Last night the Seattle Seahawks acquired former Pro-Bowl tight end Kellen Winslow from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a conditional , late-round draft pick (it will be either a 6^th or 7^th rounder).   Winslow has been a highly productive football player, and as pointed out in an article written by Brock Huard, would have shattered Seahawk records for receiving yards and receptions for a tight end in five of his eight seasons.  The Seahawks have been looking to add a tight end in the wake of John Carlson’s departure to Minnesota, and I don’t think they could have done much better than bringing Winslow into the fold.

Winslow is a very athletic player, who can create matchup nightmares for linebackers and strong safeties.  His frame (he’s 6 foot 4, 240 pounds), hands, and toughness make him ideal for running routes over the middle, and there are few in the league who are better at it.  In all five of the seasons in which he has played in 16 games, he has lead his team in receptions, and he has posted staggering career highs (89 catches in 2006, and 1,106 yards in 2007) for a tight end.  Also, keep in mind that Winslow has never played on a playoff team, my point being that he has been productive despite often having less- than-stellar talent around him.

Last season, the Seahawk offense took off when Marshawn Lynch and the offensive line became comfortable with the new running scheme installed by new assistant head coach Tom Cable.  A staple of the scheme is formations with two tight ends.  Winslow’s addition alongside the sturdy, blocking-oriented Zach Miller will allow the Seahawks to be far more effective as a passing team in this formation.  Teams frequently packed their defense along the line of scrimmage when facing two Seahawk tight ends toward the end of last year.  Winslow’s speed and receiving ability make him a natural target for play-action passes from these sets.

The Seahawks are one of the youngest teams in the league, and they showed dramatic improvement across the board as last season progressed.  The defense has the potential to become one of the league’s best, and the running game was one of the league’s best during the second half of last season.  Seattle brought in a new quarterback, Matt Flynn, and now has given him a security blanket by adding an upper-echelon receiving tight end.  The addition of Winslow looks like an excellent one, and could be the final piece the Seahawks need to become a playoff team.

Head Coach Pete Carroll and General Manager John Schneider deserve a pat on the back for Winslow’s acquisition.  This move will likely slide largely under the radar of the national sports media, but could prove to be among the best deals of the 2012 NFL offseason.

The Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals are two of the hottest teams in football, but both were eliminated from playoff contention last week.  Much like the Seahawks, the Cardinals are a team looking to the future, and were another team that suffered greatly because of the lockout (not as much preseason time to practice).  Sunday’s season-ending matchup should be an entertaining game, but at this stage of the season, a loss would actually benefit both teams more than a win.

A loss would mean a better draft pick and an easier schedule for next year, but fortunately for Seahawks viewers,  I don’t think Seattle will be packing it in for the season.  They’ve proved during the second half of the season (in my eyes) that they will be a contender next year, and they’ve been ruining their draft position for weeks by winning games.  Instead, Pete Carroll and the Hawks will be shooting for an 8-8 record and will be looking to carry their momentum into the off-season.

Arizona has switched into a 3-4 defense this year, and had a difficult adjustment period.  During their last eight games though, the Cardinal defense has allowed 23 points or less in every game, holding five opponents under 20 points.  With a powerful defensive line and emerging cornerback Patrick Peterson, Arizona will present some problems for the Seahawk offense.  As both teams have physical defenses and power-running games, most of the game will be decided in the battle at the line of scrimmage.

Peterson also brings a ton of talent to Arizona’s special teams.  He has returned four punts for touchdowns this year, and has lived up the high expectations that come with being a top-5 draft pick.

Marshawn Lynch has now scored a touchdown in eleven consecutive games, a new franchise record.  Last week, Lynch scored the first rushing touchdown scored against the 49ers this season.  He is the heart and soul of the Seattle offense, and will see a steady dose of the rock again this Sunday.  Lynch’s endurance and tenacity running the ball wears defenses down.  When this happens, Seattle performs exceedingly well in the second half of games, and Tarvaris Jackson looks like a solid quarterback.  When Lynch is slowed down, Jackson has struggled to carry the offense.  ”Beast Mode” is a free agent at the end of the year, and retaining him will be a priority for the Seahawks.

