“Can the Seattle Seahawks win a Super Bowl with Geno Smith?”

This seems to be the popular question used these days to debate whether or not the Seattle Seahawks should sign Geno to a long term contract.

Seattle Sports 710 morning talk show host Mike Salk uses this question on callers and guests in support of his belief that Seattle should not pay him a lot of money, but instead, they should add an expensive pass rusher like Vita Vea (via trade) and go with Drew Lock as QB1. If I were a caller or a guest on his show, I would probably counter that Vita Vea and Drew Lock sounds a lot like the Tampa Bay Bucs when they had Jameis Winston and a great defense was wasted because of it, but that’s just my view.

But I’ve seen other people asking this question lately on blogs and social media, as well. For me, I don’t know how useful of a question it is other than to hang onto prior beliefs about Geno Smith, and then perhaps use it as future ammo against Seattle brass, if they fall short of a Super Bowl title with him at quarterback on a bigger contract.

Personally, I prefer to lean towards reality, and realistically right now, I think there is about a ninety percent chance that Geno signs a contract to stay in Seattle. I also believe that contract is probably going to be longer termed, and it’s going to induce sticker shock with some folks. I’m not fighting it, and I’m not sweating it, either.

If Seattle signs Geno Smith to a three or four year contract, I am taking that as a positive sign that they believe that they can win a Super Bowl with him at quarterback, and if we trust John Schneider to properly evaluate a rookie quarterback (as many people love to say he’s pretty good at), then we should probably equally trust him about Geno Smith. Again, this is just my view on it, but don’t let my novice football insight sway you.

Pro Football Focus also believes that Geno’s high level in 2022 wasn’t fluky, and there’s nothing to indicate that his play isn’t sustainable. If we are to use advanced analytics as a measure as to what a player is worth, PFF’s analytics say that Geno is worth a lot and a big four year contract could be in his future. Here are their exact words regarding his production.

“Nothing about what he’s doing is fluky or excessively bolstered by things like play action, an outlier performance in unstable metrics like passing grade against pressure, or any other method you use to try to poke holes in his production this season. Smith’s 79.8 overall grade and 87.6 grade from a clean pocket this season ranked ninth and 12th, respectively.. His 14 passing touchdowns on throws of 20-plus yards were two more than the next-best quarterback, and his 5.6% big-time throw rate ranked fifth.. There’s no current indication we should expect some massive regression, either..We can go on and on, but the fact of the matter is that Smith played like a legitimate top quarterback in the NFL in 2022.”

Okay. Cool kids love to look at analytics to support their views, right?

Well, you are certainly free to disagree with Pro Football Focus, but the entire basis of their business is to break down all the minuscule deets on individual player performances. With quarterbacks, it’s not just about throwing for 300 yard, 3 TDs, and O INTs in a game; it’s also about the player throwing an accurate ball that was dropped, going through progressions, and throwing to the right read on the given play, etc.

PFF is quite fond of Geno Smith as a quarterback. They were fond of him during the 2022 preseason when a lot of fans felt “meh” and pined for Drew Lock, and they stayed fond of him through the regular season, as well.

Essentially, they’re now saying dude is pretty good, and should be paid as such. Pretty good in the current quarterback market is probably greater than $25 million a year. That’s just the facts, Jacks.

Now, you can say “thanks for everything Geno” and wish him well somewhere else. You can hope for Seattle to give Drew Lock a shot and/or draft Will Levis or Anthony Richardson. Your beliefs are yours, and I’m not one to say they’re wrong, or stupid, or whatever. I’m just going to ask this line of questioning as it pertains to these 2023 Seattle Seahawks looking to improve.

What does 72 year old defensive minded head coach Pete Carroll want to do at quarterback right now with his team that just made a surprising playoff run?

Does Pete Carroll want to continue with a guy he knows really well, and knows can play well for him in his system as he adds a few more pieces around him with the high draft picks he has?

Or does he want to bring along a raw highly drafted rookie, or a raw inexpensive veteran like Drew Lock and spend more in free agency with hopes of catching the 49ers?

Call me crazy, but my hunch is that Carroll really wants Geno Smith back. On top of that, I kinda think that at the VMAC, Carroll tends to get whatever he wants more times than not.

And for those who doubt how much Carroll wants Geno back, and think that his 2022 production, while good, is not the end all be all, I suggest you look a little bit farther into what is really, really, REALLY important to Pete Carroll. It’s his culture.

Pete Carroll is many things as a head coach. He’s a master motivator, he’s defensive minded and believes in protecting the ball, taking the ball away, yadada yadada yadada da.. right?

Above all of this, Pete Carroll is a supreme culture builder and maintainer. Geno Smith is a big time Pete Carroll culture guy, make no mistake about it.. BIG TIME.

The locker room LOVES Geno Smith. On top of proving more than capable in the Shane Waldron offense, Geno has demonstrated that there’s no substitute to hard work and endurance in the face of doubters and odds makers. I would not underestimate how much that means to Carroll as he continues to build this program.

For every cheap vet they take a flyer on, or late round rookie they draft, or undrafted rookie they sign, Coach Carroll can now point to Geno Smith and say “look, the whole league gave up on this guy, but I believed in him, and gave him a chance.. and look at him now.”

Do not think for a second that Carroll doesn’t believe that is vitally important to his way of coaching. I am not certain about a lot of things, but I feel pretty certain about this.

So, yeah, as I weigh all this out, I think the very safe bet is that Geno Smith is going to be the Seahawk QB1 for the next few years, or more. This is what my gut tells me, and I believe that not only is his play likely sustainable, I think it’s likely only going to get better. I bet Seattle believes this, as well.

I don’t think they’re too hung up on his age. Yes, he’s 32, but he’s only been a starter in this league for a totality of three seasons. now. Of course, he’s got room to grow as a passer. Why wouldn’t he?

And why should we assume that he’s got only two or three seasons left of quality play? On what basis?

He’s not taken a lot of hits over the years, and judging from the naked eye, he keeps himself in peak conditioning. In fact, at this point, he looks like a much better athlete than the quarterback he replaced here in Seattle.

If we are to give a younger quarterback the benefit of the doubt about growing and getting better as a passer after his first few seasons starting, why wouldn’t we give Geno Smith the same benefit?

My hunch is that Seattle is preparing to give his this benefit of doubt, and I think it’s likely for a three or four year contract. I think Seattle believes that they can win a Super Bowl with him, and frankly, I think they can win a Super Bowl with him, as well.

I think the plan is straight forward. If they cannot reach a deal with him before the start of free agency, they will use the franchise tag on him.

I think they would love to get the deal done before free agency in order to know how much remaining cap dollars they will have available to be shoppers at other positions. If they cannot reach a deal before free agency, that likely hinders what they can do, and I think they would prefer to avoid that.

That may not matter so much in the bigger picture because I think, big picture, the draft haul that they have from Denver is going to truly define their future Super Bowl chances. In short, I think the Seattle plan is to do the inverse of what you would do with a quarterback on the rookie contract; I think they want to pay Geno and build around him mainly through the draft.

The Seahawks have ten picks in this draft class and four picks within the top sixty. They pick 5th overall and 20th in the first round. In round two, they pick 37th and 52nd. They can and might likely will trade back in the first round for more picks with either the 5th or 20th (or both). They could end up with five or six picks in the top sixty.

Seattle’s biggest needs (assuming that Geno will be back) are interior defensive and offensive linemen, and probably off ball linebacker. Low and behold, judging from what has come out of Senior Bowl week, this draft looks potentially very good at defensive tackle with some good interior offensive linemen and linebackers, as well. With two picks in the top twenty of this draft, and four in the top sixty, Seattle has ample flexibility to attack this draft for these needs.

I won’t go through all the scenarios in my mind about what Seattle could do (there’s a lot, actually), but let me throw out one example of what Seattle could do in this draft. I think this is a good one.

Let’s assume that they didn’t make any big splashes in free agency, but got a bit of work done adding to the roster with some value signings. Maybe they added a DT, a running back, a linebacker, and shelled out a bit more cheddar on a decent veteran guard. At five, Seattle selects Texas Tech edge rusher/defensive lineman Tyree Wilson.

At 6-6 276 lbs, Tyree is a guy getting a lot of buzz right now for Seattle at five. If you look at his highlights online, you can see why.

He’s super long with 36 inch arms, he looks crazy explosive, and maybe most importantly for Seattle’s needs, he can line up all over the front seven either in a three point stance (like an end or a tackle) or a two point stance (like a linebacker), and make splash plays against the run and pass. He also has a frame to which he can add more mass over time. He can grow to become a Richard Seymour or Arik Armstead type, or he can stay closer to where he’s at, and be like Michael Bennett. If he is a good combine tester, he’s going to appeal to Pete Carroll greatly, and as they continue flirt between using 3-4 and 4-3 stuff, a versatile explosive dude like him up front could become quite invaluable.

