Feelings after a Second Super Bowl Title for the Seahawks

I realized I hadn't talked about it on here yet, but yes, my Seattle Seahawks are once again Super Bowl Champions!  I don't know if it hasn't fully sunk in yet or if I've almost become numb to winning, but I'm not overly ecstatic about this one for some reason.  I am, of course, very surprised that in Mike Macdonald's second season EVER as a head coach, he won a Super Bowl with us.  He turned us around so quickly.  The unfortunate thing for him is that this will be hard for him to live up to.  But on the flip side, he will be able to coast on this one for a while, regardless of how the Hawks do in the next few years.  I'm going to go over my overall thoughts about this team, what I expect going forward, and if we have a potential dynasty brewing here.

I honestly believe that this defense had a better year than the 2013 Seahawks did.  They were dominant against the run, and outside of Puka Nacua, no star players had a good game against the Hawks this past year.  The 2013 Hawks were hard-hitting and forced turnovers, while this defense just doesn't allow yards or points.  I think the latter is overall better, because they didn't have to rely on turnovers to do well.  

I'm just mostly stoked we have a competitive team with likable players.  Sam Darnold, our quarterback, is one of the most likable quarterbacks in the league after what he has gone through.  Geno Smith had a similar arc and story, but he didn't exude likability.  We know that if we build a consistent winner here, Sam will do what it takes to agree to a contract extension when the time comes, rather than demand a high amount that would hurt the team to give out.

What's crazy about this #1 defense is that there aren't really any huge stars on it.  Sure, there are Leonard Williams, Devon Witherspoon, and Ernest Jones, all of whom have gotten a Pro Bowl nod, at least second-team All-Pro, or both.  But they aren't the marketable defensive stars you see on other teams like TJ Watt, Maxx Crosby, Micah Parsons, Sauce Gardner, or Myles Garrett.  They're just a bunch of dudes.  It's funny that the best defense in the NFL only had one first-team All-Pro in Williams.  It shows the depth of this defense and how well-rounded they are.  Some defenses are poor against the pass, run, or both.  This team is poor against NOTHING.  There is not one situation or type of offense that they are weak against.  They can play heavy or light, whatever the situation calls for.  

I fully expect this team to continue to build, plug in holes when guys leave or retire, and continue to compete each and every year.  And if, worst-case scenario, they have a really bad year, general manager and team president John Schneider has shown he can build a team out given a few top picks, and isn't afraid to dish away a star player to help build a new team.  

It's crazy how the trades in recent years were mocked and lauded, only for them to work out swimmingly.  First, of course, was the Russell Wilson trade, which netted the Hawks multiple firsts and helped them land their stud left tackle in Charles Cross and a stud corner in Devon Witherspoon.  Then, just this past off-season, the trades of DK Metcalf and Geno Smith that netted the Hawks a second and third round pick.  The second round pick would eventually (after a trade with Tennessee) net them stud safety Nick Emmanwori, who was a vital contributor on the Super Bowl team.  The third round pick netted Jalen Milroe, who is a project QB, but I guarantee the Hawks are not going to just let him walk in a year or two.  

Do we have a potential dynasty?  Possibly.  The key will be if they can establish an identity on offense, and either get an offensive coordinator who will stick around, or establish an identity well enough so that it doesn't particularly matter who the OC is, as long as they stick to the script.  I think we're going to see a very competitive team from the Seahawks for the next several years, and I would not be surprised in the slightest if we saw another Super Bowl appearance or win.  I think best-case scenario we have a borderline dynasty, one that we could argue is a dynasty or not, similar to the Legion of Boom years in the 2010s.  

One thing that is potentially looming is the sale of the team.  Rumors have started sprouting about the team possibly going for sale.  If you have a good ownership situation, you do not want your team sold, but unfortunately, it will have to happen at some point, due to Paul Allen's passing and his sister Jodi serving as the temporary chairperson.  If the Hawks can get a good owner or a good ownership group, we should be ok.  I worry that the Hawks could go into someone's hands, like Jeff Bezos, who would only want to use the Hawks to further line his pockets and not be emotionally invested in the team.  I'll likely most a post about my thoughts when that happens, so I'll worry about that when the time comes.  

Ownership aside, I'm excited for the future.  Mike Macdonald will likely be our coach for a long time, and we know he's a good one.  And he seems like the kind of guy who isn't set in his ways, and is willing to evolve and change as the NFL game evolves and changes.  That's not something I could say about his predecessor.  And Sam Darnold, our QB, is already one of the top QB's in team history after just one year, so hopefully, he will grow and evolve as well and be a Seahawk for a long time, too.

My Thoughts and Grades on the Seahawks 2025 Draft Class and 54-Man Roster Prediction

 The 2025 Draft has concluded, and I think the Seahawks had a very solid draft.  They addressed positions of need, and I think this team will be very competitive this season.  I'm going to go over each draft pick, my brief thoughts, and give a letter grade, and finish with some final thoughts.  I am going to be a bit on the harsher side with my grading, so be forewarned.

Afterwards, I'll predict a rough idea of the 54-man roster.  Likely going to be very wrong in some spots, but I'll do my best.

Round 1 Pick 18: Grey Zabel, OL, North Dakota State
Very solid pick.  It's not particularly exciting nor flashy, but it's what we needed.  We can only hope he adjuts to the NFL and doesn't rack up a ton of penalties.  We need to run the ball more, and Grey will help with that.  I think Grey was projected more as a late first-rounder, so we could've maybe traded down and gotten something from it.
Grade: B-

Round 2 Pick 35: Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
My favorite pick of the draft.  He was often mocked as a late first-rounder, so this was a steal.  Smart of John to trade up to snag him here while he was still available.  I can't wait to see the backside defense of Love and Emmanwori.
Grade: A

Round 2 Pick 50: Elijah Arroyo, TE, Miami
The first real headscratcher for me.  We already have two very solid tight ends in Fant and Barner.  Perhaps Fant will be a cap casualty in training camp since he is paid over $10 million a season.  I didn't think we particularly needed tight end help, but we'll see.  I've heard decent things, but we already have an emerging stud in Barner.  Perhaps we can have what the Patriots had in the early 2010s with Gronk and Hernandez.  
Grade: C

Round 3 Pick 92: Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama
It will remain to be seen how good this pick is.  I think it would be foolish of us to think Jalen will match what Russ did in his career, our last QB drafted this high.  Let's hope he can grow and learn from the sidelines and not get pressed into action too early.  I think that's why we got Lock as well.  I'm ok with this pick, but I think the odds are more likely that Jalen doesn't have success with the Hawks than he does.
Grade: C-

Round 5 Pick 142: Rylie Mills, DT, Notre Dame
Don't know too much about him, but I know we always need nose tackle depth.  We'll be hoping Byron Murphy takes a big step in his second year, but Mills is good insurance.  
Grade: C+

Round 5 Pick 166: Tory Horton, WR, Colorado State
One of the two WRs of this draft is going to be a hit and shine in training camp, and I bet it'll be Horton.  WR was definitely a position of need, at least where we needed depth.  
Grade: B

Round 5 Pick 175: Robbie Ouzts, FB/TE, Alabama
Are we going back to old school I formation football?  Perhaps for some plays.  If so, I'm down.  He could also play special teams, so this is a very solid pick.  But the thing is, we already had Brady Russell, who is switching to FB as well.  I think only one can make the roster.
Grade: B-

Round 6 Pick 192: Bryce Cabeldue, G, Kansas
Yes!  More midwestern O-Linemen!  Hey, he might be a steal.  Likely won't outplay Grey, but imagine if they both end up starting.  I will never hate an O-Line pick unless we have too many of them, which will never happen.
Grade: B+

Round 7 Pick 223: Damien Martinez, RB, Miami
This reminds me of another late-round running back, ALSO out of the University of Miami.  That being Travis Homer.  He was a very good special-teams player for a while.  But I think Martinez will be more of a third-string/third-down back.  We'll see.  Can't hate a late running back selection.
Grade: B

Round 7 Pick 234: Mason Richman, OL, Iowa
Our THIRD midwestern offensive lineman!  Love it.  Odds are only one of Cabledue or Richman make the team, unless they maybe push Bradford out (honestly, kinda hope they do).  
Grade: B

Round 7 Pick 238: Ricky White III, WR, UNLV
Like I mentioned with Horton, one of these guys is going to make a splash in training camp, I bet.  It might not be Ricky White, but you never know.  
Grade: B+

Overall Grade/GPA: 2.81 (B- average)

Overall, very solid draft for John Schneider and company.  I didn't hate a single pick.  In all likelihood, maybe 7 or so (out of 11) of them make the team this season, with perhaps 3 or 4 playing multiple significant seasons with the team.  But it's how significant those seasons end up being that will determine how successful this draft truly is.  

Just for funsies, I'll also predict the 54-man roster and possible practice squad:

QB (3): Darnold, Lock, Milroe
RB/FB (6): Walker, Charbonnet, Martinez, McIntosh, Holani, Ouzts
TE (3): Barner, Arroyo, Saubert
WR (5): Kupp, Smith-Njigba, Valdez-Scantling, Horton, Bobo
OL (10): Oluwatimi, Sundell, Cabledue, Richman, Haynes, Laumea, Zabel, Cross, Lucas, Jerrell
26

DL (7): Lawrence, Mills, Williams, Murphy, Reed, Morris, Pili
LB/Edge (7): Hall, Jones, Knight, Mafe, Nwosu, Smith, Sheriff
CB (5): Witherspoon, Woolen, Pritchett, Jobe, Jean-Charles
S (5): Bryant, Love, Emmanwori, Reed, Finley/Bell
24

ST (3): Myers, Dickson, Stoll

Notable cuts: Noah Fant, Dareke Young, Anthony Bradford

Practice Squad candidates: 
Ricky White, WR
Cody White, WR
Hall, CB
Bohanna, DT
Aumavae-Laulu, G
O'Connell, LB
Thomas, LB

I'm probably way off with the numbers regarding positions, but it should be fun for me to see how close I get!  Training camp is still three months away... sigh.  But it should be hear before we know it! :D

My Thoughts Regarding the Turnover of the Seahawks Offense

In what has been a busy offseason for Seahawks GM John Schneider, the Seahawks have already started completely revamping their offense.  Gone are Tyler Lockett, Geno Smith, and DK Metcalf.  In is Sam Darnold, and likely a receiver from the draft or free agency (ended up being Cooper Kupp!).  I'm going to make some bullet point overriding thoughts I have about these moves for each player, go into further detail, and then talk about the outlook for the Seahawks this coming season, despite the rest of free agency and the draft needing to happen.

• We knew Tyler Lockett was going to be cut
  Unfortunately, the NFL is a business, and Lockett was making too much for the production he was providing.  It was inevitable.  There is still a small chance they bring him back on a team-friendly deal, especially since Tyler's real estate business is centered here.  His veteran presence will be missed, but perhaps the Seahawks will bring a cheaper veteran in to training camp.
  
