Sherman and Chancellor say they read Peyton's gestures and eyes

[sweetsurrender]

More talk from Sherman and the Seattle D on how they were able to stop the Denver O. Some interesting quotes below:

 

http://espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs/2013/story/_/id/10403077/super-bowl-richard-sherman-claims-seattle-seahawks-anticipated-denver-broncos-plays-based-peyton-manning-hands

 

"All we did was play situational football," Sherman told the website in an interview held during one of the Seahawks' postgame victory parties. "We knew what route concepts they liked on different downs, so we jumped all the routes. Then we figured out the hand signals for a few of the route audibles in the first half."

 

Sherman had drinks in his hand as he spoke, themmqb.com said, but according to the website he seemed much more interested in talking about the game and described how he and his teammates accurately called out Denver's plays based on Manning's hand signs.

 

The Seahawks forced four turnovers -- three by Manning, the reigning league MVP who set NFL season records for passing yards and passing touchdowns in 2013. Manning was harassed throughout the Super Bowl and often settled for short passes against Seattle's secondary, which also includes Pro Bowl safeties Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor.

 

"Me, Earl, Kam ... we're not just three All-Pro players. We're three All-Pro minds," Sherman told the website. "Now, if Peyton had thrown in some double moves, if he had gone out of character, we could've been exposed."

 

Chancellor and Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn also said they anticipated Denver's plays, telling The Star-Ledger earlier this week that Seattle's players were able to read Manning's eye movement.

"We were able to jump a few routes," Chancellor told the paper. "Just see everything that develops in front of you, playing off of Peyton's eyes. He takes you right to the ball every time.

"He's a great quarterback, but he definitely has tendencies and he takes you to the ball."

 

[chad72]

Again, Peyton not being able to take accurate shots deep was the downfall. Ravens predictably read him last year and the Chargers and Patriots did not have the horses on the secondary and DL pressure to make Peyton predictable like that.

 

Even the shots he took down field were way off target meant only to hope keep that Seahawks' D honest instead of actually hitting on some of them, IMO.

 

Luck beat Seattle because he was able to roll out and take those shots deep with T.Y., you gotta fight fire with fire, aggression with aggression. Broncos did not have the right mixture of wideouts. Outside Demaryius Thomas, no one had the speed to go deep for the Seahawks safeties to play deep. So, roll one safety towards DT and everyone else is played man and dare the Broncos to run and the Broncos could not run.

 

In the past, it was different. People had to respect Peyton's arm and Marvin's speed, but now at this latter stage of his career, his arm has become predictable, IMO.

[Gabriel Alexander Morillo]

Don't doubt this happened for a second. Sherman is as cerebral and football smart as he is athletic. 

[Mameluc]

IMO, People are way over analyzing and oversensationalizing all they did to take down the all mighty dragon (PM) so easily.

 

to me the game was simple: Their pass rushers dominated the OL, so it disrupted his timing and made him hurry his throws and made him errant and hear feet and make him so uncomfortable. Forget about the whole hand signals, reading his eyes...everyone has been telling us Pm offense is simple and they use the same routes but they get outexecuted. They got to him with the pass rush, period.

 

To me, its a completely different game if Clady is there. Maybe seattle still wins but not this lopsided. Maybe they can slide protection to Orlando's side(who got abused ALL game long):

[Synthetic]

So? Manning does the same thing to defenses. The Colts did the same thing when they destroyed him.

[Synthetic]

To me, its a completely different game if Clady is there. Maybe seattle still wins but not this lopsided. Maybe they can slide protection to Orlando's side(who got abused ALL game long):

 

 

 

GB won a Super Bowl missing more starters than any other team in 2010.

[oldunclemark]

Its all talk..they're just bragging....he completed 34 of 49 passes..when  he was hit..he threw interceptions..

 

 

after 16 years....one team says they have figured Peyton out?  One team....3 guys....really

 

 

You  dont?    believe that, do you...

[oldunclemark]

GB won a Super Bowl missing more starters than any other team in 2010.

 

 

GB won a Super Bowl missing more starters than any other team in 2010.

