It's a passing league where offensive genius HC is the key . . .
Super Bowl won by . . .
a defensive head coach
the better defense
the better RUN game (27/135 5.0 avg)
the winning teams top receiver having 4 catches for 27 yards
a capable, but non-super star QB managing the offense (19/38 202 1 TD, 0 INTs, 1 sack)
a zone defense
win in the trenches (Maye sacked 6 times)
On that last point (Darnold), there was this hilarious exchange during the game:
"Late in Super Bowl LX, Rams receiver Puka Nacua tweeted a laugh/crying emoji and “Sam Darnold.”
When Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV saw what Nacua said, Jones had something to say: “Ain’t you at home. Goofy ass.”
Football is a closed loop. Innovation is almost always back to the future. Solid defenses and running games are STILL huge advantages
And to add a dose of irony . . .
some of the Seahawks best defensive plays came off of nickel blitzing (a Bowles staple) but with their #5 overall pick (Witherspoon) as the blitzer. . . and with ZONE behind the blitz. One blitz a pick 6 lol
And the Patriots successfully zone blitzing . . . . with a DE covering JSN
Seahawks were 60 to 1 odds in the pre-season. Patriots were 80 to 1
Bucs were 35 to 1?
Proof Vegas odds are a selling tool, not insight. Eagles, Bills, Ravens and Chiefs were the teams to beat, according to pre-season Vegas odds.
It's a passing league where offensive genius HC is the key . . .
Super Bowl won by . . .
a defensive head coach
the better defense
the better RUN game (27/135 5.0 avg)
the winning teams top receiver having 4 catches for 27 yards
a capable, but non-super star QB managing the offense (19/38 202 1 TD, 0 INTs, 1 sack)
a zone defense
win in the trenches (Maye sacked 6 times)
On that last point (Darnold), there was this hilarious exchange during the game:
"Late in Super Bowl LX, Rams receiver Puka Nacua tweeted a laugh/crying emoji and “Sam Darnold.”
When Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV saw what Nacua said, Jones had something to say: “Ain’t you at home. Goofy ass.”
Football is a closed loop. Innovation is almost always back to the future. Solid defenses and running games are STILL huge advantages
The true difference......Coaching and Preparation. Bowles is not good at either.
Trends are just that. Think about San Fran for a minute. They have the best offensive mind in the game but have a revolving door at DC and have yet to grab eternity with Shanahan at the helm (side note, it's been 32 years since San Fran has won it all, yes I am old, LOL). So you have to pick your poison.
I believe we can win with Bowles as our head coach. But man, we need to bring in any and all LB's and find a way to make that a position of strength.
It's a passing league where offensive genius HC is the key . . .
Super Bowl won by . . .
a defensive head coach
the better defense
the better RUN game (27/135 5.0 avg)
the winning teams top receiver having 4 catches for 27 yards
a capable, but non-super star QB managing the offense (19/38 202 1 TD, 0 INTs, 1 sack)
a zone defense
win in the trenches (Maye sacked 6 times)
On that last point (Darnold), there was this hilarious exchange during the game:
"Late in Super Bowl LX, Rams receiver Puka Nacua tweeted a laugh/crying emoji and “Sam Darnold.”
When Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV saw what Nacua said, Jones had something to say: “Ain’t you at home. Goofy ass.”
Football is a closed loop. Innovation is almost always back to the future. Solid defenses and running games are STILL huge advantages
The true difference......Coaching and Preparation. Bowles is not good at either.
The definitely stands out because the Seahawks defense is a very disciplined unit playing disciplined team defense. and relatively simple defense at that. Mostly 4 and 5 man pressures and 2 safety zone. No comparison, Macdonald to Bowles.
But its also the players and there are several moves you can easily point to.
Witherspoon at #5, an easy one. The Bucs haven't had a #5 pick since 2019 and that player is gone. Witherspoon is a leader and involved directly in many of the biggest plays last night. Our comparable is Jamel Dean? Yikes. McCollum? Its not even close.
But even things we could control in 2025. . We took Reddick (because he was available for a 1 year deal). They took DeMarcus Lawrence on a 3 year deal. Lawrence is a KEY part of that defense and a leader.
Or, injuries . . .They drafted Byron Murphy, we drafted Kancey, who was on the sideline all season.
Or, just compare the LBs
We were 35 LVD and a 5th round ILB and our best pressure player arguably, a 3rd OLB
The Seahawks traded for a SB winning LB (Jones) and have a couple 2nd rounders (Nwosu and Hall)
Mike MacDonald does not win a SB in 2025 as the HC of the Bucs. They are better on defense, for sure, but they are not on the same level talent-wise.
Even throw the Seahawks' version of Cody Mauch in there.
While Cody Mauch misses our season and we have the ridiculous rotating Guards we had, they had a first round G Gray Zabel playing a big part in their run game. I believe he was one of 3 or 4 O-lineman who played every game for them this season. I think their LT was out some and their center.
Even throw the Seahawks' version of Cody Mauch in there.
While Cody Mauch misses our season and we have the ridiculous rotating Guards we had, they had a first round G Gray Zabel playing a big part in their run game. I believe he was one of 3 or 4 O-lineman who played every game for them this season. I think their LT was out some and their center.
Kubiak was excellent all year. Defensive scheme matched with excellent simulated pressures all year. They rattled Maye.
In short their coaching was elite and ours was trash.
They've also drafted elite for 5 straight years
The Seahawks traded for a SB winning LB (Jones)
Licht could have made that trade but instead he paid David 10m to limp around with a catheter in his knee.
The Seahawks traded for a SB winning LB (Jones)
Licht could have made that trade but instead he paid David 10m to limp around with a catheter in his knee.
exactly.
that's an example of a decision that is based on something other than winning a SB and with the film from 2024 it was definitely understood that he was diminished physically
The true difference......Coaching and Preparation. Bowles is not good at either.
Bingo
Bingo x 2
Make that 3x
Great honest insight from Jared Verse
"“When we started having trouble [against the Seahwaks], we didn’t know what to do,” Verse said. “Like some of us on the defense, some, you know, I’m going to take full blame, too. Like, there were a couple of times I’m like, but they’re running the other way. Like, I don’t know what to do. I can’t chase. Like I’m not that fast. I can’t chase him on the backside. What do I do? So when we had some troubles, we just kind of like mentally shut down.”
familiar lol