Now we know what happens to Mike Macdonald’s defense when you subtract five starters: It becomes latter-day Pete Carroll’s defense.
Without Leonard Williams, Uchenna Nwosu, Boye Mafe, Byron Murphy and Jerome Baker, Seattle simply did not have the talent to stop Detroit’s complex and well-stocked offense Monday. The result was a rather predictable shootout win by Detroit, 42-29.
It was a memorable game, but one the Hawks and their fans are better off forgetting. Better days are ahead.
The NFL has been totally unpredictable early this season (our Survivor pool is already down from 150 entries to a handful), so it is notable that the Seahawks are one of the only teams that have not stumbled.
Before the season, we projected a 2-1 start, with a loss to Miami. But, after Tua Tagovailoa went on IR with another concussion, the Hawks became the obvious favorites in Week 3. They then handled the Dolphins 24-3 to become one of only four teams that are 3-0 (pending Buffalo’s result Monday night).
Yeah, the Hawks are 3-0 against teams that are a combined 3-6. But, you can only play the schedule you are dealt. The Hawks can’t help that they have faced a rookie QB (Broncos), a journeyman with no receivers (Patriots) and backup QBs (Dolphins).
Their defense has put the clamps on, allowing just 249 yards (second in NFL) and 14.3 points per game (fourth). We’ll see whether they can keep that up against a couple of top-four offenses over the next three games: Detroit on Monday night and San Francisco in a Thursday night game in Week 6. (The middling Giants are the Week 5 opponent.)
Continue reading At 3-0, Hawks are on a playoff pace despite more injuries and struggling O-line
“I think the past two weeks we’ve really shown how close of a team we are when battling adversity. I know we are only going to get stronger and play better throughout the season.’’ – DK Metcalf
As we expected, the Seahawks are off to a 2-0 start following wins over seemingly lesser teams. As we also expected, the Hawks have serious flaws up front to work out if they are going to be any better than the nine wins we predicted for this season.
On the bright side, they have made the playoffs all six previous times they have started 2-0 over the last 25 years, per Gregg Bell. And there is plenty of time to fix an offensive line that has had some major struggles in both games and a defensive front that allowed 185 rushing yards to the Patriots in Week 2.
Continue reading Hawks are 2-0 with work to do, but odds and schedule favor themMike Macdonald seems open to keeping Geno Smith as Seattle’s starting quarterback beyond 2024. But the Seahawks are not considering an extension at this point, John Schneider recently said in response to a report that Smith’s agent has asked for a new deal.
Smith still needs to prove he is worth a raise and extension.
Continue reading Smith is paid as the NFL sees him, so he needs to change minds in 2024
Everyone keeps wanting to kick Geno Smith to the curb, replacing him with a draft pick or Sam Howell — or anybody really.
But it sure seems like he is growing on new Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald. Not enough to get a new contract yet, as Smith reportedly would like, but it sounds as though the door could be open to a new deal after the season – if Smith plays worth it.
During camp, Macdonald hinted that Smith could indeed be in Seattle beyond 2025.
“I think that relationship is blossoming,’’ Macdonald told SI’s Albert Breer. “We’re not there yet; it’s still six months in or whatever. But we’re looking forward to seeing where it evolves over the next few years.’’
Continue reading If Geno plays well, could he stick around for a ‘few years’?
Amid the hullabaloo by some overly nostalgic fans about Mike Macdonald’s rearranging of the VMAC, his players seem to get it. They know Pete Carroll’s missing hoop and the temporarily blank walls are a metaphor for a clean slate, a new beginning.
They also know the expectations are much higher now and being delivered in a more defined, exacting way than Carroll and his staff were doing over the last few years.
It’s all as it should be, and the smart ones – players and fans – understand that. The players who don’t won’t be around very long. And that’s as it should be, too.
The core leaders of this defense – Leonard Williams, Uchenna Nwosu and Julian Love – sound bought in.
Continue reading Players: Macdonald and ‘right coaches’ bring ‘urgency’
As fans across social media debate the Sam Howell trade, perhaps the best way to frame the discussion is thus: Did the Seahawks just trade for Matt Hasselbeck or did they trade for Charlie Whitehurst?
In other words, did they add a potential franchise passer or a second-tier backup? Or maybe something in between?
A few weeks ago, we set the table for the transition from holdover quarterback Geno Smith to a new QB who becomes Mike Macdonald’s guy. In that post, we retraced how Mike Holmgren landed Hasselbeck in Year 3 (2001) and how John Schneider took a swing on Whitehurst in his first year (2010), missed and didn’t get his QB until Year 3 either.
Hasselbeck turned into a franchise savior while Whitehurst was merely Clipboard Jesus. Which might Howell be?
Continue reading Is Howell a trade for Hasselbeck — or for Whitehurst?
John Schneider apparently did not find much trade interest in Geno Smith at the Combine – at least that’s the conclusion we are drawing from a report that the Seahawks have told Smith he will be on the roster in 2024.
Per NFL insider Jordan Schultz, “The Seahawks have informed Geno Smith he will be on the roster in 2024 under his current contract. I’m told Smith has received commitment from Seattle’s front office.”
That is something that had seemed in doubt this week as both Mike Macdonald and Schneider had indicated no firm commitment to the 33-year-old quarterback.
But, based on the Schultz report, Smith seems set to start for a third season in Seattle. That doesn’t preclude the Hawks from making other moves at the position, of course.
Continue reading Smith reportedly won’t be traded, but will Schneider draft a quarterback?
“That’s a tough question, and it’s one that I probably can’t answer right now.” – Mike Macdonald on whether Geno Smith and Drew Lock will be on the team
Mike Macdonald seemed to answer the question raised by the Seahawks’ conversion of Geno Smith’s bonus last week: A trade is not off the table.
In an interview aired Sunday, KCPQ’s Aaron Levine asked the new coach, “Are Geno Smith and Drew Lock both involved in the future of this team going forward?”
Macdonald said, “That’s a tough question, and it’s one that I probably can’t answer right now. We’re doing a lot of work on those guys.
“Right now we’re in the phase of figuring out who they are. Obviously one or two or both would fit into our plan moving forward, but right now I probably don’t have that answer for you.”
At the Combine two days later, John Schneider also was noncommittal, saying Smith is “the starter until he’s not.”
Continue reading ‘The starter until he’s not’: Is a trade viable?
Just a few days after Geno Smith’s 2024 salary became guaranteed, the Seahawks made a mildly surprising move to give him even more guaranteed money, converting his March roster bonus into a pay-now bonus to add $4.8 million in cap space.
Why did they decide to pay the $9.6 million now, three weeks before the league year begins and 25 days before it was technically due?
Continue reading Why pay Geno now? The Combine is coming
CHAWK TALK: Everything being said about the Seahawks 