ThirdandGoal
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Hey Seahawks fans! I wanted to get some feedback on our Seahawks season preview and thought of no better place than to bring it to you guys here. Would love some feedback about if we missed strengths of the team, if we are blinded to some of the weaknesses, etc. We have the Seahawks narrowly winning the NFC West over the 49ers.
2012 Record: 11-5, 2nd NFC West
Offseason Additions: Percy Harvin, Cliff Avril, Michael Bennett, Antoine Winfield
Draft Additions: Christine Michael, Jordan Hill, Jesse Williams
Offseason Losses: Matt Flynn, Alan Branch, Jason Jones, Leroy Hill, Leon Washington, Percy Harvin (injury)
Starting Offense: QB Russell Wilson, RB Marshawn Lynch, FB Michael Robinson, WR Golden Tate, WR Sidney Rice, TE Zach Miller, LT Russell Okung, LG Paul Mcquistan, C Max Unger, RG JR Sweezy , RT Breno Giacomini
Starting Defense: DE Red Bryant, DT Tony McDaniel, DT Brandon Mebane, DE Cliff Avril, LB KJ Wright, MLB Bobby Wagner, OLB Malcolm Smith, CB Brandon Browner, CB Richard Sherman, S Kam Chancellor, S Earl Thomas
K: Steven Hauschka
P: Jon Ryan
Offense: The Seahawks offense had one of the best running games in the league in 2012. The Seahawks ranked third, behind only Minnesota and Washington, in rushing yards per game with 161.2 yards per game. Marshawn Lynch carried the team on his back while rushing for 1,590 yards and 11 touchdowns while averaging a whopping five yards per carry. They pounded the rock with Lynch 315 times in 2012, and while I don’t expect that to drop drastically, the Seahawks used a second round pick on talented running back Christine Michael to take some of the pressure off of Lynch and keep him fresh. The Seahawks also have second year back Robert Turbin who averaged a healthy 4.4 yards per carry last season. Lynch, Michael, and Turbin should be a dynamic 1-2-3 punch in 2013 and I expect the Seahawks to once again rank in the top 5 in rushing yards per game. The fact that Wilson can run the ball doesn’t hurt their rushing numbers either.
Russell Wilson’s rookie year can be almost divided as two different seasons. His quarterback rating in 2012 was an even 100.00 which was much higher than higher drafted rookies Andrew Luck (76.5) and Ryan Tannehill (76.1). Wilson started out slow while learning how to be a QB in the NFL, but he was spectacular in his last eight games. In those games Wilson threw 16 touchdowns, two interceptions, completed over 67% of his passes, and the Seahawks went 7-1. In order to make it even easier for Wilson in his second full season the Seahawks went out and acquired Percy Harvin, one of the most dynamic wide receivers in the game. With Rice and Tate on the outside, and now Harvin playing the slot, Wilson has an impressive group of receivers to work with and should have another solid season. Even with the addition of Harvin, I still expect the Seahawks to be a run first team, especially when protecting leads, but Wilson should top the 393 pass attempts he had in 2012 rather easily.
The Seahawks had the 9th highest scoring offense in the NFL in 2012. With Wilson entering his second year, it’s not unreasonable to say he should be even better in 2013. His wide receiving core was improved with the addition of Percy Harvin, and the addition of Christine Michael means giving Lynch a break won’t mean a drop in talent in the backfield. It is not out of the question that the Seahawks could take a jump into the top 5 in scoring in 2013.
Update: Percy Harvin was lost, possibly for the season, before he ever suited up for the Seahawks. With his hip injury requiring surgery the Seahawks will go into the season with the same offense as they had last year, except Russell Wilson is one year wiser. I still expect the Seahawks to have near a top ten offense because they were going to be a run first team. People over reacting and writing this team off due to the Harvin injury will be disappointed.
Defense: In 2012 the Seahawks had the best scoring defense by a wide margin, allowing only 15.3 points per game (the 49ers were second while allowing 17.1 per game). They have the most talented secondary in the league, and that led to allowing just over 200 yards through the air per game. So what did they do to improve the defense during the offseason? The Seahawks signed Antoine Winfield who was quietly one of the best corners in the league last season according to Pro Football Focus. With Winfield manning the slot, the best secondary in the league got even better.
Chris Clemons tore his ACL in the playoffs, and while Bruce Irvin was expected to replace him, he is suspended for the first four games. The Seahawks went out and signed Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett and now shouldn’t miss a beat. Cliff Avril has 29 sacks over the last three seasons, and should get his share of coverage sacks with the Seahawks. Michael Bennett quietly had 9 sacks last season for the Buccaneers and should be a force for the Seahawks.
The question in 2013 is if the defense can not only maintain their impressive play from 2012, but get better, and I think they can. With the addition of Winfield, the best secondary in the league actually improved. Richard Sherman, arguably the premier corner in the league, is only entering his third season in the league and can get better. Earl Thomas is only entering his fourth season and is already known as one of the best safeties in the league. The defense will miss Clemons and Irvin for the beginning of the season, but Avril and Bennett should anchor the defensive line until they return. Once they return, the Seahawks will have one of the best rotations of pass rushers in the NFL, and I expect the Seahawks to once again sport a top 5 defense.
2013 Outlook: The Seahawks have one of the best young quarterbacks in the league in Russell Wilson, one of the best running games in the league, a dynamic receiving corps, and had the best scoring defense in 2012. The sky is the limit for the Seahawks in 2013, but a brutal schedule may keep them from getting home field advantage in the playoffs even though I expect them to win the division. The Seahawks have four road games which start at 1 PM Eastern Time, or 10 AM Pacific Time, and the Seahawks have historically not played as well in those games. We know the Seahawks can win at home, but can they win a road playoff game or two, if needed, in 2013? Only time will tell, but I am done doubting Russell Wilson.
