimed a Super Bowl win in 2013. Sunday’s matchup will be the ‘Hawks first time back at MetLife Stadium since they passed around the Lombardi Trophy following a 43-8 shellacking of the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII. Last season, the ‘Hawks clinched a wild card berth and squeaked by the Minnesota Vikings before losing to the NFC Champion Carolina Panthers in the divisional round. This season, Carroll’s club is off to a 2-1 start with both wins coming at CenturyLink Field.

Offense
The Staples: Fifth-year QB Russell Wilson hit the ground running as a pro. Since being drafted in 2012, Wilson has played in two Super Bowls, been named to three Pro Bowls and he led the NFL in passer rating in 2015. With a career passer rating of 101.1, Wilson has thrown for 108 touchdowns to his 35 interceptions while completing 64.7% of his passes. What makes the former baseball player extremely dangerous is his ability to tuck it and run — he’s rushed for 2,463 yards and 12 touchdowns in four-plus seasons. Wilson suffered a sprained MCL in week three against the 49ers, so his scrambling ability could be impacted against the Jets on Sunday.

The Seahawks don’t have a prototypical number one receiver, but Doug Baldwin is their go-to wideout. The 5’10”, 192-pounder had his best statistical season in 2015, recording 1,069 yards and 14 touchdowns. Baldwin is off to a hot start in 2016 as he already has hauled in 20 receptions for 276 yards with 1 TD.

New Faces: RB Marshawn Lynch retired in the offseason, leaving the Seahawks with a new look in the backfield. His replacement, Thomas Rawls, has received a limited amount of work because of a lower leg contusion that held him out in week three. Consequently, the bulk of the load has fallen on fourth-year player Christine Michael, who rushed for 106 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday’s 37-18 romp over the San Francisco 49ers.

Defense

The Anchors: The Seahawks are notorious for having a stellar defense as they’ve finished with a top four unit every year since 2012. They currently rank No. 1 in total defense (250.3 yards per game) and No. 2 in scoring defense (12.3 points per game). The secondary, better known as The Legion of Boom, accounts for 12 Pro Bowl bids between the starting players. CB Richard Sherman only had two interceptions last season, but his ball-hawking ability has steered quarterbacks elsewhere on the field. Safeties Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor have earned a reputation as one of the top duos in the league.

The Silent Hero: Similar to  David Harris , Seahawks MLB Bobby Wagner keeps a low profile off the field. However, Wagner’s persona on the field is a different story. In his rookie season, Wagner racked up 140 total tackles, three interceptions and four passes defended. The Utah State product has posted at least 100 tackles in each season since, as well as 19 more PDs, three picks and two forced fumbles. Last week, Wagner intercepted 49ers QB Blaine Gabbert and knocked down two passes.

Injuries
Wilson suffered a sprained MCL in Sunday’s win and Rawls is still recovering from a lower leg contusion.

> http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-7/Scouting-the-Opponent-Seattle-Seahawks/fa7525b0-5bcf-42d3-8d2f-01f9c9a85da8

[kelly]

Only a day after seeing his quarterback go down with a knee injury, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll was confident Monday that Russell Wilson will be back on the practice field this week.“He’s remarkably well off for having a play like that,” Carroll said. “He looks very good, he’s very upbeat and positive about feeling like he’s going to be fine. It was just all positive.”

Carroll cautioned that it’s early in the week and they’ll have to see how Wilson responds to the work he does in practice and rehab, but as of now it appears Wilson is on track to play when the Seahawks face the Jets on Sunday.“We haven’t seen him do anything other than just convince me of that thought,” Carroll said. “He’s done a very good job so far… We’ll see, we’re planning on practicing him Wednesday.

“We’ll see what happens. Wednesday is a big day to see where he is. He looks fine, so I’m not that deeply concerned about it. I wish it didn’t happen, that he didn’t get banged, but I think he’s going to be all right.”

Wilson is also still recovering from the ankle injury sustained in Seattle’s Week 1 win over the Miami Dolphins, but Carroll said that injury is less of a concern at this point.“He’ll still work on his ankle a little bit, but it feels really good, and he was very fortunate to get out of the game without any setbacks at all,” Carroll said. “He looked good moving around, he looked better than he did a week ago, so he looked fine when he was playing.”

