2018 Season Predictions Part II - Win/Loss Record
Week 1 - Seattle Seahawks @ Denver Broncos
Historically Seattle has been pretty damn awful in week 1. Will that change for the 2018 season? I don’t anticipate it doing so. With Case Keenum likely the starting QB I wouldn’t expect him to tear Seattle apart but he will likely be an above average game manager. Ultimately I see a low scoring affair with pretty poor play by both sides with the game being won in the trenches. Lining up arguably the best pass rusher in the league against the uncertainty that surrounds the Seahawks right tackle, I predict a loss in week 1. We will all blow our lids when the run game fails to deliver and Seahawk land will go into full blown melt down that we are going to endure another season of no run game. Patience will be vital in the days after this game.
Loss
Seahawks 0-1
Week 2 – Seattle Seahawks @ Chicago Bears (MNF)
The bears are trying to buy success via free agency, a strategy that rarely works long term but can have some short term success. With that said the Bears have undergone huge changes, especially in their receiving group, will head coach Matt Nagy be able to get the best out of them this early in the season? I don’t think so. I see a comfortable win here and a run game that shows far more promise than it did the previous week. Make no mistake, though, the Bears defense is legit. Still, a few players will start to shine in this game giving fans some real optimism moving forwards.
Win
Seahawks 1-1
Week 3 – Seattle Seahawks VS Dallas Cowboys
The Seahawks beat the Cowboys with relative ease on Christmas Eve last season, will they be able to repeat that? The Cowboys are a pretty tough team overall, their defense has improved but there are still question marks surrounding their offense at a few positions. Given that the players have had to wait 3 weeks to play in front of their home crowd, I don’t anticipate fans leaving Century Link Field disappointed. I can see this game damaging the roster with injuries but can also see a challenging, tough and well deserved win heading into week 4.
Win
Seahawks 2-1
Week 4 – Seattle Seahawks @ Arizona Cardinals
I firmly believe the Cardinals will be drafting in the top 10 in the 2019 NFL draft. The two teams always play tough but I don’t believe this team will be able to match the talent of the Seahawks, not even close. This could well be the game fans get a real glimpse of just how good the run game could be. Seattle, as things stand, are far exceeding the expectations of many after their third straight win in a row.
Win
Seahawks 3-1
Week 5 – Seattle Seahawks VS Los Angeles Rams
You best believe the team won’t have forgot about the embarrassing defeat in week 14 last season. With the playoffs and a potential division win on the line, the Seahawks absolutely blew every aspect of the game. Russell Wilson doesn’t like losing and he would not have been happy with his performance, either. This could easily be the game of the season and I think the Seahawks will show just why all the doubt surrounding them was very much overstated. Whilst I don’t think it will be a blowout. I think it will be a performance where the Seahawks win in all three aspects of the game.
Win
Seahawks 4-1
Week 6 – Seattle Seahawks @ Oakland Raiders (London)
This is going to be a tough game, not because of the Raiders, but simply the time difference. I don’t know when the Seahawks plan on travelling to London but I hope it’s very early on. The team need to get used to the time difference (8 hours ahead). I anticipate a game riddled with mistakes from both sides and a game that could easily be won or lost by the kicker (my heart rate spiked just typing that). Fortunately, we don’t have Blair Walsh making the field goals anymore and Seattle leaves London with yet another win. The media, opposing teams fans and our own fans are starting to stop doubting this team but with that said, even the most optimistic of fans probably would not have predicted the Seahawks would be on a 5 win streak heading into the bye.
Win
Seahawks 5-1
Week 7 – BYE
It’s all starting to become clear, all the doubting of this team over the course of the offseason seems silly in hindsight. Russ is playing out of his mind, Rashaad Penny is in the early ‘Offensive Rookie of the Year’ conversation and several rookies, mainly Will Dissly, are making a huge impact to the roster. Fans feel good, talks of the playoffs start to emerge and out of nowhere, everyone has stopped doubting this group and started believing.
Week 8 – Seattle Seahawks @ Detroit Lions
I don’t anticipate the Lions giving Seattle fits but equally don’t expect them to roll over and die, either. Ultimately, though, this game will come down to match ups and Seattle wins in most areas on offense and defense. This could easily be a two or three score game, I’d fully expect it to be a win of at least 7 points. Momentum is really starting to get going now, entering week 9 with only a single loss? Who saw that coming!
Win
Seahawks 6-1
Week 9 – Seattle Seahawks VS Los Angeles Chargers
And back to reality… The Chargers have a seriously loaded roster, like top 5 in the league, seriously. For one reason or another they rarely get it all together in sync however I fully expect them to come up to Seattle with their ‘A’ game. Unfortunately, the team and fans alike are brought back down to reality somewhat as the team suffers their second loss of the season. A game they likely could have won, but won’t.
