Worried? This is just how the Hawks do it

at-new-orleans-logoAs it turns out, Seattle’s offensive problems are not limited merely to their matchups with good defenses. Even the lowly Saints managed to keep the Seahawks to one measly touchdown in a game Seattle really should have won.

Once again, the Hawks put themselves in too many second-and-longs, killing drives. They completed one drive for a touchdown, needing a cool trick play to pull it off, but otherwise had issues with penalties, some bad decisions by Russell Wilson and poor run blocking.

If that all sounds familiar, it’s very similar to what the Seahawks have done the last three years. As usual, their offense is playing poorly at midseason. As usual, they are committing lots of penalties and their opponents are not being called for many. As usual, they are underachieving as we approach the second half.

It’s simply Pete Carroll’s oddball formula for success.

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Russell Wilson talks fatherhood and playing through yet another injury.

Wilson, limited in practice for the first time ever, said he plans to play in New Orleans.

Looks like Kam Chancellor and Kevin Pierre-Louis will be out again this week. Chancellor has missed the past two games.

Sherman Smith basically called out Christine Michael for running out of bounds and not bringing the physical attitude the Seahawks prefer.

Tom Cable said Germain Ifedi made a “big jump” last week and Garry Gilliam needs to be more physical.

K.J. Wright says playing Madden made him a smarter player and he played his best game of the season at Arizona.

Bobby Wagner says hot yoga is part of his recovery routine and he is taking better care of his body than he ever has.

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Offense is standing in way of No. 1 seed

at-new-orleans-logoThe Seahawks put up 90 points in a three-game winning streak that had many thinking they had finally turned it on after tallying just 15 points in a tough first couple of games.

But then along came Arizona’s defense, clamping down on the Hawks the way Miami and Los Angeles did and showing everyone that Seattle still isn’t good enough to beat teams with excellent defensive fronts — no matter how great its own defense plays.

The defense has given up just 15 points to the Rams and Cardinals, but the Hawks are 0-1-1 in those games because their offensive line just hasn’t been good enough. The result: The Hawks scored just nine points vs. those division rivals and are the NFL’s fifth-worst scoring offense, averaging just 18.5 points. They’ve never finished worse than 10th (24.6 ppg in 2014) with Russell Wilson.

The good news is they still have 10 games to straighten it out — and they get a much better matchup this weekend against the Saints’ 32nd-ranked scoring defense (32.5 ppg).

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Wilson is becoming a legendary tough guy

at-new-orleans-logoIn 2011, Tarvaris Jackson earned major props in the Seahawks’ locker room by playing through a pectoral injury for most of the season.

Imagine the locker room cred Russell Wilson is putting together this year, playing through a high ankle sprain that should have sidelined him for several weeks, along with a sprained knee that he said was supposed to keep him out at least four weeks and now his own chest injury.

Has anyone ever won Comeback Player of the Year the same season he was injured? Wilson, showing more resilience than a regenerating five-headed hydra, certainly has been the Seahawks’ No. 1 Tough Guy.

Wilson was listed as limited in practice Wednesday and Thursday — the first time that has ever happened. But there should be no concern about him missing the game in New Orleans this Sunday — or about him playing well there.

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Hawks will hope Fant can turn into the next Jason Peters

at-arizona-logoWhile many fans are calling loudly for the Seahawks to buy an expensive cup o’ Joe to jolt their left tackle spot, the simple fact is the Seahawks chose to go decaffeinated on the offensive line, and they are very unlikely to brew a new pot now.

In other words, don’t expect them to mess up their 2017 salary cap and draft by trading for Joe Thomas or Joe Staley.

Instead, expect them to see whether undrafted rookie George Fant can become the next Jason Peters — now. It took Peters, also an undrafted college tight end, three years to become a standout left tackle in the NFL. The Seahawks would settle for half the accomplishment in a third the time.

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The defense is in recovery mode after its marathon performance.

Bradley Sowell will miss a few weeks, and Thomas Rawls is close to returning. Quinton Jefferson was placed on IR.

The Seahawks’ offense hasn’t proven anything this season — and probably won’t until Rawls returns.

Some think the Seahawks need to try to acquire a cup o’ Joe at left tackle.

A trade for Thomas or Staley is not likely.

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Breaking down the offense’s breakdowns

at-arizona-logoThe Seahawks’ defense has played stellar football almost all season — and it put together its greatest performance yet Sunday night in Arizona.

It was the third straight year in Glendale that the Seahawks gave up just six points. But, thanks to an almost totally inept offense, they were not able to put together the same 35-6 and 36-6 thrashings of the past two years — instead ending up with the first tie in team history and the lowest-scoring tie since 1972.

The offense has been directly responsible for all one and a half losses this season — with two of the worst performances since Russell Wilson arrived in 2012.

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Kam Chancellor likely will not play — plus other injury reports.

Kelcie McCray is ready to start again in place of Chancellor.

David Johnson is playing great for Arizona and is one of the key matchups.

An inside look at the Cardinals via Q&A with one of their beat writers.

The Cardinals’ pass rushers offer another test of Seattle’s developing O-line.

The secret to the strip sack: Aim for the elbow, Cliff Avril says.

The Seahawks have become the most effective blitzing team in the NFL.

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McDaniel has been ‘the quiet MVP of our defense’

at-arizona-logoCoincidence or not? Tony McDaniel comes to Seattle in 2013 and the Hawks win the Super Bowl in his first year and put themselves in position to win in his second year.

Then he gets cut — and the Hawks fail to make their third straight Super Bowl.

OK, so it probably is mostly coincidence. But, then again, maybe he is the Super Bowl lucky charm.

Either way, there is no denying the unsung impact he has had on the Seahawks’ top-ranked defense this season — despite being a last-minute re-addition.

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Michael Bennett says he will play at Arizona on Sunday night. Frank Clark is expected back as well, but Kam Chancellor’s status is unknown.

Luke Willson had arthroscopic surgery Tuesday and expects to be back “in no time.” Expect him to miss 2-4 weeks.

The Seahawks also put Garrison Smith on IR and brought back Sealver Siliga.

Pete Carroll said Richard Sherman’s outburst sidetracked the defense for a bit but they recovered and “are stronger for that.”

The Arizona Cardinals look to be hitting their stride as they prepare to host the Hawks on Sunday night.

Russell Wilson was mic’d up for the Atlanta game and was every bit the positive force he always is.

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