In the NFL, “stability” is a funny word. However, that’s what the Seattle Seahawks have with star quarterback Russell Wilson.
Sure, Andy Dalton and Phillip Rivers provide quarterback stability. But unless they have superb, and I mean superb, supporting casts they aren’t winning much.
Russell Wilson provides that stability, and supporting cast or no, can win you something. The Seahawks have always had a strong defense during Wilson’s time, but the receiving corps hasn’t always been consistent. Part of that has to do with the Seahawks’ quarterback’s tendency to spread the ball around, but that’s not all of it.
As stated, regardless of the supporting cast, Wilson is good enough to put his team in a position to win.
This kind of stability is something that the Seahawks needed.
Everyone knew Matt Hasselbeck had a glass ceiling. He was fantastic when he played for the Seahawks, but he had an expiration date, and everyone knew that. Hasselbeck was always a good, but not great, QB.
Russell Wilson is a great quarterback. He was good last year, and he’s taken the step up to great this season.
Wilson brings a sense of long-term stability that we’ve never seen at the quarterback position before in Seattle.
Quarterback may be the most important and/or scrutinized position in sports. Period. Watching a Seahawks game with Russell Wilson and being able to say, “Ok, he’s our QB for the next decade. We’re going to win, we’re going to be fine.” That’s a nice statement to be able to say.
Throw in the fact that we’ve seen the likes of Charlie Whitehurst and Matt Flynn under center in Seattle and having Russell Wilson seems even better.
The Seattle Seahawks’ most important win of the season was not the thrashing they gave the San Francisco 49ers on a wet Sunday night in mid-September. Nor was it their recent thumping of the Saints. Well, if it wasn’t two of the teams’ primetime, nationally televised games, which game was it?
It was the 12-7 victory the Seahawks opened the year with. The one that they ground out over the Carolina Panthers.
The Carolina Panthers.
Coming into the year, San Francisco was/is going to be tough. Houston was very good last year, as was Atlanta. Indianapolis and Minnesota both looked like they were on the upswing. The Giants certainly aren’t going to be an easy game. Of all the teams the Seahawks have played this year, who would have thought Carolina would be the most important?
Most people, myself included, probably thought Carolina was going to be a somewhat difficult game. Tougher than, as say, a game against Jacksonville, but nowhere near as tough as a game versus New York or Minnesota. This is all before the season, mind you.
As it stands, Seattle owns tie-breakers over projected NFC playoff teams New Orleans, San Francisco and Carolina. Regardless of what happens this Sunday, San Francisco probably isn’t going to catch Seattle for the NFC West title. That being said, the Seahawks biggest competition for home-field advantage will come from one of its’ NFC South contemporaries.
With Seattle owning a tie-breaker over both teams, it would take something truly catastrophic, and nearly impossible, for the Seahawks to lose home-field advantage. However, one of these teams could put the pressure on Pete Carroll’s squad. That team is the Panthers. If you look at it purely based on momentum, and the fact that the Panthers and Saints play twice in the next two weeks, you would pick Carolina.
New Orleans laid an egg in Seattle, which judging on the Seahawks’ play this year, isn’t too big of a deal. Still, the Saints aren’t necessarily on a hot streak. That is exactly what the Panthers are on. Cam Newton and company have won eight straight games.
At the end of the season, the road to the Super Bowl in the NFC will likely go through Seattle. The Seahawks should get home-field advantage without too much of a fuss, but Carolina will make it close. Thank goodness the Hawks beat them earlier in their schedule.
This isn’t going to be as plentiful as the last time I did this. Before that it was a Tigers-Rays regular season game in Tampa, a Euro 2012 semi-final where my Italians knocked off the mighty Germans 2-1 thanks to a brace from Mario Balotelli and that year’s NBA draft. This time I’m taking it a little easier. Seahawks/Titans is the only order of business.
1:05
Titans receiving the kickoff to start the game. Here comes Ryan Fitzpatrick. If these teams played last year in Seattle, it would have been interesting seeing as former UW Prodigy Jake Locker and old friend Matt Hasselbeck were the Titans options under center. Now Hasselbeck is making fun of Andrew Luck’s cellphone in Indianapolis and Jake Locker is out injured. Ergo Ryan Fitzpatrick.
