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Nail biter but the defense came up big in the end.

Running game looked great. Russ looked great again with 5 TDs after throwing 4 last week.

Pass rush from DL still MIA. Close to getting Cam many times but with his size, strength and mobility he escaped every time. I think there would have been some sacks by DL had they been up against a lesser physical specimen.

Yeah I think we would have probably had 2 or so more, good QB’s won’t hold the ball as long either. Hawks need to make a move to improve the pas rush. Trade (I don’t know if anybody is available, but probably not) or sign a FA. They can’t just hope these guys are going to improve enough to make a difference.

On a positive note, the Hawks' OL looks pretty good so far.

trents wrote:Nail biter but the defense came up big in the end.

Running game looked great. Russ looked great again with 5 TDs after throwing 4 last week.

Pass rush from DL still MIA. Close to getting Cam many times but with his size, strength and mobility he escaped every time. I think there would have been some sacks by DL had they been up against a lesser physical specimen.

Yea, maybe. But a big quarterback also presents a big target. There are times that it's more difficult to get a little guy like Kyler Murray on the ground than it is someone like Cam Newton as they are quicker and can duck under linemen. The only way we're getting pressure is to blitz. The front 4 needs to get more pressure or else we're not going anywhere. All four teams in the NFC West won yesterday and the only team that has lost, the Niners, did so to a division rival. You can't expect Russell and the offense to carry us all year like they have the past two games.

Everybody and their dog knew that Cam was going to keep the ball on that last play, and Delano Hill did a great job blowing it up. I'm sure that play call is being talked about back in New England.

Newton is such a big guy that if you have to tackle him high when he's in the pocket as it's a penalty to go low, he can
duck under and tear away from an arm tackle. There was at least one missed sack that any other QB would have been
tackled. It's almost to the point with QBs like him it's better to horse collar them that way they can't stand there flat
footed and get the ball off. I don't think that's a penalty in the pocket on QBs to tackle them that way. However, on the
whole, the DL couldn't muster a consistent pass rush and Norton had to bring the blitz too often to gets some pressure.
Unfortunately, I don't think there is anyone out there to trade for and we don't have much other than players to trade
with so we will have to just make do with who we have.

mykc14 wrote:Yeah I think we would have probably had 2 or so more, good QB’s won’t hold the ball as long either. Hawks need to make a move to improve the pas rush. Trade (I don’t know if anybody is available, but probably not) or sign a FA. They can’t just hope these guys are going to improve enough to make a difference.

I agree, but we are going to face the Rams and the Cards 2X, who have way better QB's than Cam, you give Murray and Goff that kind of time to throw, we lose period. We need to make the moves.

NorthHawk wrote:Newton is such a big guy that if you have to tackle him high when he's in the pocket as it's a penalty to go low, he can
duck under and tear away from an arm tackle. There was at least one missed sack that any other QB would have been
tackled. It's almost to the point with QBs like him it's better to horse collar them that way they can't stand there flat
footed and get the ball off. I don't think that's a penalty in the pocket on QBs to tackle them that way. However, on the
whole, the DL couldn't muster a consistent pass rush and Norton had to bring the blitz too often to gets some pressure.
Unfortunately, I don't think there is anyone out there to trade for and we don't have much other than players to trade
with so we will have to just make do with who we have.

Yeah, I don't think we're going to be able to blitz Murray as often has we have the past two games. Although Cam is big and strong, Murray is more of a threat in the open field and we'll probably have to assign a spy to him, which somewhat compromises our ability to blitz.

LJ Collier is looking a little better. He and Hill made a great play to stuff Cam on the last play and he had a batted pass and a QB hit but he's not getting consistently into the backfield like Clowney did last season. Jarran Reed has been pretty silent. It's beginning to look like his one good season was an anomaly.

I'll have to look at the replay, but Brooks saw more action this game than last and depending on Irvin's injury status, could see even more PT against the Cowboys next week.

mykc14 wrote:Yeah I think we would have probably had 2 or so more, good QB’s won’t hold the ball as long either. Hawks need to make a move to improve the pas rush. Trade (I don’t know if anybody is available, but probably not) or sign a FA. They can’t just hope these guys are going to improve enough to make a difference.

obiken wrote:I agree, but we are going to face the Rams and the Cards 2X, who have way better QB's than Cam, you give Murray and Goff that kind of time to throw, we lose period. We need to make the moves.

And don't forget about the Niners. They didn't rack up HFA last year with mirrors. Even with their injuries, they're still a formidable foe. The NFC West is a perfect 7-0 against non division opponents so far.

But there aren't any free agents available and the deal we made for Adams pretty much precludes a trade for a DL good enough to make a difference. Someone on the current roster is going to have to step up.

Yup. The 49ers are going to be tough any way you look at it. It might even work to their
advantage if some of their current injuries heal for the stretch run later in the year. A
reasonably healthy team going against teams just starting an injury phase late can make
a serious run in the playoffs.

The Hawks' defense has given up way too many big plays in the first two weeks, mostly because of no pressure from the DL on opposing QBs. And I'm not talking about just garbage time numbers.

But I would also point out that the Seattle offense put up 35 points against one of the best defenses in the NFL. The patriot's defense is not a patty cake unit like the Falcons.

I say there were maybe as many as 3 sacks newton simply stepped out of. Its maddening although they made the play they had to make and it wasn't close. But It doesn't get a lot easier with Dak headed to town.

