Huge Statement Win

[Stream Hawk]

Or a medium large statement win. Most everyone was picking against us. I had (secret) faith. Darnold was overall excellent, especially on the TD drives. K9 was enormous. And how about that defense? Sky may just be the limit.

[c_hawkbob]

Yeah I'm much more optimistic now than I was this morning. I was fully expecting to be 0-2 right now. And the game, despite the unicorn special teams TD on that kick off, was not a fluke, we looked like the better team even when we were behind.

[Aseahawkfan]

The emotional swings of football. I enjoyed the win. I don't think it means anything. The Steelers aren't a great team and haven't been for a while. Steelers are not a contender. They are in the same boat Seattle was with Carroll before they moved on from Carroll. I wonder how long they will stick with Tomlin when he can't get them contending again.

Darnold through 2 ints. Against a better team, that would have cost us dearly.

49ers and Rams look to be winning too. Those are the teams we need to be able to beat to take the division, which is the first step in contending. If you can't consistently take your division, you're chances of contending aren't very high.

We've got the Saints next week. That's another team that you have to beat because they aren't a contender either and if you can't beat them, neither are you.

Progress is beating the weak teams, holding serve against your division, and trying to make the playoffs. That's all I'm looking for at best this year. This team is not a Super Bowl contender, but it would be nice to become a division leader again. We haven't won the division since 2020.

[NorthHawk]

I don’t think anyone is saying this team is a contender but they should be competitive and have a chance at winning any game they play.
I really liked how the Offense is coming along with more play action and a developing run game.

[River Dog]

I'm not sure that I'd call it a statement win as no one expects the Steelers to do much this season. We beat the Eagles or Bills like that, and you can call it a statement win.

But terminology aside, it was a huge win as we didn't want to start out the season 0-2. The Rams and Niners both won today, and the Cards are up 20-3 at halftime.

We got a helluva break on that kickoff. Whoever the Steeler returner was didn't realize that's a live ball even if he didn't touch it because it hit ground in the landing zone. Had it been under the old kickoff rules and he hadn't touched it, that ball would have been dead.

I'm not back to the point I was prior to the Niners game, but it sure feels a lot better than last week. Next Sunday, we get the Saints at home, which on paper should be a win. But I'm reminded of the game at home against the Giants last year. This is a trap game.

[NorthHawk]

The Seahawks haven’t been good at home the last few years and I’m wondering if they get too hyped for the games and making a show. They just seem to be more business like when on the road.

[River Dog]

The Seahawks haven’t been good at home the last few years and I’m wondering if they get too hyped for the games and making a show. They just seem to be more business like when on the road.

The atmosphere inside the stadium isn't what it used to be. Teams aren't afraid to come into our house like they used to be. Part of that is the re-selling of season tickets and more visiting fans coming to the games...and not just in Seattle. It's like that around the league. But there's also a difference in the attitude of those 12's that are there, and part of that has to do with Pete's mediocrity.

It's going to take some time before we get that magic back, and the team has to win those crazy, lunatic fans into the mindset they used to have. Last weekend didn't help.

[c_hawkbob]

I don't think time is part of the equation, winning is the whole recipe, we win the 12's will be their old selves.

[Aseahawkfan]

I'm not sure that I'd call it a statement win as no one expects the Steelers to do much this season. We beat the Eagles or Bills like that, and you can call it a statement win.

But terminology aside, it was a huge win as we didn't want to start out the season 0-2. The Rams and Niners both won today, and the Cards are up 20-3 at halftime.

We got a helluva break on that kickoff. Whoever the Steeler returner was didn't realize that's a live ball even if he didn't touch it because it hit ground in the landing zone. Had it been under the old kickoff rules and he hadn't touched it, that ball would have been dead.

I'm not back to the point I was prior to the Niners game, but it sure feels a lot better than last week. Next Sunday, we get the Saints at home, which on paper should be a win. But I'm reminded of the game at home against the Giants last year. This is a trap game.

I do hate the Steelers. Always nice to piss in their pool and ruin their day.

[c_hawkbob]

Had it been under the old kickoff rules and he hadn't touched it, that ball would have been dead.

