Tag Archives: Seattle SuperSonics
Matchup: (6) Seattle Seahawks at (1) Carolina Panthers
Site: Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, North Carolina)
We meet again. For the second consecutive season the Seahawks will take on the Carolina Panthers in the NFC Divisional playoffs. This time around however the tables have been turned. The Panthers enter this game after a 15-1 regular season, an NFC South division title, and earning home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. With their win last week the Seahawks advanced to the NFC Divisional round for the fourth straight season but instead of hosting like they did last season they have to travel across the country to take on the Panthers this January. The Seahawks won games against the Panthers in Charlotte in three consecutive seasons from 2012-2014. In their 2015 meeting in Seattle earlier this season however the Panthers bested the Seahawks 27-23. This will be an extremely difficult matchup for the Seahawks but I believe we match up well with what the Panthers will put onto the field. Here is what I will be watching for.
The Marshawn Lynch mystery drags on for at least one more week. The star running back has practiced all week and proclaimed to ESPN that he is "ready to go" but it will come down to a game-time decision if Lynch actually suits up and plays. If Lynch cannot go it will be Christine Michael who starts at running back once again. For the rest of the Seattle offense, much improvement needs to be shown in order to compete with the Panthers on the scoreboard. Quarterback Russell Wilson must improve on his accuracy because there is little doubt the fantastic play of the Minnesota defense last week rattled him. Limiting turnovers will also be a big key in the way this game plays out. Carolina leads the league in turnovers with 39, which are 10 more than any other team. They also lead the league in turnover differential with a mark of +20. The Seahawks offense will need to take the majority of their drives deep into Carolina territory in order to stay in this game.
Many people may not realize this but the Seahawks defense will play this game with a couple of big-name players who did not play against Carolina back in week 6. Back in October K.J Wright moved from outside to inside linebacker in place of Bobby Wagner who missed the game with an injury. This week Wagner will be back starting at middle linebacker and will be a tackling machine in the middle of the field. In 3 career games against the Panthers, Wagner has averaged 7.3 tackles per game and has also sacked Panthers quarterback Cam Newton once. In addition to Wagner, Jeremy Lane will start at cornerback. Cary Williams, who is no longer on the team, started at cornerback against the Panthers earlier this season. Lane's primary job will be to cover Panthers wide receivers Philly Brown and Devin Funchess. Last week the Seahawks only forced one turnover. If the Seahawks defense can force at least two turnovers in the game we will be in decent shape.
The Carolina Panthers offense is one of the very best in the National Football League. Quarterback Cam Newton is considered to be a most valuable player candidate this season. All year long Newton has had fantastic on-field chemistry with tight end Greg Olsen. Olsen is Newton's number one target and his numbers correlate to this notion. 26 percent of Newton's passes were completed to Olsen this season. That percentage translates to 77 catches for 1,104 yards (both team highs) and 7 touchdowns. Olsen's second best game of the season came against the Seahawks back in October. There is much more to the Carolina offense however and there are two other players whose presences cannot go unnoticed. My X-Factor Players to Watch for the Panthers are Pro Bowl running backs Jonathan Stewart and Mike Tolbert. I put my X-Factor spotlight on these two guys not because of their production on the ground, but the role they can play in the Carolina passing game. Stewart and Tolbert have combined for 253 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns this season. After watching film I see the possibility of Newton targeting these backs on screen passes and wheel routes/rollout passes inside the redzone.
Each level of the Carolina defense features incredible talent. Four Panthers defenders have been named to the Pro Bowl. The middle of the field will be a risky place for Russell Wilson to throw into as the Panthers are led by veteran linebackers and tackling machines Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis. Cornerback Josh Norman has had a meteoric rise to being one of the best cornerbacks in the league. His 4 interceptions and team-leading 18 passes defensed defend this reputation. The matchup that may have the most say in the Panthers season continuing on to the NFC Championship Game will be defensive tackle Kawann Short against the Seahawks offensive line. Short recorded 11 sacks this season and is considered one of the best pass rushers in football. Short is averaging one sack in each of his last 5 games and he was also able to bring Russell Wilson down in the backfield twice earlier this year. In short (no pun intended), this Panthers defense is scary good and it will take a monster effort to take them down.
