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Franchise history, Injury report, It's bigger than football

Is this goodbye to Avril?

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Avril on NFLNIt looks, unfortunately, like Cliff Avril’s career is finished.

Pete Carroll told SiriusXM NFL Radio that the Seahawks are going to put Avril on injured reserve, meaning his season probably is over. Carroll said the 31-year-old is “seeing a bunch of doctors, seriously looking at a big decision.”

If he can’t play now, despite apparently feeling fine after suffering a stinger against the Colts, why would he return off IR in eight weeks or come back at all in 2018? Carroll previously said tests “showed some stuff” — and the IR move indicates that “stuff” was serious enough to shut down one of Seattle’s top defenders.

Avril told Yahoo Sports he is not thinking of retiring right now and that the “big decision” is whether to undergo neck surgery.

But Michael Bennett made it sound very much like Avril, who is in his 10th NFL season, knows he needs to retire.

Continue reading Is this goodbye to Avril? →

Injury report, The roster

Another lost vet bet, and we’re on O-line No. 3

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Seahawks bandagesThe Seahawks’ $8 million gamble failed.

Luke Joeckel made it five games before hitting the shelf again. He’s out at least a month, and it could be a lot longer. He’s just the latest big-money addition that hasn’t turned out for Seattle.

In eight offseasons in charge of the Seahawks, John Schneider has paid 11 outside veterans at least $4.8 million a year. For a variety of reasons, just two of them — Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril — have turned out to be worth it.

Unless Joeckel returns for the final five or six games and helps steady the offense through the playoffs, he will end up joining the likes of Sidney Rice, Zach Miller, Robert Gallery, Matt Flynn, Percy Harvin, Cary Williams and Jimmy Graham as big-money busts.

Continue reading Another lost vet bet, and we’re on O-line No. 3 →

Schedule

Still looks like a 10-win season for the Seahawks

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As the Seahawks (3-2) get ready to embark on the final two-thirds of the season, they are sitting in the driver’s seat in the NFC West and are viewed as the likely winners of the division.

After Sunday’s games, FiveThirtyEight gives them a 56 percent chance to win the division and 66 percent chance to make the playoffs. Those numbers basically match what Football Outsiders had entering the weekend. Both models put the Hawks at about 10 wins, which is where we had them to start the season and where we still think they will end up.

Let’s take a look at the rest of their schedule:

Continue reading Still looks like a 10-win season for the Seahawks →

The roster, Trades

How the Hawks could acquire Duane Brown

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Salary cap logoCould Duane Brown really be a Seahawk by the time the Hawks play the Houston Texans in Week 8?

We suspected the Seahawks might have checked into Houston’s holdout left tackle during training camp, so it’s not a big shock to see the Hawks apparently are still working that angle.

One report indicates the Seahawks could be close to getting the Texans to lower their asking price, with Seattle’s workout of Branden Albert on Monday helping their cause.

The obvious question: What would it take, in trade and cash, to get the 32-year-old three-time Pro Bowl tackle to Seattle?

Continue reading How the Hawks could acquire Duane Brown →

Week 5: At Los Angeles

A win vs. Rams is worth celebrating — no matter how it happened

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At Los Angeles logoThe Seahawks had lost three straight games at the Rams and four of the past six meetings overall, so the fact that Seattle finally managed to steal one on the road against them is cause for major celebration.

Forget the typically poor offensive performance — the Rams always dominate the Hawks’ offense. Forget the fact that the Hawks were outgained 375 yards to 241. Forget that they rushed for under 100 yards for the fourth straight time vs. the Rams.

Instead, focus on the fact that the Hawks avoided falling two games behind the Rams in the NFC West. Focus on the five takeaways, including two each by Earl Thomas and Sheldon Richardson. Focus on the fact that Seattle kept the Rams out of the end zone in all five red-zone possessions.

Continue reading A win vs. Rams is worth celebrating — no matter how it happened →

CHAWK LINES, Week 5: At Los Angeles
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CHAWK LINES -- Seahawks at Rams

The Seahawks are going to “take our time” with Cliff Avril’s neck injury.

