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Sunday, December 11, 2005 - Page updated at 12:00 AM Timeline: The key decisions and actions from tackle to snapSeattle Times staff reporter Hurry up, now. Don't waste any time. There are dozens of questions to answer, scenarios to envision, decisions to be made. After a tackle, an offense has 40 seconds to make that happen, to execute one play. Here's a look at the basics of getting a play called before the 40-second play clock expires:
First five seconds • Coach Mike Holmgren considers the situation a couple of plays ahead of time. He can guess at about where the Seahawks' offense will be and what play he might need to call. He's constantly glancing at his play sheet and thinking a couple of plays ahead. • As soon as the last tackle is over, Seahawks assistant coach Gary Reynolds gives Holmgren the down and distance. • Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck checks the down and distance and relays that information to his teammates.
• Immediately, Holmgren confers via radio headset with the offensive coordinator and his staff upstairs and considers what the Seahawks are doing well. Is Shaun Alexander running the ball well? How are the wide receivers getting open? And how does that information relate to the situation the Seahawks are in? Are they in an obvious passing situation? Would a run fool the defense there? There are many questions, but Holmgren has been at this for so long, he can narrow them down to the important ones in a matter of seconds.
Next 10 seconds • Holmgren picks the personnel grouping. He picks among running backs, wide receivers and tight ends in combinations of five. • Holmgren tells receivers coach Nolan Cromwell the personnel group. Cromwell is responsible for substituting personnel. • Holmgren pushes a button on the belt pack around his waist to relay the personnel group to Hasselbeck, pictured at right with Alexander. • Hasselbeck tells his teammates the personnel group.
Next 10 seconds • Holmgren picks the play. He radios that information to Hasselbeck, along with any instructions. If the play clock reaches 15 seconds before this happens — which it sometimes does — Hasselbeck doesn't receive the whole play or the instructions through his in-helmet headset. When that happens, Hasselbeck has to look to the sideline for the play call. Holmgren says he tries to limit his instructions to one sentence. Next five seconds • Hasselbeck remembers from which formation the Seahawks are running that specific play out of this week. Base plays do not change, but each week formations do.
• Hasselbeck calls the personnel group, the play and the formation in the huddle. He also gives his offense cadence ("on two") and any potential instructions ("watch the free safety"). • The Seahawks break the huddle. They prefer to be done by the time the play clock hits 15 seconds. Next five seconds • Hasselbeck finds the free safety. Based on where that defensive player is, Hasselbeck tries to recognize the opponent's coverage.
• Center Robbie Tobeck finds the linebackers. He makes any protection checks. • Tobeck finds the defensive front. He again makes any protection checks. • Hasselbeck is also looking for protection issues. • If Hasselbeck changes the play, he does it now (probably at about 10 seconds). Tobeck has to process the change in play and match it with the right protection.
Final five seconds • Hasselbeck might put a man in motion (but not if he changed the play). If the defender moves with the player, the defense is likely playing man-to-man. If the defense stays put, it's likely in a zone. • Hasselbeck runs through his cadence. Tobeck makes checks during this time and talks to his linemen. • "Hut, Hut." • Snap! Copyright © 2005 The Seattle Times Company Most read articles
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