1:12
Russell Wilson starts the game off with a completion to Luke Willson after Tennessee punts away. Max Unger is back in the fold, Michael Bowie starting at right tackle.
1:13
For Tennessee to have any success, the general consensus is to put pressure on Russell Wilson. Good luck in the loud noise. Honestly, good luck. It’s so loud in there you can’t think about what you want for lunch, let alone play an NFL game.
1:17
High snaps continue for the Titans as they have second and 14 inside the 10. Chris Johnson is lined up on the “H” in Seahawks in the endzone pre-snap.
1:23
Titans score first on a field goal after showing a somewhat dejected-looking Jake Locker on the sidelines. Here’s hoping they don’t continually show the Ferndale native on the sidelines unable to play in his home state. A sad drinking game for any who partake in it.
1:28
Seahawks utilizing the read-option more and more as Russell Wilson gets a first down on a run. Also concerning that the Titans moved the ball somewhat easily on their first drive. They took it from inside the 10 to a short field-goal. All this is concerning considering that the Seahawks have generally shut down Chris Johnson. It’s been all Ryan Fitzpatrick. Seahawks have to improve; teams of their quality and ambitions can’t let Ryan Fitzpatrick carve them up at home. It’s a recipe for disaster.
1:33
The Titans have nearly double the yards the Seahawks do so far, not good. As I say this, Earl Thomas picks off Fitzpatrick on a high throw. Looks like he thought 6’1 Nate Washington was as tall as Kareem Abdul-Jabar.
1:35
Supposedly the Titans repeatedly watched tape of Marshawn Lynch’s Beast Quake against the Saints. That’s positive thinking. Also, it never gets old watching it. Go ahead, indulge yourself.
1:41
CBS graphic shows Ryan Fitzpatrick is tied for the fourth most giveaways by a quarterback since 2011 with an astounding 50. Fifty. Titans backed into a corner with turnover-happy Fitzpatrick in Seattle against a team that forces a lot of turnovers. Going to be a long day if the Titans’ QB can’t buck his recent trend of turnovers.
1:42
Another semi-dejected Locker sideline shot. That’s two.
1:44
Fitzpatrick throws another high pass on a completed slant rout on third down. You have to wonder if the noise is a factor with all the high snaps and throws. Meanwhile Chris Johnson runs into another wall running the ball.
1:46
Titans left tackle Michael Roos went to college at Eastern Washington. So that’s fun.
1:49
Golden Tate gets hit in the head on his way out of bounds during a tackle. Multiple penalties not called by the refs.
1:50
“We’re in Seattle. It’s not raining.” This the latest from the commentators.IT DOESN’T RAIN EVERY DAY!
1:52
Seahawks going to run into money problems at some point in time. They will have to give Russell Wilson, Richard Sherman, etc. The Seahawks should have money to spend long term with Sidney Rice and Zach Miller’s respective contracts coming off the books. ‘Hawks have long-term replacements lined up with Anthony McCoy, Luke Willson, Jermaine Kerse and Doug Baldwin respectively.
1:57
Beast Mode slams it into the endzone for his fourth rushing score of the year. Incidentally, also on fourth and one on the goal line.
2:08
Steven Hauschka being tested for concussion-like symptoms on the sidelines. Or at least that’s what it looks like. Not a good thing to see, let alone from your kicker, important position that. Also carries more importance considering how superb Hauschka has been this year on kicks.
2:10
Jon Ryan warming as if to kick a late field goal. Have to wonder who emergency holder is. Was previously Ryan’s gig.
2:12
Ryan lines up for the late field goal, bad hold, botched play results in a turnover. Tennessee returns it for touchdown. The importance of special teams, and even holding, becomes clearer than ever.
Halftime
Potential 10-3 lead turns into 10-7 deficit. Sighs heavily. Also Houston lost again. They could have at least been helpful and beat St. Louis for us.
2:40
So far no semi-dejected Jake Locker sightings in the second half. On a non-related note, Seahawks have to get into a more consistent flow on offense. Too much stop and go. Tennessee is much better than advertised.
