This is a bit off topic, but a lot of Bills fans would like to see Seattle's OC Darrell Bevell hired as the new head coach. I'm just wondering how people here, particularly Seahawks fans, feel about the guy.
He has shown to be a solid coordinator and has worked well with a young quarterback. He was part of the decision making process that chose Wilson over Flynn so he deserves some credit there. A lot of people wonder if his temperament is NFL head coaching material?
As a play caller he will drive you nuts at times. Seattle has Beast Mode and two solid backups in Turbin and Michael. So it is inexcusable when running backs had 2 carries in the first half against Dallas and 6 against San Diego. Both losses. He gets too cute with bubble screens and even now, without the personnel, continues to run these "Percy plays." Not much is officially known about the Harvin departure but one thing known is Harvin didn't like how he was used, in particular not being sent downfield. As a fan I totally agree. Even if it isn't an elite downfield threat his speed creates space that needs to be respected and opens lanes for other players. Instead Bevell had him dinking and dunking on screens habitually when it was obvious that Kearse and Baldwin were goanna wiff on blocks regularly. That stat on yards before contact for Harvin this year was crazy, i.e. you shouldn't be running a bazillion screens if your player is hit before he gets 2 yards. That is poor design by the coach, bad execution by the blockers, and bad play calling to dial those up time after time so that they are predictable.
Bevell can have good games. He called a pitch perfect game against Arizona on the road in the 35-6 stomp down. And his half time adjustments are EXCELLENT. But you have to wonder why he calls so many plays with >2 second routes when the pocket collapses <2 seconds.
Bevell is hard to compare to other coaches as Carrol has his fingerprints on the team. Ditto Cable (O-line coach and asst. head coach). Cable favors athletic blockers who excel in zone blocking. The result is they often are only OK at inline power blocking and poor at pass blocking. This is a team design decision. But it resulted in a crazy good run game (>170yards/game, almost 30/game better than the #2 team; 5.3ypc average is 0.6 better than #2; their rush DVOA was #5 all time at nearly 30% which was 20 points better than #2 Miami). It is also hard to judge when you are a run first team in a pass first league. When your running back is so freakish and your QB is unconventional and your receivers, well, ahem. I won't call them pedestrians but they are what they are. And while the two starting receivers are UDFA and the 2 of their 3 tight ends didn't even make teams to start the season their weakest group, the line, has 2x 1st rounders, 2x 2nd rounders, and a 7th rounder. That is a lot of draft capital in the line and it underperforms in many areas.
At the end of the day you look at success. Bevell has lead an above average offense. They rarely turn the ball over and even though they don't pass a lot their per-play rates are pretty good which says a lot concerning their personnel. Probably his biggest traits would be he has experience grooming a young QB. How much of that is Bevell, Carrol, or just Wilson being awesome is anyone's guess--probably a combo of all 3 with Wilson being the #1 reason. But Bevell has shown he can identify talent and then gameplan around it. Another plus is he would hopefully have embraced Carrol's win forever approach.
Anyone expecting a close game between the Panthers and Seahawks? They have played against each other the past 3 season straights and the box scores look like a 1970s defensive extravaganza:
2014: Seattle 13, Carolina 9
2013: Seattle 12 Carolina 7
2012: Seattle 16, Carolina 12
Any given Sunday. But...
No, I don't expect a close game. Those were all on the road for Seattle. Road game + 10am start is very hard for a West Coast team. What is different this time?
Carolina is the road team, not Seattle.
Carolina is playing a late game (8pm EST) which is a huge advantage for Seattle which does great in primetime (biological rhythm advantage).
Carolina has not been to the CLink in a while so the home crowd should create some opportunities. I like Cam but his first rodeo in the CLink could be rough.
Those other games were in pretty Carolina weather while this game could be cold, wet, and windy. 2013 was brutal as it was opening weekend and Seattle was playing in boiling weather, something Carolina players are much better attuned for at their home field.
They say in Vegas that home field is a "+3 home team swing" (6 aggregate) so adjusting those scores:
2014: Seattle
13 16, Carolina
9 6
2013: Seattle
12 15, Carolina
7 4
2012: Seattle
16 19, Carolina
12 9
Most would agree Seattle homefield is worth more than 3 and that Seattle-Primetime are wonky games.
I wouldn't discredit Carolina's recent resurgence. While the last 4 regular season games were not against very good teams they were all NFL teams and most were fighting for the playoffs. You can only beat who you play. That said Seattle is better and healthier than their early season meeting. Kam Chancellor was really struggling with his hip and left the game and missed a few weeks. MLB Bobby Wagner was out. Those are a 2nd team All Pro and a 1st team All Pro and the heart of the middle defense. Right CB Byron Maxwell is back from his calf injury. Will Backer KJ Right is healthy and back (Malcom Smith was playing in his stead and played poorly). So the defense is healthier and playing MUCH better.
The offense is clicking better. Tight end Moeaki and FB Tukuafu were not even on the team the last time these teams met. Heck, our starting FB Coleman (the dead player who did a great job at FB) had just got hurt and Turbin, our backup halfback, had to play fullback. Our young receivers, Richardson and Norwood, have improved a lot. And Unger should be back which is huge as he is our best lineman IMO. In his stead our 2nd stringer got hurt and we were running on our 3rd string center at the time who played BAD. So bad we are now on a 4th stringer off the street. One of the critical turnovers in the CAR game was the 3rd stringer dribbling the ball to Wilson hitting him in the foot!
Any given Sunday AND Carolina is MUCH improved from their October meeting. But I think Cam is gimpy and Seattle is playing hot. I think the game starts slow (the Arizona games, San Fran games, Ram, and Philly game were all very close at half time) and Seattle does their thing in the 3rd quarter as they adjust and wear Carolina out.
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