OT: Looking Forward to the Mora Era

As much as I appreciate the Holmgren years, I am looking forward to the Mora regime. Holmy seemed too often checked out, predictable, and lorded over the team in a lackluster manner - it translated to an ill-prepared an substandard product on the field. In no way do I believe it was intentional, simply human nature. You do the same routine for too long and you lose your edge and focus on the field and other coaches know how to prepare against you better. That seemed obvious this season. Seattle was outcoached and outplayed in many games. We all knew to expect the third down draw play. I'd love him back as a GM as he is a great football mind and a great person, a definite asset to Seattle.

Why am I looking forward to Mora?

The end of complacency. Let's face it; Seattle was complacent. They showed no new offensive or defensive wrinkles and no real innovation or forward progress in any area. Predictability will get you many losses in the NFL.

New coordinators. John Marshall will be replaced and that is a long time coming. Seattle's defense never recovered from the loss of Ray Rhodes. Marinelli, if hired, would create an exciting, aggressive, lights-out approach - one that is sorely needed and an upgrade. OFFENSE: It's possible Jim Zorn could come back to Seattle and I love the idea of him being the offensive coordinator. I believe his time in D.C. is directly related to the availability of a high profile hire that Dan Snyder will need to force Zorn out. He would be a force as Seattle's O-coordinator. He'd be coming home and would be very motivated. He was a knee jerk hire by Snyder and his true ability to shine will be as Seattle's o-coordinator.

Conditioning. Seattle was absurdly injury prone and had little second half wind leading me to believe this team was not in peak physical form. Holmgren was probably hands-off in this department, expecting players to take care of business on their own...and rightfully so. Mora will demand more in this area.

Accountability - Endless missed blocking assignments, blown coverages, horrible defensive scheming an a predictable offense, and no real indication of any personal accountability for those failures. Mora will re-instate that.

Fundamentals. Mora will bring back fundamental football. Basic blocking, tackling skills, missing most of last season, will be reinstated. This team lacked fundamentals last season.

Michael Vick factor. The possibility of Vick as a Seahawk will emerge because of his ties to Mora. Vick, the athlete, on the roster as a back-up qb is an intriguing possibility. Seattle needs help at QB and reeiver and a superior athlete like Vick in those roles opens up some intriguing possibilities. Vick will play somewhere, regardless of people's emotional reaction to him. He has done his time and there is no reason he should not be allowed to earn a living at what he is good at. Playing in isolated Seattle would be a good move for him and he could likely be had on the cheap. Huge potential upside, minimal downside. I doubt the franchise goes after him, but Vick in the Wildcat formation or as a receiver is a very intriguing idea.

Fire, intensity and inspired football are what I expect from Mora. He's a local and that translates to a little more hometown pride. I am looking forward to seeing a coach who looks like he wants to be there. Holmy did all he could on the sidelines and brought much to this franchise we should all be very thankful for. But in the end he just seemed bored and set in his ways. It hurt he team as other teams were able to counter-scheme against this team easily. Some of those ways needed changing (third down draw). Now it's Mora's turn. I think he'll do well.