2:43
Everything goes wrong for Seattle. Sidney Rice sticks the ball forward for no apparent reason after a catch for a first down. Titans knock the unprotected ball out and recover the fumble. In the ensuing pile-up to get the ball, ‘Hawks called for a flag. Extra 15 yards added on after Tennessee recovers the fumble. Fun times indeed.
2:46
Seahawks lose the challenge on the play. Why on earth did Sidney Rice reach the ball out? I just can’t wrap my head around it.
2:47
Fitzpatrick continues to make throws that look antsy. Lots of high snaps and throws.
2:51
Derek Coleman fumbles on a catch out of the backfield, ball gets knocked strait out of bounds. Seahawks catch somewhat of a break. Second down.
2:56
Who would have thought that Russell Wilson and Ryan Fitzpatrick would be out-rushing Marshawn Lynch and Chris Johnson? Strange times.
3:06
Titans have the ball after a Hauschka field goal. Great to see the kicker back out on the field. And another Locker sighting. That’s three if you’re playing along at home. Chris Johnson continually getting stopped on nearly every run. Only 33 yards so far. At least it’s a step up from last week’s 17 yards.
3:09
Seahawks got somewhat lucky with their scheduling this year. They got the AFC South in terms of another division they had to play outside of their own. It would have been easier if Seattle got Indy and Houston, the division’s best teams at home and had to travel to the two lesser teams on the road. However, it’s better for the team going forward to face the adversity on the road. The Seahawks are always going to be favored at home. Might as well face adversity, and gain from it, on the road than win some cupcake games. This will likely help the team in the playoffs and moving forward. Also the telecast just showed a seagull flying across the field. Strange.
3:10
Chris Johnson looks shaken up after a long screen play. Titans look short after Darius Reynaud tried to slam it in there for a first down on third and short. Titans going for it.
3:15
Tight end Luke Willson makes a nice block on a long run from Robert Turbin. The rookie has shown well in the running and passing game so far. Boy can Pete Carroll and friends draft ‘em.
3:20
Hauschka kicks a field goal to put the team up 13-10. 11:23 left in the game. Seahawks will get a test here in terms of closing out a close game.
3:23
RICHARD SHERMAN YOU ARE RIDICULOUS. The league’s best cornerback gets another pick. No dejected Locker shots following the pick. Seahawks back to work on offense.
3:25
The Seahawks outgaining the Titans 188 to 33 in terms of total yards. A huge turnaround from first half when they only outgained the Titans 153 to 121. Another example of Pete Carroll’s ability to make adjustments at half time. Not a terrible thing to have in your back pocket.
3:30
Sidney Rice makes a ridiculous catch on the sidelines, keeping both feet in bounds while falling out of bounds. That and a Beast Mode touchdown the next play equals a 20-10 lead for Seattle.
3:35
After signing Sidney Rice and trading for Percy Harvin, the team has now taken the Vikings top two offensive weapons, at the time, not named Adrian Peterson. Watch out Minnesota, we’re coming for Cordarelle Paterson in 2015.
3:41
Earl Thomas absolutely losing it after applying a big hit on Damian Williams. Sprints 30 yards and then knocks over Kam Chancellor. Did I mention all this was on an incompletion?
3:44
Another dejected Locker shot. That’s four.
3:45
Five on the dejected Locker shots.
3:46
A field goal pulls Tennessee within a score. Tennessee now has a dilemma whether to kick off and play the timeout game or to onside it. They kick it long and Jermaine Kearse rips off a big return.
3:53
Seahawks have to keep getting first downs and run down the clock. As I say this, Lynch rips off a big game. Six is the count on the Locker shots.
3:55
Seattle lines up in victory formation, runs the clock out. Game over. Seahawks move to 5-1. Next up for Seattle is Thursday in Arizona. Yikes. Crowd chanting “hey, hey, hey goodbye.” Got to love it.
You can see the post in it’s entirety over at knowhitter as well. That can be seen here.
I’ll admit, I thought the game was at one o’clock in my time zone. I didn’t realize it was on until I saw a tweet about “a nice throw” by Russell Wilson. A couple minutes and choice-y swear words later I turned on the TV to see Wilson score on a rushing touchdown to cut it to a 13-point game. Obviously you know the rest. We lost to Atlanta, but there are a ton of things to take from this. Maybe it isn’t the end of the world.
