The next two games are as close to must wins as we can get

[TwistedHusky]

While they can overcome losses, the loss at the Rams in a winnable game and that ridiculous choke job against the Bengals are going to haunt this team for some time.

We are going to look back on those losses as huge missed opportunities, but there is no way that this team can stumble their way into the playoffs - they have to put the stumbling behind them.

It is pretty clear that the Seahawks are underachieving this year at least vs. expectations, but they can still reach the playoffs if they can put something together in time and keep it.

I stand by my earlier assertion that apart from the defense, Lynch is the most important contributor to the success of this team. So it is no shock that the lack of Lynch meant this team was nowhere near as effective, and hopefully his return means it can be effective again. This team goes as Lynch goes, period.

So with him back, we might be able to reel off some wins.

A start is going to be beating Dallas, which without an effective QB has to be a must win. And then in the Cardinals, 49ers, Steelers & Vikings stretch we are going to have to get 3 of 4 of those. One of those wins almost has to be against the Cards, or they will be almost impossible to catch (and likely still difficult, even with the Cards facing that Eagles + Packers + Us stretch at the end).

But losing to Dallas would be a really bad sign, and frankly a game they should win. So let's hope that with Lynch back in the fold this team can start playing Seahawk football again.

 

[Hasselbeck]

By dropping 4 games, a lot of games are must wins now. Our margin of error is very small.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

Yeah these next two games are going to dictate whether we're a contender or pretender this year.

Drop both games, it's over. Drop one and it's an uphill battle I don't think we can overcome. Win both and we're right back in it with the momentum we need to finish strong towards the playoffs.

 

[Largent80]

Just win this week and worry about the rest later.

 

[Siouxhawk]

Let's appreciate what we have right now and enjoy the journey. We're relatively healthy and have potentially key players like Lane and Richardson coming back soon. We've played perhaps the most difficult stretch of our schedule. Our O line has had the chance to grow together and has shown improvement. The bye week will be a nice pause, especially for a guy like Cary Williams, who can review his past deficiencies with coach Richard and learn how to do things right. Russ can get some alone time with Ciarra :3:

 

[AROS]

Let's go 1-0 this week.

 

[TwistedHusky]

We need to stop worrying about Ciara, Wilson's batman costume and all the rest.

This team wins with Lynch.

Wilson keeps drives alive and add that extra threat but to get back to winning we need to get back to Lynch being the primary threat. (Though on RO, Wilson needs to keep that ball if they are committing to the RB).

The rest of this season is going to depend on whether Lynch can produce the HOF quality runs he is famous for.

To do that, we need to stop making our OL do what they are terrible at (pass protect) and instead do what they are good at (mauling in run blocking).

We win with #24 and everything else depends on that.

 

[mikeak]

The Carolina loss hurts more than the Bengals loss - they are an NFC opponent and basically makes it a 1.5 game loss...

So agree Dallas, Arizon - must win games

 

[sutz]

Hard to argue against, although I'd argue that our losses weren't that unpredictable in retrospect. Hell, we've lost to some of the best teams in the league, largely in their houses. So disappointing, yes, but hardly unexpected we'd drop some of those. The Carolina loss, in our house, was the worst one IMHO. Can't afford to lose to a rival on your home turf. The Cinci game was the closest to a throwaway on our sched, being a non-conf road game, but still winnable and we blew it.

Thankfully, we have almost the whole month off to R & R, with a winnable Dallas game this Sunday. Hopefully, we can generate some momentum come Nov/Dec. We get 5 of 8 at home down the stretch, with most of our most challenging opponents in the rear view mirror. If the team maintains the focus they showed in SF the rest of the year, they'll be fine.

But yeah, not many more games we can afford to lose left. 4 Div games left IIRC, and a couple of tough looking AFC North trips. I have confidence still, but yeah, we're nearly in playoff atmosphere from here on out.

Frankly, a road playoff game doesn't scare me half as much as it did 5 years ago. I think they've proven they can rise to the occasion. Not preferable, of course, but we've proven the past couple of seasons that we can be competitive anywhere, any time. With 4 losses already, HFA throughout is looking more and more in jeopardy, but the Div crown is still very much within reach.

GO HAWKS!!!

 

[bmorepunk]

While they can overcome losses, the loss at the Rams in a winnable game and that ridiculous choke job against the Bengals are going to haunt this team for some time.

We are going to look back on those losses as huge missed opportunities, but there is no way that this team can stumble their way into the playoffs - they have to put the stumbling behind them.

It is pretty clear that the Seahawks are underachieving this year at least vs. expectations, but they can still reach the playoffs if they can put something together in time and keep it.

I stand by my earlier assertion that apart from the defense, Lynch is the most important contributor to the success of this team. So it is no shock that the lack of Lynch meant this team was nowhere near as effective, and hopefully his return means it can be effective again. This team goes as Lynch goes, period.

So with him back, we might be able to reel off some wins.

A start is going to be beating Dallas, which without an effective QB has to be a must win. And then in the Cardinals, 49ers, Steelers & Vikings stretch we are going to have to get 3 of 4 of those. One of those wins almost has to be against the Cards, or they will be almost impossible to catch (and likely still difficult, even with the Cards facing that Eagles + Packers + Us stretch at the end).

