Props for Seahawks O-line, Running Game

The insightful Ben Muth of Football Outsiders has some praise for the Seahawks offensive line. At least, I think it's praise for the Seahawks O-line. I can't be sure. It's been so long since I've seen it, I've forgotten what it looks like.

Additionally, a member of the NWSportsTalk forum recently broke down our running plays against the Cowboys specifically and pointed out some encouraging trends - better zone-blocking coordination, more decisiveness from Lynch, less negative plays, consistent yardage instead of one big run boosting an otherwise bland YPC.

In the wake of what could be a breakthrough performance for this line against Dallas - which is something O-line coach Tom Cable apparently insisted upon, to the point of affecting the game plan - some national recognition for this line is in order. Two rookies, two sophomores, and a 30-year-old all thrown into the same system without a full offseason is not a recipe for success, but Cable has made strides with this line.

Russell Okung's slow start has given way to steadiness and a decent stonewalling of DeMarcus Ware. Robert Gallery, though now jumped upon for one bad play where he was tossed about like a rag doll, contributed heavily to Marshawn Lynch's strong day and gets some technical kudos from Muth for his usage of his hands and feet. Max Unger, while still possessing some lingering strength issues, has shown definite improvement from his awful rookis year - at the very least, he's no longer living in his own backfield. Muth's criticisms of him seem related to his decision-making. John Moffitt is developing. James Carpenter - well, he's a rookie. Seattle is continuing to keep our tight ends home to help block, which would normally be considered a hamstring to our passing game. But with Tarvaris Jackson needing every extra pocket second he can get in order to overthrow people, the current TE policy evens out.

I find it interesting that almost our entire offensive line seems assembled for the run. Unger is much better at moving around and landing blocks than he is holding back the tide on the line. Moffitt comes from a powerhouse running game at Wisconsin. Carpenter, also mainly a road-grader specimen. It means that Carroll isn't kidding when he says he's determined to make the run game a prominent feature of this offense. But if Unger was able to develop from an entirely overmatched rookie to a solid sophomore, Carpenter could pull it off as well.

Enjoy the link. We could use every ounce of positive development news we can get.

Scott's Opinion of the Draft

Pick 25, James Carpenter. I was out with my wife Thursday night, and I didn't get back until just after the 27th pick was being announced. I had the draft on DVR, but the prospect of 3 plus hours just to get to Seattle's pick did not appeal, so I got online and scanned the list...

All my wife heard was a loud "WHO?". I knew this team needed a RT, but assumed it was 4th round stuff, you know, like when we picked Locklear. I erroneously assumed that Petey liked the ZBS principles because it makes getting decent linemen easier in the mid rounds. Right tackle? But it is true, Locklear is gone and Andrews is terrible. I mean, if Andrews can't play well in the phone booth, how is he going to be any good out at the tackle spot?

So I read up, watched some highlights, and then watched every scrap of Ingram film I could. And I get it. I understand passing on the remaining quarterbacks and Jimmy Smith at 25. Carpenter looks solid, can play 4 spots, and considering Okung's ankles are as yet an unknown quantity, this is solid.

Straight Shots on Seattle's Draft, Part 1

Seattle's 2011 draft will probably please the typical Seahawks fan, who still believes that the offensive line is the foundation of a good offense. And a good defense. And a good special teams. And William and Kate's marriage. And the continued rotation of the earth about its axis.

It will also please you if you're content that our current starting QB is Charlie Whitehurst and our current starting 3-tech DT is Barrett Moen.

You're probably not so giddy, however, if you believe the swelling evidence that NFL success is tied to the quarterback much more strongly than it is the offensive line.

The Seattle Seahawks did their best in the 2011 draft given their position, but failed rather conspicuously to address the team's greatest needs with the most assured offseason mechanism - high draft picks - available to them. They didn't demonstrate the savvy sense of value they showed last year, and they didn't supply the team with the immediate impact that a fortunate-to-be-7-9 team requires.

It's easy to appeal to free agency at this point, but we don't know when free agency will begin. We don't know that Matt Hasselbeck, Carson Palmer, Nnamdi Asomugha, Brandon Mebane, or anyone else will be available or even interested to sign with Seattle once it does. Seattle has risked its 2011 season on a complete unknown. That's a gamble no matter how you slice it.

All this on the altar of a very specific vision that grows clearer by the moment, but has yet to be validated at the NFL level. At least there's a vision.

Let's go through this one round at a time.

Seahawks' Complete 2011 Draft Class

Ladies and gentlemen, your newest Seattle Seahawks.

Seahawks 2011 Draft
Rd	Pick	Player	Pos	School	Ht	Wt	#*
1	25	James Carpenter	RT	Alabama	6'4"	321	67
3	75	John Moffit	RG	Wisconsin	6'4"	314	62
4	99	K.J. Wright	OLB	Mississippi State	6'3"	245	50
4	107	Kris Durham	WR	Georgia	6'5"	216	84
5	154	Richard Sherman	CB	Stanford	6'3"	195	42
5	156	Mark Legree	FS	Appalachian State	6'0"	210	25
6	173	Byron Maxwell	CB	Clemson	6'0"	202	41
7	205	Lazarius Levingston	DE	LSU	6'4"	292	96
7	242	Malcolm Smith	OLB	USC	6'1"	225	53

* - Thought I would guess everyone's jersey numbers. Bold indicates a confirmed jersey number per Seahawks.com; the rest are my own wild guesses, pending comeuppance.

Quick Reaction to the Seahawks' First Two Picks

The Seahawks' early selections of offensive linemen James Carpenter and John Moffitt illustrate a truth: that Pete Carroll is completely sincere and determined in his vision: to turn the Seahawks into a run-first team. He is defying the established patterns of NFL success and forging ahead in his own way.

You have to at least admire his gumption. The man backs words with actions. It's refreshing to see a consistent direction and forthrightness in our front office.

With a number of available prospects of great talent intersecting severe team need (Ryan Mallett, Jimmy Smith, Marvin Austin, Justin Houston), Seattle chose twice to disregard some undeniable holes in favor of investing in the offensive line, trading down at one point to do so. Carpenter and Moffitt's talent is certainly there. Carpenter may actually be the underrated gem of this class. Make no mistake on that - the picks themselves weren't bad.