WSJ - Seahawks Play Dirty

[savvyman]

Great - already the most penalized team in the NFL - and now the WSJ writes a hit piece that is certain to bait the NFL officials to throw even more flags.

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB1 ... 0005285822


>>>>>>The Seattle Seahawks—the favorites to make the Super Bowl out of the NFC—employ an exasperating defensive game plan: They blitz rarely and drop an army of defenders into pass coverage. And those defenders mug, obstruct and foul opposing receivers on practically every play.<<<<<<<<<<

[NorthHawk]

There's an article on PFT about this, too.
It is what it is and if the Refs pay special attention then we'll have to live with it.

[Agent 86]

Pat Kirwan said there was an average of 14 penalties per game in the regular season.

Last weekend, that number got cut in half, with only an average of 7 penalties per game. Only 5 flags thrown in the Pack/9'ers game.

He said to expect a lot more laundry this week, the refs will probably not let them play like last weekend in order to reel it back in. That probably is a disadvantage to the Hawks and their aggressive nature.

The only flag I don't want to see is offensive holding. There is nothing worse than those, even a long PI isn't as bad. If you leave yourself in 2nd and 3rd down long situations, it does not bode well.

[Hawktawk]

Apparently the tool who wrote this didn't watch any ball last weekend, especially Frisco GB.Norman Chad, tool of all tools also had a very visceral attack on Seattle. EVERYBODY is trying to play pass defense like this, they just don't have the studs to play press defense and redirect routes to the sidelines.The comments by the Giants players and coach are particularly ridiculous. Seattle picked off Manning 5 times and each of those plays was absolutely textbook defense, no interference whatsoever.

But as the conspiracy theorist yours truly has been harping, the table is set for a blizzard of hankies to rain on our parade.It is unprecedented in my memory as a fan of 45 years to have the media and even a commercial by Beats piling on Seattle and their fans. I think the league would like to see the 9ers against the Saints at the Stick in the NFC title game. I hope I'm wrong, but as I said on the evening of Feb 4th,2006 on the PI forum,watch the refs.......

[Distant Relative]

Playing dirty and playing aggressively are two entirely different things.

[Seahawks4Ever]

Remember the way Ty Law and Lawyer Milloy used to mug opposing receivers when the played for N.E. ???

I watched the replay of the MNF Hawks beat down and what I saw was the Saints hitting well after the whistle especially taking shots on RW.

One thing I also saw was that Sherman could have been called for a couple of P-I's, but wasn't. Today I expect if Sherman even looks at his man wrong they are going to throw a flag. One other thing, Lynch needs to cover up that football or he is going to put it on the ground, he seems to insist on carrying it loose. In the play offs, every team is going to be trying to pull the ball out.

[jshawaii22]

today's game shows that's all BS. If anything, the biggest hits were in the first qtr, by the back-up safety for NO. He was after heads.

The NFL telling the refs to call all the plays, yet we didn't have any PI's that I can remember.

Our D is not only for real, they are the BEST IN THE NFL.

js

[RiverDog]

Playing dirty and playing aggressively are two entirely different things.

Exactly. Cheap shots and late hits is playing dirty. Hand checking receivers isn't.

[Seahawks4Ever]

I was happy that the officials let our D-Backs and LB's play their usual aggressive style of play with out throwing a bunch of hankies.

Am I 100% happy with the way the game was called? No, but they let both teams play for the most part.

[Eaglehawk]

I was happy that the officials let our D-Backs and LB's play their usual aggressive style of play with out throwing a bunch of hankies.

Am I 100% happy with the way the game was called? No, but they let both teams play for the most part.

Agreed as to the Saints playoff game.

[burrrton]

Playing dirty and playing aggressively are two entirely different things.

Exactly. Cheap shots and late hits is playing dirty. Hand checking receivers isn't.

And ironically, the Saints were the ones committing the dirty penalty yesterday, going to Harvin's head then high-fiving each other on the sidelines afterward.

[RiverDog]

In general, there doesn't seem to be as many penalties, esp pass interference and unsportsmanlike conduct, being called this weekend as there has been during the regular season. I hope that trend continues.

[burrrton]

Wanted to bump this to say I'm going to yank my hair out if I read one more article talking about how the Saints defender hit Harvin's head "with his shoulder" on that first series.

I'll give the defender a *tiny* bit of credit for turning his head *slightly*, but that was about as clear a 'helmet to helmet' shot as you'll see. He intentionally went high, and he intentionally cracked Harvin's melon.

Dirty shot, deserved the flag, and he can keep high-fiving his teammates about it from his couch next weekend. Prick.

[edit]

And for some content, it's this article where I read the "with the shoulder" bit, but don't hold it against this writer- it's a great article:

http://www.cbssports.com/general/writer ... rts.com%29

[Eaglehawk]

Wanted to bump this to say I'm going to yank my hair out if I read one more article talking about how the Saints defender hit Harvin's head "with his shoulder" on that first series.