Random Thoughts: At the start of the playoffs I assumed since the Seahawks would have to play three straight road games to get to the Super Bowl, that we would be wearing white throughout January. Instead the Panthers have elected to wear white jerseys and white pants this week. This means the Seahawks will wear college navy jerseys. The Seahawks will pair these jerseys with wolf grey pants. The Seahawks won in this combination in Carolina in both 2012 and 2013… Joe Buck and Troy Aikman have the call for FOX's only broadcast of Divisional weekend… The referee this week is Tony Corrente… Nothing and I mean NOTHING would make me happier than to see all the Seahawks players "dab" on the sideline and take a group photo if we win. For those not familiar these are the hijinks the Panthers have participated in all season long at the end of their games and it would be a tremendous troll job if the Seahawks came away victorious and stuck up the proverbial middle finger in this way. If this happens look for Michael Bennett and perhaps Richard Sherman to lead the way… Brunch n' ball for the final time this season. I'm glad this is the final 10am game of the season… Speaking of 10am starts, a random thought unrelated to this game. I am thrilled the Rams have relocated to Los Angeles. We know better than any other city what greed and corruption happens behind the scenes when it comes to franchise relocation (SuperSonics, duh) and from this perspective it is sad to see the Rams leave St. Louis. The reason I am thrilled however is because it benefits the Seahawks. Instead of traveling to the middle of the country each season we will now fly to Southern California. This eliminates one 10am kickoff each season and the Seahawks never have to play at the Edward Jones Dome again. The Seahawks went 7-7 in St. Louis dating back to 2002. Instead these road games against the Rams will be played at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for the next three seasons which is a stadium not known for having an intimidating home field advantage. It is still a little weird to see "Los Angeles Rams" in print. It will take a little while to get used to.
Prediction: The Seahawks have lost 6 straight Divisional playoff games played on the road. Although I hope I am wrong I believe that streak continues on Sunday. The first half will be an entertaining defensive battle with Carolina taking a 13-10 lead into halftime. In the second half however the Panthers defense will shut the Seahawks offense down. Carolina will score a touchdown (with a missed extra point), and two field goals on their first three possessions of the second half. The Seahawks will have opportunities to claw back into the game but Russell Wilson will throw two interceptions and the Carolina defense will also force a fumble near the end of the third quarter. The Seahawks season will end and the Panthers will move on and host the Arizona Cardinals in next week's NFC Championship Game.
Panthers 25, Seahawks 13
Tags: Arizona Cardinals, Bank of America Stadium, Bobby Wagner, Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers, Cary Williams, Christine Michael, Devin Funchess, Edward Jones Dome, ESPN, Greg Olsen, Jeremy Lane, Joe Buck, Jonathan Stewart, Josh Norman, K.J. Wright, Kawann Short, Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles Rams, Luke Kuechly, marshawn lynch, Michael Bennett, Mike Tolbert, NFL, NFL On Fox, NFL Playoffs, Panthers Uniforms, Philly Brown, Richard Sherman, Russell Wilson, Seahawks Uniforms, seattle seahawks, Seattle SuperSonics, St. Louis Rams, Thomas Davis, Tony Corrente, Troy Aikman
Review: Seahawks 39, Steelers 30
Last week the Seahawks were fueled by rookie power. This week it was the veterans who stepped up huge. Doug Baldwin caught a career high 3 touchdowns and Jermaine Kearse added a pair of touchdown catches to help propel the Seahawks to a much-needed 39-30 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The win gives the Seahawks a 6-5 record, their first winning record of the season. It was great to see the Seahawks finally close out a close game in the fourth quarter after it looked like Pittsburgh would make a late charge. Here is what I took out of Sunday's victory.
Happy Birthday Russell: On his 27th birthday Russell Wilson went out and had the best game he could have possibly asked for. Wilson completed 21 of his 30 passes for 345 yards and 5 touchdowns. The best part? He did not turn the ball over once. Seattle's offensive line did a tremendous job protecting Wilson. It also felt like the offensive game plan was designed to help Russell out in the pocket, meaning he may not have had as many progressions on each play which is a big factor in how long Wilson holds onto the ball. Wilson was also able to do something that has not been done all season. The Seahawks trailed two separate times in the fourth quarter and we were able to score 19 points in the final frame to re-take the lead twice and hold on to it. Our offense as a whole had played their best game of the season and could provide some serious momentum moving forward.
The Good News and the Bad News: The good news is that the Seahawks finished the game +4 in the turnover department. Those four turnovers, all of which interceptions, led to three Seahawks touchdowns. As much as I want to praise the Legion of Boom for forcing these turnovers, the bad news is that the Seahawks defense gave up 480 yards through the air and 538 total yards. According to this statistical category it was the worst outing for our defense all season. A lack of a pass rush directly contributed to our defensive struggles. In my game preview I emphasized the importance of putting pressure on Ben Roethlisberger or else he would have time to make deep throws, something which he thrives on. Roethlisberger threw deep several times on Sunday including a high-arching 69-yard touchdown pass to Markus Wheaton. I think DeShawn Shead played a decent game in place of the inactive Cary Williams and it would not surprise me to see him start in Williams's place once again next week.
Graham's Injury and Moving Forward: The Seahawks were dealt a huge blow in the fourth quarter of Sunday's game. Russell Wilson threw a 24-yard pass to the back corner of the endzone intended for Jimmy Graham. Graham fell to the ground and immediately grabbed his right knee. After the game it was reported Graham tore his right patellar tendon, an injury that will require surgery and end his 2015 season. Many people have gotten on Graham's case for not being the offensive machine he was in New Orleans but keep in mind that entering Sunday's game Graham led all Seahawks receivers in receiving yards. Luke Willson will start in Graham's place for the rest of the season and Cooper Helfet will likely see expanded playing time. As devastating this injury is I believe it is positive to stay optimistic. The Seahawks scored touchdowns on all three drives following Graham's injury. Perhaps with Graham out some of our offensive chemistry from last season will be rediscovered.