Not correct. A kick off has always been a live ball until it is either downed or goes out of bounds. I'd guess he was assuming it'd go out the back of the end zone.

[Stream Hawk]

I'm not sure that I'd call it a statement win as no one expects the Steelers to do much this season. We beat the Eagles or Bills like that, and you can call it a statement win.

But terminology aside, it was a huge win as we didn't want to start out the season 0-2. The Rams and Niners both won today, and the Cards are up 20-3 at halftime.

We got a helluva break on that kickoff. Whoever the Steeler returner was didn't realize that's a live ball even if he didn't touch it because it hit ground in the landing zone. Had it been under the old kickoff rules and he hadn't touched it, that ball would have been dead.

I'm not back to the point I was prior to the Niners game, but it sure feels a lot better than last week. Next Sunday, we get the Saints at home, which on paper should be a win. But I'm reminded of the game at home against the Giants last year. This is a trap game.

Fairpoint, I might’ve been overreacting a tad. It was a “medium large” statement win. The defense pretty much had their way against a team that could do anything it wanted last week against the Jets. I didn’t notice the Jets hitting the bed today against the bills when I started this thread. Regardless, it was a backs against the wall big win on the road. Eight straight road wins is nothing to scoff at.

I would edit the thread title if I could.

[River Dog]

Had it been under the old kickoff rules and he hadn't touched it, that ball would have been dead.

Not correct. A kick off has always been a live ball until it is either downed or goes out of bounds. I'd guess he was assuming it'd go out the back of the end zone.

Are you sure about that? I'm not challenging you, just asking an honest question. Maybe I was thinking high school or college, and if so, maybe the returner was, too.

[River Dog]

I would edit the thread title if I could.

Hehe! Don't worry about it, man. It's OK to get excited about our Hawks!

[c_hawkbob]

Had it been under the old kickoff rules and he hadn't touched it, that ball would have been dead.

Not correct. A kick off has always been a live ball until it is either downed or goes out of bounds. I'd guess he was assuming it'd go out the back of the end zone.

Are you sure about that? I'm not challenging you, just asking an honest question. Maybe I was thinking high school or college, and if so, maybe the returner was, too.

As far as I know it's been that way since Naismith nailed up his first peach basket.

[4XPIPS]

Great to see K9 show us why he is considered our lead TB. Zach seemed to be caught alot on these outside stretch/swing runs and was getting gang tackled. I am not sure if that is indicative of poor running on Zach, which I don't believe is the case, but the plays that were called for him. I think those stretch runs were designed to widen up the slot lanes, so JSN and Kupp could have success in the middle of the field, and Darnold was surgical working the middle of the field. We did manage to convert some 3rd and longs.

First INT was purely on Darnold, as I think he was overconfident from the first drive, as they marched downfield and he threw a TD to Tory Horton. His second INT was on a 4th down in their red zone, and Klint calls for a play action roll out which gets Darnold in trouble and he throws an errant pass and it gets picked off. Maybe he should have taken the sack, who knows.. however, why not run the Barner Tush Push there? It was 4th and 1 in plus territory, and it was successful prior in the game. If Barner gets stuck, oh well it's a turnover on downs in their territory. I know it's nitpicky but at times I feel like Klint needs to call the high percentage plays when needed.

I will say Darnold didn't let his early 2 INTS get to his head, as later in the game, when a free rusher was about to sack him for a loss on 3rd down and does ballerina dance to escape it and finds an open target for a 1st down pick up. That's a huge plus for me as I think being in the league now for 7 years and still only being 28, he has matured and can shake off those negative plays.

It was a good win, and let's hope Sundell's injury isn't too serious as I would love to not have a shuflling O line all season. It would be nice to have the same 5 guys play all season.

[River Dog]

As far as I know it's been that way since Naismith nailed up his first peach basket.

I did a search, entered this question into my Co Pilot:

In the nfl, prior to 2024, when kickoff hits ground in bounds and outside of the end zone, is untouched by the receiving team, and bounces into the end zone, can it be recovered by the kicking team?

And here's what it answered:

Great question—this dives into one of the more nuanced aspects of NFL kickoff rules prior to the 2024 changes.

