hawks move to #1 on NFL.com rankings

[RolandDeschain]

Annnnnnnnd, Volsung called it.

 

[formido]

I love our team as much as anyone else, but I feel like we’re a little bit overhyped.

So, you don't think we're a Super Bowl contender this year? Because we're getting the exact hype expected from a Super Bowl contender, no more, no less.

Yes, we should be better than last year, but questions remain.

There are questions on every single team in this league. The hype queens this year are SF. They have holes you could drive a truck through.

Will we be able to rush the passer? Injuries and suspensions linger.

This is legit. However, one thing we can say is that we have way more potential to rush the passer this year. Bennett, Avril, even Tony McDaniel has a higher sack percentage than the snaps he's replacing. When Clemons and Irvin get back, that will be FAR more firepower than we had last year. That's not even mentioning our rookies, any of which could bring the heat from an unexpected place.

Also, Quinn is aggressive. If it weren't for one half at Green Bay, Seattle had one of the statistically worst pass rushes in the NFL last year. That means improving won't be very hard. Fault tolerant systems are redundant and the front office gave us massively redundant pieces to fix the pass rush.

Keep in mind, with a bad pass rush we still led the NFL in scoring defense, so if it's a question, it's one that doesn't have to be answered for Seattle to be better this year. However, if I had to guess, I'd say the pass rush will be better this year. An elite pass rush is a serious possibility.

Will we be able to stop the run? We were great during the first part of the season but got worse down the stretch. Luckily our offense gave us big leads by then; we didn’t have to worry about this as much. We could not stop the run in Atlanta, however, where they gashed us.

No idea. Red says Quinn is going to use him the way he did a couple years ago. Maybe Red's plantar fasciitis was a real problem. Maybe Winfield's run support has a significant effect. Maybe Jesse Williams is a run stopper. Like you said, though, we were able to dominate without stopping the run well. Stopping the run will be a bonus.

The strength of this team is the secondary and the secondary is deep and coming into its prime.

Will defenses figure out the read option, limiting our success with it?

This makes about as much sense as asking if defenses will figure out the play action pass.

Will our o-line be 100% healthy? Will Lynch be suspended? We are still a running team first and foremost.

There's a reason why, despite being "overhyped" we're given <20% chance of winning the Super Bowl. I don't think acknowleding that any team's season can be derailed by injuries is a justification for hype damping.

Will we be able to overcome schedule challenges? Yes, this does factor. We started slow in those early road games, even the ones where we ended up winning.

Will all this hype get to the players heads? They play better with a chip on their shoulders.

Ultimately, the evidence strongly suggests that Seattle's offense is going to be dominating this year and there really isn't any good argument to refute that. Injuries could happen, but that's pretty much it. And Seattle's offensive dominance, by itself, answers every other question on this list.

 

[MizzouHawkGal]

that's good news, i'd rather see him stay in a TE personally, however it would be fun as hell to watch him and Browner battle out there.

He just doesn't have the movement ability to play WR. He's FAST in straight lines, but he doesn't run routes like a WR. Plus he's a great blocker...I'd rather he stay at TE.

You better hope he does because you don't cover up one weakness by creating another and that move would do just that.

 

[RichNhansom]

[RichNHansom]

Has anyone else noticed how NFL.com keeps ignoring the Seahawks or posting negative articles about the team while pumping up the 49ers? The East Coast bias is ridiculous!

[/RichNHansom]

Did I type in east coast bias? Or did you add that in? Because I don't remember putting that in there and not sure why I would.

But yes read my last post. I truly believe that NFL.com wants to inflate this rivalry as it is the best in football currently but I also think they have known for a while who the better team is and the scheduling reflects it. There is no way in a league of supposed parity you coddle one team while making their biggest challenger play an obviously much tougher schedule unless you are either trying to help one team or hold the other team back some to keep it competitive.

Maybe it's merch sales or maybe they are just trying to pump up the hype and keep it interesting but I don't see how you can make those schedules and not see the problem.

 

[Cartire]

Will defenses figure out the read option, limiting our success with it?

This makes about as much sense as asking if defenses will figure out the play action pass.

I want to thank you for mentioning this. I have been absolutly livid this offseason listening to everyone comparing the Read-Option to the Wildcat. As if because the Wildcat was a one hit wonder scheme, the Read-Option will be too.

The biggest, hugest factor against this is very simple. When the wildcat was running, YOU KNEW IT WAS THE WILDCAT. Wheres the QB? Oh thats right, NOT BEHIND THE CENTER!!

The Read-Option isnt going anywhere just like Play-Action isnt going anywhere. Why? Because the QB is still there. Which means you dont know for sure if its going to be a read-option play or a play-action, or whatever...

 

[loafoftatupu]

I always like reading good stuff about the Hawks. I will admit it though, an opinionated ranking means little to me. There are plenty of reads that put the Niners in the top spot and I take it with the same thinking as when the Hawks are one.

One thing I feel for certain though, from a league perspective, the Hawks and Niners are the teams they should be talking about. Few teams are as complete as these two.

 

[Tech Worlds]

Will defenses figure out the read option, limiting our success with it?

