Takeaways: Season Ending Loss, but a Great Season Nonetheless

It was a heartbreaking loss for the Seahawks in Atlanta. The first half did not go well at all with a poor start, a Marshawn Lynch fumble, the inability to convert on 3^rd and 4^th and one in Atlanta territory, and poor time management at the end of the first half. All of these events put Seattle down 20-0 at halftime. The 'Hawks didn’t back down though and after a wild fourth quarter actually took the lead by one with about 30 seconds left. However, the Falcons used their timeouts and drove down the field to give Matt Bryant an easy game winning field goal. It was a rollercoaster ride of a game, but it boils down to the fact that the Seahawks season is over. As sad as it is, it is fair to say that the 'Hawks exceeded most people’s expectations and had a really great season. I will list a few things to take away from a tough loss, but a great season.

Matt Ryan was the most relieved person in the U.S. once he saw Matt Bryant's kick go through the uprights.

bleacherreport.com

1. The Defense is Still Young
Obviously the Hawks defense was superb throughout the season, leading the league in points against. However, this game against the Falcons showed that they are still maturing. With youth at virtually every position, the 'Hawks defense is not quite as polished as we would like it to be. This slight immaturity combined with lack of size in the front seven lead to the Falcons gashing the Hawks in the run game with both Michael Turner and Jacquizz Rodgers. Hopefully the defense can bulk up and gain some maturity in the offseason while potentially adding some free agents to really solidify the defense as the best in the league. Look for the Seahawks to make a run at DT Henry Melton. Takeaway: The 'Hawks defense is not quite at the point we would like it to be, but with improvement in the offseason the sky is the limit with this unit.

2. Russell Plays Big
Russell Wilson. 3^rd round, 75^th overall pick on the 2012 NFL Draft. Last rookie quarterback standing. He won over the Seattle fans in a matter of weeks and brought the national spotlight to Seattle with his late season performances and brilliant play in the playoffs. After the first quarter of this last game, he showed up as the Russell Wilson we have all come to know and love and proved that he is officially a superstar. Another great playoff performance on the road proved to the world that he is for real. This is great news for the Seahawks going forward as Russell Wilson should be able to lead this team deep into the playoffs for years to come. Takeaway: Russell Wilson has proven he is the best young quarterback in the game and will be leading the Seahawks to conference championships and super bowls for years.

Russell Wilson has a very bright future ahead of him. What a season.

AP Photos

3. Front 7 Needs Help
The Seahawks have the best secondary in the league in my opinion. Richard Sherman is the best cornerback, Earl Thomas is the best safety, and Brandon Browner and Kam Chancellor are two big, physical players who can be difference makers at times. The weakness of the Seahawks defense, as shown by the Falcons game, is the run defense and the pass rush. The loss of Chris Clemons really proved not only how vital Clemons is to this defense, but how badly the Seahawks need to get another pass rusher. We could not put any pressure on Matt Ryan all day, and this allowed him to pick apart the defense. The lack of ability to stop the run, plus the fact that this past season could possibly be linebacker Leroy Hill’s last, tells us that we need to acquire another linebacker either through the draft or free agency. Takeaway: A pass rusher and a run stopper need to be added to this Seahawks defense before it can be truly elite.

4. Zach Miller
Zach Miller not only had his best game as a Seahawk against the Falcons, totaling eight receptions and 142 yards plus a touchdown, but he did so with a torn plantar fascia. After the Seahawks third offensive play, Miller went to the locker room with an apparent foot injury, but obviously returned, seemingly without any problems with the injury. It was only after the game that we found out Miller actually tore his plantar fascia on that play. The plantar fascia is the thick connective tissue which supports the arch on the bottom side of the foot. Now one can only imagine the pain when running and cutting on a torn plantar fascia, and Zach Miller had his best game as a Seahawk with this injury. Takeaway: A position that was once thought to be a weakness for the Seahawks may turn out not to be so, as Zach Miller is emerging as the player he was once thought to be, and is becoming Russell Wilson’s main security blanket in the passing game.

Thanks for reading and follow us on Twitter @seasportssoup! Like us on Facebook as well! Keep checking back for more updates.

