Defending The Seahawks On This Kenneth Walker Pick

Posted on May 4, 2022 by dunderhead99

There’s a weird consensus around what the Seattle Seahawks did in this 2022 NFL Draft. People seem to be heartened by the fact that the Seahawks filled some very important holes, and they did so by not reaching. You didn’t hear a lot of chatter about how the Seahawks took guys most experts projected a round or two later. If anything, you heard chatter about how well the Seahawks picked certain guys who might’ve fallen to them unexpectedly. There was, of course, only one trade-back, and it happened well into the third day. Not a lot of fucking around by the Seahawks; as a fan, I appreciated it.

But, the downside to what the Seahawks did – again this is the opinion of the Consensus At Large I’m talking about here – is that they totally and completely neglected the quarterback position, while at the same time taking a running back with the 41st pick.

I’m on record, first of all, that you can’t call this the worst quarterback draft class in recent history – maybe the worst class of the last 2-3 decades – and then give the Seahawks a reduced draft grade for not taking one. Are you listening to yourself? Just because the Seahawks are rolling with Geno Smith and Drew Lock at the moment – and believe me, I’m no fan of either – doesn’t mean they should have doubled down by drafting a guy who’s not going to be any better than them. What’s the point of bringing in a third mediocre QB to throw into the mix? What is Malik Willis going to do to help us win a championship?

That’s one argument I refuse to have. If any of these rookie QBs eventually pan out, then we can have that conversation. But, don’t pretend like you’re out here touting these guys who the NFL passed over multiple times in this very draft!

The other issue is the simple fact the Seahawks took a running back in the second round. I can see this argument, at least, so let’s talk about it.

The Seahawks very much had a need at running back. Chris Carson, Rashaad Penny, and Travis Homer are all on the final season of their respective deals, while DeeJay Dallas has two years remaining. Carson is currently injured – with a significant, probably career-ending neck issue – and there’s no sign he’ll be ready to play this year or ever again. So, I would discount him immediately; even if he’s cleared by doctors, it wouldn’t shock me to see the team cut him. Rashaad Penny – until late last year – has been constantly injured throughout his career. That’s the whole reason why he only signed a 1-year extension with us! He’s good, maybe even elite, but I’ll believe it when I see it that he can stay on the field for a full season, let alone multiple seasons. And Travis Homer is strictly a backup in this league; he’s just a guy and not even all that good of one, from a football-talent perspective. For what it’s worth, ditto DeeJay Dallas.

The prevailing theory on running backs in the NFL is that quality backs can be found anywhere, all the way down into the 7th round and even among the undrafted rookies. Just get a guy, plug him into your lineup, and you should be fine. These are also, usually, the same people who want to throw the ball 95% of the time, so I don’t know if I’m totally buying what they’re selling. Travis Homer (a 6th rounder) and DeeJay Dallas (a 4th rounder) would seem to argue against the notion you can get a good back anywhere. But, by that same token, Chris Carson (7th rounder) and how great he’s been when healthy is all the ammo they need. Not to mention Rashaad Penny (1st rounder) is the poster child for why you DON’T draft a running back high.

I guess my question, then, is when is it NOT too early to draft a running back? What’s the line of demarcation?

Let’s just, for the sake of argument, look at the NFL’s rushing leaders from last year, and see where those guys were selected:

Jonathan Taylor (2nd round, 41st overall)
Nick Chubb (2nd round, 35th overall)
Joe Mixon (2nd round, 48th overall)
Najee Harris (1st round, 24th overall)
Dalvin Cook (2nd round, 41st overall)
Antonio Gibson (3rd round, 66th overall)
Ezekiel Elliott (1st round, 4th overall)
Elijah Mitchell (6th round, 194th overall)
Derrick Henry (2nd round, 45th overall)
Damien Harris (3rd round, 87th overall)
Melvin Gordon (1st round, 15th overall)
Austin Ekeler (undrafted)
Javonte Williams (2nd round, 35th overall)
Alvin Kamara (3rd round, 67th overall)
Josh Jacobs (1st round, 24th overall)

I could keep going and going. So, for you anti-running back crowd, where’s the cutoff? I know there’s a contingent who thinks even the third round is too early! Yet, of the top 15 running backs last year, 13 of them were taken in the third round or higher. 10 of them were in the first or second rounds. In fact, the sweet spot seems to be right around pick 41, where both Taylor and Cook were selected, to say nothing of Derrick Henry – running back god – who was taken four picks later.

So, if there were no good quarterbacks to be had, and the Seahawks had a pretty urgent need for a quality running back (both to replenish their own supply, as well as to help compensate for shaky quarterbacking we’ve got on our roster currently), why would you shit-talk this team for doing the prudent thing and taking the best running back available? When MOST of the best running backs are taken somewhere in this range, and there was a pretty obvious drop-off in talent in this draft after Breece Hall was nabbed at 36 by the Jets.

For that matter, why aren’t the Jets getting as much shit for taking a running back five spots earlier?!

The next running back off the board went to the Bills at 63; his name is James Cook, and at least one article I read noted him as being among the most overrated coming out of this class.

You jump in there, take the reins of the Seahawks’ draft, and you tell me who you would’ve taken instead. We’d just grabbed Boye Mafe at 40; our third rounder was Abe Lucas at 72. Between those guys and Charles Cross at 9, we addressed our offensive line and got a pass rushing lotto ticket.

I don’t see a lot of point in taking one of the second or third-tier wide receivers, when we already have Lockett and are looking to extend Metcalf. David Ojabo stands out as a name, that would’ve been an idea (especially since it looks like we’re quasi-throwing out the 2022 season anyway). Maybe the center, Cam Jurgens, who went to Philly. Maybe a talented inside linebacker. I dunno, it’s easy to speculate now, but let’s revisit this in a year or two and see who among the players between 41 and 72 turned out to be better than Kenneth Walker.

I mean, this could all blow up in my face and Walker could be a collosal bust in the vein of Christine Michael. But, as I also said previously, just because you get bitten in the ass before by taking crappy running backs too high, that doesn’t mean you just give up on the entire concept. If Walker turns out to be a stud – like Taylor, like Cook – who doesn’t want that on their team? Who looks at Jonathan Taylor and thinks, “Nah, I’d rather have some pass rushing project who will probably cap out at 6 sacks per season.” That’s insane!

Like it or hate it, the Seahawks love to run the football. Who’s going to get a better opportunity to shine – not just as a rookie, but over the next four years – than Kenneth Walker? Rashaad Penny would not only have to prove the last 5-6 weeks weren’t a fluke, but he’ll also have to stay healthy for 17 games in order to keep Walker at bay. And, even then, it might not be enough, if indeed Walker is as good as we think he might be.

You gotta really look at a team, its needs, and its scheme, before you can start throwing out these opinions about how idiotic it is to take a running back at 41. I guarantee you the Colts and Vikings aren’t regretting it. And, I don’t care who’s under center, Walker is only going to be an even bigger help as we throw against 8-man boxes. Let Lockett get underneath some deep balls. Let Metcalf go up and catch passes in traffic. They’re going to be just fine. The play-action game is going to be off the charts.

And when we finally do get our quarterback of the future in the 2023 class? He’ll be stepping into a fantastic situation. Walker should have everything to say about just how great it’ll be.

The Seahawks Drafted Some Non-Quarterbacks On Day Two

Posted on April 30, 2022 by dunderhead99

It’s really only noteworthy given the fact that by the time the Seahawks picked in the third round, all quarterbacks aside from Kenny Pickett were still available. So, the Seahawks passed over a bunch of mediocre dudes repeatedly through this draft, allowing me to breathe a HUGE sigh of relief.

Round 1 (9 overall) – Charles Cross (LT)
Round 2 (40 overall) – Boye Mafe (DE/LB)
Round 2 (41 overall) – Kenneth Walker III (RB)
Round 3 (72 overall) – Abe Lucas (RT)

Is it weird to feel such good vibes about this draft? I’m not saying it’s universally beloved or anything. Some people really wanted us to get Malik Willis. A lot of people REALLY hate the idea of using any draft capital above the fourth round on a running back. I’m sure if you really drill down, you’ll find people complaining about so-and-so being available at a particular spot that we passed over.

But, I gotta tell ya, based solely on who the Seahawks have added the last two days? You’d think we’re absolutely KILLING it!

Which I can’t help but take as a bad sign. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s because we’re not allowed to have nice things.

The more tidbits that roll in, the more I’m coming around on Cross. Some have even said he was the second LT on the board for the Seahawks, which might just be something the team wants leaked out there to boost their guy, but regardless it’s positive vibes out into the universe that I like at this point (having no idea how they look in minicamps and whatnot). But, as I noted yesterday, there’s nothing wrong with his athleticism; he has everything he needs to be a viable starter in this league. The team just needs to help him unlock it.

