Talk » There’s a fast-developing NFL trend that the Seahawks have suffered

from: the crack pitch from the shotgun. Quicker developing than a toss play Quinton Jefferson Color Rush Jersey , the pitch is run similarly to a speed option but without the quarterback ever keeping. Seattle really struggled against the Chargers’ run game and their toss, making Green Bay’s crack pitch last Thursday a smart decision. It was particularly tricky because they did it from the shotgun to the weakside. With a tight end to the left and the running back to the right, The Seahawks aligned off the strength of the front. This was also opposite the side of the running back alignment, because that’s where the ball is most likely to be run from the gun.The Packers made things even tougher for Seattle by following another in-vogue schematic feature of the NFL: tight receiver splits and a bunch formation. Sean McVay’s offense is the champion of this. In the Rams attack it gives receivers a genuine two-way go—with space inside and outside. The alignment also guarantees that the receiver will face outside, off leverage from the defensive back, which frees up space for the terrifying crossers of McVay to run free inside. Finally, McVay benefits from tight splits in the run game as he breaks force defenders and narrows a defense.For Green Bay, the 11 personnel (1 running back, 1 tight end and 3 wide receivers) trips bunch formed a significant part of their gameplan and really benefited their crack pitch. Aligning the receivers like this to the boundary created a smaller, easier area for the receivers to make their crack-back blocks to secure the edge. It also gave the running back more room to get outside. The trips bunch in this area created three extra gaps to the right of the right tackle: essentially a d gap, an e gap and a f gap. With Shaquill Griffin joined by Tre Flowers and Justin Coleman, plus Bradley McDougald aligning in press over the tight end on the other side of the field, it was clear to Aaron Rodgers that the coverage was man. This saw Rodgers audible at the line of scrimmage. Sure enough, the corners were all forced to align off and outside their receivers. As the ball was snapped, the crack-back blocks of Marquez Valdez-Scantling and Equanimeous St. Brown took Coleman and Griffin inside.The force defender Tom Johnson Color Rush Jersey , the man tasked with turning outside runs back inside, was Barkevious Mingo. Mingo found himself down at the line of scrimmage facing the double team of Valdez-Scantling and St. Brown. They attacked Mingo’s blindside. In zone coverage with a safety as the secondary force player, Mingo could have assumed a “crack replace” call. This is where the force responsibility is replaced by a box safety who reacts to the issues a crack-back block on the edge represents. Instead, the man coverage saw the secondary force player, nickel corner Coleman, get run out of the play inside. Worse, contain defender Griffin was out-leveraged by his coverage inside. As the outside corner, he was forced to overcompensate due to the inside tight split. The Packers managed to stop the run-through of middle linebacker Bobby Wagner by having their left guard Lane Taylor fold block. They were able to do this as Seattle’s bear/double-eagle/46 front let them take backside 4i Jarran Reed with backside tackle David Bakhtiari.Meanwhile, on the frontside, Green Bay was able to run two fold blocks behind the pair of crack-back blocks, with inside receiver Davante Adams and right tackle Bryan Bulaga pealing out to the perimeter. Bulaga managed to slow Mingo, who did a good job getting off the double team crackback, Adams managed to kick out his one-on-one Flowers.The interior defensive linemen always get caught in the middle trash on plays like this. Unsurprisingly, deep safety Tedric Thompson was the only free player. His run fit tasked him with filling the alley. But Thompson took a very shallow angle that isn’t aggressive enough given the situation. It was a near-impossible task anyway. Aaron Jones surged into the endzone untouched.You may wonder what would have happened if Seattle had played zone coverage rather than man here. Though the defensive backs wouldn’t have been disadvantaged to the point of out-leverage by their coverage assignment, the Seahawks would likely have had one less player on the playside edge. As underwhelming for Green Bay fans as Mike Leach’s Air Raid in the snow Rasheem Green Color Rush Jersey , Mike McCarthy didn’t call this concept again. This was despite most of the Seahawks’ coverage being man defense. Heading into the crucial match-up with the Carolina Panthers, Seattle’s play on the perimeter of runs must be far better. Force and contain play have been huge weaknesses of the defense. That’s strange given how Pete Carroll stresses stopping the run, plus how well his teams usually execute that task. The Seattle Seahawks (9-6) are in the NFL playoffs after an amazing 38-31 win over the Kansas City Chiefs (11-4). Russell Wilson threw three touchdown passes, Chris Carson rushed for over 100 yards and two scores, and the defense made just enough key plays to help the team pull off an upset win.1st HalfThe Chiefs got the ball first and after an eight-yard Tyreek Hill run, consecutive incomplete passes by Patrick Mahomes led to a rare KC three-and-out. Seattle almost had a three-and-out themselves, but Russell Wilson scrambled for 19 yards on 3rd and 13. Big runs by Chris Carson and Mike Davis, along with a nice sideline grab by Doug Baldwin put the Seahawks inside the Chiefs 10. A pitch play to JD McKissic got them to the 3. On 3rd and inches, Chris Carson stopped... then started... then stopped and started again for the touchdown. Great opening drive by Seattle! 