?

[oldunclemark]

So? Manning does the same thing to defenses. The Colts did the same thing when they destroyed him.

 

 

So? Manning does the same thing to defenses. The Colts did the same thing when they destroyed him.

 

 

So? Manning does the same thing to defenses. The Colts did the same thing when they destroyed him.

Manning threw for 330 against the Colts

[lollygagger8]

I really don't hate people, but Sherman is really close to #1 on my "I hope you get ate by zombies list." 

 

If this game would've went the other way and Manning destroyed their defense, he would just say they executed the plays properly in a classy way. Not how awesome he was, and bragging about his amazing mind. C'mon Sherman, get over yourself. 

[oldunclemark]

..actualy 386 and three TDs.........

[BleedBlu8792]

Manning threw for 330 against the Colts

Manning was under 50% and had 113 yards in the first half of the Colts game. It wasn't until the Colts DB's started dropping that he really did anything.

[-JJ-]

Its all talk..they're just bragging....he completed 34 of 49 passes..when  he was hit..he threw interceptions..

 

 

after 16 years....one team says they have figured Peyton out?  One team....3 guys....really

 

 

You  dont?    believe that, do you...

Sure I believe it...for a few plays. NE read some of the passing lanes and that was way back in 2003 and they jumped them for either an INT or no reception. (Ty Law anyone).  But not all of them...just  a few plays.

 

It's not about passing completion. It's a couple plays here and there. Of course no one can't get 0% passing completion on reading.

But QBs can be read by good,usually experienced, defensive players.

[Gavin]

Its all talk..they're just bragging....he completed 34 of 49 passes..when  he was hit..he threw interceptions..

 

 

after 16 years....one team says they have figured Peyton out?  One team....3 guys....really

 

 

You  dont?    believe that, do you...

Most underneath routes that looked by design, His 3 longest completions were 16 and 19 yards and 23 yards....2 of which were crossing routes, the other was man coverage off Maxwell, Just because a defense gives up completions doesn't mean that some weren't by design

[-JJ-]

Most underneath routes that looked by design, His 3 longest completions were 16 and 19 yards and 23 yards....2 of which were crossing routes, the other was man coverage off Maxwell, Just because a defense gives up completions doesn't mean that some weren't by design

right- that was another point I would have added. Just completions is a non revealing blanket statement.

[Mameluc]

GB won a Super Bowl missing more starters than any other team in 2010.

so? thats not the point. is about matchups.... they had a guy missing who might have balanced a little bit the matchups on the OL

 

and forget about Clady...my whoile dead is that people are overanalyzing everything...they just destroyed the pocket.

[oldunclemark]

More talk from Sherman and the Seattle D on how they were able to stop the Denver O. Some interesting quotes below:

 

http://espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs/2013/story/_/id/10403077/super-bowl-richard-sherman-claims-seattle-seahawks-anticipated-denver-broncos-plays-based-peyton-manning-hands

 

"All we did was play situational football," Sherman told the website in an interview held during one of the Seahawks' postgame victory parties. "We knew what route concepts they liked on different downs, so we jumped all the routes. Then we figured out the hand signals for a few of the route audibles in the first half."

 

Sherman had drinks in his hand as he spoke, themmqb.com said, but according to the website he seemed much more interested in talking about the game and described how he and his teammates accurately called out Denver's plays based on Manning's hand signs.

 

The Seahawks forced four turnovers -- three by Manning, the reigning league MVP who set NFL season records for passing yards and passing touchdowns in 2013. Manning was harassed throughout the Super Bowl and often settled for short passes against Seattle's secondary, which also includes Pro Bowl safeties Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor.

 

"Me, Earl, Kam ... we're not just three All-Pro players. We're three All-Pro minds," Sherman told the website. "Now, if Peyton had thrown in some double moves, if he had gone out of character, we could've been exposed."

 

Chancellor and Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn also said they anticipated Denver's plays, telling The Star-Ledger earlier this week that Seattle's players were able to read Manning's eye movement.

