Category Archives: Seahawks

Seattle Seahawks Lock Arms During National Anthem: Images and Video

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Before the Seattle Seahawks played the franchise’s home opener against the Miami Dolphins, the entire team and coaching staff locked arms and stood together in a sign of unity.

Here are some images and video.

 

 

 

 

 

You can also view this article on Know Hitter.

Seattle Seahawks Fill Needs, Add Intriguing Upside in Early Rounds of Draft

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Seattle Seahawks front office members made a number of trades, but ended up with a first-round pick, a second-round pick and three third-round picks.

John Schneider and friends certainly had a lot to work with, and they did well to add players who not only fill needs, but add significant talent and upside to an already young and exciting Seahawks team. Here’s a look at the team’s picks.

1st Round Pick, 31st Overall, OT Germain Ifedi

Initially assigned the 26th-overall pick, the Seattle Seahawks traded down five spots with the Denver Broncos. For moving down just five place, Pete Carroll and company netted an extra third-round draft pick.

When it came to picking at 31, Seattle took offensive lineman Germain Ifedi. The Texas A&M product is extremely physical up front and could potentially start right away.  What’s more, Ifedi could stay a starter for a long time. He has significant potential thanks to tremendous length and strength.

He isn’t a finished product by any means, but the presence of offensive line coach Tom Cable, Seattle can take some more risks with offensive lineman. The team knows they can eventually be coached up. Ifedi has a pretty solid base to begin with, and should only improve under Cable’s tutelage.

2nd Round Pick, 49th Overall, DT Jarran Reed

Seattle used the team’s second round pick to snag the last player left in the green room, Alabama defensive tackle Jarran Reed.

Reed should also contribute right away after earning a reputation as a tremendous run stopper. That’s where he’ll earn a living with the Seahawks, stuffing the run. The fact that Seattle got a defensive tackle with first-round talent with the 49th-overall pick is fantastic for the team moving forward.

Defensive line was a need for the Hawks entering the draft, and adding Reed gives the team a potential impact player on the line.

3rd Round Pick, 90th Overall Pick, RB C.J. Prosise

New Seahawk C.J. Prosise played wide receiver at Notre Dame before transitioning to running back. Physical and elusive, he can also contribute in the pass game thanks to his background as a wide out.

In his only season as a starter in the backfield the former receiver ran for 1,029 yards on 6.6 yards per carry. He found the endzone 11 times while also adding 26 catches for 308 yards and another score through the air.

As a pass-catching compliment to Thomas Rawls, this is an excellent pick. You can bet the Seahawks will try to get him the ball in different ways, lining him up in different spots and things of the like.

3rd Round, 94th Overall Pick— TE Nick Vannett

Seattle had two third-round picks, the team’s own and the pick they got from Denver when the Broncos wanted to move up a few spots in the first round to take Paxton Lynch. The Seahawks used the pick from John Elway and company on athletic tight end Nick Vannett.

Athletic with solid hands, Vannett gives Seattle some legitimate depth at tight end. With Jimmy Graham and Luke Willson already in the fold, Vannett gives the team another quality tight end. At 6’6” with serious athleticism, the Ohio State product will contribute. Did I mention he’s a solid blocker? The Seahawks got a good one here.

3rd Round, 97th Overall Pick— Rees Odhiambo

The Hawks’ last third round pick came via a compensation selection. Seattle took another offensive lineman, this time selecting Boise State’s Rees Odhiambo. Originally from Kenya, the lineman will likely see time at both guard and tackle. Strong and athletic, if he can stay healthy, he could be a long-term solution for the Seahawks on the offensive line.

Carroll, Cable and the rest of the Seahawks’ coaching staff values guys who can play multiple positions up front, and that’s Odhiambo. At worst, he’ll be a solid depth piece. However, he could easily develop into a starter.

Seattle Seahawks: 3 Reasons the Hawks will be better in 2016

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The Seattle Seahawks nearly pulled off one of the greatest comebacks in NFL history against the Carolina Panthers, but just fell short. It was a comparatively tougher season after two straight Super Bowl appearances and a slow start.

However, there’s a number of reasons to believe that the Seahawks will be back and better than ever next season. Here’s three of them.

  • Jimmy Graham

In the last seven games of the regular season Russell Wilson amassed 1,949 passing yards, 22 touchdowns (only two interceptions) and a 124.4 quarterback rating without Jimmy Graham. Imagine Wilson running an offense with Graham.

Injuries to running backs Marshawn Lynch and Thomas Rawls forced Seattle to throw more, and it worked out brilliantly. Wilson was historically good, and the team excelled when leaning on passing plays.