But losing to Dallas would be a really bad sign, and frankly a game they should win. So let's hope that with Lynch back in the fold this team can start playing Seahawk football again.

So the next two games are "must wins" so the team can get to your hope of 8-8? Or are you more hopeful now?

 

[kf3339]

We can only at most afford one more loss, or the playoffs are pretty much out of reach. So the above statement that we must go 1-0 each week from here on out is pretty much spot on.

 

[Bigpumpkin]

Vegas has us as six point favorites. ESPN has us as "prohibitive favorites". If we shoot ourselves in the foot.....we are going nowhere in Post Season.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Of course, ANY team that shoots itself in the foot is going to lose in the playoffs. Including the precious Pats and Green Bay Packers

 

[TwistedHusky]

"So the next two games are "must wins" so the team can get to your hope of 8-8? Or are you more hopeful now?"

There is a big difference between not being optimistic based on what you are seeing, and flat out rooting for failure.

My assessment of this team being 8-8 quality was based on zero offense in the preseason, followed by a shaky defense, and then an inexplicable push by the team to try to let this team win on Wilson's back instead of Lynch's.

It was a statement of frustration but I think borne out by the results.

I would rather be wrong.

I cannot fathom any of the Seahawk fans would want us to lose, so it is an odd thing for one Seahawk fan to imply another might want hope for. In fact, it should be pretty clear that most of the posting is done for catharsis in the first place, which would also suggest wanting to see this team win.

Either way, this team left something on the table. There were a lot of things that were the very reasons for this team being successful that it inexplicably got away from. One would think that it would have learned its lesson on the last SB, but apparently not. That does not mean it cannot just go back to what was working, what the team does well, and then rip off a win streak.

It also needs to go back to its identity. This team is Lynch's & the Defense (the Defense & Lynch). We shouldn't be trying to fix what isn't broken.

So now, the litmus test is going to be getting these 3 of 4 in the win column, nailing at least the first shot at the Cards, and then improving from there. Otherwise, yes, the climb will get more difficult.

 

[mikeak]

We can only at most afford one more loss, or the playoffs are pretty much out of reach. So the above statement that we must go 1-0 each week from here on out is pretty much spot on.

You don't think you reach the WC with 10-6?

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Shoot, 10-6 is pretty damn good, considering they started out 2-4.

 

[Bigpumpkin]

Shoot, 10-6 is pretty damn good, considering they started out 2-4.

A 10-6 record will not get us into the Post Season....unless Arizona "goes in the toilet".

 

[Siouxhawk]

"So the next two games are "must wins" so the team can get to your hope of 8-8? Or are you more hopeful now?"

There is a big difference between not being optimistic based on what you are seeing, and flat out rooting for failure.

My assessment of this team being 8-8 quality was based on zero offense in the preseason, followed by a shaky defense, and then an inexplicable push by the team to try to let this team win on Wilson's back instead of Lynch's.

It was a statement of frustration but I think borne out by the results.

I would rather be wrong.

I cannot fathom any of the Seahawk fans would want us to lose, so it is an odd thing for one Seahawk fan to imply another might want hope for. In fact, it should be pretty clear that most of the posting is done for catharsis in the first place, which would also suggest wanting to see this team win.

Either way, this team left something on the table. There were a lot of things that were the very reasons for this team being successful that it inexplicably got away from. One would think that it would have learned its lesson on the last SB, but apparently not. That does not mean it cannot just go back to what was working, what the team does well, and then rip off a win streak.

It also needs to go back to its identity. This team is Lynch's & the Defense (the Defense & Lynch). We shouldn't be trying to fix what isn't broken.

So now, the litmus test is going to be getting these 3 of 4 in the win column, nailing at least the first shot at the Cards, and then improving from there. Otherwise, yes, the climb will get more difficult.

He didn't "imply" that if you indeed did write it. And how could the team be put on Lynch's back if he wasn't in the lineup or hurting when he was? The offense didn't "go away" from what it is, it was simply making the best of what it had.
And you admit your vitriol is done for the sake of "catharsis"?

 

[hawknation2015]

Shoot, 10-6 is pretty damn good, considering they started out 2-4.

A 10-6 record will not get us into the Post Season....unless Arizona "goes in the toilet".

Arizona is only projected to win 10 games right now. They play a difficult closing schedule:
@ Seattle - 64% chance they lose
vs Cincinnati - coin flip game
@ St. Louis - coin flip game
vs Minnesota - heavily favored, but still a tough game on paper
@ Philadelphia - coin flip game
vs Green Bay - coin flip game
vs Seattle - coin flip game

it's not too hard to imagine Arizona losing four or five of those games.

 

[hawksfansinceday1]

Shoot, 10-6 is pretty damn good, considering they started out 2-4.

A 10-6 record will not get us into the Post Season....unless Arizona "goes in the toilet".

Disagree. Atlanta or Carolina get in as the WC with the other being division champ. Who in the NFC Least gets in as a WC? Likely no one. I don't see Minny getting to 10-6 (GB wins the division of course). If they do and one of those Ws is against the Hawks, that's a different story.