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Week 16 - See You in Valhalla
28 Plays10 months ago
Tristan and Miles talk about what it means to play a contender so close, what happens when you don’t score on the first drive, and whether or not the Nordic Heritage Museum has been conquered.
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Transcript
Viking Metaphor and Seattle's Heritage
00:00:00
Tristan Amundson
Miles, the walls of Seattle, it appears, weren't tall enough to expel the Viking horde that came across the Cascades over Mount Rainhair into the Puget Sound. Their Viking ships cruising not past the ferry system because the ferries go at a pretty quick clip and certainly not past the foot ferries, but they eventually made land in Seattle. They came and they conquered. I hate to say it, but it's the truth. We have to we have to lead with the truth today. The Vikings were victorious. How are you doing, my friend?
00:00:43
M dub
Tristan, it's great to be with you. Thank you for not avoiding the truth. I think this morning now about the Nordic Heritage Museum in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle. what Has that been conquered? What flag is flying above that wonderful museum?
00:01:01
M dub
um but it's It's scary to think about. it could It could be a gigantic purple flag above that museum today.
00:01:08
Tristan Amundson
it's It's possible. I'm hoping it's just the Norwegian flag right next to the American flag and and and maybe a flag of the city of of Seattle or something
Seahawks vs Vikings Game Recap
00:01:16
Tristan Amundson
like that. but But we don't know. And if anyone is in Ballard, if they have eyes on, and also that that would go for Paul's Bow. If anyone has eyes on in downtown Paul's Bow at the at the Sons of Norway,
00:01:29
Tristan Amundson
if we can confirm there's no viking minnesota viking purple banners anywhere you know near the structure that would be much appreciated.
00:01:39
M dub
And if there is, what can you do? What can you do?
00:01:43
Tristan Amundson
Not much yeah not much.
00:01:44
M dub
The Seahawks did lose this game, their 15th game of the year, 27 to 24 to the Vikings. The Seahawks are eight and seven and effectively shut out of the playoffs.
00:01:55
M dub
The Vikings are 13 and two, which is a staggering number to look at. When you see that number, you feel kind of the weight of like football history. You you can't get to 13 and two.
00:02:07
M dub
on accident. It makes me think of, um, one of the very first teams that I saw be completely dominant when, when watching football was the 98 Vikings with Randy Moss and Chris Carter. And I remember, ah, this team went 15 and one. And that was just, they're just incredible. fifty These numbers are just, they just feel different. And 13 and two is awfully close to 15 and one. Nonetheless,
00:02:31
M dub
It did feel, ah despite the loss, this is a tough one because it felt like, I mean, the Hawks were in it until the end. It was a very back and forth game. And boy, does that lead to some mixed emotions.
Seahawks' Performance Review
00:02:44
Tristan Amundson
It really does. Yeah, it makes this game so much harder in some ways to talk about because we live We live in a time, and maybe just the way our brains work, we we want to be able to have kind of a binary, extreme thought one way or the other. Man, it was a blowout. We suck. Man, we destroyed them. We're the best team in the world. And and this game doesn't offer any kind of safe harbor like that that. This game is all about nuance, which is always difficult to talk about.
00:03:16
Tristan Amundson
um And, you know, I thought that Mike during his press conference did a pretty good job of saying, and it's a thing that coaches hate to say, but he he kind of just said it. He was like, man, we did a lot of really, we did a lot of things really great today and we did a few things poorly. And like, that's kind of the truth of it. I mean, there was enough paper cuts in this game that really hurt the Seahawks. And and we could talk through some of those and some of those miscues, um,
00:03:44
Tristan Amundson
I don't quite understand so some of the offensive, um what would you call it? Like fundamental offensive penalties that they were having. um You know, not not things like false start, but too many men on the line of scrimmage, stuff like that. What what am I trying to say? What what what what are these
00:04:04
M dub
pre-snapper procedural penalties.
00:04:06
Tristan Amundson
that's procedural is exactly the word I was looking for.
00:04:07
M dub
Yeah. Yeah.
00:04:09
Tristan Amundson
Some of these pre-snap, I'm willing to even, listen, i when I was in high school, play a little offensive line, I get it. Sometimes false starts happen. i'm i'm not That doesn't even bother me as much as you know some of the pre-snap You know, guys still in motion, guys lined up on, on the wrong side of the line, stuff like that, that it just little paper cuts that that just kind of hurt this team, which I'm surprised of because Mike is such a details guy. I'm surprised of this team. Does that surprise you at all? Like that this team is having some of these procedural issues that they kind of keep running into.
