Trey Lance and Geno Smith are as about as opposite as can be as quarterbacks in the NFL. In fact, I don’t know how they get more opposite.

Lance was a top five pick in the NFL draft last year, and while as raw as can be, he possesses a physical skillset with tremendous potential, if he can figure it out. Geno Smith, however, is ten year vet who started out his career as a starter, struggled, had the team that drafted him give up on him, and then spent most of his career, afterwards, as a backup.. until now.

Geno Smith was also an accomplished four year starter in college who put up gaudy passing numbers at West Virginia while Trey Lance played in only 17 games of football at the small program of North Dakota State. One has to wonder how Geno Smith ended up falling to the 39th pick in the 2013 NFL draft while the San Francisco 49ers felt the need to trade three first round picks to move up for Lance in 2021, but it is what it is. These two quarterbacks will face off with each other this Sunday in Santa Clara.

The implications of this game aren’t just about positioning in the NFC West. If we step back, I think we can seen some interesting implications at play in terms of how the league handles quarterbacks as a whole.

As I have written before, if Geno Smith vastly exceeds expectations as a starter in the league this year, and guides Seattle into playoff contention, that would be an awesome storyline. It would be fun for fans in Seattle, but it would be fantastic for Geno Smith.

It would also be kind of an indictment on how awful the league is on chewing up young quarterbacks and spitting them out. There used to be a time where teams stayed with a young passer knowing that it often takes time to develop properly as a passer in a league where most of the best athletes at the line of scrimmage play on defense because sacks equal big bucks once a rookie contract is up.

Matt Hasselbeck took many years to develop as a passer. So did Alex Smith, and really, so did Drew Brees, and Payton Manning.

People point to all the interceptions Smith threw in his first two years with the Jets but guess who also initially threw a ton of picks? Manning did. Both guys were highly accomplished passers in college who put up all kinds of gaudy stats.

If Trey Lance struggles this year, and is replaced with Jimmy Garoppolo, and Garoppolo goes San Francisco into the playoffs again, it’s likely to put all kinds of pressure on Lance next year to finally get it together in merely just his third season. Seahawk fans can salivate over that scenario, but if it plays out that way, I will feel sorry for the guy.

I believe that the NFL is like a drug dealer when it comes to quarterbacks. It pumps them up to higher than reasonable expectations in order to get fans jacked up, buying jerseys, and putting their butts in the stands.

It also makes the rules on defense easier for receivers to run routes and battle for contested balls, which thus, in theory, makes an average quarterback look better than maybe he would have been twenty years ago. Thus we have Kirk Cousins, and Derek Carr, and Jimmy Garoppolo.

College football is the same type of drug dealer at the position. Every year it hypes up quarterbacks who “could be the top overall pick in the draft” presumably to get fans of NFL teams to watch all the games that college football makes billions of dollars from.

These two entities work symbiotically together. College football produces them, and the NFL viciously spits many of them out.

The league can quickly discard with a young passer for another coming out of college because they know the new guy from college will give fans hope and sell a whole new millions worth of jerseys (see the Jets with Geno Smith to Sam Darnold to Zach Wilson). It’s actually a very vicious cycle.

So, from this perspective, I think it would be really awesome if Geno Smith reminded the league that a dude who as paid his dues by grinding in quarterback rooms and backing up quality starters, such as he has, can be the guy if given the proper opportunity. This actually used to be a reliable model.

Look at the situation in Green Bay in the 1990’s when Mike Holmgren was there. They had Bret Farve as their young starter, but drafted and developed behind him, and many of those guys became quality starters elsewhere once they were traded, or acquired by other means. Mark Brunell, Aaron Brooks, Kurt Warner, and Hasselbeck all became good quarterbacks elsewhere by being coached right in Green Bay and being in a quarterback room with Farve.

But apparently that model isn’t a sexy enough seller in today’s standards of football which are dominated by the NFL and college football quarterback drug empires. This is why I think Geno Smith working out in Seattle is so damn intriguing.

And I think there’s legitimate reasons for rooting for a guy like Trey Lance, as well, and hoping that the league doesn’t spit him out if he struggles over the next couples year, which he might very well do. History kinda shows that he likely will.

But enough of this quarterback crap. Let’s preview this matchup between these two bitters NFC West foes in the Seahawks and 49ers.

Seahawks win this game by

Limiting the big runs that Kyle Shanahan will try to get off of this new look Seattle defense in order to put Lance in a good situation at quarterback. There was a lot that I liked about Seattle’s defensive performance against the Broncos on Monday Night. They flustered Russell Wilson enough, and they were incredible in the red zone, but they also gave up some big runs on the ground at times, and I found that disturbing. Defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt didn’t sound happy about that either, and neither did his players. They know that they need to be better against Shanahan’s exotic ground game. An adjusted look up front in this game might be the ticket.

Confusing Lance when he has to pass and forcing bad throws and sacks. Seattle needs to trick Lance into believing one thing is going to happen with the safeties, but then something else happens entirely after the ball is snapped. This could lead to Lance throwing balls to places that he shouldn’t, and the other is that it makes him hesitate and hang onto the ball too long to which that leads to sacks. Confusing the young passer into bad decisions is key.

Get the run game going in order to better balance out their offense. Geno Smith played a solid game on MNF. His efficiency as a passer was aces, but he could have been helped more by a better established run game. Rashaad Penny only had twelve carries. That’s not enough. San Francisco is another strong defensive team. The genie is out of the bottle on what Geno is capable of in Shane Waldron’s offense. Nick Bosa and company won’t be surprised. Seattle needs to get Penny and company going in this one to slow down a fierce 49er pass rush. Being patient with the run might be the biggest key on offense in this game.

Geno continuing his steady play as a distributor of the ball. What I loved most about Geno’s play against a good Denver defense was how smoothly he got the ball out on time and to the right spots. He just looked really in control. Geno needs to continue taking whatever the defense is giving, but he’s also got to make some timely throws down field when the opportunity is there. Geno also did this well against Denver. He needs to do it again in this one.

49ers beat Seattle by

Running all damn day long with success. Shanahan probably looked at ten minutes of tape from Seattle’s defense on Monday night, and decided his plan. The 3-4 base defense Seattle has using against Denver had a tough time against the run, and particularly Darrell Taylor on the edge. If I am Shanahan, I am running Trey Lance early and often along with Deebo Samuel, and whoever they got healthy in the backfield. If Lance throws less than 20 times, I’d be happy with that in this one. Once Seattle puts more players in the box, that’s when I open up the passing for deep shots down field.

Stuffing the run and making Seattle one dimensional on the road. Playing good defense always starts with stopping the run first. Seattle got away from the run on Monday Night Football. I don’t suspect that they will do this again on the road in Santa Clara. San Francisco has as tough of a front seven as there is in football. They might have the best front seven in football. They should be ready to show it in this one.

Not letting Geno Smith get into an easy rhythm with the quick pass. After week one, the cat is out of the bag on Geno and what Seattle wants to do with him. They want him to hit the quick passes. I would look for my corners to be prepared to jump some of these shorter routes, and make him hesitant with my fierce pass rush coming his way. Until he’s showed he can test my defense deep, I’m going to ask my guys to be extra aggressive.

Prediction

This has all the makings of a classic Seattle vs San Francisco game. There will be a lot of hitting, there will be mistakes and turnovers, and there will be some big deciding plays. In the end, I’m going with the hotter team coming off the big MNF win. I think the Seahawks take this one 23-17.

There will be times, in this one, where Lance will look more promising than he did in Chicago. The 49ers will have more offensive success, but I suspect that enough critical mistakes will benefit Seattle.

The Seattle Seahawks know what works against Kyle Shanahan’s offense. I actually suspect that we could see an adjusted front from Seattle’s base defense. There are things that Seattle has done defensively in the past that has worked in this matchup, and I think we see a return to that well.

Thus, I think this will be more of an old school match, and in that, I favor Geno Smith to make the better decisions under pressure. Pro Football Focus has been loving Smith all preseason and through this last game in Monday Night. Say what you will about him, but Smith as been making good decisions at quarterback, and also has been making good throws.

When I put all of this together, I see another hard fought game between these two clubs, but see the team who’s quarterback makes the better decisions winning this one, and in that, I ride with Geno.

Go Hawks.

Minutes after the Seattle Seahawks upset Russell Wilson and his Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football, 17-16, an ESPN reporter asked Geno Smith if he had anything to say to those who doubted him. He had a short but sweet, and most excellent response, I thought.

“They wrote me off, but I didn’t write back.”

I’m a Geno Smith fan now. I know this much about this 2022 Seattle Seahawk season, thus far. I will ride with Geno, and it’s not just about that mike drop he laid with a wry smile.

No, it’s mostly because Geno Smith played a pretty damn solid game against a tough defense, altogether. Nothing flashy, or eye popping. Just solid. I like solid.

In fact, during the first half of ball, he looked pretty damn.. dare I say it.. flawless.

You could feel that he was in full control of Shane Waldron’s offense. I would even go as far to say that, for the first time with Waldron as the offensive coordinator, I felt his passing attack, and Geno looked light years better than anything I saw out of either quarterback in it last year, frankly.

The ball came out as it was supposed to do it, and went right where it needed to be with accuracy. In that, Geno looked poised, taking advantage of what the defense gave in coverage, and in times where protection started to break down, he even extended plays with his legs for big gains. He stayed strong on in the pocket, threw with confidence over the middle, and was impressively accurate.

