Full Defensive Backfield health

[LebanonFan]

Looking through ProFootballReference, looks like this will be the first game since GB where we have Awuzuie, Apple, Hilton and Waynes full go. Add in Wilson, Pratt and a blossoming Bailey in coverage, Should be a huge factor in flexibility for coverages against the TEs

[Joelist]

I admit I liked what they did against KC - putting Flowers in tight Man on Kielce.

[fredtoast]

Last year we got killed at CB. Our top 4 CBs all missed at least two games and totaled 25 starts missed with injury.  LeShaun Simms, Jalen Davis, and Tony Brown combined to play 773 snaps at CB last year.  That was more than Mackensie Alexander (642) and Darius Phillips (593), and only about 100 fewer than Jackson (886).  No defense is going to hold up with their #5-#7 CBs combining to play more snaps than all but one of their top 4.


Good teams often have better back ups.  But when you get down to the 6th and 7th CB no team has anyone that is any good.

[fredtoast]

(01-11-2022, 01:04 AM)Joelist Wrote: I admit I liked what they did against KC - putting Flowers in tight Man on Kielce.

I did not notice that, but Flowers is big for a CB (6'3", 205).


**Note** Flowers only played 13 snaps against KC, but that could have been almost every third down.

[Joelist]

One of the big offseason accomplishments was cleaning out the CB room and restocking it. I am so happy we won't ever see LeShaun Sims out there at CB again.

[LebanonFan]

(01-11-2022, 01:13 AM)fredtoast Wrote: Last year we got killed at CB. Our top 4 CBs all missed at least two games and totaled 25 starts missed with injury.  LeShaun Simms, Jalen Davis, and Tony Brown combined to play 773 snaps at CB last year.  That was more than Mackensie Alexander (642) and Darius Phillips (593), and only about 100 fewer than Jackson (886).  No defense is going to hold up with their #5-#7 CBs combining to play more snaps than all but one of their top 4.


Good teams often have better back ups.  But when you get down to the 6th and 7th CB no team has anyone that is any good.

No doubt, We were decimated by injuries the last couple years. This is a totally different backfield

[LebanonFan]

(01-11-2022, 01:19 AM)Joelist Wrote: One of the big offseason accomplishments was cleaning out the CB room and restocking it. I am so happy we won't ever see LeShaun Sims out there at CB again.

Oof

[Sled21]

(01-11-2022, 01:19 AM)Joelist Wrote: One of the big offseason accomplishments was cleaning out the CB room and restocking it. I am so happy we won't ever see LeShaun Sims out there at CB again.

To be fair to the guy, he was a project that should have never been pressed into starting, but yes, I'm glad he's been replaced. There's a video clip of Jadeveon Clowney with the Texans heckling Sims (with the Titans) from the sideline. Very next play Sims intercepts the ball, and the look on Clowney's face is priceless. 

[Interceptor]

(01-11-2022, 01:18 AM)fredtoast Wrote: I did not notice that, but Flowers is big for a CB (6'3", 205).


**Note** Flowers only played 13 snaps against KC, but that could have been almost every third down.

Flowers was a safety in college and drafted as a safety. The Seahawks converted him into a CB because of injuries (and maybe because they like their CBs tall). So now that we have him, he is no longer playing out of position and playing where he is supposed to be.

From the Wiki:
Flowers entered training camp as a backup cornerback, but began competing for a job as the starting cornerback after he quickly transitioned to the position and impressed the coaching staff.[7][8] He competed for the starting cornerback job against veterans Byron Maxwell and Dontae Johnson.[9] Head coach Pete Carroll named Flowers a starting cornerback after injuries to both Maxwell and Johnson.[10] He was named a starter alongside Shaquill Griffin and safeties Bradley McDougald and Earl Thomas.


He made his professional regular season debut and first career start in the Seattle Seahawks' season opener at the Denver Broncos, and recorded eight combined tackles and a pass deflection in their 27-24 loss. Flowers primarily covered Pro Bowl wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders during the game and allowed 10 receptions on 11 targets for 135 yards and a 43-yard touchdown.[11] Flowers was inactive for the Seahawks' Week 2 loss at the Chicago Bears due to a hamstring injury.[12]



Flowers entered the 2020 season third on the depth chart behind Shaquill Griffin and Quinton Dunbar. He played in 11 games with seven starts before being placed on injured reserve on December 5, 2020.[13] On January 2, 2021, Flowers was activated off of injured reserve.[14]

On October 12, 2021, Flowers was waived by the Seahawks.[15]

[*SHRacerX*]

(01-11-2022, 01:04 AM)Joelist Wrote: I admit I liked what they did against KC - putting Flowers in tight Man on Kielce.

