What we saw last night

[pbmax]

I want VY as the backup QB....is that wrong?

Not wrong. Unsound maybe, but not wrong.

[digitaldean]

I want VY as the backup QB....is that wrong?

Unless someone of a higher caliber from a similar system gets cut (unlikely), then I want VY. Harrell is too sporadic. He had one beautiful pass that Jones didn't keep running on. (if he does that he catches the ball for a big gain at the very least). Finley doesn't come up with a catch on 4th down that Harrell threw in a tough spot (but the right spot due to where the D was - and it's a catch a big money TE makes). On the flip side, Harrell had multiple balls that sailed on him. It's time to fish or cut bait for him. Right now, I'd say VY gets the nod over Harrell.

O-line was horrible in all run blocking phases. The hold on Bakhtiari was a phantom call. Otherwise, there was penetration all night causing blocked running lanes, blocked passes, etc. Seattle DL is very good, but our o-line needs to step it up.

Special teams punt team, except Masthay, was God-Awful. From Slocum not having the correct players on the field, to Means' not coming back in bounds and the lousy lane coverage on punts, it was an all around debacle. Crosby was OK, Tavecchio didn't kick that deep when he had the chance.

D-Line got some OK pass rush, but mainly was Claymaker doing it. Jones did fine in adding some rush. Main concern is O-line. What use is the new RB's if we can't open even a basic hole? Abyssmal.

[pbmax]

Harrell is too sporadic. He had one beautiful pass that Jones didn't keep running on. (if he does that he catches the ball for a big gain at the very least).

I could give him a pass on that one as it was precisely where it needed to be. Almost as true of Finley near TD. More time Harrell has with Jones and he probably doesn't stop.

But the rest of the throws, including the short stuff was terrible at times.

[packer4life]

Well enough with trying to prove wist wrong. The majority can ignore his prerogative.

In other news the defensive line for pass rush looked SOLID. We are deeper than the last two years, and this was without datone flashing which will come with a bit more experience.

I will admit the run game looked poor but please remember our backup OL will not have a chance against A top 5 defensive front. Starting OL vs their starting DL would've been somewhat productive, but as pointed out Harris repeatedly missed cutbacks and holes that he will hit once he shakes off the rust. Lacy would've found those holes.

Sloppy game overall but nothing glaring to show us our Achilles heel for the year. Defensive line is an upgrade, OL needs to gel for the run but our play action game is going to dominate once we get rollin

[Harlan Huckleby]

I didn't see any obvious weak link in the run blocking. Sitton got blown up a couple times. The good news is that most of the guys sustained their blocks most of the time. But it only takes one unblocked linebacker to ruin a play. I disagree that Lang or EDS were horrible. The whole unit is just not reliable, which is maybe fixable with work. Or not, we'll have to see.

[swede]

I didn't see any obvious weak link in the run blocking. Sitton got blown up a couple times. The good news is that most of the guys sustained their blocks most of the time. But it only takes one unblocked linebacker to ruin a play. I disagree that Lang or EDS were horrible. The whole unit is just not reliable, which is maybe fixable with work. Or not, we'll have to see.

I kept rewinding the play in the 2nd quarter where Harrell right tossed it to the RB and the play was buried for a loss. The whole right side of the line was whiffing in several directions at once. Either they couldn't figure out the assignments against that D or the communication was poor.

I only mention this because it made me sad and hurt my feelings.

[denverYooper]

Well enough with trying to prove wist wrong. The majority can ignore his prerogative.

In other news the defensive line for pass rush looked SOLID. We are deeper than the last two years, and this was without datone flashing which will come with a bit more experience.

I will admit the run game looked poor but please remember our backup OL will not have a chance against A top 5 defensive front. Starting OL vs their starting DL would've been somewhat productive, but as pointed out Harris repeatedly missed cutbacks and holes that he will hit once he shakes off the rust. Lacy would've found those holes.

Sloppy game overall but nothing glaring to show us our Achilles heel for the year. Defensive line is an upgrade, OL needs to gel for the run but our play action game is going to dominate once we get rollin

This pretty much sums up my thoughts as well. The DL from top to bottom has impressed me the most the preseason.