Thoughts on Pittsburgh: The Pittsburgh Steelers offense can be one of the best in the league but if they want to compete for a wild-card spot their defense must play better than they did on Sunday. Unfortunately a lot of their talent is young which may not translate to a deep playoff run. This team is good enough to make the playoffs now but I would wait a couple more years before I would consider them legitimate super bowl contenders.
Random Thoughts: I was surprised that the fog did not completely burn off this afternoon. Sitting in the 300 level, I love when it is foggy because since you cannot see any surrounding buildings it feels like the stadium is in its very own cloud… There were way too many terrible towels but only a couple around me fortunately. No incidents between Steelers and Seahawks fans in my close vicinity also so that was good… Let me talk for a minute about that Steelers fake field goal/pooch punt formation/pass which was executed horribly and intercepted by Jeremy Lane. What in the world was that?! Why are you going for a fake that early in the game? A field goal would have given the Steelers a 6-0 lead but instead it led to Seattle's first touchdown and a 7-3 Seahawks lead. Good on Lane for not biting and staying with eligible receiver Alejandro Villanueva on the outside. Worst play call I have seen from any team all season… NBA hall of famer and former SuperSonic Spencer Haywood raised the 12 flag on Sunday. I love when they honor former Sonics because it feels like they are keeping the spirit of the Sonics franchise alive… Two huge road games coming up. Two must-wins. Minnesota's first up.
Seahawks Playoff Outlook: With the Seahawks win and losses by Atlanta and Tampa Bay, the Seahawks currently hold the #6 seed in the NFC Playoffs. The Seahawks are 3 games behind the Arizona Cardinals for first place in the NFC West.
What's Next: Look for my preview of next week's crucial game against the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday morning.
Tags: 12 Flag, Alejandro Villanueva, Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Ben Roethlisberger, Cary Williams, Cooper Helfet, DeShawn Shead, doug baldwin, Jeremy Lane, Jermaine Kearse, Jimmy Graham, Legion of Boom, Luke Willson, Markus Wheaton, Minnesota Vikings, NBA, NFL, Pittsburgh Steelers, Russell Wilson, seattle seahawks, Seattle SuperSonics, Spencer Haywood, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Terrible Towel
The third week of the preseason is often tabbed "dress rehearsal week" in the NFL and for the Seahawks there is an awful lot of show that the 12's need to see. After two disappointing outings, the Seahawks look to show significant improvement this week as they take on the San Diego Chargers. The starting units will likely play the entire first half and a series or more into the third quarter. This will give us the best look of where our team stands before the regular season starts. Here are the areas I will be closely watching this week.
It is my hope that the starting defense, the front seven in particular, can build on their success from last week in Kansas City. The pass rush was very effective in penetrating the line and getting to the backfield. This week I am looking for Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett to put continuing pressure on Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers. With Bruce Irvin possibly out this week after suffering a concussion last week, my X-Factor Player to Watch, second year man Kevin Pierre-Louis, may start at outside linebacker this week. Pierre-Louis has backed up both Irvin and K.J. Wright this preseason but it will be interesting to see how he plays. Irvin is best used for rushing the passer while Wright plays in coverage. Pierre-Louis got hurt last year so I have not seen nearly enough tape on him to truly know what his strengths and weaknesses are in the second level. KPL is certainly the one guy on defense this week to have your eye on.
I am looking for two key improvements by the front seven this week. First off, last week we struggled mightily at getting off the field because of penalties. Alex Smith's one touchdown drive last week benefitted from the Seahawks inability to get off the field. After ranting about the continuing penalty problem I am hopeful that the Seahawks spent a lot of time in practice this past week to correct it. Secondly, third down and short has been a problem so far this preseason. I am looking for big stops, specifically in the running game on third and short. Our defense must be able to stay fresh. Stopping Melvin Gordon, Danny Woodhead, and Branden Oliver in short yardage situations will go a long way towards the Seahawks defense playing a much more consistent game.
This week the secondary will be the closest thing to the Legion of Boom we will see until the regular season starts. Richard Sherman will likely start at corner opposite of Cary Williams. Earl Thomas may start at free safety but it would not be a surprise if he is held out until he is a little bit healthier. Kam Chancellor is the only starter of the Legion on Boom who will not play for sure, as he continues his holdout. I would like to see Rivers test the secondary this week to see where we stand. I thought our defensive backs had a very below-average outing against the Chiefs last week unlike how the defensive line and linebackers showed significant improvement. If the Chargers complete long passes and the cornerbacks and safeties struggle I will be teetering on terrified for the start of the season.
It is no surprise what I want to see out of the Seattle offense this week. In a little over one full half of playing time so far this preseason, the Seahawks starting offense has this to show for it: 6 drives, 6 points, 0 touchdowns. Russell Wilson will lead the offense for this amount of time in this week's game alone and it is time to settle our nerves about the functionality of this unit. My expectation is two touchdown drives in the first half and three total scoring drives before R.J. Archer takes over in the third quarter. For this to happen everything has to be in sync; the pass protection must be on point, the running game must be able to take pressure off of Wilson, and I would also like to see the playbook opened up a little bit. 17 points is my hope for the Seahawks by the time the reserves take the field in the second half.
