We will still win the NFC West

[Barthawk]

Niners are 4-3 MT, but I get your point. As Patrick Kerney and many others have said, you are never as good as others think or your nor are you as bad as others think you are.

still 10 games to go.. this team is much better than the 2012 version and that team struggled out the gates and caught fire at the end..

My biggest concern is that we are 31st in the NFL in redzone D after leading the league last year. 36% TD last year and now we are giving up a TD 72% of the time... that is atrocious.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

still 10 games to go.. this team is much better than the 2012 version and that team struggled out the gates and caught fire at the end...

This is my hope as well, that we can get healthy, stay healthy and make a run.

No one in the NFC scares me right now, even the Cowboys should come back down to earth by the end of the season after playing the Cards, Bears, Colts and Eagles twice.

I'd be more optimistic if our D-line wasn't so depleted and under performing. No way our defense gets better without the line somehow figuring out how to get to the QB.

 

[Hasselbeck]

I get the principle of your argument.. but using the transitive property for sports is a failed argument.

Especially in the NFL.

Wins are hard to come by in this league. It's a tired cliche, but it is very true. Any given Sunday. The margin of error in this league is the smallest it has ever been.. really the only absolute terrible team in football right now is Tampa Bay.. even Oakland has given a couple teams a scare this year.

 

[BayAreafbfan]

This will be a foot race until the end for the division. We have seen the Niners look terrible for a stretch last year and were a play away from returning to the SB. Yes they did get blown out in Denver and the ineptness on offence was concerning. However I'm sure they would have played better on defense had Bowman, Smith and Willis had played. Missing Culliver also hurt. Denver was playing against a preseason 49er defense. Those guys will be back after week ten. This is a young season and anything can happen.

 

[hawkfan68]

At this time even the Rams have a chance to win the division. They aren't out of it by any means. They are 1 game back of the Seahawks, 1.5 behind the 49ers, and 2.5 behind the Cards. A lot can happen in the next 10 weeks.

 

[Largent80]

I hate the moniker Legion of Boom, because there is no legion this year.

Kam is hurt, it is obvious. Browner is long gone and Maxwell?, not even sure he belongs.

Earl has even been underwhelming. Last year all those guys benefitted from our good DL rotation that we no longer have.

Wright is garbage vs. the pass. If they don't win this week I would say the chances of even making the playoffs are slim to none.

 

[Hawks46]

So, if I can paraphrase: the only good team left is the Seahawks and all the other teams are seriously flawed or suck.

First off, Buffalo is tough at home. Always has been, so that's a good win by the Chargers.

The Niners might've been a "mediocre" team, but before the Denver game they had the 2nd ranked defense in the league, and we're not talking about yardage. Their defense is/was playing really well. You SHOULD shut out poor teams. Guess what we're not doing ? Shutting down poor teams. The Rams should never have scored 28 on us.

In looking at how we've played, plus facforing in the injuries and looking at the remaining schedule, it's hard to refute we're going to lose in places like AZ, Philly and SF (where we have won in what, 5 years ?) Say SF and Philly are losses, maybe AZ. We're 10-6 at best. 10-6 is a few bad plays and poor officiating calls away from being 8-8 in this league.

 

[Pandion Haliaetus]

This isn't a team built to be the bus driver.

This team is a bunch of misfits and outcasts destined with the Underdog mentality.

Losing to the Rams was bad, but the way this team fought back from Wilson's 420 yard, 3 TD Offensive output to the defense not only forcing that final 3 and out, only to lose it on the fake, but take it back with a force fumble.

The sleeping giant has finally woke up from its Superbowl hangover.

Take away the ST follies and what you really have is the Seahawks most dominant game of the season thus far...

On a day where the Seahawks:

Traded a big time football superstar the day before.

Started Robert Turbin at FB, bc Coleman broke his foot in warm-ups.

Started its what you can say its 4th TE in Cooper Helfet (Miller, Willson, McCoy-I.R.)

Not to mention Max Unger being out and Okung still playing hurt.

Defensively,

The Seahawks was out is best defender this season in Bobby Wagner who was playing at an All-Pro level before he came back injured in the Cowboys game. KJ Wight is not having a good year at least coverage-wise and I think that is being felt to a greater extent because Chanchellor is also having a so-so year due to ankle problems.

And Simon while bringing much needed energy to the defensive backfield field, made bone-headed decisions that extended two Rams drives, once he came out, the Seahawks settled down and got into a rhythm on that side of the ball. Burley finally had an extremely bad game which just shows how much the Seahawks really need Maxwell and Lane in the secondary.