When Geno Smith is on it, you can see his skills as a passer. The ball comes out quick with a pretty spin. He can look defenders off, and go through his progressions. He can move well, and he can protect the ball. He did this on Monday Night Football, and frankly, he was the better quarterback on the field.

Russell Wilson had his signature Russell Wilson moments. He extended outside a number of times, and hit his open guy down field. He’s still really good at that, but he did troubling things in this game that I’ve noticed him do more of over the past couple years.

He was less elusive under pressure, and he got lucky on an under thrown ball to Jerry Jeudy that the receiver made a tremendous catch and run score on. He had a couple delay of game calls, and was late on a few open receivers. In a tough AFC West conference, if I was a Broncos fan, I would be nervous of this.

Geno Smith, however, was mostly poised, and on time with is throws. Really, it wasn’t until way into the second half where I thought his play came back down to earth a bit by not feeling pressure as well as he was doing earlier in the game, and throwing a couple errant passes when his mechanics might have gotten away from him.

I also think that he wasn’t helped out by a few holding penalties that killed big plays, and became momentum killers, and the fact that Seattle mostly stayed in its typical bend don’t break defensive mode that had Denver’s offense on the field significantly more through the last two quarters of play. Geno and the offense didn’t have enough time in the second half to really keeps things humming because of these factors, I think.

At the end of the game, however, Geno’s final stat line (23 of 28 pass attempts, 195 yards, 2 TDs, and 0 INTs) was the model of efficiency that Pete Carroll desires out of his starting quarterback. He was a good point guard, a solid distributor of the football, and he did what he had to do against a tough Denver Bronco defense by scoring more points than Russell Wilson did. I was impressed.

I was also very wrong in my beliefs in Geno Smith during all of the preseason. I refused to believe that Pete Carroll was really going to make this guy the starter over Drew Lock.

In fact, I never entertained the thought that Geno was really going to be the guy until Pete officially named him the starter after the third preseason game. I just wouldn’t go there with it.

Now, not only am I there, but I think these Seahawks should ride with Geno all the way this year. He might not be the long term answer here at quarterback, but he might honestly be a pretty decent short term solution, and good steadying force for a young squad trying to find itself post Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner.

If he continues to play like this, and build off of it, and miraculously has these Seahawks in playoff contention in December, then I think a serious discussion should be had about bringing him back in 2023, or further even. It would make sense.

Even if Seattle drafts a quarterback next year, a successfully rebooted Geno Smith would be good for any young quarterback sit back and learn from. Clearly, the way Geno was able to successfully look off defenders in this game, and set up where he wanted to go with the ball, he knows a lot about quarterbacking. Chances are that a rookie quarterback next year won’t have that mastered.

Quarterbacking in the NFL is hard, and there’s not exactly a Patrick Mahomes tree for GM’s to pick a quarterback off of, even if they have a top five pick in the NFL draft (see the San Francisco 49ers with Trey Lance). Given that, I think it’s prudent for Seattle to look both at veteran and draft solutions to the position. Right now, in my mind, Geno has played himself into veteran consideration with this positive outing.

After watching Geno play this game against the Russell Wilson Broncos, I am now entertaining the thought that he could be a great guy for that young gun to sit behind, and soak up the knowledge until he’s truly ready; kind of like how Alex Smith was to both Colin Kaepernick and Patrick Mahomes on their respective teams. Before this game, my thoughts were not there with that. Not even close.

But let’s not get too ahead of ourselves. This was just a start to the season, and a lot can happen, good and bad.

For the Seattle Seahawks and Geno Smith, this was a great start, though. They beat the Denver Broncos and the guy who didn’t want to be the franchise quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks any longer (at least under Pete Carroll).

As a fan, I feel fantastic about that, even though it wasn’t always pretty. There were screw ups by both teams, but Seattle prevailed, and they did it by starting two rookies on the offensive line, and a raw rookie corner.

And there were two fantastic goal line stances from the defense in the third quarter that held Denver scoreless. Who doesn’t love that?!

Mostly, I just love that Russell Wilson didn’t win this game, and that he didn’t cook good enough. This isn’t me simply being petty so much as it is me not wanting to see Russ win this year because of the draft haul we will have in 2023 if the Broncos end up with a losing record.

I mean, yeah, sure, I’m petty as a fan. I didn’t love how Russ and his agent dealt with things in Seattle, and started that whole Let Russ Cook thing, undercutting Pete Carroll’s philosophy about how to win games. I also didn’t love how that created a sharp division amongst Seahawk fans.

So, yeah, now that I think about it, I think it’s fucking great that Pete Carroll beat Russell Wilson by playing Pete Ball, and Russell Wilson lost cooking for 340 yards through the air on 42 attempts and still only managed 16 points. I mean, really, if I wanted to be a dick to all these Russell fans who wanted him to air it out more when he was in Seattle, I would point to this more, but I’m just going to move forward.

Pete Carroll was asked in his post game press conference if this win was validating. He dodged the question, likely because he thought it was loaded in terms of Russ and the drama in Seattle, but let me tell you this, as a fan: this win against Russ and Denver was beyond validating. It was super validating.

Here’s some other following side notes of other things I found joyous.

Uchenna Nwosu looked explosive and impactful as a pass rusher. I see why Seattle spent big free agent money on him. I saw this in practice, as well. That’s validating.

I’m happy for Cody Barton, who I thought played a good, validating game by getting key stops and sacking Dangeruss.

I’m happy for Tariq Woolen for getting through his first NFL start at right corner, and staying with it. It was validating watching him flash his rookie potential.

I’m happy for Al Woods continuing to look at a total bad ass at nose tackle even though he’s the same age as President Biden now. He’s validating for all geezers such as myself.

But really, when I think of validation, I think about Pete sticking with Geno as QB1 all preseason and into this game. Apparently, Pete knew more about Geno than the rest of us. Go figure that.

I’m also ecstatic for Geno Smith getting this opportunity on a national stage to possibly salvage his career as an NFL passer, and making the most out of it. This is a fantastic opportunity for him now, and I’m looking forward to rooting him on every week. I hope he balls the F out all season long.

Because, in the end, most of us love a good underdog story, and Geno Smith turning this opportunity into success would be an absolute terrific sports story this year. I want this to happen for him.

Will it?

We will see, but what a great start by beating Russell Wilson on Monday Night!

Every Seahawk fan should be enjoying this week. I know I will.

Validation is an awesome thing.

Go Hawks.

I’m not certain about a lot of things, especially when it comes to this huge Monday Night Football game with the Seattle Seahawks defending home turf against the Russell Wilson Denver Broncos. Wilson could have a magnificent night, and completely torch his former team. He could also struggle against a new look defense full of defenders who want to prove that the Seahawks weren’t just all about him the last few years.

One thing I am certain of is this; if the Seattle Seahawks lose to the Denver Broncos this Monday night, much of national takeaways will be brutal against Pete Carroll, and John Schneider. The talking points will be about how great Russell Wilson is and how clueless Seattle is as an organization. This has been Colin Cowherd’s shtick for many years now when it comes to the Seahawks, and I think it would probably be at a nuclear on Tuesday, if Wilson gets his “revenge.”

As a Seahawk fan, I couldn’t care less, honestly, and I would advise any diehard fan to do the same. It would be awesome for the Seahawks to beat this Bronco team, and truthfully, it would be better for Seattle in terms of draft position if Denver has a bad first season with Russell. Beating Denver helps that happen.

However, in terms of importance, this season for Seattle will not be about the wins and losses. It’s going to be about playing young talented football players, and getting them well seasoned for the next franchise quarterback likely to come onto the roster next year.

Getting Charles Cross, Abe Lucas, Ken Walker, Jordyn Brooks, Darrell Taylor, Boye Mafe, Tariq Woolen, Coby Bryant, Myles Adams, Dee Eskridge, and others to step up, understand, and play the NFL game on a solid level is the real goal. If they end up with a winning record while accomplishing this, then that’s a wonderful bonus.

But Colin Cowherd likely won’t be discussing that on his show, if the Seahawks lose. He will talk about how all-world Russell Wilson is, and how Pete Carroll should just call it quits because the modern game has passed him by. Cool. He’s entitled to his takes.

The truth is that Seattle is playing this game against the Broncos with house money at a casino. In fact, they are playing the whole 2022 with this house money.

They aren’t expected to win this game. They aren’t expected to have a winning season.

I suspect that Pete Carroll wouldn’t have it any other way, and I am here for it.

How the Seahawks upset Russell Wilson

They get inside his head early by confusing coverage, and getting after him. Seattle (and the league) knows Russ has troubles against cover two. I think he’s also had issues against defenses that show multiple looks out of the 3-4, sending pressures in different ways. If Seattle has done a good job not tipping its hand during the preseason at what it wants to do defensively, they could have a pretty clear advantage against their former QB. Darrell Taylor seems to be emerging as the type of edge rusher who has given him problems before, and Quandre Diggs knows him well. If they can pressure him and bait him into turnovers, this could be the golden ticket towards an upset.

Take away the run and force Russ into volume throws. Nathaniel Hackett might want to quiet the Lumen Field ruckus by establishing the run, and having Russ engineer long drives that lead to points. This is what I would do, anyway. If this proves true, the Seattle front seven needs to take care of business against Javonte Williams and company. Just get Russ into third and long situations. Tackling is a big time must for Seattle defenders, and the closer to the line of scrimmage the better.

