Being a fan of the Seattle Seahawks is a supreme emotional experience for me. I have been emotionally bonded to this team since 1983, and each year, it deepens further.

I’ve watched most of their seasons with at least some anticipation of the playoffs up to this year, and this was a rare season where my expectations were lowered to a point that I hadn’t felt since the early 1990’s. I just didn’t see this as the year for playoffs.

As many were proclaiming at the start of this season, Geno Smith was supposed to be Tarvaris Jackson and the Seahawks were supposed to be rebuilding. Many didn’t see the fact he would actually become the second coming of Rich Gannon, a pro bowl worthy quarterback finding success as a starter again late into his career, and guiding his team into playoff contention, and yet here we are. That is exactly who, and what Geno Smith is, and what the 2022 Seattle Seahawks are.

Emotionally, I feel blissful. These Seahawks beat a quality team in a meaningful late season game that keeps them in playoff contention for one more final game of the year. When most people projected these Seahawks to be one of the worst teams in the league this year because of the Russell Wilson trade, this feels outstandingly satisfactory to me.

Oh, what a massive difference a win feels!

After a depressing three game losing streak that had me watching the Peach Bowl on Saturday, and envisioning the Seahawks drafting CJ Stroud with maybe the third overall pick from Denver this Spring, I feel like these Seahawks are one win away next Sunday of needing to lock down Geno Smith to a multi year deal, and just taking the best defensive lineman available with that pick; be it Jalen Carter, or Will Anderson.

I see plenty of logic of Seattle taking a talented young quarterback with that pick (if the right QB is there), but I also see the practical logic of keeping Geno, and building this team up around in other ways. I admit that I am not the best person to assert what I think this team should do at times, so I won’t say one idea is right, and the other is wrong, but I will say that having watched Geno for a full season now as QB1 in Seattle, I really like what I see. I also think I have a pretty good idea what Seattle has with him.

I think he’s an athletic, accurate passer, with a strong enough arm to make all the necessary NFL throws to win a game. I think he’s a pretty mature dude too, and a smart player. I feel that with a little more built up around him, Seattle can probably consistently win with him for multiple seasons. In short, he’s good enough for me, and if Seattle does lock him down into a multi year deal, I will not be disappointed.

This game against the Jets reminded me of that. With a balanced offense that ran really well against a tough Jets defense, Geno showed decent efficiency once again, and he did this without his top receiver in Tyler Lockett for the second half of the game. Give Geno Smith a great run game led by Ken Walker, and he will likely give you a solidly efficient effort at quarterback more times than not, as was the case in this game.

Also, give him a strong enough defense where he doesn’t have to play from behind, and he is most likely going to deliver, as was the exact case in this game. For as much as I have been critical of the Seahawks’ new defensive scheme under Clint Hurtt, I have noticed better efforts in recent weeks, and that’s something, for sure.

This was a great defensive effort that I should expect out of a Pete Carroll coached team. They should be able to slow down a run game, pressure quarterbacks, and create turnovers. They should especially be able to do that at home in front of the loud Twelves, and the should be able to do that against any middling offense. This was a job well done against these Jets, and bravo.

Now finish it off right against the Rams next Sunday, and end this season the right way. Sweep a struggling divisional opponent, and let the chips fall wherever they may in terms of playoffs. This should be the expectation with this team, and I am as emotionally attached to that notion as I am to Geno Smith.

I am super excited for the young talent on this team to feel this positive playoff implication buzz, now. This is huge, I believe.

I don’t buy into any notions of not seizing the opportunity for a playoff birth if your team has warts to which you think losing out for higher picks is more important. The way I think you best work through the warty areas is to develop within, and the best way to develop within is having your team trend upwards at the end of a season so that these youthful players taste what winning is like.

It’s an f’ing drug is what it is. Tariq Woolen, Coby Bryant, Darrell Taylor, Boye Mafe, K9, Charles Cross, Abe Lucas, Coby Parkinson, and many other of these young pups should feel that high, and want to repeat that experience over, and over, and over again.

This is what happened with the Legion Of Boom cats. This is Pete Carroll’s culture.

So, sure, it’s fun to day dream about the picks in next year’s draft whether it’s Jalen Carter or CJ Stroud, but the real team building, the foundation pouring, and framing.. all of that comes out of finishing this season on a strong note.

Beat those Rams next Sunday, and get to 9-8, and if you get into the playoffs, awesome. You then know what it took to get you there. That’s vital for these dudes.

Make no mistake about it, though, this was a great team win against these Jets. They are a tough team, but on this day, the Seattle Seahawks were tougher. They bullied the bully, and the best thing about it? Young dudes like Taylor, Cody Barton, K9, DeeJay Dallas, Parkinson, and Woolen were doing the main bullying.

This is also Pete Carroll football. You establish the run, you pass off of it with success, protect the ball, take away the run, and force turnovers, and more likely than not, you win.

A 23-6 final score is exactly how Pete Carroll wants to draw it up. That’s football porn for that guy, I can guarantee you that.

Now, do it again next week. Football porn out against these dreadful Rams.

Go Hawks!