The 2ndary shut down Aaron Rodgers when it had its full complement of players... and I think that is what has been missing... just the trust and confidence each other to be where they need to be.

Losing Lane wasn't that bad but Burley been in the system all of two weeks. That's a downgrade.

And then Kam being like 75% of himself really hurts more than anything.

All of a sudden teams are avoiding Thomas and Sherman as much as possible = reduce Ints.

They're challenging Maxwell and Burley with their best WRs, exploiting the Zone areas of Kam, Burley, and Wright.

With teams finding weaknesses in our Scheme through poor play or injury it has taken its toll and magnified when the offense hasn't been able to sustain drives and put up points in RZ opportunities.

Right now until the 2ndary can get back to full-strength and Quinn can shake up a pass rush then best defense is going to be a time consuming ball control offense that's on the same page.

That's why the Seahawks traded Harvin.

The offensive chemistry was just off with him in the line-up, too many boom or bust plays, not enough smash mouth football of getting as much positive yardage as possible.

And I think that is what we saw in the 2nd half of the Rams game, an offense that will be able to carry this defense until it can get healthy enough to get back that trust and confidence.

So, even if the Rams loss sucks and it hurts, one cannot say just because the Seahawks lost that game the season is over.

Winning or losing had no affect in the momentum and strides Seahawks made in that game from a team perspective. Winning wouldn't have made the the rest of the schedule any easier. But getting on the same page, coming together as a team and playing selfless football like we saw in the 2nd half... that will make the schedule easier.

Again, vs the Cowboys take away the ST teams magic and that is the Seahawks worst game in a long-time.

Now take away the Rams ST magic, and it becomes the Seahawks most dominant no gimmicks performance all season.

I think the Seahawks will start to play their brand of football and they'll get right back into the thick of it.

If they can get to 7-3. They can go 4-2 and still win the West by beating Cards twice, 49ers twice. Destiny is in their hands, and they know they're the underdogs once again and everyone is doubting them.

 

[cboom]

I hate the moniker Legion of Boom, because there is no legion this year.

Kam is hurt, it is obvious. Browner is long gone and Maxwell?, not even sure he belongs.

Earl has even been underwhelming. Last year all those guys benefitted from our good DL rotation that we no longer have.

Wright is garbage vs. the pass. If they don't win this week I would say the chances of even making the playoffs are slim to none.

Not to mention Walter Thurmond being gone. I do think last year we had one of those rare situations where every part of the D complimented the other parts to a tee. And when one of those parts (the DL) is weaker none of the others will be near as dominant. There is a very fine line between a top D and a middle of the road D. And it doesn't take much (one guy or two) for a top D to become a middle of the road D.

 

[idahohawk]

I applaud your effort and optimism, but your rationale of none of the teams being very good because of who they've played, beaten, and/or lost to, is somewhat circular logic. I'll use your first example to make my point.

You said about the Cardinals:

They are 5-1 but the only "good" team they beat was the San Diego Chargers (explained below). They got man handled by Denver which is the only legitimately good team they've played so far.

But the Chargers beat us, so by the "transitive" property you are using, we will struggle mightily against the Cardinals.

They beat the 49ers who are terrible (explained below) as well as 3 obviously bad teams (Giants, Redskins, Raiders).

If the 49ers are terrible, what does that make us? The 49ers managed to beat the mighty Rams, which the Seahawks could not do. They also beat the Cowboys on the road, despite playing a mediocre game.

Just using this example, I think the 49ers, once healthy will pose a significant challenge for the Seahawks. 1. They are hungry. 2. Their D seems to be better than Seattle's at this point.

By no means am I giving up hope, nor am I flaming you, rather just having a discussion. But your rationale really isn't convincing me that winning the NFC West is probable. Seeing us get outsmarted and the ball shoved down our throats vs. STL put a pretty good dent in my confidence.


Go Hawks.

 

[Tokadub]

So, if I can paraphrase: the only good team left is the Seahawks and all the other teams are seriously flawed or suck.

No that's missing the point of my post entirely. There are a ton of vulnerable teams right now including the Seahawks. No teams have really proven they are elite other than Denver.

I personally believe that out of all the teams "in the mix" we have had the biggest drop off compared to where we were expected to be. If you look at the talent on our team and how we haven't even started to tap our potential yet then I think we have a great chance to win the NFC West.

I believe we are still better than the Cardinals and 49ers. If we play to even 80% of our potential it's not even close.

