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http://mmqb.si.com/2014/12/19/a-new-nfc-west-rivalry/
Steve Dykes/Getty Images
A New NFC West Rivalry
San Francisco-Seattle is out. Arizona-Seattle is in. And here's why you shouldn't count out the quarterback-light Cardinals against the Seahawks. Plus, the Week 16 spotlight player and 10 things to watch on Sunday
By Peter King
RENTON, Wash. — Remember, oh, about three long months ago, when 49ers-Seahawks was the best rivalry in the NFL?
The Niners are 7-7, oddly out of the playoff hunt, and are 1-5 against Seattle since late in 2012. So, is it really such a great rivalry now, particularly with the upheaval expected in San Francisco after the season?
The way Arizona’s playing, it’s fair to ask whether the Cardinals are going to be the new rival for Seattle in the West.
Let’s check out the regular-season standings in the division since Bruce Arians took over as Cardinals coach prior to the 2013 season:
NFC West................W-L
Seattle.......................23-7
Arizona.....................21-9
San Francisco...........19-11
St. Louis...................13-17
This week, either Ryan Lindley or a significantly knee-hampered Drew Stanton will play quarterback for Arizona (11-3) in the NFC West championship game against visiting Seattle (10-4). Ergo: The Seahawks are going to skate. The Seahawks handled Arizona 19-3 in their first meeting Nov. 23, after all. But look again.
I’m like the rest—I like the Seahawks on Sunday. But the Cardinals defense, as it has all year, is going to have something to say about that. Arizona sacked the slithery Russell Wilson seven times in their first meeting this year (“It should have been 11,” Cards coach Bruce Arians said this week), and as the Seahawks left their indoor practice field late Thursday afternoon, coach Pete Carroll sounded pessimistic about the status of a couple stalwarts who could prevent an 11-sack afternoon in the desert Sunday evening.
“Russell isn’t going to go,” Carroll said of left tackle Russell Okung [chest], and it looked grim for center Max Unger [concussion] too. Neither practiced Wednesday or Thursday. And trusted guard J.R Sweezy missed both days as well, but there is some hope he’ll be able to go Sunday night.
Most likely line combination for Seattle against the marauding Cardinals, who have allowed exactly two more points than the Seahawks this year, from left to right: Alvin Bailey, James Carpenter, Lemuel Jeanpierre, Sweezy, Justin Britt.
“It is what it is,” said Carroll. Then he repeated that. “We really haven’t had our group on the line all season. But look at what Arizona’s had to put up with all year. They had major losses before the season even started, and the injuries they’ve had, week after week … Bruce Arians has done an unbelievable job. And when we’ve played, his group makes it as difficult on us as anybody we play.”
There is no question Russell Wilson will feel the pressure Sunday night. In the first meeting between the teams, Arizona blitzed on 50 percent of passing downs, according to Pro Football Focus. That was with a healthier offensive line for Seattle—and Arizona still got home consistently. And those blitzes don’t always come from linebackers.
This season, safety Deone Bucannon has blitzed on 20 percent of the passing downs he’s played, mostly from a linebacker slot. Cornerback Jarraud Powers has gotten into the act too, blitzing on 8 percent of the passing downs he played.
This is the personality of defensive coordinator Todd Bowles of Arizona, and the reason why Bowles will be a popular interview for teams seeking a head coach in the off-season. He has lost three huge pass-rushing factors due to injury or suspension, and still the Cardinals are among the top five defenses in football, and have been all season.
As Seattle right tackle Justin Britt told me Thursday, “There’s so much stuff they do, and they do it at random times. You have to know every indicator they have. They’re top 5 in turnover ratio, and they’ve got great rushers like Calais Campbell, Matt Shaughnessy, Frostee Rucker. We’ve got to be very smart every play.”
The variable in the Arizona scheme is all the times Bowles puts physical safeties on his front six or seven. He loves to rush safeties. Bowles loves to rush, period. This season, the average NFL team has blitzed on 29.7 percent of all passing downs. Arizona: 39.7 percent.
Maybe line play bores you. Trench play? Zzzzzzz. But this Sunday, it’s going to determine whether Arizona wins the West. If Bowles’ blitzes get home, if the Arizona rush can strip-sack the elusive Wilson two or three times, all of a sudden a game that has a huge quarterback mismatch in Seattle’s favor can change.
And you can bet Bowles is in his meetings telling his players the winner of the NFC West will be the team that hits the quarterback the most Sunday night. With the Seattle offensive line being in flux, and the Arizona pressure packages being so good, the foolish storyline is:Lindley’s playing, so the Cardinals don’t have a prayer. The smart storyline is: Seattle better protect Russell Wilson, or the ‘Hawks could be on the road for the playoffs.
I mentioned to Carroll that this could be a nice preview for him and his team, with the Super Bowl set for Glendale, Ariz., six weeks from Sunday night. “You’re the first person who’s mentioned that,” he said.
