Would it be too cocky when looking at Seahawks schedule

[ivotuk]

Imaho, the Rams will be our toughest test this year. They have a lot of talent, an elite coach, very good QB and will be focusing on the Seahawks games. Their biggest weakness is the running game and lack of wide receivers but they will probably be rolling by the time we play them.

Their defensive line is scary but I think if we run the ball and use the read/option that we can take the wind out of their sails. I wouldn't be surprised to lose in St Louis though.

 

[Attyla the Hawk]

Imaho, the Rams will be our toughest test this year. They have a lot of talent, an elite coach, very good QB and will be focusing on the Seahawks games. Their biggest weakness is the running game and lack of wide receivers but they will probably be rolling by the time we play them.

Their defensive line is scary but I think if we run the ball and use the read/option that we can take the wind out of their sails. I wouldn't be surprised to lose in St Louis though.

I'd have to go with the Cardinals. I can't think of another team so well put together everywhere but one critical position. That's a team that literally is one player away from contending for the division.

I'm very much underwhelmed by Bradford. Can you envision any scenario where Wilson would have struggled to beat a Charlie Whitehurst team with the postseason and division title on the line? I sure can't. I wouldn't even put him in Jay Cutler's class and he's merely quasi good. He just seems to always fade to insignificance when the game matters the most.

Bradford looks like he's going to be a 10 year mistake for St. Louis. He's going to be good enough from a potential standpoint, that he will get a second contract. The Rams won't realize that he's never going to be what they hope he'd be until he's finished his second deal and they are 9 years into the Bradford era. I fully expect him to be league average (anywhere between the 12th to 20th rated passer) for the entirety of his career. A QB who needs a dominant supporting cast to have a 10 win season.

Ultimately, that Ram O line doesn't scare me. That's an offense that still cannot put up 20 on us. Losing Amendola and gaining Austin is a flat out LOSE scenario for them. It doesn't matter that it's a Sunday night game. By that point, we should have both Clemons and Irvin going full speed. And we'll likely be in a very heated race for a division title. No way we take the game lightly.

Defensively they are good -- with the potential to flirt with the top 10. But offensively they are terrible. Wilson is good at protecting the ball. I don't see us giving them a game like we did last year. Ultimately, I trust the Rams to lose the game more than us needing to win it.

 

[NFL_Football2013]

The cardinals O-Line is AWFUL
Who is their starting HB?
Carson Palmer isnt the answer at QB
and they lost Ray Horton.....

the worries for the division are
Niners
Rams
Cards

 

[RichNhansom]

Disk in 2011 there was no motivation to favor any team in the NFCWest.

I know how the schedule works or obviously U wouldn't have already said what you repeated. The only thing the league can change is the starting time. A big question should be why didn't they change the starting time for the Atlanta playoff game?

Your argument is naive IMO. I'm not saying the NFL hates us. I am saying they are simply tilting thr field in the Niners favor because it pays more money. It really is that simple and any bussiness does it.

I believe we will overcome it and feel we should be recognized for not just our wins but the entire accomplishment of over coming the toughest division and the toughest schedule.

Very few teams have accomplished that over the years.

Cell phone typing so excuse any spelling please.

 

[NorCal]

The only thing the league can change is the starting time. A big question should be why didn't they change the starting time for the Atlanta playoff game?

Which ATL game are you talking about? The SEA/ATL game? I think it was quite obvious that the league and CBS wanted to showcase DEN in the primetime slot. My point is, there are more factors involved than just what the NFL wants.

I wouldn't be surprised that the networks get to rotate who gets the primetime playoff games. Maybe this is public knowledge, I'm not sure. So, maybe there was no option to move the SEA/ATL game to the later game because CBS was guaranteed the primetime game that day.

Also, the conference championship games are known to start later than normal start times, just in case people wonder why the SF/ATL game was at 12 pm Pacific Time instead of 10am.

 

[RichNhansom]

I'm aware the NFC championship game was not moved. In a league of parity no team should have to play at a perceived disadvantage and when west coast teams have a 22% win percentage at 10:00am west coast time starts, which is currently the lowest win percentage even compared to Thursday night game, it is a perceived disadvantage.

Do you think thr NFL would schedule Green bay to play a playoff game that started at 7:30pm on the left coast?

