Will Seattle win the division in 2013?

[brettb3]

Agreed.

One thing I found interesting was the take on the Panther games.

Cam Newton is very likely to go off and throw up a 400-500 yard game to start the season in front of the home crowd, which could very well add to the already pointed out disadvantages of playing them in Carolina. Wasn't your game against Miami last year also in Miami, another hot and very humid place to play? Though if I remember correctly, the sprinklers coming on during the game provided a refreshing time to "chill".

I would say the chances of Newton putting together those kinds of numbers against Seattle's defense is the opposite of likely.

 

[Hawks46]

While I agree that the schedule sucks for us, I'd also agree that it sucked for the Niners last year. No one really gave them much of a chance against the Pats, and they pulled a Seahawks playoff performance by getting behind early and catching up and winning the game.

I don't think our schedule overall is tougher than last year's. The only increase in difficulty will be the improvments our division rivals make. I don't see the Niners as that much better, as they didn't have many holes to fill and Harbaugh doesn't play rookies a lot. I see St. Louis being a good bit better, and SF couldn't beat them last year, therefor I see a split this year. I see us as being a bit better with better quality depth and the addition of Harvin. We also plugged some holes in our pass rush; we also have great depth their now.

I see two things with our team that will offset the schedule: our team was young last year and most of our young players will probably improve, and we will be running the full offense this year with the coaching staff's confidence in Wilson. All things being equal, I see us winning 1-2 game more because of that.

Here's what should scare other teams: Bobby Wagner should get better. Sherman was only in his 1st full year of starting last year...he could get better. Chancellor was fighting ankle issues all year....he could revert back to form from 2 years ago where I thought he had more of an impact in coverage. Irvin should improve, and it could be a pretty big jump. Big Red was fighting a foot problem. If he get healthy, we're better, but we added Bennett. Which IMO would be an upgrade really. Tate could ostensibly get better with another full year of playing with Wilson, having confidence from last year, having a year of "getting it" can also show a guy what to do for success. Turbin should improve, which allows us to rest Beast Mode...and Michael could be an upgrade to Turbin from the start.

And last, but the most scary for opponents: Russell Wilson should improve. Yeah, he could have a sophomore slump, but I don't see it with his work ethic and intangibles. There's room for improvement in his game, and it's scary. The end of last year, he was a top 3 QB in the NFL. So ask yourself two questions: how good can WIlson be (and how many wins does that translate to) if he improves from last season, and how many more wins is it worth if he doesnt' improve, but "merely" plays an entire year the way he did the last half of 2012. That should be frightening.

 

[NinerBuff]

49ers: 12-4
Seahawks: 12-4
Rams: 8-8
Cardinals: 6-10

I think the 49ers and Seahawks will split, and it will come down to tie breakers. I think the Seahawks will go 8-0 at home. They have the best homefield advantage in the NFL. But they were only slightly above average on the road last year, and this year, their road schedule is BRUTAL!! This is were the 10am game factor will come in...

Seahawks 10am games:
@ Carolina - NFC game
@ Houston - AFC game (not calculated in tiebreaker)
@ Indianapolis - AFC game (not calculated in tiebreaker)
@ Atlanta - NFC game
@ Giants - NFC game

49ers 10am games
@ Jaguars (played in London so start time is ~ 6pm start time) AFC game (not calculated in tiebreaker)
@ Buccaneers - NFC game

 

[themunn]

It will only be 10:00am on the west coast and 1:00pm where the game will be played. The sun will be high in the sky then, and casting a glare on your TV screen in California. A difference of three hours before the game begins is meaningless. It is all about what time the players go to bed the night before.

Folks, please, it only means the game starts at an inconvenient time for y'all. I know skipping church and opening beers before noon creates a measure of guilt for which many will have to atone, but not for me, it'll be noon where I'm at.

We will win that game for every reason BUT the time, at that time...

Living in the UK means the early game kicks off at 6pm and the late game at 9pm (and primetime 1am!), I'd much rather we were playing a primetime game (that I'd miss because they finish at 4am and I need to get up for work at 6am) than a game at probably the best possible time for me, simply because it's quite clear how much better we are the later we play.

Though I really hate primetime games unless I have the day off after (like SF 42-13!).

I might book every Monday morning after our primetime games off now, actually...

