We got no stinkin’ controversy

Published on October 11, 2011 by Tacoma News Tribune (Feed)     

The Seahawks quarterback situation will be a hot-button topic, but I tend to agree with coach Pete Carroll on this one: Let’s see how Tarvaris Jackson recovers from his strained pec before getting too lathered up about hypothetical contingencies. Jackson had been on his best streak as a Seahawk, leading them to 35 points combined in the second half of the Atlanta game and the first half of the Giants game.

While Carroll said he scolded Jackson for not getting down and avoiding contact on the play in which he was injured, I think that’s conveniently misplacing the blame. This was a very simple example of why NFL quarterbacks are not asked to run read-option plays. Get that one off the ready-sheet.

Charlie Whitehurst’s play had to be comforting, though, as he was capable of coming in and preserving a win in difficult conditions. I’m a little dubious about the implication that they’d fine with Josh Portis at quarterback if the first two were sidelined. Portis is extremely talented and has some intriguing potential. They could have practice-squaded him but kept him on the 53-man roster because I’m sure they didn’t want to expose him to waivers in the process. He’s fast, nifty, and has a whip-saw arm. But having to play him at this point would be unfairly tossing him in beyond his depth.

So, as we scan the wire this morning, much of the discussion was about Jackson and Whitehurst.

I thought a point coming out of the game, and Carroll’s press conference Monday, carried more long-term significance, though. And that was the attitude with which the Seahawks played. This team had lost nine straight in the Eastern Time Zone. The Giants were 10-point favorites. My story in the TNT looks at the way the young Seahawks ignored all the grim history and just went out and played aggressively and physically, and took the game to the Giants. With all the penalties, the turnovers, the injury to Jackson and the Giants comeback — to hold on for the win was extremely significant as a trend-breaker.

via We got no stinkin’ controversy | Seahawks Insider.

Tags: Charlie Whitehurst, coach pete carroll, Contingencies, Eastern Time Zone, Giants Game, Grim History, Hot Button, Implication, Josh Portis, Man Roster, nfl quarterbacks, Pec, Point Favorites, Quarterback Situation, Seahawk, Seahawks Quarterback, Tarvaris Jackson, Tnt, Waivers, Whip