Carroll also noted that Wilson’s injury, which is an MCL sprain, is one that other Seahawks have played through in the past.“What he has, a lot of guys play with,” he said. “This is something our trainers have been through a number of times, and they know this is really possible that he’ll be fine, but he still has to respond to the work on Wednesday and Thursday and we’ll see how he gets through it. We’ll be watching it very closely to do the right thing to make sure that we ensure his health and his well-being moving forward, and our team’s well-being moving forward and all of that. We’ll take all of that into account.”  Read

Thomas Rawls out “a few more weeks”

 

Seahawks running back Thomas Rawls missed Sunday’s game with a shin injury sustained in Seattle’s Week 2 game at Los Angeles, and additional tests Monday revealed the injury is more serious than the Seahawks initially realized.“They were able to find a little something in there in the evaluations today that wasn’t clear a week ago, but it makes sense for how uncomfortable he was feeling,” Carroll said. “He’s got a little crack there that we just have to take care of and wait it out a little bit. He’s not going to be incapacitated by it at all, he’ll be able to move around and all that kind of stuff, but we just have to be careful and get him through a few more weeks before we can get him back out.”

 

Other injuries

Rookie guard Germain Ifedi, who missed the first three games with an ankle injury, is “doing quite well,” Carroll said, and on track to practice this week and perhaps make his regular-season debut on Sunday.

“He’s really excited about coming back,” Carroll said. “He was really close last week. You wouldn’t know that there’s anything wrong with him at this point. He’ll put the days together. He worked really hard today and he’ll take a light day tomorrow, then he’ll get after it and practice with us on Wednesday. That gives him a chance to get right back in there if he can put together day after day. It’s really a day-to-day thing to see how he responds to the work, but today was really a big indicator that he’s in good shape and ready to go.”

Carroll said that when Ifedi returns, it will be as a starter. Ifedi had been Seattle’s starting right guard throughout training camp and the preseason. J’Marcus Webb has started there in Ifedi’s place the past three games.Running back C.J. Prosise could also return this week after missing the past two games with a cracked bone in his hand. Prosise has been practicing, but considering that his position requires carrying and catching the football, the Seahawks have kept him out of the past two games. That could change this week, particularly with Rawls again sidelined.

“Like I’ve said the last couple of weeks, he’s practicing with us, he’s doing everything in practice, so he’s up with us in terms of staying abreast of the game plan and getting his work, he’s in good shape and all of that,” Carroll said. “(Rawls’ injury) will necessitate a more serious look at getting him out there. I would think he’d be able to play this weekend.

Rookie tight end Nick Vannett could also be back this week after missing the first three games with an ankle injury. He will practice this week, but Carroll indicated they’ll have to figure out how to work him back into the game plan at a position group with three players already contributing to the offense.

“We’re counting on him making it through this week, and we’ll find out where we can fit him into the game plan,” Carroll said. “We were really excited about Nick before he got banged up, blocking and receiving, so we’re anxious to see where it kind of settles here. It’ll be a little bit difficult to figure it all out because we only have a few days of practice to sort that out. Our guys have done a nice job at the position—Brandon Williams has done a nice job along with Jimmy (Graham) and Luke (Willson), but it’s a great problem to figure out, because Nick was very impressive early on, so we’ll see where that picks up from here.”

> http://www.seahawks.com/news/2016/09/26/seahawks-quarterback-russell-wilson-“looks-fine”-expected-practice-wednesday

[kelly]

Mike SandoESPN Senior Writer 

Most receiving yards for tight ends in Week 3: Coby Fleener 109, Jimmy Graham 100.

 

> http://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/sea/seattle-seahawks

[JustInFudge]

Jimmy Graham might break a single game record this week vs. these bozo's who drafted a LB'er to cover TE's but isnt asked to cover TE's because he's too short to cover TE's.

[kelly]

Sheil KapadiaESPN Writer 

Pete Carroll on Russell Wilson: "What he has, a lot of guys play with." Carroll says the training staff knows how to manage the MCL sprain. Sounds more optimistic than this morning about Wilson's chances for playing.

Share

 

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20h

 

>  http://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/sea/seattle-seahawks

[kelly]

BARNWELL : SEATTLE'S D IS AGAIN NFL'S BEST

Denver's defense still looks great, but Bill Barnwell sides with the Seahawks. Among the evidence: Seattle has dominated without many forcing turnovers, which are sure to come at some point. Stacking the best defenses

 

>          http://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/sea/seattle-seahawks

[kelly]

After rushing for a career-high 106 yards and his first two NFL touchdowns, Seattle running back Christine Michael is one of three players nominated for Ground Player of the Week at NFL.com.

Michael carried 20 times in the Seahawks' 37-18 win over the San Francisco 49ers at CenturyLink Field, averaging 5.3 yards per carry. He put Seattle on the scoreboard twice in the opening quarter, sprinting 41 yards for the end zone on the team's third play from scrimmage and crossing the goal line again on the next possession from four yards out to stake the Seahawks an early 14-0 lead.

"This is really a time for Christine," Carroll said Monday of the fourth-year pro, a 2013 second-round pick by Seattle who rejoined the Seahawks late last season after stints with the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins. "His eyes are wide open and he’s kind of taking everything in. I think he’s thrilled about how things have gone since he’s returned. He’s really excited about what his role is that he can play with this team.