Has any major market east coast team ever played a Thursday night game on the west coast?
Has any east coast major market NFL

Has a major market easy coast team ever played a Thursday night game on the west coast?

They let the 10am start slide because they knew Seattle doesn't have a big enough fan base to make it a problem.

Hopefully this era of Seahawk football changes that.

 

[ZagHawk]

to figure that, at most there will be 4 losses...again AT MOST. I feel like the only real games they would be in danger of losing are the 49'ers games.(not saying they will and have confidence they will get at least one of those games), possibly the Houston game, and possibly the Atlanta game. If the Hawks end up winning 1 or both of the 49'ers games, I could see potential losses to New Orleans and/or maybe one of the St. Louis games.

I feel pretty confident about the roster as it stands, but until the season starts and we see how they play and weather that initial storm without pass rusher(s) the first 4-6 weeks of the season(hopefully Clemons will recover fully and be his normal self...i'm really hoping) it's going to be hard to probably get a proper barometer on the full strength of the team. Pass rush can be a big weakness if things don't come together right with the new pieces they have added.

With road games against Atl, Ind, Niners, Houston all being former playoff teams returning at full force from last year or better in a lot of cases. I will say depending on how things play out (assuming a healthy team). We can be anywhere from a 10-14 win team this year.

 

[hoxrox]

Regarding 10 AM games, if they are not partying the night before like they did in Miami, they should be fine. We know they are not a 'soft' team that can't win on the road. It all comes back to how disciplined this team is.

 

[RichNhansom]

Uhg,

I wish it was just partying but there's no way that is the problem. It"s far to consistent.

 

[RedAlice]

Disk in 2011 there was no motivation to favor any team in the NFCWest.

I know how the schedule works or obviously U wouldn't have already said what you repeated. The only thing the league can change is the starting time. A big question should be why didn't they change the starting time for the Atlanta playoff game?

Your argument is naive IMO. I'm not saying the NFL hates us. I am saying they are simply tilting thr field in the Niners favor because it pays more money. It really is that simple and any bussiness does it.

I believe we will overcome it and feel we should be recognized for not just our wins but the entire accomplishment of over coming the toughest division and the toughest schedule.

Very few teams have accomplished that over the years.

Cell phone typing so excuse any spelling please.

Are you suggesting that because of the number of 10am starts you have, that the Hawks have the toughest schedule in the division? And that you deserve extra special recognition if you win even through this unfair added hardship? Like little gold stars?

Based on Strength of Schedule, you have the easiest schedule in the division. Easier than Cards and Rams even. So, the big difference is the 10am start?

Well, the NFL keeps handing you the Rams (a non play-off caliber team so far) as your last HOME game for 3 out of the last 4 years. This doesn't bother me at all, but by your logic it must mean the NFL likes you better.

You have a great team, seems like a curious thing to be getting all upset about.

 

[NorCal]

I'm aware the NFC championship game was not moved. In a league of parity no team should have to play at a perceived disadvantage and when west coast teams have a 22% win percentage at 10:00am west coast time starts, which is currently the lowest win percentage even compared to Thursday night game, it is a perceived disadvantage.

Do you think thr NFL would schedule Green bay to play a playoff game that started at 7:30pm on the left coast?

Has any major market east coast team ever played a Thursday night game on the west coast?
Has any east coast major market NFL

Has a major market easy coast team ever played a Thursday night game on the west coast?

They let the 10am start slide because they knew Seattle doesn't have a big enough fan base to make it a problem.

Hopefully this era of Seahawk football changes that.

Not really sure what your trying to say, other than you think the NFL wants east coast teams to have an advantage? The SF/GB playoff game started at 7pm CT. I'm saying the TV contracts play the largest role. The NFL is all about tv ratings and viewership. West coast teams have always gotten the shaft. Since there are less teams on the west coast, and with the time difference, it is just the way it is going to be.

That being said, I do think SEA got jobbed a bit with this year's schedule and the 10am starts. But in reality, its just something good west coast teams have to overcome.

 

[RichNhansom]

Disk in 2011 there was no motivation to favor any team in the NFCWest.

I know how the schedule works or obviously U wouldn't have already said what you repeated. The only thing the league can change is the starting time. A big question should be why didn't they change the starting time for the Atlanta playoff game?