00:04:47
M dub
That's a good point. To me, I felt that the paper cuts were more coming from Geno in this game. um We'll get to that in just a second. So yeah, it is a surprise. it has not really beent While penalties have been a a difficult so subject for this team throughout the year, the penalties haven't necessarily been in this category very often, in in this procedural ah genre of penalties. so Yeah, it did feel a little weird. um And it it also felt like the the game was, it felt like an uphill game.
JSN and Geno's Contributions
00:05:21
M dub
Despite the scoreboard being close the entire time, you could feel that the Seahawks were traveling uphill and the Vikings were traveling downhill. That's how I was thinking about it. And yeah, yeah, it was weird though. It it did happen a lot. It did happen a lot. And and with the Seahawks traveling uphill offensively that you need every, every little,
00:05:42
M dub
Every five yards you can get, um they do add up quickly.
00:05:46
Tristan Amundson
Um, let's talk about a ah few of the good things and and we can get in some of the bad things as well. Listen, it's nice to be able to be a broken record the same way. Last year we were a broken record on how fun it was to to watch spoon. And obviously that continues this year, the broken record.
00:06:05
Tristan Amundson
of the year this year is JSN and how fun it's been to watch him. it's It's so clear how different he's made this team offensively and and and just the impact he has. It's been so so fun to watch. The other quick call out I want to make.
00:06:21
Tristan Amundson
I said to my wife um when AJ Barnard caught that pass in the back of the end zone, if I was given, now let's let's assume I don't have to jump to catch the pass. Let's assume it's thrown at my chest. Let's assume I don't have to run around. All I have to do is stand where he was standing and Gino's going to throw it straight at my chest.
00:06:44
Tristan Amundson
Gino threw that ball so hard. I was trying to think of how many times I would physically be able to catch that football out of a hundred. I don't know if I would catch it more than five or six times out of a hundred times.
00:06:58
Tristan Amundson
That was, and and I said, I was so proud of myself. I was listening to the radio copy while I was watching it on TV. So I had, I had Ray Bull right next to me and I said,
00:07:06
M dub
Wow. Multimedia.
00:07:10
Tristan Amundson
A quarter of a second before Rabel said that was a laser to AJ barner. And there's no other word that can describe the speed at which he was thrown. How fun was that pass? How many times do you think you could catch that pass? If, if we just sat you in the end zone, Hey, it's going to come right now. Miles, get your hands ready. do Do you think like life depends on it? Can you make that catch?
00:07:37
M dub
100 out of 100. I believe in myself. No, I'm i'm just kidding.
00:07:40
Tristan Amundson
impressive.
00:07:43
M dub
It's a great headspace to be in.
00:07:47
M dub
I was impressed just at the fortitude. I thought Gino played a really bad game. I think there were four interceptions that were his fault on the ledger.
00:07:54
Tristan Amundson
Yeah. Yeah.
00:07:56
M dub
And, um, I don't think, uh, throughout the year, I have mentioned that I don't think all the interceptions are necessarily his fault today. I felt there was four for four on him and the Vikings just so happened to drop two of them. So the fortitude to come back. I mean, I mean, this is what he does. He, he hangs in there in the, in the mess of an ugly game and creates some beautiful drives in the fourth quarter and caps it off, uh, with it felt at the time.
00:08:22
M dub
a season-saving play, um especially because ah the team had gotten into that short goal-to-go area, which, as we've discussed, is a problem area and had two very poor runs to start that.
00:08:30
Tristan Amundson
Yep.
00:08:36
M dub
So it was third and goal. um You know, my cheeks were getting rosy as I was considering the the potential of, do you go forward or do you kick a field goal on a potential fourth down?
00:08:47
M dub
And that laser of a pass just totally erases that equation.
Game Controversies and Missed Opportunities
00:08:52
M dub
It was a beautiful pass and that yeah, it'd be very hard to get hands on and Barnard had to get up for it too.
00:08:57
M dub
The pass wasn't at chess level. Barnard did have to elevate. It was a low percentage play and they converted it. It was pretty awesome.