Rees Odhiambo is expected to play just a week after a scary chest injury landed him in the hospital overnight.

Marcus Smith has suddenly become a very important player.

Malik McDowell suffered a “really bad concussion” in his ATV accident in July, Pete Carroll said. McDowell will be examined in a couple of weeks, and Carroll still has not ruled out the team’s top pick playing this season.

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State of the team, The roster

With Avril in doubt, what is future of D-line?

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Avril on NFLNThe sudden concern over Cliff Avril’s health — and thus career — has put the spotlight on the future of Seattle’s defensive line.

Almost exactly 10 years ago, Mack Strong faced a similar neck injury and decided to immediately call it a career (after 15 years). Avril, injured against the Colts on Sunday, might face the same choice in his 10th season. He is out indefinitely as he and the team investigate the cause of the stingers that numbed his arms and hands after he was kicked in the chin tackling Jacoby Brissett.

“Whenever it’s the spinal stuff and you get stingers, that means that there’s some nerve action going on there and you’ve got to be really careful and really safe with all that stuff,” Pete Carroll told KIRO Radio on Friday. “In this case in particular, we’ve just got to make sure, so we’re going to take our time with this and let it quiet down. He’s really not uncomfortable, but just some of the tests he took showed some stuff and we’ve just got to make sure we’re really honoring it and make good choices here. We’re on the same page and (will) take it one step at a time, and we’ll get to it when we can.”

It’s entirely possible Avril will return soon — maybe even after the Week 6 bye. But the 31-year-old also might decide after this injury that the ongoing risk is not worth it anymore.

Continue reading With Avril in doubt, what is future of D-line? →

Week 5: At Los Angeles

First-half offense has held Hawks back

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At Los Angeles logoA quarter of the way through the season, the Seahawks are right where we figured they would be: 2-2.

It’s what you have to expect from a typically slow-starting offense that is once again trying to build an offensive line.

“We have been close to doing a lot of good stuff; it just hasn’t clicked like we like it,” Pete Carroll said.

If they could have added a few more points in the first half, they easily could be 4-0. Instead, they have been Seattle’s worst first-half offense after four games since Russell Wilson arrived in 2012.

Continue reading First-half offense has held Hawks back →

Injury report, Week 4: Indianapolis

Win over Colts was painful for Hawks

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Seahawks bandagesThe Seahawks’ 46-18 blowout win over the Colts on Sunday night was costly, as they lost Chris Carson to a broken leg and high ankle sprain, Rees Odhiambo to a bruised sternum, Cliff Avril to a spinal injury and Jeremy Lane to a groin injury.

The Seahawks put Carson on injured reserve — which means he will be out at least eight weeks. It also means Thomas Rawls should return to the starting role — after being inactive vs. the Colts. Mike Davis could be elevated from the practice squad to replace Carson, unless the Hawks are comfortable with Rawls, Eddie Lacy, C.J. Prosise and J.D. McKissic.

Prosise is expected to be available this week, but McKissic’s big game vs. the Colts (a rushing and receiving TD) could keep Prosise on the sideline.

Whoever carries the ball going forward might be doing so behind a new left tackle. Odhiambo reportedly suffered a cardiac contusion when he was hit on an interception return in the third quarter. Odhiambo finished the game but then reportedly collapsed in the locker room afterward and was taken to a hospital. Early word was he could be out for several weeks, but Pete Carroll said he suffered a bruised sternum, not heart, which would bode well for a quick recovery.

Continue reading Win over Colts was painful for Hawks →

The roster, Week 2: San Francisco

Hawks are doing some line dancing

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Logo -- San FranciscoThe Seahawks left themselves light at defensive tackle when they cut down to 53 players, choosing instead to keep 10 offensive linemen and J.D. McKissic.

It almost came back to bite them Sunday vs. San Francisco, as Carlos Hyde ripped off two big runs as he became the first back to go over 100 rushing yards twice against Pete Carroll’s defense in Seattle. So Carroll decided to beef up the middle again, calling up Garrison Smith from the practice squad to replace David Bass.

It’s the first of what could be two or three moves in the trenches this week.

Continue reading Hawks are doing some line dancing →