Outcoached and outplayed

Skins Coach Mike Shanahan cracked the code. He figured out how to defeat our offense and our defense.

Of course, many teams have managed to stop the Seahawk offense this year. It's easy: put the game in the hands of Tarvaris Jackson, and victory is yours. The Skins can credit Seattle's coaches with a major assist. We moved the ball well on the ground today, but when we still held the lead, we mysteriously abandoned the run and relied on T-Jack to win it for us; thus, we sealed our own doom.

On obvious passing downs, neither our offensive coaches nor Jackson had any answer for the Skins' all-out blitz.

Every decent offense should include blitz reads, where receivers shorten their routes to give the quarterback a quick outlet. Where were ours?

Every respectable offense includes screen passes to punish blitz-happy defenses. Where were ours?

Why would T-Jack take a sack on fourth down with the game on the line? Why not just throw the ball?

Why can't we get the ball to Zach Miller?

Why can't Mike Williams catch the ball anymore?

Stopping Seattle's offense isn't hard--we mostly stop ourselves, between the poor playcalling, dropped passes, stupid penalties, and inept quarterbacking--but Shanahan can take pride in exposing our defense.

Throughout the game, Skins offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan outcoached Seattle's dim, manic duo of defensive bastardminds, Pete Carroll and Gus Bradley. Shanahan the Younger dialed up an inspired mix of stretch runs, screen passes, and crossing routes that kept our defenders on their heels, backpedaling. Few other teams have managed to run the ball effectively against the Seahawks. Our defenders missed many tackles. If Rex Grossman weren't so gaffe-prone, the Skins would have blown us out.

Usually, our second-half defensive adjustments take away whatever worked against us in the first half. Not this time.

Our offensive and defensive coaches need to find an answer for what the Skins did to us today. Future opponents will surely study and emulate the strategies that defeated us.


Our special teams are overdue for some love.

When it comes to putting the ball through the uprights, Steven Hauschka ranks somewhere behind Josh Brown, Norm Johnson, Olindo Mare and John Kasay. However, our current kicker has done well, having hit field goals reliably all year--today's 51-yard miss notwitchstanding.

Moreover, Hauschka's kickoffs have really come on lately. Every time he sinks a touchback, I miss Olindo Mare a little less. Anytime Hauschka can spare our leaky kick coverage unit from the chore of containing opposing returners, we win in terms of field position and by denying any possibility of a return touchdown. Today, Hauschka hit touchbacks every time, except for a called squib kick (ill-advised), and except for the time Golden Tate's asinine penalty backed us up 15 yards. (Hey, Golden: You're not good enough to taunt anyone. You barely made the team this year.)

Meanwhile, Ryan is punting at an All Pro level, coordinating well with the coverage unit, which has downed several balls near the opposing goal line. At one point today, he boomed a 67-yard punt. That's unreal.

Leon Washington continues to shine as a kick returner. He almost broke one today.

However, the most impressive special teams player is Red Bryant. Earlier today, I wrote a tribute to the big man. I can't believe I forgot to mention his field goal-blocking prowess. Today, the hulk blasted through offensive guards three times and got his paw on three field goal attempts, blocking two of them.

Red deserves better support from his teammates and his coaches.