That goes for the guys we drafted last night as well. Athleticism seems to be a key theme, which I absolutely adore. We’re not just bringing in High Floor guys who we can plug in as depth; these are players with lots of room for growth, and lots of potential to be starters and even stars.

Now, the risk – as always – is that they just don’t have it. You can have all the athleticism in the world, but if you don’t have the skills or the want-to, then it won’t happen. Or, arguably worse: it happens, but not during the tenure of your rookie deal. The point of this whole thing – stripping down to the studs (so to speak) of the quarterback position, building up the roster elsewhere, and then nailing our QB of the future in next year’s draft – is to get guys who can help immediately. Guys who can legitimately get their feet wet as rookies, only to step into major starting roles in year two and beyond. This doesn’t work if it takes four years to coach these guys up.

If I’m worried about that for anyone among yesterday’s picks, it’s Boye Mafe, our edge player out of Minnesota. A LOT of Cliff Avril comps, which yeah, that’d be great! But, odds are … probably not. The broadcast seemed to believe he was a one-note type of rusher (I’m not even sure what that note was, I guess speed-rush around the edge?), hence why he fell to the second round. But, there have been lots of love on Twitter since he was drafted, which leads me to believe we might’ve gotten someone special to pair opposite of Darrell Taylor. The more the merrier, when it comes to quality pass rushers. I just hope we use him properly, and don’t spend most of our time dropping him into coverage (it didn’t sound like he had a lot of experience with that, nor was he very good at it).

The upside is a starting defensive end getting 10 sacks a year. The downside is probably a poor man’s Benson Mayowa.

If there was a Most Seahawky Pick heading into this draft, it was Kenneth Walker III, the running back out of Michigan State. Highly productive in college, speedy but also tough, breaks lots of tackles and gets lots of yards after initial contact, and obviously he’s also a running back. Not only a position of need (when you have to believe Chris Carson’s career is over, with that significant neck injury), but a position the Seahawks love to covet and value over most of the rest of the league.

There’s no doubt about it, though: the Seahawks do NOT have a great track record in drafting running backs. Easily our biggest “hit” was Chris Carson in the 7th round, but he’s spent every year in various states of injured. Our other good choices were guys who ended up being blocked and having better careers elsewhere (Alex Collins and Spencer Ware). Otherwise, we’ve only managed to find competent backups (Robert Turbin, Travis Homer, DeeJay Dallas), or out-and-out busts (Rashaad Penny until the last five-or-so weeks of last year, C.J. Prosise, Zac Brooks, Christine Michael).

How are the Seahawks at drafting running backs?

But, that doesn’t mean you stop trying. And, while I’m pretty adamantly against picking a running back anywhere in the first round – the Penny debacle saw to that – I think it’s okay when you have a need at the position, and you have multiple second round picks to play around with.

Great running backs are taken in the second round all the damn time! That’s generally where we’ve found our very best NFL running backs in recent years. Also, not for nothing, but I like seeing the Seahawks take the second running back off the board, as opposed to the first. There’s a lot of pressure on that first guy! Admittedly, I’ve been on the Breece Hall bandwagon ever since I read an article saying he was projected to be a great fantasy back. But, I have no qualms about the Seahawks taking Walker whatsoever. I feel like the only thing that could slow him down is injuries, but we couldn’t possibly have that bug hit us yet again, could we?!

I will say that I heard his pass protection isn’t great, nor are his hands catching footballs out of the backfield. The blocking thing can be taught; a lot of that is just effort and desire. But, the hands might be concerning, especially if the Seahawks do introduce more of the short passing game into the offense. We’ll see!

The upside is eventually taking the job from Rashaad Penny and being a 1,000 yard back for the next however many years. The downside is probably a rich man’s Christine Michael.

I know he’s listed as Abraham, but I prefer bringing him into my blog as Abe Lucas. Legit right tackle prospect (not a guy who played right tackle, but really projects to be a guard in the NFL, like so many we’ve brought in here before) out of Washington State, he looks like another athletic darling with immediate starting potential.

I’ll admit, I didn’t see the Seahawks going after two offensive tackles in this draft, especially not in the first three rounds. I gotta be honest, I was hoping to be the Smartest Guy In The Room here with my take that Jake Curhan would be our right tackle going forward. There’s still that chance, of course. Curhan has a year’s experience under his belt – including starts in real, live NFL games – but there’s a big difference between an undrafted prospect and a guy taken in the upper third round.

But, you know, the Seahawks will certainly play the best man for the job. If Curhan shows he’s got what it takes – and Lucas looks like a problematic rookie who might get beat – they’re not going to cater to a guy’s draft status. The thing I like is that we’re going young and we’re going home-grown at the position. Brandon Shell, and all the other retreads we brought in here during the majority of Russell Wilson’s tenure, were far from inspiring. When Breno Giacomini was easily the best RT we’ve had since the Mike Holmgren days, you know you’ve been floundering.

Also, not for nothing, but I was perfectly happy with what Curhan brought to the table last year. So, if that’s our floor, sign me up!

There is a tremendous amount of love for the Lucas pick though, which heartens me. Obviously, he comes from another Mike Leach-inspired offense full of non-stop passing, but there seems to be fewer questions about Lucas’ ability to run block. Again, when it comes to tackles – and really, the O-Line as a whole – I’ll gladly take guys with pass protection chops (who need to work on their run blocking skills) vs. the other way around.

The upside is the best right tackle we’ve ever had. The downside is Stone Forsythe.

Even though it’s not sexy, there’s a lot to like about this Seahawks draft so far. I would argue our drafts have been on a bit of an upswing in recent years, but this has the potential to be the best of the bunch. Not surprisingly, that’s what can happen when you’re a quality organization who FINALLY gets an opportunity to draft near the top of every round!

The Seahawks Drafted Jordyn Brooks, Yes In The First Round

Posted on April 24, 2020 by dunderhead99

I know, I know, let’s get it all out of our systems.

HAHA! SEE, THEY DID DRAFT IN THE FIRST ROUND, AT PICK 27, YOU STUPID FOOL!!!

Look, I’ll be the first to admit when I’m ~~completely incapable of giving a shit~~ wrong, but what can I say? The logic was sound. Indeed, the team even admitted they HAD a tentative agreement to trade back with the Packers in place, who apparently “got a better deal” from the Dolphins, one spot ahead of us. The Dolphins, in turn, got a fourth round pick to move back four spots, which isn’t a ton, but would’ve fit nicely in between our two fourth rounders (plus, you have to figure Brooks still would’ve been there for us at 30).

Oh, were you expecting a defensive end? Were you holding out hope for one of these stud receivers? Had you resigned yourself to taking the first running back off the board (but were secretly titillated deep down, because you know how much this team loves to run the football and you desire the rage that builds from a dark place whenever teams over-value the running back position)?

Were you like me and thought, “They just signed Bobby Wagner to this huge extension that they can’t get out from under for probably another two years, so there’s NO WAY IN HELL they’d ostensibly select his successor with their first overall pick!”? Look, as the t-shirt says at the end of Bad Santa, shit happens when you party naked. This quarantine has affected us all in unique and special ways.

I don’t know anything about Jordyn Brooks, other than he spells his name annoyingly. His name sounds like he’s one of the Mean Girls. The comparison we’re all lazily going to attribute to him is “he’s the next Bobby Wagner”, so CONGRATS Seahawks fans! We just drafted a 5-time first-team All Pro! That’s what that means, right? We can clap our hands and call it a day!

Meanwhile … what do we do with the 5-time first-team All Pro we’ve currently got on the roster?

Who knows? Obviously, it’s too early, so speculation can go a hundred different ways. The natural inclination is to assume K.J. Wright will be cut, but as everyone talked about ad nauseam, he earned a $1 million roster bonus last month; if they were going to cut him, wouldn’t they have done so BEFOREHAND? I don’t think NFL teams are in the business of giving out money to be nice. They could theoretically try to renegotiate with Wright, but I’m leaning more towards the team keeping him on and having Brooks learn from behind two of the best (and, obviously, step into whatever role opens up if either of them gets injured).

This is also interesting from a Cody Barton perspective, which I don’t know if people are really too focused on at the moment. This selection would clearly indicate that Barton is not a serious candidate to ever replace Wagner, and in the shorter term, I doubt he’s even in the plans to replace Wright at weak-side linebacker. Which – elementary my dear Watson – means Barton’s destiny appears to be at the strong-side linebacker spot (which Bruce Irvin owns for 2020).

Clarity is a thing most fans strive for, but in the real world it’s just not realistic. There are so many variables, so many things outside of our control; all you can do is give yourself the tools to succeed and try to set yourself up as well as possible to weather any storms that come your way. The Seahawks know this as much as any team in the league. You can’t go chasing ~~waterfalls~~ holes to plug in the dike, because inevitably more and more holes pop up just as soon as you’ve plugged the last one. Inevitably, this game of Whac-A-Mole is a losing proposition, because in your haste to fill those perceived holes, you’re passing on better players at positions of relative strength. I think that’s what we’ve got to hope for here. There were three defensive linemen already off the board (in what wasn’t considered to be a tremendously-great D-Line class) plus any number of pass-rushing linebackers taken; was the drop-off in pass-rushing talent steeper than it was at coverage linebacker?