Now say at twenty, Seattle drops back a bit towards the back end of round one. Let’s say the Giants are hot for a receiver and offer Seattle picks 25 and 89. At 25 and 37, Seattle lands Minnesota Center John Michael Schmitz and Wisconsin DT Keeanu Benton, two of the brighter stars that came out of the Senior Bowl week. Seattle gets a talented athletic center who fits their zone blocking scheme, and a DT who is big enough to play nose and yet athletic enough to play three technique and can pass rush at both spots.

Boom. Two significant pieces added to the front seven and a significant piece added to the offensive line. Maybe 2023 will bring some growing pains for all three players, but maybe all three make early impacts like Charles Cross, Abe Lucas, Tariq Woolen and Ken Walker had in 2022.

Either way, with Geno Smith signed for multiple years, a picture can be easily painted for Seattle to make a Super Bowl run, especially if they additionally find bright young talents at picks 52, 83, and 89. Speedy, hard hitting Washington State linebacker Daiyan Henley could be there at 52, and maybe they add a couple quality offensive weapons in round three, or a really good guard or corner.

This is but one scenario worth fantasizing about, and who knows? Maybe Seattle does take a swing on a quarterback at some point who they think can developed into having a bright future as a starter. Illinois QB Tommy DeVito drew praise at East West Shrine Bowl practices for showing the ability to pick things up quickly from coaches and throwing with good anticipation and placement. Perhaps, he’s a guy they low key like and are willing to take a shot on later in the draft.

Regardless, having the quarterback situation taken care of prior to free agency, and definitely before the draft is likely critically important to them. If Seattle believes that they have that position solidified with Geno Smith, I am more than trusting that, and if his contract prevents them from being big free agent spenders, I’m not going to sweat it.

At the end of the day, I would rather see this team built up through this draft, anyways, and if next season we see Tyree Wilson, John Michael Schmitz, Keenu Benton, and Daiyan Henley are all Seahawks along with Geno Smith and what’s also on this roster, well then, bring on the f’ing 49ers. Maybe the Seahawks aren’t Super Bowl winners next year, but I’m going to like their chances a lot greater in 2024 and 2025 with a young roster built up quality talent, and a cagey, mature, well conditioned veteran at quarterback who knows how to get it done within their scheme.

I have to think they’d like the prospects of that, as well. In fact, I think this is the likely plan.

And yes, I believe that they can win a Super Bowl with that.

Go Hawks!

Well, the 2022 Seattle Seahawk season came and went like a flash, and now so have the playoffs. We learned a lot about this team, and a few of these other playoff teams I think, as well.

We learned that John Schneider can still draft really well, and we learned that Geno Smith can quarterback pretty well after all. We also learned that Pete Carroll can still coach up a young team.

Additionally, we learned that year two of Shane Waldron’s offense looked a lot more promising than year one did. Let’s hope that in year two of Clint Hurtt’s defense in 2023 finds the same good step forward because, let’s face it, year one of his D was a hot mess akin to a 26 year old thespian trying to shake their midwest roots in New York City.

We also learned, and maybe most importantly learned, that a surprise team from last year who went 9-8 and snuck into the playoffs interestingly enough had themselves a very aggressive offseason last Spring, and have now earned themselves a Super Bowl trip. Yes, I’m talking about these Philadelphia Eagles, and let them be a model for these Seattle Seahawks, and how to attack their offseason this year.

The Eagles kept with their quarterback who many still had questions about, designed their offensive further around him, added more around him, and then completely loaded up on their defense. Therein lays the blue print for which I think the Seahawks should follow, and here is my wishlist for them as follows.

Extend Geno Smith to a reasonable multi year deal

I want Geno Smith back. I think too many fans are trying to convince themselves that he isn’t very good and that largely has to do with the sticker shock of the quarterback market along the other needs on this team. That’s fair to a point.

For me, I think Geno Smith is proven to be a really good quarterback in this offense, and don’t get me wrong, I completely understand the desire to draft a young quarterback. I just don’t know if that quarterback needs to be taken high (or this year).

I get it that a golden ticket in this league is to get a talented passer on a cheap rookie contract. I just don’t think that Seattle’s roster is built up enough with blue chip players to which a rookie passer is going to find the same success that Russell Wilson did when he was a rookie.

I also don’t frankly know if there is a quarterback in this draft who will truly be better than what they already have with Geno Smith, and I’m the sort who would lean more towards the known commodity over the unproven, especially at this position. Call it fear of the unknown, if you will, but I personally think there’s an advantage to having good insight on the known commodity.

In short, if the Seattle Seahawks want Geno Smith back, I’m taking that as a positive sign that they believe they can win a Super Bowl with him. Why else would they want to sign him back?

Having said that, I also think that the big caveat to this idea is that they want to sign him to a deal that will allow them to spend money at other positions to give him the best possible roster to work with. In other words, I don’t think they want to get sucked into another big inflated quarterback contract that forces them to play musical chairs with the rest of the roster like they’ve done with Russell Wilson over the years.

My gut tells me that means they don’t want to sign Geno to a Dak Prescott type of contract. I think they probably want to sell him on more of a team friendly deal in the spirit of what Jimmy Garoppolo signed a few years back with San Francisco; one that will have multiple years, will offer security for the player, stability to the position, and affordability so the team can acquire and retain other really good players around him.

I don’t know what the market will hold for Geno, if he tests it. I could see a team step up and offer a big contract for sure, but I could also see GMs being nervous about Geno’s situation, given his age, and only having one year of success. Would they offer a guy who will be 33 in October a multi year contract significantly greater than $30 APY and sell their fanbase on him being the guy to lead them to a Super Bowl title after seeing how expensive and older Ryan Tannehill fizzled out in Tennessee and expensive and older Derek Carr fizzled out in Vegas?

I’m not so sure.

There is a real possibility that Geno’s best deal available is in Seattle, and I would be completely comfortable if Seattle signed him to a three or four year contract. I won’t get caught up in the dollars. He said that he wants to return and finish his career here, and Pete Carroll and John Schneider say that they want him back.

I also won’t get too caught up on his age either. I think there’s every bit the chance he’s like the 1993 Ford F-150 that your uncle keeps in his shop and drives three times a year to go fishing and hunting with. He’s older, but his mileage is low, and he’s got good tread on his tires.

Maybe most importantly to all of this, the locker room wants him back, and if Seattle trots out Drew Lock and, say, Will Levis next Fall, there might be a mutiny amongst players, especially if Geno Smith is balling out elsewhere while Lock or Levis is struggling. So, I do very much believe it is in Seattle’s best interest to reach a fair deal with him.

They like him, and he likes them. He knows this offense, runs it well, and he gets what Pete Carroll wants. He likely won’t be a headache moving forward, and can be a great leader moving forward.

What I am really hoping for is that they will find a solid middle ground, and this will get done. I completely get that Geno needs to do what is best for himself, but my hope is that Seattle offers him enough money and years so that he feels like he is reasonably compensated, and in turn, he offers enough of a deal so that they can utilize free agency enough to solidly build around him, and not just depend on hitting with every pick in the draft every year.

My hope is that this is the sweet middle ground both sides reach with each other. So, let’s get this one done, and get to the other big task at hand.

Fix this defensive scheme, improve the talent up front, and be like the Eagles!

Pete Carroll talked about needing more in the front seven of their defense, and that to me suggests that they would absolutely love to draft a Jalen Carter or Will Anderson at five overall if either lands there to them. I think there’s also a chance that they are glued into many other front seven players in this draft, as well. There could be multiple players they want in the first, second, third, and into the middle rounds.

This means little to me, though, if the Seattle defensive coaches don’t better sort out their scheme. By the words of Carroll, it sounds like that not only did they perhaps not use certain players the right way, they also put too much on their plates in terms of doing too many different things.

Can’t have that. Can’t win with it.

In terms of defensive scheme, I’m going to say this plainly. Be like the Eagles!

Watching the NFC championship game, I could not notice how much it appeared like the Eagles ran a lot of bear looks (aka 5-2) against the 49er offense, and took them to task. The Seahawks ran this style of defense against the 49ers the last couple years of with pretty decent success. They just had better players at certain spots like Carlos Dunlap, and Jarran Reed making impact plays.

Seattle started this season out moving away from it, and were terrible on defense in result, but shifted back to this front during their four game winning streak last year. Then weirdly, they shifted away from it when they started losing again.

It’s been a total mystery as to why this all happened, but judging from Carroll’s own words about wanting to go back to being heavier up front again, it makes me think he wants to dump the whole 2-4-5 thing they used with way too much frequency, and get back to more bear. Praise be the Football Gods if that proves true for the 2023 season because that front drove me nuts as a fan.

My super big hope is that they will, in fact, run more bear again, and this Eagle defense has to be the model for them to follow. Make no mistake, the Eagles front seven is a LOADED group.