Random Thoughts: Seahawks will wear white this week. My prediction for pant color is college navy. San Diego will wear navy blue jerseys and white pants most likely… Greg Gumbel and Phil Simms have the call for CBS this week. When we are good, the Seahawks are good for one nationally televised preseason game. Luckily this year it comes on the road, which means I am not forced to watch a local broadcast production and listen to local commentators. This will probably the best game to watch on television this preseason… Tony Corrente is the referee for this week's game… Due to the national TV broadcast this game does not start at a traditional local start time. Usually if we played San Diego in the preseason the game would start at 7pm but because CBS is broadcasting the game it starts at 5pm which I really prefer… It is disappointing that this could be the final season of Chargers football as we know it. If you didn't already know, the Chargers are one of three NFL franchises who are looking to relocate to Los Angeles for the 2016 season. Many believe that San Diego may in fact be the frontrunner to be heading to Tinseltown. The Seahawks and Chargers were rivals in the AFC West for 23 years. The franchise has been in San Diego for over 55 years. It would be a complete shame for San Diego to lose the Chargers but we of all cities know what it takes to keep a professional sports franchise in town. Qualcomm Stadium is a concrete dungeon and without plans for new digs, the Chargers will absolutely be heading to LA. Here is a very interesting stat to note, which goes to show you how fast the economic climate can change in professional sports. The city of San Diego hosted Super Bowl XXXVII 13 years ago. Among other reasons, Super Bowls are awarded to cities that have economically viable stadiums, which was the case with San Diego 13 years ago. The NFL would never let San Diego host a Super Bowl at Qualcomm Stadium today. Seattle's KeyArena reopened after a "state of the art" remodel in 1995. In the exact same amount of time, 13 years, KeyArena became economically obsolete which was one of the factors why the Seattle SuperSonics relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008. I would love to see the Chargers get something done at the 11th hour in San Diego. The "Los Angeles Chargers" just doesn't have the same ring to it as the "San Diego Chargers" does.
Prediction: Russell Wilson will lead scoring drives resulting in 10 points in the first half. With Wilson at the helm to start the second half, the Seahawks will drive into field goal range and Steven Hauschka will kick another field goal. The Seahawks defense will have a very solid game and several defensive players fighting for a roster spot will make big plays, making their final audition next Thursday that much tougher for the coaching staff to determine their fates. I predict 3 takeaways by the defense in this game. The Seahawks will finally get into the preseason win column, eeking out a close victory.
Tags: Branden Oliver, Bruce Irvin, Cary Williams, CBS, Chargers Uniforms, Cliff Avril, Danny Woodhead, Earl Thomas, Greg Gumbel, K.J. Wright, Kam Chancellor, Kevin Pierre-Louis, KeyArena, Legion of Boom, Los Angeles Chargers, Melvin Gordon, Michael Bennett, NFL, NFL Preseason, Phil Simms, Philip Rivers, Qualcomm Stadium, R.J. Archer, Richard Sherman, Russell Wilson, San Diego Chargers, Seahawks Uniforms, seattle seahawks, Seattle SuperSonics, Steven Hauschka, Super Bowl XXXVII, Tony Corrente
Jets/Seahawks Preview
Matchup: New York Jets vs. Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks have a chance to head into their bye week at 6-4 and on a two-game winning streak. In their way this week is the New York Jets. The Jets are coming off their bye and are sitting at 3-5 and they are looking to get back into the AFC playoff picture. The Seahawks lead the all-time series with the Jets 9-8. In their last meeting, the Seahawks defeated the Jets and their quarterback Brett Favre 13-3 in December of 2008. That game was most famous for being in the middle of the worst snowstorm stretch in Seattle history. It was also Coach Holmgren's final home game coached for the Seahawks. There is a lot to be looking for out of both teams this week. Here is what I'll be watching for.
Marshawn Lynch is 119 yards away from reaching the 1,000 yard plateau for the second straight year. The New York Jets defense is giving up an average of 141 rushing yards per game. It is no surprise given these numbers that running the ball will have a big impact on the productivity on offense this week. I do not think Russell Wilson will have to put up big numbers passing this week. My hope is that we can have a 55/45 mix in terms of running and passing the ball. The Jets defense is banged up and all-pro cornerback Darrelle Revis is out for the season. Outside of Lynch, I think Sidney Rice will have a big game this week. Russell Wilson has been looking more towards Rice's direction recently and I think it is only a matter of time before Rice really breaks out and puts up numbers that challenge for the best wide receiver numbers in the NFL in a given week. The key to Wilson's play this week will not to be too eager to throw the ball, especially if he gets into a comfortable rhythm. This is the type of game could get sloppy with multiple turnovers if the Seahawks are overconfident. If the Seahawks offense has more than 2 turnovers, the game may be closer than I hope.