Russ is out of his mind. This is looking like his 50+ TD year and a true run at the MVP. His ball handling, decision making, key scrambles after houdini escapes, taking care of his body and the ball. The best least defensible deep ball in the league, one of the best rainbows ever dropping it right down the chimney over and over again with deadly accuracy with helpless defenders in tight coverage unable to tip it away .He is indeed the best QB in the league now.

And the receiving corps is suddenly very good. Nobody wants to cover DK, we haven't had many guys that can beat up on and burn an all pro corner like that. Lockett is Lockett.David Moore had an insane toe tapper, even the rook caught one. Other than Olsens shocking gaffe the TEs look good. The backs look great, Carson is as angry as ever and hanging onto the ball too. Schotty is having a hell of a year so far with the calls. Its a championship offense.

THe D is, well opportunistic. They have done just enough.A dropped pick 6 by us, a caught pick 6 by them or its a laugher. 2-0, no style points needed. NE and Seattle always comes down to the end.Just win baby. Next man up.

trents wrote:The Hawks' defense has given up way too many big plays in the first two weeks, mostly because of no pressure from the DL on opposing QBs. And I'm not talking about just garbage time numbers.

But I would also point out that the Seattle offense put up 35 points against one of the best defenses in the NFL. The patriot's defense is not a patty cake unit like the Falcons.

wait till Sunday, all the weapon Dallas has, good luck!

trents wrote:The Hawks' defense has given up way too many big plays in the first two weeks, mostly because of no pressure from the DL on opposing QBs. And I'm not talking about just garbage time numbers.

But I would also point out that the Seattle offense put up 35 points against one of the best defenses in the NFL. The patriot's defense is not a patty cake unit like the Falcons.

obiken wrote:wait till Sunday, all the weapon Dallas has, good luck!

Nothing about the Cowboys scares me. They're damn lucky they're not 0-2, having to depend on a very unlikely onside kick to beat a team we beat handily the previous week.

obiken wrote:The Hawks' defense has given up way too many big plays in the first two weeks, mostly because of no pressure from the DL on opposing QBs. And I'm not talking about just garbage time numbers.

But I would also point out that the Seattle offense put up 35 points against one of the best defenses in the NFL. The patriot's defense is not a patty cake unit like the Falcons.

wait till Sunday, all the weapon Dallas has, good luck!

None of those weapons are on defense. Seattle should put up a 45 burger on them.

But can we hold them to 44 points with our Defense in that scenario?

Hawktawk wrote:I say there were maybe as many as 3 sacks newton simply stepped out of. Its maddening although they made the play they had to make and it wasn't close. But It doesn't get a lot easier with Dak headed to town.

Russ is out of his mind. This is looking like his 50+ TD year and a true run at the MVP. His ball handling, decision making, key scrambles after houdini escapes, taking care of his body and the ball. The best least defensible deep ball in the league, one of the best rainbows ever dropping it right down the chimney over and over again with deadly accuracy with helpless defenders in tight coverage unable to tip it away .He is indeed the best QB in the league now.

And the receiving corps is suddenly very good. Nobody wants to cover DK, we haven't had many guys that can beat up on and burn an all pro corner like that. Lockett is Lockett.David Moore had an insane toe tapper, even the rook caught one. Other than Olsens shocking gaffe the TEs look good. The backs look great, Carson is as angry as ever and hanging onto the ball too. Schotty is having a hell of a year so far with the calls. Its a championship offense.

THe D is, well opportunistic. They have done just enough.A dropped pick 6 by us, a caught pick 6 by them or its a laugher. 2-0, no style points needed. NE and Seattle always comes down to the end.Just win baby. Next man up.

I really like this post
I know that serious fans tend to focus on areas that need improvement, & that's why I continue to value the opinions put forth in this forum, but there is much to be said for the QB's ability to cover up weaknesses that a team has in todays NFL. I have an inkling that this will be RW's best year yet. Not sure why or how I sense this, but I do & like some of you I am concerned about the pass rush, (or lack thereof), but as I stated, if it comes to a shootout, I'll put my money on Russ & the offense these days.

The rush has gotten pressure. Newtons physicality at at getting out of sacks with sheer muscle skewed the stats and Dak will also be a handful although our D got as good a warm up for a physical scrambler as possible. I sense these guys will improve as the season goes along. Not having Diggs after his BS ejection and then losing blair didn't help because a great back end makes for a great front end. If you can't cover you can't get home very often.

Hawktawk wrote:The rush has gotten pressure. Newtons physicality at at getting out of sacks with sheer muscle skewed the stats and Dak will also be a handful although our D got as good a warm up for a physical scrambler as possible. I sense these guys will improve as the season goes along. Not having Diggs after his BS ejection and then losing blair didn't help because a great back end makes for a great front end. If you can't cover you can't get home very often.

The problem is that we're not getting to the QB by rushing 4. On nearly all of the occasions when we do get decent pressure it's because we're sending linebackers and/or safeties. If we thought that Newton was hard to bring down, just wait until we go up against Kylar Murray. We're dead last in the league in yards allowed per game, and the pass rush, or lack of it, is our defense's weak link. With this defense, Russell is not only going to have to play well, he has to be perfect, like he has been these past two games.

I didn't think Digg's ejection was BS at all, unless you think that the rule is BS. He's going to have to learn to adjust his game.

I have some sympathy for Diggs on that hit. He’s 5’9” and Harry is 6’4” and Diggs crouched down
a little to hit him in the chest, but Harry bent down even further and their helmets collided. It’s
one of those plays that are hard to avoid unless Diggs goes for the knees which might be disastrous
for Harry.