SB Nation Seattle: All Posts by Luke Wehrheimhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48997/seattle-fave.png2012-12-16T18:00:07-08:00https://seattle.sbnation.com/authors/luke-wehrheim/rss2012-12-16T18:00:07-08:002012-12-16T18:00:07-08:00Pete Carroll steals Bills' lollipop
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<figcaption>Rick Stewart</figcaption>
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<p>Marshawn Lynch was largely overshadowed despite an incredibly impressive 113 yards on only 10 carries. <em>THANKS RUSSELL. GOSH</em></p> <p><b>Deep Thoughts</b></p>
<p>First thought, <span>Russell Wilson</span> is going to win the rookie of the year award.</p>
<p>Second thought, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.fieldgulls.com/">Seahawks</a> are playing an amazing brand of football right now; one in which a previously unheralded offense is making a pretty good defense look like "the problem" at times, despite allowing the second fewest points per game in the league.</p>
<p>Russell Wilson looked great; he made guys miss both in the pocket and in the open field, took advantage of gaping holes on designed runs, and found receivers down-field for large gains.</p>
<p><b>Meet ROY</b></p>
<p>Talking about Russell week after week will eventually get boring, but it's just so hard to stop when he continues to shine like this. He made generally good decisions in the passing game and continued to take advantage of opportunities for chunk plays, most notably a uniquely designed flea flicker, in which he had to leap up to catch a pitch back from <span>Marshawn Lynch</span>.</p>
<p>The real story today though is what he did on the ground. Nine rushes for 92 yards and three touchdowns doesn't even tell the entire story. Wilson shifted, shook, and shimmied his way through an unimpressive <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.buffalorumblings.com/">Bills</a> defense over and over again, and will likely find himself on his fair share of sports talk shows this week as a result.</p>
<p>It looked early in this game like the Seahawks were advertising Russell Wilson; putting his obvious, yet always understated (nationally) physical skills on display early and often. The national line on the 'young guns' this last month has been: <span>Andrew Luck</span> is the stud, <span>Robert Griffin</span> is the physical freak, and Russell Wilson is the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.spike.com/video-clips/n24teb/the-big-lebowski-the-little-lebowski-urban-achievers">little urban achiever.</a></p>
<p>News flash national media: Russell is both a stud and a physical freak. Literally. He is the height of Doug Floutie, has hands larger than Andrew Luck, and athleticism comparable to RG3... FREAKY! Playcalling early in this game did a lot to put our young loverboy's skills in the spotlight, as well as take advantage of a defense that obviously has issues with gap and edge containment.</p>
<p><b>No Browner and Thurmond and Trufant OH MY!</b></p>
<p>The defense continues to appear less than dominant but solid all around. The defensive backfield looked great considering the team was playing without Browner, who is on suspension, as well as <span>Walter Thurmond</span>, who played well last week in Browner's absence. <span>Earl Thomas</span> showed up with an interception return that was one of the most brilliant things I've seen all year, and the rookie, <span>Jeremy Lane</span>, looked great in coverage for most of the day.</p>
<p>The front seven had some trouble containing CJ Spiller early, but with the help of some scoreboard separation created by the Hawks offensive consistency, the Bills turned away from using the electric back late... and ultimately found their doom because of it.</p>
<p>If this offense continues to play as well as it is right now, averaging more points that anyone but New England since the midpoint of the season, the defense will continue to play from an elevated position that will make it hard for opponents to overcome.</p>
<p><b>I'll show you running up the score!</b></p>
<p>A fake punt run late in the game while up 30 points is sure to draw plenty of criticism from the rest of the world, but fans of the Seahawks should take solace in the kind of killer instinct it shows. Letting off the accelerator is the worst thing anyone can do in a competition of any sort, just ask <a target="_blank" href="http://www.azdesertswarm.com/2012/12/15/3771032/new-mexico-bowl-arizona-rallies-twice-to-beat-nevada-49-48">Chris Ault.</a></p>
<p>From what I can tell, Pete had two goals going into this ball game, aside from winning, which is the case every week. Show off what is probably the biggest steal in an NFL draft in the last two generations, and remind people that he will run up a score whenever the hell he wants to run up the score.</p>
