NFL Week 9 Featured Preview: Seattle Seahawks @ Cleveland Browns

November 2nd, 2007 6:15 am
by Big Dog

This is one of the more intriguing matchups of the week. While the NFC West has been particularly uninspiring this season and the Seattle Seahawks have managed to live up to expectations holding the number one position, it’s much more remarkable that the Cleveland Browns are still in the running in the much more competitive AFC North.

Seattle Seahawks

Seattle are fresh off a bye week, and while a rest usually brings a team back fresh, Seattle needed this break as they had key injuries to nurse. In particular, QB Matt Hasselbeck took an extra couple of days to rest a strained oblique on the advice of training staff. Hasselbeck is still a little sore, but he will play. This could be an important factor as the Seahawks are already caught in a lacklustre season.

The other issue facing the Seahawks on offense is Shaun Alexander. For better or worse Alexander has been under a lot of pressure to perform this season and fans have been more than disappointed. With only 107 yards from 44 carries in his last three games, Alexander has a lot of ground to make up both literally and figuratively. Adding to Alexander and Hasselbeck’s difficulties is the underperforming offensive line which has managed to allow eight sacks in Hasselbeck’s last three games.

Cleveland Browns

The Browns have been brought back to life this season with QB Derek Anderson sitting at second in the NFL with 17 touchdown passes. Anderson has plenty of receiving options available to him in WR Braylon Edwards, WR Joe Jurevicius and TE Kellen Winslow.

Edwards already has nine touchdown receptions for the season and is only five shy of setting a team record for touchdown receptions in a season. Anderson has been posting very consistent performances and threw for three touchdowns and no interceptions last week in St Louis.

If Cleveland can exploit the weaknesses in the Seattle offensive line and apply pressure to Hasselbeck, they could create enough of an opportunity for the Browns offense to win the game.

Prediction: Cleveland

Posted in Analysis, Braylon Edwards, Cleveland Browns, Derek Anderson, Game, Joe Jurevicius, Kellen Winslow, Matt Hasselbeck, NFL, NFL Franchises/Teams, NFL Players, Seattle Seahawks, Shaun Alexander | No Comments »

SEA @ SF – Final Thoughts

September 30th, 2007 7:16 pm
by Big Dog

To be honest, this game has been pretty disappointing. Even Seattle fans don’t have much to be thrilled about. At best you can say that the Seahawks have been able to do what is needed to secure the win. Probably the best aspect of their game has been their clock management. Mike Holmgren is known for running the clock down once he’s established a lead and today was no exception.

While QB Matt Hasselbeck has put up some good numbers, I think the more dominant Seahawks performance has come from their pass rush, which consistently caused problems for the 49ers. In addition, CB Marcus Trufant came away with two interceptions for the game.

While the final score may give the impression that Seattle controlled the game, it would be a mistake to believe that completely. By far the most decisive onfield performance was the San Francisco Offensive Line. They were offensive in almost every way, with 7 penalties, 6 sacks allowed and an inability to provide any kind of consistent protection for QB Trent Dilfer.

This made Dilfer skittish and jumpy, showing a tendency to scramble or throw early and often getting himself and his receivers into trouble as a result. In addition, it eroded the trust need to run an offense successfully. With the QB second guessing his line, the receivers second guessing the QB and nobody trusting anybody, there was no way San Francisco was going to turn this around.

That may sound harsh, but there’s no questioning the fact that San Francisco had their chances. They blocked a punt in the first half and failed to convert the excitement that generated into points. They started the second half with a successful onside kick. The first play of that drive Dilfer threw for an interception. Even when Dilfer was making good throws (and to be fair, he made some excellent throws), his receivers weren’t holding onto them.

At the end of the day, Seattle did what it took to win and San Francisco struggled to do anything at all.

Final score: Seattle 23 – San Francisco 3.

Posted in Analysis, Game, Marcus Trufant, Matt Hasselbeck, Mike Holmgren, NFL, NFL Coaches, NFL Franchises/Teams, NFL Players, NFL on FOX, NFL on television, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Trent Dilfer, Week 4 Instant Analysis | No Comments »

SEA @ SF – First Half Observations

September 30th, 2007 5:41 pm
by Big Dog

This game has taken a long time to get going. Neither team could be accused of putting on a display for the fans. ForSan Francisco the first half has been full of sacks, fumbles and a failed challenge. It took until just under 6 minutes to go in the second quarter before Trent Dilfer was able to connect with Frank Gore for the 49ers’ first, 1st down. This was the first of only two plays in which the 49ers looked remotely impressive.

That said, the 49ers defense has generally done a good job of containing Seattle RB Shaun Alexander.

Similarly, while Seattle have managed to rack up 13 first half points (17 yd TD pass from Matt Hasselbeck to Bobby Engram, 2 FG), the truth is that their defense has been the more significant unit on the field. They’ve broken through the SF offensive line over half a dozen times and sacked Dilfer repetitively. They’ve forced multiple fumbles from Dilfer and Gore, and have generally harrassed the SF offense into submission.

At half time, the 13-0 scoreline favours Seattle, but probably gives an unfair impression of how the game is currently going.

Posted in Analysis, Bobby Engram, Frank Gore, Game, Matt Hasselbeck, NFL, NFL Franchises/Teams, NFL Players, NFL on FOX, NFL on television, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Shaun Alexander, Trent Dilfer, Week 4 Instant Analysis | No Comments »