Geno beats Russ on third down conversions. Another blemish with Russ’s game over the years is converting on third downs. If Geno can be better than Russ at converting on third down, that probably means that Seattle will have won the time of possession battle, which helps the defense, and likely puts Seattle into more scoring possessions. Win on third down, control clock, score points. It’s a nice recipe.

Don’t turn the ball over, and take the ball away. This is Pete’s chief tenet. If Seattle can execute this, they can win this game.

How Russell Wilson gets revenge against the Seahawks

He proves that going up tempo on offense is the best way for him to cook. If he has success going with a quick tempo attack, it could be a long night for the Seahawk defenders. He knows them as much as they know his tendencies. If he can get them in situations where they can’t probably substitute, he could be like a shark smelling blood in the water. This is probably how he wants to cook in this match.

Getting to Geno Smith early and often and rattling him. There’s going to be pressure on Russ to win this game, but I also think there’s going to be some pressure on Geno to prove he can be the guy moving forward in Seattle. Broncos need to confuse and rattle Geno Smith, and Russ knows what Shane Waldron wants to do as a play caller. Denver could a much better feel of Seattle’s offense than Seattle does of Denver’s.

Jason Myers does a horrible job kicking field goals, and Denver’s kicker doesn’t. Enough said on this one. If Denver’s kicker comes through better than Meyers, Seattle probably isn’t going to win this game.

Prediction

Shelby Harris gets his revenge against the team that traded him to Seattle, snuffs out the run, gets pressure on Russ, and helps force turnovers that upset Russell Wilson’s Denver Broncos. Seattle wins a close one, 24-22.

I think Seattle knows what kind of pressures and coverages effect Russell. I think the execute it in front of jacked up Twelves and a national audience.

I think Russell will turn the ball over, and that will lead to short field possession and points for Seattle. Geno won’t look flashy, but he will be the less jittery quarterback of the night, and his stat line will continue to show efficiency.

I suspect it will be a big night for Rashaad Penny, DK Metcalf, Quandre Diggs, and Darrell Taylor. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see some flashy contributions from rookies Boye Mafe, Coby Bryant, and Tariq Woolen on defense. I think Carroll is going to play his young guns right out of the gate.

Russell leads a late drive that earns more points for Denver that make the final score respectable, but a failed two point conversion to tie seals the deal. Seattle stuns the world in this one, and it will be glorious.

At least, this is what I think will happen.

Go Hawks.

Dear Seattle Seahawk Fan,

Time to buckle up for a season full of Geno Smith as your starting quarterback, two rookies at offensive tackle, probably a couple rookie corners, as well, and Jason Meyers being depended on to kick a lot of field goals. In short, this could be a test of wills to see how devoted you are on most Sundays.

For me, I’ve said it many times before, and I don’t mind sounding like a broken record again. I’m a diehard. I will be glued to every game, good or bad, and let’s be honest; there could be way more bad this year.

I have accepted the new direction of this team. The roster is being rebuilt with younger talent, and I’m glad. Bring it on!

I also know that this is going to be a process. I’m excited to see how it shakes out, and I suspect that the real test for this franchise will come in 2023, when it’s expected that the next franchise quarterback will be on their roster, one way, or another.

As it always is during this time of the year, I have gathered my expert panel to go over the team, share thoughts, and then offer predictions. This expert panel includes my orange tabby cat, Earl, and my long haired black cat, Kam.

Bookmark this article, and refer to it whenever you need to in good times, or bad. Go Hawks.

Coaching Staff

Curtis: I’m a Pete Carroll guy. I think the dude can still coach and those last couple games of the season, I sensed what felt like a positive turn.. that if they can just get more comfortable with Shane Waldron’s offense, this thing can hum, and if they can change things up on defense and get younger, they can get more hungrier again. I’m excited for Carroll to show the world he can still coach his ass off, I’m a believer in the Waldron offense, and I’m hopeful about what Clint Hurtt will do with the defense. Generally, I’m with this this group.

Earl: Is Pete going to stay out of the way of his offensive coordinator? That’s the big question for me. We know he’s going with Geno because he wants to play it “safe.” That give me a hairball just thinking about it, and I don’t know what the flip to make of this defensive shift to the 3-4. During the preseason, I didn’t see much that got me excited. Clint Hurtt is gigantic, though. I don’t know why, but that matters to me. I like big.

Kam: I’m ready for Hurtt to put the hurt on Kyler Murray, if you know what I mean. (Pause) What? Nobody knows what I mean? (Pause) Hurt on Kyler Murray by Hurtt’s defensive play calling? (Pause) You both really need to lighten up.

Quarterback

Earl: Jesus H Crispy Crunch on a Cobb Salad, you really want to talk about this???? Geno’s going to start, then they are going to go to Drew Lock, and then probably back to Geno, and it will be a bloody miracle if they ever score more than 20 points in a game this year, and I’m being generous with all that. I don’t know why they didn’t go after Baker Mayfield.

Curtis: I’m rooting for Geno to play well. I’m not worried about what that would do for draft positioning next year. I want Geno to play well, and for this team to gel around him. If he struggles, and they go with Drew, I will root the same way for Drew Lock. It would be fun if one of these guys exceeded expectations. If it doesn’t happen, no sweat. Next year is when they will make a real play for a quarterback, one way or another.

Kam: I like Drew Lock. He’s big, he’s young, moves well, has a nice arm, and quick release, and looks like an NFL quarterback. I also think that a potato is a vegetable, so what do I really know? Quarterbacks are a dime a dozen. Running back is where it’s at.

Running Back

Kam: I like Rashaad Penny. He seems like a nice guy, and I’m liking this Ken Walker guy, too, but give me Travis Homer. I think Travis Homer is going to shock the world, and get MVP votes this year. (Pause) What? Does my breath smell like my corn-hole, again?

Earl: Penny always gets hurt, Walker couldn’t make it through a training camp where everyone plays paddy-cakes and sings campfire songs these days because of the new NFLPA safety guidelines, and for some reason, they don’t use DeeJay Dallas enough. So, yeah, I guess you’re right. Travis F**king Homer might get an MVP vote this year because he has to run the ball thirty times a game so Drew Lock or Geno Smith won’t throw multiple interceptions. Let me spell this out to you all; THE SEATTLE SEAHAWKS DON’T HAVE A QUARTERBACK ON THEIR ROSTER RIGHT NOW.

Curtis: Watch out for Ken Walker. It’s going to start out the Penny Show, but something tells me that by the end of the season, Seahawk Nation is going to be bonkers about Ken Walker. I’m excited about this guy.

Tight End

Earl: Is anyone other than me outraged that they’re paying Will F’ing Dissly $8 million dollars a year? This is like me paying $8 thousand dollars for a twenty year old Ford Ranger on Facebook. Friends don’t let friends do these sort of things.

Curtis: Dissly is a “culture guy” who is a reliable blocker and a good pass catcher. The finer details of that contract are more team friendly than you are suggesting, but you’re a cat, and you can’t read those fine prints. I keep telling you to stop listening to sports radio and angry podcast types, but you never listen.

Kam: You two need to really stop arguing about Uncle Will. We got Noah F’ing Fant from the Broncos and this dude is going to be a star. Also, I think we are going to see a lot of double tight end sets this year. Ideally, this formation confuses defenses more as to whether plays will be run or pass. You need two good tight ends to run this. I think Seattle has two good tight ends now. Dissly is a solid in-line blocker and receiver, and Fant can more comfortably play the flexed out “Joker” position. (Pause) What? I was Mark Bavaro’s cat in a past life. I know a good tight end whenever I see one.

Wide Receiver

Curtis: DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett are two of the best receivers in the league. This is why I think Geno might be alright this year. He’s going to have targets many other quarterbacks don’t have. Marquise Goodwin offers solid depth, and I’m excited to see what Dee Eskridge finally does.

Kam: I wish I was Tyler Lockett’s cat. He seems really nice, and he makes more money than you do.(Pause) Sorry, we’re six years in this relationship now, and I’m looking to mix things up.

Earl: If we loose Tyler Lockett or DK Metcalf to injury this year, we are absolutely, positively, doomed, and maybe we should be. I can’t believe the level of hubris Pete Carroll has exhibited by not going after Baker Mayfield, and forcing Geno Smith and Drew Lock upon our souls. I like the potential of rookie Dareke Young, though. He’s my dark horse.

Offensive Line

Curtis: I think this is going to be an area of strength. I think John Schneider stole candy from a baby by taking right tackle Abe Lucas in round three this Spring, and Charles Cross looks like a legit NFL left tackle for years to come. I like the addition of Austin Blythe at center. I think we will be fine at guard, and I like the depth pieces. This is a promising group.

Earl: Abe Lucas at right tackle gives me wood, and I’m neutered. (Pause) What? I can’t say neutered on the internet?

Kam: This new look O-line is completely the influence of Shane Waldron and offensive line coach Andy Dickerson. Both guys have come over from the Rams, and the change over at tackle is duly noted. The Rams prefer longer more athletic tackles to reach the edges on the outside stretch plays that they run. Both of these young cats are that. Blythe is from that offense, as well. If they hit it right in next year’s draft, they can have a top five offensive line moving forward. Yeah, I also know something about offensive lines.

