He's good at this, right? What makes him so good at running an offense?

I think there's a couple of things.

For one, I think that he is absolutely innovative, innovative mind, you know, just some of the creative ways in which he deploys his players.

Like, so a perfect example of that was, I believe it was a touchdown, actually, that Luther Burton had.

which he basically was in motion, kind of did a little bit of a waggle and went through the eight gap.

Just a creative way.

Actually, I don't know that he scored a touchdown in that particular play, but still it was a creative way to get the slot receiver a free release in the middle of the field.

What does the class look like overall? And who stands out to you the most?

I still think there's some potential starters on this list.

Oh, I 100% agree with you there.

I thought that Michael Dansby, I was stunned when Seattle released him initially, brought him back in the practice squad.

I thought that the pure man-to-man cover skills that he showed, Dan, I thought were going to be good enough that somebody else was going to steal them.

And so the fact that Seattle has him, I think that he shows future NFL starting ability at the cornerback spot.

And then Devin Eastern, as you said, I mean, big men that can move like he can and have that arm length.

I think that there is always going to be a spot for them.

Is that going to work this week against this running back and this rushing offense?

Yeah

... for, for much of the season.

And, uh, you know, so I, I do think that you can say those things.

Uh, I think that the wide receivers, other than Jackson Smith-Njigba, are continuing to struggle to get open.

But at the same time, uh, you know, when I evaluate quarterbacks for the NFL draft or, or for the CFL, I, I eva- I basically evaluate them on five principal things, the five A's: athleticism, arm strength, anticipation, accuracy, and then attitude.

If they have, like, the leadership characteristics, if they are poised in big moments.

And in a couple of those things, I still think that Sam Darnold is getting good grades.

I know it's tough to pin it all on the quarterback when there's so many things breaking down, but this whole offense is just dysfunctional right now.

Why are they struggling so much?

Well, I think, uh, it's, uh, kind of part and parcel to what we just talked about with the running game.

Um, you know, one- once you start, uh, creating a little bit more positive traction on first and second down and it's third and short, then you can expect to have a little bit more success i- in that regard.

I, I also think that it's, you know, 31% i- is kind of fun just because of course the Seahawks are still 3-1, so using those same numbers.

And so I, I think it's proving that, uh, while that is important, uh, certainly for football fanatics like yourself or like you and I a- and, uh, all of our listeners, and thank you so m- very much to all of our listeners and viewers.

Uh, obviously, three, it, it, you can be 31st on third down percentage and still be a very successful football team, which the Seahawks have proven themselves to be.

What I think is gonna happen is I think that there is a number of different factors here as to why this club is struggling, however, on third down.

What do you make of Brock Purdy's performance through four games so far?

How did you feel about how they executed that sequence?

Well, I appreciate the opportunity to talk about this, Dan, just because I think normally I'm a guy who just wants points.

You're on the road.

It's a divisional opponent.

Kick the field, go take the lead, you know, and that's normally how I feel.

Against the Arizona Cardinals, however, a team that, at least in my opinion, is an inferior, talented team, I like the decision to go for.

I think that you were sending a message to your offense.

Do you think as they move forward into this now IR window for Bradford and they get to play some better opponents, especially with week five looming in the 49ers, do you think a rotation is sustainable or do they need to settle on one of these guys?

How did you feel about how they executed that sequence?

Well, I, I appreciate the opportunity to talk about this, Dan, just because I, I think normally I'm a guy who just wants points.

You're, you're on the road, it's a divisional opponent, kick the field goal, take the lead, uh, you know, and, and that's normally how I feel.

Against the Arizona Cardinals however, a, a team that at least in my opinion is, you know, an inferior talented team, uh, I, I like the decision to go for.

I think that you're sending a message to your offense.

Um, I think that, uh, again, you have a defensive-minded head coach.

I think that he kind of relishes the opportunity, that if you don't get it, then is Jacoby Brissett really gonna be able to march the Cardinals down the field 99 yards in what was a minute and 15 seconds left? I, I just don't think that's likely to happen.

But if we, if we were building the Seahawks early draft board right now based on what you think their needs might be in 2027, uh, where would we start?

Move him around because he's a different quarterback than Drake May was.

Certainly.

That's the thing is that the Patriots should have won that game.

And if Drake May doesn't throw up those three interceptions in the fourth quarter, then I think that Seattle fans are bemoaning a loss to in that Super Bowl rematch.

I think that basically that Seattle is going to go right back to what they do best, and that is just have a dominant defensive line that I think is going to be able to take advantage of an improving Arizona offensive line, but certainly not one that was as dominant as they looked against the Los Angeles Chargers.

I would agree with you, Dan.

I just don't think that the Chargers are quite – as gifted up front.

In your view, as you were watching the game today, Was that more Michael Fleur really knows what he's doing, he's got some talent, and this offense could legitimately be good? Or are we going to be a month from now when we're getting ready to play, or two weeks from now when we're getting ready to play the Chargers, maybe the Chargers just aren't that good on defense?