That’s the hope, for us as fans, anyway. I seemingly remember trying to make a similar argument to talk myself into when we drafted Christine Michael (another Mean Girl maybe?), and we all know how that turned out. Draft at a position of strength – really adhering to that Best Player Available credo – and enjoy the spoils of untold riches at one spot on the team at the very least. Or, wipe your ass with the first pick of your draft, on a guy who will never make an impact because he’s blocked by clearly-superior veterans.

Apparently, the Seahawks treat every NFL Draft like they’re making waffles. You know how the first waffle sucks balls because the iron isn’t warmed up enough, so it comes out limp and undercooked; you throw that waffle away because you know the rest of them will be dark and crisp and delicious. Well, the Seahawks just need to pick a guy first – regardless of who it is – so they can be tossed in the garbage.

Stay tuned for Day Two of the NFL Draft, where the Seahawks will be making waffles that are scrumptious as a motherfucker!

Or, shit, maybe the next few picks will be Quarterback, Punter, and Radio Announcer; really lean into drafting guys at spots we’re already proficient in.

The Most Indefensibly Bad Seahawks Draft Pick Of The John Schneider Era

Posted on May 20, 2019 by dunderhead99

In the wake of the 2019 NFL Draft, the world at large has run through just about everything you can talk about, so we ultimately turn to manufactured arguments. On the Brock & Salk show recently, they were talking about (I don’t remember specifically) the worst Seahawks draft picks of the Schneider/Carroll era. It might have actually been the worst first player selected in each draft, but my mind immediately went to one player.

Before we get to that, I should back up and mention that every team has bad draft picks under their belts. I’m not picking on the Seahawks because I think they’re bad drafters; on the contrary, I think this crew is very GOOD at drafting. Yes, they often find themselves “reaching” in the eyes of the experts, and they go out of their way to trade down (and even out of the first round) to acquire extra picks later on. But, I believe this front office more than any other (except maybe the Patriots) finds the best value in later rounds to round out its roster with quality players.

Beyond that, the Seahawks do an excellent job of blending Best Player Available with Team Needs. You’re not going to see this team draft a quarterback in the top half of the draft because that would be a waste; if you ever do see that, you’d know that player is probably someone who fell further than they should and bank on him being destined for greatness. Those players experts cite as a “reach” are more often than not guys the coaches are able to build up into effective starters. There’s a method to the Seahawks’ madness that keeps this train a rollin’.

If you had to narrow down the absolute WORST pick this group has made, I think you have to start with guys who’ve never played a single down in the NFL. There have been a handful (certainly more than I remembered before I started writing this post), with the worst of the bunch being the guys who cost us the highest draft capital:

Mark LeGree (2011, 5th round)
Jared Smith (2013, 7th round)
Jesse Williams (2013, 5th round)
Jimmy Staten (2014, 5th round)
Garrett Scott (2014, 6th round)
Terry Poole (2015, 4th round)
Zac Brooks (2016, 7th round)
Kenny Lawler (2016, 7th round)
Justin Senior (2017, 7th round)
Malik McDowell (2017, 2nd round)

It’s not fair to go beyond the 2017 draft, although Alex McGough spent all of 2018 on the Practice Squad before jumping ship to the Jags, where you have to believe he’ll at least get a shot at some serious playing time as a backup (that Brett Hundley deal continuing to pay whatever the opposite of dividends are). Of that ignominious group I listed above, I completely understand the urge to say, “Malik McDowell is the worst Seahawks draft pick of all time,” and call this post a day.

There is a GREAT argument behind that sentiment. He was a 2nd round pick, and the first pick of our 2017 draft (after trading out of the first round). He was brought in with the thought process that he’d play right away in a rotation that featured Michael Bennett, Frank Clark, Cliff Avril, and Jarran Reed, among others. You could play McDowell on the outside on base downs, and bring him inside on passing downs, while allowing him to learn behind some all-time greats. Then, presumably, when the season was up, the team could move on from the likes of Avril and Bennett, and McDowell would’ve had a full year’s worth of experience under his belt to move into one of the starting roles.

We all know what happened instead: McDowell got injured before Training Camp even started, Avril was out of fooball a month into the season, Bennett was still in peak form (though just starting his slide; he’d be traded after the season), and we had to make that awful trade for Sheldon Richardson (who had very little impact on the field, and cost us yet ANOTHER second round pick, this time in the 2018 draft). So, not only did McDowell not produce for us, but he actively crippled this franchise for the next three years (we’re still being hurt by this deal, as we’ve had to spend high picks in the last two drafts – and probably another one next year – to fill the pass rushing void).

But, that’s not the premise of this post. Yes, the selection of McDowell was atrocious, but it is wholly defensible.

The argument against that has to do with him being a knucklehead who crashed on an ATV and broke his skull, but I mean, come on. Who could reasonably predict that? The knock against him heading into the 2017 draft was that he wasn’t necessarily the hardest worker in college. He took downs/games off. The talent was there, when he wanted it to be, and that’s why a high first round talent fell into the second round. If you want to be mad at anything, be mad at the fact that the team traded out of the first round in the first place; that’s the REAL crime here. But, there’s a lot we don’t know. Maybe the defensive lineman we liked was already taken, so it made sense to trade down and get more picks. You also have to factor in the players we were able to draft because of those trades, of which there are a number of contributors (including Tedric Thompson, Delano Hill, and Chris Carson).

Regardless, the reasoning behind taking McDowell was sound. And, for that reason, I have a hard time placing too much blame on a front office that was struck by some of the worst luck you can imagine. If he wasn’t an idiot, we might be talking about an integral part of this year’s defense right now. We were able to turn Frank Clark around after a suspect college career, it’s not crazy to imagine we could’ve turned McDowell around if we’d actually gotten him into the program.

If you wanted to go away from these types of players who made zero positive impact on the club, you could talk about guys who the Seahawks DID play, and who were actively terrible (arguably providing a net-negative value by virture of their performances on the field). This would include guys like:

James Carpenter (2011, 1st round)
John Moffitt (2011, 3rd round)
Mark Glowinski (2015, 4th round)
Germain Ifedi (2016, 1st round)
Rees Odhiambo (2016, 3rd round)
Ethan Pocic (2017, 2nd round)

Some of these aren’t totally fair. Carpenter was a first round reach, no doubt about it, and it took this team a couple years before they finally figured out where his best fit was on the line. But, once he got past some injury issues and settled in, he’s made a nice career for himself (his last year in Seattle was pretty good, but mostly he’s been a workhorse elsewhere). Glowinski also was a dud in Seattle, though he’s been pretty solid in Indy (and just earned a nice little raise this offseason). Moffitt was an outright bust, in every sense of the word, and a total misfire of a 3rd rounder. Odhiambo has been pretty awful (though, again, I’d argue he’s been thrust into roles he’s not suited for, like left tackle – before we brought in Duane Brown – thanks to injuries and poor planning). Ifedi has been this fanbase’s whipping boy from day one, though his 2018 season was a huge step in the right direction (I would bet some other team pays him a pretty penny once he leaves after the 2019 season); and Pocic has been my own personal whipping boy nearly every time he’s seen the field in his short professional career.

I don’t think these guys really qualify as the most indefensibly bad pick of this era, so much as it simply being indefensible that this team left Tom Cable in charge for as long as they did, when he was better at molding crappy players into eventual quality starters for OTHER teams. A guy like Cable is fine if you have all the time in the world to develop diamonds in the rough; but this team was going cheap on its O-Line (to pay stars at other positions) and needed guys to step in RIGHT AWAY; in that sense, you get what you pay for. The defense behind picking these guys is simple: there’s always a need for offensive linemen, and the Seahawks took more swings at this than anyone else in football. The sad fact is that we simply swung and MISSED more than anyone else, which is why this team fell apart after its Super Bowl run.

All of this is preamble for what I’m going to tell you is, without a doubt, the worst and most indefensible draft pick of the John Schneider era:

Christine Michael

We were coming off of an all-time great run of drafts, not just for the Seahawks, but for any team in NFL history. You can’t rehash this enough, and I’m more than happy to go over it with you:

Russell Okung – 2010
Earl Thomas – 2010
Golden Tate – 2010
Walter Thurmond – 2010
Kam Chancellor – 2010
James Carpenter – 2011
K.J. Wright – 2011
Richard Sherman – 2011
Byron Maxwell – 2011
Malcolm Smith – 2011
Doug Baldwin – 2011 (undrafted)
Brandon Browner – 2011 (undrafted)
Ricardo Lockette – 2011 (undrafted)
Bruce Irvin – 2012
Bobby Wagner – 2012
Russell Wilson – 2012
Robert Turbin – 2012
Jaye Howard – 2012
Jeremy Lane – 2012
J.R. Sweezy – 2012
Jermaine Kearse – 2012 (undrafted)

That’s just clinically insane. So many All Pros and Pro Bowlers and starters and role players just in that group alone, who contributed to this team’s championship run in 2013. You could easily say this group was playing with house money.