2013 Projection: 11-5, 1st NFC West
2012 Record: 11-5, 2nd NFC West
Offseason Additions: Percy Harvin, Cliff Avril, Michael Bennett, Antoine Winfield
Draft Additions: Christine Michael, Jordan Hill, Jesse Williams
Offseason Losses: Matt Flynn, Alan Branch, Jason Jones, Leroy Hill, Leon Washington, Percy Harvin (injury)
Starting Offense: QB Russell Wilson, RB Marshawn Lynch, FB Michael Robinson, WR Golden Tate, WR Sidney Rice, TE Zach Miller, LT Russell Okung, LG Paul Mcquistan, C Max Unger, RG JR Sweezy , RT Breno Giacomini
Starting Defense: DE Red Bryant, DT Tony McDaniel, DT Brandon Mebane, DE Cliff Avril, LB KJ Wright, MLB Bobby Wagner, OLB Malcolm Smith, CB Brandon Browner, CB Richard Sherman, S Kam Chancellor, S Earl Thomas
K: Steven Hauschka
P: Jon Ryan
Offense: The Seahawks offense had one of the best running games in the league in 2012. The Seahawks ranked third, behind only Minnesota and Washington, in rushing yards per game with 161.2 yards per game. Marshawn Lynch carried the team on his back while rushing for 1,590 yards and 11 touchdowns while averaging a whopping five yards per carry. They pounded the rock with Lynch 315 times in 2012, and while I don’t expect that to drop drastically, the Seahawks used a second round pick on talented running back Christine Michael to take some of the pressure off of Lynch and keep him fresh. The Seahawks also have second year back Robert Turbin who averaged a healthy 4.4 yards per carry last season. Lynch, Michael, and Turbin should be a dynamic 1-2-3 punch in 2013 and I expect the Seahawks to once again rank in the top 5 in rushing yards per game. The fact that Wilson can run the ball doesn’t hurt their rushing numbers either.
Russell Wilson’s rookie year can be almost divided as two different seasons. His quarterback rating in 2012 was an even 100.00 which was much higher than higher drafted rookies Andrew Luck (76.5) and Ryan Tannehill (76.1). Wilson started out slow while learning how to be a QB in the NFL, but he was spectacular in his last eight games. In those games Wilson threw 16 touchdowns, two interceptions, completed over 67% of his passes, and the Seahawks went 7-1. In order to make it even easier for Wilson in his second full season the Seahawks went out and acquired Percy Harvin, one of the most dynamic wide receivers in the game. With Rice and Tate on the outside, and now Harvin playing the slot, Wilson has an impressive group of receivers to work with and should have another solid season. Even with the addition of Harvin, I still expect the Seahawks to be a run first team, especially when protecting leads, but Wilson should top the 393 pass attempts he had in 2012 rather easily.
The Seahawks had the 9th highest scoring offense in the NFL in 2012. With Wilson entering his second year, it’s not unreasonable to say he should be even better in 2013. His wide receiving core was improved with the addition of Percy Harvin, and the addition of Christine Michael means giving Lynch a break won’t mean a drop in talent in the backfield. It is not out of the question that the Seahawks could take a jump into the top 5 in scoring in 2013.
Update: Percy Harvin was lost, possibly for the season, before he ever suited up for the Seahawks. With his hip injury requiring surgery the Seahawks will go into the season with the same offense as they had last year, except Russell Wilson is one year wiser. I still expect the Seahawks to have near a top ten offense because they were going to be a run first team. People over reacting and writing this team off due to the Harvin injury will be disappointed.
Defense: In 2012 the Seahawks had the best scoring defense by a wide margin, allowing only 15.3 points per game (the 49ers were second while allowing 17.1 per game). They have the most talented secondary in the league, and that led to allowing just over 200 yards through the air per game. So what did they do to improve the defense during the offseason? The Seahawks signed Antoine Winfield who was quietly one of the best corners in the league last season according to Pro Football Focus. With Winfield manning the slot, the best secondary in the league got even better.
Chris Clemons tore his ACL in the playoffs, and while Bruce Irvin was expected to replace him, he is suspended for the first four games. The Seahawks went out and signed Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett and now shouldn’t miss a beat. Cliff Avril has 29 sacks over the last three seasons, and should get his share of coverage sacks with the Seahawks. Michael Bennett quietly had 9 sacks last season for the Buccaneers and should be a force for the Seahawks.
The question in 2013 is if the defense can not only maintain their impressive play from 2012, but get better, and I think they can. With the addition of Winfield, the best secondary in the league actually improved. Richard Sherman, arguably the premier corner in the league, is only entering his third season in the league and can get better. Earl Thomas is only entering his fourth season and is already known as one of the best safeties in the league. The defense will miss Clemons and Irvin for the beginning of the season, but Avril and Bennett should anchor the defensive line until they return. Once they return, the Seahawks will have one of the best rotations of pass rushers in the NFL, and I expect the Seahawks to once again sport a top 5 defense.
2013 Outlook: The Seahawks have one of the best young quarterbacks in the league in Russell Wilson, one of the best running games in the league, a dynamic receiving corps, and had the best scoring defense in 2012. The sky is the limit for the Seahawks in 2013, but a brutal schedule may keep them from getting home field advantage in the playoffs even though I expect them to win the division. The Seahawks have four road games which start at 1 PM Eastern Time, or 10 AM Pacific Time, and the Seahawks have historically not played as well in those games. We know the Seahawks can win at home, but can they win a road playoff game or two, if needed, in 2013? Only time will tell, but I am done doubting Russell Wilson.
2013 Projection: 11-5, 1st NFC West