SIMULBLOG FOR SEAHAWKS V. JAGS

HAWKS LOSE THE OPENER --- HASSELBACK WAS TERRIBLE AND THE OFFENSE WAS WELL BELOW PAR IN THE SECOND HALF. THE DEFENSE SHOWED SIGNS OF BEING MUCH IMPROVED THOUGH STILL PUNISHED BY THE BIG BALLS.

SCAN DOWN AND YOU WILL SEE MY RUNNING COMMENTARY IN THE SIMULBLOG. THIS WRITTEN AS THE GAME HAPPENS.

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THINGS TO WATCH (Green is post-game response)
1) Penetration of Jags defensive Tackles -- they had huge impact on the Hawks ability to run.
2) Sean Locklear making his first start at right tackle -- biggest play of the game he was blown up. He got beat on two or three occasions.
3) Can Bobby Engram get open as the #2 wide reciever? Yes. he was very active in the middle of the field. They moved him to slot in the 3 wide reciever set.
4) Thrid down conversions. Last year the Hawks were awful, the year before brilliant . Hawks once again were very poor on 3rd downs.
5) Mental game of Stevens. Without Mili Stevens will have to play a lot of snaps in the heat. Seemed to be a non-issue.
6) Big plays allowed. That was the killer last season. Jimmy Smith crushed them on big plays.
7) Can the Hawks get any pass rush. It was better then last season. At times it was very poor and moreso the Hawks were terrible on the blitz getting to the QB.

OPENING DRIVE -- JAGS WITH THE FOOTBALL -- DRIVE STARTS AT THE HAWKS 40.
Hawks fumble the opening kickoff. Scobee makes a nice return but fumbles.
This is as brutal a beginning as you can have to a season
This reminds me of the Rams game last year when they came out and threw on the first 11 plays.
The Jags have threw on the first 4 plays until they ran Matt Jones on a trick play
Reggie Williams cost the Jags a timeout by not being on the field
Defense stiffs and hold the Jags to a field goal
JAGS LEAD 3-0 -- 6 PLAYS 34 YARD DRIVE.

OPENING DRIVE FOR HAWKS -- TRAIL 3-0 -- START AT THE 20
We are going to chart Alexander's success rate today as a runner. Success being 40% of first down yardage, 60% of the first down on second down and the first down on thrid.
This is not an Alexander strength and it drives Holmgren nuts
Stroud, the great D-Tackle of the Jags blows up the Hawks first run play.
drive dies after Alexander -2 yard run.
PUNT

JAGS BALL -- 8:54 LEFT 1st QUARTER -- START AT 20 -- LEAD 3-0
Penalty pushes Jags 3rd and 2 to a 3rd and 7. -- Leftwitch to Jones converts first down
Leftwitch is sitting in shotgun and has all day to throw. He has completed 6 of his first 7 throws.
This is a brutal start. The Jags are just slicing the Hawks defense up.
Hawks brought 6 on 3rd and 5 and still didn't get to Leftwitch.
41 YARD FIELD GOAL GOOD -- JAGS LEAD 6-0 3:49 left in 1st Quarter.

HAWKS BALL -- 3:45 LEFT 1ST QUARTER -- START AT 20 -- TRAIL 6-0
Engram moves to the slot in the three wide reciever set.
END OF FISRST QUARTER
Alexander in the first quarter has a success rate of just 1 for 5. (see above for defintion)
Hasselback had all day to throw on a 3rd and 7 and Jurevicius got behind the defense.
TOCHDOWN -- HASSELBACK TO JUREVICIUS FOR 33 YARDS.
HAWKS LEAD 7-6 -- 8 PLAYS 80 YARDS.

JAGS BALL -- 14:47 LEFT 2ND QUARTER -- START AT 26 -- HAWKS LEAD 7-6
Hamlin laid a vintage Hamlin hit on Jimmy Smith. Smith has 3 catches. Lets see what he finishs with.
Lofa Tatupu made a great play stuffing Taylor. Great anticipation.
Hawks are trying to throw a ton of looks. A moment ago they rushed just 2.
Then on the next play they brought 6 and stunted the lineman. It rushed Leftwitch.
PUNT

HAWKS BALL -- 12:58 LEFT 2ND QUATER -- START AT 11 -- HAWKS LEAD 7-6
Walter Jones is unreal.
Hawks are really firing at the Jags cornerbacks.
Interesting move. Engram is still playing the slot and JJ is going to the outside reciever in three reciever sets.
3rd and 9 and Matt throws a awful ball. This is the type of play that losses a game.
INTERCEPTION -- TERRIBLE - TERRIBLE THROW BY HASSELBACK

JAGS BALL -- 9:23 LEFT 2ND QUARTER -- START AT HAWKS 33 -- TRAIL 7-6
Hawks defense did a great job last time holding the Jags to a field goal. Can they do it again.
Incredible run defense from the Hawks-- stuff the Jags on back to back plays 2nd and 3rd and 1 Chuck Darby in the middle of it all.
MISSED FIELD GOAL 43 YARD FIELD.
Amazing the Hawks have committed two turnovers in Jags territory and only have only allowed 3 points.

HAKWS BALL -- 7:13 LEFT 2ND QUARTER -- START AT 34 -- LEAD 7-6
Do we have our first drop? Bannister should have made that play. No surprise he hasn't played any games in the exhibition season and is not a reciever.
No running game at all. Alexander success rate is 1 for 7.