The Seahawks have relied heavily on the legs and willpower of Marshawn Lynch this year.

On offense, the Cardinals utilize the talents of perennial All-Pro receiver Larry Fitzgerald.  What is not clear is who will be throwing him the ball this week.  Regular starter Kevin Kolb has suffered a number of injuries and is listed as doubtful for the game.  If he’s unable to go, backup John Skelton will get the nod.  During the first three quarters of games, Skelton has looked very much like a backup.  However, he has lead several fourth quarter-comebacks this year, so the Seahawks will need to maintain their focus defensively until the final whistle blows.

This week, the results of Pro Bowl voting were announced, with several Seahawks getting recognition.  Free Safety Earl Thomas will start for the NFC.  He is one of the rangiest players in the league, finishing second on the team in tackles despite often patrolling the deep middle of the field in pass coverage.  Cornerback Brandon Browner and Strong Safety Kam Chancellor are first alternates for the NFC.  Seattle having potentially three Pro-Bowlers in the secondary was not something anyone in their right mind could have predicted at the beginning of the season.  The one thing that baffles me is that Marshawn Lynch was selected as the second alternate at running back (essentially 5th overall in the NFC).  I find it hard to believe that there are four better running backs than him in the NFC, but maybe it will help keep him hungry to improve.

The Seahawks have played entertaining football during the second half of the season, and that should continue this week.  Hopefully they can kick off the new year with a win.  Go Hawks!

When the 49ers beat the Seahawks during their season-opening matchup, I thought the game was a bit of a fluke.  The 49ers’ Ted Ginn returned a kickoff and a punt for touchdowns late in the fourth quarter to end a Seahawk rally.  Since then, the 49ers have raced out to an 11-3 start, and are perhaps the most surprising team in the NFL.  They place an emphasis on running the ball, focus on winning the turnover battle, and are very stout defensively against the run.  Doesn’t that formula sound familiar?

When the Niners and Hawks play this Saturday, both teams will have a lot at stake.  Seattle needs to win its remaining two games to have a chance to make the playoffs, and the 49ers are battling with the Saints to secure a first-round bye.  Seattle’s resurgent defense will likely give the rarely-explosive 49er offense problems, and I also expect the 49ers’ defense to make the Seahawks struggle at times.  All of this adds up to another game that will probably be decided by the turnover battle – which is something both teams excel at.  The 49ers have the best turnover margin in the NFL and the Seahawks are now up to 5^th best in the league.

Marshawn Lynch has been arguably the best running back in the league during the second half of the season, but he will be up against a defense which has not allowed a single rushing touchdown this year.  The San Francisco defense has been one of the league’s best, lead by stars like Patrick Willis, Justin Smith, and NaVorro Bowman.  I don’t expect Lynch to post huge numbers, but he will need to get something going to provide Seattle with the balance they need to be successful on offense.

The Seahawks face one of the NFL's best defenses this Saturday when they take on the San Francisco 49ers.

Additionally, Tarvaris Jackson will need to take extra care of the ball.  The 49ers’ quarterback, Alex Smith, has thrown the fewest interceptions of any quarterback who has started every game for his team this year (just 5), and as mentioned above, the ‘Niners excel at forcing turnovers.  Because of San Francisco’s focus on stuffing the run, the success of the Seattle offense will probably go as Tarvaris Jackson goes.  He needs to try to sustain drives, convert third-downs, and get into third down-and-short situations.  Essentially, he needs to out-manage Smith throughout the game.

San Francisco is NOT explosive on offense.  They run the ball well behind a big, mean offensive line, and have some decent weapons to throw to in Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis.  Running back Frank Gore had a wonderful start to this season, but has been hobbled by injuries.  After reeling off five consecutive 100-yard rushing performances in the middle of the season, Gore hasn’t reached the 100-yard mark in the 49ers’ last six games.  Seattle should (much like the 49ers will) focus on slowing down the opposing running game to force more throws.  The Seahawks’ secondary, which is the youngest in the NFL, has really emerged during the second half of the season.  They have accounted for 16 of Seattle’s 21 interceptions (Seattle is tied with San Francisco for 2^nd most interceptions in the league), and have matured visibly during the season.  Once the weakness of the defense, Pete Carroll and the coaching staff have turned the Seattle defensive backfield into a strength.