 

[mjwhitay]

This is the best Seattle team in my 27 years as a fan. Any sport. The mid-nineties Sonics were the only team I've ever rooted for that I truly believed was as good as any other in their respective league, and they kinda proved me right. They missed when Jordan was gone, then gelled and ran into the best team ever.

THIS Seahawks team is the best this city has ever put on the field. I truly believe it and I don't tend to be a total homer as to the prospects of my own teams.

This is the most talented team in the NFL. There are a number of experts that agree with that statement.
This quarterback is SPECIAL.
This defense, with the additions of Avril, Bennett, Winfield, Hill and Williams, is SPECIAL.
This team's chemistry, love for the game and love for eachother is SPECIAL.
This fanbase and home field advantage is SPECIAL.
This offense, who no one could stop for the last 10 weeks of last season, which added Harvin and Michael, is SPECIAL.
Oh, and our special teams are going to be, wait for it...... SPECIAL.

I predict, no tongue-in-cheek, that the Seashawks lead the league in scoring offense and crack the top 5 in scoring defense. Russell Wilson finishes in the top 3 in MVP voting. They finish with the leauge's best record, win two playoff games at home, rather easily, and win the Super Bowl. I would actually be surprised if they don't win the Super Bowl at this point. This quarterback is one of a kind and something this franchise, and very few franschises actually, have ever seen.

 

[Largent80]

"#3: That doesn't count Carolina, who was one of the NFL's hottest teams at the end of last season. Seattle faces Carolina in wacky week 1 where upsets are the norm. At 10am pacific time, which is still 1pm east coast time, in the Southern humid summer heat (Sept. 7th)."

If they were the hottest team at the end of the year and we are on the road at 10 am with the dreaded heat, then WE must not be favored, and since whacky upsets happen in week one, we WIN.

Largent80, once again flaunting sports betting misinformation...
Seattle is a 3.5point FAVORITE in week one.

Man, I LOVE you man. You are a Manly Man and deserve all the hype.

 

[bestfightstory]

I agree with virtually everything kearly wrote in this thread. It won't be easy, by any stretch of the imagination, but we damn well better win the NFC West. I want HFA in the playoffs and that doesn't happen without first winning our division.

 

[hawker84]

the schedule is garbage, but this Seahawk team is different.... i think they do what they have to do to pull it out... we match up well all the away teams, just have to go out and execute... In Russ I trust..

 

[Vpk0718]

San Francisco had five 10 AM starts last season and it didn't stop them. If we're going to whine about that, might as well just give up now.

 

[AVL]

I hate the schedule, but why should the visiting team get to dictate the time of day the game is played?

 

[NinerLifer]

San Francisco had five 10 AM starts last season and it didn't stop them. If we're going to whine about that, might as well just give up now.

Ding ding ding!

And this is one of the reasons why we are so confident about next season. If we were able to persevere despite our brutal schedule last season and end up NFC Champions, and despite having our offense handicapped by Alex Smith for the first 10 weeks of the season, this coming year with an easier schedule and having Kaepernick starting from day one of training camp, and with the added benefit of having more depth on the lines, everything points to us having a better season than last.

This and the other reasons that were pointed out by everybody else and the analysts on NFL.COM, I just don't see you guys having a better chance than us at winning the division. You guys have a good team, but you will likely have to rely on your front office to sustain it until at least next season when hopefully (for you guys) the scheduling gods treat you better.

It's going to be a fun season to watch no doubt!

 

[TheWebHead]

I thought as soon as the schedule came out the Seahawks were at a disadvantage because of the quality of road opponents and the fact that they were 10am in so many cases, bizarrely so in some cases. Why wouldn't the game at Atlanta be a late start game of the week, guess the northeast team bias is the main factor. The worst thing about not winning the division were it to happen is the likelihood of back to back coast to coast road trips, perhaps another early start, just more scheduling taking a knife and twisting it in the 12th man's back.

Added:
Just saw on NFL.com that Elliot picked Seattle over SF in NFC Championship game, despite losing the division to the Niners, citing matchup advantage:
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-videos/0a ... nship-Game

 

[jlwaters1]

San Francisco had five 10 AM starts last season and it didn't stop them. If we're going to whine about that, might as well just give up now.

I agree. Might as well forfeit the games I'm glad PC isn't focused on this garbage. He said last week that that's stuff fans and the media focus on and it doesn't mean a thing to him.