 

"That was such a great explosion early in the game. A statement to get us going. It kind of answered to something. We wanted to get on the scoreboard and do it in the running game if we could. All of that stuff. Then to get his first touchdown as well and he had a 100-yard game and all that. I think there was just a lot of positives. Kind of like he’s starting over again, so I think it’s quite all right for him to kind of feel like a rookie starting up. Then being excited about all that kind of stuff in that kind of fashion. So it’s a good story.”

For NFL.com's Ground Player of the Week honor, Michael finds himself up against Bills running back LeSean McCoy, who rushed for 110 yards and two touchdowns in Buffalo's 33-18 win over the Arizona Cardinals, and Patriots running back LeGarrette Blount, who rushed for 105 and two touchdowns in New England's 27-0 victory against the Houston Texans.

Fans can cast a vote for Michael right here.

 

>  http://www.seahawks.com/news/2016/09/27/seahawks-running-back-christine-michael-ground-player-week-nflcom

[kelly]

A high-ankle sprain has forced Seahawks first-round pick Germain Ifedi to miss Seattle’s first three games against the Miami Dolphins, Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers.But Ifedi could finally make his regular season debut this Sunday against the New York Jets.“He’s doing quite well,” head coach Pete Carroll said on Monday. “He’s really excited about coming back. He was really close last week, you wouldn’t know that there was anything wrong with him at this point.”

Ifedi returned to limited participation in practice on Friday for the first time since suffering the injury in the Wednesday practice before the season opener with Miami. J’Marcus Webb has started the first three games of the season in Ifedi’s place at right guard. Carroll said that once Ifedi is ready to go, he’ll jump right back in the starting lineup.“He worked really hard today and he’ll take a light day tomorrow, then he’ll get after it and practice with us on Wednesday,” Carroll said. “I think that gives him a chance to get right back in there, if he can put together a day after today. It’s really a day-to-day thing and see how he responds to the work. Today was a really big indicator that he’s in good shape and ready to go.”

Ifedi’s return would be welcomed by Seattle, but it also would create some question marks. The Seahawks have to face one of the best defensive lines in the league in the Jets and they have a quarterback in Russell Wilson with a sprained right ankle and sprained MCL in his left knee. Jets head coach Todd Bowles loves to bring pressure as well. Seattle feels strongly about Ifedi’s potential, but it wouldn’t be the easiest first test this weekend.

>       http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/09/27/seahawks-first-round-pick-germain-ifedi-could-make-debut-this-week/

[Gastineau Lives]

Dolphins, Rams, 49'ers.

[kelly]

-- Russell Wilson's left knee is hurting. So are the New York Jets.

There's your storyline for Sunday's game at MetLife Stadium, where the Jets (1-2) hope to wash away the stink from last week's eight-turnover debacle in Kansas City. It won't be easy to resolve their offensive issues against the Seattle Seahawks (2-1), who lead the NFL in fewest yards allowed. Their secondary is better than that of the Chiefs, who intercepted Ryan Fitzpatrick six times.

The Jets may catch a break if Wilson, so dangerous outside the pocket, is limited by his sprained MCL. That would eliminate a dimension from their offense, which struggled in the first two games before blowing out the San Francisco 49ers.So far, the Jets are 1-0 against former coaches (Rex Ryan). They're looking to make it 2-0 by beating Pete Carroll.

Here's a look at six Seattle players to watch, courtesy of ESPN Seahawks reporter Sheil Kapadia :

OFFENSE

QB Russell Wilson: Injuries have been the story with him through the first three weeks. Wilson suffered a right high ankle sprain in Week 1 and a sprained MCL in his left knee Sunday against the 49ers. Pete Carroll said he expects Wilson to start, but they’ll be monitoring his workload throughout the week, and he’ll likely be dealing with limited mobility come game time.

RB Christine Michael: With Thomas Rawls (fibula) banged-up, the Seahawks are counting on Michael to carry the load. He’s ninth in the NFL in rushing yards (232) and is averaging 5.16 YPC. The Seahawks’ run blocking was much better against the 49ers than it was in Weeks 1 and 2.

WR Doug Baldwin: He’s developed into one of the most efficient wide receivers in the NFL. Baldwin has 276 yards (ninth) through three games and has caught 76.9 percent of his targets. He’ll do most of his damage from the slot and is a refined route runner with great hands.

DEFENSE

CB Richard Sherman: It’s flown under the radar, but he’s been fantastic through the first three games. Sherman nearly had his first pick of the season against the Niners, and quarterbacks have rarely tested him. Defensive coordinator Kris Richard is willing to have Sherman travel if it makes sense from a matchup standpoint. But usually, he’ll line up on the left side of the defense.