"We were able to jump a few routes," Chancellor told the paper. "Just see everything that develops in front of you, playing off of Peyton's eyes. He takes you right to the ball every time.

"He's a great quarterback, but he definitely has tendencies and he takes you to the ball."

 

 

More talk from Sherman and the Seattle D on how they were able to stop the Denver O. Some interesting quotes below:

 

http://espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs/2013/story/_/id/10403077/super-bowl-richard-sherman-claims-seattle-seahawks-anticipated-denver-broncos-plays-based-peyton-manning-hands

 

"All we did was play situational football," Sherman told the website in an interview held during one of the Seahawks' postgame victory parties. "We knew what route concepts they liked on different downs, so we jumped all the routes. Then we figured out the hand signals for a few of the route audibles in the first half."

 

Sherman had drinks in his hand as he spoke, themmqb.com said, but according to the website he seemed much more interested in talking about the game and described how he and his teammates accurately called out Denver's plays based on Manning's hand signs.

 

The Seahawks forced four turnovers -- three by Manning, the reigning league MVP who set NFL season records for passing yards and passing touchdowns in 2013. Manning was harassed throughout the Super Bowl and often settled for short passes against Seattle's secondary, which also includes Pro Bowl safeties Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor.

 

"Me, Earl, Kam ... we're not just three All-Pro players. We're three All-Pro minds," Sherman told the website. "Now, if Peyton had thrown in some double moves, if he had gone out of character, we could've been exposed."

 

Chancellor and Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn also said they anticipated Denver's plays, telling The Star-Ledger earlier this week that Seattle's players were able to read Manning's eye movement.

"We were able to jump a few routes," Chancellor told the paper. "Just see everything that develops in front of you, playing off of Peyton's eyes. He takes you right to the ball every time.

"He's a great quarterback, but he definitely has tendencies and he takes you to the ball."

1st of all...don't listen to everything thats said....think a minute

 

Denver doesn't call plays with hand codes....remember Omaha

Denver has 3 or 4 options on every route..

 

 

The Hawks guessed and played tendencies....the Bronchos didn't have the protection to try double moves..

 

...Seattle had a 2 TD lead most of the game and they knew the Broncos wouldn't run...Demariuyus Thomas was playing with a seperated shoulder 

 

..and Manning did complete 34 passes..

 

There is no 'code' to break

[Gabriel Alexander Morillo]

Lol@guy trying to rationalize peyton having good games because he completed so many passes againsr the seahawks and got 300+ against us.

[Superman]

Most underneath routes that looked by design, His 3 longest completions were 16 and 19 yards and 23 yards....2 of which were crossing routes, the other was man coverage off Maxwell, Just because a defense gives up completions doesn't mean that some weren't by design

 

They pressured the heck out of Manning from the beginning of the game. What time did they have to throw the ball down the field?

 

Same thing about Sherman saying "if they had used some double moves..." How could they have used double moves when he was under duress the entire time?

 

I think maybe the Seahawks knew some of the routes the Broncos would run, and that's why their receivers were getting popped so hard. But that's not what won the game for them. They didn't force turnovers off of jumping routes. They hit Manning and forced a couple of bad throws, they capitalized on the turnovers, they got a big play on special teams, and every time the Broncos were starting to get something going, they made a huge mistake. 

[BleedBlu8792]

Lol@guy trying to rationalize peyton having good games because he completed so many passes againsr the seahawks and got 300+ against us.

At roughly 5.7 yards/att, there better be A LOT of receptions made from that distance, especially late in the game when down 25+ points. This game for Manning was comparable to Lucks game against the Rams. The only time either QB looked comfortable was when the game was far out of reach for them and the defense was "allowing" them to play a little.

[Gavin]

They pressured the heck out of Manning from the beginning of the game. What time did they have to throw the ball down the field?

 

Same thing about Sherman saying "if they had used some double moves..." How could they have used double moves when he was under duress the entire time?