In order to run this style of defense, you need really good 3 technique defensive tackles and bad ass nose tackles, as well. You have got to be LOADED UP FRONT. Jalen Carter would be the dream in this draft, but I think it will probably be unlikely that he lands to Seattle at pick 5. This is partly why I think we likely see a trade back.

What might be available for Seattle a little further down in the draft is a talented DT like Clemson’s Bryan Bresee, who is young and raw, but also has undeniable physical tools for an interior defensive lineman. They could also be compelled to select Michigan’s Mazi Smith later on, who is a huge athletic guy that might be the perfect fit for Hurts up front if they want to run more bear fronts.

Texas Tech’s Tyree Wilson will get talked up about a lot as we near the draft, and is increasingly intriguing. He’s a 6-6 275 lb long freaky dude who projects to play inside and out like Michael Bennett did. Some think he’s got the frame to add more weight to play inside. If he’s a big combine tester, he might be the guy to watch for Seattle over anyone else. He honestly might be “their guy” right now with the way he can be moved around, and how much Carroll loves that sort of versatility up front.

In terms of free agency, there might be a few decent young-ish DT types on the market who could attract Seattle. KC’s Khalen Saunders could be an interesting young get, or Denver’s Dre’Mont Jones. Seattle could take a dip here, and double up in the draft like they did last year at edge with Uchenna Nwuso in free agency, and Boye Mafe in early round two.

In terms of edge players, I actually kinda like what Seattle has brewing with Darrell Taylor, Nwuso, and Mafe, but in no way do I think this position group is set. I think they have to continue to draft this spot, and if Will Anderson happens to land at 5 to Seattle with Carter off the board, I don’t know how you pass that up. Will Anderson can be lethal in this league as an edge rusher, and would probably be the ideal fit for Seattle.

In terms of linebacker, I think Seattle has to look at free agency and the draft. Jordyn Brooks is coming off a serious knee injury that might not have him ready for the start of the season, and Cody Barton is a free agent.

I don’t know how invested Seattle would be with Barton. I think he’s better than what some fans suggest, but I don’t see him as any major difference maker. I also think Tanner Muse is probably just as good and might become better if given the opportunity, and Seattle has club control on Muse.

If I were Seattle, I would probably try to bring in a veteran from the outside who could be a real thumper for a more aggressive front seven. I would try my hand at Pittsburgh’s Devin Bush because of his youth and speed, but I might settle for Miami’s Elandon Roberts who showed nice production but is a bit older and probably way more affordable.

In terms of the draft, if Oregon’s Noah Sewell ends up picked by Seattle at some point, I wouldn’t scoff at that selection. Sewell looks like a classic old school thumper at middle linebacker.

The real linebacker draft target for Seattle might be Arkansas linebacker Drew Sanders who might remind Carroll of some of his old USC linebacker, Clay Matthews. Sanders can play off ball, cover and hit, and he can line up as a rusher, and I have to admit, the idea of landing Tyree Wilson, this cat, and a freakishly athletic big bodied DT like Mazi Smith has me salivating. That’s a lot of size, speed, and strength added to the front seven on rookie contracts.

Regardless of how this all shakes out, Seattle needs to improve the front seven and better simplify the scheme. Get better and be better at it. Defensive tackle, edge, and linebacker need to be major targets in the draft, MAJORLY.

Be like the Eagles!

GET BETTER ON THE INTERIOR OF THE OFFENSIVE LINE

Notice I did that heading in caps. Weird that this isn’t top of the list by the aggressive nature that I typed this out. Truthfully, this is a majorly major need for me, as well, and it directly ties in the importance of Geno Smith.

Geno Smith needs a better pocket to throw out of, y’all!

This cannot be over stressed. If Seattle is going to sink a decent amount of cheddar on this dude and call him the franchise quarterback for the next few years, protect him better up front; plain and simple. Schneider did an excellent job drafting two starting tackles last year. Now, he needs to go get a really good center and guard.

My preference is that they invest more in a proven quality veteran center, and then use one of their top picks on a guy coming out of college who will project towards being a really good guard. This, in my mind, is what Mike Holmgren would likely do, and I’m for it.

One veteran center who might be hitting the market is former Seahawk center Ethan Pocic who Pro Football Focus graded out really well this year. Twelves will scoff at this because of his time in Seattle blocking for Russell Wilson, but Seattle obviously knows him well, and he’s still young enough to think that he can stick around for a while and maybe solve the revolving door issue in a second stint. He’s also a player who won’t likely break the bank in a signing, and Seattle can still take a shot at a center in the mid rounds of the draft this Spring. Oregon’s Alex Forsyth could be a decent option.

One thing’s for certain, though, and that is Seattle needs a better situation at right guard than an aging gimpy Gabe Jackson, and an injury prone Phil Haynes. Haynes would be alright to bring back as an inexpensive edge for drafting someone there, but they need to draft high at least at one of these interior offensive line positions, and my vibe is that maybe pick twenty is the sweet spot for that to happen, if they take defensive line with their first pick.

However they go about it, I want Seattle to get better here, and if they decide to spend most of their remaining free agent dollars on two good young vets to solidify center and right guard, I will not be disappointed. More dollars spent on the offensive line probably means more draft picks spent on the defense, and this might actually be the best way to go.

Get K9 a running mate

Ken Walker III is an exciting player for the Seahawks moving forward. There can be no denying that. He could easily blossom into the best player on the team next year, and that’s saying something.

Having said that, I did find myself rather desperately wishing Seattle had more behind him at running back as last season wore on. That’s taking nothing away for DeeJay Dallas, either. I like Dallas, but I want to see Seattle returning back to being more of a dynamic running team. I think it’s going to help Geno Smith out at quarterback, but it’s also going to greatly help out the defense next year.

I would not mind seeing Seattle bring in a veteran who isn’t likely going to be very expensive. I personally don’t know how much Seattle can rely on Rashaad Penny coming back, but if it’s for a cheap deal, I would be fine with that. I would still want them to draft the position, though.

I think my actual preference is for Seattle to draft the position again, and if UCLA’s Zach Charbonnet is sitting there for them in round three, I would be through the roof with excitement if they drafted him. He’s a big fast tough runner who could easily be the thunder to K9’s lightening and that would be fun to watch for years.

Figure out the third receiver and build more depth behind DK and Tyler

Right now, Seattle has one of the best receiver tandems in the league. So, I get it if some think this is a selfish ask out of me, but I can’t help but feel greedy at this spot.

I just think Seattle needs more behind DK and Tyler. Dee Eskridge has yet to really show much, and I know a lot of that is due to injury, but even when he’s been healthy, he just hasn’t really seized anything. I don’t even know what he is. I assumed a slot receiver but maybe he’s just a Percy Harvin type of gadget guy.

He’s got to take a big leap forward in 2023, or the funky little 2021 draft class is going to look like a massive disaster.

Behind him isn’t much, but I do like Dareke Young’s potential as a run after the catch guy I assumed Eskridge was supposed to become. Young is a big physical freak too, and could blossom into a role that can be used in multiple ways like a Cordarrelle Patterson type who’s a receiver and a running back.

But that’s kinda what Seattle has on the roster right now behind their superstars. A couple of guys with interesting potential, but are still unknowns.

This might be the single biggest reason why I wouldn’t mind seeing Seattle drop out of 5 into the back half of the top ten. If they get an offer from quarterback needy Carolina to drop back to 9, and get picks 37, 60, and their first round pick next year, Seattle still might be able to land a really good defensive lineman at 9, and then have two extra picks in round two that would make taking a receiver at some point early-ish a fun luxury. Plus they would have two first round picks next year, if they want to pursue a young quarterback in 2024 to groom behind Geno.

Also, this draft appears to be loaded at receiver and it would be wise for Seattle to take advantage of that. The best way to Seattle to take advantage is after a trade back.

The type of receiver that I would love to see Seattle grab is a pure route runner with good quicks and sure hands. In short, I want another Doug Baldwin.

As I watched Geno this year in this offense, I couldn’t help but think how much Doug would have enjoyed playing in this style of quick passing. Tyler feasted well this year in it. Doug would be devoured. There looks like their are players in this draft that fit Doug’s mold as a quick short area pass catcher.

Be selective on who to bring back in 2023 and be prepared to make tough decisions

Days after their season ended, Seattle locked up their pro bowl kicker, and that was a wise move. Their pro bowl quarterback should come next.

I think Seattle should also bring back Ryan Neal at safety because he’s a leader and a good player. I think Seattle should bring back restricted free agents in cornerback Michael Jackson, and linebacker Tanner Muse. Both have performed well enough to think they can be a part of this thing in the future.

After that, I don’t know who else feels like a need to be brought back. I don’t know if Poona Ford and Coby Barton fit this scheme any longer. I think they might be better served in more of a traditional 4-3.

I’ve already said that I would prefer this team to bring in a better center option than Austin Blythe. I don’t need another journeyman center situation. Spend more on a better player, and have him be the guy here for a few years.