Seattle cornerbacks Richard Sherman and Brandon Browner have had breakout rookie seasons in the NFL.

This Christmas Eve showdown will have the feel of a classic NFL game: a December game between division rivals with playoff implications.  There will be hard hits, lots of emphasis on running the ball, and ball security will be at a premium.  Tune in for what should be the best game of the season in the NFC West.

The Chicago Bears lead 14-7 at halftime, and looked to have the Seahawk offense on its heels.  The Seahawks responded by playing their best half of the season, and outscoring Chicago 31-0 during the third and fourth quarters.  The second half comeback was a complete team effort, with two offensive touchdowns, two defensive touchdowns, and a Steven Hauschka 33-yard field goal.  On offense, the Seahawks remained extremely balanced, passing the ball 31 times and rushing the ball 33 times.  Defensively, the Hawks recorded four sacks, four interceptions, nine deflected passes, and returned interceptions by Red Bryant and Brandon Browner for touchdowns.

“Why the tale of two halves?” you might ask.  The Bears’ starting quarterback, Caleb Hanie, has not won a game since taking over for Jay Cutler four weeks ago against Oakland.  When the game was close, the Bears were able to play conservatively on offense, and not put Hanie in positions where he might make crucial mistakes.  Additionally, the Bears scored a defensive touchdown when a hit from Julius Peppers forced Tarvaris Jackson to fumble the ball in the end zone.  The ball was eventually recovered by the Bears for a touchdown.  The offense was kept largely in check by the Chicago defense, and Seattle was never really able to build up much momentum.

Like they have in many games this season, however, Seattle came out of half time the better team.  Jackson marched the offense 80 yards on five plays to open the second half with a touchdown, and the Seahawks never looked back.  Seattle scored on three of its first four drives in the second half, largely thanks to Jackson’s efficiency.  He finished the game 19 for 31 passing for 227 yards and a touchdown, which was necessary on a day that Marshawn Lynch was held to just 40 rushing yards (though he did score two touchdowns).  Jackson missed a couple open throws, but was his patient, chain-moving self, completing passes to ten different receivers.  He has really adjusted well to Pete Carroll’s style of football, and is giving the Seahawks a good chance of winning games.  While many people want investment in the quarterback position during the offseason, I’m not sure the Seahawks will be able to find anyone right away that will play better than Jackson can.

Tarvaris Jackson has minimized his mistakes and has become an extremely efficient passer during the second half of the season.

The Seahawk defense forced three interceptions and four punts out of the Bears in the second half, while not allowing them to score.  As the Seahawk lead grew and the Bears were force to be more aggressive on offense, the Bears began making mistakes.  The Seahawks overcame Jackson’s early fumble to win the turnover battle 5 to 1 against Chicago, forcing over 1/3 of the Bears’ drives to end via turnover.  In the Seahawks’ hot streak during the last six weeks, only the Redskins have topped 17 points against the Seattle defense, and they only had seven points entering the fourth quarter.  With more time to develop (this year and into the next few years), the Seattle defense has a legitimate chance of becoming a perennial top-10 or even a top-5 defense.  Although I hate to play the “if we had done this” or “if we wouldn’t have done that” game, it really is too bad Seattle lost a few close games earlier this year.  The Hawks are one of the hottest teams in the league, and had they won a game or two more, would be the team everyone wanted to avoid entering the playoffs.

The Seattle defense was too much for the Bears to handle, as the Chicago offense scored just 7 points.

Regardless of whether they make the playoffs this year or not, playing winning football the way the Seahawks are breathes life into Seahawk Nation, and suggests there is a bright future ahead.  I’m happy the Seahawks have given Pete Carroll a chance to rebuild the team from scratch, and just hope he and general manager John Schneider continue making good personnel decisions.

The Chicago game was a wonderful performance by the Seahawks, and hopefully at least two more such performances are on the way this year.