 

I think maybe the Seahawks knew some of the routes the Broncos would run, and that's why their receivers were getting popped so hard. But that's not what won the game for them. They didn't force turnovers off of jumping routes. They hit Manning and forced a couple of bad throws, they capitalized on the turnovers, they got a big play on special teams, and every time the Broncos were starting to get something going, they made a huge mistake. 

Just an awful showing in every aspect of the game for the Broncos, They constantly harrassed Manning , Either hitting him or knocking him off his spot, Maybe Im in the minority but I love to see defenses dominate like Seattles was able to do, I like a good back and forth high scoring game from time to time but I love great defense and physicality moreso then the first to 30+ points wins games

[Moose Of Woe]

 I like a good back and forth high scoring game from time to time but I love great defense and physicality moreso then the first to 30+ points wins games

Maybe we'll get a 2006 playoffs Colts defense again.

 

Someday.

 

Please.

[sweetsurrender]

They pressured the heck out of Manning from the beginning of the game. What time did they have to throw the ball down the field?

 

Same thing about Sherman saying "if they had used some double moves..." How could they have used double moves when he was under duress the entire time?

 

I think maybe the Seahawks knew some of the routes the Broncos would run, and that's why their receivers were getting popped so hard. But that's not what won the game for them. They didn't force turnovers off of jumping routes. They hit Manning and forced a couple of bad throws, they capitalized on the turnovers, they got a big play on special teams, and every time the Broncos were starting to get something going, they made a huge mistake. 

I think the jumping routes caused the incompletions more so then the turnovers. Manning's first interception was not from pressure, he just made a terrible throw over the receiver's head right to the Seattle DBs. 

 

What I found frustrating is Denver never tried to change anything up offensively. They just kept dropping Manning back knowing the pressure was coming and the receivers were being blanketed. I would have like to see some draws or some quick screens. Anything to change things up and enable Manning to get the ball out of hits quicker to his receivers out in space. I was thinking the game plan would be like the first KC game where Manning just got the ball out of his hand so fast that the pressure never got there. 

[sweetsurrender]

Just an awful showing in every aspect of the game for the Broncos, They constantly harrassed Manning , Either hitting him or knocking him off his spot, Maybe Im in the minority but I love to see defenses dominate like Seattles was able to do, I like a good back and forth high scoring game from time to time but I love great defense and physicality moreso then the first to 30+ points wins games

I too love watching a great D do its thing. Just because it is so hard to do in the league now with the rules.

[amfootball]

This is why I was rooting for Denver to put 40 on the Seahawks. Now we will have to hear Sherman talk all off-season about how he was in Peyton's head .... very depressing.

[SilentHill]

1st of all...don't listen to everything thats said....think a minute

 

Denver doesn't call plays with hand codes....remember Omaha

Denver has 3 or 4 options on every route..

 

 

The Hawks guessed and played tendencies....the Bronchos didn't have the protection to try double moves..

 

...Seattle had a 2 TD lead most of the game and they knew the Broncos wouldn't run...Demariuyus Thomas was playing with a seperated shoulder 

 

..and Manning did complete 34 passes..

 

There is no 'code' to break

 

They do when the crowd is so loud that they can't hear.

[BleedBlu8792]

Maybe we'll get a 2006 playoffs Colts defense again.

Someday.

Please.

No thank you, give me that 07' defense. #1 in points allowed, yards allowed, and #3 in pass yards allowed. Run defense was top-12 as well. Losing Freeney 3/4 into the season killed us against San Diego that year.

[Superman]

I think the jumping routes caused the incompletions more so then the turnovers. Manning's first interception was not from pressure, he just made a terrible throw over the receiver's head right to the Seattle DBs. 

 

What I found frustrating is Denver never tried to change anything up offensively. They just kept dropping Manning back knowing the pressure was coming and the receivers were being blanketed. I would have like to see some draws or some quick screens. Anything to change things up and enable Manning to get the ball out of hits quicker to his receivers out in space. I was thinking the game plan would be like the first KC game where Manning just got the ball out of his hand so fast that the pressure never got there. 

 

Manning was under pressure on the first hit, and he floated the ball partly because he had to get the ball over a lineman's hand. 