  
• Geno's gone because he overvalued himself
  Sounds like the two sides were far apart in negotiations.  Sure, you can try to find a middle, but it seemed like neither side wanted to compromise that much.  Geno's TD/Int ratio was only 1.4 last season.  That's below league average for a starting quarterback these days.  I wonder if there was any chance of waiting until after next season was over.  But, the rumor is because they couldn't reach a deal, Geno wanted a deal with someone else, then.  I think we had seen Geno's ceiling, which was a winning QB, but not a QB with success in the playoffs.  Might as well try something new.
  
  
• DK Metcalf is a great talent, but has his flaws
  Fortunately for the Steelers and Mike Tomlin, DK's problems are primarily mental.  He sometimes lets his emotions get the best of him.  DK also doesn't have great ball security and occasionally will drop a pass.  That stuff can be fixed.  The Steelers will either make or break the rest of DK's career.  I wish we could've gotten a first for him, but a 2nd will have to do.  Hopefully, we can get a good player from it--more of a Bobby Wagner than a Marquise Blair (Both 2nd round picks by the Hawks).  I'll miss DK's freakish athleticism, but I won't miss his immature attitude.
  
  
• Sam Darnold, the next Matt Flynn?
  Interesting how history sometimes repeats itself.  The Seahawks signed Matt Flynn in 2012 after he had one good game after being mostly a backup.  The Seahawks signed Sam Darnold after he had one good season after being a backup for the last few years.  Perhaps we will take a QB in the 3rd or 4th round of the draft who may be our next Russell Wilson.  I'll certainly be watching out for that.  But Darnold likely is the starter at first, regardless of who we take in April's draft.  But we also thought that about Flynn after we signed him.  I think Darnold will do okay, but the key will be protecting him and establishing the run.  So our next focus has to be offensive line.  

Next season will certainly be interesting.  I, for one, am optimistic.  I just really hope that we get at least two starter-quality interior linemen.  I'm not worried about the defense, which I believe will be even better in 2025.  The offensive side of the ball will largely determine the team's success in 2025.  Funny, no one thought the Vikings would win 14 games under Sam Darnold, yet they did.  I know most in the rest of the country will largely be counting the Hawks out in 2025, but that's fine with me.  They could use a chip on their shoulder.  But first, the draft in April will be huge now that we have a couple extra picks.  I don't think I'll be doing a post before the draft, but I'll do one after, possibly grading the picks and talking about how they might fit into the team.  

What the Seahawks should do at the QB Position

The Seahawks are coming to a crossroads regarding their starting quarterback, Geno Smith.  He's about to enter the final year of his contract, and the team is going to have to make a tough decision regarding his future.  They have to, first and foremost, look out for the team's best interests.  I'm going to go over the possible scenarios and rank them from 1 to 5, with 1 being the best and 5 being the worst.

1. The Seahawks don't extend Geno, but find a different option to learn under him and possibly take over for him.  
This is what I hope the Hawks will do.  First off, as the team's starting quarterback and leader, he shouldn't hold out if they decide not to extend him.  Even if he decides to hold out, the Hawks should try to find someone out there who can take over, worst-case scenario.  They have Sam Howell, but they need to bring someone else in to compete with Howell, at least for the backup spot.  It could be through the draft, or it could be a QB in free agency like Justin Fields or Daniel Jones.  Clearly, it would depend on who they hire to be the new offensive coordinator, and who that OC likes.

2. The Hawks pull a Pittsburgh Steelers and bring in two new QB's
Last offseason, the Steelers jettisoned both Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph and got Russell Wilson and Justin Fields.  Imagine if the Hawks did something like that.  Who knows who the two QBs would be, but it would certainly inspire hope that the Hawks are trying to find the next franchise QB. 

3. The Seahawks trade Geno Smith and have a QB competition with Howell and another QB brought in.
We have likely seen Geno's ceiling.  He's not getting any younger, and his TD/INT ratio took a huge hit in 2024.  Perhaps Macdonald and the new OC will want to start with someone new and build them up.  Sure, there's Sam Howell, but he would need some competition for the starting job after trading Geno.  It could be another trade like the Hawks did with Russell Wilson, where they got Drew Lock in return, among other players and picks.  Possible teams the Hawks could look to trade Geno to: Raiders, Browns, Titans, or Giants.

4. The Seahawks stay with the same two QB's, possibly extending Geno
This wouldn't inspire much confidence in wanting to improve at the QB position.  Could Geno win with a Super Bowl roster like the Hawks had in 2013-2014?  Sure.  But so could a lot of QBs.  Also, extending him ties up our cap space a lot to our QB position.  When you do that, unless you have a worldly talent like Mahomes, Allen, or Jackson, you're not winning too much.  I mostly want some kind of change.  But not any kind of change, as you'll see below.

5. The Hawks draft a QB at #18, regardless of who is currently on the roster
After Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward, there's a bit of a drop-off, so I'd be surprised if the #18 pick was a QB, especially if Geno is still here.  The next best options are Quinn Ewers and Jalen Milroe.  The Seahawks haven't taken a QB in the first round since 1993 with Rick Mirer.  I don't think that will change after the 2025 draft.  

It'll be interesting to see what they do this off-season.  I'll try to update here once it seems settled.  My dad, for one, is tired of Geno Smith as the Seahawks quarterback.  I can't say I blame him too much.  Sure, Geno can help the Hawks to winning seasons, but it does not appear he will be able to lead them to a Super Bowl.  It's time to start rebuilding at the position so the Hawks can hopefully, someday, have another star QB.

Wow, color me surprised.  They went with option #2 (bolded, above).  I definitely am on board with the decisions made.  Sam Darnold had a much better 2024 than Geno and is younger.  We also brought back Drew Lock, who not only is familiar with the Hawks, but he's familiar with Sam Darnold.  Who knew?  And not only that, but we drafted an electric fast-moving QB in Jalen Milroe.  I'm excited to see him in the pre-season, for sure.  I am not upset at all about moving on from Geno--we saw his ceiling.  Teams had started to adjust to him, and I guarantee he will not have as good of a season with the Raiders as he did in 2022 with us.  He's a bridge QB for the Raiders at best, just like he was with us.

What's Wrong with the Seahawks?

The Seahawks are 4-5, which isn't too bad, but when you consider they started 3-0 and have lost 5 of 6, and four straight at home, you realize there are some problems with the team.  Clearly, they were buoyed by their easy start, which involved facing: A rookie QB in his first game, a rebuilding Patriots team they barely beat, and a Dolphins team on their 3rd string QB.  Most competent teams would go 3-0 in that stretch, just as the Seahawks did.  But when they finally started facing teams built to win now, they started losing.  They even lost to a Giants team at home that still only has one other win, over the struggling Browns.

So, what's the issue?  On offense, it's pretty clear the offensive line is one of the worst in the NFL.  Geno Smith has one of the highest pressure rates and total number of pressures in the NFL, and it's not because he's always holding onto the ball too long, although I will admit he does that on occasion.  But I think the bigger issue is not being able to establish a running game.  To establish a running game, you need four things: A good running back, an offensive line that can create holes, a run-blocking scheme and coaching that will allow this to happen, and an offensive coordinator who will not abandon the run too quickly.  The Seahawks have the first one.  But they are largely missing the other three.  The offensive line has been unable to open holes in the A or B gaps.  Most of Kenneth Walker's big runs have been outside the tackles, where he has used his speed to get around the edge.  The run-blocking scheme also seems to be largely not there.  The Seahawks recently faced a 4th and 1 in Overtime against the Rams and could not get one yard.  And lastly, I'm not sure Ryan Grubb is the right fit for an offense that needs to be balanced in today's NFL.  He does seem to abandon the run after it doesn't work in game.

But that's just the offense.  The defense is actually not performing too poorly.  They've certainly shown to be dominant at times.  But they are inconsistent and lacking a bit of discipline.  I think, with time, they can develop into a dominant unit more consistently.  Perhaps not "Legion of Boom" dominant, but maybe close to it.  The pass rush could be improved, but the run defense seems better.  The pass defense is inconsistent, seemingly dependent on the aerial attack they face.  The defense has some above-average players in Leonard Williams, Devon Witherspoon, Julian Love, and Ernest Jones, but that's about it.  They could use a bit more talent.

I must also talk about starting quarterback Geno Smith.  Geno has a lot of people calling him to be benched.  I can see where they're coming from, but our other option is Sam Howell, who led the league in interceptions last season.  Sure, a change at quarterback can spark an offense, but it can also cause division.  Geno has a lot of close friends on the team, namely receivers Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf, and his benching would certainly upset them, especially if it's somewhat unwarranted.  We'd also be asking a second-year quarterback to be successful when the Seahawks, as I stated above, have one of the worst pressure rates allowed in the NFL.  It's very likely the people who are calling for Geno to be benched would then be calling for him to come back.  I do not believe Geno will be our quarterback for too much longer, as his age will likely lead to us looking for a younger option soon.  Just not this season.

Safe to say, coach Mike Macdonald has his work cut out for him.  I hate that I'm hearing people calling him to be fired already.  Like, come on, people.  This was not a team ready to make a Super Bowl run when he took over.  Pete was let go because there were struggles with the team that, unfortunately, still exist today.  Therefore, I think the issues with this team are largely due to the construction of the roster by General Manager John Schneider.  I could do an entirely separate post about him, but the point I want to make here is that he's likely been overvalued as a GM and should, therefore, be held accountable for the team's struggles.   He's not been a good GM with trades, he's only had two or three good drafts out of 14, and he overvalues some positions (wide receiver) while undervaluing others (interior OL).  

If the Seahawks really want to make a run at a Super Bowl in a few years, two things need to happen.  One, they need to find the next franchise quarterback.  Geno is a good holdover quarterback, but he will likely start declining soon (if he hasn't already), and the Hawks will need to find a younger option.  The second thing the Hawks will need to do is either replace John Schneider, or he has to change his philosophy on roster construction.  I don't see the latter happening, as people that high on teams don't tend to be malleable and are set in their ways.  Yes, he put together a team that won us a Super Bowl in 2014.  However, the NFL has changed in the last ten years, and I think he's failed to realize this.  I still like Schneider as a team-builder more than Jerry Dipoto on the Mariners, but it's starting to get close.  Like Dipoto, I feel a championship might not be possible under his reign.  

The thing Seahawks fans most have to understand is this is a team in transition.  We aren't going to make a Super Bowl run this year or even next.  Some legitimate holes on this team still need to be filled, and Macdonald still has to install his system and way of doing things.  This team still feels like it has remnants of Carroll's philosophy, so that needs to change.  Nothing against Carroll, but he's not the coach anymore.  This is Macdonald's team now, whether fans like it or not.  Let's all be patient.

