ESPN.com - NFL - Take 2: Bills vs. Seahawks Friday, November 26, 2004
Scouts Inc.
Tuesday, our scouts filed their advance advance scouting report on this
week's matchup between the Bills and Seahawks. Now they're back with a
second look.
Seattle is expecting that QB Matt Hasselbeck will be available to play
this week after he sat out of last week's game with a deep thigh bruise,
an injury that affects his mobility. Hasselbeck is expected to practice
late in the week and should return to the starting lineup.
His replacement, Trent Dilfer, was rusty last week, but with a game under
his belt Dilfer should be much improved. In fact, with Hasselbeck still
not 100 percent and missing a game, there might not be a big difference
between the two. Coach Mike Holmgren is still pushing for Hasselbeck to
return, but he isn't likely to make a final decision until late in the
week.
With Koren Robinson set to serve a four-game suspension effective
immediately, Jerry Rice moves into the starting lineup opposite Darrell
Jackson. While he doesn't have Robinson's speed, the team won't lose much
with Rice filling in as the starter. What the offense loses in terms of
Robinson's potential playmaking ability it gains with Rice's savvy and
reliable hands. Bobby Engram isn't returning punts, but he has resumed his
role as the team's sub-package slot receiver.
The trio of Jackson, Rice and Engram don't put much fear into opposing
defenses, but they should provide good consistency for Hasselbeck or
Dilfer in the short-to-intermediate zones. Rice could have a lot of
trouble separating from Bills DC Nate Clements in his one-on-one matchup,
but Jackson and Engram match up well against DCs Terrence McGee and Kevin
Thomas, respectively.
Bills WR Josh Reed is questionable to play after sitting out last week
with a knee injury. The Bills still lack the depth at wide receiver to
spread the field as much as they might like. Similar to last week's game
plan, don't be surprised if the Bills use a lot of two-tight end sets with
Mark Campbell and Tim Euhus. This creates better blocking matchups.
The Bills need to establish RB Willis McGahee in this game. but the
Seahawks have been stout against the run all season long. By getting both
tight ends involved as blockers, the Bills can work to isolate Seattle's
two below-average linebackers – MLB Orlando Huff and SLB Isaiah
Kacyvenski.
After Campbell chipped in with three touchdown receptions last week, the
Bills have a lot more confidence in their ability to throw the ball out of
the aforementioned two-tight sets. Because QB Drew Bledsoe is so immobile
and needs time in the pocket to maximize his potential, keeping Euhus in
as an extra pass protector with Campbell releasing as a receiver is a good
game plan for the Bills when they look to work the play-action passing
series within their two-tight end sets.
Another critical component in the Seahawks' defensive success this
week will be the man-to-man cover skills of DCs Marcus Trufant and Ken
Lucas, and SS Terreal Bierria. Seahawks defensive coordinator Ray Rhodes
is aggressive by nature and likes to get his safeties as involved as
possible in run support. So far this season, Bierria and FS Ken Hamlin
have been excellent in that regard.
To get away with cheating one or both up near the line pre-snap, Trufant
and Lucas have to prove capable of holding up on islands versus WRs Eric
Moulds and Lee Evans. Trufant should be able to easily take Evans out of
the game, but Lucas might need help. If that's the case, Bierria will
spend a lot of time cheated up and Hamlin will spend a lot of time rolled
over to Moulds' side. So long as Bierria can handle Campbell in one-on-one
coverage, the Seahawks should get away with using him as an eighth
defender in the box to help out against McGahee.
DE Grant Wistrom's high motor and aggressive style are infectious. In his
first game back from injury, Wistrom had six tackles and a fumble
recovery. He also made a huge effort play when he chased WR Chris Chambers
down on a reverse that looked like it could have gone for a score. With
Wistrom out of the lineup, the Seahawks weren't getting the consistency
versus the run or in terms of a pass rush that they needed from the RDE
position. Now that he's back, LDE Chike Okeafor will get less double-team
and "chip" attention and Antonio Cochran can go back to playing a "wave"
role in order to keep everyone fresh. If nothing else, the intensity level
seems to be turned up a notch with Wistrom back.
Special Teams
There isn't a team in the NFL that is playing better on special teams than
the Bills. The trio of Terrence McGee, Nate Clements and Jonathan Smith
has combined for four TD returns, and the Bills' kickoff coverage unit is
No. 1 in the NFL. PK Rian Lindell has connected on 13 of 15 field-goal
attempts and Brian Moorman continues to be one of the most consistent in
the business with an average of 43.3 yards per punt.
The Seahawks' special teams units have been ravaged by injuries and their
coaching staff has to be frightened about the potential equalizer that
this facet of the game could give the Bills. Seattle is averaging just 6.2
yards per punt return and badly misses Bobby Engram. Engram has returned
from injury and is playing as a sub-package receiver, but he's not
double-dipping as a return specialist. Maurice Morris has handled most of
the punt returns, while Kerry Carter is taking on most of the kickoff
return duties. Even more concerning has been the poor tackling and
inconsistent play of Seattle's punt coverage team, especially against
explosive return specialists such as Smith and Clements.