I watch film of the New York Jets and I see an offense and a quarterback that can get flustered fast and try to force passes. Of course one of the most important aspects of a successful defense is establishing a pass rush but if that does not work this week, the Seahawks can get off the field if they can shut down New York's receivers. If Mark Sanchez finds an open receiver, he will make a throw. But what happens if Sanchez cannot find an open read? Sanchez will hold on to the ball and try to force throws into coverage. The faces of Earl Thomas, Brandon Browner, and Richard Sherman will not have wider smiles if this happens this week. I expect at least two interceptions thrown by Sanchez this week. Stopping Shonn Greene will also be a focus this week given our struggles in the running game the past three weeks. I think the key to victory on defense however begins with forcing Mark Sanchez into mistakes. I will even go on a limb right now and make the bold prediction that Tim Tebow will be the Jets quarterback late in the fourth quarter, as Sanchez will struggle mightily this week.
On special teams, I am interested to see if the Jets do anything differently in order to stop Leon Washington. Washington previously played for New York before being traded to Seattle on draft day 2010. Because of this, the Jets and head coach Rex Ryan would know better than anybody how to stop Washington. Leon has struggled recently, especially on punt returns. It would be nice to see him break off a couple decent returns but I am not expecting anything extraordinary.
The New York Jets have been labeled my many fans and critics as "The Circus" given the always-contending mentality of Rex Ryan and the fact that they sport the league's most popular backup quarterback, Tim Tebow. This year the Jets have gotten off to a shaky start at 3-5. The Sanchez vs. Tebow debate rises every week that Sanchez struggles and the Jets also have lost two of their best players for the season due to injury; cornerback Darrelle Revis and wide receiver Santonio Holmes. It is the Jets' offense that has my attention this week. New York is averaging just shy of 20 points per game on the road this season and they are 1-2 in the process. I put my spotlight on the Jets receiver corps this week. Without Holmes, the Jets available receivers are Jason Hill, Clyde Gates, Jeremy Kerley, Chaz Schilens, and rookie Stephen Hill. None of these receivers have proven themselves to be Sanchez's go-to target and the leading receiver, Kerley, only has 30 catches for 478 yards on the season. As I noted earlier in my preview, if the Seattle defense can stay on top of New York's receivers all game long, Sanchez will have a difficult time. All-in-all, the Jets defense does not scare me one bit. 20 points per game may be an okay amount on the road, but I expect the Seahawks to hold them for significantly less this week.
One more quick note, this week the Seahawks need to keep up the momentum at home. This is the first home game where the Seahawks are unanimously picked to win by all the experts on every sports network. After beating Minnesota last week, a mental letdown would be the worst thing for this team, especially since our next two games after the Jets are on the road.
Random Thoughts: This week is "salute to service" military appreciation week around the NFL. The Seahawks will participate in a card stunt during the national anthem just like last season. The Seahawks will also wear camouflage accessories on the field and World War II vet Joe Moser will raise the 12th Man flag… I got my customized authentic Seahawks home jersey in the mail this week. It looks so cool. I can't wait to wear it on Sunday… Speaking of uniforms, expect the Seahawks to wear blue/blue again this week… I am taking my dad to this weekend's game. One slight negative to taking my dad is I give up my aisle seat for him. I am more than happy to do it but when you sit in that seat 9 out of 10 times a season, sitting in seat 2 feels really weird… The Washington Huskies play Utah at 7:30 Saturday night. I was praying the Huskies game would be an afternoon game. Now I have to decide how hard to go Saturday to make sure I am rested and ready to go for Sunday… The temperature is supposed to be in the high 40's at gametime. It looks like I'll be able to wear the beanie I got with my season tickets for the first time this week… I am sick of all these 1:05 starts. It's nice to have an extra 20 minutes if the game starts at 1:25 instead. The good thing I guess is the rest of our games are 1:25 kickoffs, barring a game being flexed into Sunday Night Football… No word on the pregame giveaway at this point. Odds are the giveaway will be military themed though… Marv Albert and Rich Gannon have the call for CBS this week. Given Marv's primary broadcasting focus is basketball, how many times do you think he will call the Seahawks the Sonics?… It will be nice to have a bye after this game. If we can beat the Jets and win in either Miami or Chicago, we have a tremendous chance of making a push for a playoff spot.
Prediction: I have no reason to believe the Seahawks will lose this game. We are better than New York in all three phases of the game. Like I predicted earlier, Lynch will get to the 1,000 yard mark, he will score a touchdown, and Tim Tebow will be quarterbacking the Jets by the end of the game. Rex Ryan will make a statement in his postgame press conference about how the Jets play was embarrassing, and the Seahawks will head into the bye week with a 6-4 record.
Seahawks 28, Jets 9
Check back Monday for my review of the Jets game. Enjoy the game everybody! Go Seahawks!
