All posts by cc

Bennett has earned that raise he asked for

Kam and BennettMichael Bennett is making it tough on the Seahawks — tough to not give him the raise he wants.

His stellar performance against the Vikings last weekend was one of his best games in a season full of them — further evidence that the team needs to accommodate him financially after this season.

Yes, Bennett has two years remaining on his contract. But, if you recall, he grumbled all last offseason about the four-year, $28.5 million contract he signed in 2014. And he surely will again — especially after this awesome season.

Continue reading Bennett has earned that raise he asked for

Seattle’s playoff miracles

The Seahawks have been such a middling franchise over most of their 40 years that their miracle moments are easy to recall. Let’s take a look at Seattle’s most miraculous playoff wins:

Wild-card game at Minnesota
Botched FGs -- WalshSeason: 2015
Blair Walsh’s missed 27-yard field goal in the final 30 seconds allowed Seattle to escape with a 10-9 victory.

NFC title game vs. Green Bay
Season: 2014
Seattle rallied from a 19-7 deficit in the final four minutes, getting two touchdowns, an onside kick recovery and a two-point conversion to force overtime, where they quickly won it, 28-22.

Continue reading Seattle’s playoff miracles

Minnesota Miracle: Notes, quotes & stats

SEAvsMIN Miss UniverseAfter the Seahawks pulled off their second miracle playoff win in their past three postseason games, here are some quotes, stats and other tidbits:

First, some words from Pete Carroll to his team.

NFL vets Fred Jackson and Ahtyba Rubin won their first playoff game.

Russell Wilson gave the game ball to the 34-year-old Jackson, who spent nine non-playoff seasons in Buffalo.

Richard Sherman on the looming divisional matchup against Carolina: ““It’s always a fun one when you play Carolina. It’s going to be a physical game. … Both teams are going to hit each other in the mouth and we’ll see who is standing in the end.’’

Marshawn Lynch’s status for next week is unknown. Continue reading Minnesota Miracle: Notes, quotes & stats

Count on Carroll to stick around past 2016

Rams Carroll Sept. 13When 69-year-old Tom Coughlin was forced out by the New York Giants last week, 64-year-old Pete Carroll became the oldest coach in the league.

Asked about that distinction on KIRO Radio on Friday, the Seattle coach cracked that he has been lobbying for 67-year-old Mike Holmgren, who coached the Seahawks for 10 years, to get another job so Carroll wouldn’t be the oldest.

But age certainly hasn’t slowed Carroll, who is as energized this season as he has ever been.

“I’m having a blast,” he told KIRO’s Dori Monson. “I’ve never had more fun.”

That certainly bodes well for Carroll re-upping after this season. His contract runs through 2016, and — fortunately for Seattle fans — he doesn’t seem inclined to leave any time soon.

Continue reading Count on Carroll to stick around past 2016

With Lynch out, Michael gets to keep proving it

Michael to CowboysIt looks like our “Video Ode to Beast Mode” was a bit premature: Marshawn Lynch won’t be back for the playoff game in Minnesota after all.

And that means Christine Michael gets one more chance to show the Seahawks — and the rest of the NFL, for that matter — that he deserves a roster spot next year.

Continue reading With Lynch out, Michael gets to keep proving it

A tale of two 10-win Seattle teams

1986 Krieg and Largent
Dave Krieg & Steve Largent during a 1986 game (Seahawks.com)

As stunning as it still is to consider, this is the best all-around team in the history of the Seattle Seahawks. That’s odd to say about a 10-win team — and it would be odder yet if this team had not made the playoffs.

Thirty years ago, it wouldn’t have. Thirty years ago, in fact, a red-hot 10-6 Seahawks team did not make the postseason.

These Seahawks, who have won six of seven and have averaged 32 points over the past eight games, are the team no one wants to play in the playoffs (even if Arizona GM Steve Keim says he does).

Continue reading A tale of two 10-win Seattle teams

chawk lines -- Vikings

Marshawn Lynch is back with the Seahawks and will practice Wednesday with an eye toward playing in Minnesota.

In other personnel updates, Pete Carroll said the Hawks could get back almost everyone who missed the last game or two — Kam Chancellor, Russell Okung, J.R. Sweezy, Luke Willson.

Bob Condotta takes a look at the NFC North champion Vikings.

The temperature is expected to be in the single digits. That would be the Seahawks’ coldest game ever.

Carroll said the Super Bowl (i.e., his mistake) lingered in players’ minds for too long this season.

Carroll also shared the story of his vision to Win Forever: It started in Buffalo, where he won his first game as a coach.

Hawks GM John Schneider and others talk about Russell Wilson’s stellar season.

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Seahawks will play Panthers at 10 a.m., too

Panthers clockPlenty of Seahawks fans seemed to be annoyed that the NFL put the Seahawks down for a 10 a.m. playoff game (noon Minnesota time) next Sunday, and some even went so far as to scream bloody conspiracy.

If you were one of those unreasonably irked fans, you are going to be even more upset when you learn the Seahawks — assuming they win — will play another 10 a.m. game the next Sunday in Carolina. (As the No. 6 seed, Seattle would play at the No. 1 seed in the divisional round.)

In fact, it wouldn’t be until the NFC title game that the Seahawks would play an afternoon game. On Jan. 24, the NFC game will kick off at 3:40 p.m. — after the AFC Super Bowl team is determined.

Fans have gotten used to the Seahawks playing 1 p.m. or later games because the team has been the NFC’s No. 1 seed the past two years — and thus has had home-field advantage. In fact, the last time the Hawks played a 10 a.m. playoff game was in January 2013, when they went to Atlanta and lost 30-28 in the final seconds.

The Seahawks have gone 7-5 in 10 a.m. games the past three years. They were 2-2 this year, losing at St. Louis in the opener (in overtime) and blowing a 17-point lead in the fourth quarter in Cincinnati.

However, all of those worry warts need to recall also that the Hawks blew out Minnesota 38-7 in a 10 a.m. game in Week 13 (and also Baltimore the next week). Oh, and Seattle also beat Carolina in 10 a.m. kickoffs during both Super Bowl seasons.

Why would anyone be concerned about a 10 a.m. game at this point?