The Real "Awakening" in Seattle, Is Happening To A Guy Named Jimmy Graham

Seahawks fans might be familiar with the phrase "the awakening" as it was used to describe a rejuvenated Christine Michael this offseason. 

What they don't realize however, is that the only thing awakening in Seattle is a behemoth named Jimmy Graham. Last year in Darell Bevel's offense, Graham looked like a deer in headlights as Bevel just couldn't figure out how to use him.

Bevel often last year, used Graham as in an in line blocker similar to the way he used Zach Miller in 2013, or tried to manufacture Graham touches with screen plays, and that's just not his game.

I'm not sure what Bevel was expecting from Graham as a blocker because he can't do as much as block someone on Twitter. 

By the time Bevel figured that out though, Graham's season was already over with a torn patellar tendon.

When Graham was at his peak in New Orleans, it was split out wide or in the slot, and it seems like Seattle is finally figuring it out. Seattle likes to put Graham outside on what is known as "Y iso" where he is alone on one side of the formation, and it's been working very well this year. It creates a mismatch between Graham and a corner resulting in plays like this:

Seattle split Graham out wide, and the Jets are forced to put a corner on him. Jimmy Graham is 6'7 and he's being covered by someone who's 5'11 on a good day.

Do the math folks. This is a matchup that Graham wins almost every time, and Seattle has been going to it more often than last year. 

Graham can do this type of stuff in the slot as well, and it works very well in the middle of the field. Seattle likes to use him on short to intermediate crossing routes in the middle, and this a nightmare for opposing defenses, as they have to decide whether or not to bracket cover him and it opens up the rest of the offense if they do.

One of Seattle's favorite formations to come out in is empty. They've lined Graham up more in the slot this year when they decide to go empty because he's adept at working the middle of the field, and can serve as a decoy to get guys like "angry Doug" open for Seattle. 

Last week against New England, Belichick decided to commit to stop Graham and it freed up Baldwin to get 3 touchdowns. Look at Baldwin's 3rd touchdown for example:

Graham is in the slot on the bottom of the screen, and the safety Duron Harmon cheated over to help cover him allowing Baldwin to get enough separation to score. This was the type of impact Seattle had hoped for when they traded for him, and they're finally figuring out how to use it. 

They don't need Graham to catch the ball and make things happen every play, the threat of him doing so is enough to open up things for the rest of this Seattle offense.

Graham though, is the least of opposing defenses worries as Seattle has the playmakers to take advantage of defenses if they play like this. 

Last year, Graham really struggled, as he was being asked to play much more "in line" than at any point in his career. That's understandable considering Seattle had the silent skittle eating monster named Marshawn Lynch in their backfield. 

They asked Graham to block a lot more than he was used to, and tried to run it a lot with Lynch. Just not on the 1 yard line, cough cough. 

This year they're still lining Graham up in line, but they've had much more success going to it. Seattle has realized that the best thing they can have Graham do is run up the seam as in in line tight end, and it creates a quick easy pass for Russell Wilson to go to, given how much pressure he faces. Watch this one:

Graham is lined up next to the left tackle and just runs straight up the seam. He snaps his head around quick enough to catch a quick pass from Wilson. In New Orleans Graham didn't have to worry about having to get his head around quick because Drew Brees was getting adequate protection from his line. 

I can't say that about a Seattle offensive line that is set to collectively make less money this year than most left tackles in the league though. 

It really hurt Graham in terms of route timing and developing a chemistry with Russell Wilson last year, but they seem to have finally figured it out, and it's working to success this year.

Graham up the seam has looked borderline unstoppable at times, as he's just able to get behind linebackers with ease and Seattle seems to be utilizing it a lot more this season.

Last year, everybody and their mom was expecting Jimmy Graham to be Seattle's primary red zone target. That was not the case however, as it turned out to be.. wait.. Doug Baldwin? 

Baldwin ended up leading the NFL in touchdown grabs, and coming into this year I really didn't know what to expect from Graham with Baldwin's emergence. What Seattle has been able to do, is go with a steady balance of both. 

When Seattle is in or near to the red zone this year, they've gone to a formation where Graham is an up back with trips bunch to his side, a single back, and a receiver to the weak side. 

Seattle has run effectively out of this look, and has been able to hurt teams when passing out of it. Graham really hurt Buffalo in week 9, watch this:

You can't see the start of the play, but Graham as the up back runs a simple wheel route in stride for the score. Doug Baldwin was at the top of the bunch formation and just runs down the seam, and Jermaine Kearse the receiver on the weak side ran a go route. 

The Bills put out a single high safety and he was put in quite the pickle. Baldwin and Graham got enough separation to make a play, the safety couldn't come over the top in time, and Russell Wilson takes his matchup of choice.

Graham in man coverage with a defensive back? Easy choice for Wilson. 

Especially now that Graham and Wilson have developed more of a chemistry being in year 2 of this relationship, I expect to see a lot more of these chances for Graham.

Graham has been a key cog in an offense that's starting to look like the most explosive offense in the Russell Wilson era. He's made an improbable come back from injury and finally living up to expectations fans and the coaching staff had for him coming in to last year. 

Graham has played like the comeback player of the year, and with his newfound impact on the game, the only thing that will be sleepless in Seattle will be opposing defensive coordinators game planning for Graham and this Seahawks offense. 

Jimmy Graham is back, and he has awakened from his slumber. The proverbial "Kraken" has been released, and the rest of the NFL better be ready for it.