The hallmarks of that win: Redemption, trust and resilience

January 19, 2015 cc 1 Comment

Redemption, resilience, trust, teamwork.

Other than a trip to the Super Bowl, those were the themes of the Seahawks’ historic comeback win over the Green Bay Packers, 28-22 in overtime, on Sunday.

For much of the game, Russell Wilson, Jermaine Kearse and Doug Baldwin were the Three Stooges — taking turns poking each other in the eyes, hitting each other in the head and tripping over each other.

Wilson threw four interceptions — all on passes intended for Kearse, who had two go off his hands — and Baldwin fumbled on a kick return and dropped two passes himself.

But all three redeemed themselves on the winning drive in overtime — Wilson hitting Baldwin twice for 45 yards and then finding Kearse for the winning 35-yard touchdown.

After the game, Wilson and Kearse were overcome with emotion after their rollercoaster day.

Continue reading The hallmarks of that win: Redemption, trust and resilience →

Playoffs: Green Bay

Wilson’s worst game? Why are they headed to the Super Bowl then?

January 19, 2015 cc Leave a comment

When team captain Tarvaris Jackson went out for the overtime coin toss Sunday, it should have been a reminder to everyone of this simple fact: The Seahawks would not be a Super Bowl team without Russell Wilson.

Plenty of people are calling Wilson’s game against the Packers — in which he threw a career-high four interceptions — the worst of his career. Wrong. Dead wrong.

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Playoffs: Green Bay

History favors Hawks, but what about formula for beating them?

January 18, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Almost every statistic and numerous
immeasurables point to the Seahawks beating the Packers today and advancing to the
Super Bowl for the
second straight year.

But there is a formula for beating Seattle — it’s just a question of whether it still works.

First, consider these pro-Seattle stats:

**The Seahawks’ average margin of victory in eight home wins this season was 15.4.

**The Seahawks are 9-1 at home in rematches over the past three seasons. The average margin of victory is 18.2.

Continue reading History favors Hawks, but what about formula for beating them? →

CHAWK LINES, Playoffs: Green Bay

January 17, 2015 cc Leave a comment

First, some game matchups to watch, via Seahawks.com.

Jerry Brewer expresses what probably every Seahawks fan feels: The team needs to find a way to keep Marshawn Lynch beyond this season.

Lynch’s new gold-plated shoes are pretty boss … Boss.

How much did the Seahawks want to keep B.J. Daniels around? They bumped his pay by five times to equal an active-roster salary.

With Bam Bam Kam Chancellor getting so much love all week, Greg Bishop of SI.com put together an in-depth look at the Seahawks’ Super Serious Safety, Earl Thomas.

Sound FX got some great sound from the Carolina-Seattle game off the microphones of linebackers Bobby Wagner and Luke Kuechly.

Demarcus Dobbs’ team is in the NFC title game for the fourth straight year. He should get his first Super Bowl win this time.

Russell Wilson and J.R. Sweezy’s salaries will jump in 2015 due to the “Proven Performance Escalator.” Of course, Wilson is going to get a huge contract extension, making the escalator moot. But Sweezy’s $660,000 salary will more than double, into the $1.5 million range.

Who says all big linemen are blockheads? The Packers’ guys are addicted to the strategy game “Settlers of Catan” (wait until they try “Puerto Rico”).

Playoffs: Green Bay

It’s Packers-Hawks, so of course Golden Tate offers more controversy

January 16, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Golden Tate apparently just can’t help but create controversy every time the Seahawks play the Green Bay Packers.

Two seasons ago, it was the Fail Mary touchdown on “Monday Night Football.” Now, as the Hawks prepare to face the Packers in the NFC title game with a chance to return to the Super Bowl without him, Tate has written what amounts to an open letter to Seahawks fans explaining how unhappy he is with the way he was treated when he left Seattle for Detroit.

Continue reading It’s Packers-Hawks, so of course Golden Tate offers more controversy →

Injury report, Playoffs: Green Bay

If Britt sits, it will be OL combo No. 8 — not like it matters to the Hawks

January 16, 2015 cc Leave a comment

It was almost inevitable.

Just when you thought the Seahawks’ offensive line had done its best Humpty Dumpty routine and been put back together again, it appears the Hawks could end up using their eighth starting combination of the season Sunday against Green Bay.

Rookie right tackle Justin Britt, who had started every game alongside right guard J.R. Sweezy while the left three positions juggled around all season, will be a game-time call Sunday due to a knee injury suffered against Carolina last week.

If Britt can’t play, sixth man Alvin Bailey would make his sixth start of the season — at his third position. He started two at left tackle for Russell Okung and three at left guard for James Carpenter, and he also stepped in briefly for Sweezy in one game.

Continue reading If Britt sits, it will be OL combo No. 8 — not like it matters to the Hawks →

Contracts, Playoffs: Green Bay

Wilson could trump Rodgers twice more

January 16, 2015 cc Leave a comment

If the Seahawks beat the Packers on Sunday, as expected, it will be Russell Wilson’s third win vs. Aaron Rodgers. And then Wilson probably will beat Rodgers again within the next two or three months — in contract value.

Rodgers, who is the favorite to be named league MVP, signed a $110 million deal in 2013 — and obviously has been worth it. But another Super Bowl win for Wilson probably would trump another MVP award for Rodgers (who also won in 2011) when it comes to the negotiating table.

Rodgers’ deal guaranteed him $54 million and will pay out $62.5 million over the first three years.

The Seahawks — always willing to pay their homegrown stars — are likely to give Wilson a deal that exceeds Rodgers’ contract, guaranteeing as much as $60 million.

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Injury report, Playoffs: Green Bay

Whew! McDaniel returns to practice

January 15, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Breathe a sigh of relief. Tony McDaniel participated fully in practice Thursday.

McDaniel has been an unheralded member of the Seahawks’ defensive line this season — but a big reason the defense ranked third in the NFL in run defense.

He apparently suffered a shoulder injury against Carolina and did not practice Wednesday, leaving a question about whether he would be able to play in the NFC title game against Green Bay.

The Hawks can’t afford another injury to their D-line, which has been the most injured position on the team this season.

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CHAWK LINES, Playoffs: Green Bay

January 14, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Kam Chancellor is the man of the hour and the talk of the town and the NFL as the Seahawks get ready to beat the Packers to head back to the Super Bowl. So let’s start with a bunch of stuff on him:

Pete Carroll talked about Lawyer Milloy’s influence on Chancellor in 2010.

Milloy then talked about Chancellor (and more) on 1090 The Fan.

Bobby Wagner told Chancellor “a pick-six would be great” just before the safety did it, per this NFL.com video feature.

And, for good measure, Gregg Bell wrote a nice comprehensive piece about just how important Chancellor is to the Seahawks.

Continue reading →

Playoffs: Green Bay

Packers-Seahawks got interesting 15 years ago

January 14, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Newer Seahawks fans — and there are plenty of them — might think the Packers-Seahawks series consists of two games: the Hawks’ infamous Fail Mary victory on a Monday night in 2012 and Seattle’s 20-point win in the opening game of this NFL season.

But this series was full of great matchups back when Mike Holmgren and quarterback Matt Hasselbeck were leading the Hawks against their old team — led by Brett Favre — and this will be the 11th meeting, the third in the playoffs, since 1999.

Continue reading Packers-Seahawks got interesting 15 years ago →