Atlanta was the number-one seed in the playoffs folks. They lost three games by an average of six points, and two of those losses were by only four. Only one loss was at home. Atlanta is really good (offensively.) This is a huge step up from the team’s last playoff appearance. Chicago was a two seed, and we had as much of a chance of winning as the Kings do of staying in Sacramento. A long shot. We did make it close with the Bears, but that was never our game to win. This was different. Yeah, we didn’t play up to par in the first half, but we killed the Falcons in the second half. If the Seahawks had played with half that much gusto and what not in the first half we would be trash talking the 49ers this week. (Inevitably we still are. How ridiculous is Kapernicking? So ridiculous that it’s a rip off.)
Yes, it probably hurt more knowing that we had a legitimate shot at the Super Bowl to lose this game than if we lost it as a Cinderella-Wild Card, but the point is that we were a legitimate Super Bowl contender who took the number-one seed in our conference (who, by the way, easily could have been 16-0) to the last second and went on a three-week scoring rampage with a rookie quarterback. I know Russell Wilson is more than most and/or all rookies, but the fact that this is his basement, imagine what his ceiling is. More so, this team’s ceiling could be very, very high. Chris Clemons, 31, and Marcus Trufant, 32, are the only non-specialists, major contributors over 30. In fact, Heath Farewell, who in his own right is a fantastic special teams player, defensive end Patrick Chukwurah, punter Jon Ryan and stand-in kicker Ryan Longwell are the only guys over 30 on the entire roster. This team has a very high ceiling, and to put it in Pete Carroll’s words, “Can be really cool for us in the future.”
Did I mention how good Russell Wilson is? Not only did he set a franchise and NFL record for passing yards in a playoff game with 385 (WHATTTT!?!?!), but he also threw for 3,118 as a rookie as well as running for 489 yards. I can’t stress enough, he is a rookie. Imagine him in three years. (I believe, if this were twitter, #scary would be appropriate.)
Pete Carroll had 15 wins (counting the playoffs) in his first two years. He had 13 this year (again counting playoffs) alone. He had 19 losses over that span (first two years) and less than a third of that number (six, again, counting playoffs) this year. This is a tremendous step up for Carroll and the team. It finally seems like he has the personnel he wants to run the kind of team he needs to win. And he is winning.
The Seahawks have nothing to be ashamed about this year. Yes, they lost and that was heart breaking, but I think most people thought this would be another 7-9 transition year with Matt Flynn as Tavaris Jackson 2.0 in terms of place-holding for the TBD “franchise QB.” But we found Wilson; we found an elite defense (Seriously, best in the league. Period.) We found a lot of things to be proud of this year that might not have shown themselves in a few more years instead. The Seahawks are completely ahead of the curve, and they should be a Super Bowl contender for at least a decade. Count on it.
Leon Washington averaged nearly 10 yards per return on punts over the course of his career. That means punts he returns go from the 10 to the 20, 20 to the 30 and so forth. Now, obviously that isn’t going to happen every play, but having someone who can give you an extra 10 yards instead of a fair catch or touchback on a punt/kick return can have its advantages. Especially when that same someone has the ability to return a kick for a touchdown. (Washington is tied for first in freaking NFL history in kick return touchdowns. The magic number is eight.)
The Seahawks’ price of admission: moving down two rounds from the fifth round to the seventh.
Brandon Browner is widely perceived as one of the better, if not physical, cornerbacks in the entire league. He’s a highly penalized player at times, but consistently draws one of the opposing team’s top threats and comes out either on top or close to it. Browner also made the Pro Bowl last year and probably would have this year if it weren’t for his four-game suspension.
Seahawks’ price of admission: paying his contract. They signed out of the CFL, where, to his credit, he was a three-time All-Star.
Carroll and Schneider have also found a countless number of contributors in all portions of the NFL Draft.
Bobby Wagner was originally touted as too small to play linebacker in the NFL. He led the top scoring defense in the league in tackles his rookie year.
KJ Wright was a fourth-round choice who has gradually turned into one of the better young linebackers in the league. He’s shown his versatility on defense, starting at both the middle and outside linebacker spots at certain points in his career.