Top Seven Heartbreaking Sports Defeats for Me

Ah, Sports.  You experience the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.  In this, I am going to go over my top six heartbreaking sports moments and the top ten happiest sports moments.  Why seven?  Because only seven have been painful enough to be worthy of being on this list, thankfully.  Some of these left me angry, some left me sad, and some left me depressed.  Let's get to it!

7. Gonzaga gets upset by UCLA in the Sweet 16 - 2006
I remember this game.  I was so upset.  I wanted to cry like Adam Morrison.  Gonzaga should have won.  I had just become a fan of their basketball program.  The way the game ended was just the worst.  Turnovers, poor decisions, and poor defense led to Gonzaga's demise.  Fortunately, they got their revenge 15 years later.  But it was too late to heal the pain.  

6. Seahawks lose divisional round game to the Packers - 2020
Jimmy Graham was short.  I'll stick by that to this day.  Had he been marked short, the Packers would have faced a fourth down, likely resulting in a punt.  Or perhaps a fourth down stop.  The completion to Davante Adams moments before was another dagger to the Hawks chances.  Neither should have happened.  The Hawks were the better team, and I whole-heartedly believe they would have beaten the 49ers in the NFC Championship game the following week, or at least put up a better effort than the Packers did.  I will forever point to this game as the end of the Russell Wilson run, so to speak.  This was, I believe, the last playoff game Wilson played for us.  We didn't make the playoffs the following season, and after that season, Wilson was traded to Denver.

5. Mariners lose Game 3 of the ALDS to the Astros - 2022
The 18-inning marathon did not have the ghost runner rule, so that's why it went so long.  Of course, the Mariners had plenty of chances and had a superb start by George Kirby.  This was the first home playoff game for the Mariners since 2001, and their most recent playoff game as of the time of this post.  The Mariners were already down two games to zero, and would have to have won the next two games to have won the series, which is why it's only #5.  But the Mariners had their chances, and we knew Jeremy Pena's home run in the Top of the 18th was the nail in our coffin.  So to this day, the Mariners still have not scored a run in a home playoff game since 2001.  

4. Mariners lose in the ALCS to the Yankees - 2001
I was only 12 years old, so this moment isn't too vivid.  But the Mariners were supposed to finally get to the World Series.  They won 116 games.  Not getting to the World Series after that kind of regular season is one of the biggest disappointments in MLB history.  And the Mariners have not returned to the ALCS since this series, and it took 21 years just to get back to the playoffs.  I couldn't single out just one game, because none of them stick out to me individually.  Just knowing we should've gone on to the World Series is pain enough.  I think the team was worn out, and I also think they put too much effort into the regular season and matching the Cubs record of 116 wins.

3. Mariners lose Game 1 of the ALDS to the Astros - 2022
Yep, two from this series are on the list.  It stung.  We had the lead going into the bottom of the 9th.  We were on a roll and about to win our third playoff game in a row.  No one was expecting us to win this series, and we were three outs away from taking a 1-0 series lead on our division rivals.  Then, with runners aboard, Scott Servais brings in Robbie Ray to face Yordan Alvarez, who hits a walk-off home run to win it.  Just brutal for all Mariners fans.  Servais will likely be long remembered for this decision.  Like Carroll's decision to run the ball (see below), it was the turning point of the organization.  And not in a good way.  Who knows how the series would have gone if someone like Swanson was brought in instead, and we managed to hold onto the lead in game one.  That 2022 Mariners team was a team of destiny, until they weren't.

2. Seahawks lose Super Bowl XLIX - 2015
You might be surprised that this is not #1.  To me, it helps that the Hawks won the Super Bowl the previous year.  It sucks not being able to repeat, no doubt.  But the thing that bothers me most is that Jermaine Kearse's insane catch which put the Seahawks inside the 10-yard line doesn't have as much impact as it could have.  Kearse's catch, if it or a subsequent play resulted in a game-winning touchdown, would have made that catch one of the greatest of all time.  Greater than David Tyree's helmet catch.  I so wish Kearse could have reacted quicker and gotten in the end zone.  Or, that the Hawks had just given it to Marshawn at the one-yard line, or that Marshawn's final run would've gotten into the end zone.  Also, who knows how the Seahawks do in subsequent years if they win this game.  Maybe they win three in a row or three in four years.  We'll never know.

1. Seahawks lose Super Bowl XL - 2006
I still have not been more upset after a loss than the Seahawks losing Super Bowl XL.  I still hold much disdain for the Steelers, even though it was the referees who largely should be blamed.  I hate that our first Super Bowl was the most poorly officiated one.  I hate that the Super Bowl was played within driving distance of Pittsburgh and the crowd was almost all Steelers fans.  And the #1 seeded Hawks were playing a #6 seeded wild-card Steelers team which was not that good--they relied upon a lot of luck to win their playoff games.  They also had second-year QB Ben Roethlisberger, who had one of the worst statistical games by a starting quarterback in a Super Bowl.  Yet, the Steelers still won.  I remember breaking all of my Steelers toy helmets after the game (those little toy helmets you'd get from the quarter machines) because I was so upset.

Well, let's hope I don't have to add to this list anytime soon.  But sports, like the rest of life, have both good and bad moments.  You go through the bad so you can appreciate the good so much more.  So that leads me to want to do a reverse of this--best sports victories or moments compilation.  So look out for that soon!

Condensed 2024 NFL Predictions!

 I will, at the very least, keep up my tradition of predicting the NFL season, even though I'm always wrong about many things.  But hey, it's fun.  I'm going to get straight to it, the predicted records, the playoff predictions, and then, a short bit about the Seahawks, my favorite team.  A heads up, I'm going to try to predict a few surprises, so some of these records may surprise you.  After all, we always see several surprisingly good and bad teams each season.

* = Wild Card

AFC EAST
1. Miami Dolphins 11-6
2. Buffalo Bills 10-7*
3. New England Patriots 8-9
4. New York Jets 6-11
Comment: The Dolphins win a mediocre at best division as the Bills have a few setbacks.  The Patriots and Drake Maye surprise some people.  Aaron Rodgers either struggles or gets hurt and the Jets are, well, the Jets.

AFC NORTH
1. Cincinnati Bengals 12-5
2. Baltimore Ravens 11-6*
3. Cleveland Browns 8-9
4. Pittsburgh Steelers 7-10
Comment: The Bengals are back on top and Burrow plays all season.  The Ravens regress slightly, most notably on defense after losing Mike Macdonald.  The Browns are okay, but Watson proves to not stay healthy or consistent.  The Steelers regress without a solid QB as both Wilson and Fields struggle against the tough defenses of the AFC North.

AFC SOUTH
1. Indianapolis Colts 11-6
2. Houston Texans 10-7*
3. Tennessee Titans 9-8
4. Jacksonville Jaguars 6-11
Comment: Yep, you heard it here.  The Colts surge with a healthy Anthony Richardson.  The Texans are still decent, but slightly lose their grasp on the division.  The Titans surprise people with their underrated D and Will Levis competing his butt off.  The Jaguars again struggle to find consistency.

AFC WEST
1. Kansas City Chiefs 10-7
2. Los Angeles Chargers 9-8
3. Denver Broncos 7-10
4. Las Vegas Raiders 4-13
Comment: The Chiefs win the worst division in the AFC despite a bit of a Super Bowl hangover.  The Chargers show flashes under new coach Jim Harbaugh, but look like they'll take a year to make a big stride.  The Broncos are competitive, and Bo Nix establishes himself as the starter.  The Raiders struggle mightily, even under Minshew.

NFC EAST
1. Dallas Cowboys 10-7
2. Philadelphia Eagles 8-9
3. Washington Commanders 8-9
4. New York Giants 7-10
Comment: In a very mediocre division, Dallas remains on top.  The Eagles struggle and continue their slide from last season.  The Commanders show some flashes but it's not enough.  The Giants aren't terrible, but are missing a star QB.

NFC NORTH
1. Detroit Lions 12-5
2. Chicago Bears 9-8*
3. Green Bay Packers 7-10
4. Minnesota Vikings 5-12
Comment: The Lions win the division two years in a row thanks to the best roster in the division.  The Bears surprise people and Caleb Williams looks like the real deal.  Jordan Love shows a bit that last year was a bit of an abberration.  The Vikings struggle without JJ McCarthy and having to go with Darnold.

NFC SOUTH
1. Atlanta Falcons 10-7
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7-10
3. New Orleans Saints 6-11
4. Carolina Panthers 6-11
Comment: The Falcons win a very winnable division thanks to the addition of Cousins.  The Bucs struggle in year 2 under Mayfield.  The Saints and Panthers have different stories: The Saints suffer massive disappointment while the Panthers remain optimistic under new head coach Dave Canales.

NFC WEST
1. San Francisco 49ers 13-4
2. Seattle Seahawks 10-7*
3. Los Angeles Rams 10-7*
4. Arizona Cardinals 6-11
Comment: The 49ers remain very tough and win a formidable division.  My Seahawks surprise people and win 10 games, largely thanks to an improved defense.  The Rams also win ten games, but more on the back of their offense.  The Cardinals aren't awful, but struggle to beat any somewhat decent teams.

Before I get to the playoffs, here are the coaches in this scenario I'd expect to get fired:
Robert Saleh, Jets
Doug Pederson, Jaguars
Antonio Pierce, Raiders
Nick Sirianni, Eagles
Todd Bowles, Buccaneers
Dennis Allen, Saints

With Mike Tomlin as an outside possibility (possibly steps down instead of getting fired).  

Now onto the NFL Playoffs!  Who is my prediction for Super Bowl LIX?

AFC WILD CARD
(7) Texans at (2) Dolphins: Dolphins win
(6) Bills at (3) Colts: Bills win
(5) Ravens at (4) Chiefs: Chiefs win

NFC WILD CARD
(7) Bears at (2) Lions: Lions win
(6) Rams at (3) Cowboys: Rams win
(5) Seahawks at (4) Falcons: Seahawks win

AFC DIVISIONAL
(6) Bills at (1) Bengals: Bengals win
(4) Chiefs at (2) Dolphins: Chiefs win

NFC DIVISIONAL
(6) Rams at (1) 49ers: 49ers win
(5) Seahawks at (2) Lions: Lions win

CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS
AFC: Chiefs at Bengals: Bengals
NFC: Lions at 49ers: 49ers

SUPER BOWL LIX
Bengals vs 49ers: 49ers win, 23-17

Yup, I hate to admit it, but the 49ers finally win another Super Bowl.  Turns out, third time is the charm for Kyle Shanahan, at least as a head coach.  

And now, my Seahawks.  I don't want to predict each game, because I'll be wrong about some wins and I'll be wrong about some losses.  I'll just go over three aspects of the team:

Offense: Slow start, but shows more explosiveness than last season.  There's not a ton of consistency with the offense.  Some games they may score 30+, others less than 20.  Geno has a bit of a bounce back season.  The lack of quality tight end depth hurts.  The run game could still be improved and show more consistency, as K9 breaks a few home run type runs but struggles to gain consistent yardage.