So much of it, in fact, that we traded the farm (including our 2013 first rounder) to acquire Percy Harvin.

You could also argue that the 2013 NFL Draft was one of the worst of all time. Bust after bust after bust among this group; teams even in the top third of the FIRST round couldn’t count on drafting anyone worth a damn; so why am I all up in arms about a second rounder?

Because, motherfucker!

We as Seahawks fans are used to saying, “HUH?” whenever we see who this team ends up picking. In the early going – particularly in 2012 – we were made to look the fool at this way of thinking, as those guys ended up being some of the best players we’ve ever seen. We have that reaction because the guys the Seahawks take aren’t the guys the national pundits spend all offseason talking about. We don’t KNOW those guys; we know other guys who we think are better, but they might not necessarily be good fits for this team. But, at the very least, we could always rationalize WHY the Seahawks took the guys they’ve taken. There are always clear needs, and the Seahawks tend to focus in on those needs just like the rest of us.

As I mentioned before, the 2013 Seahawks were playing with house money. This was a team – in 2012, particularly in the last month of the regular season, on into the postseason – that was already a Super Bowl contender, as is. A bad start in Atlanta in the Divisional Round prevented us from what could’ve been back-to-back-to-back NFC Championship Games and even possibly back-to-back-to-back Super Bowl appearances. No team in December 2012 was playing as well as the Seattle Seahawks – including the eventual NFL Champion 49ers, who we clobbered in that closing stretch – so that 2013 NFL Draft was wide open to do what this team has never been able to do: really go after the Best Player Available.

Think about it, that team had NO HOLES. We were stacked from top to bottom, and as deep as any team in the league has ever been. We CUT guys who would go on to Pro Bowls for other teams, simply because there wasn’t room for them on our 53-man roster!

And yet, as we all know, no team is without holes. We could’ve filled in around the margins; maybe gone after Travis Kelce (taken with the very next pick; can you imagine? Never having to endure the Jimmy Graham debacle?), or the Honey Badger, or Keenan Allen, or any number of third rounders in that draft who are still kicking around the league. Instead, we picked Christine Michael.

And, for the first – and really only time that I can remember – Seahawks fans all said, “HUH?” not because we didn’t know the guy, but because we didn’t know WHY in the FUCK the Seahawks – with inarguably the best running back in all of football – drafted a third running back.

Remember, this team had Robert Turbin from the 2012 draft. While he never developed into a superstar, he was more than fine as a backup. A nice change of pace, someone who took care of the ball and could spell our starter, someone with good hands out in space and fit our zone blocking scheme to a T. Maybe in a different universe, Turbin could’ve been a 1,000-yard back somewhere! When he left Seattle, he succumbed to injuries that kept him from really breaking out, but you never know.

What we DO know is that Marshawn Lynch was Beastmode, and 2012/2013 was right smack dab in the middle of his PRIME! I mean, this seriously made no sense. It was as if the team was trying to push out the best player on its offense for no good God damned reason!

And maybe that was the plan. All I know was that there wasn’t any serious inkling of Lynch retiring, or otherwise leaving the organization at that time. In an ideal universe, maybe Michael sits as the third stringer his rookie year, then takes over in Year Two. But, obviously, we know how things really shook out. Lynch had two of this three best seasons in 2013 & 2014; he was FAR from done! So far, in fact, that the team signed him to an extension in 2015 (which, of course, immediately preceeded him getting injured, then retiring, then being traded to the Raiders for a nice Oakland swan song).

Meanwhile, Michael was terrible, both on and off the field. He didn’t work on his craft, he didn’t have that will to be great; I guess the best thing you can say is that he didn’t get into trouble off the field. But, even in college people questioned his work ethic, hence (again) why a first round talent fell to the bottom of the second round.

Christine Michael was the total antithesis of what the Seahawks sought out in their players under Pete Carroll and John Schneider. And yet, here we were, blowing our first pick on this guy, where there was absolutely no need whatsoever.

There’s no defending the Christine Michael pick, which makes it the most indefensibly bad pick of the John Schneider era.

I’m Getting Excited About The Seahawks Again

Posted on November 3, 2017 by dunderhead99

Boy, I’ll tell ya, last week’s game is EXACTLY what I needed. Up until they lost, all my football season excitement level revolved around the Washington Huskies for obvious reasons. That dwindled pretty significantly, particularly because of the opponent (ASU) that we lost to. There was a good 2-week period there where I was just in a football haze, going through the motions, watching the games but not really feeling invested.

The vast majority of that had to do with my relative indifference toward the Seahawks. I mean, there’s no better way to kill the buzz around a season than to lose in Week 1 to the Packers, and ultimately start your season 1-2, where you REALLY had to scratch and claw your way to that lone victory, over the 49ers, who STILL haven’t won a football game. The home win over the Colts was nothing special (especially when we went into halftime trailing, and I opted to go to bed and watch the rest the next day on DVR rather than interfere with my work sleep). The road win over the Rams looked like a lot of fun, but I was out of town and unable to do anything more than read updates on Twitter. Then, you had the run-of-the-mill road victory over the 1-win Giants.

Ho hum, right?

Then last week happened! One of, if not THE greatest game of the season! And then the trade deadline happened, and our biggest weakness (left tackle) turned into one of our biggest strengths overnight! And now the struggling Redskins are in town? Bring ’em on! They’ve got injuries galore and should be PUSHOVERS, with the way we’re capable of playing!

I’m all in, baby! I am dialed in, I’m loving the parity throughout the NFL, and I indeed smell blood in the water. The Seahawks have been “championship contenders” since 2012, but this year is starting to feel different. Like 2013 different.

I attribute it to the fact that it feels like the offense is further along in its progression than it has been in years past. The defense has always been great (when the key parts have been healthy), but most years it’s taken a while for the offense to get rolling. In 2012, there was a definite evolution. Russell Wilson was a rookie, and he struggled early like most rookies do. There were some close, hard-fought defeats and victories. There was a major step forward in the You Mad Bro victory over the Pats, but an immediate step back with losses to the 49ers and Lions. It wasn’t until the overtime victory over the Bears where things started to lock into place. The Seahawks averaged 50 points per game over the next three victories (including a dominant one over the eventual NFC champion 49ers), and away we went.

2013 is the anomaly, because the offense more or less started out the year in okay shape and never really faltered too much, except against the really good defenses, which’ll happen to anyone. It’s the reason why that year was so special, because when you pit a high-functioning offense with one of the greatest defenses of all time, you’ve got an unstoppable juggernaut.

But, in 2014, even though that was another Super Bowl year, there were some growing pains. The offense was still good, but not great, and I attribute all of that to Percy Harvin’s presence, and Darrell Bevell going above and beyond to try to get him involved when he just didn’t fit with what we were doing. Then, after we got rid of him, and we got our embarrassing Rams defeat out of the way, the offense was free to run wild once again. The Seahawks finished the season 9-1, and while the closing schedule wasn’t as tough as we thought it might be heading into the season, there was still an impressive 35-6 road victory over the Cardinals towards the end.

In 2015, we had the start of our significant offensive line woes. It was Okung’s final year, Britt was moved from right tackle to left guard (and struggled). Drew Nowak was the opening day center (which was the source of most of our problems). J.R. Sweezy was our whipping boy of a right guard (who was okay, but never really blossomed in a Seahawks uniform the way we’d hoped). And Garry Gilliam was flipped over to right tackle and making his first starts there ever. We struggled with this O-Line for a full half season! We started out 4-4, had a BYE, then lost to the Cards out of the BYE (on one of the worst gambling nights of my life, that seriously had me considering whether or not I should ever gamble again). But, in that Cards game, Patrick Lewis took over for Drew Nowak, we scored a ton in a 39-32 defeat, and from there the offense looked like its usual self again. We closed out the year 6-1 to make the playoffs, including that famously high-scoring game against the Steelers (where Jimmy Graham injured his knee, but we won 39-30). We averaged 32 points per game over the final 8, while averaging just a fraction under 21 points per game in the first 8.