At right guard, I think Gabe Jackson is a likely cap casualty, but I don’t know if Phil Haynes warrants more than a veteran minimum deal to return as a hedge for someone else in the draft. Haynes has teased as being a decent player, but has never been able to stay healthy, and he clearly wasn’t good enough to beat out Jackson at right guard. Is it important to therefore bring him back? I dunno.

Shelby Harris was a good player for Seattle but is he worth $11 million next year? It would be good to keep him around if they can add an extra year or two to his deal in order to drop his 2023 salary down, but maybe he becomes a cap casualty if the want to sign a younger DT on the market with more upside.

The massive elephant in the room is, or course, Jamal Adams. As talented as he is, he’s expensive and has never stayed healthy enough in Seattle. Do they try to rework his deal or designate him as a post June 1st release if the Geno Smith contract is pricey?

There’s other elephants in the room like Will Dissly’s expensive contract, and Bryan Mone’s, as well.

I’m not saying that Seattle to slash the contracts of all these guys, but Geno Smith won’t likely be cheap (even if he does cut Seattle a deal), and if Seattle wants to invest in some free agent solutions to fixing their front seven, they’re probably going to need to open up more money somehow. There’s going to have to be decisions to be made, and maybe some tough ones.

Make the tough decisions, Seattle!

In conclusion, how likely is it that Seattle can fulfill this my wish list?

I honesty don’t know. I think it’s going to be a real challenge.

I recently posed a question to Seahawk beat reporter Corbin Smith on Twitter for his podcast as to how Seattle can sign Geno Smith and still replicate the Eagles defense in 2023. His response on his podcast was that it would most likely have to be done by nailing the draft again, and that after a Geno signing, it’s unlikely Seattle will do much big time shopping in free agency.

In short, they probably won’t go after the big name DTs on the market like Fletcher Cox, Da’Ron Payne, and Javon Hargrave. At best, they might move enough money around to find a decent mid tier DT, maybe a younger guy like Khalen Saunders who was rotational with the Chiefs but showed promise, sign him to a moderate two year deal with a chance to establish himself as a quality starter and hit the market again, and hope to hit on another DT in the draft.

The key is finding a good comprised ground with Geno Smith, and therein lies my hope. Of course I want what is best for him whatever he decides it to be, but my hope is a reasonable.. let’s just call it what it is; a “team friendly” deal in Seattle.

If he is unwilling to entertain this, and wants to max out his earnings, and finds a better deal elsewhere because Seattle was unwilling to go beyond a certain number, then of course the team needs to have a solid plan B in place. We will discuss Plan B options in a later piece, as I’m sure many others will or already have, as well.

Assuming that they do reach a contract with Geno, though, if all Seattle does in free agency is add a decent center, linebacker, and defensive tackle, that should be enough to set this draft up nicely to start picking good players without feeling the need to be desperate for a specific position. This draft will have good defensive linemen and edge rushers, and it will have guards, corners, receivers, and running backs.

But it all hinges on finding that sweet middle ground with Geno. Hopefully, they get that done.

I’m here for it. I eager to see this offseason get underway.

See the Eagles. Be the Eagles.

Go Hawks!

So, the Seahawks got lit up pretty good against the 49ers on Saturday, didn’t they?

I mean, losing the game to a final score of 23-41 with a final touchdown coming in garage time should leave a sour taste in any player and fan’s mouth. It should sting even more knowing that at the halftime, Seattle actually held the lead, 17-16, and looked like the team with better momentum. That second half must have surely been bad football for the Hawks.

Well, yeah. It was pretty awful. The defense stopped tackling and covering, and while the Seattle was able to continue moving the ball offensively, Geno Smith fumbled the ball in the red zone on a strip sack, and then later threw an interception when everyone on the sidelines and stands knew Seattle had to pass to catchup. Both turnovers led to 49er points that kept getting piled on, and so forth, and so on. Thus, we have this final score.

This essentially was the game, and really, I’m kinda alright with it. Let this game be a learning experience for this young team, and this quarterback who hasn’t been a regular starter in this league since 2014.

The truth of the matter is that the San Fransisco 49ers are a bunch of booger eaters, as are most of their fans who aren’t my friends or extended family members. Nick Bosa is a booger eater supreme, but he is also an incredibly talented booger eater, and the best at his position. So are a bunch of his booger eating buddies, like booger eating Deebo Samuel, and booger eating George Kittle, and booger eating Fred Warner. Seattle went down to Santa Clara and give this game a good fight for a half of football, and they lost to a superior, booger eating team. It’s that simple.

The 49ers have superior offensive and defensive lines to go along with the many top end talents they have at all the skill positions, and they have a bright young rookie quarterback who is making football look easy. Frankly, this should be a team playing in a championship, and Seattle has a lot of work to do to get closer towards their level.

While the reality is that while it might take Seattle a couple more seasons to be able to truly match San Fransisco, they are most definitely off to a fast start. In fact, I’m more excited about this coming offseason than maybe I have been since I became a fan in the early 1980’s.

Seattle is blessed with having found a pro bowl worthy quarterback in Geno Smith who has stated that he wants to remain in Seattle and finish his career here, and they hold nine picks in the 2023 draft to which they can further construct their roster with. One of those picks is the fifth overall, and the pick after that is 20th overall. Seattle is a rare playoff caliber team in position to draft a player 5th overall, and that should make fans of a lot of other teams fairly envious.

This is why this sort of thumping the 49ers gave us isn’t overly upsetting for me. San Francisco is superior, and let them eat their cake. They are set up to win now, but will be tighter against their salary cap in 2023 with a lot of players set to enter free agency. Much like the Rams last year, they could be a team that wins it all in February, only to lose key players in free agency in March, and get ravaged by the injury bugs next season.

For me, the plan for Seattle should be pretty straight forward. Figure out a way to keep Geno Smith here longer term, and use that high end draft capital to better fill it out around him. There’s other players set to enter free agency for Seattle that I believe they need to consider keeping, as well, like Jason Myers, Ryan Neal, and probably Cody Barton, but they need to keep Geno, especially if Pete Carroll isn’t leaving anytime soon (which, let’s face it, he likely isn’t).

I will write a more comprehensive piece about how I think their offseason should go down in the following days, but this is a sneak peak at it. Keep Geno and a few other guys, dip your toes in free agency on the offensive line (if you can), but build most of it through the draft.

As for this team this year, I feel like they met their natural conclusion. They were talented enough to be a middling team who got surprisingly good play at quarterback, and they found themselves as the seventh seeded playoff team in the NFC. They were basically the inverse of the 2011 Seahawks; where this time around the offense was actually pretty good, but the defense was largely a hot mess.

A lot of crap is also being made right now about the officiating that occurred in the season finale against the Rams that helped Seattle win that game, but screw those for making a stink about it. Bad officiating that helped Seattle against the Rams made up for some of the bad officiating that hurt Seattle earlier in the season like it did during the game against the Raiders. What comes around, goes around.

All in all, I am proud of this team, and had more fun as a fan this year than I’ve had in a long while. It was fun watching them grossly exceed many expectations and prove many doubters wrong. It’s fun watching blow hards like Colin Cowherd and his doofus buddies look like idiots when it comes to Seattle.

After thirteen years in this league, it’s stunning to me the amount of people who cover the NFL still don’t understand Pete Carroll and his culture building ways. Ten playoff appearances now in thirteen seasons should cement just how special this dude is as a coach, and at age 71 he most definitely still has it.

But he still has a lot of work to do. The two biggest offseason priorities must be to settle the quarterback position, and fix that defense either by scheme or talent, but probably by both.

Also, in my opinion, Carroll needs to continue getting back to his DNA on both sides of the ball. Getting beat like this by the 49ers can help towards getting him there. Their defense is modeled after his infamous 4-3 one that was the league leading defense for four seasons in a row and won a Super Bowl. Their offense is all about running the ball and getting smart point guard style quarterback play.

This can be the Seattle Seahawks in 2023 and beyond. This mission is there for the undertaking should Carroll choose to accept it.

I suspect he will, and I’m very excited to see it unfold.

Go Hawks!

In many mythological tales, heroes are tasked to undertake an insurmountable feat to which the likely outcome of success feels as likely as a tiki torch staying lit during a cyclone storm. These stories have gotten recycled over the years into various fiction and in film.

In The Lord Of The Rings, a tiny two foot dude had to carry with him a magical ring to which the most sinister and powerful force in the land was searching for it, and he had to take it to a volcano called Mount Doom, and toss it into the flames with thousands of seven foot orcs (who would gladly eat him for a snack) hanging around the place. Good luck with that.

In Star Wars, a naive farm boy had to fly a tiny x-wing fighter down this narrow exterior corridor of the Death Star with skilled tie fighter pilots behind him (including his evil dad who happens to be the greatest pilot in the galaxy) looking to blow him into pieces, and he had one shot with a photon torpedo to get it inside an extremely narrow shaft that, if launched perfectly, said torpedo would travel down the shaft and hit the main reactor of the planet killing battle station, and blow it up. His chances of success were like my chances of not being socially awkward at an Oscar party.