Before 2024, if a kickoff:

Lands in bounds outside the end zone,

Is untouched by the receiving team,

Then bounces into the end zone...

The kicking team cannot recover the ball for a touchdown or possession unless it becomes a live ball by being touched by the receiving team first. Here's how it breaks down:

Key Rule Details (Pre-2024)
A kickoff is considered a free kick, and the receiving team has the right to possess it unless they touch it and then lose control.

If the ball enters the end zone untouched, the receiving team can down it for a touchback.

The kicking team can recover the ball only if:

It travels at least 10 yards, and

The receiving team touches it first, or

It's an onside kick and meets the 10-yard requirement.

So in your scenario, if the ball bounces into the end zone untouched, the kicking team cannot legally recover it for a touchdown or possession. The play would result in a touchback, and the receiving team would get the ball at their 25-yard line (or 20-yard line depending on the year and rule variation).

Want to explore how the 2024 rule changes flipped this dynamic? They're pretty wild.

[River Dog]

Not to keep kicking a dead horse, but I came across this which would suggest that an untouched kickoff that hits short of the end zone then rolls in used to be an automatic touchback prior to 2024:

Under the NFL's new kickoff rule, any ball that lands in the landing zone between the goal line and 20-yard line and goes into the end zone -- as Myers' kickoff did -- must be returned or downed by the receiving team. Otherwise, it is a live ball.

(Steeler KO returner Kaleb) Johnson declined to say if he knew the rule.

"If I wasn't sure, if I was sure, it doesn't matter," he said. "I still got to do what I got to do, and I still got to go in there and execute the way it needs to be executed."

[c_hawkbob]

OK I found this;

Q: So, the dynamic kickoff rule played a hand in the confusion?

A: Yes and no. The dynamic rule, aimed at increasing the number of kickoff returns, also creates some strategy for the kicking team. Rather than kick the ball into or through the end zone for a touchback and possession at the 35, kickers are trying to pin the ball deep in the landing zone. This forces the receiving team to attempt a return, and a good coverage unit’s goal is not to allow the returner to make it past the 35.

However, NFL kickoff returners had to field the ball even before the “dynamic” rule was implemented. Case in point: the Steelers’ Barry Foster failed to cover a kickoff in 1990 against the San Francisco 49ers. Foster treated it like a punt and allowed the ball to roll to the 5. The 49ers alertly recovered and scored a touchdown a few plays later.

But the example they used involved a ball that stopped rolling at the 5, not into the endzone. In real time one of the announcers answered the question of whether the new rule effected the outcome of the play by saying "from the beginning of football you've always had to cover that ball", which is how I remembered it, thus my answer. Either way you can bet teams are going to be covering that scenario in practice now!

[NorthHawk]

I thought after the NFL started monkeying around with the kickoff rules that for a few years if the ball landed in the end zone and the player made no attempt to touch it, the ball was a touchback, but maybe I'm confusing it with College Football.

[River Dog]

OK I found this;

Q: So, the dynamic kickoff rule played a hand in the confusion?

A: Yes and no. The dynamic rule, aimed at increasing the number of kickoff returns, also creates some strategy for the kicking team. Rather than kick the ball into or through the end zone for a touchback and possession at the 35, kickers are trying to pin the ball deep in the landing zone. This forces the receiving team to attempt a return, and a good coverage unit’s goal is not to allow the returner to make it past the 35.

However, NFL kickoff returners had to field the ball even before the “dynamic” rule was implemented. Case in point: the Steelers’ Barry Foster failed to cover a kickoff in 1990 against the San Francisco 49ers. Foster treated it like a punt and allowed the ball to roll to the 5. The 49ers alertly recovered and scored a touchdown a few plays later.

But the example they used involved a ball that stopped rolling at the 5, not into the endzone. In real time one of the announcers answered the question of whether the new rule effected the outcome of the play by saying "from the beginning of football you've always had to cover that ball", which is how I remembered it, thus my answer. Either way you can bet teams are going to be covering that scenario in practice now!

Yeah, not a definitive answer, either from what you have found nor in my research. But as you said in your last sentence, everyone in the league is aware of it now.