Sunday’s NFC matchup between the Seattle Seahawks and the Chicago Bears pits two teams heading in opposite directions.  After recording a 30-13 thrashing of the St. Louis Rams on Monday Night Football last week, the Seahawks have won four of their last five games.  Offense, defense, and special teams have all started to gel for Seattle, and their wins are coming as complete team efforts.  Conversely, the Bears have lost three in a row since losing their starting quarterback, Jay Cutler, to a broken thumb.  The Bears also are likely to be without the services of their star running back Matt Forte, who is out with a knee injury.

Momentum and injuries certainly seem to point to another victory for the Seahawks, but I say not so fast.  Though it is true that the Bears offense is decimated by injuries to their two most important players, the Bears have recently made it as far as even the Super Bowl without having much offense.  Instead, they rely heavily on their star-studded defense and special teams to make big plays.

Chicago's return man, Devin Hester, is one of the most electrifying players in league history.

Chicago’s return man, Devin Hester, is the BEST returner in NFL history.  In his 6^th season in the NFL, Hester already is the record holder for most career returns for touchdowns, and is a threat to go the distance every single time he touches the ball.  Though I could show a bunch of his NFL highlights, I’d rather you look at this play of him in college to get the picture.  Many NFL experts argue that he should make the NFL Hall of Fame as a return man although he often has only played a few plays per game.  If Hester doesn’t make a big return, Seattle’s chances of winning will skyrocket – but that’s a BIG “if.”  Expect the Seahawks to try to punt the ball out of bounds to limit his opportunities.

Additionally, the Bears are able to maximize Hester’s game-breaking abilities because of their defense.  Lead by perennial Pro-Bowlers Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs, and Julius Peppers, the Bears defense is always one of the league’s stingiest, and also one of the best at forcing turnovers.  Urlacher and Briggs are classic Bears linebackers: tough, intelligent, sideline-to-sideline players who bring the pain for four quarters.  Peppers is just a freak of nature (and yes, that’s him playing college basketball for North Carolina in the video).  The man is 6’7, 300 pounds, but runs around with the explosiveness of many running backs.  He is a future Hall of Famer, and is the difference-maker for the Bears on defense.  If the announcers aren’t calling his name much, odds are Seattle will be winning.  Still, I worry about Peppers’ chances against a Seahawk offensive line that has three starters out of the season.  He is perhaps the most difficult defensive player in the league to contain, and he might get to know Tarvaris Jackson a little too well for my liking in this game.

Julius Peppers is the difference-maker for the Bears on defense.

I haven’t talked much about the Seahawks yet, but that’s a good thing.  Seattle has found a formula for success: win the turnover battle, run the ball, play solid defense.  We have a pretty good idea of what to expect from the Seahawks based on their recent performances, and it will just be a matter of execution against the Bears.  If Lynch can get the offense moving on the ground, I think Seattle will continue their hot streak.  The Bears offense won’t do much because of their injuries, but expect a low-scoring, physical game that comes down to the fourth quarter.  The Bears, a game ahead of the Seahawks in the standings, are also fighting for their playoff lives, so both teams will try to pull out all the stops to get the win in this one.

The Seattle Seahawks continued their hot streak by smashing the St. Louis Rams 30-13 on Monday Night Football.  The Seahawk defense was rarely challenged by the Rams, and after Seattle scored on a blocked punt in the first quarter, the Rams were never able to mount a serious comeback.  There were plenty of mistakes by both teams, but Seattle was clearly better when all was said and done.

Rookie sensation Doug Baldwin got things started for Seattle by blocking St. Louis punter Donnie Jones’ kick (Baldwin also had 7 catches for 93 yards and a touchdown).  Fullback and special teamer Michael Robinson was right behind Baldwin, and he scooped up the ball and rumbled into the end zone to give Seattle a lead it would never relinquish.  The rest of the first half was a defensive struggle, with Seattle going into the locker room at half time with a 10-3 lead.

Things didn’t look much better at the beginning of the third quarter, as both teams were able to muster field goals but struggled on offense.  However, Tarvaris Jackson and Marshawn Lynch finally got rolling near the end of the third quarter.  After Leon Washington’s kick return put Seattle at midfield, Jackson completed three passes for fifty yards including a 29-yard touchdown pass to Baldwin.  The touchdown extended Seattle’s lead to 20-6 and virtually ended any chance the Rams had of making a comeback.

Tarvaris Jackson found Doug Baldwin for the touchdown that put the game out of reach for the Rams.