[Joemailman]

Well enough with trying to prove wist wrong. The majority can ignore his prerogative.

In other news the defensive line for pass rush looked SOLID. We are deeper than the last two years, and this was without datone flashing which will come with a bit more experience.

I will admit the run game looked poor but please remember our backup OL will not have a chance against A top 5 defensive front. Starting OL vs their starting DL would've been somewhat productive, but as pointed out Harris repeatedly missed cutbacks and holes that he will hit once he shakes off the rust. Lacy would've found those holes.

Sloppy game overall but nothing glaring to show us our Achilles heel for the year. Defensive line is an upgrade, OL needs to gel for the run but our play action game is going to dominate once we get rollin

Please don't use metaphors like that when discussing the Packers. Makes me nervous. Don't use the term hamstrung, broken or strained either.

[gbgary]

last night didn't prove anything. sea took the game way more seriously than we did. proof was their insistence on playing their #1s so long, their chippiness, and pete carroll acting like a mad man. don't know if it was the plan or not, to only play AR one series, but when he got rolled-up on that one pass play i'm glad they did. the sf game will tell a lot more. it's a long season and things will evolve. we'll be the nfc north champs and then who knows.

[Mazzin]

Seattle easily has one of the top 3 defenses in all of football. Add in the fact that we pulled starters right out of the gate, I think we did quite well. I can't imagine this site after we play the 49ers week one. We got a chance, but a SMALL ONE. If we lose Wist will be spewing more of this nonsense.

[denverYooper]

Packers fared much better than Denver, and Den left their 1s out there a lot longer.

[wist43]

You guys are all Sgt. Schultz fans... "I see NUTTING!!!"

Everything from last night was a repeat of everything that was wrong with the team last year.

166 rushing yds allowed
75 yds rush (32 yds from RB's)

OL getting tossed around
Capers playing small on defense and getting gashed on far too many plays.

Yet, you guys see none of the reality, you see only what you want to see - like I said, you're amazing

[wist43]

On second and eighteen, I would think it irresponsible if a D-coordinator ran a run-defense formation out there.

I'm curious as to PB's analysis - I wonder who fudge up the assignment, besides Jolly getting killed one-on-one? Was it Lattimore, or Francois? These guys are the top two backup ILB's.

I'm not saying put a "run-defense" out there - since when is a nickel a run defense??

It's simply a matter of accounting for gaps and underneath responsibilities - Capers does not do that - at all!!! Look at that alignment Max posted... I would think that even ayn could devise a way to get the ball carrier past the LOS untouched - then it just turns into an open field angles contest.

Capers is soooooo sure there will be a pass, that he doesn't consider "what if" there is a run at all... you have to account for the run even in long down and distance situations b/c of what we see happen all the time to Capers defense.

Capers continues to ignore it though, and we are constantly getting burned. It doesn't bother you guys for whatever reason... but what Capers does with his alignments is often times very, very unsound - and that 43 yd run is exhibit A.

[pbmax]

Speaking of wist, I found a perfect football match for him earlier this week online. First name is Amy, here is her bio:

http://mmqb.si.com/2013/08/23/from-the-front-office-to-a-front-row-seat/

See #5 for her most important dislike.

[Fritz]

I'm not saying put a "run-defense" out there - since when is a nickel a run defense??

It's simply a matter of accounting for gaps and underneath responsibilities - Capers does not do that - at all!!! Look at that alignment Max posted... I would think that even ayn could devise a way to get the ball carrier past the LOS untouched - then it just turns into an open field angles contest.

Capers is soooooo sure there will be a pass, that he doesn't consider "what if" there is a run at all... you have to account for the run even in long down and distance situations b/c of what we see happen all the time to Capers defense.

Capers continues to ignore it though, and we are constantly getting burned. It doesn't bother you guys for whatever reason... but what Capers does with his alignments is often times very, very unsound - and that 43 yd run is exhibit A.

As PB has pointed out, the problem had to do with the execution - the players that you say are just fine failed in their assignments - two, if not three, of them.

It was one play, one exhibition game. Let's see how it all plays out.