SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
BY BRADY HENDERSON, 710 ESPN Seattle | December 29, 2014 @ 12:45 am
Rookie Paul Richardson led the Seahawks with five catches for 60 yards, highlighting his career day with a leaping grab that resulted in a 32-yard gain. (AP)
After their offense stumbled through its first scoreless first half in over three seasons, five of its six possessions ending in either a punt or a turnover, the Seahawks needed a spark.
They got it from Paul Richardson and Kevin Norwood, who each stepped into larger roles on Sunday and eventually stepped up to help Seattle's offense overcome a brutally slow start.
The Seahawks' 20-6 victory over St. Louis will be remembered for the way they closed out the regular season with another dominant defensive effort and clinched the NFC's top playoff seed in the process. But it might also go down as a significant moment in the development of their two rookie receivers.
"Paul Richardson and Kevin Norwood, they were lights out tonight," said quarterback Russell Wilson. "They made some big-time catches."
Richardson led Seattle with five for 60 yards while Norwood added two for 34 as both players either set or tied season highs in each category. As it has been all year, it wasn't the totals that stood out so much as it was the timing. Both made a key catch on third down to sustain a Seahawks scoring drive, which was as important as ever in a game in which Seattle's offense didn't find the end zone until the fourth quarter.
Richardson's came in the third quarter with Seattle trailing 6-3 and facing a third-and-2, picking up 13 yards on a slant route to put the Seahawks in position to kick the tying field goal. He helped set up Seattle's first field goal with a 32-yard catch up the sideline, first gaining a step on Rams cornerback Janoris Jenkins off the line of scrimmage then outleaping him to pluck the pass out of the air.
"He just attacked the football," Wilson said.
Norwood converted a third down of his own in the fourth quarter, finding himself wide open for a 31-yard gain that set up Marshawn Lynch's go-ahead touchdown.
Being a Seahawks receiver means having to make the most of limited opportunities in an offense that heavily favors the run. It's especially true for rookies like Richardson and Norwood. They got their chance on Sunday with Jermaine Kearse sidelined because of a hamstring injury. Richardson moved into the starting lineup while Norwood moved up a spot on the depth chart after being inactive the last two weeks. Each responded in a big way.
"They continue to do whatever we call on them to do," said coach Pete Carroll. "There has not been a [time] where you would look and say, 'Oh, these guys aren't quite ready yet.' They've made their plays."
Richardson played sparingly over the first five games and was even a healthy scratch for one of them, but ever since Percy Harvin was traded in mid-October he's become an increasingly bigger part of Seattle's passing game. Richardson has 15 catches over the last four games, which is one more than he had over the first 12.
"I think they've been leaning on me at different times of the game to see how I respond and I think that I've shown them enough throughout the season in practice – since I've been here, really, since I got drafted – that I would be able to come into the role that they're molding me for," he said.
One of the most important things for a young receiver to have is the trust of his quarterback. It sounds like Richardson and Norwood have gained that.
"Those guys just keep showing up, they keep being on time, they keep working, they keep studying, they keep learning," Wilson said. "That's what you're looking for. We're going to need that in the playoffs. We're going to need those guys to be big-time for us."
Like they were on Sunday.
http://mynorthwest.com/292/2678283/Rookies-Richardson-Norwood-step-in-step-up-for-Seahawks
BY BRADY HENDERSON, 710 ESPN Seattle | December 29, 2014 @ 12:45 am
Rookie Paul Richardson led the Seahawks with five catches for 60 yards, highlighting his career day with a leaping grab that resulted in a 32-yard gain. (AP)
After their offense stumbled through its first scoreless first half in over three seasons, five of its six possessions ending in either a punt or a turnover, the Seahawks needed a spark.
They got it from Paul Richardson and Kevin Norwood, who each stepped into larger roles on Sunday and eventually stepped up to help Seattle's offense overcome a brutally slow start.
The Seahawks' 20-6 victory over St. Louis will be remembered for the way they closed out the regular season with another dominant defensive effort and clinched the NFC's top playoff seed in the process. But it might also go down as a significant moment in the development of their two rookie receivers.
"Paul Richardson and Kevin Norwood, they were lights out tonight," said quarterback Russell Wilson. "They made some big-time catches."
Richardson led Seattle with five for 60 yards while Norwood added two for 34 as both players either set or tied season highs in each category. As it has been all year, it wasn't the totals that stood out so much as it was the timing. Both made a key catch on third down to sustain a Seahawks scoring drive, which was as important as ever in a game in which Seattle's offense didn't find the end zone until the fourth quarter.
Richardson's came in the third quarter with Seattle trailing 6-3 and facing a third-and-2, picking up 13 yards on a slant route to put the Seahawks in position to kick the tying field goal. He helped set up Seattle's first field goal with a 32-yard catch up the sideline, first gaining a step on Rams cornerback Janoris Jenkins off the line of scrimmage then outleaping him to pluck the pass out of the air.
"He just attacked the football," Wilson said.
Norwood converted a third down of his own in the fourth quarter, finding himself wide open for a 31-yard gain that set up Marshawn Lynch's go-ahead touchdown.
Being a Seahawks receiver means having to make the most of limited opportunities in an offense that heavily favors the run. It's especially true for rookies like Richardson and Norwood. They got their chance on Sunday with Jermaine Kearse sidelined because of a hamstring injury. Richardson moved into the starting lineup while Norwood moved up a spot on the depth chart after being inactive the last two weeks. Each responded in a big way.
"They continue to do whatever we call on them to do," said coach Pete Carroll. "There has not been a [time] where you would look and say, 'Oh, these guys aren't quite ready yet.' They've made their plays."
Richardson played sparingly over the first five games and was even a healthy scratch for one of them, but ever since Percy Harvin was traded in mid-October he's become an increasingly bigger part of Seattle's passing game. Richardson has 15 catches over the last four games, which is one more than he had over the first 12.
"I think they've been leaning on me at different times of the game to see how I respond and I think that I've shown them enough throughout the season in practice – since I've been here, really, since I got drafted – that I would be able to come into the role that they're molding me for," he said.
One of the most important things for a young receiver to have is the trust of his quarterback. It sounds like Richardson and Norwood have gained that.
"Those guys just keep showing up, they keep being on time, they keep working, they keep studying, they keep learning," Wilson said. "That's what you're looking for. We're going to need that in the playoffs. We're going to need those guys to be big-time for us."
Like they were on Sunday.
http://mynorthwest.com/292/2678283/Rookies-Richardson-Norwood-step-in-step-up-for-Seahawks