00:09:06
Tristan Amundson
barner was well and and So it's another broken record.
00:09:06
M dub
and The team does stuff like that, even in a loss, you know.
00:09:13
Tristan Amundson
I'm glad you brought that up because it's another broken record aspect of this team. These moments of brilliance, these moments of like, oh my gosh, yes, that's it. Barnard gave us another one.
00:09:24
Tristan Amundson
That play, you know, he had the false start, right? And then the next play went to him. This is like a midfield play. I don't know if it was earlier in that drive or the drive before. um But he gets a he gets the pass on in on the flat, far side of the screen. And he yeah you know what it was it was first and 15. And he converted it to second and six. um And I mean, he trucked a few dudes similar to the game in Arizona, where he trucked a couple of dudes to to make the play.
00:09:58
Tristan Amundson
So A.J. Barner is another guy that's been fun to watch, not has not been perfect. I mean, that that previous drive I'm talking about is a perfect example of it. False start. Right. Thanks, A.J. Next play. He trucks a few dudes. He makes up for it. And, you know, now we just need four yards to get the first down. um ah So so yeah I mean, we had a nickname for our daughters. um ah It's still probably their nicknames.
00:10:26
Tristan Amundson
And most parents can probably, um, relate to this. We would call them our sour patch kids because they're real sour and then suddenly they'd be sweet, you know, and, and, and that that's this team, right? There's moments where you're like, Oh no, this is terrible. And then suddenly it's just, it's perfect. So maybe sour patch will be the name of, of a a future episode and how we get rid of some of that sour coating around the candy.
00:10:56
M dub
Maybe a warhead.
00:10:58
Tristan Amundson
Mmm.
00:10:59
M dub
Those would be intense at first. um I did have to mention, it it's no fun to get on to to get these microphones out and complain about a refereeing call. But I do think, in this case, that it is worth talking about.
00:11:11
M dub
So on what would be the game ceiling, season ceiling touchdown pass, a 39-yard touchdown pass from sand Sam Darnold to Justin Jefferson,
00:11:25
M dub
I figure, Tristan, if I am seeing a hold in real time, it's a low percentage of the the the amount of time that holding is called in the game. you know I don't know.
00:11:36
Tristan Amundson
Absolutely, yeah.
00:11:36
M dub
um I usually need the replay, and then I can figure it out.
00:11:40
Tristan Amundson
Oh yeah, that was a whole dang it. Yeah, exactly.
00:11:41
M dub
Yeah, yeah, yeah, sure.
00:11:42
Tristan Amundson
like
00:11:42
M dub
and Or that was a hold, yes. you know ah but I figure if I'm seeing it happen in real time, it is in a category of hold that is glaringly obvious.
00:11:54
M dub
And on this play, there was such a hold. The man being held was Derek Hall, who was putting some beautiful moves on the left tackle, Minnesota's left tackle, and was really getting to the quarterback and was... It was in in a category of hold that was blatantly obvious. It's almost a face mask penalty, actually. It's somewhere in a gray area between a hold and a face mask. And as Justin Jefferson is dancing in the end zone, I was not concerned. I was like,
00:12:23
M dub
Well, yeah, ah this this one's getting called back. I noticed the hold in real time.
00:12:26
Tristan Amundson
Yep.
00:12:28
M dub
And ah to to not see the flag out there and to not really hear that that play get discussed, I think you know there have been times in recent NFL history, it has to be something like probably a past interference or something that to get people talking about it.
00:12:45
M dub
It really felt like this one slipped between the cracks, which makes me feel even more like I'm ah holding onto some sour grapes. but That really should have been a penalty.
00:12:55
M dub
The Vikings were on their thirty nine we're on the Seahawks 39 yard line. ah So it it should have been first to 20 back on the 49 with the Vikings down. I think four points at the time.
00:13:06
M dub
Yeah, four points at the time, 24 to 20. Still four minutes in the game to go. Still a lot of time.
00:13:12
Tristan Amundson
Sure.
00:13:13
M dub
but um yeah So you know there's there's no guarantees. It's not like a last second thing where it completely flipped the the win or the loss. but that was That was pretty egregious. And credit to the Seahawks. I don't think they really discussed it after the game, but um that was a tough one. That was a tough one.