SS Kam Chancellor: He’s back to looking like his old self. Last season, Chancellor held out through the first two games and battled some injuries. But this year, he once again looks like an impact player. Chancellor is great against the run and delivered several punishing hits in last week’s win.

DE Michael Bennett: He’s a consistent disruptive force on the defensive line. Bennett lines up at defensive end in the Seahawks’ base look and swings inside to rush the passer when they are in nickel. He has a pair of sacks and three tackles for loss so far this season.

>       http://www.espn.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/63425/seahawks-are-coming-to-town-and-the-jets-should-be-concerned

[PepPep]

19 hours ago, JiF said:

Jimmy Graham might break a single game record this week vs. these bozo's who drafted a LB'er to cover TE's but isnt asked to cover TE's because he's too short to cover TE's.

He happens to be playing great for a rookie.

Most of the "Lee is a midget" trolls have hobbled back to their caves. Now its your turn. 

[ASH1962]

I say we get absolutely obliterated Sunday and do not score more than 6 points. We are counting on Seattle injuries in order to be competitive? That is ridiculous. I am already looking for other things to do on Sundays to be honest after last weeks fiasco. I mean sports are supposed to be entertaining and enjoyable, not to eat my guts out each week and wake up depressed every Monday.

[kelly]

Should the Seahawks sit Russell Wilson against the Jets ?

 

Every weekday morning, we'll round up local and national Seattle Seahawks-related links.

Larry Stone of The Seattle Times thinks the Seahawks should sit Russell Wilsonvs. the New York Jets:

Wilson has proven his toughness beyond anyone’s questioning. And he has shown his improvisational genius, both in his dazzling ability to create plays out of seeming disaster, and, in a new wrinkle Sunday, sneaking back onto the field under his coach’s nose.

But the Seahawks need Wilson at his best, for the long haul. And that may well mean not giving him a chance to flaunt his recuperative powers or his imperviousness to pain — or, for that matter, his bench elusiveness -- Sunday against the New York Jets in East Rutherford.

rest of above article : 

>     http://www.espn.com/blog/seattle-seahawks/post/_/id/22223/should-the-seahawks-sit-russell-wilson-against-the-jets

[jeremy2020]

21 hours ago, kelly said:

BARNWELL : SEATTLE'S D IS AGAIN NFL'S BEST

Denver's defense still looks great, but Bill Barnwell sides with the Seahawks. Among the evidence: Seattle has dominated without many forcing turnovers, which are sure to come at some point. Stacking the best defenses

 

>          http://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/sea/seattle-seahawks

Fitz licking his lips...thinks he can not just get a Jets record, but all time record.

[Beerfish]

1 hour ago, PepPep said:

He happens to be playing great for a rookie.

Most of the "Lee is a midget" trolls have hobbled back to their caves. Now its your turn. 

Not vs the pass he isn't.

[kelly]

jets by 7..

 

 

 

cheers ~ ~ 

[JustInFudge]

3 hours ago, PepPep said:

He happens to be playing great for a rookie.

Most of the "Lee is a midget" trolls have hobbled back to their caves. Now its your turn. 

Lee has been outstanding.  Definitely looks the part.  For some reason they dont allow him to guard the TE.  I assume because he's short.  Otherwise, explain why slow ass David Harris is covering Kelce and not Lee.

This wasnt a knock on Lee, it was knock on the coaching staff. 

But I appreciate your dig.  It's cute.  Like you. 

[kelly]

- Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll was asked Wednesday whether he'd be surprised if Russell Wilson were to miss this week's game against the New York Jets.

"Yeah, I would be surprised," Carroll said. "He's pretty determined to get this done."

Wilson suffered an MCL sprain in his left knee during the third quarter of the team's Week 3 win over the San Francisco 49ers. He returned to the field after missing one snap but then was pulled in favor of backup Trevone Boykin. The Seahawks had a 27-3 lead at the time.

Wilson has never missed a start in his NFL career. Carroll said he would practice on Wednesday."He's doing well," Carroll said. "He's going along just like we've seen the last few weeks. He's upbeat and feeling good, and he's worked really, really hard to do everything he can to be right, and he's going to go. We'll know more after today what he feels like."

Carroll said earlier in the week that Wilson would likely wear a knee brace if he played.This is the second injury Wilson has dealt with through the first three weeks of the season. He suffered a right high ankle sprain in Week 1.