Defense: The defense is improved without the secondary of Diggs and Adams dragging them down.  The loss of Wagner's leadership is felt, but a few young players emerge, such as Derick Hall and of course, Byron Murphy.  The D-Line proves to be a Top 10 D-Line in the NFL.  The linebackers have their ups and downs, while the secondary is mostly decent.  

Coaching: I expect the growing pains that usually come with a rookie head coach/new coaching staff, but I do expect a new energy in this team.  I think they'll be in the middle of the league in terms of penalties (perhaps still bottom half) but I expect the Time of Possession to improve, largely due to the defense getting off the field, rather than the offense sustaining drives.  All in all, I expect a solid first season with a bright future in front of us.

Well, that does it for my 2024 NFL Predictions.  I'll take the Hawks having a good first year under Mike Macdonald, even if it means a 49ers Super Bowl... I guess.  But it should be a fun season.  Go Hawks!

Ranking the remaining Seahawks head coaching possibilities

 The Seahawks head coach search is winding down, and we should be hearing an announcement in the next few days.  As I'm writing this on Tuesday the 30th, I wouldn't be surprised if I heard an announcement made before I finish this post.  But I thought I'd rank the head coaching options from my most desired to the least desired, and talk about each.  I am only considering actual possibilities, so anyone that's been ruled out (Ben Johnson... sadface) or is just a virtual impossibility (Bill Belichick) will not be considered.  

1. Mike Macdonald (Ravens DC)
He's been called the "defensive Sean McVay", so getting him would be huge, since McVay is in our division.  With Johnson bowing out, Macdonald becomes the hot commodity between the Hawks and Commanders.  Unfortunately for us, he's got East Coast roots, so I think he's more likely to be the Commander's head coach.  But, you never know.  I've seen players/coaches choose teams that were further away from their roots because it suited them better.

Edit: We got our guy!  I'm stoked.  Glad to see he was okay with relocating to the west coast.  If anyone is going to figure out how to stop McVay and Shanahan's offenses, it's him.  His defenses beat both of their teams this year, and I wonder if that factored into the decision to hire him.  Good job JS!  Look out for my further thoughts in my other post where I grade the head coach hires.

2. Mike Vrabel (Former Titans HC)
The more I think about it, the more I like Vrabel.  But... we haven't apparently interviewed him yet.  Would we if we lose out on Macdonald?  Possibly.  JS has to explore all options.  Vrabel won in Tennessee, and I would really fault an aging core and lack of talent as to why the last couple years didn't go well for them.  He's a player's coach, being a former long time player himself.  Hope JS gives him a shot if we miss out on McDonald.

3. Ejiro Evero (Panthers DC)
I guess?  He's got a good defensive mind and his Panther's defense kept them in a lot of games this year.  Their offense just stunk.  The Seahawks haven't had a black head coach, so I would applaud that aspect of it.  I know if he became our head coach I'd call him EE.  I looked him up and all I see are other teams that want to hire him--as their DC.  Not head coach.  So he might not be it.  

4. Mike Kafka (Giants OC)
I remember when he was a backup QB in the NFL.  He was not particularly good.  Why is he being considered?  I have no idea.  His Giants' offenses weren't particularly great.  But I would love to have a younger offensive mind.  If he wins the job, it must be because he has the right plan and will do things the right way.  I worry about his leadership skills, but we wouldn't know until we saw it.

5. Patrick Graham (Raiders DC)
This is who I have felt for over a week now who the Seahawks will hire.  Just a gut feeling.  Again, would applaud the hire of a black head coach.  I just wouldn't be over the moon about this, and it would be a very ho-hum kind of hire.  But I'd be willing to give him a shot.

6. Dan Quinn (Cowboys DC)
Yes, he was our DC as well, but here's what I don't like: His only real success with the Falcons came when Kyle Shanahan was his OC, and he blew a 28-3 lead in the Super Bowl.  What I do like is that he may be able to get some of his Cowboys players to come over, either after they become free agents or getting JS to trade for them.  

7. Anyone else
Depends, obviously.  The above (outside of Vrabel) are the only ones who have been reported to have had an interview.  You think about the best units in the NFL, and a lot of them are headed by a failed head coach.  If I had to pick one not on this list I'd love to see get a shot, I'd say Frank Smith, Dolphins OC.  Or if I had to go on the defensive side of the ball, I'd say Jeff Ulbrich, Jets DC, who used to be an assistant coach under Pete Carroll.  He'd be a lot like Vrabel, but unproven.  Unfortunately, he wasn't granted any interviews, which is puzzling.  

I'm excited to see how this pans out, and I trust in JS.  I'll give whoever he chooses a fair shot (and not be calling for his firing too soon, lol).  I might even update this with my thoughts if the guy we choose is someone I talked about on here.

My Thoughts on the Seahawks moving on from Pete Carroll

 When the Seahawks announced on Wednesday, January 10, 2024, that they were moving off of Pete Carroll as their head coach, I was, to say the least, surprised.  I knew Pete had built something in this organization that had never been seen before: A culture that kept players like Sherm, Kam, Michael Bennett, Cliff Avril, Marshawn Lynch, and others coming back and visiting and lending their expertise to the current Hawks.  Therefore, I really felt that when it was time, Pete would leave on his own terms.  Instead, he was essentially removed as head coach.  Yes, it came across as more mutual, but I'd be willing to bet that had Pete not accepted it, they would have been forced to fire him, and he would not have left on as good of terms.  Instead, he will stay on in an advisory role.  (Supposedly)

I understand why it was done.  I think the main sticking point, the main reason it happened was due to Pete not being able to keep up with the modern game and compete against the younger coaches in the league.  If you listen to his press conferences or interviews, you hear that he wanted so badly for the team to do better in certain areas (like stopping the run), but they couldn't.  And it was not due to lack of talent.  They weren't picking guys off the street or relying upon undrafted free agents.  Also, Pete continued to struggle to come out on top against Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay's teams.  He had way more experience and was twice their age, but more often than not, the Hawks would come off looking worse in the divisional matchups with their teams.  

The next hire could not be more important.  The Hawks have a lot of young pieces and could easily make a Super Bowl run next season under the right leadership.  Alternatively, the wrong hire could lead to disastrous results where we could see this team head to a larger rebuild, a possible sale of the team, and a very uncertain future.  The wrong hire could set off a chain of events that spell doom for this organization.  But it could also continue the winning culture set forth not only by Pete Carroll but one of his predecessors, Mike Holmgren.  We cannot forget the impact coach Holmgren had, taking a perpetually mediocre team and elevating them to occasional contenders.

Whoever they hire has to be able to enter and immediately command the locker room and garner respect.  I don't think he can be too different from Pete Carroll, but he can't be too similar, either.  If he's too similar, the players will simply think this guy is trying to be the next Pete Carroll and won't respond as well.  However, a coach who is too different will be a bit of a culture shock to players like Geno, Tyler, DK, and Bobby (if he's here) and they won't respond well in that regard, either.  

I don't want to get into the specific candidates out there.  That's either for another post or maybe I'll evaluate each coaching hire once they are all done.  

Honestly, I'm excited.  The Hawks haven't had to actually search for a coach really in my NFL-viewing life.  Jim Mora Jr. was the heir apparent to Mike Holmgren, and Pete Carroll was hired to replace Mora after he became available.  There was never a real thorough process of bringing in multiple coaching candidates for interviews at that time.  I'll be excited to hear who flies in for an interview.  I'm sure some I'll be wishing they don't get the job and some I'll be wishing they do get the job, and some I'll be in-between on.  

Time will tell.  I'll definitely detail my thoughts once the hire is made.  Whoever it is, the 12s will give their full support and hopefully he can keep the Seahawks as consistent contenders.  GO HAWKS.

NFL Teams Ranked--Again

 We're midway through the 2023 season, and it sure is an interesting one.  I thought I'd rank each of the 32 NFL teams in terms of my personal preference.  As a Seahawks fan, a lot of these rankings are self-explanatory, but most are not.  I'll try to keep it brief, especially if it's self-explanatory.

FAVORITE
1. Seattle Seahawks - Always my #1, always my ride or die.  

I LIKE THESE TEAMS (Not too surprisingly, all AFC teams)
2. Jacksonville Jaguars - Team I've adopted as my #2, or my favorite AFC team.  The Seahawks have no reason to hate them.  I like their new resurgence with Trevor Lawrence, and I really hope they accomplish some things.
3. Miami Dolphins - I'm high on them for three reasons: 1) My girlfriend's 1st cousin once removed is their kicker, Jason Sanders.  He's her dad's cousin.  2) Salvon Ahmed, one of their backup running backs, grew up in Kirkland, WA, just like me.  3) One of their safeties is Jevon Holland, who shares a last name with me, the only Big 4 sports professional athlete I know of who has that distinction.
4. Kansas City Chiefs - I can't help it, they're so easy to root for and fun to watch.  Mahomes, Kelce, Andy Reid, what's not to like?
5. Buffalo Bills - I love Josh Allen; he's one of my favorite NFL players.  The Bills remind me of my Seahawks in a way: loyal to a fault and will brave the elements.

I'M HAPPY FOR YOU WHEN YOU WIN (Usually, unless you beat my Hawks)
6. Cincinnati Bengals - Joe Burrow is easy to root for, and finally Cincy has a consistent winner.
7. Minnesota Vikings - The Jon Bois/SB Nation documentary vaulted them up a bit, plus how big a fan Marshall on How I Met Your Mother is of them, and he's one of my favorite sitcom characters ever.
8. Cleveland Browns - I don't like how they got Watson, but I love lovable losers.  They still deserve to have success someday.  One of my favorite YouTubers, KTO, is a big Browns fan.
9. Detroit Lions - They are easy to like and their win over Green Bay last year enabled the Seahawks to get to the playoffs.  Thanks again, Detroit!
10. Atlanta Falcons - Again, the Jon Bois/SB Nation documentary.  Highly recommend.

NO BIG REASON TO DISLIKE, MAYBE A SMALL REASON TO LIKE
11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - I still think of those late 90s/early 2000s teams that just dominated on defense.  They were fun to watch.  They're still fairly likable.  Guess I just like Florida NFL teams. 
12. Los Angeles Chargers - Never really had a reason to dislike them, except for the fact that as of writing this post, the last time I saw a Seahawks game in person, they lost to the Chargers.  But I don't hold that against them too much.  We should have done more.
13. Dallas Cowboys - I know, I know.  I just find large market teams (Lakers, Yankees, Cowboys) appealing and fun to root for on occasion.  But it is also funny to see them lose, too.
14. Houston Texans - They would be higher, but they share a city with a certain MLB team I would rank 30 out of 30, so that drops them a bit.  I like their uniforms, stadium, but they haven't always made the best personnel decisions.

