For some reason, the headline of McClure's print and online columns is different. I much prefer the work of the print edition headline writer:
Sacks rain down again on Cutler which sizzles to Seahawks' blitzes keep Cutler uncomfortable which drizzles.
McClure wastes no time getting to the facts:
Of the six sacks Jay Cutler endured Sunday, 3½ came courtesy of the Seahawks' blitzing defensive backs.
Strong safety Jordan Babineaux was credited with 1½ sacks, while safety Lawyer Milloy and cornerback Roy Lewis each had one.
He assesses some blame, naming some names:
Bears tackles Frank Omiyale and J'Marcus Webb noticeably had trouble picking up the blitz, although they weren't the only ones slow to react.
And then McClure does an extraordinary thing: He gets a quote that gives credit, where the credit is due. Something so obvious that it's very easy to overlook:
"Coming into the game, we were prepared to give them something that they hadn't scouted," Babineaux said. "They hadn't seen a lot of things that we did.
"It was a great job by our defensive coordinator (Casey Bradley) because we disguised our coverages."
Babineaux said he could see the frustration mounting in Cutler.
"Most of the day, we kept Cutler uncomfortable," he said. "That was our goal coming in."
Did any of us sports fans think to give Seattle some credit for their victory?
Well, one Seattle player sure did. And if you were watching the game, you could feel head coach Pete Carroll's unbridled enthusiasm for the great plays made on both sides of the ball. You could see it in the attitudes of the assistant coaches. The contrast with Lovie Smith's bland game demeanor is stark, and startling.
The Seahawks had a defensive game plan. They executed it. A team in a state of continual upheaval as regards personnel. Clearly, they are looking for the kinds of players who respond well to their coaching. They are looking for Pete Carroll's kind of players. And let's be very clear about this: wide receiver Mike Williams is a Pete Carroll kind of player. Here's what Mike Williams accomplished while playing for Coach Carroll at the University of Southern California:
His freshman season, he had 81 receptions for 1,265 yards and 14 touchdowns. These statistics are all USC and Pacific 10 Conference freshman records.
Williams was named First-Team Freshman All-American choice by The Sporting News, Scripps/Football Writers, and Rivals.com. Selected as the Pac-10 Freshman of the Year, named to the All-Pac-10 second team, All-American honorable mention, The Sporting News Freshman All-Pac-10 first team, and The Sporting News All-Pac-10 Freshman Offensive Player of the Year.
In his final season, as a sophomore, Williams started all 13 games at wide receiver, and led the Trojans in receiving yards and touchdowns which resulted in 95 catches leading to 1,314 yards and 16 touchdowns. Williams was a finalist for the 2003 Biletnikoff Award (nation’s top receiver) while finishing eighth in Heisman Trophy voting. He also earned first team All-American (AP, ESPN.com, Football Writers, and SI.com among others) honors. Williams also was a 2003 All-Pac-10 First Team selection and CBS.Sportsline.com National Player of the Year. That year he also completed two pass attempts for 38 yards and one touchdown against Michigan in the Rose Bowl, and blocked a field goal.
So, how is it that a man who hasn't played in the NFL for two seasons winds up on Sunday, October 17, 2010, playing wide receiver for the Seattle Seahawks against the Chicago Bears and manages to catch 10 passes for 123 yards?
To answer that question, check out wikipedia:
After spending 2 years out of football, on April 15, 2010, Williams signed with the Seattle Seahawks, reuniting Williams with former USC Head Coach Pete Carroll. He has received rave reviews from coaches (primarily Carroll) during the preseason. After the Seahawks released T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Williams has joined the starting unit and during his debut for Seattle, Williams recorded 4 catches for 64 yards. In his second game, he recorded 1 catch for 7 yards. In week 6, he had career highs in both catches and yards going 10 catches for 123 yards in a 23-20 win against Chicago.
Pete Carroll has a long memory and surely understands that one of the things you can't teach a wide receiver is how to be 6' 5" tall.
I've got a lot of family living in the Seattle area. My Uncle Con was an avid Seahawks fan. Out of my love for Con, and appreciation for the infectious enthusiasm Pete Carroll wears, the kind of thing that really can't be faked, I'm wishing Seattle a great season and much success under their new head coach.