Your argument is naive IMO. I'm not saying the NFL hates us. I am saying they are simply tilting thr field in the Niners favor because it pays more money. It really is that simple and any bussiness does it.

I believe we will overcome it and feel we should be recognized for not just our wins but the entire accomplishment of over coming the toughest division and the toughest schedule.

Very few teams have accomplished that over the years.

Cell phone typing so excuse any spelling please.

Are you suggesting that because of the number of 10am starts you have, that the Hawks have the toughest schedule in the division? And that you deserve extra special recognition if you win even through this unfair added hardship? Like little gold stars?

Based on Strength of Schedule, you have the easiest schedule in the division. Easier than Cards and Rams even. So, the big difference is the 10am start?

Well, the NFL keeps handing you the Rams (a non play-off caliber team so far) as your last HOME game for 3 out of the last 4 years. This doesn't bother me at all, but by your logic it must mean the NFL likes you better.

You have a great team, seems like a curious thing to be getting all upset about.

SOC doesn't factor in start times and I don't know how the last game of the season is relative to anything but for the most part my frustration isn't with our schedule as much as the Niners and IMO every team in the division should have the same concern.

I'm probably letting Niner fans get under my skin to much but that really is the gist of my anx. I guess I am tired of hearing how the Niners beat the team in Atlanta that we couldn't or that they are the conference champs and went to a super bowl and we didn't while they ignore they couldn't win a 10am game to save their lives and had they not been flexed out of every tough 10am game last year, neither would have likely happened not to mention them barely squeaking by Atlanta in a late game start on their first week of travel and now here we go again.

I'm not saying the NFL hates Seattle or likes us more than AZ or St Louis, I am saying the Niners are getting a little help because they are currently the most profitable team in the league and the NFL knows that cash cow goes away if we knock them off.

Posting on my cell phone on a 10 minute break can be testing sometimes and I'm sure I am just coming off as whining but I think I am just doing a poor job of getting my point across.

Another thread has a Rams fan asking about ending every season (3 of the last 4) in Seattle. I understand his frustration especially now. Before when it didn't matter if they won or lost it wasn't that big of a deal but now that have hopes for making the playoffs seeing their last game in Seattle looks like a threat to derail that dream. Try and imagine how they might feel after the mass growth they showed last season and then they see the schedule and knowing it will be a tough task to make the playoffs in the same division as Seattle and San Fran, they likely figure it will come down to the wire and having that deciding game land in Seattle would be like getting a dagger in the eye.

Right now I see Seattle as a real threat to take over the division and on an even playing field I think the odds are very high but with the Niners somehow constantly getting help from the NFL it make that task much more difficult. My frustration in the schedule is simply that and if we manage to still win the division I hope it doesn't get brushed over that to do so we had to play a much more difficult schedule at least time slot wise and win percentage wise on normal win loss total's for west coast teams playing in eastern time zones.

If the Rams miss the playoffs by a half a game to the Niners after sweeping them while the Niners lose both of their 10 am starts and winning every game that was flexed out of the early start, don't you think they will be frustrated? That is pretty close to what happened to us last year other than the sweep but even the loss in SanFran was a Thursday night game.

I hope we can overcome the 5 10am starts all against playoff caliber teams but to do so I don't think we will need to just be the better team. I think we will need to be significantly better.

In some ways I think the football gods seen the schedule and said, well then lets see how you do without Crabtree.

 

[RedAlice]

Another thread has a Rams fan asking about ending every season (3 of the last 4) in Seattle. I understand his frustration especially now. Before when it didn't matter if they won or lost it wasn't that big of a deal but now that have hopes for making the playoffs seeing their last game in Seattle looks like a threat to derail that dream. Try and imagine how they might feel after the mass growth they showed last season and then they see the schedule and knowing it will be a tough task to make the playoffs in the same division as Seattle and San Fran, they likely figure it will come down to the wire and having that deciding game land in Seattle would be like getting a dagger in the eye.

I'm a Rams' fan, so I don't have to imagine.

If the Rams get to the place where the last game decides if they go the play-offs or not, then I don't care where it is - they have to win or they don't go. We play at the C-Link once a season, same as SF and AZ. If Fisher considers the C-Link an automatic loss (which I don't believe), then he better win enough other games. No excuses.