In 2016, we had more of the same type of troubles with the offensive line (Okung gone, Sweezy gone, Britt converted to center in his third year as the lone bright spot), with the added bonus of all our running backs sucking (Christine Michael was our leading rusher with 469 yards, in only 9 games, finishing his season in Green Bay) and our quarterback getting injured in the first game and never really getting back to 100% with all the subsequent injuries he’d go on to suffer. Last year, I’d be hard pressed to say the offense ever REALLY got going. There wasn’t a game or a moment that jumpstarted things; we just kind of looked good in fits and starts. The offense was pretty good against the Falcons, but we followed that up with the 6-6 tie game in Arizona. Our best 3-game stretch of the season was when everyone was at their healthiest: Week 9 vs. Buffalo on Monday Night, Week 10 at New England, Week 11 vs. Philadelphia. Wilson played great, C.J. Prosise made the biggest impact of his rookie season (and career, if we’re being honest), and it really did feel like FINALLY things were snapping into place. Then, we fell 14-5 to the Bucs and it was right back to “Where’s The Offense?” again. I mean, maybe you can blame Britt being injured in that one, as Tampa’s interior linemen really feasted on our guards and backup center (it holds some water, as we would go on the very next week to score 40 on the Panthers), but then after that we were embarrassed on the road in Green Bay (being held to 10 points, as Wilson threw a grip of interceptions), and at that point it didn’t really matter. With Earl Thomas gone, that team never had a chance.

And, make no mistake, we’re not out of the woods in 2017. Injuries could decimate this team just as they did last year. But, if they don’t, I think we’re in great shape.

It’s not just last week’s game against the Texans, though that certainly doesn’t hurt. Here are the yardage and points totals for our offense, starting in Week 1:

225 yards, 9 points at Green Bay
312 yards, 12 points vs. San Francisco
433 yards, 27 points at Tennessee
477 yards, 46 points vs. Indianapolis
241 yards, 16 points at L.A. Rams
BYE
425 yards, 24 points at N.Y. Giants
479 yards, 41 points vs. Houston

That’s an offense generating over 400 yards of offense in 4 of its last 5 games, and an offense that’s been good enough to win 4 of its last 5 games. We’re moving the ball, we’re converting third downs. Granted, it’s still somewhat of a struggle early – particularly on the first drive, where the Seahawks haven’t scored a first-drive regular season touchdown since early in 2016 – but it’s not as bad as it was last year.

The offensive line IS making improvements (and that’s before the addition of Duane Brown). Granted, the running game is in shambles, but that just means Russell Wilson has been given an opportunity to step up, and he’s taken full advantage. He was a man possessed in the back-half of 2015, and we all thought we’d get more of the same in 2016 until he injured his ankle and knee and later his pec (I think?). Now that he’s 100%, and had a good off-season getting back into shape, we’re starting to see that MVP-calibre player we’ve all been waiting for.

The only thing we’ve been waiting on is the red zone offense to start turning those field goals into touchdowns, and if last week is any indication, we could be in for a big turnaround in that category. I mean, let’s face it, does the Redskins’ defense really scare you? This Sunday could be a massacre!

From there, we have a Thursday Night game in Arizona, a Monday Night game vs. the Falcons, and a road game against the 49ers before the showdown against the Eagles on Sunday Night, December 3rd. There’s no excuse whatsoever for the Seahawks to not be 9-2 heading into that game. And, if we can sneak out of there with a victory? The sky is the limit on this season. #1 seed, Super Bowl, parade in February.

The defense is the foundation upon which this team is built (and, I’ll reiterate, I’m not worried about last week’s performance; I chalk that up to an elite quarterback and a couple of elite receivers making incredibly accurate and efficient plays; talk to me if the Redskins put up those kinds of numbers, then I’ll say we have something to worry about on our hands), but this team will only go as far as the offense takes it. The amazing defense will keep us in any and all ballgames, but the offense will put us over the top and win us another championship. Even in 2013, it’s not like we shut out every team we played; we still needed to score when the games were on the line. Same here.

I’m officially out of my funk! These games mean something again! Let’s go out there and kick some ass!

It’s Difficult To Win In Green Bay In December For Some Reason

Posted on December 9, 2016 by dunderhead99

I guess Green Bay is on some crazy-long winning streak at home in the month of December, and in games started by Aaron Rodgers it’s even crazier and longer? I dunno. I suppose that’s some comment on how difficult it is to win in freezing cold weather, unless you’re “used to it” like the Packers ostensibly would be. But, doesn’t that feel like one of those stats that has more to do with the organization? The Packers have been pretty damn good for a long time, and they’ve been particularly good with Rodgers at the helm, so it would stand to reason that an anomalous winning streak such as this might be in the cards.

If the Cleveland Browns played all their home games in Green Bay for the last decade, I’m certain we would not be having this same conversation.

So, I’m not going to put a ton of credence into this winning streak, because like all streaks, they come to an end eventually. And since 2016 is literally the worst year in the history of years, it would stand to reason that some hardships are coming Green Bay’s way.

The Packers are 6-6 coming into this game, and they’ve looked decidedly unremarkable this whole year. Their offense, which is supposed to be their strength, is ranked 13th in total yards, just two spots ahead of the Seahawks. Their running game is particularly terrible, averaging less than 100 yards per game, ranked 24th overall (the Seahawks are only ranked 20th, but remember we’ve been dealing with another brand new O-Line and the struggles of Christine Michael for most of the year). Most galling of all might be that the Packers are only ranked 10th in passing, behind teams like Arizona, Cincinnati, San Diego, and New England (and don’t forget Brady missed 4 games!). Maybe most importantly of all, the Packers only rank 11th in points scored, behind teams like Buffalo and Tennessee.

It’s been a problem this year, because while their defense is rarely a strength, it’s even less disruptive this year. They’re pretty middle-of-the-road in sacks, and now they’ll be missing their sack leader in Nick Perry. They’re already down a couple of inside linebackers, and if Clay Matthews can’t go, you might as well stick a fork in their defense. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix can’t be everywhere at once!

As was shown in the Tampa Bay game, though, it doesn’t necessarily take an elite front four to get pressure on the Seahawks. Unlike that game, we’re healthy across the O-Line, and Garry Gilliam has effectively been benched for stopgap improvement Bradley Sowell. I don’t know how you lose a right tackle job to Sowell, but Gilliam must’ve been awfully bad. On the plus side, Britt is playing like a quasi-Pro Bowler at center, and Glowinski and Ifedi have looked better as the season has gone on. Regardless, you have to be concerned for whoever’s trying to block Julius Peppers, but if that’s all they’ve got for their pass rush, I don’t feel too worried.

On the flipside, we’ve got a secondary that’s down Earl Thomas for the rest of the year. I don’t anticipate we’re just going to completely fall apart in his absence, but there’s obviously a steep drop-off from him to Steven Terrell. That doesn’t change the overall makeup of the defense though. We’re still going to do everything we can to funnel everything into the underneath routes. And, let’s be honest here, MUCH worse secondaries have been able to hold the Packers’ passing game in check this season. Since we don’t really have a run game to worry about, it might make sense to regularly alternate between blitz-heavy packages and dropping extra guys into coverage. I wouldn’t stick in a zone too much though, as the Packers seem to really struggle against man coverage.

In a vacuum, the Seahawks should have little trouble moving the ball and putting up points, as well as holding the Packers’ offense in check. But, we’re looking at a game in sub-freezing temperatures, with a likelihood of snowfall. In other words, crazy shit can happen. The ball will be extra tough to kick, as well as – I’m sure – not ideal for throwing. I want to say the team that runs the ball best will prevail, which puts the odds of winning severely in Seattle’s favor.

I mean, come on, tell me a Seahawks fan who isn’t looking forward to Christine Michael getting a lot of reps with the Packers! On that playing surface? He’ll be slipping and falling like CRAZY!

I ultimately think the Seahawks will win this game, but for some reason I keep coming back to these nagging doubts. Is it the weather? The haunting specter of almost losing to the Vikings in the playoffs last year? The fact that I still hold Aaron Rodgers in the highest of esteem even though he’s not quite at the all-world level we’ve seen him at in recent seasons? Or, is it that damned December winning streak in Lambeau Field?

More than anything, I just think it’s this NFL season. I can’t remember the last time I’ve struggled this hard at picking NFL winners. It seems like when I give the home team the edge in a 50/50 matchup, it backfires. Then, when I pick the quote-unquote best team, regardless of location, it backfires some more! No matter who I pick in this game, that team will most certainly lose. So, I might as well pick the Packers and at least do the Seahawks a solid.

Or, has my saying that effectively reversed the reverse-jinx? God, I hate me sports.

The Seahawks Lost So Many Bright, Flowering Young Men In Beating The Eagles

Posted on November 22, 2016 by dunderhead99

Injuries can happen at any time, and frequently do. The Seahawks have managed to get through a few games virtually unscathed, and the Seahawks have had games where they get some guys knicked up, either for a few plays, or a few weeks, or the whole damn season. But, every year, there seems to be that one game where the shit hits the fan and guys start dropping like flies. It’s the game you probably least suspect! But, someone goes down early, and then another, and before you know it, you’ve got a good contingent of your team sitting on training tables.