But how hard is it for you to evaluate and identify that certain something, that moxie, if you will, in a quarterback that can allow him to thrive in situations that are not ideal, as you would say last night was?

Yeah.

[clears throat] That, uh, w- was o- is one of the most, uh, difficult things to evaluate, and I'll, I'll use the example I often use with, uh, a, a player that a lot of Seahawk fans absolutely hate, and that being San Francisco's Brock Purdy.

Um, of course, he was the, the very last pick of his draft couple of years ago.

And, and frankly, I know some of the reason why, i- is because prior to that draft at the East-West Shrine Bowl then in Las Vegas, Brock Purdy was terrible.

His Iowa State career was pretty solid.

It was certainly day three draft worthy, fourth, fifth round draft worthy.

Do you, do you watch for things like that sometimes even though the play doesn't end up being run?

But did you pick up any little clues or hints along the way this preseason that inform you as to what we might see in that first game?

Yeah, I think that there's actually been a lot of clues.

And of course, I have a little bit of inside knowledge just because I was able to go to the San Francisco 49ers training camp a year ago when Brian Fleury obviously was a member of that staff.

having evaluated the three games in which the Seahawks played against a Brian Fleury coached 49ers squad, albeit as the tight end coach and the running game coordinator a year ago.

So he wasn't the offensive coordinator.

Obviously, that's Kyle Shanahan's kind of department a little bit.

I mean, he likes to call the plays similar to the way Mike McDonald has a huge bearing on Seattle's defense.

What do you see from them as you prepare for this game that's different or maybe even better than the team that we faced in the Super Bowl?

But did you pick up any little clues or hints along the way this preseason that inform you as to what we might see in that first game?

Yeah, I think that there's actually been a lot of clues.

And of course, I have a little bit of inside knowledge just because I was able to go to the San Francisco 49ers training camp a year ago when Brian Fleury obviously was a member of that staff.

You know, having evaluated the three games in which the Seahawks played against a Brian Fleury coached 49ers squad, albeit as the tight end coach and the running game coordinator a year ago.

So he wasn't the offensive coordinator.

Obviously, that's Kyle Shanahan's kind of department a little bit.

I mean, he likes to call the plays similar to the way Mike McDonald has a huge bearing on Seattle's defense.

What do you see from them as you prepare for this game that's different or maybe even better than the team that we faced in the Super Bowl?

How, how about somebody out there who maybe the average Joes don't know, uh, that might s- you know, be a higher pick than anticipated because, uh, they fit with a team or they're just that good? Is there any names out there like that?

Well, I think that, uh, you know, i- uh, maybe a little bit low-hanging fruit here, guys, but with the big sel- the big trade of, uh, you know, Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals, now of course the New York Giants have number 10 overall selection.

And I think that, uh, the reason why John Harbaugh pulled this off in the first place is, for one, to get Dexter Lawrence, who's a little bit of a malcontent, out of the system and really prove that Harbaugh is running things in New York, but also to put him in position to draft Francis Maiona, the, the, the big right tackle who I think is going to be plugged in at right guard for the New York Giants.

I think that they are also going to be selecting, if he is available, the running back, uh, you know, Jeremiah Love from Notre Dame at number five overall.

And suddenly, the New York Giants are going to have a fearsome running game.

And everybody's gonna focus in on Jeremiah Love for obvious reasons.

But what-

I, I think, I think you have to also kinda kiss the ring with, uh, the defending Super Bowl champion right now, Super, Seattle, uh, you know, Seahawks and, and what John Schneider and his staff have been able to do.

Are you shocked at how quickly this has happened for JSN?

I am.

I'm not like Nostradam, Chris.

I was a little late in the party here when it came to Jackson Smith and Jigma.

Now, I had him as the 20th best player in the draft class a couple of years ago.

That's exactly where Seattle took him, as number 20 overall.

So I certainly was right in some regards, but I... questioned whether Seattle was good enough at the quarterback position if they had enough talent around JSN to allow him to flourish the way that he has.

Does any of that concern you guys when we look at the Seahawks' defense?

All right, Rob, initial thoughts after the win on Monday Night Football.

Yeah, as I said in the opener, guys, I just think that this defense is 100% a legitimate top five caliber defense.

And it's good enough, I think, that can kind of power this team for a deep playoff run.

As Chris just mentioned, the Houston Texans have a very talented defense.

And I use kind of this analogy or this reference, I guess, with Corbin Smith.

on our Locked On show previewing this football game.

It's almost like that Spider-Man meme where they're kind of pointing at each other.

All right, Rob, what about the other side of the ball? Does it feel like maybe offensively they could step on the jugular a little bit, so to speak? They had a couple drives that either stalled or had turnovers, and you had a chance to really put this game out of reach a lot earlier than it was.