Have a Drink!
There aren’t many things I like to do more any given Sunday than to have a few pops with my mates while watching some Seattle Seahawks football.
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT THE SEAHAWKS BLOG PAGE IN OUR CLUBHOUSE SECTION AT NWSB!
It dawned on me watching the Rams game on Sunday from the EJD that there is one player, and one player only on your Seattle Seahawks that deserves to have a drinking game played in his honor.
Chris Clemons. (#91, 6’3″, 257 lbs, 30 years old)
Where do I begin?
First a rant.
Clemons is the “almost gets there guy” on this years roster.
Is there any player on the Seahawks that in his two years playing in a Seahawks uniform drives you more nuts on Sunday? This guy has all the tools. Built like a freak. Fast. Relentless, and energetic.
He’s playing the defensive end position on a Pete Carroll and Gus Bradley defense that demands one defensive end get after the quarterback, and one defensive end (Red Bryant) hold up his side of the line. His job is easy.
Hit and Pursue the Quarterback all day long!
Apply pressure from the quarterbacks blind side (unless he’s a southpaw), rince, repeat. Force sacks, get in the quarterbacks face, be a disturbance to the passing game, every single Sunday.
He’s occasionally asked to drop into coverage on zone blitzes but this is rare, his main job is to get that sack count up by the end of the year. I’m sure he has bonuses in his contract for this valuable season ending sack number.
Coming into Sunday’s game against the Rams Clemons had 5 sacks, 14 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, and three forced fumbles. Numbers that you and I both know simply aren’t good enough for a guy playing at his position.
Certainly not the kind of numbers he put up in 2010/11 in the same defense.
In 2010/11 his career defining season he put up stellar numbers leading the young Seahawks defense.
| Year | Team | G | GS | TK | Ast | Sck | TFL | Int | Yds | TDs | FF | FR | PDef |
| 2011-12 | SEA | 10 | 10 | 19 | 9 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 2010-11 | SEA | 16 | 16 | 33 | 16 | 11.0 | 9.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
Yes that does read right. 16 Sacks. 9 tackles for loss, 33 tackles in 16 games. Great numbers.
Better numbers arguably than we’ve seen in Seattle from the DE position in years. (Kerney was pretty good, in 2007 of course, With the Seahawks in 2007 he was voted as a starter in the Pro Bowl and led the NFC in sacks with 14.5. He also had a career-high 5 forced fumbles and recorded 62 tackles.)
But other than Kerney when has Seattle seen an above average player at the DE position? (Wistrom jokes aside) I’d argue its been since Michael Sinclair and Michael McCrary were wreaking havoc on O-lines.
I digress.
My beef is where is the 2010/11 Chris Clemons? (I’ll save my argument for Raheem Brock for another day)
Until Sunday we haven’t seen much from the DE spot in 2011/12. The Seattle Seahawks pass rush is scaring nobody this year. They’ve had multiple games where they haven’t even come close to touching the QB.
Blame has to be put on someone. I’m choosing to put it on Clemons. It’s easy to figure out why.
He has one move. Speed. It’s his weapon, and its a great weapon, but it seems to me that if he’s going up against a decent tackle he’s held off the stats sheet.
The Chris Clemons Drinking Game
Why?
He is not the same type of player as Dwight Freeney (in his prime).
Don’t get me wrong. I’m glad the Seahawks won on Sunday, but it was the Rams. The Seahawks (4-6) have now won on consecutive weeks for the first time, following up on an upset over Baltimore, and have won 12 of 13 in the series.
Yes folks 12 of 13. We own the Rams.
The competition matters.
On days like Sunday, where he’s playing against tackles that the week before were on some scrub NFL practice squad he excels.
He finished Sunday with 3 sacks, 5 tackles (2 assists), 1 pass def. and 2 forced fumbles. Arguably one of the best defensive performances we’ll see in Week 11.
He was dominant. Absolutely the best player on the field Sunday, without a doubt.
But where is this Chris Clemons every single Sunday?
Having said all that. I’ve come up with a way to drink a little more on Sunday’s in honor of Chris Clemons.
The Chris Clemons Drinking Game Rules
Rule No. 1 – To all my American friends. Light beer is not allowed in this drinking game. It must be a dark beer, a lager, an ale, a bottle of JD, Scotch, Tequila, anything strong, but NOT LIGHT BEER!
Rule No. 2 – Pass knockdown – 1 Drink
Rule No. 3 – Quarterback Pressure – 1 Drink
Rule No. 4 - Tackle For Loss – 1 Drink
Rule No. 5 – Fumble Recovery – 1 Drink
Rule No. 6 – A Tackle and or a Half Sack – 1 Drink
Rule No. 7 – Sack – 2 Drinks
Rule No. 8 - Strip Sack Causing Fumble – 2 Drinks
Rule No. 9 – Interception – 2 Drinks
Rule No. 10 – Spin Move – 3 Drinks
Rule No. 11 – Speed Rush where Clemons simply goes running past the LT, then past the QB who steps up in the pocket and looks like he’s running towards the sideline – 4 Drinks
Rule No. 12 – Touchdown – 5 Drinks
I sincerely hope this game doesn’t get you too drunk next week versus the Redskins, but I have a feeling as is the case most weeks that you’ll be looking at Rule No. 11 a lot!
He’s not getting any younger folks.
For all you draft guru’s out there remember one thing. The Seahawks have to address the DE position sooner rather than later.
In a Pete Carroll defense the guy playing at Clemons position needs to be a star. Not an every 2nd or 3rd week stat line.
Clemons had a great game on Sunday, but this position demands consistency!
I hope for the sake of the Seahawks we see more games like the one Chris had on Sunday. He needs to start putting up DOMINANT Sunday performances again like he did in 2010.
He has six games left to prove me wrong.
I want to see this Chris Clemons on Sunday versus the Redskins.
Comments are welcome below. In fact I welcome the debate.
About Q S
