Best or Most Hot? Which Are These Hawks?

[AROS]

I hear a lot about how hot the Seahawks are, for obvious reason. What about being the best in the NFL? Is it semantics? Two different things? Mutually exclusive? What are your thoughts?

 

[CaptainSkybeard]

I hear a lot about how hot the Seahawks are, for obvious reason. What about being the best in the NFL? Is it semantics? Two different things? Mutually exclusive? What are your thoughts?

A perfect example is the Giants from last year. They were hot, not the best. If they played NE 10 times in the SB i think New England wins 8 out of 10. For that matter, I think if they played SF in the NFCCG 10 times SF would win 7/10.

 

[AF_Hawk]

I don't think we are the best team, we are just peaking at the right time. We have enough talent at every position to take us to the level needed to compete with anyone. This young team FEEDS off emotion and has the swagger to swing with ANYONE!

 

[CANHawk]

They are the best team in the league... right now. So I guess that means they're the hottest team. Talent wise, maybe not the best names known to man, but they are perhaps playing the best team game right now; everyone's bought in to the system Pete wants to play with and they're proving to be pretty deep so far.

So...
Hottest team? Definitely, without a doubt.
Most talented team? From top to bottom? Probably not (though I would argue that Lynch, Sherman and Thomas are the very best in the league at their positions right now).
Best team? Yes. There are teams with more talented individuals and teams that put up much bigger stats during the regular season, but this team right now is functioning at a higher level than the sum of it's parts. It's a unit. It's a machine. The team is playing at a high level in all three phases right now. Everyone has their assignments and everyone executes. Everyone is willing to give 100% toward winning. Denver might be there too (haven't watched them close enough to say).

 

[kidhawk]

in 2005 I would have voted for both. Right now, I put us as hottest but not best. Right now though we can beat anyone, but I can't say we are the BEST team in the league. We are gaining a lot of ground on becoming the best though, and perhaps when the year is said and done, I may just change that vote

 

[Hawkfan77]

I think we are the most complete team left with the best defense in the league. Combine that with winning 6 games in a row and how hot the team has been playing? Hawks have to be the most dangerous team in the playoffs.

 

[Sarlacc83]

I put both, because I am an unrealistic homer at times. This is one of those times.

 

[MontanaHawk05]

The definition of "best in the NFL" is to win a Super Bowl, Todd.

 

[CrimsonWazzu]

If you look at all the quality statistics combined, we are the best team in the NFL.

 

[Fox0r]

I agree with Montana. I don't think you can really quantify who the best team without it being a retroactive process.

 

[Dirty Bird]

Broncos are on a 10 win streak so technically they're the hottest. Packers are the best team in the NFL IMO.

 

[chris98251]

Hottest yes, Best history will tell, best is always about match ups and where you land to play. Best I think is something that you are over a couple seasons. Being able to maintain a level of play and doing it with any schedule and no conditions that are more favorable like a weak schedule or a string of toughest opponents at home etc.

 

[SonicHawk]

Broncos are on a 10 win streak so technically they're the hottest. Packers are the best team in the NFL IMO.

The best team? I'm going to give it to the Seahawks. They have minimal glaring weaknesses compared to other teams. If each part of their game plays up to their usual standard there's not a team the Seahawks won't beat.

This defense can hold any team in the league to 14 points. This offense has the ability to put up 58. There's not another team in the league that can do that.

The Broncos have an explosive offense and an opportunistic defense. They also played in the worst division in football. Now, a wins a win in the NFL so I only take away a little for that. The AFC Conference Final will be their real first test. Even then I don't care for any team in the AFC. I think all 4 teams in the NFC would beat Denver in the SB.

As far as the NFC teams? Green Bay has no running game, no run defense and an average pass defense. Rodgers gets sacked a ton and I think SF is going to whoop them. SF has a great rush and pass defense, but everything hinges on the performance of their rookie (basically) QB. If CK can manage a game and efficiently move the ball through play action, designed runs and handing the ball off they may be the toughest team. Unfortunately for SF their rookie QB has at times played like a rookie QB as of late.

