Seattle Seahawks: Breaking Down New QB Matt Flynn's Game Tape

With the signing of former Green Bay Packers QB Matt Flynn this offseason, the Seattle Seahawks will likely be entering the 2012 season with a different QB under center for the third straight year. 

Despite being one of the most coveted free agents on the market this offseason, Flynn has limited experience as he has only two starts in his career.

Although it is undoubtedly a risk to target a QB that is still basically an unknown commodity, in his start against the Detroit Lions last season, Flynn showed enormous potential in a record-setting performance that included 480 yards and six TDs. 

Using this start along with a 2010 start against the New England Patriots, this slideshow will provide a glimpse of what Matt Flynn can provide the Seahawks.

Pocket Presence

After watching last year's starter Tarvaris Jackson get sacked 42 times, which was second most in the NFL, Seahawk fans will appreciate Flynn’s pocket presence.  Unlike Jackson, who at times seemed oblivious to the pass rush, on game tape, Flynn shows a good feel for the pass rush.

In addition, in his two starts, Flynn was poised in the pocket and didn’t panic when faced with a strong pass rush.  Further helping matters is Flynn’s good mobility which allows him to evade the rush and move the pocket.

Accuracy

As evidenced by the attached video of Flynn’s exploits in Week 17, he is an accurate passer, especially in the short-to-medium range.  One of the more impressive aspects of Flynn’s starts is his ability to throw receivers open by leading them. 

Similarly, Flynn’s timing on these short-to-intermediate routes is superb, as he often released the ball when the receiver gained separation in man coverage or found the soft spot in zone defense. 

Flynn’s accuracy on long routes is troubling—this will be discussed in the next slide—but with more experience, not to mention a big target like Sydney Rice, this is something that Flynn could improve on.

Arm Strength

The biggest concern regarding Flynn, besides the limited experience, is his arm strength. Flynn’s arm strength is good enough to be proficient in the short-to-intermediate routes, but he struggles going deep.

Flynn did throw a couple nice deep balls against the Lions, but generally has been inconsistent in connecting with receivers on deep routes.  Part of this problem on deep routes is likely due to Flynn having to wind up in his throwing motion when throwing deep.

Arm strength shouldn’t be a serious problem for the Seahawks and Flynn, but it may limit them in some cases from being able to fully stretch the field.

Decision Making

One area in which Flynn excels is in his decision making both pre- and post-snap. 

Pre-snap, Flynn can commonly be seen adjusting protection schemes, routes and/or audibling.  Flynn also appears to identify weaknesses pre-snap and once the snap is called exploit these weaknesses.

Once the play begins, Flynn does a good job going through his progressions and often does a good job in identifying the right progression. 

There are instances where Flynn does force the ball—interception returned for TD against the Patriots and a couple near-interceptions against the Lions—but for the most part, Flynn makes sound decisions on game tape.

Scheme

Flynn possesses talent based on his previous starts but at least some of this can be attributed to the Packers' outstanding offensive system and host of playmakers. 

Can Flynn be the same QB in Seattle that he was in Green Bay with a different scheme and less weapons?  This will be the key question going forward as the Seahawks aren’t likely to be able to give Flynn the same offensive firepower that the Packers could.

Some have wondered if Flynn is nothing more than a system QB. While this is likely a stretch, it is a point that has its merits. 

How well Flynn can acclimate to the Seahawks' offensive scheme will likely determine if the Seahawks can return to the playoffs in 2012.