>       http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/17663295/pete-carroll-says-surprised-russell-wilson-play-sunday

[kelly]

6 Storylines to Watch: Jets-Seahawks

 

Ground Attack: Despite a 1-2 start, the Jets have gotten solid efforts in the rush game as their 59-yard differential (130.7 rush yards per game and 71.7 yards allowed per game) ranks No. 2 in the NFL.  While backup Christine Michael leads the ‘Hawks with 232 yards and is averaging 5.2 yards a pop, they are missing Thomas Rawls to injury (hairline fracture) and QB Russell Wilson has been limited to 33 yards on the ground. Marshawn Lynch hung up the cleats and yet Seattle has still out-rushed its opponent in two of their first three contests. Matt Forté ’s 261 rush yards rank sixth in the NFL while Bilal Powell has averaged 8.1 yards on his nine carries.

The Iron Man: Wilson has never missed a start in the National Football League, totaling 77 in all (67 regular season, 10 postseason). Despite suffering a sprained right ankle in Week 1 and then a sprained MCL of his left knee Week 3, Wilson is expected to suit up once again Sunday. If the ultra-competitive Wilson is down, then Seattle would turn to rookie QB Trevone Boykin for his first NFL start.  Wilson’s franchise-record 101.1 passer rating ranks second all-time in NFL history. He practiced Wednesday and Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said he’d be surprised if a determined Wilson does not play at MetLife Stadium.

Setting the Edge: Both Wilson and Boykin own quick feet and they can be elusive targets. Wilson creates trouble by getting outside of contain, so the Jets will stress discipline within their rush lanes.  The Seahawks have allowed seven sacks and the Jets have racked up nine sacks over three contests.  By creating interior pressure, the Green & White can take away throwing paths from the 5’11” Wilson or the 6’1” Boykin. The Jets will counter with a defensive line featuring some long trees in Leonard Williams (6’5”), Muhammad Wilkerson (6’4”), and Sheldon Richardson (6’3”) and Steve McLendon (6’3).

Lowering the Boom: Can the Jets pass offense get back on track against perhaps the most talented secondary in all of football?  After Jets QB Ryan Fitzpatrick carved up the Bills secondary, he was victimized by six interceptions in a loss to the Chiefs. But Fitzpatrick has turned the page and he vows to be ready for a group that includes CB Richard Sherman and stud safeties Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas. The ‘Hawks rank No. 2 in pass defense (162.7 yards per game) and No. 2 in scoring defense (12.3 points per contest), but the Green & White will counter with a WR group that features Brandon Marshall and Quincy Enunwa . Eric Decker aggravated his shoulder injury against the Chiefs and he is expected to have an MRI this week.

Early Alarm Clock: The old adage was West Coast teams hated coming east and getting ready for those early kickoffs. But since 2013, Carroll’s club has compiled a 7-5 mark in its last 12 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff starts.  The Jets, who went 6-2 at home last season, will have a whiteout at MetLife Stadium.

Security and Red: Both the Jets (-7) and the Seahawks (-4) are not where they want to be in terms of turnover differential. Last season, the ‘Hawks finished T5 in that department at +7 and the Green & White were right behind at No. 8 (+6). Inside the 20, both offenses have struggled to find the end zone as the ‘Hawks are T25 in red zone efficiency and the Jets are No. 28 (37.5%). If the Jets protect the football, they should be in this ball game at the end. An amazing stat for the Seahawks is they have a streak of 91 games (including playoffs) where they have led or been within one score in the final quarter.

>     http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-7/6-Storylines-to-Watch-Jets-Seahawks/a20590a5-7a88-4faa-9096-4fe679990811

[Sperm Edwards]

This was a team loss. 

 

(Just practicing ahead of time. It looks like some of you practice.)

[kelly]

The Seattle Seahawks' offense exploded for 37 points in this past Sunday's win against the San Francisco 49ers.

With an eye toward this coming Sunday's matchup against the New York Jets, here are some things that stood out after rewatching the offense's performance vs. the 49ers.

1. With Thomas Rawls (fibula) sidelined, Christine Michael is going to have to carry the load, and he looked more than capable against San Francisco. Michael carried 20 times for 106 yards, and the offensive line delivered perhaps its best run-blocking performance of the season. Michael gained 85 yards before contact, according to ESPN Stats & Information. That was second most among all NFL backs in Week 3. Michael showed tremendous burst throughout.

On Michael's 41-yard touchdown run in the first minute of the game, offensive linemen Justin Britt, Mark Glowinski and Bradley Sowell did a great job. And wide receiver Tanner McEvoy helped spring Michael at the second level.Michael is also doing the little things. He did a good job picking up a blitzer on Russell Wilson's touchdown pass to Jimmy Graham in the second quarter.

The Seahawks now face a tough challenge against the Jets' defensive line and a unit that ranks sixth against the run so far this season.

2. With Tyler Lockett bothered by a knee injury, the Seahawks went with multiple tight ends on 36 of 65 snaps (55.4 percent), running for 97 yards and averaging 4.62 yards per carry out of two- and three-tight-end sets.