After another Steven Hauschka field goal, the Rams were able to score a late touchdown thanks to several penalties on the Seattle secondary.  However, Marshawn Lynch’s 16-yard touchdown scamper less than two minutes later finished off the Rams and sparked a skittle hailstorm in the end zone (for more on this click here).  Take a look at the skittles and bags of skittles thrown in this video: Lynch’s touchdown against the Rams.

As a Seahawk fan, I was frustrated at many of the penalties and blown plays I saw my team commit last night.  Despite the 30-13 final score, it was evident to me that it could, and perhaps should have been a much larger blowout.  The Rams are one of the league’s worst teams, and have now scored four offensive touchdowns in their last six games.  The Ram defense is not rated much better than the Ram offense, and has TEN injured cornerbacks.  How the Seahawk failed to wipe the field with them in the first half somewhat puzzled me, but I never felt like the Rams could actually win the game.

Although the Seattle offense struggled in the first half, Jackson finished 21 of 34 passing for 224 yards and a touchdown.  He recorded his second best passer rating of the year (96.4), and had the offense moving well in the second half.  Running back Marshawn Lynch recorded his fifth 100-yard rushing game out of his last six games, and scored a touchdown for the ninth consecutive game.  The balance Seattle has started to find bodes well for the Seahawks’ chances in their last three games of the season.

Despite committing a few pass interference penalties, the Seahawk defense had a stellar night against the Rams.  They held Sam Bradford (though he played with a sprained ankle) to just 12 completions out of 29 attempts, and Brandon Browner picked him off to record his fifth interception of the year.  The box score says the Rams rushed for 114 yards, but about 50 of those yards came in garbage time as the Rams ran out the clock.  Star running back Steven Jackson was largely bottled up, rushing 20 times for just 63 yards.  The one player who burned the Seahawks on a few occasions was receiver Brandon Lloyd, but the Rams only completed five of the twelve passes thrown his way.

Sam Bradford and the Rams were roughed up by the Seahawks.

The Rams were not much of a test for the Seahawks, and Seattle was able to take an early lead and stay ahead for the rest of the game.  There certainly is room for improvement for the Seahawks, but it is clear that they are a much improved team from where they were at the beginning of the season. With the youngest starting lineup in the league, the Seahawks are a team that is built for the future, but it fun to see them start to get closer to reaching their potential.

The Seattle Seahawks have won three of their last four games (and blew a ten point lead in the 4^th quarter of the one they lost), and are one of the hottest teams in the second half of the season in the NFL.  Much of this revival has centered around the emergence of Marshawn Lynch and the Seahawk running game.  Lynch had no 100-yard rushing games by Week 8, and had just three touchdowns.  In the five games since, Lynch has four 100-yard games and six total touchdowns.  This week, Lynch and the Seahawks will look to punish the NFL’s worst rush defense.

The Rams have had a disappointing, injury-plagued season.  Predicted by many to win the NFC West this year, the Rams have instead lost 10 of their 12 games.  Promising quarterback Sam Bradford has played through a number of nagging injuries this year, but has thrown just six touchdowns in his nine starts.  St. Louis is 28^th in the league (out of the 32 teams) in passing yards, and 27^th in rushing yards, so it is not a surprise that the Rams rank last in the NFL in points scored (just 11.7 per game).

Chris Clemons (pictured here) and the Seahawks will look to get after the Rams' young quarterback, Sam Bradford.

The Seahawks manhandled the Rams three weeks ago in a 24-7 win at St. Louis.  With the location shifting to Seattle’s hostile CenturyLink Field, things won’t get easier for the Rams.  The last time the Rams played in Seattle, they mustered just 7 points, and lost the division to the Seahawks.

One thing I’m going to be looking at closely is the Seahawk receiving corps.  With Sidney Rice out for the season, Golden Tate saw more action last week, and responded with a few nice catches and a touchdown.  The second-year player out of Notre Dame is excellent in the open field, and the Seahawks had high hopes for him when they selected him in the 2^nd round of last year’s draft.  Tate hasn’t produced much in his short NFL career, but he will likely be given an opportunity to show what he can do for the rest of the season.