00:13:33
Tristan Amundson
And so it brings up just kind of a great sequence, right? that Those last, I don't know if it was exactly the last three plays. It might've actually been the last three plays of the of the drive for Minnesota there, where the Seahawks are so close to brilliance three times, right? Ernest Jones.
00:13:53
Tristan Amundson
isn't able to intercept that pass.
00:13:54
M dub
Oh, yeah. Yeah, I forgot about that play.
00:13:55
Tristan Amundson
And yet, and and it should be mentioned, that would have been a very high level of difficulty interception.
00:13:55
M dub
Yeah.
00:14:02
Tristan Amundson
I'm not saying, Oh, come on, man.
00:14:03
M dub
ah Agreed.
00:14:04
Tristan Amundson
Just like that was that was going to be tough, right? But you have that play, right? Where it's like, Oh, the game's almost over, right? I mean, again, still four minutes, we would have had to run it out, but certainly would have helped.
00:14:16
Tristan Amundson
Followed by the face mask by Byron Murphy. He he is denied his signature um his signature play of his rookie season. That would have been just an unbelievable, jubilant, wonderful moment. He gets a sack, game ceiling sack. That that would have been really cool. um And then a holding penalty. it I could be wrong, but it those plays might have happened. In my brain, they happen one, two, and three. It seems like they happened in sequence.
00:14:47
Tristan Amundson
But in some ways it's a perfect microcosm of this game because that's that that's just so demoralizing. that there There's three plays that potentially could have turned the Seahawks way on that final drive that flipped the game. and And this is a victory that we're talking about. And it was, listen, that's why I'm not completely demoralized today. It was a good game. I mean, the Seahawks were toe to toe with Minnesota. And I think Minnesota would say that game easily could have gone the Seahawks way. This was a classic three point game. I mean, it really, I mean, this was a classic. they They won it by three. It was basically a three point game, either direction for for the entire game. So
00:15:35
Tristan Amundson
It's a tough one, man. It's a tough one because it was so fun to watch and and, and they played very well, but those three plays just will be replaying in my mind over and over again for a little while.
00:15:45
M dub
And I think this Byron Murphy face mask, face mask is usually a penalty of of discipline. But I think this Byron Murphy play was really similar to a potential Leonard Williams sack in the Giants game a few weeks ago where there's no um like coaching point or discipline point for Murphy. It was the it was the same thing yeah on both plays where the Seahawks D linemen is enveloping the quarterback And as those arms, ah my arms are are going out in in kind of a hug right now. um the The hug motion of a sack and their hand really just coincidentally happens to grab the face mask kind of as the quarterback is like.
Seahawks' Defensive Strengths
00:16:30
M dub
leaning into the sack a little bit it was it's very rarely that of uh yeah that he there's nothing there's nothing you would say if you were the coach there's nothing you would say differently to Byron Murphy uh as he comes to the sideline after that play i mean he he won the pass rush and it was is just um yeah it it kind of just was a coincidence that's how i've read it
00:16:53
Tristan Amundson
Yeah, no, it it totally was. And it it brings up another thing that was actually very encouraging about this game. The defensive line was getting consistent push and pressure on um on Sam Darnold, the entire game. I mean, specifically the interior defensive line, push and pressure and presence, push, pressure and presence. I didn't mean to to do that, but I did.
00:17:17
Tristan Amundson
um It was consistent from the inside. And actually I shouldn't just say that, uh, boy, a had an unbelievable sack. I mean that that sack by boy, a mafia was, I mean, it seemed like it was a 25 yard sack.
00:17:31
Tristan Amundson
It was one of those where he just, I mean, it was such a deep, crazy sack.
00:17:34
M dub
Yeah. yeah
00:17:35
Tristan Amundson
Um, uh, China seemed to be getting consistent pressure. That was a fun part of this game that the defensive line was really, uh, lively, I guess maybe is, is the term.
00:17:46
Tristan Amundson
I don't know. They, they, they were very, there was a lot of movement.
00:17:49
M dub
I totally agree. I felt a bit more pessimistic watching this game, and I was really focused in on the opening drives. Can I get into the opening drives a little bit? so
00:18:03
Tristan Amundson
Please do.