I never said "we are the only good team left", we are playing TERRIBLY so far this season. But I believe that will change and we'll see the start of that against the Panthers next week.

I rarely seem to agree with Pandion but his post nailed it. If you look at how our team played VS. Dallas compared to the Rams in the 2nd half you wouldn't even think we were the same team. If we can carry that momentum into the rest of the season and our Defense even improves in the slightest bit I think we can win the division.

 

[stack55]

The nfl does not want Seattle any where near winning it all. The refs have been
Ordered to call as many penalties on the Hawks as possible, especially on big plays.

They were humiliated that the Hawks hammered the Broncos in the SB. Non seahawk fans
Quit watching the game after Harvin ran it back to start the second half.

This is not a conspiracy theory. They don't want a small market team in the playoffs
Again, let alone a SB.

They are cheating in accepted and subtle ways.

 

[NINEster]

I applaud your effort and optimism, but your rationale of none of the teams being very good because of who they've played, beaten, and/or lost to, is somewhat circular logic. I'll use your first example to make my point.

You said about the Cardinals:

They are 5-1 but the only "good" team they beat was the San Diego Chargers (explained below). They got man handled by Denver which is the only legitimately good team they've played so far.

But the Chargers beat us, so by the "transitive" property you are using, we will struggle mightily against the Cardinals.

They beat the 49ers who are terrible (explained below) as well as 3 obviously bad teams (Giants, Redskins, Raiders).

If the 49ers are terrible, what does that make us? The 49ers managed to beat the mighty Rams, which the Seahawks could not do. They also beat the Cowboys on the road, despite playing a mediocre game.

Just using this example, I think the 49ers, once healthy will pose a significant challenge for the Seahawks. 1. They are hungry. 2. Their D seems to be better than Seattle's at this point.

By no means am I giving up hope, nor am I flaming you, rather just having a discussion. But your rationale really isn't convincing me that winning the NFC West is probable. Seeing us get outsmarted and the ball shoved down our throats vs. STL put a pretty good dent in my confidence.


Go Hawks.

This is a far more accurate observation than the OP's who is looking to simply discredit other teams and pump up the Seahawks.

Did the OP ever consider what the Seahawks record would probably be if they were playing without Thomas and Sherman for the entire season? That's what the 49ers have had to deal with with the absence of Navarro Bowman and Aldon Smith.

And I love how nobody ever wants to give the 49ers credit for beating Dallas the way they did (first they were a crap team, now the 49ers performance was mediocre and "fortunate"). Look at Witten's/Bryant's stats in that game -- their worst of the season. I don't see the 49ers beating the Cowboys like that again in a playoff rematch but based on the 49er season so far, I'm not sure when we'll see the next 25 point halftime lead, if at all.

I think the next few weeks will determine the true strength of the Cardinals, 49ers and Seahawks. Cardinals have Eagles and Cowboys coming up, two good games. Win those two games, and suddenly we might be looking at a #1 seed in the NFC candidate.

49ers have an "easy" schedule leading up to the Seahawk games....will they live up to that? And if so, how are they winning those games?

Seahawks I've said had the hardest back 7 games of any team this season, and if they go into Santa Clara any worse than 6-4, it will be tough for them to close out and win more than 10 games IMO. Based on past seasons performances, the Hawks will probably go 3-3 in the division (at best). You better believe @KC and @PHI will be tough to win, let alone dominate.

Panthers game will be huge.

The C-LINK aura is over, and the Hawks still have 5 division games left and 2-3 tough road games as well.

If the Seahawks win the NFC West this year, it will be easily more impressive than when they almost won it in 2012, and that's saying a lot given that they're SB champs. It still blows me away that they would have lost the tiebreaker to SF last year @12-4 after the way most of the regular season went for both teams.

 

[NINEster]

So, if I can paraphrase: the only good team left is the Seahawks and all the other teams are seriously flawed or suck.

No that's missing the point of my post entirely. There are a ton of vulnerable teams right now including the Seahawks. No teams have really proven they are elite other than Denver.

I personally believe that out of all the teams "in the mix" we have had the biggest drop off compared to where we were expected to be. If you look at the talent on our team and how we haven't even started to tap our potential yet then I think we have a great chance to win the NFC West.

I believe we are still better than the Cardinals and 49ers. If we play to even 80% of our potential it's not even close.

I never said "we are the only good team left", we are playing TERRIBLY so far this season. But I believe that will change and we'll see the start of that against the Panthers next week.