Luke Willson was used in an H-back-type role and was heavily involved in the run game."He did well," Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. "He was comfortable with it. He’s really pumped up about anything that he gets to do to add to the team, so he was excited about the chance and he looked pretty comfortable. He’ll definitely improve in the next couple weeks. It’s a really good role for him, and it makes us a little versatile in that substitution. That’s a good positive thing for us."

We'll see in future weeks whether this was a game plan deal or something the Seahawks intend to use regularly. My hunch is they'll still be mostly an 11 personnel (one RB, one TE) team.

3. Since Week 10 of last season (an 11-game span), Doug Baldwin has 1,000 receiving yards. That's third in the NFL behind only Antonio Brown and Julio Jones.

On the first series of the game, the Seahawks used a switch verticals concept to free Baldwin for a 34-yard gain. The 59-yarder later in the game came on double posts, as Baldwin separated from the defensive back and Wilson made a tremendous throw. And the touchdown from Trevone Boykin to Baldwin came on a snag/flat, a staple of the Seahawks' offense.

Baldwin has 276 receiving yards (ninth in the NFL) through three games and has caught 76.9 percent of his targets.

4. We got a glimpse of what the offense would look like with Boykin at quarterback. The rookie completed 7 of 9 passes for 65 yards, a touchdown and an interception.With Boykin, the Seahawks used a lot of run-pass options, which he is familiar with from his days at TCU, and plenty of zone read.The Seahawks' playbook would shrink if they had to play Boykin for a whole game, but they don't have to change the run game and can rely on some of the core concepts he's familiar with.

5. The Seahawks are hoping to get Germain Ifedi back at right guard this week. Ifedi suffered a high ankle sprain before the opener but had a strong summer. If healthy, he'll take over for J'Marcus Webb.Wilson has been sacked on 6.2 percent of his dropbacks, which ranks 22nd in the league. After three games last season, that number was 9.4 percent (31st).

On average, Wilson is getting rid of the ball in 2.39 seconds (11th fastest). If he plays Sunday with the knee sprain, the game plan once again will call for Wilson to operate from the pocket and get rid of the ball quickly.

>       http://www.espn.com/blog/seattle-seahawks/post/_/id/22234/christine-michael-set-to-carry-the-load-for-the-seahawks

[kelly]

"Everything you need to know about the Seahawks: From Russell Wilson to Richard Sherman"..

>       http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2016/09/everything_you_need_to_know_about_the_seahawks_fro.html#0

[kelly]

— Jets safety Marcus Gilchrist is well into his film study of theSeahawks' offense. He has started to look at their tendencies, go-to plays, schematics and offensive techniques.He has also broken down the film of some of their best players, which includes tight end Jimmy Graham.And that has led Gilchrist to a pretty straightforward conclusion: Those critics that say Graham isn't the same player he was in New Orleans? Yeah, they're dead wrong. 

"I think he's still the same caliber of player," Gilchrist said. "Most definitely." 

Graham, 29, was originally selected by the Saints in the third round of the 2010NFL Draft. Over the ensuing five years, he established himself as one of the NFL's best players, and arguably the league's top receiving tight end. 

From 2011 (Graham's second year in the league) through 2014, he caught 413 passes for 4,396 yards and 46 touchdowns. He was voted to the Pro Bowl three times, and was a first-team, all-pro in 2013."Jimmy Graham has revolutionized the position," Saints quarterback Drew Brees said in 2014. "He's a guy who is so talented at so many things you know and obviously he's a big part of our offense and I hope that they're able to reach a long-term agreement here sooner than later."

After the 2014 season, one in which Graham caught 85 passes for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns, the Saints surprisingly traded Graham to the Seahawks for a first-round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft and Seattle center Max Unger. The thought was that he'd quickly become quarterback Russell Wilson's top target. 

Things didn't exactly go as expected. Graham struggled in his transition from the Saints to the Seahawks. In 11 games, he caught just 48 passes for 605 yards and two touchdowns before landing on the injured reserve.And that led many critics to believe Graham wasn't as good as his numbers indicated in New Orleans. Gilchrist strongly disagrees."He's still the same player in Seattle as he was in New Orleans," Gilchrist said. "He's just in a difference scheme now. Whenever you're in a different scheme, it's going to be different. You're going to have some adjustments."

When Graham was with the Saints, he played in a pretty traditional offense. The receivers had routes and expected the ball at certain times on said routes. With Seattle, that's not the case.Wilson is much less technical than Brees. If his first read isn't there, he starts running to buy his receivers extra time. His receivers then need to improvise their routes to try to get open. 