In the 1960’s WWII war film The Dirty Dozen, a small group of US military convicts had to conduct a secret mission to assassinate top level Nazi officers in a mansion surrounded by enemy soldiers everywhere, and a few of these guys had the psychological profiles of the Dumb and Dumber dudes if they were homicidal maniacs. Basically, this was a suicide mission, and if any one of these convicts actually managed to be lucky enough to make it out alive, their prison sentences would be lifted. Frankly, I would stayed in my cell and took my chances with Brutus.

So, as I circle to this game this Saturday between the feel good Seattle Seahawks and the dominant looking San Fransisco 49ers, I cannot help drawing parallels. On it’s face, the chances of the Seahawks going to Santa Clara and pulling off an upset feels pretty remote.

The strength of the 49ers is their defense, for certain, but their offense is no slouch, either. They can limit any good offensive team from scoring, and they can put up a lot of points. Call me crazy, but I think that’s a pretty good thing to be in this league. I mean, this is what I want Seattle to be. They were this once, but that feels years ago, now.

In his Tuesday press conference, when Pete Carroll was asked about what makes the 49er defense so special, there was a very sobering tone in his delivery. He described them as being able to line up, and not fool anyone, that they run a simple scheme, but they are so talented that they can play so fast and connected that it becomes a challenge for any offense to do anything against them.

When I was listening to Coach Carroll describing that 49er defense, my first thought was that’s how his Legion Of Boom defense was once described. It was a simplistic 4-3 scheme but because the players were so good and they knew it so well, they could dare a Peyton Manning in his prime, and then stop him.

The San Fransisco 49er defense is Darth Vader. It’s powerful, and menacing, and it knows it can take any opponent down. It’s hard to run on, and it’s hard to pass on, and Seattle’s greatest weakness right now is probably the interior of its offensive line. No doubt that the 49ers are looking at Seattle’s struggles at guard and center, and they are licking their chops in this one.. again.

If Seattle cannot get a run game going to help out Geno Smith, that defensive line will be all about destroying Geno’s cinderella story. It’s that simple, and this isn’t bringing up what Seattle must do defensively to slow down an offensive that has all kinds of top end weapons and a good offensive line, and a rookie seventh round pick quarterback who’s been channelling Joe Montana for the last six weeks.

So, I am really painting a pretty big gloom and doom scenario for the Seahawks this Saturday, aren’t I? Well, of course I am!

The Seahawks are going into this game spotty on their offensive line, thinner at receiver and tight end than they were the last time these two teams met (which it wasn’t pretty for Seattle), and they are thinner at linebacker now, as well. They are also apparently going to have to play this game in some crazy cyclone type of weather scenario, and God only knows what can happen with the ball in that situation.

Maybe, just maybe in some weird way, this psychotic weather forecast benefits Seattle, but that’s like thinking that because Halle Berry forgot to put in her contact lenses, she will think I’m Brad Pitt when I’m standing next to her at that Oscar party. These are the hopeful thoughts of a desperate soul down to their last saltine cracker before that have to start eating rat feces for survival.

Practically the only thing that I can think of where Seattle might have some advantage is that Ken Walker has been hot running the rock lately, and Seattle didn’t have him in the game during the last matchup back in early December. Walker (aka K9) is a legitimate big play artist with the ball in his hands, and I believe he’s on a trajectory of superstardom in this league. On a wet and windy game where linebackers and DBs might have hard time finding their footing, he could have enough explosive plays to open things up more for Geno Smith to find his guys downfield as the game wears on, if they can manage to stay within a one score game.

For that to happen, the defense has got to be ON IT. It is worth noting that for the last four games, their defense has been trending in positively. Cody Barton has played well at middle linebacker in place of Jordyn Brooks, and Tanner Muse has been a pleasant surprise next to him. The pass rushers have also come alive more lately, most notably defensive end Darrell Taylor. The corners and safeties haven’t been bad, either.

The key for the Seahawk defense is to stop the run, though, and by nature of design, the 3-4 base defense isn’t as ideal of a run stopping scheme as a 4-3 defense is, and Seattle is does a lot of 3-4. This game against a 49er offense that runs it at you in a lot of different ways really has me missing Pete Carroll’s old 4-3 scheme. It was a good match against Kyle Shanahan’s offense. My hope and prayer is that everyone on this defense balls out extra special this Saturday to prove my concerns wrong. That would be awesome.

The only other last thing that gives me some hope for a Seattle upset to occur is that there are enough instances where when a divisional rival sweeps another divisional rival during the regular season, and those teams find themselves playing against each other in the playoffs, the team that was swept figures out a way to win. It has been said before that beating a team three times in a calendar season is hard to do in football.

Maybe it’s that the team that was swept has a better sense on how the plays will come in against them in the playoff match, and they will have better answers against those plays. Maybe it’s because the team that has won twice underestimates the opponent more, and the team that was swept is playing with more overall determination, and it surprises. Maybe it’s because the coaches of the team that was swept have looked at the few things that worked well, and have come up with a better plan to put those things in action. Maybe it’s a combination of all of these things with a little bit of luck, as well, but I can think of a number of occasions where the team that was beaten twice in the regular season wins the match in the post season.

So, maybe, just maybe the Seahawks travel down to Santa Clara and play a game against a superior divisional opponent, and they find a way to beat their mortal enemy. After all, David figured out how to beat Goliath with a rock and a sling, Luke figured out how to beat the Empire, and Eminem figured out how to beat the bully rapper with his witty words.

Maybe the Seahawks led by Geno Smith, with a help of K9, and a defense that stays gritty enough, figures out how to take down George Kittle, and Christian McCaffrey, and Nick Bosa, and Fred Warner, and Deebo Samuel, and the rest of this 49er roster that is too intimidating to continue listing. As crazy as it sounds, maybe it really isn’t that bonkers.

After all, what does Seattle have to lose? They have gotten farther this season that most of the talking head experts thought they would. If they get boat raced by the 49ers, nobody will be shocked, the storyline will be that they were a team that exceeded expectations, and are another offseason away from true contention, at least.

In a way, this might free them up more. They might look at this like the band of misfit brothers from The Dirty Dozen, and say “fuck it, let’s go right at that dragon and slay his ass.” Maybe this inspires things to happen that catch the 49ers off guard ,and gets them out of their sorts. Maybe they force Brock Purdy into a bad play and turnover that leads to an easy score that puts Seattle up in the game, and makes San Fran play a little tighter.

Maybe, just maybe Seattle does just enough to stay in it, where Geno throws an absolute dart to Tyler Lockett for a score that stuns the Santa Clara crowd, and the Seahawks feed off of that momentum at the end.

Maybe, just maybe the 49ers pick a bad time to have an off game, and Seattle picks a great time to have a signature game.

Am I going to pick Seattle to win this game? Not really, but I’m not going to say that they have no shot at it, either.

I think they do, but they are going to need a lot of things to go right to kill this dragon of the NFC West. They’re going to have to get through the orcs, and past the tie fighters to pull this one off.

Thank God they have emerging talents like K9 and sensational rookie phenom cornerback Tariq Woolen. Thank goodness they have a pro bowl quarterback in Geno Smith, and a pro bowl safety in Quandre Diggs, and a pro bowl kicker in Jason Myers, as well.

If I have to slay a dragon, I want these guys on my team. Here’s to hoping they pull it off.

What a cherry on top of Seattle’s surprising season that would be. Either way, though, I’m proud of this team, and I look forward to what they do next year. But let’s get it done.

Go Hawks!

The 2022 Seattle Seahawks are a playoff team after trading away the best quarterback in their franchise history.

The 2022 Seattle Seahawks are a playoff team after having swept the team that has owned their butts for over the last half decade, and who also won the Super Bowl last year.

The 2022 Seattle Seahawks are a playoff team who are quarterbacked by a guy who hasn’t been a regular starter in this league since 2014, but after being given this chance by Pete Carroll, blossomed into a pro bowl passer at age 32, stunningly.

The 2022 Seattle Seahawk are a playoff team because the 2022 Detroit Lions went into Lambeau Field (a place where they rarely win), and they beat Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers on the last game of the regular season.

Raise your hand if you saw all of this coming at the start of the season?

I’m one of the biggest, dopiest Seahawk homer Twelves who you will ever meet in your lifetime, and I didn’t see this happening. Nope. I gave a very wishful prediction at the start of the season that Seattle would get to a 8-9 finish with some thought of playing meaningful games in December, but I never anticipated Geno Smith would play this well, and carry it through the season, by and large.

So, yeah. I’m pretty darn happy to see my Hawks finish 9-8, and finding themselves in the playoffs with the help of Detroit.