I rarely seem to agree with Pandion but his post nailed it. If you look at how our team played VS. Dallas compared to the Rams in the 2nd half you wouldn't even think we were the same team. If we can carry that momentum into the rest of the season and our Defense even improves in the slightest bit I think we can win the division.

I didn't watch the Rams game but am baffled how a team can outgain the other and have no turnovers, and still lose.

One ST TD should not be that big of a deal. And quite honestly it should never have come down to a fake punt losing a game either.

The 49ers gave up 2 ST and one defensive TDs to Eagles and nearly lost. That's more understandable.

There's no way in hell Kaepernick has a 300/100 game and the 49ers lose.

Explain me that. It's sorta like the Carson Palmer three INTs and still win at the Link enigma.

 

[chris98251]

The C-LINK aura is over, and the Hawks still have 5 division games left and 2-3 tough road games as well.

This is funny really, the Clink, or the Kingdome, it is not over, there are days where it's not as dynamic, but over......No

 

[DrDix]

We have been missing Miller, missing Wagner, missing Maxwell, no FB in the rams game which is a big deal for Beast Mode. We have had no corner depth because of injuries. Despite all of this, DangeRuss still put up 300+100 with no running game to rely on, on the road.

We are only going to get better.

Much better.

 

[FormerEvil]

This isn't a team built to be the bus driver.

This team is a bunch of misfits and outcasts destined with the Underdog mentality.

Losing to the Rams was bad, but the way this team fought back from Wilson's 420 yard, 3 TD Offensive output to the defense not only forcing that final 3 and out, only to lose it on the fake, but take it back with a force fumble.

The sleeping giant has finally woke up from its Superbowl hangover.

Take away the ST follies and what you really have is the Seahawks most dominant game of the season thus far...

On a day where the Seahawks:

Traded a big time football superstar the day before.

Started Robert Turbin at FB, bc Coleman broke his foot in warm-ups.

Started its what you can say its 4th TE in Cooper Helfet (Miller, Willson, McCoy-I.R.)

Not to mention Max Unger being out and Okung still playing hurt.

Defensively,

The Seahawks was out is best defender this season in Bobby Wagner who was playing at an All-Pro level before he came back injured in the Cowboys game. KJ Wight is not having a good year at least coverage-wise and I think that is being felt to a greater extent because Chanchellor is also having a so-so year due to ankle problems.

And Simon while bringing much needed energy to the defensive backfield field, made bone-headed decisions that extended two Rams drives, once he came out, the Seahawks settled down and got into a rhythm on that side of the ball. Burley finally had an extremely bad game which just shows how much the Seahawks really need Maxwell and Lane in the secondary.

The 2ndary shut down Aaron Rodgers when it had its full complement of players... and I think that is what has been missing... just the trust and confidence each other to be where they need to be.

Losing Lane wasn't that bad but Burley been in the system all of two weeks. That's a downgrade.

And then Kam being like 75% of himself really hurts more than anything.

All of a sudden teams are avoiding Thomas and Sherman as much as possible = reduce Ints.

They're challenging Maxwell and Burley with their best WRs, exploiting the Zone areas of Kam, Burley, and Wright.

With teams finding weaknesses in our Scheme through poor play or injury it has taken its toll and magnified when the offense hasn't been able to sustain drives and put up points in RZ opportunities.

Right now until the 2ndary can get back to full-strength and Quinn can shake up a pass rush then best defense is going to be a time consuming ball control offense that's on the same page.

That's why the Seahawks traded Harvin.

The offensive chemistry was just off with him in the line-up, too many boom or bust plays, not enough smash mouth football of getting as much positive yardage as possible.

And I think that is what we saw in the 2nd half of the Rams game, an offense that will be able to carry this defense until it can get healthy enough to get back that trust and confidence.

So, even if the Rams loss sucks and it hurts, one cannot say just because the Seahawks lost that game the season is over.

Winning or losing had no affect in the momentum and strides Seahawks made in that game from a team perspective. Winning wouldn't have made the the rest of the schedule any easier. But getting on the same page, coming together as a team and playing selfless football like we saw in the 2nd half... that will make the schedule easier.

Again, vs the Cowboys take away the ST teams magic and that is the Seahawks worst game in a long-time.

Now take away the Rams ST magic, and it becomes the Seahawks most dominant no gimmicks performance all season.

I think the Seahawks will start to play their brand of football and they'll get right back into the thick of it.

If they can get to 7-3. They can go 4-2 and still win the West by beating Cards twice, 49ers twice. Destiny is in their hands, and they know they're the underdogs once again and everyone is doubting them.

Outstanding post. Thanks