It’ll take more than two Super Bowl wins to join NFL’s dynasties

January 30, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Dynasty: A family, team, etc., that is very powerful or successful for a long period of time. (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

“A long period of time” is open to interpretation, relative to the overall history of the institution — but suffice it to say two years is not a long period in NFL time.

Plenty of people are trying to jump the gun — saying the Hawks will join the elite dynasties of the NFL if they beat the Patriots, who just happen to have been the most recent NFL dynasty.

Uh, not so fast.

Continue reading It’ll take more than two Super Bowl wins to join NFL’s dynasties →

Super Bowl XLIX, X's & O's

Super Bowl matchup: Gronk vs. Bam Bam & Co.

January 28, 2015 cc Leave a comment

One of the most anticipated matchups in the Super Bowl is Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski vs. Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor: Gronk vs. Bam Bam.

But that’s obviously an oversimplification of the matchup. The fact is the Hawks are going to focus their entire defense on all of New England’s offense, and Chancellor will interchange with K.J. Wright and other teammates in coverage against the Patriots’ best receiving target.

The Seahawks allowed just 17 passing touchdowns all season — second fewest in the NFL behind Buffalo’s 16. But 11 of those went to tight ends, making some think the Hawks have a weakness in that part of their defense.

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Super Bowl XLIX, The roster

Williams can thank Allen for Super Bowl

January 28, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Kevin Williams said he’s not gloating to former Minnesota teammate Jared Allen.

But, if not for Allen forsaking a shot at a Super Bowl with the Seahawks for a few dollars more in Chicago, Williams likely would not have gotten the chance.

The Seahawks pursued Allen last March, but they were not willing to pay him more than they were paying Michael Bennett ($7 million a year), and Allen got another $1 million a year from the Bears.

In June, the Hawks instead signed Allen’s former Vikings teammate, giving the 34-year-old Williams a one-year deal worth $2.1 million.

“I actually thought he was going to come up here (to Seattle),” Williams said. “I thought it was pretty much in the bag.”

But Allen didn’t, and now Williams is in the Super Bowl while Allen, who lives in Phoenix, will be cheering his former teammate on against the Patriots on Sunday.

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CHAWK LINES, Super Bowl XLIX

January 28, 2015 cc 1 Comment

Since Tuesday was Beast Mode Media Day, we’ll lead with a few on him:

Marshawn Lynch’s father is in prison for burglary, but his “Papa,” Leron Lynch, talked to USA Today about the mercurial running back.

The Seahawks love saying great things about Lynch, and they did so again to Seahawks.com.

If you don’t mind commercialism and Kenny “My nerdy, nonsensical shtick makes me funny, right?” Mayne, check out Lynch in a Progressive ad.

If you care about Lynch’s pointless interview sessions (we don’t), My Northwest ranked them.

The Legion of Boom talks about its old-school motivation tactics.

Coincidence (not irony): Losses to the Chiefs turned around the seasons of both the Patriots and Seahawks.

USA Today offers a pretty good analysis of the Super Bowl matchups, but the writer picks the wrong winner because he underestimates Russell Wilson’s passing ability.

Super Bowl XLIX, X's & O's

Super Bowl matchup: Browner’s a target, too

January 27, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Right after the
Patriots won the AFC title game, Brandon Browner told reporters he had envisioned meeting his former Seattle teammates in the Super Bowl.

Now he apparently wants to hurt them — or maybe not. Either way, he might want to be more concerned about what the Hawks are going to do against him.

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Super Bowl XLIX

This Super Bowl is for independent thinkers & ‘Karate Kid’ fans

January 27, 2015 cc Leave a comment

If you are an independent thinker — not subject to the whims of societal group think, peer pressure, corporate “yes manning” and pack journalism — you have to love this Super Bowl matchup.

If you’re not afraid to go against the grain, you have to love the way Bill Belichick and Pete Carroll sand the floor, creating smooth bases for their football teams. You have to love how they wax on about their brand of football, which no other coaches can hold a candle to. And you have to love how they paint the D-fence with exacting brush strokes.

Yeah, Mr. Belichick and Mr. Carroll do it the Mr. Miyagi way: They’re confident, creative, flexible, fundamental, defensive, quietly defiant — and perfectly unapologetic about the way they run their teams.

These two senseis have dominated football for 15 years, and how appropriate that they finally get to match up in the biggest game of the year.

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Contracts, State of the team

Schneider: Hawks are better prepared for free agency this year

January 24, 2015 cc Leave a comment

John Schneider and his staff apparently messed up in free agency last year, thanks to the Super Bowl, and they aren’t letting it happen again.

That was the most significant message imparted Friday by the general manager, who shed no new light on the team’s position with Marshawn Lynch or Russell Wilson but indicated the team was not prepared enough for free agency in 2014.

Schneider seemed to indicate his staff underestimated the value of some of their free agents last offseason — Golden Tate and Clinton McDonald come to mind (although the Hawks will get compensatory draft picks for those two).

To avoid getting caught with their pants down this year, Schneider has already met with his pro personnel guys — Trent Kirchner and Dan Morgan — and they have a better bead on the market for their 15 unrestricted free agents.

Continue reading Schneider: Hawks are better prepared for free agency this year →

CHAWK LINES, Super Bowl XLIX

January 23, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Am I grasping this correctly? The NFL apparently is mad at both the #Patriots and #Seahawks for the way they allegedly handled their balls.

— Chris Cluff (@CHawk_Talk) January 23, 2015

The Seahawks are a young bunch and their immaturity occasionally shows in big ways. Take Marshawn Lynch’s crotch grabbing and Doug Baldwin’s rant.

Baldwin’s bluster was almost exactly what Richard Sherman did a year ago in the NFC title game; and, just like Sherman, Baldwin regretted taking away from his team’s big victory.

Lynch was fined $20,000 for another adolescent touchdown move, and then the crotchety NFL thought Chris Matthews did the same thing while congratulating Lynch and erroneously fined him, too.

Someone in the NFL offices is blind, obviously.

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Playoffs: Green Bay, X's & O's

Did the Hawks really need that onside kick?

January 22, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Now that we all know the Seahawks’ onside kick was legal — like there should have been any question — let’s answer this question: Should the Seahawks have done it?

Seattle came up with several long-odds plays to beat the Packers in the NFC title game, but did the Seahawks actually make it too hard on themselves at the end?

Did they really need an onside kick, two-point conversion and overtime? Wouldn’t they have had at least the same chance of winning if they had kicked the ball deep after Russell Wilson’s touchdown run?

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Coaches, Super Bowl XLIX

Dan Quinn’s swan song — and then what?

January 20, 2015 cc Leave a comment

The Seattle defense apparently will have some added incentive to put forth a stellar Super Bowl performance on Feb. 1: Sending coordinator Dan Quinn to Atlanta with a win.

The Falcons interviewed Quinn for a second time Monday in what reportedly was more of a formality as they already have decided to hire him. They reportedly had hoped to bring him out to Atlanta this week to announce the hiring, but his Seattle defense shut down Aaron Rodgers and the Packers for most of the game Sunday, giving Russell Wilson and Jermaine Kearse a chance to redeem themselves and send the Hawks back to the Super Bowl.

The Falcons reportedly already are securing Quinn’s staff — starting with offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan — and likely will name him their coach the day after the Super Bowl.

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll knows all of this, of course, and is not concerned a bit about losing Quinn or about it being a distraction leading up to the Super Bowl.

Continue reading Dan Quinn’s swan song — and then what? →