We Were All Wrong

[Fade]

I had 'em at 5 wins (so did Vegas), pessimists had 'em at 3 wins, most were lukewarm predicting 6-7 wins. The forever koolaid drinking, unrealistically optimistic, believers had 'em at 9-11 wins.

This is a 12 win team. Please, raise your hand and take a bow if you had them at 12 wins.

The Seahawks under the great Shane Waldron feature the #1 scoring offense in the NFC. That is with the offense being held back at times early in the season by an overly conservative head coach, due to starting 2 Rookie OTs, and Against AZ, Pete shutdown the offense - playing Pete Ball for the majority of the game. But not against the Chargers, he unleashed MVP candidate Geno Smith even after DK left the game with an injury. They kept their foot on the gas as Geno unfurled an up the sideline go ball to his main squeeze, Marquise Goodwin.

On defense they were historically bad, but all they needed to do was get the defense to an average level and they could win the division in a down year with their amazing offense. Welp... they trash canned the defense they started the year with, and have played at a well above average level the last 2 games, going back to a defense that better fits their personnel.

It's cool to see, they've fixed the things that they needed to fix that were obvious.
Ultimately, I can't get fully on board though. Pete is going to squander it. I've seen him under perform too many times and do less with more throughout the years. This is a team with the right coach that should make the Super Bowl in a down NFC, NFCCG minimum. However, Pete will find a way to lose in the WC or Division round. It is his shtick at this point.

Pete must make the NFCCG. There is no excuse why he can't. Who is good in the NFC? The Buccs, Rams, 49ers, & Packers were supposed to be the contenders in the conference. They stink. The Eagles are good, that's it, good. The Cowboys are legit on defense, but Dak and their O leave a lot to be desired. The Vikings? Ha-ha, Kirk Cousins... Ha-ha-ha! The Giants have only 1 loss on the year, but they are going to get destroyed by the Seahawks next week.

If Pete is half as good as people on here claim he is, there is no reason for him not to make the NFCCG.
What teams in the NFC is Seattle incapable of beating?

 

[toffee]

i or y

Before the season started, I had the Hawks at 9 W, but max at 9W. @keasley45 was the man, he was more positive and definite, I was more wishy washy. But we both, OK, I should speak for Keasley, I bet on our defense from last year, our offense weapons, Geno's performance in his 3.5 games last season, and Pete always do better with bunch of your guys. @keasley45 is da man.

 

[AROS]

It's extremely clear that nobody amongst us predicted this. At least nobody I can recall. Geno Smith? L-freaking-O-L. That hack?

I openly admit I wanted Lock, period. Younger, more potential upside, etc, etc.

I thought we were accepting our fate. Some 3, 4, maybe 6 win team and cling to hope that the Broncos picks would help us land the franchise QB of our future.

If any one of us can honestly say they thought Geno Smith just might be our future franchise QB then you deserve a raise, a gold star and an evening out with a serious hottie.

I am aghast at what I am witnessing on gameday. Who IS this exciting, perplexing, formidable team?

Scoring over 30 points seems to be on the regular. Geno looks like he's been playing like this for years. Polished. Poised in the pocket. No happy feet. Deadly accurate arm and range. Reads and checks are like butter. Who the F is this guy?!?

I am happy to report I know nothing. Apparently all I thought I knew was a fraud.

In the best of ways.

 

[toffee]

One could argue that our OL made Geno better, more pocket time, etc. its all true, But it would be equally true that Geno is making our OL look better, he's easier to pass block for. I am speaking with some level of confidence as our former LT, all pro Duane Brown complaint about Russ, but he was quickly silenced by Pete. Geno has excellent footwork, no happy feet, or ran circles 15-20 yards from LOS, all made protecting him more conversional, and easier.

 

[Spohawks]

I didn't have a solid win number but just an idea of what it would take to get in the playoffs. So mark me down for a soft prediction of 9 wins...and I really thought it could be done.

Who are the Hawks incapable of beating in the NFC? Not many. That's why they will make the playoffs.

This is a different team then in weeks 1-4. K9 is on fire, the D (out of nowhere) is flirting with stopping the run and Pete seems to be calling a better game on both sides.

Hurts to say but I think the playoff run will end as soon as the Hawks run into Dallas or Philly.

 

[sutz]

I never predicted a number, but I was always an "over" guy on that 5.5 from Vegas. I figured no way a Pete coached team would do that poorly. I was also a Lock guy, thinking he'd win the job in camp and only failed to do so because of the covid break and other circumstances. Got to admit I'm a bit astounded at how well we're doing, and how well Geno is doing.

Go Seahawks!

 

[bigskydoc]

No one was as wrong as the Broncos front office.

I stick by my preseason prediction that Seattle will make the playoffs before Denver.

