We're not competitors this year and that is OKAY

[Spin Doctor]

The meandering Seahawks, the purgatory of the good, but never good enough. That is what became of the Pete Carroll Seahawks. Each year was like a case of groundhogs day, it always ended the same. When Carroll was let go, there was a collective sigh that a good portion of fans let out. New blood, new possibilities for escaping the middle. People were quick to label MM a "genius" and the hype train around Seattle was full speed ahead. The last two weeks have killed that buzz, suddenly we look ready to tar and feather MM if he puts on another display like he did in NY. The thing that people have to realize though, is there is going to be major growing pains and it was always going to be unlikely that we had a major turn around right away.

The first thing we need to establish, is Mike MacDonald has a really good record as a DC. Everywhere he's DC'd, whether it be for Michigan or The Ravens, he eventually built a number one defense. I've seen comments on MM saying "he has no record" that actually is not true. MM is young but he's coached at the highest level you can get except coordinator and everywhere he's been, defensive domination has followed. People saying "MM has no experience" quite frankly do not know what they're talking about. His credentials as a defensive coordinator are about as good as you can get.

Which leads to the second point I wanted to make. Being an HC and running a program is quite different than a coordinator. The NFL is filled with top tier coordinators and brilliant minds that couldn't hack it as head coaches. Just look at guys like Fangio and Flores. As a DC, you can't get much better, as head coaches? They were mediocre. Right now, MM is learning the ropes of being a head coach. Rather than being in charge of one aspect of the team, you need to manage EVERY asset and communicate your vision. Being a HC is more about building the culture and being a good manager of people than it is about being a brilliant football mind.

The Seahawks are in an interesting spot, because none of our guys have experience at their respective positions at the NFL level. I'd argue the results of the last two games were inevitable. We got high on beating bad passers, gloated that we were the best defense in the league. People would scoff at me when I mentioned that we faced Jacoby Brissett and Bo Nix in his first start. Against real competition, this team looked lost. This isn't necessarily a bad thing though.

The downside of having a team with no NFL experience is that they're going to have to learn while they go. We're going to have ebs and flows, we're going to have WTF moments and we're also going to put on some good games. It's not all going to come together at once, if it comes together at all. This year, I think we should just sit back, and enjoy the game and gage progress. If we end the year like we did this year, we have a problem, but if we see some progress, then this year was a success. That isn't necessarily correlated with wins, but you know it when you see it. Think Pete Carroll in his first year here. We threw some stinkers, but you could see progression from the first game to the last regular season game.

The other thing that is worth mentioning is that Mike MacDonalds system is extremely complicated. It takes at least a year to fully implement. MM does some crazy stuff with his coverages and pressure packages. In the secondary, our top three CB's only have had experience with Pete Carroll's system, which was extremely simple. Assignments were clearcut, which isn't necessarily the case here. There are a lot of moving pieces with this defense.

It's a process, especially with new coaches all around. I'd also hope that MM has a come to jesus talk with Grubb about some of his decision making lately. 7 runs, even while behind is unacceptable.

 

[SNDavidson]

You open with 90s Seahawks depression, this is your first fault but I don't blame you, I grew up there too.

Speak for only yourself on "killing a buzz", MM is one short offseason and 5 games into a damn hard season. This melancholy is embarrassing, damn right people see it.

MM is smart as you know what, and he is humble, which matters immensely.

The Seahawks are in an interesting spot because they are not one offseason removed from changing entire effin regimes.

It's been 5 games, we're 3-2, stop bitching about who we played.

Our o-line is our weak spot, which sucks because we have damn good backs. Dunno what a dude way smarter than me who does this for a living was thinking there.

Give them the rest of the season, can you tell me right now they have no shot at a Seattle style wild card appearance in which they ruin a good team's season? nope.

We have new coaches, new players who don't know the pnw, and such, show them something better.

 

[SNDavidson]

I'm sorry, there's a lot of smarter football people on this board, there's too much quit here tho. Wth, this is exciting, it's all the hallmarks of a new squad with new core values, just wait, and we have talent, it needs to stop getting hurt but we have playoff talent.

 

[SNDavidson]

PC got the best players here because he came from college and knew them all, Paul built a loud stadium, but, we can ruin it, the fans dictate this, stop being bitches.

 

[Jac]

I agree with you. That's why I didn't get overly-excited about the 3-0 start and what it meant for this year. Macdonald's building a program. That's going to take time. Carroll started out with two 7-9 seasons. It's part of the process.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Maybe, maybe not. We shall see. But it's not looking good for sure.

 

[Mad Dog]

I think we need a couple NFL quality guards and a running game wrecking front seven. We are built to defeat passing teams but teams aren't even bothering. They know they can win with the running game.

To me this year is all about seeing what you have and then cutting the chaff and building the team MM needs to run his scheme.

 

[toffee]

A few random thoughts:

1. I had my reservations about hiring MM, I lovingly nicknamed him "Young Macdonal" because he is very young and he is very green since he has never been a head coach in his career. To me, that's an unknown element in his resume. But there's a first time for everything, and once Schneider decided on MM, I was fully on board.
2. I was surprised that he hired an all-rookies lineup, an OC who never coached in the NFL, and a DC who never worked as a DC. That was the opposite of the last very young first-time HC, Rams' McVay, who hired an extremely experienced DC, so he could focus on his own strength - offense.
3. Hawks 2023 wasn't great, and Pete embarrassed himself with our league's worst defense, BUT, Hawks 2023 was a team with young players at key positions and had a winning season with a 9-8 record.
4. My expectation for 2024 was and still is to match or better 2023. Anything else would raise eyebrows.
5. So far, I witnessed anticipated problems due to inexperience at the coaching level.

OK enough for now.

 

[jammerhawk]

Don't agree, and think the team has enough talent to be competitors this season if they can sort out their defensive problems.

 

[toffee]

Don't agree, and think the team has enough talent to be competitors this season if they can sort out their defensive problems.

On the players' level, Hawks '24 is better or at least more experienced than Hawks '23. At key positions, Witherspoon and JSN were rookies, Cross was 21 yo when he was drafted, etc., Our rosters improved from last season.

 

[chris98251]

We can't compete if half our team is in Urgent care on defense, we need more depth, and steady health. That will come, we need a functional and I am not even asking great just functional O line, that will be the beginning of better.

 

[flv2]

There were limited cap and Draft resources this year. The team lacked difference-making players and the quality of the depth chart is questionable. It's a process and overall the 1st year has been positive so far.

Staying healthy will be critical.

 

[ZagHawk]

The Seahawks were never supposed to be competitors this year to begin with. You can't have this much change in the offseason (a lot of veterans out) and new OC, DC/HC in. And just expect competitor. and that's not a bad thing. it's just a fair expectation of a team. It takes time to gel, it takes time to learn the new schemes. If it really only takes ONE offseason to turn all that stuff around, owners would be firing HC's within 2 years of them not winning a SB.