The same can not be said for RW. RW has become the epitome of a game manager. He also has the ability to create long drives without the help of a run game. I think people outside of Seattle expect at some point for RW to play and act like a rookie. He does not seem to have that ability however. Like any team playing on the road in the playoffs a lot has to do with momentum. If Seattle comes out slow on Sunday, I don't expect them to win like they did vs. WAS. If Seattle has 0 points after the first quarter, I would put my money on ATL this game.

And finally, we have ATL. Two of the best/better WRs in the NFL, a perennial pro bowler in Tony Gonzalez and a QB who has the capability of running up a score. Jaquizz has also played nicely as of late and could be a threat as an outside runner, but I see that being muted pretty early on (no matter who they play in upcoming games). This means that Ryan will have to go up top... and often. I don't like his chances vs. Sherman, Browner and Thomas. For every few big play the Hawks defense gives up down the middle, I would say that there will be a takeaway on the outside when Ryan gets desperate.

This game on Sunday I think has little bearing on what the Hawks do on offense. I expect them to come out as efficient as usual and score ~24 points. Can we keep ATL under 24? That will be the key.


My prediction the rest of the playoffs.

@DENVER v baltimore
@NEW ENGLAND v houston
@SAN FRANCISCO v green bay
@atlanta v SEAHAWKS

@DENVER v new england
@san francisco v SEAHAWKS

SEAHAWKS v denver


The Seahawks aren't the hottest. They are the most consistent team.

 

[scutterhawk]

I hear a lot about how hot the Seahawks are, for obvious reason. What about being the best in the NFL? Is it semantics? Two different things? Mutually exclusive? What are your thoughts?

I was assuming that you were asking if this Seahawks team was the hotest or the best ever Seahawks team, so I had to say both.
I'd have to question that this Seahawks is more amped up than ever, and with Wilson tieing Mannings TD passes as a rookie, but getting better with each outing, is surrounded with team mates that believe they can run with any big dogs in any pack, AND I started believing that back when we won in Chicago,,,Hey, the numbers don't lie. :th2thumbs:

 

[scutterhawk]

The definition of "best in the NFL" is to win a Super Bowl, Todd.

Nah, to win the SB you have to be the BEST of the BEST.
At this point, and by all comparrisons, the Seahawks ARE the hottest, AND the best. :mrgreen:

 

[hawker84]

best team in the league is Denver in my opinon... HOF QB, top defense....great offensive weapons....10 game winning streak...

NE, HOF QB - horrible secondary.

SF - insconsistant offense, great D , inexperienced QB

GB - HOF QB - lights out offense, defense is their weakness

Seattle - Solid D , consistant offense, best secondary in the league, Leon Washington - only thing that seperates us from denver is the QB position.. RW is more than capable, but struggles from time to time picking up blitzes , Manning on the other hand will audible out of plays to exploit blitzes and rip defenses a part.. Experience is the key here...

ATL - solid footbal team, great offensive weapons, solid QB, solid defense, but lack of running game is their weakness..

based on these reason , i feel Denver is the Hottest and Best team in the league, with Seattle a close second..

Seattle VS. Denver in the SB.....

 

[Sgt. Largent]

The word "best" is to ambiguous and subjective.

All the teams left in the playoffs are very good and could go all the way, that's why they're there. Who's "best?" I'll let you know February 4th.

 

[SonicHawk]

Denver's defense is average at best. Lot of takeaways though.

 

[kearly]

Denver is the hottest. Green Bay and New England are both essentially as hot as Seattle is.

If you put stock in Football Outsiders or Coldhardfootballfacts, Seattle is the best team in the NFL. I think they are right. No other franchise has as much total talent or is as complete a team. Given Seattle's humungous home/road split (probably the largest in the NFL in terms of in game performance), the fact that they are even considered SB contenders with a 4 game schedule away from home speaks volumes.

 

[MontanaHawk05]

I think SonicHawk put it best - minimal glaring weaknesses on this team. We're certainly the best in the NFC on paper.