Tags: 12th Man Flag, 2008 Seattle Snowstorm, AFC East, Brandon Browner, Brett Favre, CBS, Chaz Schilens, Chicago Bears, Clyde Gates, Darrelle Revis, Earl Thomas, Jason Hill, Jeremy Kerley, Jets Circus, Joe Moser, Leon Washington, Mark Sanchez, marshawn lynch, Marv Albert, Miami Dolphins, Mike Holmgren, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, NFC West, NFL, NFL Salute to Service, Rex Ryan, Rich Gannon, Richard Sherman, Russell Wilson, Santonio Holmes, Seahawks Uniforms, seattle seahawks, Seattle SuperSonics, Shonn Greene, Sidney Rice, Stephen Hill, Sunday Night Football, Tim Tebow, Utah Utes, Washington Huskies, World War II
Review: Seahawks 24, Patriots 23
Arguably the three toughest home games this season were the first three. The Seahawks have survived the gauntlet. The Seahawks beat the New England Patriots 24-23 on Sunday, improving their record to 4-2 and are now in a three-way tie for first place in the NFC West. The Seahawks are also 3-0 at home. This was yet another incredible game to be in attendance for. Here are my thoughts about Sunday's victory.
Defense Showed Up When It Absolutely Needed To: The Seahawks defense came into this game as the top defensive unit in the NFL. After giving up 475 yards to New England that will most likely change. With the exception of the final Patriots drive of the first half and the last two at the end of the game, the Seahawks defense was virtually nonexistent. The no-huddle offense Tom Brady called worked extremely well, especially the running plays called on first and second down. However, the stops the Seahawks made in the periods previously mentioned ultimately determined the outcome of the game. With 6 seconds left in the first half, the Seahawks pass rush forced Brady to throw the ball out of the endzone. The officials called intentional grounding on Brady which required a ten-second runoff to end the half. The Patriots took a gamble and missed out on 3-7 points. After the Seahawks scored with 1:16 left in the game, I was worried that we left too much time for Brady since all the Patriots needed to do was get into field goal range. The sack on Brady on second down was huge and that backed them up enough for the Seahawks to make sure the Patriots would not convert. The pass rush as a whole was disappointing but the Patriots offensive line did a great job. Holding the Patriots to 23 points is great but the yardage given up needs to be improved.
Finally!: Russell Wilson threw for more yards in this game than any other game this season. Wilson ended the day 16/27 for 293 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions although he turned the ball over once on a fumble. Wilson showed that he can fire down the field with no hesitation. This was proved with two 45+ yard throws; one to Doug Baldwin which set up Baldwin's touchdown reception and the bomb to Sidney Rice with 1:16 left in the game. Wilson throws a beautiful deep ball and he did a great job exploiting the Patriots pass defense which is ranked among the worst in the NFL. A game like this against a legitimate super bowl contender should prove that Wilson is drastically improving and that he is going to be a star caliber quarterback really soon. I was incredibly impressed with Wilson on Sunday. I am convinced now that Coach Carroll made the right choice naming Wilson the starting quarterback.
Richard Sherman Is Gary Payton With Shoulder Pads: I have talked about how much I love Richard Sherman. He is a nice, intelligent, and witty person and a hard-hitting, trash-talking, confident football player. Sherman loves to get into his opponent's head and his best challenge yet was to Tom Brady on Sunday. Brady told Sherman to meet him after the game after the Patriots won. Sherman challenged Brady to throw against him. With Tom Brady always wanting to prove to his opponent that he is better than them, Brady did in fact throw in Sherman's direction. Sherman made him pay. He intercepted a pass intended for Deion Branch. After the game, a picture surfaced online of Sherman appearing to continue trash talking to Brady. Sherman already has 3 interceptions and is on pace for 9 or 10 on the season. The performance by Sherman is a tip of the cap to not only him but to the playing style of the rest of the secondary. He is developing an on-the-field "bad boy" image much like Gary Payton was with the SuperSonics during his career. I look forward to see what Sherman will do or who he will call out on Thursday against San Francisco.
A New Number In The Rafters: At halftime, the Seahawks retired #96 for Pro Football Hall of Famer Cortez Kennedy. The Seahawks presented him with his Hall of Fame ring, a framed jersey from Kennedy's playing days, a video montage of his career highlights, and then took a cover off his number in the rafters at CenturyLink Field. It was an incredible ceremony and I got emotional to be honest. Kennedy definitely deserves the honor he received on Sunday afternoon. I am so proud that he is a Seattle Seahawk and now the rafters are completely full with all the numbers that should be retired by this organization. The best part about the ceremony was that it was done at halftime; not at the two-minute warning like Walter Jones's number. It was nice to see everybody close to Kennedy be here to help celebrate this amazing achievement. And I also think the ceremony may have given the fans the extra juice to scream and get excited during the second half.