00:18:04
M dub
Yeah, so um Minnesota gets the ball first in this game. They score a touchdown. And after Seattle's first drive, it is seven to nothing Minnesota. or Or a few minutes into this game, we got a long way to go. And of course, eventually the Seahawks do take the lead in the fourth quarter. So what's the big deal? But it really got me feeling because the Packers also got it. We're up 7-0 after their first drive and actually going back to the the win in Arizona after the first two drives, the Cardinals were also up 7-0 in the opening minutes of that game before the Seahawks eventually overwhelmed in that one.
00:18:43
M dub
So maybe there was a stat on ah on a broadcast sometime in the last month showing that the Seahawks have this incredible streak going back into 2023 of not scoring a touchdown on their first drive. And that streak is still alive. So I'm not concerned about the last few weeks of 2023, totally different coaching staff, but this coaching staff has coached 15 games of the year. So there are been 15 first drives and here's how they've gone. Uh, four field goals.
00:19:12
M dub
Four field goals, ah two interceptions, and nine punts. And that adds up to 15
Offensive Struggles and Strategy
00:19:18
M dub
games. so that it And on those 15 drives in total, there have been a total of 13 first downs.
00:19:27
M dub
so So the Seahawks have Geno Smith is third in the league in passing yards, and JSN is fifth in the league in receiving yards. He just passed, I forget, he he passed either Jerry Judy or Brian Thomas, or or both of them this week.
00:19:41
M dub
um
00:19:41
Tristan Amundson
Pretty crazy.
00:19:42
M dub
He's up to fifth. So these are these are real offensive weapons. it really You really shouldn't be able to look at kind of any group of 15 drives. um you know I'm not even mentioning DK or Tyler Lockett. or you know ah You shouldn't look at any chunk of 15 drives and see zero touchdowns with with with those type of offensive weapons. And I really feel like it it just puts the Seahawks going uphill for the entire game. So I was looking, pro football reference very helpfully ah shows the splits and the stats when a team is either leading, tied, or trailing.
00:20:26
M dub
So 7-0 opening into the game, it's not really that big of a deal in any one game. But when it happens, most games, I think it really gets the Seahawks behind the script. And it leads to a lot of this, I think this gets the team stuck in a lot of the problems that have held back the offense all year. So.
00:20:49
M dub
The team has had 247 offensive snaps when leading the game. And ah believe it or not, they had zero in this game. They only had defensive snaps when they were leading.
00:21:00
Tristan Amundson
Interesting.
00:21:01
M dub
So 247 offensive snaps when leading the game. And let me tell you some beautiful stats. This is an offense you like you like to see. ah During those 247 snaps, they're running the ball 46% of the time, passing 54% of the time, and they're giving up sacks on 4.6% of the passing plays.
00:21:20
M dub
Isn't that beautiful?
00:21:21
Tristan Amundson
It's a different team.
00:21:21
M dub
Isn't that beautiful?
00:21:22
Tristan Amundson
It's a different team. Well.
00:21:24
M dub
ah Here's where we get into trouble. Tide ah happens rarely. And you can think about this, these are also ah maybe the zero zero starts to the game. if If the Seahawks are getting the ball first, which didn't happen in this game, but you know what happens.
00:21:38
M dub
And so only 133 snaps running the ball, 37% of the time passing 63%. That's starting to get a little out of whack there.
00:21:48
Tristan Amundson
Yep.
00:21:48
M dub
And um that's not that many plays, but still concerning 12% sack percentage. Okay, it's right where the offensive line issues are starting. So 247 leading, 133 tied. This is astonishing. 546 snaps when trailing. The offense is usually trailing. So despite the winning record on the year, the offense is usually out there behind and that's when i think I think there's so a little bit of panic in the play calling.
00:22:19
M dub
I mean, a lot a lot of those those moments of trailing, I would say it feels like at least half of those snaps, the team is down one possession.
00:22:28
Tristan Amundson
Not a big deal. Yeah.
00:22:29
M dub
I don't i don't have those numbers in front of me, but
00:22:29
Tristan Amundson
that That would be a lot harder to, but yeah, I mean, this game is a good example of it, right? I mean, this game was like we said earlier, it was basically a three point game, either direction the entire time.
00:22:40
Tristan Amundson
So yeah.
00:22:41
M dub
It was mostly the Minnesota direction though, in this one.
00:22:43
Tristan Amundson
Yes, yes, yes.
00:22:44
M dub
So 546 trailing, usually not by a lot, but you're still trailing.
