State of the team, Week 5: At Cincinnati

Despite epic collapse, Seahawks are not ‘dead and gone’

October 12, 2015 cc Leave a comment

As epic a collapse as the Seahawks committed in Cincinnati, for the first time in franchise history blowing a 17-point lead they carried into the fourth quarter, we’re going to go ahead and agree with Pete Carroll:

“Look, we’re not anywhere like we are dead and gone (at 2-3). We don’t feel like that at all. We’ve just got some things we have to get fixed up, and I think we can.”

In 39 seasons plus four games, the Seahawks had been 71-0 (9-0 under Carroll) in games in which they led by 17 or more entering the fourth quarter, according to Pro Football Reference’s database. On Sunday, they became the first NFL team since 2006 to suffer the ignominy of losing such a game. (Mike Holmgren’s Seahawks blew a 17-point lead in 2004, when they scored early in the fourth to go up 17 and then let the Rams rally to win in overtime.)

Seahawks fans have every right to be upset and disheartened by this massive meltdown, but to think it signals the end of the season or the end of Seattle’s Super Bowl window is an emotionally shortsighted reaction.

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CHAWK LINES, Week 5: At Cincinnati

October 11, 2015 cc Leave a comment

These aren’t the Seahawks we’ll see in November and December.

Russell Wilson reportedly is working on his speed, losing weight, so he can remain as mobile as possible.

Wilson is getting rid of the ball faster than ever, ESPN Stats reports.

Dave Boling says Wilson’s toughness is his best quality.

Fred Jackson, expected to play, said 10 teams were interested in him when Buffalo cut him, but Seattle was the only one that would sign him before Week 1, thus guaranteeing his one-year salary.

An insider’s look at the Bengals.

The Bengals present lots of challenges for the Seahawks.

State of the team, Trades

Hindsight study: Was Unger-Graham trade a good move?

October 10, 2015 cc Leave a comment

The two biggest concerns during the Seahawks’ 2-2 start have been the struggles of the remade offensive line and the inconsistent use of Pro Bowl tight end Jimmy Graham.

For many critics, the two issues are very closely linked. After all, the Seahawks gave up center Max Unger to get Graham.

For the record, we were very in favor of that trade. But some were dubious, thinking it foolish to give up a top center for a tight end the Seahawks might not even use right.

So, let’s revisit the question: Did the Hawks do the right thing in trading Unger for Graham?

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Injury report, State of the team, The roster

Another busted year for Simon, who is almost out of chances

October 10, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Tharold Simon’s career with the Seahawks looks just about finished.

Sure, he has one more year left on his rookie contract, but the cornerback simply has not been able to stay healthy in his three NFL seasons and it sure seems doubtful he ever will.

The Seahawks have shown great patience with injury-prone players, and it paid off with cornerbacks Walter Thurmond and Byron Maxwell.

Simon’s career arc seemed like it was following Maxwell’s — until Simon’s season was ended yet again Saturday when he was put on injured reserve.

Continue reading Another busted year for Simon, who is almost out of chances →

CHAWK LINES, Week 5: At Cincinnati

October 8, 2015 cc Leave a comment

The Seahawks are not making any changes on the O-line at this point, hoping the unit will get better as constituted.

John Boyle of Seahawks.com reviews the first quarter of the season.

The Seahawks are still the No. 3 betting favorite, at 6-1, to win the Super Bowl. Like us, Vegas knows better than to panic.

Here’s a good look at how the Seahawks always turn it on in the second half of the season.

The Seahawks have flipped the script on penalties this season, Bob Condotta writes.

That’s ironic, considering the rest of the NFL is on pace to set a record for penalties.

Russell Wilson said he feels just fine despite being sacked 18 times — a pace for a team record.

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Injury report, Week 5: At Cincinnati

On their backs: Hawks short on RBs and CBs

October 7, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Seattle’s injury report is “backed” up.

Five of the seven players who did not practice Wednesday are “backs”– running backs or cornerbacks – leaving the Seahawks pretty thin at those spots.

