Make-Up Call

This is a make up call.

You know, like when the refs blow a call, and know it, but know they can't reverse their ruling. So a few plays later, they call a touch foul on the opposition to make up for it, and the game goes on.
(like what the refs should have done for us after missing the PI call on Stevens which lead to Matt's first INT)

Last week, I admittedly didn't pay that close attention to the game, so I didn't have enough material to specify an individual effort of someone stepping out of obscurity, so I gave the MGA to Mike Holmgren and the entire team, for finally breaking the bye-week curse.

After reading the comments, and the newspaper reports of the Cardinal game, I think I slighted Marquand Manuel by not giving him the award last week, which seemed to bring additional inspiration to his play in the Rams game.

While the Rams seemed to be running through would-be Seahawks tacklers, like a canned beverage ran through Shaun Alexander last week, there was Marquand Manuel sticking his head in, wrapping up, and driving guys to the ground. Last week he was the leading tackler, this week he was 1.5 tackles behind Lofa, with 8 solo tackles.

And he was around the ball all day long, harrassing the Ram receivers and nearly picking off a late game pass from Mark Bulger.

He fought like hell to even MAKE this team, and then was forced to step in for our inspirational leader on defense, and has all but filled the shoes of Ken Hamlin with pride and dignity. So for this level of sustained effort, this week's Moonlight Graham Award goes to Marquand Manuel.

Since I don't like to give out multiple awards, D.J. Hackett will have to settle for first-runner up status, as he also stepped up HUGE in this game, with 78 yard and a TD, numbers good enough to make him our leading receiver, even though he only caught two passes. Effort like this from our reserve receivers has really supplied ballast to this ship while we're waiting for Engram and Jackson to heal up.

Keep up the good work D.J., and with a breakout game in San Francisco, you too could be basking in the Moonlight of an MGA, which will be personally awarded in post-game on-field festivities, since I'll be in Monster Park for the game.

(Leave Comments on Lead-In Post at 12SS Home)