Prediction: Seahawks 23, Bills 20
Scouts Inc.
Tuesday, our scouts filed their advance advance scouting report on this
week's matchup between the Bills and Seahawks. Now they're back with a
second look.
Seattle is expecting that QB Matt Hasselbeck will be available to play
this week after he sat out of last week's game with a deep thigh bruise,
an injury that affects his mobility. Hasselbeck is expected to practice
late in the week and should return to the starting lineup.
His replacement, Trent Dilfer, was rusty last week, but with a game under
his belt Dilfer should be much improved. In fact, with Hasselbeck still
not 100 percent and missing a game, there might not be a big difference
between the two. Coach Mike Holmgren is still pushing for Hasselbeck to
return, but he isn't likely to make a final decision until late in the
week.
With Koren Robinson set to serve a four-game suspension effective
immediately, Jerry Rice moves into the starting lineup opposite Darrell
Jackson. While he doesn't have Robinson's speed, the team won't lose much
with Rice filling in as the starter. What the offense loses in terms of
Robinson's potential playmaking ability it gains with Rice's savvy and
reliable hands. Bobby Engram isn't returning punts, but he has resumed his
role as the team's sub-package slot receiver.
The trio of Jackson, Rice and Engram don't put much fear into opposing
defenses, but they should provide good consistency for Hasselbeck or
Dilfer in the short-to-intermediate zones. Rice could have a lot of
trouble separating from Bills DC Nate Clements in his one-on-one matchup,
but Jackson and Engram match up well against DCs Terrence McGee and Kevin
Thomas, respectively.
Bills WR Josh Reed is questionable to play after sitting out last week
with a knee injury. The Bills still lack the depth at wide receiver to
spread the field as much as they might like. Similar to last week's game
plan, don't be surprised if the Bills use a lot of two-tight end sets with
Mark Campbell and Tim Euhus. This creates better blocking matchups.
The Bills need to establish RB Willis McGahee in this game. but the
Seahawks have been stout against the run all season long. By getting both
tight ends involved as blockers, the Bills can work to isolate Seattle's
two below-average linebackers – MLB Orlando Huff and SLB Isaiah
Kacyvenski.
After Campbell chipped in with three touchdown receptions last week, the
Bills have a lot more confidence in their ability to throw the ball out of
the aforementioned two-tight sets. Because QB Drew Bledsoe is so immobile
and needs time in the pocket to maximize his potential, keeping Euhus in
as an extra pass protector with Campbell releasing as a receiver is a good
game plan for the Bills when they look to work the play-action passing
series within their two-tight end sets.
Another critical component in the Seahawks' defensive success this
week will be the man-to-man cover skills of DCs Marcus Trufant and Ken
Lucas, and SS Terreal Bierria. Seahawks defensive coordinator Ray Rhodes
is aggressive by nature and likes to get his safeties as involved as
possible in run support. So far this season, Bierria and FS Ken Hamlin
have been excellent in that regard.
To get away with cheating one or both up near the line pre-snap, Trufant
and Lucas have to prove capable of holding up on islands versus WRs Eric
Moulds and Lee Evans. Trufant should be able to easily take Evans out of
the game, but Lucas might need help. If that's the case, Bierria will
spend a lot of time cheated up and Hamlin will spend a lot of time rolled
over to Moulds' side. So long as Bierria can handle Campbell in one-on-one
coverage, the Seahawks should get away with using him as an eighth
defender in the box to help out against McGahee.
DE Grant Wistrom's high motor and aggressive style are infectious. In his
first game back from injury, Wistrom had six tackles and a fumble
recovery. He also made a huge effort play when he chased WR Chris Chambers
down on a reverse that looked like it could have gone for a score. With
Wistrom out of the lineup, the Seahawks weren't getting the consistency
versus the run or in terms of a pass rush that they needed from the RDE
position. Now that he's back, LDE Chike Okeafor will get less double-team
and "chip" attention and Antonio Cochran can go back to playing a "wave"
role in order to keep everyone fresh. If nothing else, the intensity level
seems to be turned up a notch with Wistrom back.
Special Teams
There isn't a team in the NFL that is playing better on special teams than
the Bills. The trio of Terrence McGee, Nate Clements and Jonathan Smith
has combined for four TD returns, and the Bills' kickoff coverage unit is
No. 1 in the NFL. PK Rian Lindell has connected on 13 of 15 field-goal
attempts and Brian Moorman continues to be one of the most consistent in
the business with an average of 43.3 yards per punt.
The Seahawks' special teams units have been ravaged by injuries and their
coaching staff has to be frightened about the potential equalizer that
this facet of the game could give the Bills. Seattle is averaging just 6.2
yards per punt return and badly misses Bobby Engram. Engram has returned
from injury and is playing as a sub-package receiver, but he's not
double-dipping as a return specialist. Maurice Morris has handled most of
the punt returns, while Kerry Carter is taking on most of the kickoff
return duties. Even more concerning has been the poor tackling and
inconsistent play of Seattle's punt coverage team, especially against
explosive return specialists such as Smith and Clements.
Prediction: Seahawks 23, Bills 20