Random Thoughts: I have now been asked to sit down at every regular season game so far. Once again, I stood up; not to piss them off, but because I couldn't see due to everyone standing below me. At the next game, I am seriously considering wearing a sign on the back of my jersey that says something like "I don't sit. Deal with it"… Bill Belichick wore his famous hoodie. What is funny is that Coach Carroll also wore the same style hoodie… I am so glad I got to see Tom Brady play live. I'm even happier that I got to see the Seahawks beat him… Wes Welker and Danny Woodhead are so short. Even from the upper deck they look like hobbits… The starting defense was introduced this week. Fitting considering that we have the best unit in the league… This was one of those games where the weather is so borderline I didn't know whether to wear shorts and a sweatshirt. That is exactly what I decided to wear with my jersey… Thank God for undercover seats. It poured throughout the entire game… Russell Wilson had trouble throwing the wet football. He should practice with the wet ball a lot in practice for the duration of the season… The Seahawks uniform combination was blue jersey/blue pants. That is probably going to be our look at home for the remainder of the season… I tailgated in a parking lot in Pioneer Square across from the Last Supper Club. Super fun, especially when Fireball is present… Walter Jones raised the 12th Man flag this weekend. I was kind of disappointed however because the video they played for Jones prior to him raising the play was the exact same video they played before he rose it at the NFC Wild-Card Playoff against New Orleans in 2010… It was Canada Day this week. Kind of ironic however, because the Seahawks were playing the Patriots… Free stuff counter: IHOP pancakes and beef jerky and Slurpee's from 7-Eleven. Almost got a free doughnut from Top Pot but Sidney Rice came 19 yards shy of 100… The post-game party took me to 88 Keys where one of my roommates and I watched the first part of Sunday Night Football, drank a bucket of beer, and celebrated our amazing win with dozens of Seahawks fans… I think the Seahawks have a really good chance of going 8-0 at home for the first time since 2005; the year we went to the super bowl.
The Seahawks now face a short week in preparation for the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday night. This means I also have a short week to write my preview post for Thursday's game. Look for my preview of our game against San Francisco on either Wednesday night or early Thursday morning before my flight takes off for San Francisco. Thanks for reading everybody! Go Seahawks!
Tags: 12th Man Flag, 7-Eleven, 88 Keys, Bill Belichick, Canada, CenturyLink Field, Cortez Kennedy, Danny Woodhead, Deion Branch, doug baldwin, Fireball Whiskey, Gary Payton, IHOP, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, NFC West, NFL, NFL Playoffs, Pete Carroll, Pioneer Square, Pro Football Hall of Fame, Richard Sherman, Russell Wilson, San Francisco 49ers, Seahawks Uniforms, seattle seahawks, Seattle SuperSonics, Sidney Rice, Sunday Night Football, Super Bowl, Super Bowl XL, The Last Supper Club, Thursday Night Football, Tom Brady, Top Pot Doughnuts, Walter Jones, Wes Welker
Packers/Seahawks Preview
The Seahawks have a big task ahead of them in week 3, as they host the defending NFC North champion Green Bay Packers in front of a nationally televised audience on Monday night. The Seahawks are coming off a much needed win last weekend over Dallas and the Packers are also coming off a dominating victory over Chicago last Thursday night. The Seahawks are 5-10 all-time against Green Bay. In their last meeting, the Seahawks were blown out by the Packers at Lambeau Field 48-10 in 2009. Here is what I will be looking for this week.
This week the Seahawks need to make sure the best players start along the offensive line. This means having Russell Okung at full strength. Although the Packers have struggled recently as a whole on defense they have some pretty spectacular players. Clay Matthews in particular is a player the Seahawks must keep in check. Through two games Matthews already has 6 sacks. I always touch on the fact that Russell Wilson can make plays happen with his feet but it would be much easier to have the offensive line give him the time and the protection to make throws from within the pocket. In addition to Matthews, the Seahawks also have to keep a keen eye on B.J Raji along the defensive line and Tramon Williams in the secondary. Raji can singlehandedly give Marshawn Lynch fits this week and Williams can make the Seahawks pay if Russell Wilson is not on target with his throws.
I have heard a lot of talk early this week about the Seahawks perhaps using a ground-and-pound strategy this week. Marshawn Lynch is averaging 103.5 yards per game and I have no reason to believe why Lynch will not break 100 yards again against the Packers. Maintaining a steady run game against the Packers enables many things that would carry momentum to a victory. If the Seahawks are effective running the ball, expect them to win the time of possession battle and put themselves in position for many scoring drives. However going off of this point…
The Seahawks cannot afford to settle for field goals on every drive. I have full confidence in our defense to keep the Packers offense in check but I do expect the Packers to score touchdowns. Russell Wilson needs to improve in the passing game. The Seahawks rank last in the NFL in passing yards per game and a strong performance by Russell Wilson will put us in a great position to win. This week I predict that Sidney Rice will be our leading receiver. I think the Packers will give up a couple big plays that will carry Rice over 100 receiving yards this week.
Our pass rush has not shown significant improvement acceptable to my standards. Because we are up against a talented gun slinging quarterback this week I think our pass rush will struggle again this week. On defense, if we can hold the Packers offense to less than 150 yards in each half I think we will be in great shape. Look for our secondary to be in the spotlight on Monday night. I will not predict any interceptions or big plays but I think all four starting secondary players will play up to expectations.