JAGS BALL -- 6:19 LEFT 2ND QUARTER -- START AT THE 26 -- TRAIL 7-6
Wistrom gets a great lick on Leftwitch on an outside rush
Deep ball. How does this happen again. Herndon got beat by Smith. Herndon had no help. 45 yards on the pick up.
Rocky Bernard sack.
4 man rush gets no where close and Leftwitch finds a wide open Jimmy Smith for a 31 yard TD.
Erick Kramer is wrong it is not DD Lewis it was Boulwaire that got turned around and burned.
The Hawks defense was totally awful on that play.
TOUCHDOWN LEFTWITH TO SMITH -- JAGS LEAD 13-7

HAWKS BALL -- 4:17 LEFT 2ND QUARTER -- START AT THE 20 -- TRAIL 13-7
Alexander boom or bust -- 35 yard pick up.
Alexander has success on his last 3 runs.
Wow !!! What a great drive. 80 yards to answer the Jags TD. That is big time.
Alexander was huge on the drive.
HASSELBACK TO JACKSON FOR 9 YARD TD.
7 PLAYS - 80 YARDS -- HAWKS LEAD 14-13.

2ND HALF

JAGS BALL -- OPENING 2ND HALF -- START AT 22 -- TRAIL 14-13
Nifty play out of the Jags-- Jones, the former QB at Arkansas, took an end a round and then ran an option out of it. Hawks played it well. Good fundamentals.
Jags are suddenly getting big run numbers from Taylor. His last three carries are for 6 or mroe yards.
I haven't heard Marcus Tubbs name at all in the this game.
Terrible tackle by Andre Dyson. None of the new guys are able to tackle the way Lucas did.
Terrible defense. 3rd and 6 and the Jags give it to Taylor and the Hawks defensive line gets manhandled.
Are we seeing heat have its impact. This is a long drive and the Hawks aren't making plays.
Jumpball to Jimmy Smith over the top of Marcus Trufant for a Touchdown.
JAGS TAKE THE LEAD ON 12 PLAY 78 YARD DRIVE TO OPEN HALF.

HAWKS BALL - 1ST OF SECOND HALF -- START AT 29 --- TRAILING 20-14
Sean Locklear got blown up for the first time.
Moris on a draw on 3rd and 9 --- why?
PUNT

JAGS BALL -- 6:34 LEFT 3RD QUARTER -- START AT 21 -- LEADING 20-14
Hawks are brining the blitz but they can't get to Leftwitch.
The Hawks offense just killed the defense. The D was on the field for 11 plays and then the Hawks offense only stayed on the floor for 4 plays and a tired D is back on the field.
Most recent run plays: 6,6,6,8,3,0,7,1,8,5 -- that is a really bad sign.
This game is in the balance.
Great plays -- back to back -- Trufant blitz forces fumble and 4 man rush collapses on Leftwitch.
PUNT

HAWKS BALL -- 1:46 LEFT 3RD QUARTER -- START AT 7--- TRAILING 20-14
The Hawks have lost the field goal postion game from the first play
Alexander's success rate is 4 of 12 runs
3 and out. 2 drives in the 3rd Quarter and the Hawks have 13 yards and 1 first down.

JAGS BALL -- :46 LEFT IN 3RD QUARTER --- START AT 42 -- LEADING 20-14
The Hawks defense was on the field for 12 minutes of the 3rd Quarter
Rocky Bernard nice tackle for a loss.
4TH QUARTER
Very clutch again by the defense 3 and out. The defense is keeping the Hawks in the game.
PUNT

HAWKS BALL -- 14:39 LEFT IN 4TH QUARTER -- START AT 2 --- TRAILING 20-14 Warrick makes an awful decision. Takes the punt at the 2 yard line. He just cost the Hawks 20 yards on the most important drive of the game. These are plays that losing teams make.
Hawks have started the last two drives at the 7 and and the 2
Huge play to open drive -- Hassell to Stevens for 20 yards.
This would be huge. Hawks hit midfield. Next play they get sacked Ouch !!!
Hawks follow the sack with a delay of game -- shooting themselves in the foot
Did Jackson make the catch? It looked close and the Hawks don't challange. Timeouts are precious and after last years bad luck and bad choices they must have decided not to lose a timeout.
PUNT -- big to move the ball into Jags territory. The Hawks should get two more shots at it.

JAGS BALL -- 9:04 LEFT IN 4TH QUARTER -- START AT 25 -- LEADING 20-14
Is that 3rd Quarter going to come into play now.
Hawks defense does it again. This group has had a very good day.

HAWKS BALL -- 6:29 LEFT IN 4TH QUARTER -- START AT 15 -- TRAILING 20-14
What a disaster. Interception on Hasselback. A awful throw.
Hasselback flushed when Locklear gets beat throws across his body and across the field and it is hangs in the air and is intercepted. This is a awful play. Hasselback just choked. Flat out choked.
The offense was awful in the second half and it cost this team the game.
All this talk about how great Hasselback is has to be re-examined . He was below average last year and he make two game losing throws today. This was flat out brutal.

JAGS BALL -- AFTER INTERCEPTION
Defense holds but Hasselback's awful play gives up another 3 points
HAWKS TRAIL 23-14 --9 POINTS THE SAME THEY GAVE UP ON TURNOVERS.

HAWKS BALL -- TRAILING 23-14 WITH 4:00 LEFT.
Jags blitz and crush Hasselback who fumbles and the Hawks lose.


More on Hasselback
I am really disapointed in how he played today.
Did he make any throw that most of the Quarterbacks in the NFL couldn't make.