The Seahawks went into this game with three running backs and a fullback. Christine Michael was waived and picked up by Green Bay, Alex Collins was a healthy scratch to get our roster down to 46 for the game. That just left C.J. Prosise, the return of Thomas Rawls after missing the last 7 games, and pre-season phenom Troymaine Pope, who looked so good in practice, he forced the coaches to bench our 5th round pick in his undrafted favor.

C.J. Prosise had the longest Seahawks run for a touchdown in CenturyLink Field history (72 yards), picked up 4 more yards on 3 more carries, and ended up leaving the game near the end of the first half with a shoulder injury. What they’re saying is likely a scapula fracture, which would keep him out for 6 weeks, which means at best he’d be ready for the final game of the regular season against the 49ers, but what REALLY means is that he’d be ready for the playoffs. That is, of course, if the team opts to keep him on the 53-man roster. It’s that time of year where injuries tend to mount, and roster flexibility becomes vital.

Which probably spells doom for Pope, who had a high ankle sprain in the second half. The Seahawks most definitely don’t have the ability to keep two injured running backs on their 53-man roster for the rest of the regular season, so this one hurts. With Rawls just coming back, you don’t want to put EVERYTHING on his plate. Sure, there’s Alex Collins, and I suppose you could even give Will Tukuafu some reps at running back. But, unless there’s just NOBODY out there, I don’t see how Pope stays off the IR.

And, because when it rains it pours, both Earl Thomas and DeShawn Shead left the game with hamstring strains. We’re looking at potentially 1-2 weeks without these guys, depending on how fast they can recover. You never want to rush something like a hamstring, unless you want them to promptly re-injure themselves.

So, all in all, pretty crappy situation the Seahawks have themselves in for the next few weeks.

As for the game itself, it went pretty much as expected. 8 more garbage time points than I was thinking, but after giving up a long, sustained TD drive in the first half, the Seahawks shut them down until very late in the game.

I just want to say, about that Seahawks drive – after Philly had just scored to pull the game to within 11 points – if you’re upset the Seahawks didn’t throw the ball to try to get a first down, I’m sure Madden appreciates your continued patronage, but you’re out of your minds. Running it up the gut three times was absolutely the right play there. Hell, kneeling down three times would’ve been preferred over trying to hand it off to Trevone Boykin as a running back! But, either way, you’re talking about the Seahawks with an 11-point lead, with 3:30 left in the game, with the Eagles forced to score, get a 2-point conversion, recover an onside kick, and kick a field goal all without any time outs. Running was absolutely the right decision; the only way the Eagles have a realistic chance is to stop the clock with incomplete passes and let them keep their time outs.

So, with that out of the way, on to the kudos!

Russell Wilson had an efficient game, 272 passing yards and a touchdown, as well as a 15-yard receiving touchdown off a trick play. Gotta include Doug Baldwin here, for throwing the pass, as well as catching 4 balls for 104 yards to lead the team.

Jimmy Graham had another monster catch with someone hanging all over him, and still managed to bull his way into the endzone. I’ll also include Thomas Rawls’ hard-nosed running in here, as he brings an element we’ve been sorely lacking this season. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE STAY FUCKING HEALTHY!!!

Another massive game out of Bobby Wagner – seems like he’s in this section damn near every week. 15 more tackles, a sack, and 2.5 tackles for loss, he does it all. K.J. Wright and Kam Chancellor had huge games as well (the latter with an interception on top of everything else). Cliff Avril with another sack to increase his total on the season to 10, one off his career high with 6 more games to play. And, of course, Richard Sherman had another pick to throw on the pile.

With the Cardinals and Rams both looking like dogshit, the Seahawks have a full 3-game lead in the NFC West. We’re also up 2 games in the loss column over Detroit and Atlanta, giving us sole possession of the 2-seed in the NFC. The Cowboys have 1 loss on the year, so we’d need them to lose at least two more times to jump them for the top spot, which doesn’t seem too likely without a massive string of injuries. This is the time to start thinking about playoff seeding though. With Thanksgiving coming up, let’s take a quick look at who Dallas has to play going forward.

WA
@ MIN
@ NYG
TB
DET
@ PHI

That isn’t the toughest slate in the world – you could make a reasonable argument about them losing any and all of those games – but in all likelihood, I don’t see them relinquishing the top seed. The Skins feel like a team who could pull an upset, but I have major doubts about their defense. The Vikings have a defense you’d think could slow Dallas’ rushing attack, but they’ve been pretty average the last month, and their offense is falling apart. The Giants might be the most complete team Dallas faces, so if they lose another game from here on out, there’s where my money’s going. Tampa’s got nothing. Detroit just doesn’t have a good offense outside of the final two minutes of a half. And Philly doesn’t have a good offense period.

My guess is Dallas finishes the season 14-2, or 13-3 at the VERY worst. 13-3 would theoretically be all we need to jump them, as we only have 2 losses, but I have to think the Seahawks stumble at least once the rest of the way.

@ TB
CAR
@ GB
LAR
AZ
@ SF

If it means anything, the 49ers will be the easiest team we face the rest of the way. By the time we get to Week 16, Arizona should have nothing to play for. Ditto the Rams. I’m fairly confident in our ability to beat the Bucs this week, but weird things can happen when you fly across the country. That leaves the Panthers and Packers, who currently sit 12th & 13th in the NFC. They’re growing increasingly more irrelevant as the season goes along, but their playoff hopes are still hanging by a thread. Not only will they be playing for their seasons by the time they face us, but don’t forget that they fucking HATE us, and even if they were mathematically eliminated, they’d still be giving us their best efforts.

On the surface, it looks like a pretty easy closing slate. But, I’m not taking any of those teams (except the 49ers) for granted. Yes, even the fucking Rams, even with Jared Goff starting.

Boy, That Escalated Quickly: Seahawks Waived Christine Michael

Posted on November 15, 2016 by dunderhead99

On the heels of my bitch session on Monday, it appears the Seahawks took notice and went a step beyond where even I expected!

Thomas Rawls is back and apparently ready to go this week, but he was also on the 53-man roster this whole time. It’s not like he’s coming off of IR or anything; the Seahawks didn’t HAVE to make a move to activate Rawls, because he was already active! But, they apparently have seen enough out of Christine Michael this year to take this drastic step, and obviously feel the open roster spot would be of better use.

And, make no mistake, this is 100% about Christine Michael being a bad fit for this offense and this running game, than it is about someone like Alex Collins being demonstrably better. Maybe Collins has wowed in practices and I’ve just never seen it; but whenever I’ve seen him in actual games, he’s underwhelmed as hell. I think the team likes his potential, and they like the fact that he’s under club control for three more years, but he’s still the clear third running back on this team by a large margin. Christine Michael just played his way off this team, for reasons that are clear to everyone who has eyes.

I’m banging this out pretty quickly, so I don’t know who the player is that’s going to replace him on the 53-man, but I assume we’ll find out shortly. The thing is, with three running backs already active, and with Will Tukuafu still playing regularly, unless they’re worried about Rawls re-injuring himself, they don’t HAVE to sign a running back to the roster. They could, but they don’t have to.

Which is just my way of transitioning into: what about Troymaine Pope? He was signed to our practice squad recently with little fanfare, but he’s a nifty little runner who impressed everyone in the pre-season. I know it’s a longshot he would get any playing time (or even be active on gamedays), but boy would I like to see him get a shot.

Anyway, that’s it. The Seahawks got rid of a running back who wasn’t even under contract for next year anyway, and I think it’s appropriate. Once everyone realized he wasn’t a good fit, it was pretty clear he also wasn’t in the team’s longterm plans. And, should the injury bug strike again, I think we have enough on the roster now to get us by.

The Seahawks Released The Kraken (Is That Still A Thing?) All Over The Patriots

Posted on November 14, 2016 by dunderhead99

I’d handed the keys to the Monday post on this site to the Huskies this season, but the less remembered or said about the game on Saturday, the better. I’ll get to Husky football later in the week, when I’m better able to handle such rejection. In the meantime, I’ll kick things off on a much more pleasant note: a weekend-salvaging victory for the city of Seattle that took place in New England.

I didn’t really give the Seahawks much of a chance to win this game, along with most of the football-watching public, for all the usual reasons: we were coming off of a short week, they were coming off of a BYE; we were flying across the country, they’d only left the greater northeastern portion of the country one time after week 1; we’re dealing with injuries at many key positions, they’ve enjoyed relative good health for the most part. And, let’s face it, you never feel comfortable going up against a coach like Bill Belichick, but you ESPECIALLY never feel comfortable when he’s got two weeks to prepare for you. They’re the best team in the AFC and one of the best teams in all of football, and as such, you not only had the vast majority of America predicting a Patriots victory, but a blowout victory to boot!