 

[themunn]

Maybe we were all wrong, but you continued to double down longer than anybody else, and continue to slate the coach despite the fact that (in your own words) PETE CARROLL has once again built a championship winning team, when everybody else said it wasn't possible and this was a "rebuilding" year. Something that we have never done under PETE CARROLL. Would another coach be playing 2 rookie linemen, 2 rookie corners, a rookie running back, a rookie OLB? Would another coach have put his faith in Geno Smith like PETE CARROLL did, or would we have traded away as many wanted us to for Baker, Jimmy G?
When we win another Superbowl under PETE CARROLL, you will still find a way to complain about something, I'm sure of it. But we are here because of him, our most successful coach ever, and when he leaves, maybe finally you'll appreciate what we have had for the last 12 years.

 

[QWERTY]

I really want to see the Hawks play against the Rams and the Niners.

Seattle hasn't ran well against both teams, because of their DL. And once the Hawks can run well, then I would think this team would be legit.

 

[themunn]

And for what it's worth, if not for bullshit holding call against the Falcons on Lewis taking a completion and first down to Penny at the ATL 9 with 2 mins ago instead to 2nd and 14 on ATL 34 we win that game.

Against the Saints I thought the refs were poor too, but we had the opportunity to win it with plenty of time left and the 60 yard run killed it. The Falcons game and hold killed that game right at the death.

 

[FrodosFinger]

Speak for yourself I had us at 9 wins minimum. I see no reason to change that. Geno Smith is everything I thought he would be and if we didn’t get jobbed against the Saints we would have a 2 game lead in the division. You had them winning 2 games then proceeded to say our team’s average age is like 50 lmao

 

[Maelstrom787]

We may have all been wrong, but you were the most wrong. Like, pants-on-head running-around-in-circles wrong.

You were coming at people predicting a near-500 season and acting like they were the irrational ones, and you absolutely deserve this blowing up in your face regardless of how hard you try to pivot to the other side.

Your expectations have, yet again, been smashed by a Pete Carroll squad and now you're moving the goalposts to NFCCG appearance in a year where you insulted people who predicted over 5 wins. Get over yourself.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Being wrong is a good thing, and it happens all the time. It's all predictions and gut feelings. There's no prize for being "right or wrong" about the record. Big deal, enjoy the wins, because it looks like there will be a lot of them this year
This is a good football team, PERIOD. Time for some to accept it. Much better than I thought, and many others. Keep it rolling Hawks. Should he a damn good game on Sunday. Giants are sitting at 6-1.
And I'm done worrying about Geno being the old Geno. Nah, he's just a good Quarterback. And he is locked in.

 

[RiverDog]

Yesterday's game vs. the Chargers was our best all around performance against a quality opponent in some time. While I'm stopping short of saying that I was wrong, I'll be the first to admit that I've severely underestimated our team at this point of the season.

My excuse is that I did not anticipate (nor could anyone anticipate) our rookies performing like they have. Our tackles have, for the most part, kept the QB clean. Woolen and Bryant are playing much better than I expected. Goodwin might make us forget about DK Metcalf, and Ken Walker has played exceptionally. What are the odds that we'd have that many rookies make such large contributions this early in their careers?

So we'll see how it goes. This season is frigging crazy. The GOAT puts up 3 points against the Panthers, a team that had already thrown in the towel and fired their coach. And how about the Weird Beard going 0-6 on third down against the lowly Commanders? It's a strange season.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

I'm still waiting for the "They won but" posts. Nah, they DOMINATED a very good team. Were it not for an offsides penalty that gave them an extra shot on 4th down, Hawks win by 3 touchdowns.

 

[Maelstrom787]

I really need people to consider just how irrational this is.

It took all of 7 games for Pete's squad to turn Fade's expectation from 5 wins MAX to literally NFCCG or bust - and somehow Pete is the failure here? Somehow PETE FANS are the ones drinking the Koolaid?

 

[HawkStrong]

I really need people to consider just how irrational this is.

It took all of 7 games for Pete's squad to turn Fade's expectation from 5 wins MAX to literally NFCCG or bust - and somehow Pete is the failure here? Somehow PETE FANS are the ones drinking the Koolaid?

Yeah, people taking OP's post seriously are hilarious. It's completely taking the piss out of the "overly optimistic" crowd that Fade has been crowing against from day one.

 

[RockinHawks]

I had them at 3 wins, boy was I wrong. They look well-coached and the young players are hungry and fighting. Every game has been fun, and it's cool to see them working it out, growing, and having some success. Love it.

 

[Welshers]

I was incredibly wrong about Geno. I admit that. Where I wasn't wrong was my steadfast support for Pete. I always said he was the guy through thick and thin. And he still is. Russ was a liability and Pete is COTY

 

[SeaWolv]

Pre-season I expected them to go 5-12 for the year. Now I'm thinking they have an outside shot at 12-5 (though I think 10-7 or 11-6 is more likely). Coupled with how poorly the Donkeys are playing the Hawks might still end up with a high first round draft pick.