Defensive Line

Earl: I love the potential of Myles Adams at defensive tackle. That dude was a wrecking ball all preseason. My fear is that Carroll is going to favor older players, and this cat isn’t going to see enough action. He should see action week one against Denver and You Know Who.

Kam: I love Poona Ford. Poona, Poona, Poona. I also like Al Woods. Woods, Woods, Woods. The rest of these guys, I don’t know that much about. Hopefully, they are all really good.

Curtis: Myles Adams looked too good during the preseason to not get into games. I’m hopeful Seattle has something with him as a good interior pass rusher. I think Seattle has a stable of quality rotational guys but no true game wrecker. That worries me.

Edge Rusher

Curtis: Darrell Taylor has a chance to blossom into a star this year. Rookie second round pick Boye Mafe also has a chance to be special. Uchenna Nwosu has serious juice off of the edge. Then there’s always Alton Robinson, who I think is underrated. The is a group full of potential but that potential needs to materialize this year, if this defense is going to make a positive turn.

Earl: Darrell Taylor needs to beast out on Russell Wilson on MNF for me to believe in this unit right now. If he gets to Russ a few times and messes with his head, I’m sold. My God, though, if Taylor goes down with any serious injury, this whole defense is screwed.

Kam: Boye Mafe is going to lead the team with 11 sacks this year. I don’t know how I know this, but I do. I’m also pretty sure that ancient aliens built the pyramids and that thing in Chile. I mean, let’s not over think any of this. Boye Mafe is going to be the sack leader in year one, and ancient aliens crossbred with Neanderthals to create a slave race to which you are a descendant of. I mean, look at your forehead, for goodness sake. This all scans.

Inside Linebacker

Earl: I am terrified about the depth behind Jordyn Brooks, and I’m not sold that Cody Barton is going to be decent next to him. This is where Pete F’ing Carroll drives me nuts, again. When they were running the 4-3, they weirdly stopped carrying depth at defensive tackle. Now that they are running a 3-4, they are only carrying three inside backers and one of them also serves at the fullback. WTF?

Kam: I like Cody Barton. He seems nice, and he’s a hard worker. I like hard workers. Give me a team of 53 hard workers, and I bet I can coach them to the Super Bowl. Not that the other guys aren’t hard workers, but I think Cody Barton is a hard worker. (Pause) I honestly don’t know what I’m talking about, here, and I also think you having us on your panel is a very cheap gimmick for the thirty some odd readers who follow you on a semi regular basis.

Curtis: Well, I think you’re going a great job, and I agree that Cody Barton seems like a hard worker. I think the plan is to try Jordyn Brooks and Barton together on run downs, and when they get into nickel situations, Jamal Adams will be in a linebacker role while Barton comes off the field. This has more to do with how to get the most out of Adams as a blitzing threat. That said, they need more depth pieces here. This area has me nervous, honestly.

Cornerback

Kam: I like the rookies Coby Bryant, and Tariq Woolen, and I really like that fact that Seattle has Michael Jackson on the team again. In case you don’t know, Michael Jackson was a very population middle linebacker for the Seahawks in the 1980’s when they last played in a 3-4, but apparently, he’s lost a bunch of weight, and at age seventy, he’s moved to outside corner, remarkably. (Pause) Also, he shares the name of someone who was a popular pop star from that time.. which maybe is why he was so popular back then. I think it’s a cool story.

Curtis: Tariq Woolen is the guy who could seriously shock the league this year. So much buzz about that guy. He’s almost as big as DK, yet faster, and he is being mentored a bit by none other than Richard Sherman. For my money though, I think Coby Bryant is going to also be special. I’m high about these rookies, and I really like Sidney Jones, Artie Burns, and Michael Jackson, as well. This unit could end of being a strength of the team.

Earl: Tariq Woolen makes me tingly in my whiskers and makes me want you to rub my belly and I f***ing hate it when you rub my motherf**king belly.

Safety

Earl: Quandre Diggs is a stud, but Jamal Adams needs a big bounce back year. Hopefully Clint Hurtt and company can find enough creative ways to use Adams. Figure out Adams, and this is the strength of the team.

Kam: I think Adams should just run around and be crazy. You know, freak everyone out! Every good team needs a loose cannon.. a maverick, if you will. If I were Adams, I’d go run up and line up next to the nose tackle. I mean, what the f**k?! You know, be wild and unpredictable. Look what that did for Ozzy Osbourne. Sometimes you have to just bite a motherf**king bat.

Curtis: No doubt the key to the defense rests with Adams. I think Josh Jones is going to be a dark horse player for this team. We know Quandre is good, but when Adams is playing like a linebacker (which could be a lot), who’s that third safety? Watch for Jones to be the man.

Special Teams:

Curtis: Michael Dickson is a football god.

Kam: Michael Dickson is a super football god.

Earl: Would you two just shut up about the punter. He’s a punter. (Pause) I think they need a better kicker. I don’t care about deep snappers.

Predictions:

Curtis: This will be a very 2011 Tarvaris Jackson-like year. They will beat some teams that they aren’t supposed to beat, and will lose some games that maybe they should have won. There will be the sense of a good offensive line forming, and an explosive run game, and I think there will be an improved defense with more younger players emerging. I think that they finish 8-9, but ironically, so will Russell Wilson with the Broncos. So, there’s that.

Earl: Geno is going to be a disaster, and so will Drew Lock. Weirdly, I think Sam Darnold is going to end up quarterbacking this team in December. I think they finish 5-12. They will have a top five pick to take a franchise quarterback. I like the Anthony Richardson kid from Florida. Who knows what they are thinking, though. I thought they were going to go get Baker Mayfield, and they chose Geno.

Kam: The Seattle Seahawks are going to the playoffs this year. I just have that feeling. Book it. Geno Smith is going to start out solid and get us going with some sweet unexpected wins, but Travis Homer carries the team on his back to the mother-fudging playoffs. That’s right, we finish 10-7, and we beat the Cowboys on the road because, well, they’re the Cowboys, and you heard it here first, right out my meower. Bank on it.

Curtis: Go Hawks.

EarL: Let’s ride.

Kam: Thank you, Sue Bird for an amazing 20 year career in Seattle. An entire generation of sports fans here have grown up watching you lead the Storm, and you are a model for not just young women athletes, but all athletes, in general. I think you are an amazing basketball player, but an even more amazing human being. Go Storm.

Dear Seattle Seahawks Fan,

Are you feeling down in the dumpsters that Drew Lock failed to beat out Geno Smith?

Is it frustrating the Pete Carroll chose to go with a more mature quarterback who understands the ins and outs of the Shane Waldron offense better than a young cat with higher upside?

Was it also deflating when Jimmy Garoppolo looked at the situation in Seattle, and decided that he would be better served taking less money in San Francisco and being Trey Lance’s backup than being a starter up here?

Well, maybe I got this piece here for you.

Like you, I have been entirely dismissive of Geno Smith as the best option at QB1 for these 2022 Seattle Seahawks. Like, it was just a thing I never entertained.

I’ve written about supporting Drew Lock, and giving him a second chance. I thought it would be a great story to get a young guy from the team that traded for Russell Wilson, if he were to turn it around in Seattle. I also believed enough in Lock’s potential upside to champion it, even just for a look-see.

I’ve also, at one point, clamored for Baker Mayfield, and up to a few days ago, I called “bluff” on Pete Carroll’s designs of Geno being QB1, and I suggested that perhaps Garoppolo was, in fact, the real starter in play. In fact, I felt pretty certain he was.

Well, maybe he was, or maybe he wasn’t, but with Jimmy G taking choosing to take less money to stay in the Bay Area serving as a backup, I’ve thrown my hands into the air in submission. I’m going to stop watching Tyler Huntley highlights, as well.

From where I now perch as a Twelve, Geno Smith is the starting quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks in 2022, and gosh dang it, I’m all in on him now. I’m rooting for Geno Smith, and I really hope you are, too. I think he’s earned it.

He’s been around the league for a long enough time after being kicked to the curb by the dysfunctional NY Jets a few short years after selecting him with a high second round pick in the 2013 draft, and making him their instant starter. Since then, he’s floated around, but he has earned gigs that has put him in quarterback rooms that include Eli Manning, Phillip Rivers, and Russell Wilson. Those are good quarterbacks to soak up knowledge from, and let’s be clear, Geno Smith and Pete Carroll know a whole lot more about football than the average fan scoffing at this present QB situation in Seattle.

This leads me to why I think Geno Smith is the starting quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks for this season. I think Geno vastly outperformed Drew Lock in the quarterback room. I think his overall football IQ is likely significantly higher than Lock’s, and while Lock’s upside is probably quite a bit higher than Geno’s, I also think Lock’s downside is probably much lower.

Geno Smith is the safer choice at quarterback, and for this year, I’m starting to see the reasons why that is likely more important to this club. The Seattle Seahawks are starting a youth movement on both sides of the ball, and they need a steadier leader on this team.

They are starting two promising rookies at offensive tackle, and they need a quarterback who will properly see pressure, adjust protection, and change out of plays, as needed. It’s also vitally important to have a quarterback get the ball to the right spots on the field for receiver development.