Jackson

 

Round 1: Seahawks Playoff Breakdown

The Seahawks completed a very successful regular season, finishing with an 8-0 record at home en route to an 11-5 overall finish. This was not quite good enough to win the division, but was strong enough to earn the Hawks the fifth seed in the NFC playoffs. The rest of the seeding is as follows.

1. Falcons (bye)
2. 49ers (bye)
3. Packers
4. Redskins
5. Seahawks
6. Vikings

This means that in the first round, the Seahawks draw Robert Griffin III and the Washington Redskins. Because the red-hot Redskins won their division, they get to play at home and the Hawks will have to go on the road, where they went only 3-5 in the regular season. That being said, the Seahawks have been playing much better on the road recently. Both teams are considered a tough out in the playoffs because of their current winning streaks, and strong rookie quarterbacks.

RGIII will look to make some plays against the Seattle Defense. He is coming off an injured knee, although he looked good last week against Dallas.

US Presswire

The NFL is a league based on matchups, and those become all the more important in the playoffs when every game is win or go home. The Seahawks and the Redskins have a very intriguing matchup, because of their similar offenses. Both teams have mobile but accurate quarterbacks, have an above average run game, and have used the read option as a dangerous weapon in recent weeks. While most people would consider the rookie quarterback the most dangerous part of the Redskins offense, surprisingly, that is not quite the case. RGIII is an excellent runner who can keep defenses from over-playing the pass. But he has help as well, big help in the form of running back Alfred Morris. Morris and RGIII have combined to lead the Redskins to the number one rushing attack in the NFL, and scored 28 points against the Cowboys last week while managing only 100 yards passing.

These two rookies the key to their offense, as everybody now knows. Not only do they eat up yards, but they set up the play action very well for Griffin. The play-action works so well, that Robert Griffin III is in the top five in the entire league in completion percentage, yards, and touchdowns from the play-action. To counter, the Seahawks have the best defense in the NFL right now, and have the personnel to stop the run and the pass. With previously suspended cornerback Brandon Browner back, and top cover-corner Richard Sherman, the Hawks can leave their two corners isolated on the outside, leaving more defenders to help with the run game. Sherman and Browner can shut down any pair of receivers, which allows safeties Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas to play a bigger role in stopping the run. I believe that the Seahawks have the perfect defense to slow and potentially shut down the potent Redskins offense. One thing to keep an eye on in this game is how well RGIII’s knee holds up. That could hurt the Redskins at times.

The Legion of BOOM will be on their "A" game Sunday with the addition of Brandon Browner back into the lineup.

The Seahawks have an advantage on the offensive side of the ball as well, because the Redskins defense lacks playmakers. Without injured pass-rushers Ryan Kerrigan and Brian Orakpo, the only star defenders on the Redskins are cornerback DeAngelo Hall and linebacker London Fletcher. The Seahawks will be able to use their up-front skill at the receiver position and read option (a type of run in which the quarterback “reads” one of the defensive players and decides whether to keep it himself or give it to the running back) to exploit the weaker defenders on the Redskins and come up with big plays on offense. Along with a successful special teams unit, I would say that the Seahawks have the advantage on every side of the ball against the Redskins.

The only thing stopping the ‘Hawks, is the fact that they have to travel cross country and play on the road, a situation in which they have not been very successful at this year. However, the game is on a Sunday which means that the Seahawks will get an extra day of rest, but so do the Redskins. Taking all of these factors in to consideration, I predict that the Seahawks will pull out a relatively tough victory against the Redskins, winning 27-23.

A victory against the Redskins would mean that the Seahawks would play either the Falcons or 49ers in the second round of the playoffs, depending on who wins the other wild card game between the Packers and Vikings. I believe that the Packers will be able to defeat the Vikings because of their powerful home field advantage, and the fact that I just don’t think Christian Ponder will be able to outplay Aaron Rodgers two weeks in a row. This would mean that the Packers would go to San Francisco to play the 49ers, and we would go to Atlanta to play the Falcons.

The Seahawks have a long road ahead of them and will most likely be seen wearing these jerseys throughout the entire playoffs.