I thought we did really well in the recent last game, considering you put up a zillion points on your opponents for three games before us and only 7 on us.

You explained that all pretty reasonably and have certainly put a lot of thought into it. And I don't know you, but you have so much positive for your team right now, it's just exhausting to be this worried about the schedule hurting you.

Be happy! You have a great season coming....

 

[MizzouHawkGal]

Another thread has a Rams fan asking about ending every season (3 of the last 4) in Seattle. I understand his frustration especially now. Before when it didn't matter if they won or lost it wasn't that big of a deal but now that have hopes for making the playoffs seeing their last game in Seattle looks like a threat to derail that dream. Try and imagine how they might feel after the mass growth they showed last season and then they see the schedule and knowing it will be a tough task to make the playoffs in the same division as Seattle and San Fran, they likely figure it will come down to the wire and having that deciding game land in Seattle would be like getting a dagger in the eye.

I'm a Rams' fan, so I don't have to imagine.

If the Rams get to the place where the last game decides if they go the play-offs or not, then I don't care where it is - they have to win or they don't go. We play at the C-Link once a season, same as SF and AZ. If Fisher considers the C-Link an automatic loss (which I don't believe), then he better win enough other games. No excuses.

I thought we did really well in the recent last game, considering you put up a zillion points on your opponents for three games before us and only 7 on us.

You explained that all pretty reasonably and have certainly put a lot of thought into it. And I don't know you, but you have so much positive for your team right now, it's just exhausting to be this worried about the schedule hurting you.

Be happy! You have a great season coming....

True Alice (shhh....I think you guys have a great chance to ruin more than one team's season) I didn't say that and won't admit it regardless.

 

[Thread Killer]

Nice to see the Cardinals getting some love Attyla the Hawk.

I wish I felt as strongly about them as you do. However, the OLine is still a major question mark and we are going with an offense that calls for deeper drops and longer routes. Even if stopgap Carson Palmer makes it through the season, any gains made on offense could very well be offset by a lesser defense. The team lost a very good defensive coordinator and replaced him with Todd Bowles?? The only speed at LB in Darryl Washington was already facing a 4 game suspension and might have even more tacked on pending his current legal woes. And the secondary is riddled with hopes (or holes).

But, of course, on any given Sunday anything can happen. Who saw the Cardinals going into New England and winning?

Put me into the camp that believes that the Rams are going to turn some heads this year. Strong coaching staff. Good defense. And while it took 3 seasons, they've finally given Bradford some weapons to work with on offense. I know some are down on him, but when a team's best WR is a slot guy in Danny Amendola (not a #1 or #2) and he misses more games than he plays in I don't give any QB much of a chance to be successful.

 

[camdawg]

Another thread has a Rams fan asking about ending every season (3 of the last 4) in Seattle. I understand his frustration especially now. Before when it didn't matter if they won or lost it wasn't that big of a deal but now that have hopes for making the playoffs seeing their last game in Seattle looks like a threat to derail that dream. Try and imagine how they might feel after the mass growth they showed last season and then they see the schedule and knowing it will be a tough task to make the playoffs in the same division as Seattle and San Fran, they likely figure it will come down to the wire and having that deciding game land in Seattle would be like getting a dagger in the eye.

Just to follow up, I'm sure it must be frustrating for Red Alice to see the Rams come up here again for week 17. But it's not a free lunch for the Seahawks. Since the 2002 realignment, the Hawks have opened up the season on the road in 2002,04,05,06,08,11,12, and will this season. That's eight out of twelve seasons, and it greatly increases the risk that Seattle has to start the season in a 0-1 hole. So we are giving up something important to be given the last game of the year at home so often.

 

[RedAlice]

I'm not the Rams' fan who posted that they are frustrated by the last game being in Seattle again. I'm not bothered by this, as I've said.

 

[volsunghawk]

Just to put our expectations for this team into perspective, if the 2013 Seahawks finish with 10+ wins, it will be the first time in the team's entire history that they won double-digit games in consecutive seasons.

I think this team should win 11+. I HOPE this team experiences the same level of health it had last season, rather than the level of health it experienced the previous two or three. If this team stays healthy, and if it keeps its focus and doesn't sleepwalk into games expecting to win on half-assed effort, they should take the division.