Pre-Season Game #1 Recap

Wow! this game really couldn’t have gone any better for the Hawks, we did nearly everything well, I Know, I Know it’s just pre-season and one shouldn’t get too optimistic just yet. But I’m not one to buy into that pre-season doesn’t mean anything, winning breeds winning and we did alot right for it being our first time on the field.

Positives

• We put the OH in Offense, Matt Hasselback looked great in limited time, Seneca Wallace was unbelievable, we passed for a total completion percentage of 77% on 31 attempts, and didn’t turn the ball over against a team know for the takeaway.
• Back by Popular Demand, after playing second fiddle in practice and my articles Mo Morris looked strong making me think twice about my statement that this wasn’t going to be a two back team.
• Use the Force, after the D lit up the starting O in practice on Monday, I kind of sensed they had abit of swagger but even I didn’t suspect 5 turnovers, especially 4 coming from fumbles. The D was hungry, even the reserves a real testament to the our Captains Lofa Tatupu and Marcus Trufant, Coach has challenged this D to be one of the best and they have taken that to heart.

 

Negatives

• Wait a Second, The secondary looked very average against Minnesota’s first team offense, they were able to put a couple long drives together without attempting a run, against our first team defense. The Vikings are really a run first team and Tarvaris Jackson is not the elite level QB we made him out to look like. As a team we are capable of much better and will have to be come the regular season.

 

The Rookie Report

• Justin Forsett, Listed at 5′8 194 pds, which when seeing him both seem embelished slightly, drafted in the seventh round, Justin seemed like a long shot to make the team but he looked very good with the ball, elusive, driven, rushed for 58 yards on 13  carries. Add to that he has great hands, and has had a couple big popping blitz pickup’s on LB’s in camp; he may very well make TJ Duckett the odd man out.
• John Carlson, He didn’t stand out as good or bad, couple of catches both pretty big gainers for the an End but for some reason I noticed Jeb Putzier on the field not just for the TD
• Lawrence Jackson, 3 Tackles including a sack and a forced fumble, really a great debut interesting to see how the battle at DE against between Jackson and Tapp plays out.
• Owen Schmidt, couple catches for big gains showed of that West coast style play we have been practicing, 1 Run overall nice showing, really starting to believe Owen will become Tj’s replacment.
• Jamar Adams and David Hawthorne, “Middle linebacker David Hawthorne and safety Jamar Adams forced fumbles with jarring tackles, each leading to a touchdown pass by Wallace. Hawthorne also had five tackles and Adams four.”

 

Analysis

• The competiton for the starting running back is very much open, I reported in Mini-Camp that Mo Morris was the favorite he knew the system and was running well. I like many felt that changed in Training Camp as the Coaches loved Julius’s versatilty and he looked very good in passing situations as a reciever and blocker and that Mo did not.Said Kasey Dunn, Seattle’s running backs coach, of Morris, “It’s his moment in the sun. He’s kind of been in the shadows for a while. This is his opportunity, and he needs to make the most of it.” “Julius didn’t quite get the opportunities we wanted, the way the game worked out,” Dunn said. “We wanted to see him run the football, but it didn’t work out that way.”
• Julius did however flatten a linebacker on a blitz pickup to give Seneca Wallace time to complete the TD to Jeb Putzier; maybe we really are going to be a two-back team. I fully expect Julius to start the next game and shoulder the load of early carries.
• TJ Duckett is going to get released, I’m calling it now, Justin Forsett looked to good to release and Owen Schmidt can be used as our short yardage option with Leonard Weaver or David Kirtman at fullback, his purpose is fading fast and he fumbled twice on 9 carries and managed only 9 yards.
• The Project that is Jordan Kent is finally paying dividends, The former Oregon B-Baller turned reciever caught a spectacular TD from Matt Hasselback one of those I’ll throw it up and you go get it things that are impossible to defend if the reciever has the athleticism.
• Final thoughts, Steve Vallos did a nice job at Centre as he has really never played the position before look for him to be the regular season starter I was suprised Julius Jones didn’t get more carries but I believe that will be dealt with next game, interesting though that the RB coach said they planned on him running alot and it didn’t work out that way, I wondered why not? we were up big. Offensively I’m suprised we didn’t use more of the swing passes and short stuff to the backs we have been practicing so much.
• Very last point, remember I said this: I use to believe that Matt Hasselback’s decision making was much better than Seneca Wallace’s but I always liked Wallace’s athleticism, but beginning last year I started to think, Wallace’s decision making was close, given some time and experience. Now I’m starting to think it may be equal and the athleticism he posses may give him more upside than Hasselback, I wonder who else might be thinking this… Remember we are destined for a new coach next year and they often bring about change.

 

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