I don’t know what’s to happen for this team in the coming offseason, and how different they will look next Fall. I don’t know if Geno is signed to a long extension, or a rookie quarterback will be battling Drew Lock for the starting gig. I don’t know if the 3-4 experiment on defense this year is permanently here, or if we see a shift back to his traditional 4-3 in order to be a better run stopping defense again. I just know that these 2022 Seattle Seahawks will be a memorable bunch for me.

I have no allusions of this team going on a deep post season run, either. All conventional wisdom would suggest that they will get creamed once again by the superiorly talented 49ers down in Santa Clara next Saturday, but for me, it’s not about going deep into the playoffs.

It’s about getting an extremely young roster to understand what it takes to get to the playoffs and how to play once they are there. If they actually do upset the 49ers, that would be as big of a euphoric joy for me as I’ve had in sometime, but I am not expecting it. In a way, that makes being in the playoffs more fun.

The Seahawks aren’t defending anything. They aren’t the class of their division. If the Rams would have been healthier this season, third place in the division might have been Seattle’s ceiling this year, and the severely banged up Rams did everything they could to spoil Seattle in this match.

But Seattle got through it with a win, and to me, that’s all that matters. They finished the season strong with back to back home wins that got them into the playoffs, ultimately. This was my big ask for them after they lost to the Panthers, 49ers and Chiefs all in a row in December.

There’s momentum to be gained in this now. There should be a feeling that, if the offense commits to Ken Walker III running the ball, good things are going to happen, and opportunities are going to had for other players if they get enough reliable quarterback play, like Geno Smith brought through most of the season. There should also be a feeling that, if the defense can limit the big explosive plays enough, there’s enough of a growing nucleus that, with another successful offseason of free agency and the draft, something can be built up again that can be pretty special in Seattle in the near future.

Getting this win against the Rams, as much of a struggle as it was at times, has meaning in these ways. Seattle avoided a second half of the season slide that would have maybe raised more questions about the future than provide answers. Finishing 8-9, after being 6-3 at one point, would have been a long talked about thing through the following offseason that potentially would have made Pete Carroll’s words of optimism ring more hollow.

Finishing 9-8 avoids that, and gives a better sense that the young defense is trending the right way, and the offense is probably a player or two away on the offensive line of being truly dominant (assuming that the quarterback situation is sorted out). I need to feel these trends as a fan.

These 2022 Seattle Seahawks are not a perfect team. They have blemishes on the roster. In my opinion, they need to be significantly more stout at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, but those are issues to address once free agency begins in a couple months, and probably the draft again.

What they have now going for them now, however, is chemistry, and grit. They will fight hard, they will fight together, and they will continue to grow together in doing so.

This is really what the opportunity is for them heading into this post season, in my mind. It’s about continuing to grow together, and that is critical in becoming a great team again.

I’m proud of these 2022 Seattle Seahawks. I’ve had fun watching Geno Smith surprise, and K9 dazzle, and Darrell Taylor finish strong after struggling for a while, and Tariq Woolen blossoming into greatness before our eyes.

I’ve loved watching Al Woods make big man tackles in the middle of this defense, and Cody Barton proving doubters wrong as he got way better during the second half of the season. I loved watching DeeJay Dallas shine in the last two games, and finally being used more as a runner.

The feather on the cap for me is ending this season sweeping a Rams team that featured a quarterback who many Seahawk fans wanted Seattle to go after last offseason (including myself). Geno Smith did not have a great game in this finale, but if I learned one thing this season, it’s that he’s definitely a better quarterback than Baker Mayfield is, and I take comfort in knowing that Pete Carroll knows way more about quarterbacks than he’s given credit for. This gives me great comfort going into 2023, actually.

So, yeah. I like what is happening with these Seattle Seahawks right now. Their season was up and down, but they feel like they are one more solid offseason away from being a real contender again.

They will have the fifth overall pick next Spring to take a player who can be a special addition. I’m not hung up on who it might be, or what type of position it should be. I just ask that they pick a guy who will truly be a special difference maker, and key building block.

But right now, let’s savior this season, and this opportunity to be in the playoffs with a chance to upset the 49ers. There is no expectation of Seattle doing that, and I kinda dig that. I dig it a lot, actually.

Go Hawks.

I gotta be honest. It’s sobering to write about a football game preview after what happened to Damar Hamlin on Monday Night Football. Let’s just get that one out of the way.

This season finale game in which my Seahawks will be facing off against their bitter divisional rival in the LA Rams here in Seattle should be met with huge anticipation by any diehard Twelve. The Seahawks have before them an opportunity to sweep a divisional foe who has had their number for years now, and finish their season out with a winning record that few thought they would finish with when this season began.

If they do this, and the Lions beat the Packers on Sunday Night Football, the Seahawks will even be awarded a playoff birth, which in my opinion, is huge in terms of a young roster gaining post season experience earlier than anticipated. Even if they don’t end up in the playoffs, finishing the season off right by sweeping these Rams and going 9-8 will still feel sweet, and give a sense that this organization is building towards a positive direction again.

From the perspective of the Rams, this is their opportunity to close their season out right by wrecking Seattle’s playoff hopes and ending their season by giving them a somewhat annoying 8-9 record. This is an opportunity for Baker Mayfield to make a statement that he can be a quality starting quarterback in this league. Even more so, it’s an opportunity for Bobby Wagner to enact revenge on the team he had played ten years for, and gave up on him last off-season. I imagine the entire Rams defense will be playing this one extra fierce for Wagner.

So, this should be a really good game to watch, even for the objective non Seahawks or Rams fan to watch. I also think, despite the records, these teams are a bit more evenly matched than some think.

Yes, the Rams are without most of their marquee players, but the Seahawks will be a bit gimpy in this one, as well, with Tyler Lockett dealing with multiple issues, Jordyn Brooks now on injured reserve, and many other players dealing with late season issues. While, I would expect most of the guys who have been sitting out of practice to play for Seattle, who knows how hampered they will be as they face a Rams club that is ready to play spoiler.

For these reasons, I expect a hard fought game between both of these clubs. For a second week in a row, this should feel like a playoff game for these Seahawks, and I am super duper here for it.

I want to see pro bowl quarterback Geno Smith close out his feel good storybook season right with a solidly efficient game that leads his team to a win, and himself to a long term contract. I want to see Darrell Taylor continue his late season surge as pass rusher, and prove to Seattle that if the opportunity presents itself next Spring, they should draft defensive tackle Jalen Carter over defensive end Will Anderson with their first pick. I want to see Ken Walker III finish out his stellar rookie season by rushing for over a hundred yards again, and getting a thousand yards to his season, and I want to see Tariq Woolen pick off Mayfield to solidify earning DOYR.

But, if I am to be perfectly honest, I think viewing football could feel a bit weird this weekend because of the freak accident that happened to Damar Hamlin on MNF that saw his heart stop on the field on national television, and that’s okay. This incident gave us all a chilling reminder that every time a football player suits up to play, they put their lives at risk. I think it’s a reality that many of us lose sight of as fans.

For my part, I think it also puts in perspective how I want to root for these players. Football is a violent game. The rules in place help these players more these days than in years past, and the gear obviously protects them, but a freak things can happen as was the case last Monday. There is an unavoidable level of danger to this game.

Therefore, I would like to better keep that into perspective. I think the emotions of rivalries can lead us to hate on good players simply because of the uniforms they wear. I also think it’s a natural reaction as fans to trash on players if they aren’t living up to whatever expectations or hype. Moving forward, as Hamlin regains his health, I want to resist both of these impulses out of respect for these dudes who suit up and play this sport out of passion.

They assume risks in order to make a living playing a game they love that can ultimately prove deadly. I’m going to respect the players more because of that.

Yes, I want my Seahawks to decisively win this game on Sunday. I would love nothing more than a blowout win for Seattle, but I also want every guy who suits up to walk off that field okay. This is how I want to be as a fan more these days, and I cannot personally stand Jalen Ramsey as a player.

So, how do I think this game finishes?

As much as I want to see a dominant finish by Seattle, I think this is probably going to be pretty hard fought between both clubs. I see Seattle winning it, and closing out their season with a winning record, but I think it’s likely to be a 23-17 type of finish than a 23-6 one we saw last Sunday against the Jets.

I think the Seahawks defense is playing well enough that, even without Brooks at linebacker, they can give Baker Mayfield fits at Lumen Field with the noise of the fans behind them, and hold Cam Akers in check enough, but I think Sean McVay is still a master offensive play caller, and there is likely going to be times where the Rams get things going well enough on offense to make any Seahawk fan nervous. Get ready to feel those nerves flowing if you want Seattle to win this.

Offensively, I expect Seattle to stay with the run in this one, and at times, it’s could feel frustrating, but as the game wears on, I think we see Walker breaking big gains on the ground, and we are likely to see another efficient game out of Geno Smith throwing off of the play action opportunities. It might not always feel pretty because this Rams defense will put up a fight, but if Seattle wins, it will feel right.