Yeah it sucks for the team ( I actually like the 10am games because it's 11am in southern Idaho and that means I can record the games and watch it after church and fast forward all the garbage. )

But I think this team can overcome this obstacle. I"m totally jacked to see how the 2nd year players have improved. I can't wait for AUG to get here to watch some preseason games.

 

[lkjhpoiu]

Out of interest how did SF end up with 5 10AM games? According to the schedule they announced they only had 3:

http://blog.49ers.com/2012/04/17/49ers- ... -schedule/

From that post the Vikings, Jets & Rams were their only 10AM games.

 

[RichNhansom]

San Francisco had five 10 AM starts last season and it didn't stop them. If we're going to whine about that, might as well just give up now.

Ding ding ding!

And this is one of the reasons why we are so confident about next season. If we were able to persevere despite our brutal schedule last season and end up NFC Champions, and despite having our offense handicapped by Alex Smith for the first 10 weeks of the season, this coming year with an easier schedule and having Kaepernick starting from day one of training camp, and with the added benefit of having more depth on the lines, everything points to us having a better season than last.

This and the other reasons that were pointed out by everybody else and the analysts on NFL.COM, I just don't see you guys having a better chance than us at winning the division. You guys have a good team, but you will likely have to rely on your front office to sustain it until at least next season when hopefully (for you guys) the scheduling gods treat you better.

It's going to be a fun season to watch no doubt!

I don't see 5 10am starts for the Niners last year. I see

Week 1 9/9: San Francisco 49ers @ Green Bay Packers 4:15 p.m. ET, FOX (1:15pm WC time, regular start time)
Week 2 9/16: San Francisco 49ers vs. Detroit Lions 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC
Week 3 9/23: San Francisco 49ers @ Minnesota Vikings 1 p.m. ET FOX (10AM WC time you lost)
Week 4 9/30: San Francisco 49ers @ New York Jets 1 p.m. ET, FOX (10am WC time it was the Jets)
Week 5 10/7: San Francisco 49ers vs. Buffalo Bills 4:15 p.m. ET, CBS
Week 6 10/14: San Francisco 49ers vs. New York Giants 4:15 p.m. ET, FOX
Week 7 10/18: San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks 8:20 p.m. ET, NFL Network
Week 8 10/29 San Francisco 49ers @ Arizona Cardinals 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Week 9 : BYE
Week 10 11/11: San Francisco 49ers vs. St. Louis Rams 4:15 p.m. ET, FOX
Week 11 11/19: San Francisco 49ers vs. Chicago Bears 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Week 12 11/25: San Francisco 49ers @ New Orleans Saints 4:15 p.m. ET, FOX (1:15pm WC time against a team without coachs)
Week 13 12/2: San Francisco 49ers @ St. Louis Rams 1 p.m. ET, FOX (10am WC time you lost)
Week 14 12/9: San Francisco 49ers vs. Miami Dolphins 4:05 p.m. ET, CBS
Week 15 12/16: San Francisco 49ers @ New England Patriots 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC 5:20om WC time you won)
Week 16 12/23: San Francisco 49ers @ Seattle Seahawks 4:15 p.m. ET, FOX
Week 17 12/30: San Francisco 49ers vs. Arizona Cardinals 4:15 p.m. ET, FOX

If that schedule is correct (and I believe it is) you played 3 10am starts not 5 and at the time the schedule was made, all three were expected to be easy wins and you lost two of them.
They made every possible tough road opponent for you a late start. GB 1:15, NO 1:15 and NE @5:20.

How is that comparable to five 10am starts against three playoff teams and the other being one of the hottest in the league the second half of the season?

That's as cream puff as that schedule could possibly get. The teams and locations were already set so the only thing the NFL could do to help you out was to change your start times against tougher opponents in which case they did 100% of the time based on expectations when the schedule was created and that is all we here were asking for but instead they made it hard as they possibly could with.

 

[RichNhansom]

San Francisco had five 10 AM starts last season and it didn't stop them. If we're going to whine about that, might as well just give up now.

I agree. Might as well forfeit the games I'm glad PC isn't focused on this garbage. He said last week that that's stuff fans and the media focus on and it doesn't mean a thing to him.

Yeah it sucks for the team ( I actually like the 10am games because it's 11am in southern Idaho and that means I can record the games and watch it after church and fast forward all the garbage. )

But I think this team can overcome this obstacle. I"m totally jacked to see how the 2nd year players have improved. I can't wait for AUG to get here to watch some preseason games.

