Last week, I was prepared to write about Seattle adopting the model of the Baltimore Ravens in order to become a true contender again, but when the news broke about Russell Wilson being benched in Denver, I felt more compelled to write about that shit show, instead. Leave it to Seattle’s next level horrific defensive effort against the Pittsburgh Steelers to force me to revisit this idea.

The Seattle Seahawks lack toughness. That’s why they lost to the Steelers at home in Lumen Field. That’s why the sit at 8-8 this season with now maybe a 40 percent chance of making the playoffs with one game left against the Cardinals in Phoenix that will be no gimme.

With the way this defense played against the Steelers, do you even want to see them in the playoffs?

I think that is a fair question to ask.

For me, I don’t know. On one hand, I would like to see the youth on the roster to get more playoff experience, but on the other hand, I think I would be fine if Seattle skips out. I don’t know if I have the fortitude of watching them getting slaughtered because they cannot stop an adequate run game.

Pete Carroll’s calling card is that of a defensive minded head coach who likes to run the ball. His defense sucks, and it has sucked for years now. He also no longer seems to desire the run game to be the foundation of his offensive philosophy.

I will be frank. I don’t have a lot of faith in Carroll right now. After the dismantling of his LOB defense, he has had years to build a new defense back up again, and he has failed to deliver. Ever since he shifted to a 3-4 with Clint Hurtt as defensive coordinator, his defense has gone from low end middling to now being truly god awful bad.

Make no mistake, this defense is bad. It gave a good effort against an Eagles team that is now floundering, and it played decently against a puke bad Titans offense last week, but against the Steelers, it felt like it fell apart simply because Mike Tomlin stayed with his run game. If the Eagles had stayed with their run game two weeks ago, Seattle would probably be 7-9 right now.

This team needs a TON of work. I don’t need to see Riq Woolen get trucked over by another running back like Najee Harris did to him in this game ever again. I don’t need to see middle linebackers routinely making tackles eight to ten yards down field on running backs. I don’t need to see Seattle defensive linemen unable to fight off of blocks like they were in this one ever.

Defensively, this team is fundamentally unsound, and it is too late in the season for excuses. I think it is all because of piss poor coaching. Roster construction-wise, though, they have not been helped nearly enough, either. They play poorly, and they are built poorly.

For a team that wanted to shift more into a 3-4 defense, it’s been more than a bit odd that they have chosen to make middle linebacker the thinnest area of their team. I honestly think that had Jordyn Brooks played in this game, Seattle could have won it. He has been their best ‘backer, but what is behind him is next to nothing, just an aging Bobby Wagner and scabs. That’s it. That’s maybe fine depth if you are running more 4-3, but that doesn’t seem to be what defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt wants this defense to be.

Honestly, I still question what this defense even is. They shift so much between 3-4 and 4-3 that I wonder if there is anything their front seven is ever mastering.

I am about done with this defense. – Strike that! I am more than done with it

I think they have some decent young players and a couple good defensive tackles, but they are woefully lacking in speed, strength, and talent. I need something else next year. I need a better scheme and better talent. The only players I currently see worth hanging around to build off of is Devon Witherspoon, Boye Mafe, Uchenna Nwosu, and then Leonard Williams and Jordyn Brooks if they can both be retained. That’s it.

At this rate, though, I am not so sure Big Cat Williams will want to come back. It may take new coaching to attract him and other quality veteran free agents to sign here.

As for the rest of these defenders, I think Bobby Wagner is too old, I think Jamal Adams needs to be gone, and Quandre Diggs is too expensive for what he is. I also think they overpaid Dre’Mont Jones for what he is, and I haven’t seen enough of the rookie defensive linemen to really get a feel of anything. Don’t get me started on my mood about Riq Woolen right now.

Offensively, Geno Smith is not the problem for this team. I don’t know if he is the solution either, though. He’s not likely the quarterback that is going to carry this team far into any playoff push, that’s my vibe, and I think there is now a case that, in order for Seattle to properly build themselves in the Baltimore Ravens West, they may need to relieve themselves of his salary next offseason to properly spend on the offensive line, and maybe go get some linebackers who can truly fill gaps, shed, tackle, and cover.

I can nitpick this roster until the cows come home at sunset, though, and it will still not truly address the biggest issue this team. Harry Truman was the only democrat president that my father ever liked. He liked Truman simply because he had a sign on the Oval Office desk that read “the buck stops here.”

When things are not working, and they haven’t worked in the long while, and solutions just have not been found, I think you have to look to the very top of who is in charge, and scrutinize them. At this point, I think you know where I am going with this.

If this team loses next weekend against the Cardinals, which they very well might, I think Pete Carroll should step aside. Even if they win, I still sorta think he should.

I am as big of a fan of his as any, but it has just gotten to a point where, season after season, there is just no sign of progress being made, and maybe it is time for a new head coach with fresh eyes to look at this roster and how it has been utilized, and bring in a fresh plan. This is my present mood today.

Also, I think the fact that Carroll has more control over the roster construction of this team than GM John Schneider has is more than a bit ass backwards over the years, and I would like to see Schneider have final say over the coaching staff in order to see if things have been a Carroll issue, or a Schneider one. There are things this team has done with their spending that make me think it’s more Carroll’s desires that Schneider’s.

Putting $48 million dollars into the safety position is terrible roster management, and it has caught up to this team. I don’t know if the money paid out to Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf is great, either, or for tight end Will Dissly, or reserve nose tackle Brian Mone who hasn’t played in seemingly ages now. The have overpaid good players, and they have overpaid middling ones, too. WHY?

Seattle has spent on the defensive line, but not nearly squat all on the offensive line. They never seem to value guard of center like other playoff contending teams. Just look at what the Ravens do!

They are jacked up at guard, center, and defensive tackle year after year. They value the interior of their lines and want to dominate there.

The Ravens each and every year routinely spend second and third round picks on their offensive and defensive lines, and they invest in quality veterans there, too. They want to beat you in the trenches. They have a playmaking quarterback, yes, but they still want to hit you in the mouth over, and over, and over again until you are toothless.

Look what they have done in the last week to the power house 49ers and the upstart Dolphins. They beat the holy crap out of both clubs.

This used to be Seattle a decade ago. I need this to be Seattle again.

This game against the Steelers has put this in center focus for me at the New Year. I am absolutely done with all of this mediocre crap I see in Seahawk uniforms on Sundays. A win against the Cardinals next week, and maybe slipping into the playoffs will not change my view.

KJR’s on air personality Dick Fain posted a poll on Seahawks Twitter X asking if people even care whether they make the playoffs now next week. 60% responded that they do not care.

That is how over it fans are with this team right now. After so many years of being good-not-great to becoming not-so-good, it has all worn thin on even the biggest diehards. I am actually very indifferent about them even making the playoffs this year, and I cannot remember the last time I have felt that way.

That’s how deflating it was to watch this defense against the Steelers. It feels like it has all come to a head. Maybe this is exactly where we need to be.

I cannot watch Riq Woolen get punked by a running back like that again. I cannot watch defensive linemen not be able to get off blocks and make a play. I can’t watch linebackers and safeties miss tackles and play without aggression.

I cannot hear Pete Carroll say one more time that his team wasn’t prepared well enough to play. I just can’t with that anymore.

No more excuses.

All of this needs to change. This is what I hope for in 2024.

Go Hawks.