AP Photo/Mike Groll

While many people don’t believe in Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons, I believe that they are legit, and that they have a chance to go far in this year’s playoffs. Still, I think the ‘Hawks match up very well against the Falcons dynamic passing attack because of our incredible defensive backfield, often referred to as the “Legion of BOOM.” I think Sherman and Browner will be able to contain dynamic Falcons receivers Roddy White and Julio Jones, which would allow the rest of the defense to focus their attention on tight end Tony Gonzalez and running back Michael Turner. The Hawks have the perfect defense to take away quarterback Matt Ryan’s top three options, and I believe they will come out of that game with a victory as well.

If the Seahawks could beat the Falcons in the second round of the playoffs, they would play either the 49ers or Packers in the third round, both of which are teams we have beaten earlier in the season. Both of those games were played at Century Link Field, but if the ‘Hawks had already won two straight playoff games on the road, I don’t see any reason why they couldn’t win one more against a team that they have already beaten. While it would be a difficult road, winning three straight road games, I would not be surprised, and in fact I would even predict the Seahawks completing such a task and getting to the Super Bowl. It will be a fun playoff run.

Thanks for reading and follow us on Twitter @seasportssoup! Like us on Facebook as well! Keep checking back for more updates.

Jackson

Oh, and here's something to leave you with on this first Tuesday of 2013. Enjoy it.

Seahawk's Playoff Picture 2.0

With a win by the Rams, the Seahawks (in dominating fashion), and the 49ers, the NFC West looks pretty much the same. The 49ers have a one and a-half game lead on the Seahawks and a three game lead on the Rams. However, the Bears lost today meaning that the Seahawks would be the fifth seed if the season ended today because of the head-to-head tiebreaker with the Bears. With only three games remaining in the regular season and two games back of the 49ers, it may seem that the Seahawks are out of the race for the division title, and should focus on the wild card, but that is not true at all. The 49ers have a very tough schedule over the next two games, taking on the Patriots in Foxborough and the Seahawks in Seattle, before finishing with the Cardinals at home. The Seahawks on the other hand, have a much easier schedule remaining, with the Bills in Toronto on the “road” next week, followed by the 49ers and Rams at home. It would not be surprising to see the Seahawks win all three of their remaining games, given that two of them are at home, as well as the fact that they are playing extremely well right now. This would put the Seahawks at 11-5. If the 49ers lose to the Patriots next week, and lose to the Seahawks the week after, they would be 10-5-1, which would mean the Seahawks would win the NFC West and most likely would clinch the number two seed in the playoffs.

It was evident that the Seahawks players had a good time in their win today.

www.bleacherreport.net

If the Seahawks lose one of those last three games, and finish at 10-6, they would most likely not win the division, which would mean they would be fighting the Bears (8-5), Redskins (7-6), Cowboys (7-6), and Vikings (7-6) for the two wild card spots. For any of the three 7-6 teams to be able to challenge the Seahawks for the wild card spot, they would most likely have to win out. The Vikings still have the Texans and Packers left on their schedule, which basically means that they are effectively eliminated. The Cowboys have games against the Steelers, Saints, and Redskins remaining, which also basically means that they are effectively eliminated, as it would be very difficult to win all three of those games. The Redskins however have a fairly easy schedule remaining with the Browns, Eagles, and Cowboys left on their plate. Winning all three of those games would put them at 10-6, and in position to at least challenge for a playoff spot, whether it is for the wild card or their own division.

The Seahawks could soon be updating this sign at their headquarters in Renton...

seahawks.com

All of these scenarios show that the Seahawks are in a pretty good position to make the playoffs and still have a shot at the division title as well. In my last article about the playoff picture, I said the Seahawks season could come down to the week 16 game against the 49ers, and that is still the case. Assuming we beat the Bills next week and the Rams in week 17, a win against the 49ers would guarantee us a playoff spot. Plus, if the 49ers lose any of their other remaining games, winning in week 16 would give the Seahawks the division title. Just remember this. We wouldn’t be having any of this “will they make the playoffs or not” talk if the Seahawks would have taken care of business in the earlier parts of the season. With wins against teams like Arizona, St. Louis, Detroit and Miami, which all should have been wins, the Seahawks would be sitting pretty with a 12-1 record right now. Oh what could have been…
           
All of this being said it has been proven time and time again that anything can happen in the NFL. The Seahawks were shown just that in their loss two weeks ago against the woeful Dolphins. Any number of things could go wrong for the Seahawks, but if they play with the tenacity that they showed today against the Cardinals, they should be in good shape to make a solid run in the playoffs.