Garbage? The only team the Niners beat at 10am was the Jets.

 

[Laloosh]

This is the best Seattle team in my 27 years as a fan. Any sport. The mid-nineties Sonics were the only team I've ever rooted for that I truly believed was as good as any other in their respective league, and they kinda proved me right. They missed when Jordan was gone, then gelled and ran into the best team ever.

THIS Seahawks team is the best this city has ever put on the field. I truly believe it and I don't tend to be a total homer as to the prospects of my own teams.

This is the most talented team in the NFL. There are a number of experts that agree with that statement.
This quarterback is SPECIAL.
This defense, with the additions of Avril, Bennett, Winfield, Hill and Williams, is SPECIAL.
This team's chemistry, love for the game and love for eachother is SPECIAL.
This fanbase and home field advantage is SPECIAL.
This offense, who no one could stop for the last 10 weeks of last season, which added Harvin and Michael, is SPECIAL.
Oh, and our special teams are going to be, wait for it...... SPECIAL.

I predict, no tongue-in-cheek, that the Seashawks lead the league in scoring offense and crack the top 5 in scoring defense. Russell Wilson finishes in the top 3 in MVP voting. They finish with the leauge's best record, win two playoff games at home, rather easily, and win the Super Bowl. I would actually be surprised if they don't win the Super Bowl at this point. This quarterback is one of a kind and something this franchise, and very few franschises actually, have ever seen.

Awesome, BUT - this is the real world and nothing comes easy in the NFL. I'd love for all of that to be true, but i'll settle for having some luck on our side throughout the season with regard to injuries, winning the close games and playing tough.

A+ for enthusiasm though.

 

[RichNhansom]

Actually looking at last years schedule. The Seahawks played four 10am starts with a come from behind win in Chicago (twice) taking the lead at the end of the Detroit game but our defense let us down and Matt Stafford had his best day of the season, a fluke loss to the Rams with a trick play and three 60 yard field goals and a loss in Miami compliments of Mike Carey's bogus roughing the passer that took away an INT by Wagner and would have prevented the go ahead score.

Comparing the Seahawks and Niners schedule last year it looks to me like you guys got more help from the league and barely took advantage of it. Any nmber of things could have happened that would have made a half game difference and we would have been the #2 seed and you would have had to play on Fedex field and probably lost multiple players like we did. Without Gore there is no way you get past Atlanta and with a healthy Lynch, Hauschka and and Clemons we wipe Atlanta with ease.

 

[MizzouHawkGal]

San Francisco had five 10 AM starts last season and it didn't stop them. If we're going to whine about that, might as well just give up now.

Damn right! If we're as good as both the pundits and we think we are we can match the Ninners and go 6-2 on the road. Do what Hairball does and go out 2-3 days early and practice back east. 1 hour is made up each day. It's not rocket science here it's fact.

 

[Anonymous]

Hello!?... Is this thing on?... Tap tap tap...?

Stop talking "10:00am starts", for crying out loud. They are not 10:00am starts at the location the game is being played.

With the exception of games played in the central time zone, which are 1 hour earlier local time, all of the regular sunday games are based on eastern-time kickoffs. It is only 10:00am for the viewers in the pacific time zone. In fact, ALL NFL teams are on a level playing field (no pun intended) when it comes to game times.

If you take a look at east-coast teams playing on the west coast, they have to play a game after waiting all day long. They will have eaten breakfast, eaten lunch, and must play a game that occurs at their dinner time. A time in the day when the body is winding down after being awake for 8-10 hours. If you flip the coin over, those teams coming to play on the WC are not nearly as fresh as WC teams would be in the morning after a good breakfast, a cup of hot joe, and nice stretch and warmup.

Y'all can cite whatever study's you want to, but the human body that gets up at 8:00 am functions better after two hours than it does after 8 hours of being awake.

Again, please, for the love of everything sacred, no games ever kick off at 10:00am, at any stadium. It is not a factor to anything other than the television-viewer located in those timezones. These are professional athletes who know how to prepare to play a game for which they must travel to get to. Coaches and conditioning personnel get paid to schedule the sleep, meals, and pregame preparation of the players.

If you think about it, are you fresher at 10:00am or 1:00pm? Me? I'm winding down after noon and feel like taking a nap by 1:00pm. I'm waaaayyy better physically in the morning.

Crymany!!!