 

The Broncos also called a ton of screens, and they weren't working. I think they should have run more draws and traps, not sure why they didn't. But Seattle was all over the short throws, hitting receivers almost as soon as the ball got there. 

[Superman]

No thank you, give me that 07' defense. #1 in points allowed, yards allowed, and #3 in pass yards allowed. Run defense was top-12 as well. Losing Freeney 3/4 into the season killed us against San Diego that year.

 

Mathis also missed the last four games of the season, and the SD game. We had NO pass rush in the playoffs.

[sweetsurrender]

Manning was under pressure on the first hit, and he floated the ball partly because he had to get the ball over a lineman's hand. 

 

The Broncos also called a ton of screens, and they weren't working. I think they should have run more draws and traps, not sure why they didn't. But Seattle was all over the short throws, hitting receivers almost as soon as the ball got there. 

 

 I agree about draws and traps. The game was withing two scores for a long time it seemed and they had already abandoned the run in favor of the short passes that the Seattle defense had covered.

 

Here is Peter King's take on Manning. He felt Manning looked "uneasy" all night and not just from the pressure as he was not finding the open receivers.

 

On this night, not the Mann.

A bitter disappointment for Peyton Manning, obviously. And when Manning looks back on the tape from this game, he’ll be sick. The unforced errors, starting with the first snap of the game. The mistakes he made in identifying the open receivers. The forced throws. He didn’t have much help but he tried too hard to make plays that very often weren’t there.

 

We saw it late in the first half, Denver down 22-0 and needing something, anything to show flickering life. On first down from the Seattle 27, Manning had a choice: forcing the ball to Julius Thomas—bracketed by safeties Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas, or throwing to an open Wes Welker at the 15. That would have been a first down. But he tried Thomas, and it wasn’t close. Incomplete. Meanwhile, Welker, who rarely shows emotion after a pass, threw his arms in the air. Four plays later, on 4th-and-2, Manning bypassed a more open Julius Thomas, in first-down territory, to try to hit Demaryius Thomas. Ball was tipped. Incomplete. There are many times you watched a big moment Sunday night, and every time, seemingly, was to Seattle’s advantage. Manning just looked uneasy.

[Le Neon]

Manning was under pressure on the first hit, and he floated the ball partly because he had to get the ball over a lineman's hand.

The Broncos also called a ton of screens, and they weren't working. I think they should have run more draws and traps, not sure why they didn't. But Seattle was all over the short throws, hitting receivers almost as soon as the ball got there.

That Moreno fumble was a killer. That play would ve set up third and short. They never showed much confidence in the ground game after that.

[Superman]

 I agree about draws and traps. The game was withing two scores for a long time it seemed and they had already abandoned the run in favor of the short passes that the Seattle defense had covered.

 

Here is Peter King's take on Manning. He felt Manning looked "uneasy" all night and not just from the pressure as he was not finding the open receivers.

 

On this night, not the Mann.

A bitter disappointment for Peyton Manning, obviously. And when Manning looks back on the tape from this game, he’ll be sick. The unforced errors, starting with the first snap of the game. The mistakes he made in identifying the open receivers. The forced throws. He didn’t have much help but he tried too hard to make plays that very often weren’t there.

 

We saw it late in the first half, Denver down 22-0 and needing something, anything to show flickering life. On first down from the Seattle 27, Manning had a choice: forcing the ball to Julius Thomas—bracketed by safeties Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas, or throwing to an open Wes Welker at the 15. That would have been a first down. But he tried Thomas, and it wasn’t close. Incomplete. Meanwhile, Welker, who rarely shows emotion after a pass, threw his arms in the air. Four plays later, on 4th-and-2, Manning bypassed a more open Julius Thomas, in first-down territory, to try to hit Demaryius Thomas. Ball was tipped. Incomplete. There are many times you watched a big moment Sunday night, and every time, seemingly, was to Seattle’s advantage. Manning just looked uneasy.

 

I haven't rewatched the game -- and I promise you I won't -- so King probably has a leg up on me there. I can't speak to whether Manning overlooked open receivers. I got the impression that he didn't have a lot of time to go through progressions, and when he tried, he got hit. I didn't think he forced throws, aside from a handful (which happens every game). 