I’m down for the Seahawks to feel right in this one, and hold off a bitter opponent intent on playing spoiler. I’m thinking this is likely going to be a great game to watch, and my hope is that it is hard fought, but everyone comes out of it okay.

Because I would imagine that every one of these guys probably has a momma who says a prayer before every game that her baby comes out of it okay.

This is what I hope, anyways.

Go Hawks.

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

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

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

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

Oh, what a massive difference a win feels!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Go Hawks!

For the life of me, I cannot think of a bigger non conference regular season game for these Seattle Seahawks to have played in over the years than this game against the New York Football Jets on New Year’s Day in Seattle. Sure, the game this season against Denver was massive because of Russell Wilson returning to town, but this game against the Jets is for all the marbles for both teams.

The team that wins keeps their playoff hopes alive for another final week in the NFL, and the team that loses will see their playoff chances vanquished into the ether. Therefore, this is precisely a playoff game in the regular season.

It is also a do or die match that is full of intriguing back stories. Let’s look at a few key subplots.

The New York Jets were the team that drafted Geno Smith to be their franchise quarterback after Mark Sanchez, and they gave up on him way too early. While he would never characterize this as a revenge game, beating the team that basically sentenced him to the life of a career backup up until this year would have to be pretty damn meaningful on top of keeping Seattle’s playoff hopes alive.

Conversely, the Jets are coached by Robert Saleh who was a one time Pete Carroll disciple in Seattle during the Super Bowl years, and then kind of became a bitter enemy of the Seahawks when he became the defensive coordinator of the 49ers under Kyle Shanahan. Whenever pressed about his days in Seattle, Saleh almost always down plays them a bit as he did this week again. Who knows how things stand between him and his former boss, I’m sure there remains a degree of respect and adoration, but I can imagine he would like nothing better than to roll into town with his top end defense and put a beatdown on Carroll’s Seahawks like a Sith apprentice burying his demonically red light saber through the back of his Master.

There’s even a jaded history between each team’s front offices with how the Jets’ GM absolutely fleeced Seattle with the whole Jamal Adams trade. I suspect that behind closed doors with no recording devices around, John Schneider probably throws darts at a picture of Pete Carroll for having him send two first round picks, a third, and starting safety Bradley McDougald to the Jets for often injured Adams who is clearly neither Kam Chancellor nor Earl Thomas, but who knows. Either way, there probably isn’t a day that goes by that Jet’s GM Joe Douglas doesn’t laugh his ass off whenever the subject of the Seahawks comes up.

Adding even further intrigue into this game is the battle of the two rookie phenom corners in the Jets’ Sauce Gardner and the Seahawks’ Tariq Woolen both battling for DROY. No doubt both players want to show up big in this one, and not be outdone by the other.

Adding even further and further cornerback intrigue into this game is one time Seahawk stud corner DJ Reed who was low balled by John Schneider in free agency last Spring, signed with the Jets, and playing his MF’ing ass off this year. Double no doubt he wants to show Seattle they made the wrong call on him.

Also on the Jets’ roster are former Seahawk offensive tackles Duane Brown and George Fant. I bet they want to stick it to Seattle, as well.

Geno Smith wants revenge but won’t ever say it, DJ Reed wants it too and probably would, Sauce and Tariq want to out do each other, and Robert Saleh wants to end his old boss’s coaching career.. all this Sunday… and each team have EVERYTHING TO PLAY FOR.

Who does not want to watch this game?

Only the most half assed football fan wouldn’t want to watch this one, and that’s fair. I’m a half assed baseball fan.

So, how do I think this will go down?

I have no idea. Both teams are struggling lately, and both teams are more talented in areas where the other team isn’t. This could make for a wacky affair on New Year’s.

Seattle should have the better offense. Geno Smith is a better quarterback than Mike White, I believe. Seattle has better receivers and running back and tight ends, probably. However, Seattle has a struggling offensive line, and the Jets have one of the best defensive lines in the game, especially at defensive tackle.

The Jets have a significantly better defense than Seattle does, but Seattle’s defense feels like it has been playing a bit better lately. While I remain mildly skeptical of how much of a positive turn on this Seahawk defense is actually happening, my gut tells me that they will show up well in this one.

So, I think this game could go down to how well Mike White plays in front of a jacked up Lumen Field crowd, and how well Geno Smith can get back on track against a top defense. Geno struggled badly for a good portion in the game against the 49ers’ stellar defense, but he didn’t have Ken Walker running the ball. If Seattle can get Walker going, I think Geno could snap out of his slight funk.

Make no mistake, though, getting Ken Walker going against this defensive front won’t be easy. We need this Seattle offensive line finding it within themselves to play one of their better games, and we need Walker to be more aggressive about hitting whatever creases he sees. We also need commitment from offensive play caller Shane Waldron to stay with the run enough.

For the Seahawks to win this game, they got to be willing to make this a blood bath. The team that runs better and tackles better wins this game, and the Seahawks truly need to get back to Pete Carroll football to make that happen.

Will they?

I hope so. I want them to. I think they can. They did this two months ago against the New York Football Giants, who are better than the Football Jets.

So, in the end, sure, I will pick them. Why not?

They are playing at home with everything on the line. Now is the time for them to rise, and salvage this once promising playoff season of theirs.

Therefore, I say the Seahawks win this one with a weird 23-19 final score in a very un-pretty but yet totally satisfactory way.. because it will have been a total team effort to get it done.

On a side note; games like this one is projected to be are the biggest reason why I love football. At it’s best, it’s tough, it’s bloody, it’s awful, and thrilling, and thus victory feels well earned, and even the defeat can feel satisfactory.

I expect both teams to lay this one out all on the line, and what a way to kick in New Year’s.

Just get it done, Seahawks. Go get it.

Go Hawks!

As things stand for the Seattle Seahawks and their playoff hopes, they are in a bit of a pickle, to say the least. By analytic models, they presently stand about a thirty percent chance of making the post season, and those numbers will drop considerably if they lose at Kansas City this Saturday.

My guess is that there are probably many Seahawk fans who won’t be that disappointed. After all, Seattle wasn’t expected to be as competitive as they’ve been this year in the eyes of many, and some will argue that losing more games now means higher draft picks in the Spring, and that is ultimately better for the club in the long run.

I get that sentiment, but I can’t get fully behind that. I believe that finishing a season strong is always best for any franchise.

In 2011, the Seattle Seahawks had a losing record but they finished strong enough to make many believe that they were a few pieces away from being a contender in 2012, and that proved true. In 2021, the Seattle Mariners had a magical month of September and narrowly missed the playoffs, but the whole town could see that they were going to be a playoff team in 2022.

I think it would be awesome for these 2022 Seahawks to finish their season in a similar way, especially after a recent lackluster five game stretch of going 1-4 after getting to 6-3 by midseason. In my mind, winning out would mean that there are more answers on this team moving forward than there are questions, and 2023 means that they are just maybe a couple pieces away from being a true contender again.

So, for these very reasons, I think beating the Chiefs on the road, in what is likely the toughest environment in sports this Saturday would be awesome for these Seahawks to achieve. It will not be easy in anyway, shape, or form, and if they can pull it off, this would be the signature win for their season, without question.

Can they do it?

In simple terms, yes, I believe they can, but they most likely need a perfect game. Smart money would not bet on that, as Vegas has the Chiefs as ten point favorites.

To win, Seattle will need to turn the corner on defense with perhaps their starting middle linebacker out, and maybe starting strong safety, as well. Offensively, they will need a stellar game from their pro bowl quarterback Geno Smith, and he will be without Tyler Lockett for the first time this season. They will also need to be able to slow down a pass rush that features Chris Jones on the inside, and Frank Clark and Carlos Dunlap on the perimeters. They will also need to take care of the ball in frigid conditions of 10 degrees freezing.

If they do these things, they can stun the football world and beat these Chiefs, absolutely. A key factor in doing this is most likely going to be finding a ground game with a potentially gimpy running back situation. As I weigh that into this complex equation of victory, I find it almost comical how much is against Seattle in this one.

They are battered and struggling, their defensive scheme has not come together particularly well, their offense has fallen off, and they are traveling to a place where really good teams struggle to find wins, and they have to face the best quarterback on the planet in Patrick Mahomes on a ridiculously freezing day of football. Food poisoning would be the likely other shoe to drop in this one.

So, yeah, I’m not going to predict a win for Seattle in this one. If I had to pick a final score, my guess would be 35-24 win by the Chiefs where Geno Smith probably puts up respectable enough numbers again, but the defense does enough keystone cops routines to give the Chiefs an easy win.

But I hope I’m wrong. I really, really super duper hope that.

As a Twelve, what would possibly be a more enjoyable Christmas present than Seattle finding a way to pull off this win?

An fully electric Ford F-150 in 1980’s Seahawk colors would be the only other thing I can personally think of, and I’m pretty sure that I’m not getting that.

So, please, Seattle Seahawks.. pretty please prove me wrong in this one. Go get this win in Kansas City this Saturday.