7-0 Seahawks.Seattle was fortunate not to give up a wide open TD to Travis Kelce on a blown coverage, but Patrick Mahomes way overshot him. That proved somewhat costly, as they ended up kicking a field goal instead of getting into the end zone. 7-3 Seahawks.A third-down conversion to Jaron Brown and a pass interference drawn deep down the field by Tyler Lockett put the Seahawks well into Kansas City territory. Unfortunately, despite moving into the red zone, the drive stalled and Sebastian Janikowski missed a short field goal off the upright.That missed was a ten-point swing. A 10-play, 74-yard drive that featured mostly running plays, but the touchdown pass from Patrick Mahomes was underneath to a wide open Damien Williams from two yards out. 10-7 Chiefs.After a three-and-out by Seattle Will Dissly Color Rush Jersey , the Chiefs gave it right back to the Seahawks on a Damien Williams fumble, recovered by Jarran Reed after Dion Jordan knocked it out. A pass interference on 3rd and goal gave the Seahawks a new set of downs at the 1. On 2nd and goal, Wilson found a wide open Nick Vannett for a touchdown. 14-10 Seahawks.Frank Clark snuffed out Williams on a 3rd and 1 after a Seahawks timeout negated a successful QB sneak, so another three-and-out forced! Seattle’s two-minute drill predictbaly didn’t score, but they burned up enough clock before punting. The Chiefs did look for points before the half, but Chris Conley fumbled the ball after being wide open in Seahawks territory, and Delano Hill recovered the ball after Justin Coleman knocked it free. Even if he was tackled regularly, the clock likely would’ve run out.2nd HalfThe Seahawks drove into FG range to begin the half, and Sebastian Janikowski missed from 43 yards out, but Jordan Lucas was penalized for roughing the kicker and Janikowski was shaken up. He did come back onto the field and made it from 28 yards out. 17-10 Seahawks.Ladies and gentlemen... Michael Dickson drop kick kickoff.Unfortunately it took only 7 plays for the Chiefs to go 83 yards, with Mahomes throwing a dart to Charcandrick West for a 25-yard touchdown to tie the game. 17-17.Seattle’s ensuing drive looked doomed when they went to 3rd and 15, but Russell Wilson checked it down to Ed Dickson, who somehow broke through two tackles to keep the chains moving. That play was crucial, as Wilson would find Doug Baldwin in tight coverage for a 27-yard touchdown and the lead once more. 24-17 Seahawks.The Seahawks defense brought enough pressure to produce three straight incomplete passes from Mahomes. Seattle’s offense went three-and-out after Wilson missed Baldwin just about breaking free for a big play. Kansas City marched down the field and to the Seahawks 4 thanks to a gorgeous deep ball from Mahomes to Tyreek Hill, who was injured on the play after Justin Coleman landed on his right leg. The Seahawks stood firm after that and held the Chiefs to a Harrison Butker field goal. 24-20 Seahawks.Seattle gashed the Chiefs for a series of chunk plays. A play-action throw to Tyler Lockett Michael Dickson Color Rush Jersey , a big Wilson run after escaping a sack, a spin move by Carson to get another first down, and they were instantly in a goal-to-go situation. Wilson threw it incomplete on 3rd and goal, but a hold in the end zone gave Seattle a new set of downs. Next play? Touchdown to Ed Dickson. 31-20 Seahawks.Backs against the wall, the Chiefs went uptempo and needed just 2:55 of game clock to go 9 plays and 72 yards, with Mahomes converting a 4th and 1 and later finding Demarcus Robinson in the back of the end zone, as he toe-tapped for the score. Mahomes ran it in on the two-point conversion. 31-28 Seahawks with 4:36 to go.After a Doug Baldwin drop on 2nd and 6, Wilson went to David Moore who was able to just barely get the first down based on forward progress. Two snaps player, Wilson uncorked a deep ball to Tyler Lockett for 45 glorious yards, but Russ was sacked on the next play. No worries, as Wilson found Baldwin for a ridiculous one-handed catch to the 1-yard line. Chris Carson bulldozed his way into the end zone shortly thereafter. 38-28 Seahawks with 2:29 to go.Seattle’s woeful kick coverage led to a 61-yard return well into Seahawks territory, but again the defense was able to hold the Chiefs to a field goal attempt. 38-31 Seahawks with 1:20 to go.The onside kick went out of bounds, GAME OVER! 38-31 Seahawks final.Seahawks injury updateRT George Fant limped off on Seattle’s opening drive due to a left ankle injury. He returned on the next offensive series.LG JR Sweezy came out in the 2nd quarter, limping off under his own power after an apparent ankle injury. DJ Fluker came in at RG and Ethan Pocic switched over to LG. Sweezy did not return in the 2nd half.DL Jarran Reed walked off in the 4th quarter with an apparent hand injury. He returned to the game.WR Doug Baldwin limped off in the 4th quarter with an unspecified injury. He returned to the game.Next week’s opponentThe Seahawks end the 2018 regular season at home on December 30th against the Arizona Cardinals (3-12) at 1:25 PM PT on FOX.