Looking ahead to the future: Breaking down the rest of the season
Sunday’s loss was a tough one. Really tough. A beaten up and inferior team top-to-bottom came into our house and won. I haven’t felt so emotionally drained after a loss in a long time. The optimist in me, however, is glad the team got their ‘bullshit loss of the season’ out the way. Onwards and upwards as they say.
As I mentioned in my joint game recap with Tristen, I planned on locking that game away and letting the dog eat the key. However I decided, through gritted teeth, to re-watch. The defense played a good game, offensively, they beat Washington in just about every aspect, it effectively came down to a rookie corner making an error and giving the WR some separation, Shaq Griffin has addressed the play personally saying it won’t happen again. That’s taking ownership. Hats off.
I’d like to take a closer look at the schedule going forward and make some predications about how the team’s final 8 games will go. For one to provide some optimism but secondly, to get in a mind-set that the Seahawks are not in fact, doomed beyond reformation. This team is always in the thick of it and this year won’t be any different, that I can count on.
@ Arizona – Week 10
The team will likely have Sheldon Richardson back shoring up the defensive line, Dion Jordan may well make an appearance and could well showcase why he was drafted 3rd overall back in 2013. Bobby Wagner’s play has been simply stunning to date and the whole team are going to be pissed off. That’s a recipe for a totally dominant beat-down or a shit-show of continued mistakes that lead to the teams second loss in as many weeks. I suspect the former.
Win.
Vs Falcons – Week 11
The Falcons are not in the same universe as their 2016 showing, not by a long shot. Their offense is struggling, they’ve lost 4 of their last 5 outings and currently sit 3rd in the NFC South. I expect this will be the game that gets the national media hyping the Seahawks for a Super Bowl run. The team will subject the Falcons to a nationally televised murder, and it’ll be amazing.
Win.
@ 49ers – Week 12
There will be more blue jerseys in Santa Clara for this one than red in the stands, the 49ers are a winless team playing now only for respect, and the Seahawks even take that away from them, along with their dignity just because they can.
Win.
Vs Eagles – Week 13
Primetime. This game should be one for the ages, easily the best matchup this whole season and with a lot at steak, I mean stake. The loss to the Redskins narrowed the Seahawks margin for errors significantly and their backs will up against the wall for this one. I suspect the national media largely picks the Eagles to take the win, however, discounting the Hawks is dangerous. We all know what happens when they shouldn’t win a game. The Eagles are far from a pretender, they have a team that is good from top to bottom but I refuse to believe that Seattle will let, most likely, their biggest threat this side of the NFC come into their house and beat them. I expect an absolute minimum of 60 points combined with Russell Wilson getting one step closer to being the #1 come-back from behind QB to ever play the game. This game is set up perfectly to be one for the ages and I don’t think it’ll disappoint. It’ll make the Texans game look meek and mild.
Win.
@ Jaguars – Week 14
The Seahawks travel well and with this being the only 10am game all season I expect it to be a defensive shootout. There’s a nickname for the Jags defense – “Not Quite Seattle”. Very apt. Low scoring, this game comes down to which kicker produces and I think Blair Walsh gets redemption and kicks 5/5 on field goals and Seattle fans across the country rejoice in the fact he is still on the roster. Every single time Walsh lines up for a field goal is going to have fans twitching and this game will be a twitch-fest with a gratifying outcome.
Win.
Vs Rams – Week 15
By this point in the season, I expect the Hawks to have stolen the NFC West crown early and be sitting in 1st place with nothing but the game breaker between the two teams. A win almost guarantees both teams a playoff spot, something that the Rams have yet to prove their eligibility for in seasons past. Experience wins this one and the Hawks continue to be perfect within their division at 5-0, with only the Cardinals on New Year’s Eve to gain a perfect in-division record, something Seattle hasn’t done since the 2005 season that took them to their first Super Bowl.
Win.
@ Cowboys – Week 16
It’s Christmas eve, Seattle has the chance to complete or destroy the big day for fans all around. For the sake of my children I should save watching this game until Boxing Day in case they notch their 4th loss of the season, but I’m too selfish for that. Ultimately the Seahawks don’t ruin Christmas for my children and the Hawks come away contented with their 12th win of the season and a win streak of 7 in a row.
Win.
Vs Cardinals – Week 17
The Cardinals will be done by this point as they were last year when they beat the Seahawks 34-31 in week 16 so don’t expect them to lay down and let Seattle ride off into the sunset with the second-best record in the NFC. This game will mean nothing for the Cardinals other than to help derail Seattle’s chances of getting a bye in the first week of the playoffs. Going against Pete Carroll’s philosophy, though, I think Seattle wins this game in the first half with a comfortable 3 touchdown lead. The run game is moving at a barely respectable pace by this point and the second half is nothing but a formality involving the Seahawks winding the clock down.
Win.
Call me ridiculous, call me a homer, but I can see this level of talent addressing their issues, having the ball bounce their way a couple times and showing real grit to get to a record of 13-3 on the season. That will seal the second seed and a wild-card bye and at least one home playoff game, I’ll take it!
With all the doom and gloom in Seahawk land, something with a more positive outlook is much needed. It’s cheered me up, at least!
As always, Go Hawks!