Go Hawks!

So, I recently got into a back and forth with a friend who said she didn’t mind if the Seattle Seahawks tanked these last remaining games for the opportunity of four picks in the top fifty of next year’s draft. Admittedly, she is likely a much more casual Seahawks fan than I am, after all, it takes a special kind of devotion as a fan to start blog about your favorite team, but regardless, I couldn’t help but be surprised at the casualness of her reasoning.

I have seen other fans out there in Seahawks Twitter-Sphere sorta giving off a similar sentiment. These remarks can often be qualified with a “I don’t really care that much about the Seahawks these days because of the Mariners and Kraken, and I want them to suck so we get high draft picks to build this up right” – type of reasoning.

Here is what I would say the fatal flaw is with this sort of logic. I actually believe that these 2022 Seahawks are more talented than their record is indicating. I think Geno Smith is a pro bowl worthy quarterback, and I think he’s surrounded with enough talent on offense to score enough points to win more games than not. I also believe that while the defense has been bad lately, it actually has better talent on it than is given credit for, but that talent isn’t being matched by the scheme that coaches have been tasking them to run. I personally believe that’s on the coaches to adjust.

Therefore, I believe that it is vital for these Seahawks to finish strong this year so that team ownership knows it has the staff (or head coach) in place next year to build momentum off of, and whatever top five pick that Seattle might select by way of Denver will be properly coached up for success next year. People can think that Pete Carroll’s job is secure, and to many degrees I think that is probably accurate, but if Seattle goes 1-7 in their last eight games after a 6-3 start to the season, can anyone say for certain what Jody Allen might decide to do, especially with Sean Payton out there, or Dan Quinn? I cannot.

I also think it is equally, if not more important, for the returning players in 2023 to feel confident and bought into the program, and not feel like they will be coached by a 72 year old dude potentially on the hot seat, if brought back. Often times, when players sense the axe is near for their coach, they can check out even if it is not necessarily their intentions. Carroll doesn’t have a lot of his old guard with him anymore, and this is largely a new batch of young talent that hasn’t been with him long. Therefore, there’s not the connection to put it on the line for him like maybe there would be with other older vested players.

In my opinion, Pete Carroll doesn’t need the added pressure of going into 2023 with the feeling of playoffs or bust. If this guy is sticking around, I want him feeling the confidence of ownership behind him still, and if they slip to 7-10 to end this season after he had this team at 6-3 at one point, that could feel pretty shaky heading into the off-season, if they decide to bring him back.

Many fans have probably forgotten this storyline by now, but a year ago at this time, right around when Seattle lost to the lowly Chicago Bears at home, there was reports surfacing that Jody Allen was considering moving on from Pete, and the team fancied Dan Quinn as his replacement. Pete Carroll might have well made those reports moot in the following two weeks when Seattle handily beat the Detroit Lions, and then rolled over the Arizona Cardinals to close out the disappointing season with a flourish.

Because I remember these reports, and the feeling of mild euphoria watching Seattle smack the Cardinals down like that in the desert, and thinking that Carroll likely dodged a bullet, I have to be honest and say that part of me believes he might have to dodge a similar bullet this year, as well. That is my gut feeling when I hear thoughts of Seattle losing out.

The NFL stands for Not For Long, and Carroll has been here a looooong time, but if ownership feels like he didn’t do enough to prevent a lackluster slump through the second half of the season, he could be asked to step aside. After all, having a top five pick and a chance to select a rare blue chip player, one would think that ownership would want a coach around who isn’t being perceived as getting stale or out of touch. Selfishly, as a fan of Pete Carroll, I don’t want to see this happen to him.

Another reason why we want these Seahawks ending this show strong is to make key players on this roster want to stick around. Geno Smith has been a tremendously positive story this year in Seattle sports, but if this team continues to fall flat despite good efforts on his part, is he going to want to come back in 2023 if he feels like there is another team out there who is a veteran quarterback away from making a better run?

He is 32, after all, and might be feeling like his window to fulfill his dreams is a short one, and like Russell Wilson last year, doesn’t want to toil with a team that fell short of expectations and couldn’t figure it out. While he is likely tremendously grateful for the opportunity that Carroll gave him, he also needs to be looking at his own best interests now.

What if Tampa moves on from Tom Brady and is going to target Geno to replace him?

Geno Smith is from Miami and Tampa Bay is a heck of a lot closer to home than Seattle is. Tampa also has Vita Vea on defense and some nice receivers on offense.

Even if Seattle does want to look at adding a quarterback in this draft (or the next), the ideal scenario for this team to win next year is for Geno Smith to come back into the fold, and I think Seattle needs to show him his best interests are to remain up here. Anyone arguing against that is either overthinking things, or they are just going to carry it to their graves that Geno Smith isn’t very good even though all of his passing numbers this year say otherwise.

If Pete Carroll is coming back, he is going to want Geno Smith back, and I think that is pretty certain. If he doesn’t come back, then I think, if you are Seattle, you most likely aren’t looking at bringing Geno Smith back with a new head coach. I think you are most likely taking a quarterback next Spring with that very first pick.

If that last sentence perked you up with your coffee, and that is exactly what you want as a Seahawks fan (a new coach and quarterback scenario), I would respond by that with a classic “careful what you ask for” retort.

And let me say this, if you think there’s a better coach out there right now for Seattle other than Pete Carroll, who is it? Are you honestly going to say Dan Quinn or Sean Payton? Stop if you are, and examine, for a moment, all three of those coaches records together, and tell me who has done best in this league.

And yes, I imagine you could throw out a bunch of names of coordinators on winning teams right now, but allow me to remind that, at this time of the year last year, Nathaniel Hackett was a popular name being thrown out by some on Seahawks Twitter as a replacement for Pete. Yeah, that guy in Denver who’s everyone’s favorite boob right now, he was labeled as a bit of a genius last year when he had Aaron Rodgers and DeVante Adams to play call for.

So, sure, maybe this is exactly what a growing number of people want these days for the Seahawks. They want a new coach who will be the next Sean McVay and they want a shiny rookie quarterback who they think will be the next Patrick Mahomes. Good luck with finding either of those guys, though. There is not a Mahomes in this draft class, and there’s not exactly a Sean McVay tree to pluck another Sean McVay from.

Bryce Young from Alabama might be the next Kyler Murray (if you are into short and slight, and twitchy but maybe also potentially injury prone at the next level), and Anthony Richardson from Florida could develop into a Cam Newton type in time. Will Levis and CJ Stroud are both prospects that feel overhyped to me and will probably go in the first round but will struggle to even play up to expectations, as many quarterbacks taken in round one often do.

No, in my mind, the best path forward into 2023 for these Seahawks is to undeniably finish this season strong, and build on that momentum moving into next year. It’s important for this offense to feel like a well oiled machine again, and it’s important for this defense to better turn the corner.

It’s important to lock down their quarterback situation for the foreseeable future, and build around him, in my opinion. You do that by finishing strong, but you risk putting all of that in jeopardy by continuing to struggle and not have answers for it.

These Seattle Seahawks need these next three games to find answers. They don’t need to win all three of these games, or even sneak into the playoffs, but they need figure things out on both sides of the ball, and yes, I get that it won’t be easy with the Chiefs and Jets remaining and being without Tyler Lockett. Tough, a lot of teams are down key players now.

This is a great opportunity for them to finish strong, and truly show that they are on the positive way up instead of continuing to dwindle around in the inertia of subpar scheming, and bad discipline and fundamentals. This is the time for the coordinators to show that they can get it together, and for the players to prove they can carry it out.

Maybe the loss of Lockett forces Shane Waldron to devise more creative ways with mixing the run with the pass again, and we see better offensive balance, and execution. Maybe now Clint Hurtt adjusts his defense more into players strengths again up front instead of asking Poona Ford to be something he isn’t. Maybe now DK Metcalf won’t lose his poise at critical times in games. Maybe now Darrell Taylor won’t jump offsides in his opportunities to pass rush.

These are some of the things Seattle should look to do in these games. I could make a longer list, but the point has been made enough. I think Seattle lost games in this last month that they should have won. You can say that I’m being harsh, but Pete Carroll would say it the same way, and basically has.

What is in the past is in the past, though. Now it is in front of them to seize the opportunity to still make this season close out in the right way. Play hard, play strong, play smart, and let the chips fall where they may.

I think it is possible for them to still make a decent go at it, and push for the playoffs. I believe that is out there for them, and whether or not they get into the post season is immaterial in my mind. What’s important is that they close this out with a feeling that 2023 is going to be special instead of another pile of who-the-fuck-knows with this team.

I want to wake up the morning after that last game against the Rams feeling like “oh hell yes, we are onto something special for next year.” That’s the feeling I want most of the Twelves to feel, and I’m sure that the team wants that, as well.

So, yeah. I think finishing strong is hugely important. I think it’s vital.

Go Hawks.