YOU'RE OK, SO LONG AS YOU DON'T BEAT MY HAWKS
15. Washington Commanders - First off, I wish they'd change their name again.  "Commanders" is so generic and uninspiring.  But I like how Dan Snyder is no longer a part of this team.  Now they just need a new stadium.  But I don't really have a reason to hate them.
16. Las Vegas Raiders - Cool stadium, classic uni's.  I'm not a Raider hater.  Although, like the Cowboys, it's funny to see them lose.
17. Indianapolis Colts - They were featured on Parks and Rec, so that's cool.  The Colts may be the one NFL team I've never felt much emotion towards at all, so it's fitting that they're square in the middle.
18. Arizona Cardinals - What?  A division rival?  Yep.  I don't mind the red birds all that much, so long as we can at least split our season series with them.  
19. Chicago Bears - They may be the one NFL team that has never had a legit franchise quarterback in the Super Bowl era, it's crazy.  I wish them the best someday in finding that guy.  I don't mind the Bears too much, classic franchise and I find their games oddly entertaining, even when they are struggling.

I DON'T HAVE SYMPATHY FOR YOU WHEN YOU LOSE
20. Tennessee Titans - There's the Music City Miracle, at least, one of my favorite NFL plays of all time.  I watched that live as an almost 11-year-old.  But I just have never found a reason to like the Titans all that much.
21. New York Giants - Another one of my favorite YouTubers, FivePointsVids, is a Giants fan, but that's about it.  Their classic uni's are nice.
22. Denver Broncos - This team has probably moved the most in recent years, considering the Russell Wilson trade and all.  I'm coming back around on them, and they move back up for me.  In the earlier part of this century, I had them as a Top 5 team.  
23. New Orleans Saints - Part of me forgot about them, part of me just doesn't care.  I find them incredibly overrated as a franchise, considering they were nothing before the Payton/Brees era.  
24. Carolina Panthers - They beat my Seahawks in the playoffs once, so there's that.  But so have the Cowboys, Dolphins, Falcons, and Bears, all of who are higher on this list.  I just haven't forgiven them, I guess.

I ALMOST ALWAYS ROOT AGAINST YOU WHEN I WATCH
25. Philadelphia Eagles - Their fans are just awful.  I wish them nothing but misery.  I like Jason Kelce, but that's about it.  Die, Eagles, Die.
26. New York Jets - Again, not likable fans, and they're just incredibly boring and inept.  And I hate their color scheme--green and white?  Yuck.
27. Baltimore Ravens - They recently beat my Hawks, but moreover, they used to be the Browns, who were stolen from Cleveland and moved to Baltimore (Thanks, Art Modell).  And they've been rewarded with two Super Bowls.  It reminds me of how my Sonics were stolen from me.  
28. Green Bay Packers - A lot of defeats at the hands of these guys, but they've lost to us, too.  I just hate when we lose to them when, because of the refs or a bonehead play by our QB (Thanks Hasselbeck), we lose.  I almost always root against the Packers.  Their fans are a bit obnoxious, too.

DIE, CHUMPS (I seriously wish nothing but bad things for these teams)
29. Pittsburgh Steelers - Three words: Super Bowl 40 (XL).  Yeah.  Still not over it.  I know, it's been almost 18 years now.  I may never get over it.  Plus, like the Packers, their fans are obnoxious.  But the sting of the Super Bowl certainly hurts less now that we have a ring ourselves.
30. New England Patriots - Another team we lost to in the Super Bowl.  Plus, they had so much success with Brady and Belichick, it was sickening.  Their struggles right now are so incredibly hilarious.
31. San Francisco 49ers - Our biggest rival.  I can't stand their fans on social media--they are the absolute worst.  Reminds me of Astros fans.  Oddly, this is my girlfriend's favorite team, being from that area, which probably saves them from the final spot.  But I can never come around on them, especially now that they are a very tough team to beat.
32. Los Angeles Rams - Too many agonizing defeats to these guys.  The blowout at home which was our first big loss at home in years.  The phantom holding call on the first game in Sofi.  The loss in the playoffs in 2020.  And the two games this year.  Also, I hate Aaron Donald--he's a dirty player.  At least when the Niners struggle, we can beat them.  Even when the Rams struggle, we struggle to beat them ourselves.  Also, they're yet another franchise that has moved, so screw them.

2023 NFL Predictions

 Hard to believe, but another NFL season is almost upon us.  I might be doing this a tad early, but I'd rather do it now when I have time.  Anyway, I will go division by division, predicting win/loss records and then the playoffs for each conference.  Normally, I'd go further in detail to my Seahawks, but I don't think I will this time.  I don't know what it is; I'm not particularly excited about this upcoming season.  I feel like we outperformed last year, so I'm expecting some regression this year.  Also, I'm going to make some very surprising picks, because I feel we get surprised by the NFL every year, and there are always a few teams that are almost the complete opposite of what we expect.  Anyway, here are my predicted NFL standings!  Wild cards will have asterisks.

AFC East
1. Buffalo Bills: 11-6
2. Miami Dolphins: 10-7*
3. New York Jets: 9-8
4. New England Patriots: 7-10
The Bills still have the most talented roster in the AFC East, but it's tightening fast.  I wouldn't be surprised if they had to fight for a wild card, but I still put them as division winners because Miami and the Jets are still missing a few pieces.  The Patriots remain competitive under Belichick, but remain mediocre at best.

AFC North
1. Baltimore Ravens: 10-7
2. Cincinnati Bengals: 10-7*
3. Pittsburgh Steelers: 8-9
4. Cleveland Browns: 6-11
Call this the battered and blue division because these teams are going to beat each other up this season.  I don't see any team losing or winning more than 4 in-division games.  And I hate predicting injuries, but I have a bad feeling about Joe Burrow.  His pre-season calf injury worries me and makes me think that might linger or he might suffer a different minor injury that knocks him out for a few games and costs the Bengals the division.  The Steelers and Browns remain competitive, but it's hard to do much better in a very tough AFC.  And yes, I have Mike Tomlin suffer his first losing season as head coach.

AFC South
1. Indianapolis Colts: 9-8
2. Jacksonville Jaguars: 8-9
3. Tennessee Titans: 8-9
4. Houston Texans: 5-12
Here's one of my surprising predictions: The Colts winning the AFC South.  Anthony Richardson has a solid/borderline rookie of the year campaign and leads the Colts to the playoffs.  The Jags return back to Earth a bit and realize they've still got a few holes.  The Titans are just... there.  The Texans still have a ways to go, but surprise some people. Ha!  Try all of us.  What I thought would be the Colts ended up being the Texans.  

AFC West
1. Kansas City Chiefs: 12-5
2. Denver Broncos: 11-6*
3. Los Angeles Chargers: 7-10
4. Las Vegas Raiders: 2-15
The Chiefs are good, as expected, and retain the AFC's #1 seed.  It's only with a record of 12-5, though, due to the competitiveness of the AFC.  The Broncos are another of my surprise teams, and they claim the top wild-card spot.  Russell Wilson mostly returns to form thanks to the help of new head coach Sean Payton. The Chargers get outcoached in many games and Brandon Staley likely loses his job at the end of the season.  The Raiders stink with Jimmy G (who likely gets hurt, again) and Josh Jacobs shows his displeasure.  If they can afford it, they fire McDaniels.

NFC East
1. Philadelphia Eagles: 11-6
2. New York Giants: 10-7*
3. Washington Commanders: 9-8
4. Dallas Cowboys: 6-11
Hard to believe that we haven't had a repeat NFC East champion in almost 20 years.  I think that ends here.  The Eagles are too talented.  The Giants will make it close, however.  The Commanders, no longer having the worst owner in professional sports, play inspired football and almost make the postseason.  The Cowboys have a down year, due to not having much depth behind skill players Ceedee Lamb and Tony Pollard.

NFC North
1. Minnesota Vikings: 13-4
2. Detroit Lions: 10-7*
3. Chicago Bears: 8-9
4. Green Bay Packers: 6-11
The Vikings with the best record in the NFL?  You heard it here first.  Kirk Cousins is now the best QB in his division (although Goff is close).  The Vikings will put together a 7 or 8 game win streak, and go 6-4 or 5-4 in their other 10 or 9 games.  The Lions don't win the division, but they do snag a wild-card playoff spot.  The Bears are slightly improved, but Fields can only do so much.  The Packers regress heavily after losing Aaron Rodgers, and Jordan Love leads the Packers' front office to quickly try to find the next heir apparent.

NFC South
1. New Orleans Saints: 10-7
2. Carolina Panthers: 7-10
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 6-11
4. Atlanta Falcons: 5-12
Derek Carr and the Saints claim the division title, thanks to Carr easily being the best QB in the division.  The Panthers surprise a bit, and Bryce Young does enough to win rookie of the year.  The Bucco's switch to Kyle Trask after Mayfield struggles.  The Falcons are just there.

NFC West
1. San Francisco 49ers: 12-5
2. Los Angeles Rams: 11-6*
3. Seattle Seahawks: 8-9
4. Arizona Cardinals: 3-14
The Niners repeat as division champs, likely with multiple QB's starting games for them.  The Rams bounce back and claim the top wild card spot thanks to Matthew Stafford's resurgence.  My Seahawks do okay for most of the year, but they lose too many close games, due to either the defense allowing a late score or Geno Smith not being able to engineer a game-winning drive.  The Cardinals are expected to not be very good, and they won't be.

Here are the playoff seedings: 
AFC
1. Kansas City (12-5)
2. Buffalo (11-6)
3. Baltimore (10-7)
4. Indianapolis (9-8)
5. Denver (11-6)
6. Cincinnati (10-7)
7. Miami (10-7)

NFC
1. Minnesota (13-4)
2. San Francisco (12-5)
3. Philadelphia (11-6)
4. New Orleans (10-7)
5. Los Angeles Rams (11-6)
6. New York Giants (10-7)
7. Detroit (10-7)

Here's how I think the playoffs would go:
AFC Wild Card
(7) Dolphins at (2) Bills: Dolphins win
In a rematch of last year's wild card, the Dolphins get the upper hand this time.
(6) Bengals at (3) Ravens: Bengals win
Another rematch, this time with the Ravens as the higher seed, but it still doesn't matter.
(5) Broncos at (4) Colts: Broncos win
The Broncos' leadership (Payton/Wilson) has plenty of playoff experience, and it proves valuable.
NFC Wild Card
(7) Lions at (2) 49ers: 49ers win
I'd be rooting for the Lions like crazy, but it would just be too tough for them, just like it was for my Seahawks last season.
(6) Giants at (3) Eagles: Eagles win
Divisional showdown!  Eagles come out on top easily.
(5) Rams at (4) Saints: Rams win
The Rams prove too much for Carr and the Saints.