Thanks for reading and follow us on Twitter @seasportssoup! Like us on Facebook as well! Keep checking back for updates.

Jackson

Seahawk's Outlook for the Remainder of the Season

A tie? Really? A tie?! The Rams not being able to close out the 49ers last weekend was one of the more painful things I have had to watch so far this season. An illegal formation penalty to call back an 80 yard play to start overtime, and a delay of game penalty to take back a 53 yard field goal to end overtime doomed the Rams. Talk about a sloppy overtime. Now instead of the Seahawks being one game behind the 49ers, they are now two games behind. That being said, if the season ended today the Hawks would still be in the playoffs as the six seed, and I am here to tell you how the Hawks can either stay as a wild card spot, or potentially even win the division.

The 49ers and Rams tied last week, a game the Rams should have won.

Kyle Terada-US Presswire

After a bye this week, the 6-4 Seahawks play the Dolphins in Miami, the Bears in Chicago, the Cardinals at home, the Bills in Buffalo, and finish with the 49ers and Rams both at home. The Dolphins looked atrocious this week, so even with the inconsistent play of the Hawks on the road it should be a pretty easy win for the ‘Hawks. Now as good as the Seahawks have looked recently, let’s be honest, they aren’t going to beat the Bears in Chicago, especially considering Cutler will probably be back by then. They could contend, but I expect the Bears to pull away. The next four games though, are all winnable games, especially with three of them being at home. The big game will obviously be the week 16 matchup against the 49ers at Century Link. Beating the 49ers in week 16 is the difference between 11-5, and 10-6, which in a competitive NFC, could mean everything.

The 49ers on the other hand, have a very tough remaining schedule. Starting with the Bears at home this week on Monday night, they go to New Orleans to play the red-hot Saints, then play the Rams in St. Louis, which is always tough, then play at home against the Dolphins, against the Patriots at Gillette Stadium, against the Hawks at Century Link, and finish at home against the Cardinals. The Niner’s may be two games up on us, but it is not unlikely for them to lose against the Bears, to the Saints in New Orleans, and to the Patriots in Foxborough. That would leave them with five losses, going into the game against the Seahawks. In this scenario, the winner of that pivotal week 16 game, would finish one game ahead of the other, and would win the NFC West.

The Seahawks look to avenge their previous loss when they face the 49ers in week 16.

Kyle Terada-US Presswire

 

While winning the division, and getting home-field advantage in the first round would be huge for us (as shown by our win against the Saints last year), getting in through the wild card would still be better than missing the playoffs completely. The Packers are one game ahead of us right now, and it is conceivable that they will only lose one or two more games the rest of the season, which would essentially guarantee them a playoff spot. The only other viable threats to our playoff spot are the Vikings (6-4), the Buccaneers (5-4), and the Saints (4-5). The Vikings chances do not look good at all, playing the Bears and the Packers twice more, along with the Texans. The Buccaneers have to play the Falcons twice more, play the Saints in New Orleans, and the Broncos in Denver. The Saints are a team that is smoking hot, and has an easy enough schedule to give us a run for our money. Their remaining schedule is the Raiders in Oakland, 49ers at home, Falcons in Atlanta, Giants in New York, Buccaneers at home, Cowboys in Dallas, and Panthers at home. The Saints are virtually impossible to beat at home, and with the Giants struggling, the only game I see them losing is in week 13 at the Falcons. That would put them at 10-6. Now it should be abundantly clear, that the Seahawks week 16 game against the 49ers is the key to our playoff hopes. If we win that game, and win the others we are supposed to down the stretch, we have a great chance of not only making the playoffs, but winning the division as well.

 

Thanks for reading and follow us on Twitter @seasportssoup! Like us on Facebook as well! Keep checking back for updates.

 

Jackson