Graham’s injury was particularly unfortunate, because it seemed as if he had finally adjusted to playing with the scrambling Wilson after years of catching passes from the stationary Drew Brees.

After so much success, Pete Carroll and company aren’t likely to abandon the prolific passing attack anytime soon. This increased number of throwing plays will only benefit Graham. The combination of the towering tight end, Doug Baldwin and Tyler Lockett will give opposing defenses nightmares.

  • A Healthy Thomas Rawls

With Lynch retiring,  Rawls will be the focal point of the Seattle running game. The  Seahawks’ young running back will likely be fully healthy in 2016/2017 after missing significant time due to injury last season with an ankle injury. Before the injury, the rookie was an unstoppable force. He led the league in yards per carry, while topping 100 yards four times despite only averaging 11.3 rushing attempts per games over 13 contests. The combination of a dominant run game led by Rawls, with a dynamic passing attack will make Seattle one of the league’s best teams.

  • The Continued Improvement of Russel Willson

By all accounts, the Seattle signal caller had a career year in 2015. Wilson set career highs in the following categories:

  • Completions
  • Completion Percentage
  • Passing Yards
  • Passing Touchdowns
  • Yards Gained Per Pass Attempt
  • Adjusted Yards Gained Per Pass Attempt
  • Passing Yards Per Game
  • Quarterback Rating
  • QBR
  • Net Yards Gained Per Pass Attempt
  • Adjusted Net Yards Per Pass Attempt

As time goes by, Wilson continues to get better and better, showing steady improvement. He’s already one of the best quarterbacks in the league, but he has the potential to grow his game even more considering his track record. With more control in the offense next season, expect Russell Wilson to continue to grow and the Seattle Seahawks to come back strong in 2016.

Seattle Seahawks: Even as Six Seed, Hawks Remain Poised for Another Super Bowl Run

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Another season, another playoff appearance for the Seattle Seahawks. The two-time defending NFC champions enter the playoffs as the sixth, and lowest, seed in the National Football Conference. Seattle opens the playoffs against the Minnesota Vikings, the highest seeded NFC team not to receive a first-round bye. Additionally, even if the team wins it all, the Seahawks are guaranteed a total of zero home games.

And yet, the Seattle Seahawks have the look of a team poised to make a third consecutive Super Bowl.

Pete Carroll’s squad trounced the Arizona Cardinals on the road to wrap up the regular season. Playing without starters Russell Okung, Kam Chancellor, Marshawn Lynch, J.R. Sweezy and Luke Willson, the Hawks beat the team’s division rivals 36-6. Seattle’s defense bottled up one of the league’s best offenses while Russell Wilson and company shredded an equally elite defense.

The win was not only impressive, but it showed a sign of things to come for the Hawks.

Seattle will now take the show on the road during the playoffs, but that shouldn’t be a cause for worry. The team’s opponent in the first round is the Minnesota Vikings. Obviously it’s the playoffs and anything can happen, but the Seahawks did steam role the Vikings in Minnesota just last month. The score in that contest was 38-7, with Wilson tossing three touchdowns and Adrian Peterson being held to just 18 yards.

If the Seahawks beat Minnesota, the team will travel to play the Carolina Panthers. Carolina did beat Seattle earlier this year in the Pacific Northwest, but the Hawks led 20-7 at one point and controlled most of the game.

While the Panthers are an extremely good team, Cam Newton doesn’t have a lot of weapons at his disposal in the same way Russell Wilson does. In other words, if Newton has an off day, Carolina is susceptible to defeat. Case in point, the Panthers only loss came against the Atlanta Falcons, who held Carolina’s star quarterback to 188 total yards and one total touchdown.

Of the three teams the Seahawks could face in a potential NFC Championship game, none should be overly intimidating. Washington owns the worst record of any playoff team, while Seattle has experience against both Green Bay and (obviously) Arizona.

The Hawks lost by 10 to the Packers on the road in Week 2. However, Seattle had a lead in the fourth quarter despite playing without Chancellor. Green Bay also needed a passing masterclass from Aaron Rodgers to earn the win.

One of the NFC’s two wild cards, Green Bay faltered down the stretch, going 4-6 over the team’s final 10 games. That included losses to the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears. Additionally, three of the Pack’s four wins came against struggling teams such as the Lions, Dallas Cowboys and Oakland Raiders.

In addition to a potentially favorable schedule, the Hawks will get Lynch back from injury. The Seattle offense was already dynamic without the team’s star running back. Now it seems the offense will only become more explosive with a healthy “Beast Mode.”

 

With Lynch’s return, the Hawks are now equipped to play any style required. The team can slug it out in a run dominated and low scoring affair, or throw it 50 times per game.

