Tag Archives: Marshawn Lynch

State of the team, Week 14: At Philadelphia, X's & O's

Seahawks need to flip red zone performance

December 4, 2014 cc Leave a comment

The Seahawks’ matching 19-3 wins over Arizona and San Francisco the past two weeks have been impressive defensive feats — the lowest two-game total by Seattle opponents since the Hawks beat Philadelphia and San Francisco 83-3 late in their 2005 Super Bowl season.

Of course, led by coach Mike Holmgren and quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, the 2005 Hawks had the best offense in the league (in yards and points) and were No. 2 in red zone scoring.

About the only thing this Seattle offense shares with that one is a strong running game. Russell Wilson’s offense has struggled to score touchdowns, especially over the last three games.

Continue reading Seahawks need to flip red zone performance →

CHAWK LINES

December 1, 2014 cc Leave a comment

After Arizona lost Sunday, the Seahawks control their destiny (except for the No. 1 seed, where they need an unlikely loss by Green Bay).

More scuttlebutt about Marshawn Lynch retiring — or, laughably, leaving Seattle to join Tom Cable elsewhere. Really? Who is going to hire Cable as a head coach?

The media keeps thinking Lynch not talking is a big story.

The pass defense has returned to form, which explains the Seahawks’ rediscovered dominance, Jerry Brewer says.

Per Sports Press Northwest, Richard Sherman is the first player in 30 years to tally 23 interceptions in his first four years. The last two to do it? Everson Walls and Seahawks Ring of Honor member Kenny Easley.

This could be the first year without a flexed “Sunday Night Football” game. The Seahawks play Arizona on Sunday night, Dec. 21.

Week 13: At San Francisco

Hawks should finally win in San Francisco

November 27, 2014 cc Leave a comment

Is this finally the year the
Seahawks win at San Francisco?

They haven’t done it since 2008, going 0-4 in Pete
Carroll’s trips to his hometown. But a lot of things seem to be going their way for their first game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.

1 — This has been a home-dominated series between Carroll’s Hawks and Jim Harbaugh’s 49ers, but the Hawks have gotten closer and closer to winning in the Bay Area. They lost by 19 in 2010 and 16 in 2011, and with Russell Wilson they have lost by seven and two. Extrapolate that improvement out and the Hawks seem set for a three-point win this time.

2 — The Seahawks are 11-1 in prime time under Carroll — a major reason they were shorted on night games this season despite winning the Super Bowl. Granted, the loss was in San Francisco on a Thursday night in 2012, but the Hawks have won seven straight night games, averaging 31 points.

Continue reading Hawks should finally win in San Francisco →

Week 12: Arizona

Can Wilson keep carrying offense? Will he have to?

November 25, 2014 cc Leave a comment

Last week, Russell Wilson took full responsibility for the struggles of the Seahawks’ offense and basically declared that it was time for him to take over.

“I think that I have to find a way to be clutch and always be clutch,” he said. “It’s something that I look forward to. It’s calling for that time right now, so I’m looking forward to that.”

On Sunday, he was as clutch as it gets, playing probably his best game of the season — considering the opponent, the team’s situation and the personal slump Wilson was trying to bust out of.

The question is: Can he continue to do it?

Continue reading Can Wilson keep carrying offense? Will he have to? →

CHAWK LINES, Week 12: Arizona

November 23, 2014 cc Leave a comment

These Cardinals are better than the group that beat the Seahawks in Seattle last season. And these Seahawks aren’t as good.

Are the Seahawks really desperate? No, because they have more than minus-38 dollars in their bank account.

A look at some keys to the game by Seahawks.com. And some more from AZCardinals.com.

“This is a big blitzing team and we need to do a good job of handling it,” Pete Carroll said.

Seattle’s defense is almost as healthy as it can get at this point (with the major exception of Brandon Mebane).

No surprise: Teammates love Marshawn Lynch.