Kam Chancellor might be one of, if not the best find of the bunch. Towering over opponents (unless of course, Randy Johnson was to suit up) in the defensive backfield, Chancellor is one of the harder hitters in the league and makes you think twice about leaping for a catch in his vicinity. He also went to the Pro Bowl last year. Draft slot 133rd overall. That’s in the fifth round for anyone who isn’t a super draft genius.
Richard Sherman might be the best cornerback in the the league. Period. The Hawks found him in the fifth round.
And of course there is Russell Wilson who not only tied Peyton Manning’s NFL Rookie record for most touchdown passes in a season with 26, but also was the first rookie QB since the merger to go undefeated at home.
The Seahawks’ brass has also found countless gems in the even-later stages of the draft, JR Sweezey, Greg Scruggs, Jeron Johnson and Jeremy Lane all have made impacts at times.
One of the things that makes the Seahawks’ front office tandem special is because of something they didn’t do. They could have easily tried to replicate Carroll’s USC success and go get every USC guy on the open market. While the team might have been good, it would have seemed too easy or just not right at all. Before you would have known it, USC North signs and the like would probably be popping up everywhere here to Omak.
But they did pick and choose their moments with USC players. After all, they probably would have the best scouting report in the league. Malcolm Smith looks like a long-term answer at linebacker as well as Anthony McCoy, who looks to be also in the team’s long-term plans. McCoy was low on draft boards due to off-the-field problems. Talent wise it was there, maybe not off the field. He’s doing great in Seattle with Carroll and looks to, as stated, be with the team for the long haul.
The one name we have forgotten to mention is Marshawn Lynch’s. You can’t forget beast mode. The Seahawks probably wouldn’t be as far along as they are now without Lynch. He was stolen from the Bills for a couple of mid-round draft picks.
Pete Carroll and John Schneider have done an outstanding job. It certainly makes you forget about the down year we had with Jim Mora.
If I missed any late-round gems, or other great acquisitions the Seahawks made, tell me about it in the acquisitions.
Win-Win-Win. The Seahawks won for the first time on the road in the playoffs since 1983. That’s 13 years before I was born. Not to try and make people feel old, but it’s all just very surprising that the team hasn’t won on the road since then. The Seahawks also obviously won the game, so that accounts for a third of the win-win-win. Got that out of the way. The third win is that not only is it the Seahawks’ first win on the road in the playoffs since 1983 (think about that for a minute, Seattle didn’t win on the road at all in the 90’s or 2000’s. That’s two decades without a road playoff win,) but it was also the Seahawks’ first road win in the NFC ever. (They were in the AFC in the 80’s.) That’s a pretty absurd stat for a team that made the playoffs four years in a row from ’04-’07 and five years total in the 2000’s.
Turn Away If You Are Horrified By Gruesome Incidents. (This paragraph was almost one. Seriously, it was.)
The Kick(er) is Good? Steven Hauschka was placed on injured reserve due to a left calf injury. Cue Ryan Longwell sprinting out of the tunnel to Rock the Casbah. (You’re right, that musical reference doesn’t make any sense.)
With the Pushing and the Shoving and the Whole Thing. Redskins offensive tackle Trent Williams pushed/punched Seahawks’ cornerback Richard Sherman in the face after the game. I know that it’s an emotional game in the playoffs, win or go home and all that stuff, but seriously? What compelled Williams to do that? I just have one question for him, are you seriously that mad…bro?
Marshawn Lynch Really Likes Making Big Plays in the Playoffs. Anybody remember Marshawn Lynch make the Saints’ defense look like a bunch of crash test dummies trying to tackle? Well, Beast Mode was at it again on Sunday, scooping up a rare Russell Wilson fumble and taking it 21 yards on a play that could have easily resulted in the Redskins recovering. Did I mention the Seahawks were down 14-0 at the time?
I am Very, Very, Very Sorry Washington Redskins. Here’s a number, the last time three times the Redskins have made the playoffs they have played the Seahawks. Not surprisingly, the ‘Skins have lost all three games. It also doesn’t help when the team’s respective quarterbacks were an older Mark Brunell, an injured RGIII and Todd Collins.
So, that’s what I learned on Sunday. What exactly did you guys learn about the game? Tell me in the comments section below if I missed anything important.
