The "credible opponent" narrative

[hox]

Doesn't matter who we played. We dominated when we needed to. Seahawks are leading the NFL in point differential with +164.

 

[NoGain]

All I know is that we're tied for the best record in the entire league at 12-3, currently first in our division and the #1 seed in the NFC, and have the largest point differential in the NFL. And like kidhawk said, our three losses to those playoff contenders were by a total of six points. We lost to a Bucs team that was playing better then they they are now, we avenged our loss to the Rams, and our only other loss was to the 9ers which we have another chance to avenge the last game of the season.

There is no team we are incapable of beating straight up now, mano a mano.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

That's what I'm loving about the NFL in 2025. Not ONE team is really "the" team, if that makes sense. It's truly wide open in both conferences.

 

[chris98251]

First, we are 12 and 3, so there is no doubt we are an elite team. Nobody is downplaying how good we are because they simply acknowledge we had good timing in some of our wins.

Second, teams don't always start the year the way they end it. There is such a thing as catching a team at the right time.

If you wanna pretend that we haven't benefited from luck and timing. That's cool. The reality is both things are true. We are really good and we played a few teams when they weren't as good as they are now. Houston is a great example. They sucked before we played them. Same with Pittsburgh, maybe not to the degree Houston was stinking things up, but they weren't even picked to win their division until the last 3 weeks or so for how inconsistent they were.

I disagree with this statement, we are not Elite, good to very good or just good enough some weeks, inconsistent on defense and offense, defense has a lot to do with injuries I am sure, where we may be Elite is in our personnel, coaching, and talent evaluation to find depth.

Elite teams are much more consistent, can we get there, maybe, health and another good draft could do it, as long as the revolving door called Bradford is on the field however, I have a hard time with our offense being consistently dominant.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Who is elite then? Not one team in this league is without inconsistencies and/or weaknesses.

 

[Hawkstud]

I suppose. But how they are playing now has nothing to do with how they weren't playing well when we faced them.

If those opponents weren't at the top of their game in those earlier meetings, the same can be said of the Seahawks still being unrefined.
All teams supposedly progress as the season wears on, and game tapes help to prepare & level the playing field.
"Iron sharpens Iron"

 

[chris98251]

Who is elite then? Not one team in this league is without inconsistencies and/or weaknesses.

Elite teams are few and far between, usually a generational juggernaut, Steelers in the 70's 49ers in the 80's, Patriots in certain eras of Belichicks time we were on the verge until the play. Chiefs were the closest to it recently, their defense was not what I would call one that strikes fear in people's hearts however.

Elite to me is a top rung on a ladder that everyone agrees on and see's, we don't have that in the league right now, we have a collection of teams that are measured by least amount of weaknesses not how dominant they are.

 

[hox]

Elite, relative to this season, is objectively a top 3 team. Seahawks are a top 3 team.

Legendary, that's another tier altogether.

 

[chris98251]

Elite, relative to this season, is objectively a top 3 team. Seahawks are a top 3 team.

Legendary, that's another tier altogether.

Legendary in my view is a team that sustains that Elite level over multiple seasons.

 

[Hawkstud]

Niners played you week one. You were healthy and so were we. "weren't as good" is just a bad excuse. You were plenty good against the Steelers week two

Yep, the 9rs with a HC that's been there for quite a while and player continuity squeaked out a win against a second year HC and new OC by what 4 points?

 

[MORGULON]

And the Niners and Bucs played us when we weren't as good and healthy as we are now too. So it's all swings and roundabouts really.

No no. Don't start with your logic and reason. This only works when speaking against Seattle

 

[Seahwkgal]

Elite, relative to this season, is objectively a top 3 team. Seahawks are a top 3 team.

Legendary, that's another tier altogether.

Legendary was our defense from 2012-2015 and our 2013/2014 teams overall were legendary. In fact, the 2013 squad I was never scared to watch live because I knew they were that good and I knew we were going to win the Super Bowl.

 

[Ozzy]

Who is elite then? Not one team in this league is without inconsistencies and/or weaknesses.

I don't know how you can be 12-3 and not be elite and you lead the NFL in point differential. I think the idea that teams walk through the whole season with zero hiccups is a pipe dream and if that's the standard then there might not be an elite team ever. Heck even our SB team which I think is an all time great team had issues during the regular season. Every team does. There is a reason there is only one undefeated team in NFL history.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Yep, perfection is unrealistic.

 

[Wsumatt1982]

Yes, you are downplaying it. And that's fine, we all see it how we want to see it.

Other teams win games when they play a team at the "right time"
It's just flat out CORNY, TO ME, that's all. Nothing more. Who gives a flying....when you play a team? You either win or you don't, nothing else matters. Welcome to the NFL, sometimes you get to play a team w/a backup, EVERY team gets breaks like that. Still gotta' play the games.
Since when did this become the BCS? Seriously. And WHY is it that "we played them at the right time" instead of the Hawks whipped their butts on the field????? At some point THAT is a real factor.

We can agree to disagree. It's f'ing ridiculous TO ME that you can't just enjoy wins. They're 12-3 and are sitting in the 1 seed.


Never mind, I just can't do this crap anymore. I'll happily bow out of this ridiculous never good enough crap. FFS, we're 12-3. This whole thing is just odd. TO ME.

Go Hawks

Hate to spoil it but for Christmas I got you blood pressure medicine Soul. Hope it arrives in time

 

[chris98251]

I don't know how you can be 12-3 and not be elite and you lead the NFL in point differential. I think the idea that teams walk through the whole season with zero hiccups is a pipe dream and if that's the standard then there might not be an elite team ever. Heck even our SB team which I think is an all time great team had issues during the regular season. Every team does. There is a reason there is only one undefeated team in NFL history.

Just look at many of the Patriots seasons. Some years yes many no.

 

[HawkRiderFan]

Niners played you week one. You were healthy and so were we. "weren't as good" is just a bad excuse. You were plenty good against the Steelers week two

You don't think some teams improve as the season goes along? Here's one example - Woolen who looked horrid on the 2 biggest pass plays for the Niners in that game got benched and had trade rumour swirling while now he's had a good grade the 2nd half of the year.

As for the week 2 comparison. I would say going from the Niners week 1 to the Steelers week 2 was definitely going down in weight class. I'd be shocked if you disagree with that.

 

[HawkRiderFan]

Houston's O and o-line might have been a mess when we played them but there was nothing wrong with their D, and the Hawks O did a pretty good job against them the first 45 min.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Hate to spoil it but for Christmas I got you blood pressure medicine Soul. Hope it arrives in time

Save me a few..........bottles

 

[mikeak]

Maybe Seattle "helped" them to not play well.

100% agree

Yesterday Texans barely beat Raiders and Texans were at home

Were they playing bad all of a sudden? Are we supposed to count how good they were playing on a week by week basis? or should we acknowledge that the makeup and coaching of teams makes them better against some opponents and worse against others?

Seattle barely beat Colts with a backup old QB - were we that bad or did the Colts figure some things out?