AFC Divisional Round:
(7) Dolphins at (1) Chiefs: Chiefs win
Tyreke Hill returns to Kansas City!  But he loses, due to the KC pressure being too much for Tua.
(6) Bengals at (5) Broncos: Bengals win
The Bengals have a more well-rounded roster in terms of talent and experience, which proves to be the difference.

NFC Divisional Round:
(5) Rams at (1) Vikings: Vikings win
The home field advantage proves too much for the Rams, who also cannot figure out a way to shutdown Justin Jefferson.
(3) Eagles at (2) 49ers: 49ers win
In a rematch of last year's NFC Championship game, the 49ers get the upper hand due to home field advantage, but also having a healthy quarterback this time.

Conference Championships:
(6) Bengals at (1) Chiefs: Bengals win
For the third year in a row, this is the AFC Championship game matchup.  And it goes back to Cincy.  The Bengals have an up and down season, but they catch fire at the end of the season, which is all that matters.
(2) 49ers at (1) Vikings: Vikings win
Whoever is under center for the 49ers is going to struggle under the lights and noise, and the Vikings win a close, hard-fought game.  

Super Bowl LVIII: Vikings vs. Bengals: Bengals win
The Bengals enter as very slight underdogs but emerge victorious.  In a matchup of two teams, each who has yet to win a Super Bowl, the Bengals come out on top.  It's an electrifying Super Bowl, filled with plenty of lead changes.  Joe Burrow wins Super Bowl MVP.  

There you have it.  The Cincinnati Bengals are my Super Bowl pick. Yikes!  Couldn't have done worse, lol.  However, my conference championship losers ended up being the Super Bowl, so there's that. Despite me thinking they'll have a down regular season, I think they'll do well late and in the playoffs.  They were so close last year to returning to the Super Bowl, and this year I think they do and win it.  Before I go, here are the coaches who I think get fired or leave by season's end: 

Bill Belichick, Patriots (retires) Didn't retire, but he's done anyway
Mike Vrabel, Titans Yep
Brandon Staley, Chargers Yep
Josh McDaniels, Raiders Yep
Todd Bowles, Buccaneers Nope
Other possibilities: Jonathan Gannon (Cardinals), Arthur Smith (Falcons) Yep, Matt LaFleur (Packers), Pete Carroll (Seahawks, retire?) Yep, Ron Rivera, Commanders (retire?) Yep

The firing I did not consider: Frank Reich (first year!)

My Preferred 2023 Seahawks Draft (And review of the actual draft)

I did this last year, and I correctly had us selecting Tariq Woolen.  I did not, however, realize he would turn into a star in his first year.  Well anyway, I thought I'd do a mock Seahawks draft again.  I'm using a combination of two things: Walterfootball.com and a document a Seahawks fan put together, measuring draft prospects against guys we typically take.  I'm also going to do this assuming no trades.  It's silly, as the Hawks very likely will trade down at some point, but to guess where and how far would just be a crapshoot.

In BOLD, I say where the player listed ended up getting drafted.  Some of these I was quite far off on.  Oops.

Round 1, Pick 5: Tyree Wilson, Edge, Texas Tech
I think the Cardinals take Will Anderson to help their pass rush (or someone trades up to get him).  I also think Jalen Carter falls a bit in this draft, and I actually believe we pass on him.  Tyree Wilson is a bit of a reach at 5, but that's nothing new to the Hawks.  Charles Cross was a slight reach at 9 as well last year.  Let's just hope whoever we take here does better than the last defensive player we took at least this high, Aaron Curry in 2009.

Tyree ended up going #7 to the Raiders.  We ended up taking Devon Witherspoon.  It'll be interesting to see who has the better career.  I'll say this: Witherspoon is going to the better organization than Wilson.

Round 1, Pick 20: Siaki Ika, NT, Baylor
The Seahawks pass on Jalen Carter, hoping he maybe falls to 20, but he does not.  So instead, they take Siaki Ika from Baylor.  He's heavier than the DT's they usually draft, but he's about the same size as other DT's the Hawks have had over the years, like Bryan Mone and Al Woods.  The Hawks definitely need a nose tackle to replace Al Woods, who was cut, so they likely spend one of their earlier picks on one.  

Oh boy.  I was off.  Siaki ended up going pick 98 in round 3 to the Browns.  I saw he could've been first round talent, and we know the Hawks have reached in the past.  The Hawks ended up taking Jaxson Smith-Njigba, who I'll definitely look forward to all the misspellings of his names by Seahawks fans on Reddit, Facebook, etc.  I prefer the Hawk's actual pick (actually), and I think JSN will have a better career than Ika.

Round 2, Pick 37: John Michael Schmitz, C, Minnesota
Yes, even with the signing of Evan Brown, the Seahawks could use another center. And I expect them to take one with one of their 2nd round picks, if not their 20th overall pick.  Better to not wait, so I have them spending the first of their two second-round picks on the highest-graded center, John Michael Schmitz from Minnesota.  Carroll and Schneider still long for the days of Max Unger, so they know they need a good stalwart at center.  They badly missed out on Creed Humphrey, selecting D'Wayne Eskridge instead (Ouch).  They won't make the same mistake (I hope).

The Hawks instead took Derick Hall, defensive end.  I wish we had taken JMS, who ended up going to the Giants at pick 57.  If he becomes an all-pro like Creed Humphrey, I might lose it.  I'm not particularly excited about Hall, seeing as we've yet to really develop an edge rusher... ever.  Ok, Frank Clark is one, but there's an exception to every rule.

Round 2, Pick 52: Daiyan Henley, LB, Washington State
This is where I could see the Hawks trading down, especially if they've addressed their immediate needs (DL, interior OL/C).  I know Carroll loves his speedy linebackers, and why not take a local kid in Daiyan Henley from WSU?  I know we signed Devin Bush and Bobby Wagner, but I guarantee Bush will have competition.  We'll need depth there, anyway, with Bush's injury history and with Brooks missing the start of the season.

The Hawks instead took Zach Charbonnet, running back.  I wish we had grabbed the local kid in Henley.  The Hawks in fact did not take any pure linebacker in the draft (if you don't count Hall or Morris as one).  Henley went #85 to the Chargers.  So we could've had him, just like Schmitz.

Round 3, Pick 83: Jonathan Mingo, WR, Ole Miss
Hmmmm... drafting a bigger wide receiver from Ole Miss on Day 2?  Well, it worked out for the Seahawks once before with DK Metcalf, so why not try again?  I'm sure DK would love to work with Mingo and mentor him.  The Hawks have been looking for a legit #3 for years, and I think they'll try to find it in the draft.

We did draft a receiver (JSN), but all the way up at #20.  The Hawks traded down to 108 and took Anthony Bradford, guard.  Mingo went #39 to the Panthers, so we wouldn't have had a shot to get him, at least not here.

Round 4, Pick 123: J.L. Skinner, S, Boise State
Maybe PC/JS are trying to rebuild the Legion of Boom.  They already have their Richard Sherman clone in Woolen.  What about a Kam Chancellor clone?  Granted, Skinner is a bit on the skinny side, but he could bulk up, I bet.  I just bet Carroll would love his 6'4" frame.  We do have Adams and Love, but Adams is injury prone.  And Love is a newcomer, so it's yet to be seen how he'll fit in.  If they are able to get Skinner to bulk up enough, he could move to linebacker.

Instead the Hawks drafted Cameron Young, defensive tackle.  I felt like they should've taken one sooner, but what do I know?  Skinner went all the way at 183 to the Broncos.  So I was off again.

Round 5, Pick 151: Roschon Johnson, RB, Texas
Roschon's vertical isn't particularly ideal, but I think PC/JS might take a running back mid-late in the draft who is larger and can withstand some hits.  Roschon is 6'0" 219 lbs, so he'd be a nice contrast to the smaller Kenneth Walker.  

Roschon went at 115 to the Bears, so earlier than I thought.   Instead of us drafting a mid-round RB, we drafted an early one (#52, Charbonnet) and a late one (#237, McIntosh).  Here we drafted Mike Morris, defensive end.

Round 5, Pick 154: Yaya Diaby, Edge, Louisville
You think PC/JS would be happy with just Tyree Wilson?  Maybe... but I could also see them taking someone else as a project, such as Yaya Diaby.  One, I like his name.  And two, he seems to have all the measurables.  He also just seems like a PC/JS kind of guy based on his name and personality.

Unfortunately, we didn't get Diaby, who I would've love saying the name of.   He went #82 to the Buccaneers, so I was way off.  Instead, we drafted Olusegun Oluwatimi, whose name I'm going to have to learn how to spell correctly without looking up... someday.  I'm totally fine with that change.  Rumor is that the Hawks were thinking about taking Diaby at #83, but the Bucs sniped him away from us, so the Hawks traded down.  

Round 6, Pick 198: Tre Tucker, WR, Cincinnati
The Hawks may draft two receivers (almost a guarantee to draft at least one), and I could see Tre Tucker coming to us.  He's got decent speed, so he could compete with Dee Eskridge for a spot on the roster.  The Hawks could use an underneath speedy guy to emerge.

We did not draft a second WR, but we did draft a safety like I thought.  Just a bit later than I thought.  Tucker ended up going #100 to the Raiders, so again I was way off.  The Hawks went with Jerrick Reed, safety, instead.  I'm okay with that.

Round 7, Pick 237: Cameron Mitchell, CB, Northwestern
The Hawks may take a corner to see if they can one day be our nickel. Mitchell has the speed and measurables that line up.  This could be any position here, but I decided to go with something the Hawks hadn't taken yet.

Funny how the Browns and Raiders took a combined four players that I liked.  Mitchell went at 142 to the Browns, so again just so far off.  We took Kenny McIntosh, who I love and I think has a good chance of making the roster.

I didn't get any players that the Hawks ended up taking (damn).  But I'll say this: I think I prefer the Seahawks draft over the one I had them take.  It's close.  I would've loved John Michael Schmitz, but if Oluwatimi ends up being as good (or better) than JMS, this draft was an absolute win.

Well, there you have it!  I'd be stoked with this draft.  Here's what a 53-man roster would look like with this draft:

QB (2) - Geno Smith, Drew Lock
RB (5) - Kenneth Walker III, Deejay Dallas, Roschon Johnson, FA (Undrafted?), Nick Bellore
WR (6) - Tyler Lockett, DK Metcalf, Jonathan Mingo, Dareke Young, 2 of the 3 of D'Wayne Eskridge/Cade Johnson/Tre Tucker
TE (3) - Noah Fant, Will Dissly, Colby Parkinson
OL (9) - Charles Cross, Abraham Lucas, Jake Curhan, Stone Forsythe, Phil Haynes, Damien Lewis, Evan Brown, John Michael Schmitz, Joey Hunt
DL (5) - Dre'Mont Jones, Bryan Mone, Siaki Ika, Jarran Reed, Myles Adams
Edge (4) - Tyree Wilson, Boye Mafe, Uchenna Nwosu, Darrell Taylor/Yaya Diaby
LB (6) - Bobby Wagner, Devin Bush, Daiyan Henley, Alton Robinson, Tyreke Smith, Vi Jones
CB (5) - Tariq Woolen, Mike Jackson, Coby Bryant, Tre Brown, Cameron Mitchell/Artie Burns
S (5) - Quandre Diggs, Jamal Adams, Julian Love, J.L. Skinner, Joey Blount
ST (3): Jason Myers (K), Michael Dickson (P), Ott/Tinker (LS)

And unlike last year, I'm going to give a quick comment on each position and how they shape up.