To my very minimal credit, I told you that line was too high. As I mentioned, the Seahawks have only lost twice by more than 7 points since the start of the 2012 season; WE. DON’T. GET. BLOWN. OUT. If you were smart with your money, you would’ve written that down, pinned it to your shirt, and at the very least bet the Seahawks to cover. If you would’ve been truly ballsy and bet the Seahawks on the money line, I heard it got as high as +290, which is an absurdly tempting bet when you’re talking about a team like the Seahawks. Even if I didn’t think they’d win outright, +290 is too good not to at least throw a hundo on!

The Seahawks had a couple things going for them that made all the difference in the world. First, we got Kam Chancellor back for the first time since we had our BYE week; and second, we finally came to terms with the fact that Christine Michael isn’t a starting-calibre running back in this league. Well, maybe that’s not fair, but he’s certainly not starting-calibre in this system that we run under Tom Cable. He might very well thrive under a different scheme, but we’ll never realize that with him in a Seahawks uniform.

The difference between Michael and C.J. Prosise is drastic! I never really picked up on it until I finally got an extended look at Prosise – like most of the rest of the world – in last night’s game. Prosise seems to know where the plays are supposed to go. He seems to hit the appropriate hole more often than not. When he gets the ball in his hands, I’m not sitting there worried about him running himself into a 3-yard loss. Michael has a lot of talent in open space, and it often feels like he’s THIIIIIIS close to breaking one for 60+ yards. But, more often than not, he misses his opportunity to get a decent gain by trying for the home run.

Prosise also avoids a couple of annoying Christine Michael traits that have been driving me crazy this whole year: 1) he doesn’t slip and fall with no one near him, and 2) he doesn’t try to avoid contact by running out of bounds. The slip & fall thing I just don’t get. Either Michael isn’t wearing the proper cleats, or he’s literally a fucking character on the old Scooby Doo cartoons whose legs are running faster than the rest of his body. But, again, last night he found himself on the turf before a defender was anywhere near him, and that shit just needs to stop! As for the avoiding contact thing, I don’t get that either. I mean, Marshawn Lynch was JUST HERE last year! Michael’s been working under Lynch since he came into the league in 2013! How does NONE of Lynch’s toughness rub off on him? Has he not been paying attention to how the rest of the team reacts and feeds off of our running backs when they seek out contact instead of running away from it? Let’s face it, that’s not who we are. We don’t run away from anything; we get after it! (unless you play quarterback, and then you do the sensible fucking thing, because we don’t need you missing games).

It’s cool to have last night sort of be the coming out party for a guy like Prosise. I scoffed quite a bit when – after we drafted him – a few people who were familiar with him in college broached the idea that he could be an every-down type of back. I still think that’s a little far-fetched, mostly because I have serious doubts about his ability to stay healthy in ANY role, let alone one as a feature running back in this system. But, I think it’s very reasonable to point out that the Seahawks have added a valuable weapon to our offensive arsenal. When you think about the Seahawks on offense, you rightly start with Wilson, Graham, and Baldwin; then, if you’re feeling generous, you tack on Tyler Lockett, Thomas Rawls when he’s healthy, and Jermaine Kearse as a bigger, possession-type receiver who’s also capable of going down field and making a big play. Well, I think you very much have to throw Prosise’s name into that mix, and a lot higher on the list than you might’ve thought coming into the year. Just imagine what this offense will look like when Rawls comes back in a week or two.

There were a lot of huge plays in this game. Baldwin’s three touchdowns were all impressive, there was a pretty dime to Lockett early on to jumpstart things, and I seem to remember at least one really important conversion to Jimmy Graham to keep a drive alive (was it at the end of the first half, maybe?). But, do you want to know what my favorite play was in that game last night? I should really say “plays”, because the Seahawks went to this well more than once, to almost universal positive results; and, quite frankly, it was something I don’t remember the Seahawks running all that much to this point in the season. It’s that play where the Seahawks allow the opposing rusher to run free at the quarterback off the edge, and as he runs past a running back (mostly Prosise) who spills out into an open flat, Wilson lobs the ball over the rusher to the wide open running back for an easy gainer. The Patriots defended that play correctly only once all game, but the Seahawks gashed ’em repeatedly, as they kept forgetting to have a backup defender peel out on the running back. These weren’t just checkdowns, either. This was something they likely saw on tape as a way to beat this defense, and it almost always worked for either first downs or big yards. And, the thing about it is, it’s easy to defend, so I’m sure other teams will take note and try to take that away from us, but you know what happens then? It re-opens the middle of the field for Jimmy Graham to take over. WE GOT YOU ASSHOLES COMING AND GOING!!!

And, make no mistake, New England’s #1 gameplan was to Stop Jimmy Graham. To their credit, they did the job. Graham only had 48 yards on 4 receptions and no TDs. You know what you’re going to get with a team like New England: they’re going to take away what you do best, and you’ve got to find other ways to beat them. To Russell Wilson’s credit, he didn’t try to force the issue by targeting Graham unnecessarily (if anything, he probably targeted Kearse too much, especially in the early going, but it’s not necessarily his fault that Kearse’s stone hands have returned).

Russell Wilson really played a fantastic game. He was far from perfect – he missed repeatedly on the goalline when we were trying to turn some of those field goals into touchdowns, often overthrowing guys too far to the outside in what looked like an effort to be extra-cautious and not have his routes jumped – but even in a game where he left some throws on the field, he showed he was the best offensive player in that game. Oh yes! Even better than Mr. Tom Brady himself! To be fair, Brady had a pretty good game in his own right, but his interception was VERY uncharacteristic, and he was held without a TD pass (which really screwed over a lot of fantasy teams like mine, I’m sure). I actually thought he was going to beat us on yet another quarterback sneak, as that play might be the most deadly play in football. But, he went up against a very talented and very fired up defense, who got the better of him in the end.

This game as a whole was reminiscent of the Super Bowl these two teams played, and not just because NBC made no bones about bringing up that game, and that fateful pass, what felt like every 30 seconds (as was expected going in). Tom Brady, for the most part, took what the defense gave him, as he did two years ago, and it was successful throughout the game, until the final drive. It was entertaining as all get-out, to be sure! Seven lead changes in that game, just hours after another game (Cowboys at Steelers) had seven lead changes of its own (leading to pundits and NFL lackeys to hyperbolically dub yesterday The Day That Saved The NFL). But, there was one key difference in last night’s game that swung it to the Seahawks: health, particularly on defense.

See, New England’s defense is garbage, and I didn’t really have any fears about moving the ball on them. When we started off the game settling for field goals, I was a little nervous. You can’t be an underdog, on the road, trading field goals for touchdowns against a player like Tom Brady. So, while I was fairly confident in the Seahawks scoring points in this one, my main concern was: could we score ENOUGH? In other words, how big of a hole would our defense dig us into?

Probably an unfair fear on my part. I mean, I’ve been watching this team and following it pretty closely for a while now. Years and years and years now. All I needed to do was go back, reflect on that Super Bowl, and think about how that team differed from this one. What was the main reason (aside from not handing it off to a certain running back at a certain goalline) the Seahawks lost that game? A game that, if you’ll recall, we had been leading by two scores going into the fourth quarter. Why did we blow such a lead? Because of injuries in our secondary. Jeremy Lane literally died in the first quarter when he intercepted Brady. LITERALLY DIED! Richard Sherman, I’m pretty sure, lost an arm. He got a bionic one in the offseason though, so he’s fine now. Kam and Earl contracted leukemia for that game, then cured it organically afterwards through their sheer badassery. I may be misremembering things here a bit, but rest assured, the entirety of our secondary was dealing with pretty savage injuries in that game, and it reflected in our play on defense when we were trying to hold a lead against a surging Patriots offense led by the eventual MVP.

Last night, not only were our guys healthy, but Kam was making his first appearance in over a month. And look, I like Kelcie McCray, you like Kelcie McCray, but this defense just isn’t the same with him back there. Bam Bam is the heart & soul of this defense and this team, but don’t forget he’s also a REALLY fucking good football player! REALLY good. Like, I don’t know what this team looks like without Richard Sherman or Earl Thomas, and I hope I never have to know, but from what I’ve seen out of this team without Kam Chancellor back there, I’m starting to wonder if he isn’t the best player on this defense. Not even joking. He’s that good. He’s that much of a difference maker out there. There’s no other player on this defense like him, and quite frankly, there’s no other player in this LEAGUE like him.

Lots of teams (I’m really just thinking about the Falcons here, with their drafting of Keanu Neal in the first round this year; though, I’m sure every other team feels the same way) are trying to get a Kam Chancellor of their own. But, there’s a big difference between drafting an over-sized safety who hits hard. Granted, Kam is that, but he’s also so much more! He’s technically sound, he’s just as good against the run as he is against the pass, he helps ensure everyone is lined up correctly and that everyone in the secondary knows their assignments, he’s instinctive, he picks up on things and acts upon them that don’t necessarily have to be said to those around him, and he’s probably the only guy in this league who can body up on Rob Gronkowski and not just hold his own, but absolutely make him his bitch. Yeah, I should say that every team wants to have their very own Kam Chancellor, but the dude is one of a kind, and he’s ours, and you can’t God damn have him!

