I was listening to a radio station here in Denver yesterday afternoon. It was a segment entitled "Bronco post-mortem Day 2". I find it fascinating the way it appears a large portion of the Bronco Fanbase views their loss versus my impression of the Seahawk's fanbase is handling the Falcon loss. Both games were in the divisional round and both hinged on late game defensive miscues (I would argue the Denver miscue was greater, but I digress).

In Denver it seems as if they are coming from the standpoint of having a very small window for victory (which may be true). There was more than just an expectation of winning that game, it was almost as if it was a given to them. The loss came as such a shock, you have callers to the station demanding the firing of the coaches and a complete overhaul of the defense. They are calling Manning's kneel-down prior to overtime the "18 million dollar mistake." By most accounts the season was a complete failure because they failed to win a single post season game. Now contrast this with much of what is on this message boards and relayed on KIRO.

The Hawk fan base is extremely disappointed, yet behind that disappointment there is a lingering excitement for thing things the young team was able to show this year and great anticipation for the upcoming season. Sure there will be necessary changes, but the mood seems so much more positive. The feelings coming out of the two fan bases could not, it seems, be more different.

One last note to cherish as a hawk fan. The radio guys were lamenting the Denver draft last season, how they could have had players like Russel Wilson, and yes even made mention of Robert Turbin instead of Brock Oswieler (sp?) and Ronnie Hillman; how their outlook might be different if they had those guys in the bag instead of the ones they do have. It just kind of made me smile a little.

Cheers from the Mile High City.


MHH

Thanks for the perspective. 2006 and 2007 were the same here, we knew the window for Matt and Walt was closing. Denver fans are well aware that the window for Peyton is only going to be open for a short time, and with Champ getting older...

I am gong to enjoy watching Elway mismanage the empire. Watch him overspend on marquis spots and ignore depth, it is going to happen. He is simply too arrogant to be a good GM.

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SEAHAWKS.NET. We All We Got, We All We Need

I never understood the whole "window is closing" sentiment earlier in this season for the Seahawks. I know we had a few posters screaming that all year. We have the 2nd youngest team in the NFL. With youth comes a lack of discipline and experience. Talent is no issue at all...but I'm just excited to see how much better they can get in time and what PC and JS can do with the draft, knowing we don't have too many needs.

Yup.

And does anyone remember the heated arguments here over "wasting a season developing a rookie and costing us games"?

Well, those folks were right. Developing a rookie DID cost us games, and we ended up 11-5. That's what kind of team we have now, folks... where developing a rookie at the most important position still gives us double-digit wins. And now we have a pretty damn well developed QB, too.

I cannot WAIT for next season to start.

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Okay, so maybe that pass rush is still an issue. Lather, rinse, repeat.

What he said

I'd argue that developing a rookie DIDN'T cost us games. Arizona, he got the team the lead but the defense couldn't stop Kolb and Braylon couldn't make a play. I'll give you STL even though his INT's were fluke INT's, but I'll give you that one. San Fran? Dropped passes all over the place and a defensive meltdown down the stretch. I wouldn't pin it on Russ. Detroit and Miami? He did everything in his power to put the Seahawks up late with minimal time left, only for the defense to roll over and die. Same goes for Atlanta.

I know you're advocating Hustle Wilson here, but I wouldn't even let the "developing a rookie QB will cost us games" off the hook.

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Talkin Seahawks All Day, All Night @ my blog Seafense! http://seafense.blogspot.com/

Eh, you could argue that each of the ARI, STL, and SF games might not have been losses had the offense been able to put up 20+, late game issues notwithstanding. Considering how the offense was playing at the end of the season, it would be a remarkable feat if an opposing defense held this team to under 20 points... that certainly wasn't the case at the start of the season.

And that's not actually blaming Wilson 100%. It's on the coaches, too, for keeping him so tightly leashed.

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Okay, so maybe that pass rush is still an issue. Lather, rinse, repeat.

I think it's fair to say that going with Wilson probably cost us some games at the beginning of the season. But I think it's also true that giving Wilson that time to develop and improve early in the season WON us some games late in the year that we probably would have lost otherwise (Chicago and St. Louis come to mind.) Overall, between the games we might have won early in the year and the games we might have lost late in the year, I think it balances out.

Yeah the D more than did their job in those 3 games. Those 3 losses were all on the Offense.

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The difference between having a future HOF QB with 2 years left vs a future HOF QB with 5 years until he hits the days of playing his best football..........

I have never as a Seahawks fan seen the window this wide open. I feel like the window is so wide open right now that the window frame isn't even visible!

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Go Hawks!

Fair points about the defense doing their part in the ARI, STL, and SF games but that still leaves the Detroit, Miami, and Atlanta games.

Good points though gents.

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Talkin Seahawks All Day, All Night @ my blog Seafense! http://seafense.blogspot.com/

You're not alone in this sentiment.

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I take it you figure the odds are that you'll be around next year. I'm to the point where I don't count on that anymore. Also, there are no guarantees next year if I do. So for some of us, yeah, the window is closing has a whole different meaning.

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Richard Sherman doesn't just wanna get in your head, he wants to build a vacation home there.

But not (solely) on Russell Wilson.

He put us in position to win the Arizona game where drops costs us, and the SF game DEFINITELY cost us with drops.
Even the Rams game can come down to special teams not seeing the fake FG and a couple of unfortunate interceptions

Wilson certainly had his fair share of mistakes in the first half of the season, but I don't think he prevented us from winning, he did enough I'd say, though not much more. He was an average QB at the start, which, for a rookie is still excellent

Flynn likely would have had restrictions put on him too that may have prevented us winning.

Being from Denver you know how Denver fans are. Most if not all my friends are Denver fans and they all acted like the Lombardi should have been handed to Manning without ever having to step on the field. Their fan arrogance blinded them into thinking they were Gods gift to football. They're still living back in 90's when they won back to back Bowls. I'm glad they were smacked in the mouth for their thinking. I didn't say a single word or talk any smack the whole season to any of them especially before Denver played this past weekend. I knew Manning was gonna choke. My dislike for Denver and it's fans goes back to the AFC West days. Still hard to let that go. I know that it's been 10+ years since we've been in the AFC West but I still get a little grin on my face when Denver loses.

Preseason started Monday.

Donkey and Mr Ed's Pain brings me great pleasure

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"Go Hawks" Russlemainia

I'm going to laugh when Elway wins executive of the year.

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"I believe there’s merit to the idea that once something in life becomes conventional, it’s no longer the safest path to success." -Matt Waldman
"If everyone's thinking alike, no one's thinking." -Bill Walsh