QB: Two QB's under contract.  Might bring in someone for pre-season, but they likely get cut.
RB: Hawks almost guaranteed to draft one, they'll need someone to replace Penny/Homer.  Might have a surprise UFA make the team here.
WR: A draft pick, possibly two make the team.  

TE: Same three as last year.
OL: Starting five would be Cross, Lewis, Schmitz, Haynes, and Lucas.  
DL: Ika and Mone are the more traditional nose tackles/run stuffers.  The rest are used in pass situations.
Edge: Three of four likely are first or second round picks (this year or in year's past), plus a big FA last year in Nwosu.
LB: Brooks will be on the shelf early on, so I expect the starting 'backers to be a combo of Bush, Wagner, and a draft pick (Henley?).
CB: Honestly, they'll probably draft a CB higher than what I said, but it is what it is.
S: With Neal seemingly on his way out, we will need a safety, especially if we adopt 3 safety sets like it is rumored.
ST: Same as last year.

So, there you have it!  It'll be interesting to see if we end up taking any of the guys above.  I'll come back after the draft and mention who we took instead and who ended up taking the guy I wanted.

2022 NFL and Seahawk Predictions

 The 2022 NFL season is almost here, and with that comes my annual NFL predictions.  Now, with the trade of Russell Wilson, expectations are much lower for the Seahawks.  Also, my excitement for watching the NFL this season is tempered, since my team is no longer a contender.  However, that still will not stop me from predicting records, division winners, playoff game winners, and a Super Bowl Champion.  

I will also predict each game of the Seahawks regular season after that.  An asterisk denotes a wild card team.  Here we go!

AFC EAST
1. Buffalo Bills: 13-4
2. Miami Dolphins: 10-7*
3. New England Patriots: 8-9
4. New York Jets: 6-11

Some people see the Jets making strides, but with all the news surrounding Zach Wilson, I don't.  I think the Dolphins have a fairly dynamic offense with Tyreek Hill, but not as much as they'd hope.  The Patriots are mediocre.  The Bills win the division fairly easily.

AFC NORTH
1. Baltimore Ravens: 11-6
2. Cincinnati Bengals: 10-7*
3. Pittsburgh Steelers: 9-8
4. Cleveland Browns: 6-11

The Ravens have a bounceback year, as they always do after a disappointing one.  The Bengals regress a bit, I think part of their success last year was catching teams off guard.  The Steelers are competitive but without a true franchise QB this is the best they can be.  The Browns have way too much drama and an inexperienced coach like Stefanski won't be able to handle it too well.  They also won't have the services of Watson all season.

AFC SOUTH
1. Indianapolis Colts: 10-7
2. Jacksonville Jaguars: 8-9
3. Tennessee Titans: 7-10
4. Houston Texans: 5-12

A bit of a surprise here, eh?  Keep in mind, we see surprising results at the end of the year we didn't really expect in August.  The Colts should be good enough to win a bad division with veteran Matt Ryan.  The Jaguars take a huge step forward and T-Law looks much better.  The Titans struggle as Henry shows age and Tannehill is too mistake-prone.  The Texans still have a ways to go, but upset some teams.

AFC WEST
1. Kansas City Chiefs: 11-6
2. Los Angeles Chargers: 11-6*
3. Denver Broncos: 9-8
4. Las Vegas Raiders: 8-9

To sum up, they're going to beat each other up.  I doubt any team will have a division record better than 4-2.  The Chiefs win the tiebreaker over the Chargers.  Meanwhile, the Broncos narrowly miss the playoffs as Russ takes too long to acclimate to a new team.  The Raiders are extremely competitive but lose too many close games.

NFC EAST
1. Washington Commanders: 9-8
2. Dallas Cowboys: 8-9
3. New York Giants: 7-10
4. Philadelphia Eagles: 5-12

This division is a total crapshoot.  They haven't had a repeat division winner since the Eagles did it 2003-2004.  I think that trend continues.  The Cowboys lost too much, while Carson Wentz has a semi-resurgence in DC.  The Giants and Danny Dimes make strides but not enough.  The Eagles fall apart (hey, at least one team that isn't expected to does every season).

NFC NORTH
1. Minnesota Vikings: 12-5
2. Green Bay Packers: 10-7*
3. Detroit Lions: 9-8
4. Chicago Bears: 4-13

The Vikings win the division with new coach Kevin O'Connell helping spur Kirk Cousins to an amazing season.  The Packers regress without Davante Adams, and Aaron Rodgers either gets hurt or seems to lose interest.  The Lions have a resurgent season, but it's not enough.  The Bears are just bad and Fields looks lost.

NFC SOUTH
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 11-6
2. Carolina Panthers: 9-8*
3. New Orleans Saints: 7-10
4. Atlanta Falcons: 5-12

The Bucs get 5 or 6 of their wins in-division (meaning they are 5-6 or 6-5 outside the division), showing they can beat up their division still but not other teams too much.  The Panthers have a surprisingly good season with Baker Mayfield proving to be a capable starter.  The Saints are a shell of themselves without Brees and Payton, but still have some talent.  The Falcons, meanwhile, can surprise some teams but not a ton.

NFC WEST
1. Los Angeles Rams: 13-4
2. San Francisco 49ers: 9-8*
3. Arizona Cardinals: 7-10
4. Seattle Seahawks: 7-10

The Rams run away with the division, as is almost expected.  The 49ers are decent with Lance but he isn't able to clutch up some wins for them late.  The Cardinals get off to a somewhat decent start (5-2 or so) but then lost 8 of their last 10.  The Seahawks are more competitive than people give them credit for and they win 7 games.

Before we get to the playoffs, here are the coaches I expect to be fired based on these standings:
- Nick Siriani, Eagles
- Mike McCarthy, Cowboys
- Kliff Kingsbury, Cardinals
- Kevin Stefanski, Browns

Generally there's 6 or 7 firings, but those are the only coaches I see getting fired based on those standings.  There may be some coaches (Belichick, Reid, Carroll) that may retire.  Also, I can see Matt Rhule getting fired if the Panthers do any worse than what I predicted.  Even if the Titans struggle like I predict, it's hard to see a well-respected guy like Mike Vrabel getting fired.  Also, there are a few coaches that I don't see doing particularly well (Smith-Falcons, Eburflus-Bears, Saleh-Jets, Smith-Texans, Allen-Saints), but I think their teams would give them another year. 

All right, now time for the playoffs!  Here are the seedings as predicted by yours truly: 

AFC
1. Buffalo Bills
2. Baltimore Ravens
3. Kansas City Chiefs
4. Indianapolis Colts
5. Los Angeles Chargers
6. Cincinnati Bengals
7. Miami Dolphins

NFC
1. Los Angeles Rams
2. Minnesota Vikings
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
4. Washington Commanders
5. Green Bay Packers
6. San Francisco 49ers
7. Carolina Panthers

Now for the playoff matchups: 

Wild Card Round
AFC
(7) Dolphins at (2) Ravens: Ravens win
(6) Bengals at (3) Chiefs: Chiefs win
(5) Chargers at (4) Colts: Chargers win

NFC
(7) Panthers at (2) Vikings: Vikings win
(6) 49ers at (3) Buccaneers: 49ers win
(5) Packers at (4) Commanders: Commanders win

Divisional Round
AFC
(5) Chargers at (1) Bills: Bills win
(3) Chiefs at (2) Ravens: Ravens win

NFC
(6) 49ers at (1) Rams: Rams win
(4) Commanders at (2) Vikings: Vikings win

Conference Championships
AFC: Ravens at Bills: Ravens win
NFC: Vikings at Rams: Rams win

Super Bowl LVII: Ravens over Rams

I know, bold, right?  The Ravens seem to have a Super Bowl-caliber season once every 10-12 seasons, and it's getting to the point.  Rams are unable to repeat, just like the Seahawks nine seasons prior.

All right, now time for some award winners: 
MVP: Kirk Cousins, Vikings
OPOY: Justin Jefferson, Vikings
DPOY: TJ Watt, Steelers
OROY: Kenneth Walker III, Seahawks
DROY: Aidan Hutchinson, Lions
Coach of the Year: Kevin O'Connell, Vikings
Comeback player: Derwin James, Chargers

Now, for my Seahawks.  I will go game by game, predicting wins and losses.  Not going to do scores, way too unpredictable there.

vs. Broncos: L (0-1)
I think we hang with them tough and give Russ fits, but either are unable to come up with a late clutch score or they do.  

@ 49ers: W (1-1)
We always seem to do well against the Niners and I think K9 (Kenneth Walker III) pops off here.

vs. Falcons: W (2-1)
A low-scoring unexciting game results in a narrow win for the Hawks, something like 20-16.  

@ Lions: L (2-2)
I expect the Lions to be tough this season, but not unbeatable.  But too tough for the Hawks.

@ Saints: W (3-2)
Seahawks starting 2-1 on the road?  Yep.  Put that in the win column.  

vs. Cardinals: L (3-3)
Unfortunately, this is early-season Cardinals, so they'll be pretty tough.  

@ Chargers: L (3-4)
I don't see a way we win this at all.  I just hope our defense doesn't get too embarrassed.

vs. Giants: W (4-4)
Danny Dimes struggles against the 12s and the Seahawks win another close, low-scoring game.

@ Cardinals: W (5-4)
I'd like to think that this game starts the downfall for Kliff, Kyler, and the Cards.  

@ Buccaneers in Munich: L (5-5)
Boy this'll be a tough one.  The Bucs don't play many easy games outside of their division, so they will need to take this one.

vs. Raiders: L (5-6)
In what may be a close game, the Seahawks just struggle to defend against Carr, Adams, Waller, and Renfrow.  

@ Rams: L (5-7) 
The Seahawks head to LA hoping to not be on a 3-game skid, but it's just too tall of a task to overcome.  

vs. Panthers: L (5-8)
Rumors swirl about Pete Carroll's job security, but given the team's low expectations he is not fired.

vs. 49ers: W (6-8)
The Hawks beat the 49ers again in what may be a game that saves Pete Carroll's job.  Expect this to be a sloppy back-and-forth game.

