Don't Buy the Jim Mora Hype Yet

Congrats, Seahawks fans, on getting an energetic and enthused young coach in Jim Mora. Ah yes, you are as excited as is he, full of fire and brimstone, hopes renewed, pasts forgotten and ready to charge into the front of any offense with his defense blazing and shutting down anything an opposing team can dare try.

Well now, ain't that nice.

I'm sorry to be the one to throw a bucket of cold water on the dogs humping in the schoolyard, but don't look for answers so quickly. You see, you have a critter in your woodpile and his name is Greg Knapp.

Oakland aside, where he failed beyond words, and had his duties de-regulated, and was demoted, could be blamed on the bizarre twists of having Al Davis as an owner.

Of course, people say that he was brilliant in 'Frisco. No, not so much. He had good staff and players around him. That helps anyone.

Remember back when San Fran actually had a REAL defense? Of course you do. That was when it helped the offense and Knapp, (or the Knapper as Mora likes to call him) to look good, by keeping the opponents off the field.

Ok, that's over also. Mora is going to live and die by his best friend Knapp. (His words, not mine.)

We seem to hear a lot about how under Knapp the Falcons did wonders and ate cucumbers on offense.

Wrong.

That Falcons offense and rushing yards records were a tribute to Gibbs and his cut-blocking scheme he's been using everywhere, the Broncos and Texans included, which utilizes smaller o-linemen to cut block and open holes for RB's because defenses players hate, and I mean HATE, being cut at the knees or lower.

Knapp could not keep T.O. happy in SF...but don't blame him for that, T.O.'s never been happy anywhere for long.

What was a signature of Knapp in Atlanta was the predictable offensive calls. Very predictable. He had Vick running like the fool he was. Dunn and company ran behind Gibb's undersized cut-blocking line that earned them the reputation as dirty.

There was nothing there that proved Knapp had any clue as an OC. Let me tell you the first play of every game Knapp called while in the ATL.

Warrick Dunn up the middle for a loss of two. Every game. Every start. Run, run, pass, three and out. No deviation, no creativity. Period. Vick ran for his life because the O-line could get nasty and run/cut-block but could not pass-block to save anyone.

Vick did of course make it harder because of his scrambling ability, his linemen never even knew where he might or might not be. That makes it hard on them. But Knapp never tempered or utilized that fact. Never.

Take that for what it is. Enjoy Mora, because he is a truly nice guy, and not a bad coach, but his loyalties kill him. Starting with Knapp.