 

No matter. I don't want anyone to think that I feel Manning had a good game. He didn't. I just don't really buy the Sherman/Chancellor narrative, personally. To me, the game was about the Seahawks winning up front, playing more physically, and the Broncos making too many mistakes. Whether the Seahawks "knew" what was coming or not didn't really seem to matter. The Broncos made it so.

[amfootball]

I haven't rewatched the game -- and I promise you I won't -- so King probably has a leg up on me there. I can't speak to whether Manning overlooked open receivers. I got the impression that he didn't have a lot of time to go through progressions, and when he tried, he got hit. I didn't think he forced throws, aside from a handful (which happens every game). 

 

No matter. I don't want anyone to think that I feel Manning had a good game. He didn't. I just don't really buy the Sherman/Chancellor narrative, personally. To me, the game was about the Seahawks winning up front, playing more physically, and the Broncos making too many mistakes. Whether the Seahawks "knew" what was coming or not didn't really seem to matter. The Broncos made it so.

I think it was a combo Superman. He definitely forced some and missed guys that were open but how much of that was a factor of the pressure and the coverage? Hard to say IMO. He definitely looked uneasy but not sure that really says anything other then he looked uneasy. The fact that Sherman and Kam are spouting off just irks me. I know that is their MO but it was clear they had the personnel to flat out beat the Denver O. It was almost like they were made to stop Denver being that their secondary is their strength which plays right into their hands when playing a passing attack.

 

I am surprised Fox is not taking more of a beating for this. His team looked completely unprepared to deal with Seattle and the elements as more then one player said they were not prepared for the noise which makes no sense given it is a Super Bowl and it gets loud.

[Valpo2004]

Here is my issue with this and it's this quote.

 

""Now, if Peyton had thrown in some double moves, if he had gone out of character, we could've been exposed."

 

He seems to forget that the pressure in Peyton's face would have realistically prevented any double moves from working out as they take too long to develop.

[Naptown Lifer]

I think it was a combo Superman. He definitely forced some and missed guys that were open but how much of that was a factor of the pressure and the coverage? Hard to say IMO. He definitely looked uneasy but not sure that really says anything other then he looked uneasy. The fact that Sherman and Kam are spouting off just irks me. I know that is their MO but it was clear they had the personnel to flat out beat the Denver O. It was almost like they were made to stop Denver being that their secondary is their strength which plays right into their hands when playing a passing attack.

 

I am surprised Fox is not taking more of a beating for this. His team looked completely unprepared to deal with Seattle and the elements as more then one player said they were not prepared for the noise which makes no sense given it is a Super Bowl and it gets loud.

I love Peyton.

You are right fox was under prepared. The reason he's not taking a whipping is because we just all expect fox to not do anything important or win contributing, and have Peyton put the teams on his back and throw 50 times.

[Naptown Lifer]

Also Seattle sniffed out every screen AND the one draw I remember to Moreno got sniffed out for a loss too.

Seattle likes to play there linebackers in zones, and cover 3 a lot. They don't like to have DBS or linebackers follow an offensive player in motion. They don't move around to accompany what the offense gives.

Peyton should've used this to his advantage and used motion, and audibles to flood receivers into certain areas so there zone would be compromised. But I never saw this. That. Was his key to victory.

[-JJ-]

They pressured the heck out of Manning from the beginning of the game. What time did they have to throw the ball down the field?

 

Same thing about Sherman saying "if they had used some double moves..." How could they have used double moves when he was under duress the entire time?

 

I think maybe the Seahawks knew some of the routes the Broncos would run, and that's why their receivers were getting popped so hard. But that's not what won the game for them. They didn't force turnovers off of jumping routes. They hit Manning and forced a couple of bad throws, they capitalized on the turnovers, they got a big play on special teams, and every time the Broncos were starting to get something going, they made a huge mistake. 