Doubt I’ll be the last if the Seahawks can survive the Bowles treatment in this game.
Steve Dykes/Getty Images
A New NFC West Rivalry
San Francisco-Seattle is out. Arizona-Seattle is in. And here's why you shouldn't count out the quarterback-light Cardinals against the Seahawks. Plus, the Week 16 spotlight player and 10 things to watch on Sunday
By Peter King
RENTON, Wash. — Remember, oh, about three long months ago, when 49ers-Seahawks was the best rivalry in the NFL?
The Niners are 7-7, oddly out of the playoff hunt, and are 1-5 against Seattle since late in 2012. So, is it really such a great rivalry now, particularly with the upheaval expected in San Francisco after the season?
The way Arizona’s playing, it’s fair to ask whether the Cardinals are going to be the new rival for Seattle in the West.
Let’s check out the regular-season standings in the division since Bruce Arians took over as Cardinals coach prior to the 2013 season:
NFC West................W-L
Seattle.......................23-7
Arizona.....................21-9
San Francisco...........19-11
St. Louis...................13-17
This week, either Ryan Lindley or a significantly knee-hampered Drew Stanton will play quarterback for Arizona (11-3) in the NFC West championship game against visiting Seattle (10-4). Ergo: The Seahawks are going to skate. The Seahawks handled Arizona 19-3 in their first meeting Nov. 23, after all. But look again.
I’m like the rest—I like the Seahawks on Sunday. But the Cardinals defense, as it has all year, is going to have something to say about that. Arizona sacked the slithery Russell Wilson seven times in their first meeting this year (“It should have been 11,” Cards coach Bruce Arians said this week), and as the Seahawks left their indoor practice field late Thursday afternoon, coach Pete Carroll sounded pessimistic about the status of a couple stalwarts who could prevent an 11-sack afternoon in the desert Sunday evening.
“Russell isn’t going to go,” Carroll said of left tackle Russell Okung [chest], and it looked grim for center Max Unger [concussion] too. Neither practiced Wednesday or Thursday. And trusted guard J.R Sweezy missed both days as well, but there is some hope he’ll be able to go Sunday night.
Most likely line combination for Seattle against the marauding Cardinals, who have allowed exactly two more points than the Seahawks this year, from left to right: Alvin Bailey, James Carpenter, Lemuel Jeanpierre, Sweezy, Justin Britt.
“It is what it is,” said Carroll. Then he repeated that. “We really haven’t had our group on the line all season. But look at what Arizona’s had to put up with all year. They had major losses before the season even started, and the injuries they’ve had, week after week … Bruce Arians has done an unbelievable job. And when we’ve played, his group makes it as difficult on us as anybody we play.”
There is no question Russell Wilson will feel the pressure Sunday night. In the first meeting between the teams, Arizona blitzed on 50 percent of passing downs, according to Pro Football Focus. That was with a healthier offensive line for Seattle—and Arizona still got home consistently. And those blitzes don’t always come from linebackers.
This season, safety Deone Bucannon has blitzed on 20 percent of the passing downs he’s played, mostly from a linebacker slot. Cornerback Jarraud Powers has gotten into the act too, blitzing on 8 percent of the passing downs he played.
This is the personality of defensive coordinator Todd Bowles of Arizona, and the reason why Bowles will be a popular interview for teams seeking a head coach in the off-season. He has lost three huge pass-rushing factors due to injury or suspension, and still the Cardinals are among the top five defenses in football, and have been all season.
As Seattle right tackle Justin Britt told me Thursday, “There’s so much stuff they do, and they do it at random times. You have to know every indicator they have. They’re top 5 in turnover ratio, and they’ve got great rushers like Calais Campbell, Matt Shaughnessy, Frostee Rucker. We’ve got to be very smart every play.”
The variable in the Arizona scheme is all the times Bowles puts physical safeties on his front six or seven. He loves to rush safeties. Bowles loves to rush, period. This season, the average NFL team has blitzed on 29.7 percent of all passing downs. Arizona: 39.7 percent.
Maybe line play bores you. Trench play? Zzzzzzz. But this Sunday, it’s going to determine whether Arizona wins the West. If Bowles’ blitzes get home, if the Arizona rush can strip-sack the elusive Wilson two or three times, all of a sudden a game that has a huge quarterback mismatch in Seattle’s favor can change.
And you can bet Bowles is in his meetings telling his players the winner of the NFC West will be the team that hits the quarterback the most Sunday night. With the Seattle offensive line being in flux, and the Arizona pressure packages being so good, the foolish storyline is:Lindley’s playing, so the Cardinals don’t have a prayer. The smart storyline is: Seattle better protect Russell Wilson, or the ‘Hawks could be on the road for the playoffs.
I mentioned to Carroll that this could be a nice preview for him and his team, with the Super Bowl set for Glendale, Ariz., six weeks from Sunday night. “You’re the first person who’s mentioned that,” he said.
Doubt I’ll be the last if the Seahawks can survive the Bowles treatment in this game.