00:22:44
Tristan Amundson
Yep.
00:22:49
M dub
And this is where the run is. So then we're calling runs 31.5% of the time and passing 68.5% of the time. And that's a way out of whack. And this is just a ton more plays.
00:23:02
M dub
That's giving up a 10% sack percentage, which is pretty tough and in in a much more meaningful sample size.
00:23:04
Tristan Amundson
Hmm.
00:23:07
M dub
So. 247 leading, 546 trailing, 8 and 7 on the year. So i was I was looking around and trying to see teams that had similar numbers.
00:23:17
M dub
So there's a team out there that has led 243 offensive snaps and trailed 469, so trailing way less.
00:23:26
Tristan Amundson
Yeah.
00:23:27
M dub
And that is the New York Jets, 4 and 11.
00:23:30
Tristan Amundson
Interesting.
00:23:31
M dub
Another team ah leading 327, that's way more than the Hawks, and trailing 401, which is way less. That is the New Orleans Saints who are five and nine and fired their coach in the middle of the year.
00:23:47
Tristan Amundson
Interesting.
00:23:47
M dub
so ah prof So I really think, ah you know, Gino and and his his skills in the fourth quarter, I think have really made up for a lot of mistakes.
00:23:59
M dub
The one other thing, so um sixty passing 68.5% of the time when trailing, I wanted to look at the team who had the reputation in recent NFL history for passing the ball too much. And that was last year's Washington Commanders. They just had the reputation for, they passed the ball way too much, they abandoned the run. And ah during the snaps when they were trailing, they passed the ball 61.8% of the time.
00:24:29
M dub
So the Seahawks are really abandoning the run in a way that even now, what's crazy about those commanders teams is they actually pass the ball more often when they were tied and leading.
00:24:29
Tristan Amundson
Wow.
00:24:40
M dub
So that's me, which wasn't very often. But so so that's where the that's where Washington is really out of whack. But trailing in the game. Um, when, you know, unless it's the fourth quarter, if you're down even 10 points, I really don't think there should be that much of a change in your, in your balance.
00:24:58
M dub
Um, especially not, not that dramatic of a change.
00:24:58
Tristan Amundson
in your script. Yeah. Yeah.
00:25:02
M dub
So, um, in the same way that last game really made me think of general managers and and how the two teams were built and like comparing the green Bay general manager and. and and John Schneider and their draft strategies.
00:25:15
M dub
This game did make me think of a level ah above the players and and at that offensive coordinator position. And I was looking a little bit into because Bill Walsh, the Niners coach, is famous for scripting the first 15 plays.
00:25:31
Tristan Amundson
Yeah.
00:25:31
M dub
And I found a very helpful blog on the Alabama Football Coaches Association website, which is not a site I've been on before, but have you?
00:25:43
Tristan Amundson
have I've not, I've not graced it, but I'm excited to later.
00:25:44
M dub
and good
00:25:47
M dub
So you think about scripting plays and you're kind of like, well, why would you do that? You know, aren't you going to be ah at the wrong down and distance for the for the play to happen? And that's some interesting points that When you script the plays, it kind of allows you to get into personnel groups or target um maybe target ah receivers who are a little lower on the depth chart, which is not what you are going to tend to do.
00:26:16
M dub
That's not but where you would like reflexively go in the heat of the game. You'd probably dial up something you feel a little more comfortable with.
00:26:20
Tristan Amundson
Hmm.
00:26:22
M dub
So it's tend of to make ensure you have a ah better balance. And it's also to be able to kind of watch the defense a little bit more. so Anyway, and yeah so Ryan Grubb, I think I figured out finally what made me a little uncomfortable now that we're almost done with the first season with them bringing in Ryan Grubb from college. And I'm curious what you think about this.
Coaching Philosophies and Execution
00:26:45
M dub
It made me think that in college, you're you can trick your opponent a little more.
00:26:52
M dub
um
00:26:52
Tristan Amundson
Sure. Yeah.
00:26:54
M dub
you can you can really scheme things wide open. And I think the main difference between the college and the NFL that I've been thinking about is in the NFL, you you can't trick anybody. There's there's nothing you can do to to trick somebody. What you can do though, as a coordinator, what your responsibility is, is to set up your personnel in the areas where they are the strongest.
00:27:23
M dub
That's what you can do.