On the other side of the ball, the defense needs to be off the field more, and rest to play at its best, and a good way of doing that, is having a quarterback who will protect the ball. While Geno Smith was initially a turn over machine his first couple seasons in NY, as demonstrated last year subbing in for Russ, and again during this preseason, Smith has been pretty good here protecting the ball. He understands what Carroll wants his quarterback to do, and he’s more than willing to do it.

Also, as much as we have talked about upside with Drew Lock, I think many of us have been pretty dismissive of the pretty passes Geno is fully capable of making. Geno can throw a pretty dime from the pocket. He put up crazy numbers in college at West Virginia in a wide open passing attack, and he knows how to throw the football.

In fact, Pro Football Focus has him rated as the third best quarterback all throughout the preseason, and I don’t think these ratings should be entirely discredited. While his QB ratings were never that high, a lot of Seahawk receivers not named Tyler Lockett dropped good passes from him, and PFF noticed this.

It’s also been said from former coaches of his that he is an absolute film junky and just LOVES the game of football. Some feel like he got a raw deal from the Jets (go figure), and Ryan Ryan kinda ruined him early there, and the next coach (Todd Bowles) never had a strong attachment to him.

I don’t know if Geno Smith is going to be super successful in his second chance at being a starting quarterback now here in Seattle, but like I said with Lock a while back when I wrote my piece about him, I really think is would be a fantastic story if it did work out for Smith. In fact, in many ways, I think it might be a better one than if it were Lock.

And I think Geno has many fans inside, and very close to the Seahawks organization. KJ Wright went on a podcast earlier this Summer, and he put in his vote of confidence in Geno. He felt Geno should be the guy. From what he has seen from Geno within the organization, he emphatically felt Geno was the best choice over Baker Mayfield and Drew Lock.

Now, KJ Wright isn’t stupid about football. He played a long ten year career that was largely backed by his football intelligence over his physical skills. Wright has seen Geno as a performer in practices and as a teammate in this locker room. Folks who host football podcasts and who are on the NFL Network have not.

Maybe Pete Carroll knows more about NFL quarterbacks than keyboard cowboys do. Maybe Geno Smith is a better quarterback than most are giving him credit for.

One thing I know for certain, over these next three months, we are going to find out, one way, or the other.

If he fails, then there is always seeing what is there with Drew Lock during a transitional season where Carroll won’t likely feel any pressure of being on the hot seat, but if he exceeds expectations, well, then.. I think we could be in for a treat. I’m ready for the possibility of that treat, personally.

The cupboards of this team are not barren. Seattle has two of the brightest starting receivers in the league. They are have was looks like a deep running back group, and an offensive line that sports two super promising young tackles. They also have a uniquely athletic tight end, a group of young corners who’s potential continues to intrigue, two of the best safeties in the game, and a couple young edge rushers who could become big time stars in short order.

If Geno Smith can efficiently game manager this roster through this season, Seattle has makings of being a sneaky team to watch. I believe that.

And if Geno Smith really breaks out, then all of a sudden Seattle would have to have the NFL Comeback Player Of The Year on its roster, and that would be a truly incredible story. For as fun as the 2022 Seattle Mariners have been, and the Storm have been in Sue Bird’s last season, for my money, Geno Smith being the Comeback Player Of The Year, and guiding the Seahawks into the playoffs would hands down be the most gratifying feeling for me, personally.

It would be this way for me not because I am a bigger Seahawks fan than a Mariners or Storm fan (I am). No, it would be that way because I would be beyond happy for 31 year old Geno Smith who stayed with it, and didn’t give up on a sport where an entire league pretty much gave up on him.

Geno Smith sat for months in free agency this Spring after putting up positive stats in three and a half games in place of Russell Wilson last year. No team, outside of Seattle, even considered him as a worthy backup, much less a potential starter.

Only Pete Carroll stayed with him, and gave him this chance. Now, as the dust of the preseason as settled, I really want him to succeed.

I don’t think it would prohibit Seattle from finding a young quarterback in next year’s draft, either. I’m not convinced the Denver Broncos with Russell Wilson are going to be the class of a brutally tough AFC West division.

Geno Smith could play really well, return as the presumptive starter the following year, and Seattle could still draft a young cat to properly groom behind him. If Geno Smith reaches this sort of success, Geno Smith, with his story, would absolutely be the right guy for any young quarterback to learn from. There can be no debate about that.

Therefore, I humbly submit to the idea of Geno Smith being my quarterback this year, and maybe beyond.

I want Geno to succeed. I really do.

Go Hawks.

Well, here we have it. The 2022 NFL preseason is officially over for our Seattle Seahawks, Geno Smith won a quarterback competition that was never really a true QB battle, Miles Adams and some dude by the name of Michael Jackson flashed on defense all the way through, and Seattle has some nice looking running backs.

A lot is going to shake out with this roster before they play that first come Monday Night Football on September 12th. I think it’s pretty safe to say that Seattle is going to add some veteran faces cut by other clubs, and yes, I do believe that Jimmy G is a strong possibility up here, but that’s for then, and this is now.

Right now, these are the 53 players on this club who I believe have earned the right to be on the active roster for the 2022 Seattle Seahawks. Let’s break it down.

Quarterback: Geno Smith, Drew Lock, Jacob Eason (3)

Geno is the clear starter. He’s the guy that Pete Carroll has the most faith in to do the right things behind center. Say what you will about how uninspiring that sounds, but Pro Football Focus has graded him favorably all preseason, and obviously, the Seattle coaches agree.

Initially during the Cowboys’ game, I thought Seattle was likely going to cut Drew Lock after his outing, but after listening to Carroll post game, it sounds like he hasn’t given up on him. He’s young, with starting experience, and as all the physical tools needed to play the position as a starter. The question remains whether he has it within himself to limit mistakes and play the conservative style that Carroll prefers.

Jacob Eason has an elite arm that intrigues and I think is worth stashing on the roster for another season with club control next year. Personally, I think it’s kinda stupid to cut him right now.

If Jimmy Garoppolo ends up in Seattle, I believe Drew Lock is probably on his way out, for what it’s worth. Just my hunch on that.

Running Back: Rashaad Penny, Travis Homer, DJ Dallas, Darwin Thompson (4)

Ken Walker will probably start the season on the Physically Unable To Perform list, and miss the first month of football. That’s okay because Seattle likes all their running backs and feel comfortable with these four. It’s a shame that Walker won’t likely start the season as a main contributor, but I think it’s wise for Seattle to get him fully healthy for a potentially exciting second half of their football season with him. Homer, Dallas, and Thompson shined all preseason long.

Tight End: Noah Fant, Will Dissly, Colby Parkinson (3)

Nothing shocking here. I don’t think the recent addition of JJ Arcega-Whiteside moved the needle. Fant is someone they want to showcase in this offense, and Dissly and Parkinson know what the coaches want. This is the three.

Wide Receiver: DK Mecalf, Tyler Lockett, Marquise Goodwin, Dee Eskridge, Bo Melton, Dareke Young (6)

The big surpriser here is my projected release of Freddie Swain. Dareke Young and Bo Melton have been interesting, and the club will have longer club control on them than they will Swain at this point. There’s a rawness here beyond DK, Tyler and Goodwin, but I think the truth is that we are going to see a lot of two tight end looks on the field. Look for the team to use Eskridge and Melton as potential runners as well as catchers.

Offensive Line: Charles Cross, Damien Lewis, Austin Blythe, Gabe Jackson, Abe Lucas, Stone Forsythe, Phil Haynes, Kyle Fuller, Jake Curhan (9)

I was tempted to have Gabe Jackson as a surprise cut, but I think durability concerns remain with Phil Haynes. Forsythe has the makings of a decent swig tackle, and Kyle Fuller and Jake Curhan can each play multiple positions. Cross and Lucas are two super promising rookie tackles, and fingers crossed the Austin Blythe stays healthy at center.

Interior Defensive Line: Al Woods, Poona Ford, Shelby Harris, Myles Adams, Brian Mone, Quinton Jefferson (6)

For my money, Myles Adams has been the biggest star for Seattle in all three preseason games. He has consistently been disruptive inside as a pass rusher, and I think it’s all but certain he has made former first round pick LJ Collier expendable. I’m really excited about the potential of this guy.

Woods, Harris and Ford should be quality starters, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we see Seattle add another veteran to the mix down the road.

Edge Rush: Darrell Taylor, Uchenna Nwosu, Boye Mafe, Alton Robinson, Josua Onujiogu (5)

It’s a shame that rookie Tyreke Smith hadn’t stayed healthy in camp, but I think he’s safely heading to the IR as a guy that they want to keep around long term. Onujiogu flashed positively against the Cowboys enough to initially make my final 53, but honestly, I suspect this is another area that Seattle will look to add with a vet once teams make their cuts. Pete Carroll loves a deep pass rush rotation, and I don’t know if this is nearly deep enough.

Inside Linebacker: Jordyn Brooks, Cody Barton, Vi Jones, Nick Bellore (4)

I will be honest. I’m super nervous about depth here. I think, outside of Jordyn Brooks, this is whole group has me wanting (although Vi Jones has had a really nice preseason and deserves an active roster spot).

Bellore is a lock because he doubles as the starting fullback, but how do we all feel about Barton? My feelings are mixed. 3-4 middle linebackers genuinely have to be bad asses. Can we call Barton that?

This is the biggest area where I want Seattle to explore outside veteran options, and yeah, I’m not opposed to going after Roquan Smith, to be honest.