However you slice it, the Seattle Seahawks are equipped for another Super Bowl run. Watch out NFL.

Seattle Seahawks: Christine Michael Finally Gets His Shot

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After almost three years and stints with two different teams, Christine Michael is getting his chance to shine with the Seattle Seahawks.

The running back, who was drafted in the second round by the Hawks in 2013, is back with Seattle. He was previously traded to the Dallas Cowboys before the season to clear room for the man he is helping replace in the Pacific Northwest: Thomas Rawls. Dallas cut Michael, prompting the back to sign with Washington’s practice squad.

But thanks to injuries to Rawls and Marshawn Lynch, not to mention DuJuan Harris’ ineffectiveness, Christine Michael will finally have his shot to be the lead back in Seattle.

He’ll obviously have to compete with fellow new addition Bryce Brown for snaps, but with Fred Jackson staying in a passing/third-down capacity, there will be plenty of snaps for Michael.

The former second-round draft has always had the talent, but has never quite had a full opportunity to establish himself. Michael never had that chance with the Hawks thanks to the presence of Lynch. If “Beast Mode” is healthy, no one is going to be taking carries away from him.

But with Lynch injured, it could Michael’s time to shine.

In 19 career games, the newest Seahawk has ran for 305 yards on 67 carries.

Early in his career, Michael showed flashes of brilliance. The running back once ran for 71 yards on only four carries against the Giants. For his career with Seattle, Michael has averaged 4.6 yards per carry. There’s clearly talent there, but the Seahawks just need to see it on a more consistent basis. The former Texas A&M star has registered five career games with less than five total rushing yards.

Despite that, the Seahawks’ upcoming schedule provides Michael the opportunity to do some serious damage. Sunday’s opponent, the Cleveland Browns, allow the fourth most rushing yards. The Browns have also allowed 11 rushing scores, tied for the sixth-most in NFL history.

Following the Browns, Seattle will play the St. Louis Rams. St. Louis has given up the eleventh most yards on the ground. The team’s last contest of the season is against the Arizona Cardinals. Arizona has only allowed the sixth-fewest rushing yards in the league. While the game could be an intense battle for the division, it could also be a game in which the Cardinals are resting there starters ahead of the playoffs.

What’s more, Russell Wilson and the passing game’s recent hot streak will open up running lanes for Michael as teams focus on Doug Baldwin, Tyler Lockett and the receivers. The now-former Cowboy is joining a dynamic offense. An offense that will also provide him plenty of opportunity. Only the Carolina Panthers have attempted more rushes in the NFL.

In other words, Christine Michael will get his chances.

Kam Chancellor Returns to the Seahawks: What the Safety Brings Back to the Team

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He’s back.

Kam Chancellor ended his holdout and reported to the Seahawks on Wednesday

The Seattle Seahawks were evidently missing one of their leaders, especially on the field where the team allowed over 700 yards of offense (713) and 61 points (!) during the first two games of the NFL season.

So just what does Chancellor (re) add to the team upon his return?

First and foremost is his role as the “muscle,” for-lack-of-a-better-term, of the secondary. Chancellor is very much the enforcer to Earl Thomas’ centerfielder/last line of defense. DeShawn Shead and Dion Bailey (Chancellor’s temporary replacements) show promise, but neither of them can deliver a hit the way Kam Chancellor can.

Here’s Exhibit A:

And Exhibit B:

…And Exhibit C:

Also Exhibit D:

You can see why his nickname is “Bam Bam” (and not just because it rhymes with this first name).

Chancellor’s physical style of play not only meshes with everything the Seahawks do, it also helps the team in terms of intimidating opposing offenses. In a recent story by Michael Silver that ran on NFL.com, defensive end Cliff Avril said the follow about Chancellor, “’His presence, by itself, it puts a lot of fear in the receivers, and even the running backs.’”

It’s one thing to start a player who can make tackles and perform at a high level, it’s a completely different thing when a player actually inspires fear in opposing players. With that kind of a reputation, Chancellor could have a major impact on the game without making a single tackle. In other words, opposing players are fearful of going near Chancellor, they may avoid him for large chunks of the game. Not a bad card to have up your sleeve if you’re running a defense that strives to minimalize the number of big plays.

On top of all that, Chancellor is one of the leaders of the defense, not mention the team in general. Remember, during the Hawks’ offseason trip to Hawaii, it was largely thanks to Chancellor that some of the defensive players went in the first place.

Having all of those qualities in one player, and to have that player back is huge for the Seahawks. Chancellor will likely play on Sunday against the Bears, though how much remains to be seen. Regardless of his snap count on Sunday, expect him to play more, if not the whole game in Week Four.

Did I mention he can also do this?

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