Which is why I’m always so flabbergasted whenever I see 12’s out there trashing him. They write to the beat writers on Twitter, asking about trading him for draft picks or cutting him after the season’s over. ARE YOU INSANE? Do you just not watch the games when he’s in there? Do you not see the difference between when he’s in there and when he’s not? I know the hold-out left a bad taste in our mouths as fans last year, and yeah, he’s been knicked up a little bit the last couple seasons. He plays football, it’s a violent sport, let’s try to have some understanding here.

I’ll just spell it out so everyone understands my position: the Seahawks should not, under any circumstances, be looking to rid themselves of Kam Chancellor, now, in the offseason, or ever. In reality, they need to keep him for the life of his contract, and when the time is right, they need to be looking to see how they can extend him and ensure he retires as a Seahawk. Kam Chancellor is as important to this team’s ongoing success as Earl Thomas, Richard Sherman, Michael Bennett, Doug Baldwin, Bobby Wagner, and yes, even Russell Wilson. If you’re looking to get rid of Kam, you’re doing it wrong as a fan.

As this post has gone WAY beyond the realm of decency in its word count, let’s get to the kudos now before it’s too late.

That hit by Earl Thomas on Gronk that knocked the wind out of him (and knocked him out of the game for a while), was one of the hardest hits I’ve ever seen. How he caved in his chest like that on the slow-mo replay is painful just to watch.
My favorite play on defense goes to Kam for stripping the ball from Edelman’s hands. I fucking hate that guy, so any time he fucks up (which led to a TD on Seattle’s subsequent drive) it’s really entertaining in my book.
Again, can’t say enough about Prosise. He led the team in rushing with 66 yards on 17 carries, AND receiving with 87 yards on 7 catches. He won’t be as featured when Rawls gets back up to speed, but like I said before, that’s quite a weapon to have out of the backfield. Pencil us in for points on every 2-minute drill when Prosise is in the game.
Can’t say the same for Alex Collins, who fumbled on his only carry. You hate to give up on draft picks too early, particularly when they were so vital in college, but he has a real Spencer Ware vibe for me. Like a guy who’s destined to be cut next year, who will be picked up by Kansas City to be an every-down player.
Frank Clark had a great game, including a 1-handed sack where he grabbed a fistful of Brady jersey and yanked him to the ground while still engaged with the block from the left tackle. Outstanding!
The interior of the line – Reed, McDaniel, Siliga, Rubin, and newcomer Damontre Moore – all had outstanding games! Granted, LeGarrette Blount ran for three TDs, but those guys combined for 1 sack and 2.5 tackles for loss, as well as held the Pats to under 3 yards per carry, and were critical in stopping them at the goalline at the end of the game.
Finally, big ups to Tyler Lockett in the return game. He ran his only kickoff back 32 yards, and was a big reason why they kicked the ball out of bounds on another, as they were trying to avoid him getting the ball at all costs.

Is It Possible For The Seahawks To Beat The Patriots This Weekend?

Posted on November 11, 2016 by dunderhead99

As is custom, when the schedules are released, we as fans tend to pour over them like they’re ancient sacred scrolls. I usually like to take a look at how many primetime games the Seahawks have, followed by any 10am starts, and then I just cruise around for a while looking for anomalies. 3-game road trips, extended homestands, whether the first half or the second half looks tougher on paper. Then, I’ll bitch about where we have our BYE week for an hour and a half and then go about my day.

I think when most of us saw 2016’s schedule, our eyes were immediately drawn to the matchup you see this weekend. Seattle at New England, Sunday night, 5:30pm. There are other big games on the slate, there are DEFINITELY more important games, against divisional opponents and major conference rivals. But, Seattle at New England is special. Obviously, because it’s the first time we’ve played one another since the Super Bowl That Shall Not Be Named, but beyond that, you’re talking about the two premiere franchises in the NFL. The Patriots have been good forever; the Seahawks have been dominant since 2012. Lots of teams have waxed and waned since 2012. Most every team, from Denver, to Green Bay, to Carolina, to Pittsburgh, to Baltimore, to Indianapolis to Arizona to the entire NFC East have had up and down seasons in that short span. Only the Seahawks and Patriots have won at least 1 game in the playoffs every year since 2012. Any well-run franchise can make the playoffs on a down year, in a down division, but it takes consistent greatness to not only do that, but have some success in the post-season. Obviously, the Patriots have been doing that for a lot longer than the Seahawks, but they’re the team to aspire to be. The Seahawks have been the closest thing to a dynasty since these Patriots. Hence, the two best-run franchises in the NFL.

Regardless of how good you thought the Seahawks would be, when these schedules were released, you probably did what a lot of us do: you went game by game and ticked off the wins and losses. And, I’ll bet dollars to donuts, if you’re not some deluded homer, but you ACTUALLY gave this game serious, objective consideration, you probably ticked this game off as a loss for the Seahawks. Maybe I’m wrong! Maybe more people have more faith in this team than I realize; or maybe I’ve just become snowblind from all the sugary praise Tom Brady and the Patriots receive from every nook and cranny of this planet. But, I know what I’ve read from other people, and my hunch is that a lot of people thought the Seahawks would lose this game before the season even started.

And, now that we’re flippin’ 8 games in – at the exact midpoint of our season – in spite of the fact that we’re currently in the 2-seed in the NFC and a VERY respectable 5-2-1, I feel like people are giving the Seahawks even less of a chance than they were before, when hopes were at their highest and we weren’t yet constantly bombarded with injury updates from our favorite, most important players. Certainly, Vegas gives us no shot; we’re 7.5-point underdogs, which is kinda crazy if you think about it. If the Seahawks lose on Sunday by more than 7 points, it will only be the third time that’s happened since the start of the 2012 season. Think about THAT! I’m as skeptical as anyone that the Seahawks will find a way to pull this out, but if I’m a betting man, and I’m putting my money on this game, I’m ABSOLUTELY putting my money on the Seahawks to cover this spread, and there wouldn’t be a worry in my pretty little head! Shit, if this line holds, part of me wouldn’t mind flying direct to the nearest sportsbook and putting my life’s savings on ~~black~~ the Seahawks to cover; easiest got-damn $77 I’ve ever made!

But, I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere, so fuck Vegas. Let’s talk about the game and how the Seahawks can pull one out of their asses.

Now, I’ll admit, it doesn’t look good. The O-Line hasn’t progressed at all, the running game is worse than I’ve ever seen it (maybe literally of all time, maybe since I was a little boy watching this team; this might be worse than even the Julius Jones years!), Russell Wilson is moving better, but isn’t all the way back yet, the defense has been savagely over-worked, hindering our ability to stop the run and get off the field on third down, and oh yeah, while Kam Chancellor looks like he’ll be back, Michael Bennett is still out. It’s already tough to get a pass rush going on Tom Brady, because he’s so quick and decisive with the football; now we’re trying to do it without our very best pass rusher, the one guy who can slip through the line and make the other team’s guard/tackle look like a statue.

So, I ask again, is it even possible for the Seahawks to beat this team?

I gotta tell you, it looks grim. The Pats are coming off a BYE to boot, so they’ve had two weeks to prepare for this game. I don’t know about you, but I shudder at the thought of Bill Belichick having an extra week to expose our team. I would think our talent will be enough to force a couple punts here and there, but we should probably gear up for the Pats to hit the endzone at a minimum of 3 times. My guess is probably in the 4-5 range. This team can score quick, so I think they’ll have no problem getting into the 30’s in this one. And that’s with the Seahawks defense playing assignment-perfect football.

What’s going to have to happen here is a good ol’ fashioned shootout. We were done a solid by the Pats trading away Jamie Collins a couple weeks back, as well as Chandler Jones before the season. Obviously, it’s not a prerequisite for the other team to have dominant players to be able to get pressure on our quarterback, but it can’t be a bad thing to have those guys playing for other teams this weekend.

While I think the Seahawks might try to buck trends and get a running game going (likely without Christine Michael for the most part), I just don’t think this unit is good enough yet. As such, I’d look for this one to be on Russell Wilson’s shoulders.

Now, fortunately, he’s looking about as good as he’s looked all year. Buffalo was a nice warm-up game for us, and for him, but he’s going to have to go above and beyond. I’m talking a 400-yard passing day, I’m talking about 4 TD passes, and I’m talking about a gut-churning finish like we’re all used to seeing by now. I have a feeling this game will start out sour early, and it’s going to require a furious comeback in the second half, but in the end I think the Patriots have just enough flaws on defense – and the Seahawks just enough talent on offense – to shock the world and steal a game they have no business winning.

Either that, or the offense will never get going and we’ll lose by 20. Sunday night has the real possibility of being horrible and embarrassing for us! WINTER IS COMING, EVERYONE!!! WE’RE ALL FUCKING DOOMED!!!

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