Cornerback: Sidney Jones, Artie Burns, Justin Coleman, Coby Bryant, Tariq Woolen, Michael Jackson (5)

Tre Brown is a promising talent who will likely start the season either on the IR or the PUP. This probably saves Justin Coleman a spot as initially the starting nickel corner, but watch out for Coby Bryant there down the road. Michael Jackson was a preseason star and earned his place. Tariq Woolen has crazy upside an eventual long term starter, and I think Carroll is going to trust Jones and Burns to be his initial starters on the outside. This is potentially a very interesting group.

Safety: Quandre Diggs, Jamal Adams, Josh Jones, Marquise Blair, Joey Blount (5)

Ryan Neal is likely to start the season the on the PUP or IR, but never fear, Josh Jones has been really good all throughout camp. I think this team wants to carry 5 safeties because we are going to see a lot of Jamal Adams as a nickel linebacker, and because of Neal’s injury situation, I pick undrafted rookie Joey Blount as my fifth safety.

Special Teams: Jason Myers, Michael Dickson, Tyler Ott (3)

No surprises here with the kicker, punter, and long snapper.

Final Thoughts.

I have much love for the potential I see with the running backs, the corners, and possibly the offensive line. I like the look of the interior pass rush of this team with how Myles Adams has come along. I think if Darrell Taylor can stay healthy as an edge rusher, this defense could be surprising there.

I have concerns about the depth of the edge rush group, and I have HUGE concerns about what the inside backers will be like (although, I’ve been a fan of Vi Jones through these preseason games). I also think that it could be worth it for the club to continue to look for veteran help at the interiors of the offensive and defensive lines, if there is a surprise cut off of another team.

As for the quarterback situation, I’ve submitted to this being the Geno Smith show until it isn’t. Geno is the veteran that Pete Carroll trusts. I think he’s likely still just a quality NFL backup, and I am willing to call a bluff here, but we will see. If I am wrong and Pete Carroll has proven the entire league’s perception about Geno incorrect, I will be the first to congratulate Pete Carroll for proving everyone stupid on Geno Smith, including myself.

As always, I remain fascinated about how everything will shake out, as I remain a determined diehard. I just want to see good defense, and a decent ball control offense this year. If I get that, I will be a happy Twelve no matter who is under center.

Go Hawks!

I promised myself one thing this football season when it comes to my Seattle Seahawks. I promised that I wasn’t going to sweat the quarterback situation.

Nope! Not after all that weird Russell Wilson stuff over the past couple seasons. I just wanted a season long reprieve from the position, you know?

“Let’s build it up for the next guy next year!”

All I thought I wanted was a simple return to being good on defense, on special teams, and I wanted to see positive growth with the offensive line and run game. Anything positive that the Seahawks could muster from the quarterback position would be a bonus, in my mind.

So, as I sit here, a day before they play their final preseason game, I’m surprised to find myself annoyed at their QB situation. In fact, I’m annoyed that I’m so annoyed.

As I process these emotions, I land on this one horrific thought that gives me to which gives me instant, unpleasant, and very painful gas.

What if Pete Carroll is absolutely the wrong head coach to bring on a new franchise quarterback?

The reason why I am finding myself asking this question more so today has everything to do with one Drew Lock, and how Pete has handled him through training camp. It all boils down to that.

Even though I haven’t put great stock into the idea that Lock will become the next long term starter at quarterback in Seattle, I thought the plan going into camp was for an honest competition between him, and Geno Smith in order to give him (or Geno) the chance to earn the starter spot, and basically to have a full season of seventeen games to audition for the long term gig. This idea made all the sense in the world to me, especially with Lock who is still only 25 years old.

In order for a team to land a franchise quarterback, it often requires a franchise to take many bites from the QB apple to get it right. Bites can involve free agency such as the famous case of Drew Brees and the Saints. They can obviously include the draft where there are countless examples, but they can also include trades such as Steve Young with the 49ers, Brett Farve with the Packers, and in terms of the Seattle Seahawks, Matt Hasselbeck from the Packers to Seattle.

Drew Lock, if anything, should have been considered one bite at the apple for the Seattle Seahawks the minute they got him here from Denver in the Russell Wilson trade. That would be the prudent expectation for him. At least, that’s what I thought.

Giving Drew Lock an honest opportunity along with Geno Smith to “be the guy” this year makes logistical long term sense, and while he doesn’t know this offense as much as Geno Smith does, I would think that the only way he learns it is to play through the rough patches. I think that starts by sharing equal reps with the first team offense, and to be embraced by his head coach.

Pete Carroll, however, has done anything but embrace him, and it gives me horrendous gas.

I have no idea what Carroll is doing by continuing to label this situation a “quarterback competition” when everything suggests that it is not a competition at all. I mean, what’s his plan? Does he have a plan?

In fact, it’s gotten so agitating for me that, every time I turn on sports radio and hear about Geno getting all the first team reps yet again, it requires me to immediately roll down my windows in traffic because of the amount of explosive gas shooting out of my ass, thus making the cab of my truck more toxic than the ozone destroying diesel vehicle that I am stuck behind.

Yet, here we have it. There’s been no equal reps between Drew Lock and Geno Smith with the first team offense, and because of that, there’s been no opportunity for Lock to build chemistry with DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. That’s a big determent to any chance of him having any immediate success this season, should he have to start.

Even if Drew plays the majority of the time agains the Cowboys on Friday, and balls the F out, and forces Carroll’s hand in naming him the starter, he will go into a hyped up season opener against his former team in front of a sold out crowd in Seattle, facing Russell Wilson, without being given every opportunity from Carroll to understand how each of his star receivers break on their routes, and build a functional chemistry. That’s not a great recipe for success in front of a fickle mob of sixty thousand Twelves.

At this point, it’s probably way more reckless of Carroll to not name Geno the starter for the week one opener, and beyond. My hunch is that I’m not the only Twelve feeling a little gassy over that prospect.

And all of this begs the question as to why Pete Carroll has been calling this a QB competition between Lock and Smith in the first place. By the way he has shaped these practices, it looks very clear that Carroll has long made up his mind that Smith is his starter.

The thing of it is, though, and all positive PFF preseason grades of his aside, is that Geno Smith is most likely just a backup quarterback in this league. No team this off-season viewed him as a starter outside of Seattle, and he hung out there in free agency a long time before finally returning here.

It’s not just me saying this either. Just the other day on KJR 950, legendary former Seahawk head coach and quarterback guru Mike Holmgren said the exact same thing.

When asked about how he would have handled the quarterback situation for Seattle this year given the three guys that they have in camp, Holmgren said that he would have planned for Lock to be his starter, and given him most of the reps all throughout camp. He would have done everything he could have to coach him up and build him up in front of his teammates.. because he sees Drew Lock as a potential starting quarterback, and Geno as nothing more than a decent backup.

This is the same coach who was responsible for recycling Steve Young as a young busted player out of Tampa Bay, and making him into a pro bowler for the San Francisco 49ers. I think Mike Holmgren knows something about grooming a young quarterback into success.

My question is whether Pete Carroll genuinely knows how to do it, or even wants to do it.

I would also say that, for those Seahawk fans who are assuming that this team is going to pluck a quarterback out of next year’s draft to be the next franchise guy, these signs from Pete Carroll in relation to Drew Lock should give you cause for concern about that idea. They give me a lot of concern.

I think it is entirely possible (and probable given his age) that Carroll would much prefer to go the veteran route in Seattle for his last remaining years as head coach through 2025. Honestly, if Jody Allen isn’t interested in moving on from him (I don’t think she is), it might be the right call for the team in the immediate future seasons.

In fact, I think there’s now signs that point to a real possibility that we could see Jimmy Garoppolo here in Seattle within a week to be the next starting quarterback. A week ago, I wouldn’t have put much stock in it. Now, after seeing Geno getting all first team reps again this week, when it was presumed that Drew would have gotten some of those, I’m buying more of the Jimmy G to Seattle online chatter.

I’m especially buying into it now because of Carroll, himself, still refusing to name a starter now, or to even be in any hurry to name one for the next couple weeks, if needed. Why is that when it is clear that it looks like the gig is Geno’s?

Well, maybe the answer is that if he outwardly proclaims Geno his starter now, and then the team signs Garoppolo next week, he would have to take that status away from Geno because, frankly, Garoppolo is vastly the superior veteran quarterback. Pete Carroll is not going to do Geno Smith dirty like that, if his intention is to try to get Jimmy G here in Seattle next week.

Also, listening to Carroll continually backing Geno, and then say that Lock has done nice things “to put on his resume” more than suggests to me that Carroll doesn’t see Lock as being anything long term here, or even short term. It honestly makes me think that Carroll would rather cling onto Geno, who knows this offense better, while maybe planning to convince Garoppolo to come North on his 2022 NFC West revenge tour the minute he’s released by the 49ers next week after that rival team fails to strike a trade with another club.

At age 72, having a quarterback room with two veteran guys who understand the deeper nuances of NFL quarterbacking does seem like a reasonable desire for an old school defensive minded head coach. This thought, honestly, gives me less gas, actually. It’s kind of a Tums thought, sorta, or so I blindly hope.

I know one definite thing in all of this, though. Pete Carroll, at age 72, with his reluctance to fully embrace Drew Lock for a season is a massive red flag if this team has designs on spending a first round pick on a quarterback next year. It’s a MASSIVE RED FLAG.

