Seven pre-play penalties, that’s what the Seahawks hit us with in the NFL opener. That’s a brutal stat, especially when you consider those were the *first seven flags overall* in the game, and 10 of our 15 total penalties against the Patriots went down that way.
This Penalty Problem Is a Full-Blown Head-Scratcher
Listen, last season, the Hawks only racked up seven or more total penalties in five *entire* games. But we opened this year with 10 total, with seven of them coming *before* New England even got flagged, and a whopping seven procedural fouls all on their own. That’s a dramatic uptick, and it absolutely kills momentum. We saw four false starts from a tight end and some O-linemen, an offsides call on one of our offensive linemen who seemed to have a surprisingly rough game, plus an illegal shift and a delay of game. Ouch.
You gotta wonder, is it just early-season jitters? A new offensive coordinator getting his feet wet? Our OC, Brian Fleury, did mention calling plays that weren’t in the original gameplan because of how New England rolled out a four-down nickel package. He adjusted quickly, which is good to hear, and says he preps an “absurd amount of contingency plans.” That’s the kind of dedication we love to see from our coaching staff!
Our Offense Woke Up, But Can It Keep Rolling Without Darnold?
Even with all those flags, the offense *did* find its rhythm. All 13 of our points against the Patriots came after halftime. Our signal-caller was safe, mobile, and decisive, putting up a 113.3 QB Rating that absolutely dwarfed young Drake Maye’s 54.9. That second-half turnaround was huge, making us all wonder if we’re seeing the very best version of our current field general.
But here’s the burning question echoing through Lumen Field: Can the Hawks score like that if we have to play without Sam Darnold? That’s what everyone’s asking. Our offensive coordinator has been deep in game-planning against Arizona, especially against their DC Nick Rallis for years now. So maybe the QB-OC connection isn’t the biggest worry heading into our first divisional matchup.
Arizona’s No Joke: Bring the Noise, 12s!
Don’t sleep on these Cardinals, folks. They just went toe-to-toe with the heavily favored L.A. Chargers and came out on top. They picked off Justin Herbert, sacked him three times, and forced a fumble. They held the Bolts under 200 passing yards and under 100 rushing yards. That’s a serious defensive showing.
This next game is massive. It’s our first divisional test, and we need to clean up those self-inflicted wounds immediately. We need to see that second-half offensive fire right from the jump, and let Brian Fleury’s contingency plans unleash some chaos. Get ready, 12s, because the Emerald City needs to bring the energy this weekend!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Field Gulls.
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