Seahawks Grades and Awards at Halfway Point of 2011

Well, we are halfway through the 2011 season and the Seahawks currently stand at 2-6 after 8 games. When you think about it, that is the worst the Seahawks could have started. One, the fans that always support the team want the team to always do well, and were hoping for at least a 4-4 start. Two, the bandwagon fans that want us to get the #1 draft pick so we can draft Andrew Luck wanted us to start 0-8 or 1-7. But the Seahawks are in between, and we’ve unfortunately been more disappointed than satisfied with this team so far, and my halfway grades will reflect that. I will grade each position group (QB’s, backs, receivers, O-Line, D-Line, linebackers, defensive backs, special teams, coaches) and add a comment or two about certain individuals at those positions, then finally give a final grade and overall summary. Then, I will dish out some half-way point team awards.

Quarterbacks
Grade: D
We have seen a variety of levels of play from our quarterbacks. Charlie has struggled, Tarvaris has struggled and had some success, but there have been 4 games with less than 200 yards passing. This position has been extremely inconsistent and will most definitely be the biggest priority next offseason.

Backs
Grade: C-
I don’t give them too harsh of a grade despite having one of the worst rushing attacks in the NFL. The backs have not been given too big of holes and have done the best with what they’ve been given. However, when you are last in the league in rushing, hard to give a grade to the backs higher than C-.

Receivers
Grade: B-
They have done pretty well this season, with Sidney Rice producing when he’s healthy. There have been a few drops, and I mark them down a bit because I feel they could do a bit better to get open when the QB is scrambling trying to find someone. Doug Baldwin has emerged as a nice threat out of the slot. However, Zach Miller has had nowhere near the production we expected him, but that is not his fault since he has been asked to block to help the young offensive line.

Offensive Line
Grade: D+
I understand they are young. I understand they will get better. But as an offensive line when you are the worst in the NFL in giving up sacks and have the worst rushing stats, that is ALL on the offensive line. You could make a case that the Seahawks offensive line has played worse than any other in the NFL. But they are young, inexperienced, and will get better. They’ve showed some signs of promise, such as the Cowboys game, but there is plenty of room to improve.

Defensive Line
Grade: B
I expected this group to be a strength of this team and I was not wrong. They haven’t exactly gotten a ton of sacks, but they have managed to get some pressure on passers and they have stopped the run extremely well (leading the league in Yards Per Carry), thanks to big Red Bryant. Branch has been a very nice addition.

Linebackers
Grade: C+
I find it hard to give this group a higher grade than that. KJ Wright took the starting job from Aaron Curry and has played decently. Hawthorne has played well yet again, and Leroy Hill has been average. Curry struggled mightily when he was here so he was shipped to Oakland. I wish this group had more big plays, but they have played at worst decent football.

Secondary
Grade: B-
I have seen the good and I have seen the bad out of this secondary. Thomas and Chancellor have emerged as tandem of safeties to be reckoned with. Trufant and Thurmond suffered season-ending injuries, but both played well while they were in. Browner and Sherman have played good defense, but have tackled poorly, despite their size. They have kept us in games and I see this unit only getting better as time goes on (and being a strength of this team), especially if we get a #1 corner to someday replace Trufant.

Special Teams
Grade: D+
This might surprise you, but think about how the Seahawks have given up three return touchdowns and Washington has yet to get one. Also, I put this grade way down because of too many special teams penalties. I think we might lead the league in special teams penalties, which hurts us with field position. However, Ryan has punted extremely well and Hauschka has been a nice pick for kicker.

Coaches
Grade: D
I put this grade mainly on the specialty coaches and coordinators. Pete Carroll has done a good job at keeping this team motivated and he made a good decision selecting Tarvaris to start over Whitehurst. However, I am not liking Offensive Coordinator Darrell Bevell and I feel if Tarvaris isn’t the starter next year (which he shouldn’t be), Bevell should go. Tom Cable has made this Offensive Line work hard, but it’s hard to tell if his coaching will pay off. I just feel that the Seahawks coaching could be a lot better. Young teams have succeeded before, and I feel given the right coaching staff, this team could be 4-4.

Overall: C-
With a 2-6 record, a C- grade seems pretty generous. But our defense has played pretty consistently and they have been great at stopping the run. The offense has been extremely inconsistent, good one week, bad the next. If this team gets a quality quarterback, more experience along the line, and a playmaker or two on each side of the ball, this team could easily win the division next year. I like the way this team is headed, but it is frustrating to sit through this sort of season. We just have to be patient and watch our young future stars blossom.

Awards
Best offensive player: Doug Baldwin
Who’d have thunk that an undrafted rookie would be the team’s best offensive player at this point? Kudos to whoever signed him. Honorable mention to Russell Okung, who has quietly had a really good sophomore season.

Best defensive player: Kam Chancellor
Hard to choose, but I had to go to the best overall defensive player, which to me has been Chancellor. He leads the team in tackles and interceptions, and he has made some big tackles and good plays in pass defense. He is turning into a star. Honorable mentions to Hawthorne and Red Bryant.

Team MVP: Kam Chancellor
When your defense is this much better than your offense, your MVP should come from your defense. The Seahawks went without Chancellor for a game and their pass defense struggled. Hard to believe he has somehow become one the players we can least afford to lose to injury. Honorable mentions to Red Bryant and somehow, Tarvaris Jackson.

Best play: Brandon Browner’s pick six to seal the win over the Giants
I had to go with Browner’s pick six, because it stopped the Giants from scoring (who were in the red zone) and sealed the win and shocked the Giants. It snapped an east coast losing streak for the Hawks and gave this team some confidence, which went away during the bye week. Honorable mention to Kam Chancellor’s interception in the Arizona game which sealed the win as well.

Most improved: Russell Okung
I almost picked Chancellor for the third time, but I feel Okung has really improved from last season. Last year, Okung struggled with the speed of some of the ends and struggled with injuries. This year, staying relatively healthy and being one of the best offensive lineman. He has had very few penalty calls against him this year and hasn’t allowed too many sacks. Honorable mentions to Chancellor and Max Unger.