How do we compare to last year?

[Northhawk]

This time last year, I thought we had a good team but, 30+ years of futility made me cautious, if not, worried about winning it all. The win cemented that we have a superior system and it works. It also proved that we had a much better O than many gave us credit.

This year it feels a bit different. We are down two good WRs (remember, for the few games he played last year, Percy was pretty good and/or opposing D planned for him), our TE situation is worse without Miller and our D line is missing Mebane and Hill.

That said, the secondary and LBs are playing better (that's with Maxwell). The team also has another year under their belt and arguably more comfort and confidence in their schemes. Willson may be coming on giving us a different look at TE. Our stats show that we are better in many areas than last year.

So the questions are:

1) Are we better than last year?
2) Will we win it all?

I think we are about the same due to the improved running game and LB/secondary play making up for the losses at WR and D-line.

And, hell ya, we will take it all. Green Bay is not the 49ers from last year but the Patriots (assuming they beat the colts) are better than Denver last. I think we win in a tighter game.

(edited to address the TE situation which I forgot while I writing the original post).

 

[Sgt. Largent]

I've said this all year, I think we're PLAYING as well as last year, but I don't think our depth is as good as last year.

That lack of depth showed earlier in the year when guys like Wagner, Kam, Mebane and Unger went out.........so hopefully that thin depth won't bite us in the ass again without Hill, Richardson and maybe Maxwell.

Carolina messed up big time. If I was them I would have lined up Benjamin on Simon and just thrown to him every play, he was destroying Simon.

 

[byau]

This time last year, I thought we had a good team but, 30+ years of futility made me cautious, if not, worried about winning it all. The win cemented that we have a superior system and it works. It also proved that we had a much better O than many gave us credit.

Combined with the ups and downs with the Sonics .. yes, I think there is a conditioned "other shoe will drop" type syndrome. Much alleviated by the Seahawks SB win last year, but still present

So the questions are:

1) Are we better than last year?
2) Will we win it all?

I'm a big mental guy, and a lot of my thing with this team was the lack of sense of killer instinct and chemistry. That's why I thought the Harvin trade might work well, and when I heard about the team meeting, I thought it might turn it around

Extrapolating: yes, we are better. Just due to the experience last year, and the experience this year. The Seahawks went through the things that teams go through the year after winning the SB and they SURVIVED it. They won a playoff game. And they seem ready

That's why these guys are special - they got it all mentally together

For that reason, while I will always still remain irrationally worried, I do think they can win it all.

I'll stop there because I don't want to get ahead of myself (you know, being the worrisome me)

GO HAWKS!

 

[CEHawk]

I'm not sure it was so much a lack of depth as it was we were missing soooo many top players. Can you really have depth that would replace Wagner, Kam, Mebane and Unger? These are key players, most of our backups would start on another team. I just don't think you can replace that talent, let alone the team chemistry.

 

[MysterMatt]

I think we're playing about as well as we ever have, except perhaps with the exception of our ST return games. Where we have a bit of an issue, however, is that our depth is being tested to a far greater degree. With Richardson going down, we now have 18 players placed on IR this season, which is ridiculous. Time for Norwood to contribute more.

To even be here is a huge accomplishment, but we still need some key guys to step up. Kearse appears to be elevating his game, as has Willson, but the interior DL is thin and half our secondary is going to get picked on by whomever we end up playing. We need guys to continue to elevate and support each other, but its hard to expect certain areas to be 100% effective at all times at this point.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

I'm not sure it was so much a lack of depth as it was we were missing soooo many top players. Can you really have depth that would replace Wagner, Kam, Mebane and Unger? These are key players, most of our backups would start on another team. I just don't think you can replace that talent, let alone the team chemistry.

Well for example in 2013 when guys like Thurmond, Lane, Maxwell, Hill, Schofield, Simon, Willson WERE your backups that spot started or ended up year as starters.............and the depth at D-line with Red, McDaniels, Clem, etc was much deeper than now.

That's the depth I'm talking about. Now all these guys are starters, so their backups are either out for the year on IR, or haven't played as well as the backups last year did when called upon.