Tag Archives: Aaron Rodgers

More indicators that Wilson’s agent is being unreasonable

July 23, 2015 cc Leave a comment

We’ve long suspected that Russell Wilson’s agent, Mark Rodgers, was going to be a problem for the Seahawks in contract negotiations, and it is becoming increasingly clear that he is indeed the problem.

The most recent tidbits over the last couple of days come from some guys with a little insider info: former Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren and Field Gulls.

On Wednesday, Holmgren said on KJR-AM that the offer he has heard is “very fair” and “the Seahawks are not lowballing” Wilson. Of course, that is coming from a guy who has always been on the management side of such talks. But Holmgren has been involved in enough deals to know what is fair.

Add to his comments what the guys at Field Gulls said in their podcast Thursday: They were told last month by a trusted source that the Seahawks had offered Wilson $54 million in guaranteed money, which would match the record amount the Packers gave Aaron Rodgers in 2013.

Continue reading More indicators that Wilson’s agent is being unreasonable →

Schedule

This schedule is much better than 2014

April 22, 2015 cc Leave a comment

So, apparently if you lose a Super Bowl in agonizing fashion, you get a much friendlier schedule the next year.

For a team with the fourth-toughest schedule in the league (based on 2014 records), the Seahawks pulled as amenable a schedule as they could have requested Tuesday when the NFL released the full slate.

With a team-record five prime-time games, three straight contests at home in November, a perfectly placed midseason bye, no bad-weather games and a friendly final two months, the Seahawks have a much better setup than they faced in 2014. (Plus, they get Al Michaels calling games three times and we have to suffer through Jon Gruden just once.)

Last year, the Seahawks were among the first set of byes in Week 4 and finished with five rugged division games in the final six weeks — and they still claimed the top seed in the NFC for the second straight year.

Despite a tough early schedule, they are in good position to win the NFC for a third straight year.

Continue reading This schedule is much better than 2014 →

Contracts

Which QB’s deal will Wilson’s most resemble?

April 4, 2015 cc Leave a comment

At UW’s Pro Day on Thursday, Pete Carroll was asked how contract talks with Russell Wilson were going.

“Ongoing. Just ongoing,” he said, per Bob Condotta. “Really that’s all you can really say about it. But it’s under way.”

Wilson’s contract has been a big topic ever since the Super Bowl ended, with plenty of speculation about how and when it will be done. Carroll and John Schneider both have made it clear it will get done (probably this month), although they obviously have not shared any specifics.

At the owners meetings, Carroll said the contract would have “extraordinary ramifications” and “there is so much magnitude in this deal and it affects so much.”

All you have to do is look around the league to see how QB deals affect teams.

Continue reading Which QB’s deal will Wilson’s most resemble? →

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? →

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.

Continue reading Wilson could trump Rodgers twice more →

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 →

Week 3: Denver

Carroll on facing another great QB: ‘It doesn’t get any better’

September 16, 2014 cc Leave a comment

As the Seattle defense prepares to face a star quarterback for the third straight week, coach Pete Carroll says, “It doesn’t get any better than this.”

Having beaten Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers and lost to Philip Rivers and the San Diego Chargers, the Hawks now prepare to host Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos in a Super Bowl rematch. And Carroll cracked that they ought to add Tom Brady and the New England Patriots during the Seahawks’ Week 4 bye.

“It’s as hard as it can get,” Carroll said, not meaning that in a bad way. “It’s great for us. It’s going to help us during the course of the season. You can’t get any better challenges than these guys throwing the football. Aaron is phenomenal. And look what we just saw (with Rivers). And here comes Peyton.

“This is a great stretch for us. It’ll only help us,” Carroll said of playing the three top-rated active quarterbacks in the NFL. “We have to be so on the mark and so right in everything we’re doing to defend these guys.”

Continue reading Carroll on facing another great QB: ‘It doesn’t get any better’ →

Week 2: At San Diego

Maxwell: ‘I take it as earning my keep’

September 13, 2014 cc Leave a comment

Byron Maxwell says he is just “earning my keep” as the cornerback who gets targeted most while playing opposite Richard Sherman.

In the season opener, Sherman was avoided by Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who instead threw it Maxwell’s way all game. He didn’t have too much more success as Maxwell shut down the big plays and ended up with an interception — making Rodgers and the Packers pay for picking on him all game.

But Maxwell is not offended by all of that action. He knows Sherman has proven himself as perhaps the best corner in the game, so it follows that teams will look Maxwell’s way more often.

“I take it as earning my keep,” he told 710 ESPN.

Continue reading Maxwell: ‘I take it as earning my keep’ →

Week 2: At San Diego

Seahawks are passing through gauntlet of NFL’s top-rated QBs

September 12, 2014 cc Leave a comment

Plenty has been made of the fact that Russell Wilson is undefeated against the best quarterbacks in the league over his first two-plus seasons: Aaron Rodgers (twice), Drew Brees (twice), Peyton Manning, Tom Brady.

But who is largely responsible for him beating those quarterbacks? Seattle’s defense, of course.

The Hawks, who beat Brees, Colin Kaepernick and Manning last postseason as they claimed the first Super Bowl title in franchise history, face a trio of the best QBs to start this season as well: Rodgers, Philip Rivers and Manning.

Rodgers, Manning and Rivers are the three top-rated active quarterbacks in the NFL (Brady and Brees are fourth and sixth), and they are 1-2-4 in NFL history (Steve Young ranks third, ahead of Rivers). These guys are so good they basically run their offenses, calling plays in their fast-paced, no-huddle schemes.

“If you look at it from what we saw last week, this week and next week against Denver, we’re seeing very similar expertise,” coach Pete Carroll said. “The guys really understand the game to such great depth that their coaches have recognized that and given them the opportunity to run the game at the line of scrimmage.

“They get to utilize their strengths by seeing what they want to see, changing what they need to change,” Carroll said, “so I think we’re as challenged as you can get by the level of play by these guys. There is no drop-off and it’s amazing that we see three terrific quarterbacks right in a row.”

Continue reading Seahawks are passing through gauntlet of NFL’s top-rated QBs →