It's a technique that takes time to learn. Graham needed time. He got it, and now Gilchrist said he looks much more comfortable in Year No. 2. Last week against the 49ers, Graham caught six passes for 100 yards and a touchdown."You can tell there is some familiarity now," Gilchrist said. "They're trying to feature him more and more in the office. They're starting to look to him a little more. He's making plays." 

Seattle's backyard-style offense isn't just difficult for receivers, but defenders, too. Gilchrist called it the "toughest thing you can defend." You can have perfect coverage on a receiver, just to then watch the play breakdown and said receiver break open by improvising.So how can the team defend not only Graham, but Seattle's entire offensive scheme? Simple:

"Try to get the quarterback down as fast as we can," Gilchrist said, smiling. 

>  http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2016/09/jets_marcus_gilchrist_says_jimmy_graham_most_defin.html#incart_river_index

[kelly]

WHO WILL WIN : SEAHAWKS OR JETS ?

Seattle is a road favorite, but all three personnel men polled by Mike Sando leaned toward New York. Among the reasons: The Seahawks' cross-country travel and Russell Wilson's health.Evaluators' predictions (Insider)

 

>    http://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/nyj/new-york-jets

[kelly]

Rich CiminiESPN Staff Writer 

Jets CB Darrelle Revis didn't mince words when asked about the importance of Sunday's game against the Seahawks : "It's a must-win for us."

 

>    http://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/nyj/new-york-jets

[kelly]

SEATTLE HAS THRIVED AT METLIFE STADIUM

The Seahawks haven't played the Jets at MetLife yet, but they've beaten the Giants there twice, by a combined 34 points, ESPN Stats & Info notes. The stadium also was the site of their 35-point Super Bowl XLVIII win over the Broncos.

 

>     http://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/sea/seattle-seahawks

[Sperm Edwards]

44 minutes ago, kelly said:

Rich CiminiESPN Staff Writer 

Jets CB Darrelle Revis didn't mince words when asked about the importance of Sunday's game against the Seahawks : "It's a must-win for us."

 

>    http://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/nyj/new-york-jets

Lol.

OK so if they lose then the season is over?

I think it's more people than just overly-dramatic posters here that don't know what constitutes a must-win game. 

The team that just humiliated us started out 1-3 last year. Then they lost J.Charles as they dropped to 1-4. Then 1-5. Then they won 10 straight. 

Go pick off some passes, Revis.

[kelly]

History is on Jets' side vs. Seahawks

The Seahawks have been brilliant at MetLife Stadium (see Super Bowl XLVIII), but they haven't beaten the Jets on the road since 1983 (five meetings), per ESPN Stats & Info.

 

>      http://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/nyj/new-york-jets

[kelly]

SEATTLE MATCHUP COMES AT BAD TIME FOR JETS

Seattle's pass defense (6.5 yards per pass attempt) could be trouble for Ryan Fitzpatrick. Will Russell Wilson be able overcome injury to attack the Jets' stout defense? Our NFL Nation reporters make their picks. Week 4 predictions (Insider)

 

>     http://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/nyj/new-york-jets

[kelly]

Muhammad Wilkerson  chuckled when the game at Century Link Field in 2012 came up.

"That's four years ago," he said.

Nevertheless, the game was significant in Wilkerson lore. In an impactful first-half play, Mo rambled 21 yards with a Mike DeVito strip-sack of then-rookie QB Russell Wilson for a touchdown. Three minutes later, he separated Marshawn Lynch from the ball for a forced fumble and another Jets takeaway. Then he drew a holding penalty on a Seattle guard that pushed the hosts back out of Jets territory en route to a punt.Wilkerson still smiles at the memory of what he did with the ball after the fumble return — he jammed it over the crossbar."Yeah, I was pretty happy about that play," he recalled, adding about if he's dunked since, "No, that's the only time. You get fined now. I like keeping my money."

The Jets couldn't hold their Wilkerson edge in that game, slipping from 7-7 midway through the first half to 14-7 down through three quarters to a 28-7 loss. But Mo has been money in the bank from then to now, and the Jets will need a big payoff from him and his defensive mates when they meet the Seahawks for the first time since '12, Sunday at MetLife Stadium, to climb back to .500 at the season's first-quarter pole.Wilkerson scouted the 'Hawks offense, saying, "They've got big guys up front, they like to run the ball, they've got some explosive guys on the outside. We've just got to do what we've been doing the past couple of weeks, setting the edges, make sure no balls are thrown over our head, and we'll be fine."

As for the banged-up nature of the Seahawks line, Wilkerson wasn't counting on anything automatically falling the Jets' way: "This is a next-man-up business. You can't worry about who's injured. We've just got to go out there, play and execute and do our job."