This is an excellent point.

If you weren't watching closely, you would just assume someone like Awuzie followed Kelce and had a great game against him.  Wrong.  A guy that they signed him off waivers from Seattle and has been a tremendous find.  The front office just nailed this one.  

He is young, and seems to have a knack for covering TEs.  I hope they extend him after the season.  

I don't know his character, but at least from a distance, he seems to have embraced his role as special teams ace and backup DB, but he really made the most of his opportunity.  He can play that third safety role so well in certain package. 

[*SHRacerX*]

(01-11-2022, 09:26 AM)Sled21 Wrote: To be fair to the guy, he was a project that should have never been pressed into starting, but yes, I'm glad he's been replaced. There's a video clip of Jadeveon Clowney with the Texans heckling Sims (with the Titans) from the sideline. Very next play Sims intercepts the ball, and the look on Clowney's face is priceless. 

I missed that, but remember the INT.  He came from the Titans if memory serves.

[Interceptor]

(01-11-2022, 09:43 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: This is an excellent point.

If you weren't watching closely, you would just assume someone like Awuzie followed Kelce and had a great game against him.  Wrong.  A guy that they signed him off waivers from Seattle and has been a tremendous find.  The front office just nailed this one.  

He is young, and seems to have a knack for covering TEs.  I hope they extend him after the season.  

I don't know his character, but at least from a distance, he seems to have embraced his role as special teams ace and backup DB, but he really made the most of his opportunity.  He can play that third safety role so well in certain package. 

Because he was originally a safety.

[*SHRacerX*]

(01-11-2022, 09:47 AM)Interceptor Wrote: Because he was originally a safety.

Yeah, in college.  A bit tougher in the NFL.  

I really like the guy.  Could prove to be a steal down the stretch and will definitely make himself some money next season.  Hope he signs here because he likes the team and gets a nice deal.  

[Interceptor]

(01-11-2022, 09:50 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: Yeah, in college.  A bit tougher in the NFL.  

I really like the guy.  Could prove to be a steal down the stretch and will definitely make himself some money next season.  Hope he signs here because he likes the team and gets a nice deal.  

But you see how much better he does at his original position. Kelce is no slouch.

[TecmoBengals]

(01-11-2022, 09:43 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: This is an excellent point.

If you weren't watching closely, you would just assume someone like Awuzie followed Kelce and had a great game against him.  Wrong.  A guy that they signed him off waivers from Seattle and has been a tremendous find.  The front office just nailed this one.  

He is young, and seems to have a knack for covering TEs.  I hope they extend him after the season.  

I don't know his character, but at least from a distance, he seems to have embraced his role as special teams ace and backup DB, but he really made the most of his opportunity.  He can play that third safety role so well in certain package. 

In Zac's press conference yesterday he said he was proud about the character of every player on the team. I'd surmise he's probably open to embracing any role the coaches want him to take on.

[*SHRacerX*]

(01-11-2022, 10:01 AM)Interceptor Wrote: But you see how much better he does at his original position. Kelce is no slouch.

He sure had a great game.  Hopefully, he can do the same against Waller.  

[Gdale_Bengal]

Darren Waller man. He’s one of the biggest mismatches in the AFC. I don’t quite know or think how you stop him, but what I’m hoping is some combination of Pratt and Flowers does enough to make them forget he’s on the field for most of the game.

Much more worried about the DEs on there team. Crosby against the right side might get ugly.

[Daddy-O]

(01-11-2022, 01:04 AM)Joelist Wrote: I admit I liked what they did against KC - putting Flowers in tight Man on Kielce.

Yes, he did very well against Kelce overall.  But the success against Kelce in that game may have been more attributed to the defensive scheme.  If I recall Flowers was only isolated on Kelce on a limited number of plays.

[kalibengal]

great news as we head in into playoffs....question is do we start Apple or Waynes?
I vote Apple

[kalibengal]

(01-11-2022, 10:11 AM)Gdale_Bengal Wrote: Darren Waller man. He’s one of the biggest mismatches in the AFC. I don’t quite know or think how you stop him, but what I’m hoping is some combination of Pratt and Flowers does enough to make them forget he’s on the field for most of the game.

Much more worried about the DEs on there team. Crosby against the right side might get ugly.

yea, the Crosby VS Prince thing could get ugly in a hurry....I watched him abuse LA C T, Norton all day. Im having a flasback of that playoff game VS Texans when Watt basically took over the game and made that pick off AD. 
Im hoping for Fred Johnson, he has looked solid at T (IMO )