There was a sports analyst criticizing the patriots for not doing what Seattle does.  That is Belichick demands players play their assignments and not worry about the next guy and the coaches will put you in the right position, like a military machine. For the most part this works but it leaves out independent creativity.

 

Using this example: SB- 3rd down and Welker can't catch a critical pass because the defender left his other assignment (reading the play perhaps) and went over to help. In NE's philosophy Welker catches that pass open.

 

Now clearly you can have the defense just ignoring assignments but it is interesting how Carroll balances that act.

[chad72]

I think it was a combo Superman. He definitely forced some and missed guys that were open but how much of that was a factor of the pressure and the coverage? Hard to say IMO. He definitely looked uneasy but not sure that really says anything other then he looked uneasy. The fact that Sherman and Kam are spouting off just irks me. I know that is their MO but it was clear they had the personnel to flat out beat the Denver O. It was almost like they were made to stop Denver being that their secondary is their strength which plays right into their hands when playing a passing attack.

 

I am surprised Fox is not taking more of a beating for this. His team looked completely unprepared to deal with Seattle and the elements as more then one player said they were not prepared for the noise which makes no sense given it is a Super Bowl and it gets loud.

 

Pride of Champ Bailey cost them what could have been a good safety if Champ switched gracefully and thus was placed at slot CB where he had not played in years and thus padded 2 years of playoff futility in coverage.

 

Pride for sticking with Fox and JDR who do not bring much to the table in terms of preparation, IMO, will again be the downfall. Plus, the OL that held up real well vs the Chargers and Patriots, seemed like they were in slow motion or something.

 

Plus, basic things like RB chipping the pass rushers, more throws in the flat etc. was something I was looking for, never ever happened. Sometimes, in big moments, players playing on adrenalin, if it is not working, need objective sets of eyes from the coaches on the sidelines to ask them to do something different.

 

WRs going east-west instead of north-south, not taking open guys in the flat, not taking shots down deep, not using RB chipping to slow pass rushers when the closest LB to cover RB in the flat was at least 5 yards away etc. all leads me to believe this Broncos team was extremely underprepared. WTH were they doing for 2 weeks?

 

I think they can stick with Fox but need a creative DC. With their schedule that includes the NFC West, Patriots and Indy, they are at best a wild card at #3 or #4 next year even if they win their division.

[amfootball]

There was a sports analyst criticizing the patriots for not doing what Seattle does.  That is Belichick demands players play their assignments and not worry about the next guy and the coaches will put you in the right position, like a military machine. For the most part this works but it leaves out independent creativity.

 

Using this example: SB- 3rd down and Welker can't catch a critical pass because the defender left his other assignment (reading the play perhaps) and went over to help. In NE's philosophy Welker catches that pass open.

 

Now clearly you can have the defense just ignoring assignments but it is interesting how Carroll balances that act.

That is interesting. I am not sure Seattle is just as disciplined. I think they knew Manning could not beat them deep, same as the Ravens last year, so they cheated up because they could. There was also no fear of the run like they had with Kaepernick so it became very easy for them to defend and take chances with no fear of getting beat. It was really quite text book what they did and goes to show you that if you have the right personnel then you can easily take down the best O in NFL history.

 

Man, I really hope the Pats sign Talib and upgrade from Gregory.

[Superman]

There was a sports analyst criticizing the patriots for not doing what Seattle does.  That is Belichick demands players play their assignments and not worry about the next guy and the coaches will put you in the right position, like a military machine. For the most part this works but it leaves out independent creativity.

 

Using this example: SB- 3rd down and Welker can't catch a critical pass because the defender left his other assignment (reading the play perhaps) and went over to help. In NE's philosophy Welker catches that pass open.

 

Now clearly you can have the defense just ignoring assignments but it is interesting how Carroll balances that act.

 

I like how the Seahawks are run, for the most part, but I don't think they're some magical organization that has solved how to win championships. They have some good ideas, but they don't have a silver bullet. And as great as Pete Carroll looks right now, Belichick has a much better track record. I'm just not all that interested in hearing about how terrible everyone else is for not doing things exactly how the Seahawks do.