Coming in to this year, I assumed Rice would be the team’s top pass-catcher.  I thought he’d perfectly complement his giant teammate Mike Williams, who lead the team in receptions and receiving yards last year.  Unfortunately for Williams, he has struggled with injuries this year (like Rice), and is 8^th on the team in catches, hauling in just 14 passes this year.  With undrafted rookie Doug Baldwin running most of the routes from the slot, there is room on the field for either Tate or Ben Obamanu to stake a claim for extensive playing time.

Seattle head coach Pete Carroll has the team firing on all cylinders during the second half of the season.

On the other side of the ball, the Seahawk secondary has continued to show signs of development.  Richard Sherman was pressed into the starting lineup because of injuries to Marcus Trufant and Walter Thurmond, but has played well.  The 6’3 rookie cornerback has paired with the 6’4 Brandon Browner to give Seattle one of the biggest and most physical corner duos in the league.  As the cornerback play has improved, they have teamed with second-year safeties Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas to become one of the more promising secondaries in the league.  Once a weakness of the defense, the Seahawk secondary has begun to force turnovers and lock down opposing passing games.  If they continue to improve, the Seahawks will have one of the top defenses in the league.

6'4 Brandon Browner (number 39) and 6'3 Richard Sherman (number 25) comprise one of the most physically imposing pairs of cornerbacks in the league.

Playing in front of a national audience on Monday Night Football, the Seahawks are likely to demolish the Rams and continue their winning ways.  However, it seems every time I make a score prediction the Seahawks lose – so I’ll refrain out of superstition.  There’s nothing like CenturyLink Field, and there’s nothing like football in December.  I can’t wait to watch the game on TV while I wish I was screaming in the stands.  Go Hawks!

Marshawn Lynch and the Seattle Seahawk offensive line made quick work of the Philadelphia Eagles during their nationally televised matchup last night.  Lynch ran for 148 yards on 22 carries, and had touchdowns on a trademark, 15-yard battle of a run as well as on a 40-yard scamper along the right sideline.  The Seahawks continually knocked the Eagles off the ball and exposed them for what they are on defense: undersized.  Lynch, the NFL’s leading rusher in November, dominated the game from its outset, and picked up hard-earned yard after yard.  He describes his playing style as “Beast Mode,” and you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who can more accurately sum up his recent performances.

Besides Lynch’s outstanding play, Seattle also received an efficient night from quarterback Tarvaris Jackson.  Jackson completed 13 of 16 passes he attempted, throwing a touchdown and no interceptions.  With the success Lynch was having on the ground, the Eagles  were often burned by play-action passes and 2^nd-year receiver Golden Tate.  Tate, starting in place of injured Sidney Rice, caught Jackson’s touchdown pass with a tremendous leaping grab in the back of the end zone, and recorded several other nice runs after catches.

Golden Tate's leaping touchdown grab put the Seahawks ahead 24-7 in the 3rd quarter.

Eagles quarterback Vince Young struggled heavily against the Seattle defense, throwing four interceptions.  Young made several terrible decisions by trying to force the ball to covered receivers.  His last interception iced the game as linebacker David Hawthorne returned it 77 yards for a touchdown.  Besides last week’s 4^th quarter meltdown against the Redskins, the Seattle defense has been outstanding in the last four games, allowing only Washington to score more than 20 points (23).

In a post-game interview on NFL network, Pete Carroll confirmed that the current Seahawk formula is a physical running game, efficient passing, and focusing on winning the turnover battle.  Last night, the Seahawks were +4 in turnover margin, ran over Philly’s defense, and received a season-best passer rating from Tarvaris Jackson (his rating was 137 – only Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, and Drew Brees average a rating better than 100).  With as much roster turnover as the Seahawks have had over the past two seasons, it is not surprising that it has taken a while for them to develop an identity as a team.  However, they have recently shown that they can excel under the scheme being employed by the coaching staff.  What could possibly be more encouraging?

The Seahawks are buying into Pete Carroll and his coaching style, and they're starting to get wins as a result.