The Green Bay Packers are a very talented team. Aaron Rodgers is one of the elite quarterbacks in the league and the weapons he has around him scare me this week. Cedric Benson saw expanded play last week so I would expect to see the Packers try to establish the running game early. As far as receivers, Rodgers has Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Donald Driver, and Jermichael Finley to throw to. All five of these guys can put up big numbers and all can find a way to get open. Jennings will most likely be back this week after missing the Chicago game with a groin injury. If we cannot put pressure on Rodgers, these receivers will put up big numbers.
The Seahawks this week will be keeping a close eye on the Packers special teams. Last week, Green Bay ran a fake field goal that turned into a touchdown pass and a relatively easy seven points. I do not expect Packers head coach Mike McCarthy to pull trick plays out of his hat again this week but the Seahawks need to be aware that fake plays are included in the Green Bay playbook.
The Seahawks have not lost a home game on Monday Night Football since 2004. Since then the Seahawks are 4-0 at home on Monday night. This week the 12th Man will be on fire and it will be up to the Seahawks to make sure we stay that way. Bad play and Green Bay scores will take the fans out of the game so the Seahawks need to keep up their Monday night momentum. Best case scenario to keep the crowd alive is to score. Score early, score often.
Random Thoughts: The last time the Seahawks played on Monday night I showed up at halftime due to a final exam for school. This year I am sacrificing my first day of the 2012 school year to be at the game. It better just be syllabus day in both of my Monday classes… The Seahawks are giving out white rally towels to the first 50,000 fans this week. Looks like I may have to cut my prefunction short this week to make sure I get one… Kris Allen of 2009 American Idol fame is singing the national anthem Monday night. Usually for primetime games the home team is able to book a well-known artist so Allen is a breath of fresh air in my opinion… There has been buzz online this week about the possibility of Chris Hansen raising the 12th Man flag on Monday night. The new Seattle arena is on track to be officially approved on Monday so I think it would be only fitting to have Hansen raise the flag. However, according to multiple Twitter reports, former Seahawks quarterback Trent Dilfer will be raising the flag. Dilfer works as an analyst on Monday Night Countdown so he will be in town for the game… I have been used to cold weather primetime home games recently. It will be nice to go to a primetime game with no sweatshirt and shorts instead of jeans… The Seahawks will most likely wear blue this week. I want to know what games we will be wearing gray for… Honestly I don't want Greg Jennings to play for Green Bay. I would be fully content with starting DeSean Jackson and Mike Williams of Tampa Bay in fantasy football this week… The offense will be introduced this week. I cannot wait for Russell Wilson to run onto the field on national television in front of the 12th Man and all the fans who cheered him on at the University of Wisconsin… I will be bringing lots of Skittles this week. Fair warning: If anyone is sitting in or around section 340 on Monday night, be prepared for a Skittles shower if Beast Mode scores a touchdown… I'm so happy I won't have to listen to Jon Gruden's horrible analysis on television… Maybe if we win I'll try to go down to field level to get a picture with Stuart Scott of ESPN. That would be pretty cool, even though I have heard he can be a d**k sometimes… Speaking of ESPN, it will be nice to get a lot of national media coverage this weekend leading up to the game. I just hope all the talk is not about the Packers. Who am I kidding? Of course it will be. The Seahawks get ZERO national media respect… If we win the talk on ESPN better not be about how the Packers lost. That happened last week against the Cowboys. Nobody wanted to acknowledge the fact that we played an incredible game. Stupid east coast bias.
Prediction: This game will be a lot closer than most people think. At this point however, I'm not convinced the Seahawks can pull it off. They have the pieces and the talent to win but I am not convinced right now that it will all come together. The lack of a pass rush will be the difference in this game. I think we could be in for a track meet early on in the game. I see Aaron Rodgers passing for at least 275 yards and a couple touchdowns. The Seahawks will be competitive throughout the entire game but the Packers will sneak out of Seattle with a victory.
Packers 31, Seahawks 27
Check back Tuesday afternoon as I review the Monday night matchup with the Packers and preview the next upcoming week of practice. Thanks for reading everybody. Go Seahawks!
ESPN: CAN YOU HEAR US NOW?
Tags: 12th Man, 12th Man Flag, Aaron Rodgers, American Idol, B.J. Raji, beast mode, Cedric Benson, CenturyLink Field, Chicago Bears, Chris Hansen, Clay Matthews, Dallas Cowboys, DeSean Jackson, Donald Driver, ESPN, Fantasy Football, Green Bay Packers, Greg Jennings, Jermichael Finley, John Gruden, Jordy Nelson, Kris Allen, Lambeau Field, marshawn lynch, Mike McCarthy, Mike Williams, Monday Night Countdown, Monday Night Football, NFC North, NFL, Rally Towels, Randall Cobb, Russell Okung, Russell Wilson, Seahawks Uniforms, Seattle, seattle seahawks, Seattle SuperSonics, Sidney Rice, Skittles, Sonics Arena, Stuart Scott, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Thursday Night Football, Tramon Williams, Trent Dilfer, University of Wisconsin