Game day!! I will be here for every road game this year to chat with anyone who would like to join me. I’ll be adding my commentary as the game progresses in the comments area. You may notice breaks in commentary if things start turning south in a game. That likely means I’m running on the treadmill while watching to avoid turning my wall into swiss cheese. I started doing that last season, and it’s a life saver.
Lots of subplots in today’s game. Here’s what I’ll be paying particular attention to:
– Road defense. Road defense. Road defense.
If we hold the Bills to 15 pts or less, we’d be off to a great start defensively on the road. This is going to be the best predictor of future performance this season. We could struggle/succeed in other aspects and it would not mean as much as a really good or really bad performance by our defense. We need to put last year behind us and move on. Run defense is the key overall. Holding the Bills under 100 yards rushing would be a huge accomplishment.
– Rushing offense
It’s hard to believe that my expectations have gone 180 degrees on this part of our team in a very short time. I think we’re going to shock the Bills and the league with a strong running game. I want to see what I saw in the preseason. 130 yards = Good. 150 yards = Great. 180+ = Cloud 9.
– Ray Willis / Rob Sims / Chris Spencer
This will be a test not only of these players, but of the new offensive line coach, Mike Solari. It looked like we installed some techniques and schemes that reduce the importance of winning 1:1 battles on the line. There should be more help from the backfield as well. The Bills are sure to bring blitzes and pressure. These guys must hold the line.
– Lawrence Jackson
Wild card. This guy stripped the ball every time he sacked a QB in the preseason. He’s bigger than Tapp, and should be able to hold the point of attack against the rush better. But who knows? That’s what is fun about young guys or new players. I would not be shocked if this guy makes a big play or if we never hear his name.
– Jason Babin
Sticking with the DEs, I am really pumped to see Babin out there. The guy was everywhere in every preseason game. He could be a huge story this year if he can bring it in the regular season.
– Punt returns
Josh Wilson is doing the kick returns. Nate should be doing the punt returns, but we’ll see. Nothing will get me on the treadmill faster than a fumbled punt.
– Olindo Mare
Looking forward to the deep kickoffs. Nervous about the FGs. We need this guy to be reliable.
– Hasselbeck
Please don’t be rusty. Please. If Hass is sharp, we’re always in good shape.
Let’s get it on!
Hawks inactives:
K Brandon Coutu
RB Justin Forsett
OG Mansfield Wrotto
OT Sean Locklear
WR Deion Branch
WR Bobby Engram
DE Baraka Atkins
QB Charlie Frye
here…we….go
c’mon defense!
it’s pouring…interesting to see what that does
YEAH!! EAT IT!
nate returning. nice
Good stuff right there..morning Hawkblogger
should have been caught. not a good start taylor
morning cwu
I’m disappointed to not see us start running the ball
Taylor looks lost. Slow out of the break.
damn. missed opportunity on offense. really would have liked to see us start by running the ball and some simple passes.
DRAGGO!
Yep, gotta make those catches…both team’s return game looks a little shaky. Might be a turnover issue. Yo Patrick!
man, that was close
Great start, defense. Great start. Good pressure and great coverage. We’re dictating so far. Now let’s run the ball!
Run the stretch Mike
ball control, baby
wow. that looks a lot like last year.
That was good backside pursuit by the Bills
Freakin’ plack!
great start for mebane
great hit from russell
very good to see this from the defense. looks like we need them to hold here for a while
jesus. hyundai wants my money.
yes. nice solid hands nate.
we look lost. I’d love to see a draw against this overpursuit
field position game, and the bills just got a leg up.
Nice tackle by Carlson on the return
smart. stack the line.
sweet. that’s big. let’s turn this thing around. if we can just get a lead, it will snowball on them.
that just cannot happen. we cannot start dropping balls again.
this is frustrating. impotent offense and bad punting. we’re beating ourselves right now.
Good coverage by Tru
Early yet…but I want to see Kent worked in here
Bad audible right there
alright. 22 seconds in the 1st qtr. This is key drive. if we can pin them down or turn them over, we’re right back in this.
we need a sack or some pressure. we’re not getting any right now.
okay, let’s get a bad punt or a good return.
julius jones sighting. morris really was not well suited for this weather. his quickness was neutralized. jones may be a good change.
we are being dominated on offense
yes! man, we needed that. maybe that gets us going
I don’t like Taylor on that route
welcome to 2008 rob sims. thanks
that’s a crap call
How was that holding?
that … jeez…what to say about that hold on 3rd down
will they go for it on 4th?
burleson was limping there…
thank you Carlson!!
Lets go…
DSFSAR$#W%#W%TREAT$EW TETERT@#%#@!$%#!$%#!$%#!$^#@!^^#!TEQRT!!!
thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.
He didn’t even half to jump for that…..followed by a great catch
that’s why mare is valuable.
that’s a huge missed chance. needed to force them off the field
thank you lofa. a TD would have been a backbreaker.
man, I wish we could have held them way earlier on 3rd and long. that turns out to be huge
okay, putzier is out of the picture now
story of the first half:
no rushing game
no hands by our receivers
no pressure on their qb
worst punting we’ve seen since plack punted last year
i can’t watch game from one side of house and run to the office on other side so this first chance i got. Putzier is a putz. Hass better set it out if his back is that stiff that he can’t find a target unless it is shoestings. When will we see Kent? is he benched? If the offense keeps lacking of course our defense is gonna get tired. I haven’t given up but it sure looks like they have.
CWU, that wasn’t holding but to be fair they got called pass interference later that i wouldn’t call either.
carlson and nate are the only reasons we are even in this game yet.
Good Pressure there, and a good series by Seattle
Nice return Nate
Facemask on that play too
Kent’s going to have to step up…. hope Nate’s okay, but this reminds me of Branch in the GB game
Why not the challenge? He looked out of bounds
Jones is not hitting the holes with any quickness…im thinking Forsett will be active next week. Their going to have to get this sorted out.
mm lost my sattelite ….gotta cut some limbs off of a tree that has sagged into the line of my satelite
Is kent even on the active roster today?
been on the treadmill…this is brutal.
Hass’s lowest rating of the year last year was 44.7 @ Pitt. He’s around 40 right now
at least on the treadmill you wont have to spakle the wall next to your recliner.
I’m out fellas. Need to spend some time with the family.
later hawk ….gotta cut a tree limb myself