I'll give the defender a *tiny* bit of credit for turning his head *slightly*, but that was about as clear a 'helmet to helmet' shot as you'll see. He intentionally went high, and he intentionally cracked Harvin's melon.

Dirty shot, deserved the flag, and he can keep high-fiving his teammates about it from his couch next weekend. Prick.

[edit]

And for some content, it's this article where I read the "with the shoulder" bit, but don't hold it against this writer- it's a great article:

http://www.cbssports.com/general/writer ... rts.com%29

Thanks for that Burr. Great article. Hope Harvin recovers quickly. Something tells me he will.

[FolkCrusader]

Wall Street Journal? Yawn.

[kalibane]

Just get used to it. The media has decided that the Seahawks are the bad guys. As I type you can go to any football outlet and see them running a story that the Seahawks limiting ticket sales to local states (which excludes California), complete with people in the comments section getting all riled up about the organization being jerks for doing it.

What they aren't reporting is that it's a very common practice that is done to help curb scalping and to insure that the fanbase has an opportunity to see THEIR favorite team with less reliance on being fast with a mouse. Denver is doing the exact same thing but lo and behold ... not a single story about it.

I have to admit it's a bit tiresome because it's such shoddy and manipulative reporting... but all we can do is get out our black hats, embrace it and then shove it back in everyone's faces with gusto when they win.

[RiverDog]

The media can focus on what ever they want to that will sell advertising for them, and if that means making us into the bad guys, then so be it. It doesn't bother me a bit. But if I had a chance, I'd ask those clowns one question: How does Russell Wilson, the guy that doesn't so much as spike football after scoring a touchdown and whose off field behavior includes weekly trips to Children's Hospital and suiting up after a game and taking a Make a Wish patient out onto the stadium playing field, square with their "bad guy" image they're trying to sell the public?

[Eaglehawk]

The media can focus on what ever they want to that will sell advertising for them, and if that means making us into the bad guys, then so be it. It doesn't bother me a bit. But if I had a chance, I'd ask those clowns one question: How does Russell Wilson, the guy that doesn't so much as spike football after scoring a touchdown and whose off field behavior includes weekly trips to Children's Hospital and suiting up after a game and taking a Make a Wish patient out onto the stadium playing field, square with their "bad guy" image they're trying to sell the public?

Instead of Joey Porter calling JS a punk, as he did in 05, we are the ones doing it to other teams.(Bennett v. Graham) I love it! Keep it up. We want to be "feared" not only for our play but our hitting the crap out of people legally when we play them. It builds up our aura. We turn that bad boy thing into an X factor to make teams hesitate when they deal with us. It makes no difference. They will still get WHIPPED in our house.

[burrrton]

The media can focus on what ever they want to that will sell advertising for them, and if that means making us into the bad guys, then so be it. It doesn't bother me a bit. But if I had a chance, I'd ask those clowns one question: How does Russell Wilson, the guy that doesn't so much as spike football after scoring a touchdown and whose off field behavior includes weekly trips to Children's Hospital and suiting up after a game and taking a Make a Wish patient out onto the stadium playing field, square with their "bad guy" image they're trying to sell the public?

Yep, the most prominent leader of our team is the *DREAM* face the NFL would like, but even beyond that, our defense, the group that gets most of the 'bad guy' press, doesn't lack sportsmanship, either.

For instance, after giving up that late TD catch Saturday, did you see Sherm help the receiver up (well, tried to)?

They jaw, but there isn't a D in the league that doesn't.

[PasadenaHawk]

Did anyone bring up the holding call that negated Turbin's 30 yard run early in the game? I didn't see the hold and am hoping to hear what you guys thought of that call.

[c_hawkbob]

Did anyone bring up the holding call that negated Turbin's 30 yard run early in the game? I didn't see the hold and am hoping to hear what you guys thought of that call.

I felt bad for Turbin. He gets dumped on a lot in here I think unfairly, that run would have been a nice feather in his cap. But then, it still will be from the coaching staff's perspective, and that's what counts the most.

[PasadenaHawk]

Did anyone bring up the holding call that negated Turbin's 30 yard run early in the game? I didn't see the hold and am hoping to hear what you guys thought of that call.

I felt bad for Turbin. He gets dumped on a lot in here I think unfairly, that run would have been a nice feather in his cap. But then, it still will be from the coaching staff's perspective, and that's what counts the most.

Agreed about Turbin. Doesn't get much credit from the fans. Did you agree with the holding call?

[c_hawkbob]

Agreed about Turbin. Doesn't get much credit from the fans. Did you agree with the holding call?

I didn't see holding no.

[Zorn76]

Sorry, but I doubt very much that the refs are going to be influenced by news articles bemoaning their officiating. It's been written about all year and has received scrutiny for the same period of time. They are, more often than not, gonna let the players play in the postseason.

[kalibane]

Zorn,

I'm worried after all the chippiness and yakking in the Carolina game that the Officials are going to try and take control of this game in anticipation of another heated, physical contest. I don't necessarily think the intent will be to hurt the Seahawks over the 49ers but that would be the result.