Before the season started, I honestly expected the Seahawks to be about where they are right now at 5 wins and 7 losses.  They have the youngest starting lineup in the league, a new quarterback, tons of injuries, and tons of new starters.  Moving forward, there should be considerable improvement as they mature, and they already are showing signs of marked improvement.  One place this was particularly evident was in the season-low five penalties the Seahawks committed last night.  Seattle is the 2^nd most penalized team in the NFL (behind the Oakland Raiders), and has suffered mightily as a result.  As they start minimizing their mistakes, it is only natural that they start winning more games.  With another year or two to develop and learn Pete Carroll’s system, I’m excited to see how good this team will become.

Last night’s romp over the Eagles showed what the Seahawks are capable of being: a physical, mistake-free team that won’t beat itself.  In his days coaching USC, Pete Carroll coached some of the most talented teams college football has ever seen.  His 2004 team that won the National Championship attempted more runs than passes, had a positive turnover margin, and featured nine future NFL players on the starting defense.  Sure, Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush won Heisman trophies playing under Carroll, but Carroll’s teams all were particularly physical and never lost sight of the running game.  It’s how he had success at the collegiate level, and he’s starting to have success with this game plan at the NFL level.  I can’t wait to see him have another offseason to find more personnel that fit his scheme and to develop the players he’s already put into the lineup.

Although Seattle’s playoff chances are quite slender, they have become so much more fun to watch than in the beginning of the season.  Why?  They’re WINNING and winning by forcing other teams to play Seahawk-style football.  I can’t wait to see them host the Rams next week – I think the Rams will be in for a long night.

Seahawk nation has endured three consecutive losing seasons, and this year might be a fourth straight.  However, things are clearly starting to turn around for the franchise.  If more performances like the one the Seahawks had against the Eagles are in store, losses will start to be fewer and farther in between.  Let’s hope the improvement continues.

Frustrating to watch.  Periodically brilliant (especially against the Giants).  Terribly injured.  We’re talking about the Seahawks… AND the Eagles.  The Eagles had their sights set on the Super Bowl this year after several high-caliber free agent signings.  Newly-acquired quarterback Vince Young even dubbed Philadelphia “the dream team” in an over-cited quote because of the star power on their roster.

Along with Young, who is the team’s backup quarterback (but is currently starting because of an injury to Michael Vick), the Eagles signed Pro Bowl cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, Pro Bowl defensive end Jason Babin, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Cullen Jenkins , Ronnie Brown, and Ryan Harris.  The Eagles won the NFC East last season, and added what appeared to be enough talent to push them to the top of the NFC.  To give you an idea of what these signings did for their defense, the Eagles were rated as the 2^nd best fantasy football defense this year before the season – which signifies that they were predicted to have the 2nd best combination of interceptions, sacks, fumble recoveries, and fewest points allowed (only trailing the Steelers).

Unfortunately for the Eagles, things haven’t worked out so well.  Star quarterback Michael Vick has failed to play as well as he did last year, though he has had injury after injury to various parts of his body.  The Eagles have blown FIVE 4^th quarter leads this season, and are arguably underachieving more than any team in the league.

Philadelphia's electrifying quarterback Michael Vick has taken some horrific hits this year, and will miss the game against Seattle.

What makes matters worse for Philly this week is they will be without Michael Vick, star receiver Jeremy Maclin, and cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.  Additionally, NFL rushing leader LeSean McCoy is questionable for the game with a sprained toe.  He says he will play, but he might be limited a bit.

I bet Seattle will focus on stopping the run (as usual) and force Vince Young to beat them.  Seattle has somewhat of a weak pass rush, which doesn’t matter against Young.  Young is at his best on the move, and was a prolific rusher in college.  Blitzing him (which often forces him to rush outside the pocket) isn’t as good of an option as it might be against other quarterbacks.  He was one of my favorite collegiate players ever.  However, Young does not pass the ball with great efficiency, and has thrown more interceptions in his NFL career than touchdowns.  Expect the Seahawks to play run and stay in heavy coverage to force Young to be a pocket passer.

Offensively, Seattle will be without the services of their talented receiver Sidney Rice.  Rice was placed on the injured reserve list this week due to suffering two concussions just a few weeks apart.  Tarvaris Jackson continued to struggle with his injured pectoral muscle last week, and hasn’t been at his best the last couple weeks.  Because of this, I”d be shocked if the majority of the offense didn’t go through Marshawn Lynch again.  Lynch leads the NFL in rushing since Week 9, and has scored a touchdown in his last six games.  After a slow start to the season, I think Lynch has emerged as the central ingredient in the Seahawk offense, and could have a big game against the quick, but undersized Eagle defense.