@ Chiefs: L (6-9)
The Seahawks finish with a record of 0-4 against the AFC West (unsurprisingly).  But hey, at least they're 6-9.  Nice.

vs. Jets: W (7-9)
The Hawks know Robert Saleh and are able to exploit his tactics.  

vs. Rams: L (7-10)
It depends on if the Rams will actually need to win this game for playoff positioning, but I'll say they do since I have the Vikings on their heels.  The Hawks can't wrap up the season with a W.

There you have it, 7-10.  Do I feel I'm being a bit optimistic?  Sure.  But Pete Carroll teams are always competitive, enough to get 6 or 7 wins.  I think the Hawks surprise some teams and actually do fairly well against their own division (I have them at 3-3 in-division).  

It's interesting to enter a season with low expectations, but hey, it'll be hard to be disappointed, then!  Go Hawks!

Initial Thoughts of Seahawks 2022 Schedule

 The Seahawks 2022 schedule just came out, so I thought I'd give my thoughts on it.  I'll go game by game and give at least one thought or comment on each matchup, it's timing/network and sum up our schedule overall at the end.  

Week 1: vs. Denver (MNF)
Well, we might as well get it out of the way week 1!  Russ comes back and I like that we see him early as he may not be fully situated in the Broncos offense.  I think this will be low-scoring.

Week 2: at 49ers
I never like giving the 49ers the advantage, and we'll be playing them on a short week.  Yuck.

Week 3: vs. Falcons
Some nice skill players (Kyle Pitts, DK Metcalf) but no legit QB's to throw to them.  Yawn.

Week 4: at Lions
I worry about this game, actually.  The Lions may be an improved team next season.  

Week 5: at Saints
Three beatable opponents in a row finishes with the Saints.  The best QB the Hawks will see in this time is Jared Goff.  But knowing the Hawks, they'll find a way to lose one or two at least.

Week 6: vs. Cardinals
Let's hope the Cards are in the midst of a rough start like I think they might be.  We could catch them at a great time (for us).

Week 7: at Chargers
I'll be shocked if we win this.  But it'll be fun to watch Justin Herbert.

Week 8: vs. Giants
Takes place the day before Halloween, and the Hawks hope to deliver their fans a treat.

Week 9: at Cardinals
Both Cardinal matchups before week 10 and both before we play the Rams once.  Hopefully the Hawks won't be looking ahead to the following week before playing this one...

Week 10: vs. Tampa Bay in Munich, Germany
Too bad the Hawks couldn't be at home before this game, but oh well.  This was announced a week ago and it should be a game we'll remember for a while.  It will likely be the last time Tom Brady faces the Seahawks.

Week 11: BYE
The NFL was smart to put our BYE next to our trip to Germany.  I like how the team pranked players by showing them schedules where the BYE wasn't anywhere near the trip, haha.

Week 12: vs. Raiders
The Raiders could be in an offensive groove by this point, or missing a key starter to injury.  Either way, I'm not big on our chances.

Week 13: at Rams
We finally play the defending champs in Week 13.  Let's hope the refs don't screw us like they did last year.

Week 14: vs. Panthers
This will either be a Panthers team on the cusp of a wild card or a Panthers team that's out of it.  Let's hope for the latter.

Week 15: vs. 49ers (TNF)
I was hoping to take my girlfriend to a 49ers game, but seeing as they're playing on Thursday, that'll be hard to do.  Let's hope at least the Hawks are somewhat competitive at this point for a national viewing audience.

Week 16: at Chiefs (Saturday)
Can we pencil in an "L" already?  Unless something crazy happens before then, the Hawks won't be headed home on Christmas Eve very happy...

Week 17: vs. Jets
Playing New York on New Year's Day.  I kinda like the sound of that.  Hopefully the Hawks first game in the calendar year of 2023 is a W.

Week 18: vs. Rams
I like how the Hawks play their final two games at home, so if there's any chance they're competing for a playoff spot, they'll be fairly rested (from travel).  Unfortunately, we finish with the Rams, which could be a blessing in disguise, as their playoff seeding may already be determined by this point.

Overall, not a bad schedule.  Only two primetime games (yikes) and only one on a regular network and not a streaming service.  That's what happens when you trade your star quarterback away, I guess.  This must be the first time since we drafted Russell Wilson that we don't have a single Sunday Night Football game.  Crazy.  

My Ideal 2022 Seahawks Draft

With the trade of Russell Wilson (😢), the Seahawks acquired some draft capital this year and beyond.  I thought I'd put together my own mock draft for the Hawks.  This is assuming there will be no trades, which, knowing general manager John Schneider, is nowhere near realistic, but I am not going to try to predict any draft trades, either.  

Here's a list of guys I would take with the draft picks the Hawks have based on their needs, assuming each guy will be available.  I'll try to be realistic as to when each player will be available (for example, I won't have the Hawks take a guy in the 3rd round that is expected to be a 1st round pick).  I'll be stoked if the Hawks take just one of these guys.  It'll be interesting to see if any of these guys I select end up being diamonds in the rough.

Rd 1 Pick 9 overall: Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa
I'm not sure if he'll go this high, but if not, the Hawks could trade down a bit, acquire another pick, and take Penning later than #9.  He's a stud, and I'll bet he'll be a Pro Bowler someday.

The Seahawks actually took Charles Cross, who was a higher-graded tackle.  Penning ended up being drafted at #19 to the Saints.  I'd call this a win.  We'll see how each of their careers pan out.

Rd 2 Pick 40 overall: Logan Hall, DE, Houston
I was torn between Hall and Arnold Ebiketie, but I went with Hall because he's more like the Michael Bennett type D-lineman that can line up at end for running downs or at d-tackle for passing downs, whereas Ebiketie is lighter and is more like Darrell Taylor, who we already have of course.  I'd be happy with Logan Hall, who could learn from Shelby Harris and fill in for him.  

Logan Hall went #33 Tampa Bay, so the Hawks had no shot.  They ended up taking Boye Mafe at #40, so again I picked the right position, but not the right player.  We'll have to compare their careers and see who came out on top.

Rd 2 Pick 41 overall: Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati
I do not expect the Hawks to take a QB in the first round.  I think they'll want to try to find another diamond in the rough, and I think it could be Desmond Ridder.  I like what I've seen from him.  Draft him, have him compete with Locke just like Russ competed with Matt Flynn.  The Hawks will likely draft a quarterback, and I'd put money on it being in the 2nd, maybe the 3rd round.

Well the entire media and I were thinking the Hawks would want to add another QB, but they did not.  Instead, they drafted Kenneth Walker, which shows they want to be a run-first offense.  If Walker has a solid career and guys like Ridder and Malik Willis don't pan out, I'd call this a win.  Ridder went to the Falcons at pick 74.

Rd 3 Pick 72 overall: Luke Goedeke, G, Central Michigan
Luke Goedeke has got good measurables and some scouts even like him better than his teammate who is likely a first round pick.  He's played tackle and guard, so he's versatile, and the Hawks could plug him anywhere.

Again, the Hawks went with an offensive lineman when I predicted them to, but instead of a guard, they snared another tackle in Abraham Lucas.  I like that pick.  Again, we'll have to compare Lucas to Goedeke.  Goedeke went #57 to Tampa (hey did the Tampa GM see this?), so the Hawks had no shot at him.
 
Rd 4 Pick 109 overall: Tariq Woolen, CB, Texas-San Antonio
This is a bit wishful thinking, but he's got the size (6'3") that Carroll likes, and he's athletic for his size, too.  The reason he's not graded higher is because he has some background and medical concerns, but I think Carroll and Schneider can work past that with him.

The Seahawks took CB Coby Bryant here, but the craziest thing is, they did end up taking Tariq Woolen, but later at pick 153.  He's the only pick I called; I just knew Carroll would love his size and speed.  

Rd 5 Pick 145 overall: Jesse Luketa, ILB, Penn State
The Hawks will very likely draft a linebacker who could play the mike position.  With Brooks and Barton stepping up after Wagner's departure, that means the Hawks will need to fill in the backup spots.  Jesse Luketa has great size but isn't outstanding athletically, but could definitely learn and develop in the Hawks' system.

The Seahawks traded this pick down and ended up taking DE Tyreke Smith.  Luketa went at #256 to Arizona.  Yikes.  At least I was right about taking a defensive player.

Rd 5 Pick 153 overall: Marquan McCall, DT, Kentucky
It wouldn't hurt the Hawks to get some depth at defensive tackle, because honestly, I can't remember anyone after Poona Ford and Al Woods.  McCall is a beast, almost 350 pounds.

This is where the Hawks drafted Woolen, and hopefully it will be a steal.  Marquan McCall went undrafted but signed with Carolina.

Rd 7 Pick 229 overall: Jordan Mason, RB, Georgia Tech
I got to this pick and realized that I didn't have the Hawks taking any offensive skill players; that would be so unlike them.  I could perhaps see a late pick on a running back, as I'm not sure what Chris Carson's future is.  Jordan Mason was overshadowed in college (wasn't a starter), so the Hawks may take a chance on him.

The Hawks did take a RB, but in the 2nd round.  They did, however, take an offensive skill position player here in WR Bo Melton.  Jordan Mason went undrafted but signed with San Francisco.

I think this is a fairly realistic draft for the Hawks.  The front of it is slightly stacked towards the offense, but the Hawks need offensive linemen and a quarterback they could develop.  I don't have the Hawks taking any offensive skill players until their final pick because they really shouldn't be wasting a pick on those positions.  Remember Dee Eskridge?  Sure could've used Creed Humphrey instead.  Let's hope Pete and John draft well this coming draft and hey, maybe they'll take one of my guys.  We'll see.

And just for the heck of it, why not take a look at what the roster might look like?  

QB: Drew Lock, Desmond Ridder
RB: Chris Carson, Rashaad Penny, Deejay Dallas, Jordan Mason, Travis Homer
WR: DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, D'Wayne Eskridge, Penny Hart, Freddie Swain
TE: Noah Fant, Will Dissly, Colby Parkinson
T: Trevor Penning, Jake Curhan, Stone Forsythe
G: Luke Goedeke, Gabe Jackson, Damien Lewis
C: Austin Blythe, Kyle Fuller
DE: LJ Collier, Logan Hall, Shelby Harris, Alton Robinson, Darrell Taylor
DT: Poona Ford, Quinton Jefferson, Al Woods, Marquan McCall/Bryan Mone
OLB: Jordyn Brooks, Uchenna Nwosu, Ben Burr-Kirven/Jon Rhattigan 
ILB: Cody Barton, Jesse Luketa, Joel Iyiegbuniwe
CB: Tre Brown, Sidney Jones, John Reid, Justin Coleman, Artie Burns
FS: Quandre Diggs, Ugo Amadi
SS: Jamal Adams, Ryan Neal/Marquise Blair
And we know who the special teamers are. Honestly, that's not a bad roster, and one I could see winning at least 6 games.