State of the team, Super Bowl XLIX, X's & O's

Seahawks never did find an offensive identity

February 2, 2015 cc 1 Comment

The Seahawks struggled to find an offensive identity all season. Obviously that had not changed by the last play of the Super Bowl.

For a bunch that continually says they are a power running team and Marshawn Lynch is their bell cow, the Hawks have a funny way of showing it sometimes. Sunday was one of those times.

Why in the world would the Seahawks consider giving Lynch a big contract extension if they refuse to use him in the most important moment of the season?

The inexplicable decision to eschew Lynch in favor of a pass from the 1-yard line, trailing 28-24 with 26 seconds left, was the most head-scratching move in a season that already had caused most fans to claw their noggins raw.

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State of the team, Super Bowl XLIX, The roster

Seahawks have to get better at receiver

February 2, 2015 cc 1 Comment

As much as receivers Doug Baldwin and Jermaine Kearse complain about not getting any respect and being labeled “pedestrian,” the last two games of the season showed the criticisms have a lot of merit.

And when the Seahawks went to Ricardo Lockette — really?! — for the winning touchdown in the final seconds of the Super Bowl, it was a clear indicator that the Seahawks have to upgrade the receiver position in the offseason.

After playing horribly in the NFC title game against Green Bay — shut down for most of the game until they both came up big in overtime — Baldwin and Kearse were almost completely clamped by the Patriots’ secondary in the Super Bowl.

Until yet another undrafted player, Chris Matthews, came up big and sparked the Seattle offense, Russell Wilson had nowhere to go in the first half as Baldwin and Kearse were blanketed by Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner.

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Contracts, Super Bowl XLIX

Will Lynch come back for more (money and titles)?

February 1, 2015 cc Leave a comment

It looks like it’s all up to Marshawn Lynch now: He can retire and walk into the sunset after the Super Bowl or come back for more — more money, more titles.

At midseason, there were many rumblings that the Seahawks and Lynch were ready to move on from one another. Coach Pete Carroll admitted Lynch was still upset over his contract and said, “We are working through it.”

Well, if a report by NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport is to be believed, the Hawks have worked through it and are now interested in giving Lynch a contract extension.

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Super Bowl XLIX, X's & O's

Want to know why the Seahawks will win?

February 1, 2015 cc Leave a comment

A year ago, wise football followers knew Seattle was going to beat Denver in the Super Bowl. After all, defense wins championships, and Seattle had the No. 1 defense in the NFL.

Of course, the way it happened was astonishing — with the Seahawks’ defense shutting out the most prolific offense in NFL history for most of the game and Seattle running away with the win, 43-8.

It is hard to imagine the Hawks doing the same thing to the Patriots in this Super Bowl. But, Seattle again has the No. 1 defense in the league and — despite the Legion of Boom being banged up — that unit largely has played even better than the 2013 version.

Wise football followers once again know the Seahawks are going to win. The only question is: How will it happen?

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