This makes about as much sense as asking if defenses will figure out the play action pass.

I want to thank you for mentioning this. I have been absolutly livid this offseason listening to everyone comparing the Read-Option to the Wildcat. As if because the Wildcat was a one hit wonder scheme, the Read-Option will be too.

The biggest, hugest factor against this is very simple. When the wildcat was running, YOU KNEW IT WAS THE WILDCAT. Wheres the QB? Oh thats right, NOT BEHIND THE CENTER!!

The Read-Option isnt going anywhere just like Play-Action isnt going anywhere. Why? Because the QB is still there. Which means you dont know for sure if its going to be a read-option play or a play-action, or whatever...

Does this really make you livid? Really?

If so I think you may need therapy.

 

[nIdahoSeahawk]

I see on the NFL's facebook post, that quite a few people are saying "packers #1"

....The troll in me wants to say "the packers need to be able beat the seahawks to be #1"

I digress... I think

 

[Cartire]

Does this really make you livid? Really?

If so I think you may need therapy.

Too expensive. Otherwise sure, I would take you up on that. But for now, yes, yes it does. Because its impossible to discuss anything with people when they are uninformed like that.

 

[Pandion Haliaetus]

Thank you nfl.com for also dethroning the 49ers and making the realization that in fact the Seahawks are the better team.

 

[hoxrox]

So, you don't think we're a Super Bowl contender this year? Because we're getting the exact hype expected from a Super Bowl contender, no more, no less.

They're not only talking about SB contention, they're talking Dynasty. That's a bit much at this point.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap100000 ... xt-dynasty

Pressure, expectations - we won't creep up on anyone this year. And are going to have to be much more disciplined.

Your other points make sense.

 

[formido]

So, you don't think we're a Super Bowl contender this year? Because we're getting the exact hype expected from a Super Bowl contender, no more, no less.

They're not only talking about SB contention, they're talking Dynasty. That's a bit much at this point.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap100000 ... xt-dynasty

Pressure, expectations - we won't creep up on anyone this year. And are going to have to be much more disciplined.

Your other points make sense.

I hadn't seen that article yet. If a Niner wants to call Seattle a burgeoning dynasty, who am I to argue?

 

[kearly]

I see on the NFL's facebook post, that quite a few people are saying "packers #1"

I guess the Packers should be in the discussion, but what holds me back from taking them seriously is that they have about as much riding on Aaron Rodgers as the Colts did on Peyton Manning. You take Rodgers off that team and it freefalls to 5 win territory. The Patriots once won 11 games without Tom Brady, and I bet the Seahawks could probably post double digits with Tjack at this point.

Of course, they do have Rodgers and despite how many sacks he takes and how much he scrambles/runs, the odds say he'll play a full season this year. Rodgers can only do so much and that was plainly evident when they got their asses kicked twice by the 49ers last season.

 

[MizzouHawkGal]

Well the Packers did address the running game and tried to do something about their OL but I didn't see them upgrade the speed of their defense, am I wrong here? Because if they didn't the 49ers, Seahawks, and Washington (all team's with dual threat quarterbacks will probably just curbstomp them again).

 

[Sgt. Largent]

NFL preseason power rankings are about as useless as a 3rd nipple. If you don't believe me, just look at last year's preseason power rankings

http://espn.go.com/nfl/powerrankings/_/year/2012/week/0

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d8 ... contenders

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1303 ... r-rankings

 

[FlyingGreg]

NFL preseason power rankings are about as useless as a 3rd nipple. If you don't believe me, just look at last year's preseason power rankings

http://espn.go.com/nfl/powerrankings/_/year/2012/week/0

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d8 ... contenders

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1303 ... r-rankings

I wouldn't say "useless"...

In the ESPN poll, 5 of the top 6 teams made the playoffs and two reached the Super Bowl.

In the NFL.COM poll, 3 of the 4 top shelf teams made the playoffs.

In the Bleacher Report, 4 of the top 5 teams made the playoffs...but then again, it's Bleacher Report.

 

[MizzouHawkGal]

NFL preseason power rankings are about as useless as a 3rd nipple. If you don't believe me, just look at last year's preseason power rankings

http://espn.go.com/nfl/powerrankings/_/year/2012/week/0

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d8 ... contenders

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1303 ... r-rankings

The NFL.com one seemed pretty spot on concerning Seattle, listing us as contenders which that is exactly what we were going into last year. Either way it's all a way to pass the offseason and mostly harmless entertainment.

 

[Subzero717]

Not to be a downer but they have picked KC and SD in recent memory.

 

[MizzouHawkGal]

Definitely noticed the KC pick. I don't get why the media outlets seem to like KC better than the local fanbase. Nobody around here sees them any better than 7-9ish.

 

[Stephen SeaHawking]

"In other news -- sorta -- saw Golden Tate saying he would give 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh "The Sean Lee treatment." If he really wanted to make his statement forceful, Tate should have said he'd give Harbaugh the Sam Shields treatment."

What the hell is this. They can't even praise us without trying to knock us down a bit. How is that at all relevant? How is it even a joke?