Brock Huard on how the Seahawks can better utilize Jimmy Graham

Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert was the most dominant receiver on the field during Cincinnati’s win over Seattle on Sunday. He caught eight passes for 90 yards, including two touchdowns and a fingertip grab that set up the game-tying field goal in the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, Jimmy Graham – the three-time Pro Bowler who might be the most gifted tight end in the league – caught three passes for 30 yards. That marked the third time this season he hasn’t topped 50 yards in a game.

On Tuesday’s edition of Blue 42, Brock Huard broke down how the Seahawks are using, or misusing, Graham in their passing game. Huard said the common theme when watching prolific tight ends such as Eifert, New England’s Rob Gronkowski and San Diego’s Antonio Gates, is “space.” It’s a concept he said the Seahawks are not properly utilizing with the 6-foot-7 Graham, who is instead being asked to run more basic routes.

“It’s not a pivot route, it’s not a stick route, it’s not a flat route, where an extra defender like the sideline is involved,” Huard said. “Get me in the middle of the field or get me on a corner route where I’ve got 20 yards of real estate, where I can physically dominate my opponent in even more space, rather than in a lot of these confined spaces you’re finding them.”

Graham ranks 11th among tight ends with 204 receiving yards, and is currently on pace for 67 catches and 653 yards, which would be his worst season since his rookie year in 2010.

Huard said he and other pundits have praised the beautiful simplicity of the Seahawks’ offense over the past four years but that now might be a time to look at adding a few adjustments.

“I would sure love to see a few more wrinkles,” he said. “I think there is some predictability at times within their scheme. (Patriots cornerback) Malcom Butler would tell you that in the Super Bowl and I think some of their opponents in Cincy would tell you (that) on some of those routes they were running in those third-down situations. Not wholesale, but an adjustment or two to get 88 the ball in space.”

Related

AL West: Rangers’ Corey Seager played with bone spur in elbowESPN report on Las Vegas bids seems like good news for Seattle Sonics expansionNFC West: Injuries piling up for slow-starting RamsNFC West: 49ers get favorable injury news on several key playersSparse crowd, empty seats greet .500 AL West champion Astros in playoff openerSeahawks sign DT to practice squad, release ‘Hard Knocks’ star