Injury report, Week 12: Arizona

Hawks need 5 wins; can they get healthy, stop the run, get some calls?

November 18, 2014 cc Leave a comment

It would have been nice for the Seahawks to win in Kansas City — if only for the Hawks to show they can beat a good team, something they haven’t done since they beat Denver in Week 3.

If the Hawks had been able to tackle better, convert a third or fourth down in the fourth quarter or perhaps get a call or two to go their way, they might have avoided falling three games behind streaking Arizona (9-1, with six straight wins) as the two prepare to meet for the first time this week in Seattle.

Continue reading Hawks need 5 wins; can they get healthy, stop the run, get some calls? →

Contracts, State of the team

Carroll admits Lynch’s contract is still an issue

November 17, 2014 cc Leave a comment

Pete Carroll finally admitted that there is a disconnect
between Marshawn Lynch and the
Seahawks’ front
office and that it stems from the running back’s offseason contract dispute.

NFL.com continues to reiterate that the team will part ways with Lynch after this season, and Carroll did little to dispel that notion Monday on 710 ESPN.

Asked about his relationship with Lynch, Carroll said, “We’re working through it” — which sure seems like a euphemism for “we tolerate each other, but it’s not going to work past this
season.”

While it certainly is possible that Lynch returns in 2015, all signs seem to point the other direction.

Continue reading Carroll admits Lynch’s contract is still an issue →

CHAWK LINES, Week 11: At Kansas CIty

November 16, 2014 cc Leave a comment

The Chiefs have rebounded from an 0-2 start, winning five of the last six. The New York Times tells us how.

The Chiefs and Seahawks have a lot in common, starting with the ex-Packers in charge.

The NFL once again is trying to get the reticent Marshawn Lynch to speak, though who the hell knows why it matters?

Yet another report that the Seahawks will move on from Lynch after this season. This has been assumed for a long time.

ICYMI: Herman Sarkowsky — who co-founded both the Seahawks and the Portland Trail Blazers, now both owned by Paul Allen — died this month.

Week 10: N.Y. Giants, X's & O's

Passing game is still grounded, but at least the Hawks are running it

November 11, 2014 cc Leave a comment

The Seahawks are finally doing what you, me and everyone else thought they should be doing all year: Running the ball.

Both with Marshawn Lynch and Russell Wilson.

Pete Carroll and Darrell Bevell royally screwed up the offense in the offseason when they plotted to take over the world with Percy Harvin as their weapon of mass destruction. But — as most of the rest of us could have predicted — he imploded, and the Seattle offense blew up with him.

Thanks to the Percy Plan and many injuries on the offensive line (again), Wilson and the passing game have simply not been in sync.

For the fourth time in five games — and third straight game at home — Wilson was very bad throwing the ball. He threw two interceptions — both his fault — in the 38-17 win over the New York Giants. That followed up a 17-of-35 game vs. Oakland and a below-average performance at Carolina.

But the Hawks have won all three because they are running the ball again.

Continue reading Passing game is still grounded, but at least the Hawks are running it →

Week 9: Oakland

Wilson & the Hawks are used to inconsistent OL

November 2, 2014 cc Leave a comment

Wouldn’t it be fun to see what Russell Wilson could do with the passing game behind a reliable offensive line?

He hasn’t had one yet in two and a half seasons as Seattle’s quarterback, and Sunday in their 30-24 win over the Oakland Raiders the Hawks went with their 15th line combination in Wilson’s 40 games.

It was ironic that the five starters from the best line in Seattle history — the 2005 Super Bowl line — happened to be in the house to celebrate Hall of Fame tackle Walter Jones’ induction into the Ring of Honor.

As Jones, Steve Hutchinson, Robbie Tobeck, Chris Gray and Sean Locklear looked on, the Hawks started a third-string center, a second-year utility player at left tackle and a rookie right tackle — and by the end of the game they had another rookie playing left guard.

Continue reading Wilson & the Hawks are used to inconsistent OL →