Loss
Seahawks 6-2
Week 10 – Seattle Seahawks @ Los Angeles Rams
Seattle got payback in week 5 and the Rams repay the favour by getting a win here. Visiting the Rams on the road after a tough loss to the other LA based team a week prior is going to prove tough on the team. The Rams are a physical bunch and will want revenge. Injuries will be key in this game for sure but I don’t think it’s realistic to suggest that Seattle will sweep the Rams for wins in both games, I’ll give them this one here.
Loss
Seahawks 6-3
Week 11 – Seattle Seahawks VS Green Bay Packers (TNF)
Green Bay really seems to have our number over the last couple of years, the key advantage is this game is at home, the downside is it’s on a short week for the universally hated Thursday Night Football. Nobody wants to see Aaron Rodgers walking out of Century Link with a win and good news… He won’t! Seattle finally gets revenge for the last couple of battles and gets an ever important win to take the team to their 7thwin of the season.
Win
Seahawks 7-3
Week 12 – Seattle Seahawks @ Carolina Panthers
Carolina are a good team, no doubt. But the Seahawks will really be rolling entering the final third of the season. Expect the pass rush to be in full swing and in Cam Newton’s face all day long. Potentially a low scoring affair where Seattle asserts their dominance on the ground and wins the time of possession battle which ultimately leads them to a game win. Seeing Cam lose is a genuine love of mine, I hope I’m not disappointed.
Win
Seahawks 8-3
Week 13 – Seattle Seahawks VS San Francisco 49ers (SNF)
This game will be hyped up beyond all belief. 49er games have been the most boring on the schedule for the last several years however it’s looking ever likely that will change in 2018. How will Richard Sherman perform? How will Jimmy look with more starting experience? Lots of question marks for that team for sure. The rivalry will be well and truly reignited with this game. I expect it to be a real battle of the quarterbacks and let’s be honest, Russ and the crew will take great pleasure in giving it to Santa Clara and I will enjoy every second of it.
Win
Seahawks 9-3
Week 14 – Seattle Seahawks VS Minnesota Vikings (MNF)
Tough team for sure. The Vikings are very much on the rise and will likely be playoff contenders for many years to come. Seattle has at least one game every year where nothing goes their way, unfortunately, this Monday Night Football game will be it. Still, Seattle has only lost 4 games through week 14, you can’t complain too much.
Loss
Seahawks 9-4
Week 15 – Seattle Seahawks @ San Francisco 49ers
The second game between these two teams will prove to be as competitive as the first. Playing the same team twice in 3 weeks is pretty rare, the 49ers will want revenge but mistake after mistake hurts any chance of that and Seattle leaves with another W and Richard Sherman is left on the sidelines, head in his hands, crying.
Win
Seahawks 10-4
Week 16 – Seattle Seahawks VS Kansas City Chiefs (SNF)
I’m glad this prime time game is at home. Seattle have got back to their old ways of dominating teams in their stadium, even more so in night games. Expect the atmosphere to be absolutely electric in this one, too. Every game of the season matters but even more so in the final couple of weeks where teams are fighting for playoff contention and/or home field advantage. The Seahawks step up to the pressure and pull out a convincing win here that isn’t really reflected in the final score.
Win
Seahawks 11-4
Week 17 – Seattle Seahawks VS Arizona Cardinals
Seattle finishes out the season at home against the Cardinals. There won’t be a repeat of the 2017 season finale here as Seattle manages their 12thwin of the season in convincing fashion. As I mentioned earlier, I don’t anticipate the Cardinals doing much of anything this season and they finish out with a loss to the Seahawks. This win will take back the crown of the NFC West, after being temporarily lent to the Rams for one season just so they could get a taste of what it’s like but enough of that… The Seahawks are back atop the West where they will remain for the foreseeable future. Roll on the playoffs.
Win
Seahawks 12-4
That’s right, I believe the Seahawks will finish up 12-4 on the season. Optimistic? Sure. Unrealistic? Absolutely not.
I believe the demise of this team has been greatly overstated and momentum has carried that feeling amongst fans, analysts and enemy teams alike. This team still has one of the best quarterbacks in the league, one of the best wide receivers in the league, one of the best middle linebackers in the league and in my opinion, had an absolutely fantastic draft. A lot of people have felt like this offseason reminds them of 2011 and 2012 and it does with me, too. The main difference is this team is far more experienced than 7 or 8 years ago and that experience will show.
Great things are going to be witnessed this season. Just sit back, relax and enjoy what we are about to witness. The Seattle Seahawks are not done yet, trust me.
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