Marshawn Lynch's stellar play has revived the Seahawk rushing attack.

The betting lines favor the Eagles by a couple points, but several ESPN experts have picked Seattle to win.  Grab some popcorn and watch what has the makings of a very evenly-matched game.

Everything seemed to be going smoothly for the Seahawks.  After a touchdown pass from Tarvaris Jackson to Golden Tate made the score 17-7 with under ten minutes left in the 4^th quarter, I assumed that the game was over.  The Redskins, however, made an improbable and somewhat miraculous comeback.

The Redskins pieced together a drive that ended on a stunning run by rookie running back Roy Helu.  Helu broke around the right end of the line, hurdled one Seahawk defender, broke the tackle of another, and galloped in 28 yards for a touchdown.

After the Seahawks failed to tack more points on the board, the Redskins shocked Seattle again when Rex Grossman threw up a wishful 50-yard pass that was caught in the end zone by receiver Anthony Armstrong.  The two quick Redskin touchdowns were especially shocking considering how well they had been bottled up by the Seahawk defense prior to the fourth quarter.

Marshawn Lynch had another big game for the Seahawks, but was unable to get much support from Tarvaris Jackson and Seattle passing attack.  Lynch finished the game with 111 yards on 24 carries and also caught a 20 yard touchdown pass.  The problem was that Jackson completed less than 50% of his passes for just 144 yards.  There have yet to be many performances by the offense where both Lynch AND Jackson have good games at the same time.

Marshawn Lynch has continued to carry a heavy load for the Seahawk offense.

Seattle’s passing game is frustratingly inconsistent.  Sidney Rice left the game against the Redskins with another head injury (potentially his second concussion in 15 days), and Jackson is still trying to fully heal from his injured pectoral muscle.  He is noticeably not 100% as some of his passes lack the zip that he is capable of putting on them, and the sooner he gets healthy, the better.  Charlie Whitehurst had several opportunities to play earlier this year, and did not make the most of them, so Jackson is definitely the guy for now.

Defensively, one area where Seattle struggled was putting pressure on Rex Grossman.  Grossman is known for erratic play, and threw two interceptions against the Seahawks.  However, he also threw for 314 yards and two touchdowns.  I wish the Seahawks had been in his face more, as it could have forced him into more hurried decisions and more turnovers.  Pass rush has been an issue for the Seahawks outside of defensive end Chris Clemons.  If he is held in check, opposing quarterbacks have been able to sit in the pocket and take their time making reads.

The only real standout for the Seahawks on defense yesterday was Red Bryant.  He blocked a field goal and an extra point, bringing his total number of blocked kicks on the season to four.  I’ve never seen anyone have so much success blocking kicks.

Aside from an off day from Tarvaris Jackson and a sub-par defensive effort in the fourth quarter, penalties were the other major issue for Seattle.  The Seahawks were called for 13 penalties, and continue to be one of the most penalized teams in the NFL.  This is hardly surprising considering the vast amount of roster turnover Seattle has had and the fact that Seattle is the third-youngest team in the league.  Still, this is an area that needs improvement if the Seahawks hope to win games.

The loss against the Redskins virtually ends any chance the Seahawks had of getting involved in the playoff picture.  Pete Carroll will still be coaching for wins, but I’d expect to see more playing time for backups, rookies, and young players.  Carroll will want to see what everyone has to offer and develop future starters.  Another thing to keep in mind is every additional win the Seahawks record will lower their draft pick.  I’m not sure whether I hope they lose the rest of their games to get a player like Matt Barkley in the first round, or whether they win a few more, finish around .500, and get a mediocre draft position.

Sunday’s loss was another disheartening, disappointing experience for fans.  It’s tough to be upbeat after results like the Redskins game.  The only thing I keep in mind is that the team is focused on the FUTURE.  The Seahawks weren’t supposed to make any sort of playoff run this year, and really do have a nice young core of players to build around.