Week 6: At Cleveland

Still learning, Hawks continue super start

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Logo -- At Cleveland“We’re trying to go somewhere. It takes everything we’ve got.” — Russell Wilson

Despite making their share of errors in a game full of mistakes by both teams and the refs, the still-developing  Seahawks showed their resilience yet again as they continued their super start.

The Seahawks took the ball away four times — five if you count a blocked punt — as they won a mistake-filled game in Cleveland, 32-28, to improve to 5-1 for the third time in franchise history.

The last time they were 5-1, they won the Super Bowl. The Hawks also improved to 3-0 on the road, their best such start since 1980.

Continue reading Still learning, Hawks continue super start →

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Trades, Week 6: At Cleveland

What about a reunion with Michael Bennett?

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Bennett thumbs-upIf you had a chance to bring back Michael Bennett to add to the trio of Jadeveon Clowney, Ziggy Ansah and Jarran Reed, would you do it?

The more significant question: Would the Seahawks do it?

Bennett was dumped in the Great Defensive/Attitude Reset of 2018, along with Richard Sherman (and injured Kam Chancellor, Cliff Avril and, later, Earl Thomas). Bennett admittedly had tuned out Pete Carroll, who finally got tired of it after his veteran defense fell apart in 2017.

But Carroll is a forgiving sort. And he has brought back, if even briefly, more than one player who left (Luke Willson, Cassius Marsh, DeShawn Shead, Justin Coleman, et al.).

Bennett now seems possibly on the outs in New England, which just traded for him this year but is playing him less and less. How about a third Seattle stint for Bennett, who started his career in Seattle in 2009 and was brought back by John Schneider and Carroll in 2013? Maybe this “benching” experience has humbled Bennett enough that he is ready to be a team player again.

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Schedule, Week 6: At Cleveland

Countdown to 49ers starts in Cleveland

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Logo -- At ClevelandThe Seahawks were supposed to be watching the Browns on Monday night — their homework for this week — but it was pretty hard to miss the team that dominated Baker Mayfield and company.

“That night was San Francisco’s night,” Pete Carroll said of the 49ers’ 31-3 win. “It didn’t matter what happened, really. The ball kept coming their way and they kept making the plays. They looked great.”

The Hawks play at Cleveland this week, but in a month they will be facing the 49ers in what figures to be a major Monday night showdown — impacting both the division and conference races.

Continue reading Countdown to 49ers starts in Cleveland →

CHAWK LINES, Week 6: At Cleveland
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CHAWK LINES -- Hawks at BrownsPete Carroll thinks he finally knows how to put together his pass-rush puzzle.

Jadeveon Clowney: “Once we start clicking on all cylinders, I think we’re going to make a big push at the right time.”

Carroll expects L.J. Collier “to show you … in the next few weeks that he’s going to be able to figure into what’s happening.”

Tyler Lockett is poetry on and off the field.

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Week 5: L.A. Rams

Fortunately 4-1, Seahawks are ‘still growing’

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Logo -- Los Angeles“We’re still climbing. The best is yet to come.” — Shaquill Griffin

The Seahawks are 4-1, despite still not playing their best game — and that’s how we know they’re Super Bowl contenders.

Their lucky 30-29 win over the Rams had a lot of good in it: Russell Wilson’s near perfection, Tyler Lockett’s toe-tapping magic, Chris Carson’s winning efforts and more. But the Hawks still were unable to lock up the win on their own merits — the Rams had to lose it on a missed field goal.

Of course, the Rams would have been lucky to win themselves since Jason Myers missed a first-half field goal that meant the Rams did not need to overcome a four-point deficit at the end.

The Hawks lost two close shootouts to the Rams last season, and now they have won one against the Super Bowl runners-up — proving these teams remain evenly matched. That Sunday night game in Week 14 will be huge.

By that time, though, the Seahawks should have found their defensive groove and be a complete contender.

Continue reading Fortunately 4-1, Seahawks are ‘still growing’ →

Week 5: L.A. Rams

Home playoff game on the line vs. Rams

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Logo -- Los AngelesHow big is Seattle’s game against the Rams? Probably the difference between a home playoff game and a road trip — and certainly a major factor in the race for home field in the NFC playoffs.

This is the second straight year the Seahawks have hosted the Rams in Seattle in Week 5 after playing at Arizona in Week 4. Last year, the 33-31 home loss to the Rams was the difference between 10 wins and 11. If the Hawks had flipped that game and beaten the 49ers in Week 15 (rather than lose in OT), they would have been at 12 wins and won the division thanks to a better conference record than the Rams. That would have made them the NFC’s third seed, hosting the Eagles in the wild-card round instead of going to Dallas.

And while we are doing what-ifs: If the Hawks had beaten the Saints in Week 3 this year, rather than handing the win to New Orleans, they would be going for 5-0 and early control of the NFC this week. Instead, they are just trying to stay in the mix in both the division and conference while flipping the script on a Rams team that has beaten them three straight times and won the division the past two years.

Continue reading Home playoff game on the line vs. Rams →

Week 4: At Arizona

Nice win, but Hawks need to prove it vs. Rams

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at-arizona-logoThe Seahawks are something between what we saw in their sloppy loss to New Orleans in Week 3 and their fairly easy win against the developing Cardinals at Arizona on Sunday.

One game made them look worse than they are and the other made them look better.

We know they are somewhere in the NFC’s upper tier — with New Orleans, Dallas, L.A., San Francisco and Green Bay. Exactly where they rank should become clear Thursday when they host the Rams (3-1) in the first NFC West battle royale in what appears to be a three-way round robin with the 49ers (3-0).

In between the New Orleans fiasco and the L.A. grudge match, the Hawks (3-1) were lucky to get a game against a struggling team like Arizona (0-3-1) — just to give some of their guys a confidence builder. The players who took most advantage were embattled Chris Carson and new pass rushers Jadeveon Clowney and Ziggy Ansah.

Continue reading Nice win, but Hawks need to prove it vs. Rams →

Week 4: At Arizona, X's & O's

More unfamiliar faces, but Carroll knows this AIR-izona offense

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at-arizona-logoThe Seahawks have been fighting in a dark alley so far this season — feeling their way against unfamiliar foes.

First it was new Cincinnati coach Zac Taylor, who brought schemes Pete Carroll and his staff were not ready for and nearly beat the Hawks with them. Then it was Mason Rudolph, who replaced injured Ben Roethlisberger in Pittsburgh and almost rallied the Steelers. Last week, it was Teddy Bridgewater replacing injured Drew Brees and Alvin Kamara breaking tackles and leading the Saints to a surprisingly easy win.

Now Seattle faces another unfamiliar coach and QB as the Hawks head to dreaded Glendale to take on Kliff Kingsbury and Kyler Murray’s AIR-izona Raid offense.

Carroll knows plenty about the Air Raid, though — since it is just an offshoot of the old run-n-shoot. The difference is the mobile young quarterback running it, and the Hawks need to join the other defenses that have made it hard on this year’s No. 1 draft pick.

Continue reading More unfamiliar faces, but Carroll knows this AIR-izona offense →

NFL draft, Week 4: At Arizona

Vannett deal highlights some draft struggles

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at-arizona-logoThe answers: The 2016 draft class. Third-rounders. Fourth-round receivers.

The question: Where have the Seahawks struggled in the draft recently?

The trade of Nick Vannett leaves five of the 10 picks from the star-crossed 2016 draft class and just three of the league-high seven third-rounders from the 2016 and 2017 drafts.

Continue reading Vannett deal highlights some draft struggles →

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