One major dimension of Wilkerson's job has been his sack ability, and he's followed up last year's career-best 12 sacks with 1.5 this season.

But three other often overlooked elements of his game make Mo the man he is on the Green & White line :

■ With one hold drawn this year against the Bills, he's forced opponents into 18 career 10-yard penalties (14 marked off).

■ With 1.5 tackles for loss at Kansas City, he leads the defense after three games with 3.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 tackles for loss/no gain.

■ Mo has yet to reject an opponent's pass behind the line of scrimmage, but since 2012 he's gotten 16 PDs behind the line. The rest of the Jets' defense in that time ... has 16 PDs combined.

"It's just natural," Wilkerson explained of the maturation of his pro talents, which netted him his first Pro Bowl invitation last year. "As humans, we're creatures of  habit. After playing for so long, you start to see things and recognize things when you're out there on the field. That's how you go about things."

>      http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-randylangefb/Mo-Wilkerson-vs-the-Seahawks-Then--Now/4906a34d-0766-4949-a360-a2b275701b6d

[PatsFanTX]

Go pick off some passes, Revis.

That could be the funniest post of the year.

[kelly]

Todd Bowles likes to call Quincy Enunwa the Dennis Rodman of the New York Jets' offense. Forget Rodman. Friday's news about Eric Decker changes that. Now they need Enunwa to be Scottie Pippen.With Decker sidelined for this Sunday (and probably longer) with a partially torn rotator cuff, Enunwa will move up to the No. 2 receiver spot. The promotion doesn't mean a dramatic increase in playing time -- he has appeared in 77 percent of the offensive snaps -- but it will mean a different role. If nothing else, his fantasy value will increase.

No doubt, Enunwa will be covered differently than he was as the No. 3 receiver. Opponents focused their attention on Decker and Brandon Marshall, allowing Enunwa to capitalize on favorable matchups. This was most apparent against the Buffalo Bills in Week 2. Rex Ryan's defense overplayed Decker and Marshall, allowing Enunwa to put up career numbers -- six catches for 92 yards.Now he moves up in the pecking order, meaning he'll see the opponents' No. 2 cornerback, maybe the No. 1, depending on the formation. Enunwa is an emerging player, but can he gain separation against quality defenders? Can he be consistent on a down-to-down basis? He had a bad game last week, with a couple of drops.

Bill Parcells used to have a philosophy about role players who, for whatever reason, are thrust into bigger jobs. Some of them, he said, are role players for a reason. We'll soon find out if Enunwa falls into that category.The Jets will miss Decker, especially in the red zone. Until last week, he had scored in six consecutive games. Not many people know this, but Decker -- not Marshall -- was the Jets' most prolific red zone receiver last season. This isn't a good thing for Ryan Fitzpatrick, who needs all the help he can get after last week's six-interception mess.

They went into the season feeling great about their wide receiver depth, but now two of their top four guys are down -- Decker and rookie Jalin Marshall (torn labrum). Rookie Robby Anderson moves into the No. 3 role, with Jeremy Rossor rookie Charone Peake as the No. 4. Injured Devin Smith (knee) isn't eligible to start practicing for another two weeks.The timing of Decker's injury couldn't be worse, especially with the offense in a funk. But you know what? It's not a crippling blow. Look at the Minnesota Vikings, sans Adrian Peterson and Teddy Bridgewater. And, oh, yeah, the New England Patriots are doing pretty well without their quarterback.

>     http://www.espn.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/63513/jets-can-overcome-eric-decker-injury-if-quincy-enunwa-pulls-a-pippen

[kelly]

1 hour ago, PatsFanTX said:

 

That could be the funniest post of the year.

 

..especially if revis does pick off some passes   

 

 

 

 

cheers ~ ~ 

[kelly]

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, tight end Jimmy Grahamand right guard Germain Ifedi are all expected to start Sunday against theNew York Jets, coach Pete Carroll said.

Wilson suffered a sprained MCL in his left knee in Week 3, but he was not on Friday's injury report.

"He made it through and had his best week since the first week before he tweaked his ankle [in Week 1]," Carroll said Friday. "He looked really good."

Graham had six catches for 100 yards and a touchdown last week in a win over San Francisco, but he suffered back spasms Thursday and is listed as questionable. Carroll said Graham will not be limited at all against the Jets."He's had a great return," Carroll said. "He's really game-ready to go now. He's had enough plays and games and enough action where there's no restriction on him in any way."

Graham did not participate in Thursday's practice but was a full participant Friday.Ifedi, the team's first-round pick, has been sidelined with a high ankle sprain suffered before Week 1. He will make his debut and replaceJ'Marcus Webb at right guard.

>      http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/17680153/russell-wilson-jimmy-graham-germain-ifedi-expected-start-sunday-seattle-seahawks