If Pete won’t willingly ride with Lock this year to see what potential is there, when they are not expected to be any serious contender, what makes you think he will ride comfortably with a rookie next season when maybe more chips on on the table?

This is a very fair question to ask at this juncture.. and it give me the type of gas that reminds me that I should eat more vegetables.

So, maybe just go get Jimmy, and if all goes really well, extend him for a few more years.

And yes, it’s all comes to that final thought in all of this. I’m going to eat come carrots and celery now.

Go Hawks!

August 7th, 2022, Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle, Washington.. somewhere right around noontime.

I was sitting in my lower level seat next to my darling wife who is a GIGANTIC Seattle Storm fan as we were basking amongst the sold out crowd there to watch one of the most iconic Seattle sports legends play her final regular season game. It was an awesome experience seeing the love pouring out from fans in the seats, and former teammates and coaches, and other superstar athletes who have appreciated her greatness over the years through a video montage.

Sue Bird will go down as one of the greatest legends in Seattle sports history. If you are of the ilk who feels the compulsion to state that nobody cares about the WNBA, you are likely a fractured man with a frail sense of your own masculinity. It is that simple.

In Seattle, Washington, the Storm have a strong following, perhaps the biggest following of any WNBA team. No, they aren’t the Seahawks, or Sounders, or the Mariners as of late in terms of crowd size, but this town has plenty of fans of women’s basketball.

I have been to many Storm games over the years. I see Seahawk players regularly there, and former Sonic players hanging out court side, as well. I have regularly seen fans there wearing old Sonic jerseys who probably have adopted the Storm after the Sonics were stolen away from them (such is my story).

Of course, I have seen thousands of women of all age ranges there to support the finest women basketball players on the planet because they probably see girl power as a positive thing. Go figure that.

So, when I see some dude on the internet actually reply that nobody cares about the WNBA, I just kinda feel sorry for them. Finding comfort in their own masculinity must be fleeting.

But I have digressed severely from the original direction I was going with this piece.

Sue Bird is an astoundingly successful athlete who should be viewed as the GOAT of her sport once she is officially finished. She is one of the very best point guards I have ever seen play, and I have seen a lot of Gary Payton and John Stockton over the years. Her no-look passes are pure Jedi, and her abilities to take over games where her team needed her most are breathtaking to watch.

In 21 years of basketball in Seattle, she has won four titles. Additionally, she has won five Olympic gold metals. She has played longer on a Seattle team than anyone else ever has. She played longer than Steve Largent, Walter Jones, and Edgar Martinez.

She started her career as a Seattle Storm and she ended her career as one. That’s probably the most special thing about her, for me as a Seattle sports fan.

And it wasn’t all wine and roses for her, either. In between championships, she had legitimate down years with this club, and injured seasons, as she weathered through the ebbs and flows with this sport. In those periods of her career, she never looked for an opportunity to leave when the going got tough, and believe me, she would have had her pick of any WNBA team to go play for.

She could have gone home to New York, and she probably could have furthered her brand there, and became a bigger star on the national scene. She could have gone to LA and that would have easily opened doors for herself in the entertainment industry with her bursting personality.

Instead, she stayed in Alaska South, and waited for the Storm to build it up again to bring home a third and fourth ring.

So, when I sat there in the sold out arena, and I watched this very special celebration of her, and I saw Russell Wilson pop onto the Jumbotron, and I heard all the boos, if I am to be honest, I didn’t feel an ounce of badness about it. Not a bit of it, and I say thing having been as big of a Russell Wilson fan as any over the years.

This situation was about her, and her greatness. Storm fans were there to celebrate her, and not watch the dude who very passive aggressively worked a trade for himself out of town for the past year and a half.

Russell Wilson is many things for Seattle. He was a great quarterback in his prime, and he was a huge part of our city’s Super Bowl win. His play on the field was often times spectacular to watch. None of this can ever take that away from him, and I believe what he did for Seattle Children’s Hospital was even greater than anything he ever did on the field.

Having said all that, I believe there is this whole other side of Russ that runs very counter to all of that. His self promoting style is very hard to swallow as a fan, and I suspect some Denver fans are going to grow tired of that in a hurry, especially if he doesn’t prove to be the savior for their club like many are projecting. I think his desire to be the center of attention, and the entourage he rolls with probably makes him a challenging teammate, and maybe even more challenging to coach.

Russell Wilson is a diva, and the thing is, I think he’s likely always been one, long before he ever met and married Ciara. I think his marriage to Ciara is just a natural progression in his life, as I think being a Denver Bronco is after growing dissatisfied with the Seattle Seahawks.

Russell Wilson is fueled by an intense ambition. He’s hard wired with it, and it has lead to to achieve great things, but ambition is a double edged sword that comes with a cost.

His intense ambition led him to eventually wanting to get as far away from Pete Carroll’s style as he could. As a fan of both individuals, I think that’s sad, really.

In 2012, Pete Carroll went against his preferences at quarterback, and went with an unproven 5-10 quarterback to lead his team. All of Carroll’s quarterbacks were taller pocket passers, but Pete saw something special in him that he felt was worth riding with.

Many Russell Wilson fans say Pete Carroll held him back. I say Pete Carroll gave him a legitimate chance to be an NFL starter where most other head coaches probably would have viewed him as a plucky backup. If not for Pete, there likely would not have been this Russell Wilson story such as this one.

And people who are deeply fans of Russell Wilson can point to Pete holding him back in the last few years in Seattle, but do they ever consider that maybe Pete knew more about what Russ can and can’t do than they do? That maybe Pete knew exactly which style of offense gave Russ the best chance to succeed?

It’s going to be interesting to see what Russell does in Denver over the next few years. I can see him doing great things, but I can also see him struggling. We shall see soon enough.

One thing that we will never see from Russ, though, is anything close to having the legacy in Seattle that Sue Bird will own forever. There will likely be a statue of Sue Bird outside of the Pledge Arena. I highly doubt that there will ever be a statue of Russ outside of Lumen Field.

That said, I suspect, over the years, Russ will be thought of kindly by most Seattle fans again, but right now, I don’t personally blame anyone who can’t resist the urge to boo him. I don’t think that makes them trash. I think it makes them passionate Seattle fans who didn’t like how he and his agent worked their way to Denver by trashing Pete Carroll and teammates in a back channel way to the likes of Colin Cowherd, and such.

Sue Bird would never have done that, and didn’t do that. I’m sure there were times in the span of twenty one years where she wasn’t in love with Seattle’s coaching, or maybe felt the front office didn’t make enough of the right kind of moves to surround her with better talent.

Sue Bird’s greatness isn’t just what she did on the court. It was who and what she was off of it that made her what she is, and how she will always be thought of by everyone who played with her, and coached her.

Can anyone ever say the same about Russell Wilson?

I don’t think anyone outside of Colin Cowherd and Russell’s agent can with any honesty.

If I had one wish for Russell Wilson while he was here in Seattle, it would have been for some trusted individual close to him to point to Sue, and convince him to truly be more like her. I think it would have made his legacy greater, and maybe he would still be here.

I am sure he meant well wishing Sue the best in that video montage. I believe he’s a genuine fan of hers, but also I think he has earned some boos at Climate Pledge from anyone who was feeling it in that moment.

I also think that it is absolutely poised to be a wild home opener at Lumen Field in a month. I will be very curious to see how he is greeted. My guess is that it will be a mixture, and I think that is completely reasonable response from the Twelves.

Cheer him, if you are feeling it. Boo him, if you need to do it. It’s all a process.

As for Sue, you keep doing you, girl.

Go Storm.

A few months ago, I was driving southbound on I-5 through Seattle on a busy afternoon, and as I decided to get off on the freeway onto the 4th Avenue exit, I noticed a rather grim sight. There, at Lumen Field, the two gigantic murals of Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner were taken down, and there was nothing in their place.

I thought to myself, “who do the Seattle Seahawks even put up there now?”

Only the name of one player immediately came into my mind, and that was DK Metcalf.

This is when I knew that the Seattle Seahawks weren’t going to trade him. There’s no other player on their roster that has superstar potential that they can market after moving on from Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner.

Not Tyler Lockett, Rashaad Penny, Jordyn Brooks, Jamal Adams, or even Quandre Diggs. Not that these guys aren’t bad players. They’re all very good, but they aren’t superstars. Not like DK is becoming.

Don’t believe me? Even Hollywood is seeing is star potential these days as he’s set to star in a Paramount feature film.

Right now, DK Metcalf is the Seahawks’ best shot at having a bright young face of the franchise player. So when the deal was announced on Thursday, while I was definitely joyed at the news, I wasn’t surprised. This was a deal the Seahawks had to do.

Some fans will clench their hands over the cost, and they will say that he isn’t a top five receiver in this league, and this team is being foolish. I am not one of those.

I see DK Metcalf as an ascending talent who’s best football is still ahead of him. From a physicality perspective, the only other Seattle sports athlete that I can think to compare him to is Sonics legend Shawn Kemp. Kemp was a physical nightmare in his prime with rare size and speed and power. This is very much DK Metcalf, for me.

What Seattle needs to do now is let him take over like the Sonics eventually did with Kemp. They need to go get him a point guard at quarterback like Kemp had with Gary Payton. I am positive that is the plan moving forward.