Not practicing – and therefore questionable at this point for Sunday in Cincinnati – were running backs Marshawn Lynch (hamstring) and Fred Jackson (high ankle sprain) and cornerbacks Tharold Simon (toe), Marcus Burley (thumb), and Tye Smith (hip). Joining them were defensive lineman Demarcus Dobbs (shoulder) and linebacker Kevin Pierre-Louis (hamstring), who both missed the win over Detroit on Monday.

On the bright side, Brandon Mebane (groin), Ricardo Lockette (breath) and Steven Terrell (hip) all returned to practice, and Pete Carroll said he is “pretty hopeful” that Mebane will play.

Carroll said Lynch is “day-to-day” and “it will take us all the way to the end of the week before we know. He did make a lot of progress last week and was able to run around some and all that. He’s worked really hard at it, so we’ll see if we can get it done.”

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State of the team, Week 4: Detroit, X's & O's

Wilson carried offense until he dropped ball

October 6, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Before Kam Chancellor and the referees combined to steal the headlines in Seattle’s win over Detroit on Monday, the biggest story was the play of Russell Wilson.

With Marshawn Lynch out and almost no help from his blockers, the quarterback did everything he could for three-plus quarters to keep the Seahawks ahead. And then he dispelled all of that magic with one huge fumble that was returned for a touchdown and put Detroit in position to go ahead in the final two minutes.

Wilson was sacked six times — two or three were his fault for holding the ball too long — and was almost constantly on the run. He is on pace to be sacked 72 times, which would tie Randall Cunningham (1986) for No. 2 in NFL history (David Carr was sacked 76 times in 2002).

Despite the pressure, Wilson completed 20 of 26 passes for 287 yards and a touchdown, with no interceptions. He ran his Monday night record to 5-0, with 10 TD passes and no picks.

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State of the team, Week 4: Detroit

Carroll and Cable preach patience with developing O-line

October 5, 2015 cc Leave a comment

As the Seattle Seahawks finish the first quarter of the season, their offensive line is still a major work in progress.

But that should come as no surprise. Coach Pete Carroll and offensive line coach Tom Cable are satisfied with the steps the unheralded unit has taken, knowing it was always going to take half the season for Russell Okung, Justin Britt, Drew Nowak, J.R. Sweezy and Garry Gilliam to jell.

“They’re growing and they’re working at it hard,” Carroll said, leading up to the game against the Detroit Lions. “Their confidence is gaining and we’re going to see them continue to improve. I don’t think we’re going to know for another four, five weeks, maybe the halfway point of the season.”

Cable has said several times that this is the most talented group of linemen he has coached.

“I still think they’re going to be the best group (he has had),” he told 710 ESPN last week. “All they’ve done in three games now is get better and better and better.”

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Fun & games, Video

We won’t see Lynch on ‘MNF,’ but he has been on TV a lot recently

October 5, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Marshawn Lynch won’t be seen on the field tonight, but we sure have been seeing a lot of him on TV recently as he takes advantage of his newfound commercial appeal.

As he misses a game for the first time since 2011 — and just the second time in his five years with the Seahawks — we thought we would recap his latest commercial ventures so you didn’t miss him too much.

First, from August, there was the Skittles infomercial in which “Big Daddy” and Skittles got engaged.

Continue reading We won’t see Lynch on ‘MNF,’ but he has been on TV a lot recently →

CHAWK LINES, Week 4: Detroit

October 4, 2015 cc Leave a comment

With Marshawn Lynch and Brandon Mebane out, “Monday Night Football” might be a preview of the 2016 Seahawks.

Nice look at Seattle’s new No. 2 running back — and No. 1 again this week — Thomas Rawls, by Bob Condotta.

The big storyline for #DETvsSEA, of course, is the return of Golden Tate to face his old team and the Legion of Boom. “We had our battles in practice for years,” Richard Sherman said. “It’ll be another fun battle.”

Even in Detroit, Tate has been creating controversy at the usual rate.

Cliff Avril will be playing his old team Monday, but he calls it “just another game.”

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