00:27:23
Tristan Amundson
Yes.
00:27:23
M dub
that that's so So you're not tricking anybody, but you are creating situations where you know if you have a tight end, you're strong in the flat, you're getting the ball to them there.
00:27:31
Tristan Amundson
Yep.
00:27:35
M dub
you know you're you're you're just you're If you have a a really good guard pulling, as we've seen in the last few weeks, some some great guard pulling plays, you're making sure you get to that. um
00:27:46
Tristan Amundson
You know, it's funny you say that I've heard Brock Huard say this multiple times. And I think it's a ah great phrase and i'm I'm blanking on the coach that used to say this to him, but this was a ah quote from one of his offensive coaches.
00:28:00
Tristan Amundson
It's my job to get you oneon one-on-ones and it's your job to win the one-on-ones. And I think that plays, that plays exactly to what you're talking about, right?
00:28:06
M dub
There we go. That's it.
00:28:11
M dub
Yeah, and it feels like we, the Seahawks this year don't quite have that, it kind of get lost it in in the, it kind of get lost like clawing back into the game. And I think a ah big sign for that in this game was only only one carry to Zach Charbonnet. It was great to have Kenny Walker back in healthy and
00:28:30
Tristan Amundson
Yeah.
00:28:31
M dub
There's a lot of games where it's like Kenny Walker is a solid game and you look at it, he's got eight rushes. And Sharpen A had 130 yards a few weeks ago. And to give him one, you know, give him the rock one time is, that that feels like a problem you could solve by scripting the the opening.
00:28:44
Tristan Amundson
it It does.
00:28:48
Tristan Amundson
it's It does seem a little silly, and it's funny, because I was thinking the same thing, not at all in the detail that you're describing, but just watching the game, watching how well they were running the football.
00:29:01
Tristan Amundson
And I kept thinking to myself, like, man, why aren't, like, every time we've run it, like, we we're getting pretty good, not every time, but often, like, you were seeing positive yardage consistently from the running game.
00:29:12
M dub
Yes.
00:29:13
Tristan Amundson
And, and I had that thought over and over again, watching this game, like, can we just run it more? Mark Sanchez on the TV copy, like mentioned it halfway through the game. He's like, well these guys start running the football. What's going on? I do wonder with Ryan grub is he's learning the NFL. And, and this is maybe the issue with all great offensive minds. And I guess this, I'm going to sound like Ryan grub's mother when I say this.
00:29:40
Tristan Amundson
I wonder if he's just like kind of too smart. Like he's out thinking the room, like Ryan can come up with some really cool things. We've seen it. I mean, like we've seen guys wide open. He can actually scheme them open pretty well. And I wonder if it's one of those deals where it's like, I'm really good at this and I have these unbelievable weapons.
00:29:59
Tristan Amundson
Of course I want to do it. Like, of course I want to use all these awesome weapons. I want to get it to DK. I want to get to JSN. I want to see AJ Barnard truck a guy again. So I'm going to keep doing all these things. And you kind of forget about the the tool you have in your bag that is the most consistent, the hammer. And we like we can just, we can just run it down their throats. And it is funny because if you think about Now, Andy Reed is the ultimate um ah the ultimate maverick for what I'm about to say, because he's a great offensive mind as well. But if you think about the really great coaches in NFL history, they have like pretty simple game plans that they just kind of
00:30:43
Tristan Amundson
do at nauseam and they just work over and over again. Mike Tomlin, John Harbaugh, Pete Carroll, Bill Belichick for that matter. Like it's kind of at nauseam like, yeah, we're we're just going to keep running the football and we're going to like have these really ugly muddy games and we're going to win them at the end of the game because we're like, we'll just keep beating the other team to submission. These aren't like offensive geniuses. Like I don't think john harbaugh maybe bill belch i would say he's an offensive genius i don't know but like none of these guys none of these coaches certainly not john mike and pete wouldn't say like oh yeah i'm gonna hang my hat on my offensive prowess like these are guys that all have the exact same philosophy which is
00:31:27
Tristan Amundson
Yeah, like we're just going to run it until they can't take it anymore. um And I wonder if in in Mike McDonald's newness to this job of this is ah ah a thing that he's going to have to grow in, which is like just telling offensive coordinators like stop being cute. like You are good at what you do.
