Seattle Seahawks: Dud and Stud of Game 4 – Miami
Ed Stein
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Tre Flowers, Seattle Seahawks.
2nd Dishonorable Mention – Cody Barton
Cody Barton is a valuable member of the Seattle Seahawks. His contributions on special teams the past two seasons are outstanding. Barton’s coverage skills as a linebacker, to put it politely, need lots of work. Also, his third quarter botched tackle attempt on Matt Breida, which resulted in a first down, was inexcusable.
Dolphins quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick was able to find receivers on short and intermediate routes with success. Many of those plays were on the linebacker’s side of the field. It was his first start of the year. Barton can only go up from here. Hopefully, it won’t come to that and Jordyn Brooks will return soon.
1st Dishonorable Mention – Brandon Shell
How many times do 12s have to watch Brandon Shell get manhandled?
This is Week 4 and Shell’s third time on the Dud list. It could have been four if the Seahawks didn’t suffer so many knee injuries against New England in Week 2.
Sunday, it was Emmanuel Ogbah‘s turn to get by Shell, get in Russell Wilson’s face and blow up plays in the Seattle Seahawks backfield. Shell’s job as a starter speaks volumes about backup tackles Jamarco Jones and Cedric Ogbuehi.
It only gets tougher from here on out. The Seahawks still have to face the Rams and Niners twice as well as Minnesota and Buffalo. Wilson could be scrambling for his life in some of those games.
Dud of the Week – Tre Flowers
Last week I pinned the Seahawks poor pass defense on the entire secondary. This week one man deserves most of the criticism.
When Bill Parcells was coaching the Giants back in the 80s, he had a cornerback named Elvis Patterson. After receivers took advantage of Patterson several times, Parcells had enough. He started referring to his cornerback as “toast.” The motivation tactic worked; Patterson was a key member of New York’s 1986 dominating defense that won the Super Bowl.
It’s in that spirit that I now refer to Tre Flowers as “dinner.” Because if Russ cooks on offense, Flowers gets cooked and eaten up on defense. He was abysmal against Miami. Dolphins wide receivers had an easy time against Flowers.
He is the best option Seattle has right now as their second cornerback and that’s pretty bad. Quinton Dunbar, get well soon.