In the meantime, let him be this team’s leader, and face for now. He’s freakishly talented, and highly marketable.

I was at Seahawks training camp this Saturday, and I saw DK jerseys everywhere. All eyes where on him, and the crowd cheered at his catches in traffic. There’s a buzz about him, and there’s a air of confidence that he now carries with him on the practice field. He knows he’s the man.

And let’s see what this season brings us at the end. Maybe, someone else will emerge along with him as a new star. Maybe it’s defensive end Darrell Taylor taking the next step. Maybe it’s Rashaad Penny, or Ken Walker toting the ball. Maybe, it’s even Drew Lock, or Geno Smith, as wild as that might sound.

But for right now, there’s only one certainty. This team belongs to DK. There’s no Russ for him to be a little brother towards, and there’s no Bobby for him to gain sage advise, either.

Now, it’s time for DK to be that guy, the bigger brother offering support to others. This is on him now. That’s what that massive 3 three year extension means. He has to be the guy.

Personally, I think he’s ready for it. In fact, I know he is.

DK is many things. He’s a surviver, a thriver, and he’s a disco diver.

No, he’s not a disco diver. I just thought it would be funny to throw that in to see if you’ve been napping.

All seriousness, I think this is his time, and I am personally ready for it. I need new blood stepping forward with this team, and I can’t see anyone more better suited to do that now than DK Metcalf.

People will joke about who he’s got at quarterback (and they are), but the truth is that a guy like DK Metcalf is going to make any quarterback’s job easier. This is partly why I am not sweating Seattle’s quarterback situation much this year. I’m willing to see what happens, and I happen to love that fact that DK will be a big part of this show for the next four years.

This was a no brainer move by this team. They locked up their best playmaker. Now, go figure out the point guard for him.

And just throw him that damn slant pass over the middle and watch him beast defenders into oblivion. Do this, Drew, or Geno, or whomever.

Observations from Seahawks training camp practice on Saturday July 30th

A lot of stuff has been made about the two quarterbacks battling for the starting job in Seattle, and how poor they had looked at the start of camp. The Sports Radio 710 morning host in Seattle has had a good time ripping on how bad of a throw and decision Drew Lock made at the end of their first practice last Wednesday. Others have pointed to how rough Thursday was for Geno Smith, fumbling the ball multiple times in his quest to hold Lock off.

Of course, we all know what the national media take is on Seattle’s quarterback situation. They all think Pete Carroll is absolutely bat shit for not going and getting Baker Mayfield or Jimmy Garoppolo.

Well, I’m no QB guru, or anything close to that, but from what I watched from the blazing hot hillside of the VMAC Saturday afternoon, I thought both quarterbacks did well at various points. I thought Geno Smith had a good command of the offense, and had an obvious connection with DK and Tyler Lockett, but I thought Drew Lock started to look better as the scrimmaging drills went on.

I thought Lock had the best throw of the day, zipping a perfect back shoulder throw that was caught for a score against tight coverage. He also showed good movement and a willingness to run, along with some nice passes over the middle on shallow crossers (something we have seen Russell Wilson do very little of over the last few years).

From what I see of the quarterbacks, Geno is clearly ahead, but Lock looks intriguing enough to want to see more of him with the starters. I can see this battle going right down to the end of the preseason. I also think it’s possible that whomever the starter is, Seattle’s QB situation may not be as bad as some radio voices are making it seem like it is, but we will see.

In our rookie watch, I thought three guys really stood out to me on Saturday.

Ken Walker looks special at running back with how he cuts and how fast he is. It was interesting to se how effective he was running through traffic inside.

Left tackle Charles Cross stoned Seattle’s best pass rusher in Darrell Taylor on a play, and rendered him useless. He looked decent in run blocking as well, but he did have one false start. Cross looks promising. This is a big deal.

The biggest play of any rookie came from cornerback Cobe Bryant, though. In defending a twenty yard sideline throw from Drew Lock to tight end Colby Parkinson, Bryant timed his leap perfectly to rip the ball out of Parkinson’s hands for what looked like was going to be an easy touchdown grab. That play wowed the crowd, and erupted the defensive sideline. I like the potential of this guy a lot.

Backup safety Josh Jones made a good physical play on a deep pass from Geno Smith, and ripped the ball away from the receiver for an INT.

Rashaad Penny looks big and FAST at running back. I’m maybe most excited about what Penny and Walker do at running back this year. Both were making plays as runners and pass catchers.

The starting pass rushing DL looks like Darrell Taylor and Uchenna Nwosu as the ends, and Quinton Jefferson and Shelby Harris at the tackles. Nwosu looked especially quick off the edge.

And finally, Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf looked like absolute studs together at receiver. Lockett and Geno had a definite vibe going on in the red zone drills. This left me with the prevailing thought that maybe Seattle could be a sneaky team this year, if the chips fall right. Wouldn’t that be fun if they were?

Go Hawks

“KJ always does it right.”

Those were the words that my wife would hear out of my mouth whenever I would see KJ make a splash play as a starting linebacker for my Seattle Seahawks. Fortunately, there were a lot of those plays over the years. But that’s not the reason KJ will always be one of my favorite all-time Hawks. It runs deeper than that.

Yesterday, July 28th, 2022, was a weird day for me. I was commuting home on I-5 through downtown with my work bud when we got stuck in a major traffic stall because a truck carrying oxygen tanks caught fire and those tanks started to.. explode. To our fortune, we weren’t close to the truck of exploding tanks, and we were eventually diverted down an on ramp that led us through downtown and back on southbound lanes.

But it was there in that jam where my pal, Ray, while checking Facebook, learned that we had suddenly lost a friend. Major double whammy.

Nick Garrison was a legend in the Seattle theatre community to which both Ray and I have been a part of for many years, and have each done shows with him. Nick was breathtakingly watchable and sharply funny, but there was a lot more to him that that.

I have only been in one production with Nick. It was Twelfth Night at the Seattle Rep that featured a star studded cast of Seattle theatre royalty and some fancy actors out of New York. I had a tiny chorus role, and Nick played the tiny principal character of Fabian. In a role that required very little stage time, and dialogue, Nick Garrison stole that entire production away from a bunch of serious heavy hitters, and he did it without upstaging anyone. He was just that dynamically sharp and fascinating to watch.

But off-stage, Nick Garrison was an even bigger sweetheart with what always appeared to be a purely kind soul. I’ve never personally known another person who has that much talent and that much outward kindness. The theatre scene is ripe with talent and some expected big egos that can come with it. I was not super close with Nick, but around him, I never sensed a whiff of ego.

This is KJ Wright to me, and why I think he’s one of the absolute greatest Seahawks of all time. He was ultra talented as a player, but he was even a better person to everyone around him.

At 6-4 and 250 lbs, he looked like a NFL defensive end, but he was a pure off-ball middle linebacker who used that length and strength to his advantage along with his next level instincts. I have been a diehard Seahawks fan since the early 1980’s and there are very few games of this team that I have not watched. I have seen a lot of good linebackers play here, but I have never seen another Seahawk linebacker routinely blow up screen plays like KJ was able to do in his diagnosis of what the offense was trying to do.

“Don’t get fooled by the oke doke” is something I heard him say on sports radio when he was early in his career and quickly found himself in the starting lineup and playing at a high level. It was evident that KJ was taught and understood football awareness at a high level, and that was, for certain, one of his NFL superpowers that he used to pair with his rare size at his position.

KJ made plays. He was good in coverage. He was good in space. He was great at the line of scrimmage when needed, but I think he was even a better teammate, and that was his ultimate superpower. He deeply cared about people, and he had the courage to lift them up whenever he felt that was needed.

You cannot put a value number on what that means to any organization to have that type of person around. Sure, there were splashier players on Seattle’s legendary defense, and we can list them together, but KJ’s role within that defense, in my opinion, was absolutely as vital.

He was a galvanizing piece to the puzzle that made for one of the absolute best defenses of all time. His ultimate strength as a player was his heart and how he let it shine towards his brothers and anyone else around that organization.

Nick Garrison will deeply be remembered for his immense talent and kindness in a tight knit Seattle theatre community. He inspired many, and touched a lot of souls. I was not super close with him, but he was always one of my favorite people to bump into. He made me feel like I mattered.

As I write this out, I find this odd poetry that Nick passed away around the same time that KJ Wright signed a one day contract in order to retire a Seattle Seahawks. Having known Nick, and from what I know of KJ, they operated very similarly. Inside, they were built the same way, I suspect. There is no value to be placed on these type of people.

When my son grows throughout his life, I will tell him about KJ Wright. I will say to him that KJ always did it right. I was share with him my memories of watching him put George Kittle on his ass as well as how special of a guy we was, and how special his final press conference was to watch.

I will also tell my boy about Nick, I suspect.

“Just be a good person.”

That’s what KJ said in response to the question that asked what he wanted his legacy to be about at his final press conference. The most important thing to him is being there for others around him.

KJ Wright is many things, but a good person is what he is most, and that should mean everything in football and life. It is my hope that his legacy carries over with this new look Seattle Seahawk team, and there will be someone on that roster who will carry forth what he meant for this club. That, in my opinion, is the surest path to building this team back up again into a special one.

And to any friend of mine who knew Nick Garrison well, and happens to be reading this, I am really sorry for your loss. He was special.

Peace and love, and go Hawks.