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Week 15: At San Francisco

Kicking team, penalties, injuries ruin playoff clincher

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Logo -- At San FranciscoSo much for the Seahawks surging into the playoffs.

With a playoff spot on the line, they put up one of their worst collective efforts of the season, letting the 10-loss 49ers beat them 26-23 in overtime and end Seattle’s 10-game winning streak in the series.

The Hawks ruined themselves by committing a season-high 14 penalties for a franchise-record 148 yards, missing an early PAT that figured huge in the end, giving up a kick return for a TD, surrendering chunks of yards in the first half and failing to finish enough offensive drives to win.

The loss means the Hawks still likely have to win one of their last two — next Sunday night vs. Kansas City or against Arizona in the finale — to reach the playoffs.

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Injury report, The roster

Roster check (for now and future) as playoffs approach

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Logo -- At San FranciscoThe Seattle defense is coming off its best game of the season — a dominating performance against Minnesota that showed this unit might be effective against great offenses in the playoffs.

But now it unfortunately has lost another player: Mychal Kendricks is out for the season after suffering a broken leg in his first game back from suspension. With K.J. Wright also out at least a couple more weeks, Austin Calitro will be called on to start again.

Meanwhile, Doug Baldwin is questionable again as the Seahawks face Richard Sherman and the “not middle of the road” 49ers for the second time in three weeks.

As Seattle gets set to clinch a playoff spot, here’s a status report on each position (with a look to the future, too):

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Contracts, Week 14: Minnesota

Wagner, Clark have earned big paydays, but Wilson hasn’t

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Minnesota logoWith the playoffs now just a win away, most people are focused on the future of the Seahawks this season, but the 21-7 win over the Vikings on Monday night offered some major food for thought about the future beyond this season.

Bobby Wagner and Frank Clark led a thundering defense that dominated Minnesota for nearly the entire game — a stellar performance by the duo that reinforced the idea that the Seahawks need to pay their two best defenders next offseason.

Meanwhile, Russell Wilson continued a rollercoaster season that proves he does not deserve to be the NFL’s top-paid QB next year.

Continue reading Wagner, Clark have earned big paydays, but Wilson hasn’t →

Contracts, The roster, Week 14: Minnesota

‘Terrible’ offer & ‘business decision’ motivate ex-Hawks

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Minnesota logoYou can’t blame Sheldon Richardson and Tom Johnson for having axes to grind Monday night against the Seahawks — who, by the way, could have used either guy this season.

To recap why the defensive tackles are displeased with the Seahawks: Seattle lowballed Richardson before free agency and cut Johnson in September.

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Playoffs, Schedule, Week 14: Minnesota

Nine wins might be all the Seahawks need

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Minnesota logoThe Seahawks could clinch a wild-card spot in two weeks — and they also would have a good shot at making the postseason even if they lost to both Minnesota and Kansas City.

The Hawks are currently given an 88 percent chance to make the postseason, according to FiveThirtyEight (Football Outsiders calls it 92 percent). There’s a chance that could improve to 100 percent before the Seahawks play Kansas City in Week 16.

If the Seahawks beat Minnesota next Monday and then the 49ers the following week, they would be 9-5 — good enough to lock in a playoff spot if three of these things were to happen: Carolina loses one more, Philadelphia loses one, Washington drops the next two, Minnesota also loses to Miami in Week 15.

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Contracts, The roster, Week 13: San Francisco

Focus on futures of Wagner, Fluker

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san-francisco-logoThe Seattle futures of two key players are at top of mind after the blowout win over the 49ers.

Bobby Wagner’s historic performance is the kind of game that seemingly makes re-signing him next year a no-brainer — but, of course, it’s not.

On the other side, D.J. Fluker’s hamstring injury is another reminder why the injury-prone road grader was available on the cheap this year and why the Seahawks should tread lightly in their expected offer to him after the season.

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Week 13: San Francisco

Seahawks blow out Sherman’s 49ers, move into playoff position

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san-francisco-logoA week after the Seahawks put together their defining win of the season, at Carolina, they added an exclamation point with a 43-16 win vs. former Seahawk Richard Sherman and the undermanned 49ers.

Russell Wilson threw a season-best four TD passes, each one marked by the receivers’ celebration skits (including an homage to Sherman’s famous Tip); Bobby Wagner played easily his best game of the season, setting a team record with his 98-yard pick-six; and the Seahawks moved two games over .500 for the first time this season — happy to show Sherman they are not a “middle of the road” team as they beat the 49ers for the ninth straight time.

The Seahawks officially moved into playoff position, where they can remain if they beat Minnesota next week and win the final three. (Even dropping one game probably wouldn’t hurt them that much.) If the season ended today, the Hawks would be the No. 6 seed.

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Week 13: San Francisco
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CHAWK LINES -- Sherman returnsRichard Sherman’s return to Seattle is one of the bigger reunion games the Seahawks — or any of the city’s teams — has ever had. Here’s a look at everything being said about it:

Doug Baldwin still hates the way Sherman’s Seattle career ended. Might have to recycle this quote next year if/when Baldwin leaves.

Bobby Wagner had some great good-natured digs at Sherman. Pete Carroll called him a “challenge” to coach but also expressed great respect for Sherman. Shaquill Griffin admires Sherman for mentoring him last year: “That wasn’t in his job description. He didn’t have to do that.”

Sherman basically stuck to the same criticisms of Seattle he made when he was cut. And he also made clear what he thinks of Russell Wilson as a QB (ICYMI: They’re not buds).

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Playoffs, Week 13: San Francisco

10 wins should be enough for playoffs

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Logo -- San Francisco(Updated Nov. 30)

Two-thirds of the way through the season, the Seahawks are right where they need to be: in control of their postseason destiny (which apparently is a surprise to almost everyone but us). If they win out to finish 11-5, they will make it in.

But what happens if they drop a game and land at 10-6? That’s where they would need a couple of things to fall their way — but the odds still would stack highly in their favor.

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Franchise history, State of the team, Week 12: At Carolina

Hawks’ run defense is historically bad

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Logo -- At CarolinaWhile everyone else marvels over the fact that the Seahawks are over .500 this deep into the season, we’re more concerned about how Seattle’s historically bad run defense might prevent the team from advancing in the playoffs.

We have always projected the Hawks to be above .500 at this point (they actually have underachieved by a game in our eyes), and it speaks well of their developing offense that they have been able to stay in games against high-powered offenses such as the L.A. teams, Green Bay and Carolina — rallying to beat the latter two.

But Seattle’s defensive line has proven to be more of a liability than we thought it would be. No one expected the pass rush to be very good outside Frank Clark — and that largely has proven true (Clark has 10 sacks, Jarran Reed a mildly surprising 5.5 and the rest of the team 12.5). But the run defense has been a major disappointment.

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