00:31:47
Tristan Amundson
Ryan Grubb, let's keep you on. You're awesome. we We're going to ask you to be less creative. like We're going to ask you to be more boring. And like you only get a chance to be creative and fun every now and again. We we need 15% more boring out of you. And
Seahawks' Future Games and Humor
00:32:05
Tristan Amundson
that's actually going to be a great thing for our team.
00:32:07
M dub
I think you're I think you are right with with I because you're right and identifying that grub does have a lot of plays where yeah a guy's wide open and I think the area where you really see this and it's crazy to think that this is the same group of guys about an hour or 70 minutes later after this 0 for 15 on touchdowns of the opening drive but the the two-minute warning before halftime I mean that that is an area where the team deals
00:32:32
Tristan Amundson
Yeah.
00:32:32
M dub
And they did it again in this game, another score right before the half, about half of Geno's passing touchdowns on the year are ah in that like two, three minute drive at the end of the first half. So it is interesting how, and and again, that's the same group of guys who just a few minutes earlier, you know, we're struggling to get a touchdown. So.
00:32:55
Tristan Amundson
Well, and actually, and listen, I just want to say this out loud because it's it's worthy of saying, All three of those touchdown passes that Gino through, like picture them all picture picture each one right now in your mind. AJ Barnard, DK Metcalf, um, uh, JSN, they were all. Gorgeous, like very difficult, awesome touchdown passes. None of those were like the cheap, like, oh yeah, the guy fell down and he was wide open in the back of the end zone. Like these were all well thought out, well planned and perfectly executed.
00:33:29
Tristan Amundson
um I guess I just say that maybe just to give credit where credit's due. All of those touchdown passes, all of those receptions were really, really gorgeous. I think that's that might be my entire point. They were all like very pretty.
00:33:43
M dub
It's true. It's true. Tristan, before the season, I looked at this. It was Sunday hosting the Vikings and then Thursday. This Thursday, the day after Christmas in Chicago, playing the Chicago Bears. And that was really the team's most difficult schedule sequence of the entire year. I didn't like it. The fact that it was so late.
00:34:05
M dub
Now that it's here, though, and this game did a lot to take away the Seahawks power to get themselves into their own playoff spot. Now that it's here, I actually wonder if this is kind of a good thing and the fact that um the the team doesn't really have much time to think about their place in the playoffs or not in the playoffs, if you will. You just kind of have that Sunday, to Thursday.
00:34:29
M dub
You just kind of have to get ready for the game. ah Probably not a lot of time around the Christmas tree this week ah for the team, which which is tough. Hopefully they have scheduled another time to make up for it. But I do kind of wonder if it's actually pretty beneficial, the fact that that you just got to get right into this next one. um And I really don't think they have that much time to think about the the playoff implications, which don't look good.
00:34:56
Tristan Amundson
Yeah, I mean, I haven't crunched the numbers. I'm assuming that it still could be interesting if if the Rams lose out and we win out, which obviously one is us playing each other. ah Certainly now we're totally reliant on Arizona to beat the Rams next week. i I don't know if it's still even possible or not.
00:35:16
Tristan Amundson
um
00:35:17
M dub
I think there's some other things that have to happen that like differentiate deep in the tiebreaker formulas.
00:35:22
Tristan Amundson
Yeah, yeah. So we'll we'll see how it goes. um But yeah, I agree with you. Let's just get right back to it. um And listen, if I was playing on Thursday night, knowing my wife, I have to imagine the first thing would be, well, can we do Christmas on Friday? Which I think I i would initially say, absolutely, that that works. But now I'm thinking about it. My body's going to hurt. Can we do Christmas on Saturday? Can we just Does that work, honey? And so um that's what i'm that's what I'm hoping for for the guys. I can't think of what date that is. See, 25th, 26th, 27th. So that'd be the 28th, I believe. Can we do Christmas on the 28th, guys? does that Does that work? Nice Saturday Christmas. We'll have a brunch. We'll have some maybe some champagne. like I think that's the way to do it. I don't want to tell anyone how to live their life, but I think that Saturday Christmas for the team, is that's the way to go.
00:36:19
M dub
I think you're right. And you know what I think ah somebody would say if you propose that idea?
00:36:25
Tristan Amundson
What's that?
00:36:26
M dub
I think they would say, go Hawks.
00:36:28
Tristan Amundson
Go Hawks.