Week 5: Minnesota

A team of 2013-like destiny?

3 Comments

It’s starting to feel perfectly normal for the Seahawks to play (and win) so many close games.

And it also feels a little like these Seahawks, still with a perfect record after a 27-26 win over Minnesota, might be a team of destiny — a la the 2013 Super Bowl club.

There was little reason for them to beat Minnesota the way that game went. Not after trailing 13-0 at halftime, failing to convert a third down, allowing 43% to be converted, surrendering 31 first downs, giving up over 200 rushing yards, being out-possessed 39-21 minutes. Seattle was outplayed for all but about four minutes of that game.

Pete Carroll’s Seahawks have never played a game with that particular mix of bad stats, which probably explains why 10th-year veteran K.J. Wright called this one of the three craziest games he has ever played.

The Seahawks overcame it all to hit 5-0 for the first time because they won the turnover battle (3-1, counting a big fourth-down stop) and field position, were called for just three penalties and got two spectacular plays from DK Metcalf to win the game.

Continue reading A team of 2013-like destiny? →
It's bigger than football, Schedule

What happens when games are canceled?

Leave a comment

Tennessee’s virus outbreak is no surprise. It was inevitable that teams would have problems as the NFL pressed to play. It’s why we thought the NFL should sit out 2020.

But, the season has started, made it to the quarter pole with only one game (TEN-PIT) pushed to another week, and now the league has to figure out how to finish. While Tennessee faces TBD consequences for breaking league COVID rules, along with an uncertain playing future this week and beyond, the schedule is starting to become a topic that needs to be addressed (it should have been before the season started, but the reactive NFL doesn’t work like that).

Due to issues in Tennessee and New England, those teams’ games tentatively have been bumped to early next week – with next Thursday’s game also possibly affected.

This is just the first major issue of what always figured to be a significant concern. And the question is now at hand: What happens if teams end up playing different numbers of games due to the inevitable cancellations?

Continue reading What happens when games are canceled? →
Contracts, The roster

Is this the last hurrah for Carson & Griffin?

Leave a comment

Chris Carson and Shaquill Griffin are doing what they can to make their cases for new contracts in 2021.

Both were big parts of the Seahawks’ win in Miami, Carson scoring twice and tallying 100 total yards and Griffin picking off a pass and preventing a late touchdown as they helped Seattle improve to 4-0.

But fans need to steel themselves to the idea that this season could be the last hurrah for the best draft picks from Seattle’s 2017 class. Even more reason – like we need more than one — for the Hawks to win another Super Bowl now.

Continue reading Is this the last hurrah for Carson & Griffin? →
Week 4: At Miami

Wilson finally wins in Florida as Hawks hit 4-0 for second time ever

Leave a comment

It wasn’t easy, but Russell Wilson finally won in Florida and the Seahawks improved to 4-0 for the second time in franchise history with a 31-23 win in 88-degree weather in Miami.

K.J. Wright and the Seattle defense held Miami to five field goals and a late TD, giving a struggling Seattle offense time to finally put the game away in the fourth quarter after Miami had held time of possession and stymied Wilson and company in the red zone a couple of times.

Wilson threw two TD passes to reach 16, which ties Peyton Manning for most through four games in NFL history. Manning set that record in 2013, when Seattle opened 4-0 for the first time on its way to beating Manning’s Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl.

Continue reading Wilson finally wins in Florida as Hawks hit 4-0 for second time ever →
Week 3: Dallas, X's & O's

Wilson is not throwing more — just more proactively

1 Comment

Russell Wilson – everyone’s three-game NFL MVP — has not thrown the ball more this year, contrary to what some might think. He has just thrown it more efficiently and effectively and, most important, more proactively.

He has thrown 103 passes through three games, which is right around his average (104) for the first three games of the 2015-19 seasons.

But Wilson has set an NFL record with 14 TD passes to start the season, and his 76.7 percent completions and 7.76 yards per attempt are all the best of his career through three games.

It hasn’t been the volume; it has been the timing: He is throwing on early downs and in the first half more than ever.

Continue reading Wilson is not throwing more — just more proactively →
Week 3: Dallas

Surprising 3-0 start has been costly, too

2 Comments

We thought the Seahawks would be 1-2 at this point (on the way to 11-5), so 3-0 is a nice surprise – especially as they give up 400 passing yards and 28+ points per game.

It has been costly though:

The margin of error is so small for this defense-poor team. For the second straight week, a HUGE offensive mistake made the game closer than it should have been. DK Metcalf showboated on what should have been a 63-yard TD catch, and cornerback Trevon Diggs punched the ball through the end zone from the 1.  

Continue reading Surprising 3-0 start has been costly, too →
Franchise history, Week 2: New England

Hawks are 2-0 for 12th time, but this is not 2013

Leave a comment

The Seahawks are 2-0 for the third time in Russell Wilson’s career and the 12th time in franchise history.

The Hawks have made the postseason in each of the other two years Wilson led them to 2-0, 2013 and 2019, and they are 7 for 11 overall in making the playoffs after 2-0 starts.

Continue reading Hawks are 2-0 for 12th time, but this is not 2013 →
Week 2: New England

expect more thrillers like that win over Pats

1 Comment

If the first two games are any indication, the Seahawks are going to play in a lot of shootouts this season – and probably win most of them.

Russell Wilson is off to his best start ever — with nine TD passes and one interception (thanks, Greg Olsen). Meanwhile, the defense, even with superstar Jamal Adams, is struggling every bit as much as it did in 2019, when almost every week (12 of 16 anyway) involved a thriller.

This 35-30 win over the Patriots was more of that brand – and the same kind of show Pete Carroll and Bill Belichick’s teams always put on when they meet.

Continue reading expect more thrillers like that win over Pats →