<p>Check, and check.</p>
<p><b>On Deck</b></p>
<p>Depending on what happens tonight in New England, the Seahawks may very well be playing for control of the NFC West next Sunday, and a chance of a home game in the playoffs.</p>
<p>We can all look forward to a long week of trash talking with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.ninersnation.com/">49ers</a>, and confidently so, coming off what was a very sound win today in Toronto.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I like-uh you. Do you like-uh me?? I'm on twitter <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/MyHawkSoFly">@MyHawkSoFly</a></p>
https://seattle.sbnation.com/2012/12/16/3774404/pete-carroll-well-known-bully-steals-the-buffalo-bills-lollipopLuke Wehrheim2012-12-02T15:05:27-08:002012-12-02T15:05:27-08:0012th man locker room speech
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<img alt="These guys were both money today" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/LkKfeyPPYZHGgDfdj7lB3rxGXdE=/0x246:4000x2913/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/4293545/157360699.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>These guys were both money today | David Banks</figcaption>
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<p>Every poorly written speech begins with a word being defined. This time around, that word is "triumph".</p> <p>Triumph.</p>
<p>Merriam-Webster dictionary defines Triumph as "A great victory or acheivement."</p>
<p>But friends, a <i>word</i> cannot encapsulate what happened today. <i>Words</i> didn't lose close game after close game on the road. <i>Words</i> didn't make play after play today, carrying our hometown team to victory. <i>Words</i> themselves don't carry tears down your cheeks; they don't toss your kids joyfully into the air. <i>Words</i> are just sounds you make with your mouth.</p>
<p>Coming into today's game against the favored <a href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Bears</a>, there were few outside of Seattle that gave the Hawks better than an outside chance at winning a division after the loss last week. Playing in Chicago? So tough. There was little chance the <a href="https://www.fieldgulls.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Seahawks</a> would win this game; our corners are both off their meds, and there's just no way to tell how Russell Wilson will play against a defense that is so adept at causing turnovers.</p>
<p>"NO!" We said.</p>
<p>We will bitch and moan via twitter and text to each other at every bad call! No one will tell us what to do! No one will tell our team what they can do either!</p>
<p>Did we turn off our TV's when Braylon's would be touchdown was overturned despite some fairly inconclusive evidence? HELL NO!</p>
<p>Did we boot up our video game systems for a redemptive game of Madden when <span>Breno Giacomini</span> was called for a holding penalty that negated a first down on what we knew would likely be the game winning drive? HELL NO!</p>
<p>We taped our eye balls open and watched Wilson toss a conversion on fourth down, then follow it up with a flashy touchdown pass to Golden Tate. We jumped for joy as Seattle took a lead with only 24 seconds left, we wept together as <span>Jay Cutler</span> promptly drove Chicago down the field for a tying field goal as time expired.</p>
<p>We all waited silently, waiting not just to find out if one of the most important plays this year would stand as a game winning touchdown, but also to find out if one of our most important players would be able to get up from a brutal hit to his helmet.</p>
<p>And lastly, we all rejoiced as everything turned out okay. This was a fantastic win, and after all the close losses on the road this year, a much needed one for us, the fans.</p>
<p>I want to thank everyone that came out on Twitter, Facebook, the game threads, and even those that texted or called each other during the game. Cosmically speaking, there must be some small way in which our collective energy helps the team on the road.</p>
<p>It was a great game, with some real bogus calls by what looked like some terribly inconsistent referees, but our team came out on top.</p>
<p>With that being said I want to hand out a game ball to a very special little guy, I'm sure you all know who I'm talking about... Get up here Russell! You little son of a bitch!</p>
<p>The Seahawks used <span>Russell Wilson's</span> arm today as much as they have in any game this season; he threw the ball 37 times. As he has done all season long, Russ showed the world that he was up to the task, completing 23 of those for almost 300 yards. No interceptions, the fifth time he's thrown zero picks in his last seven contests. This guy can take a game over, and looks poised to lead this team to great heights, if not this year, next year and beyond.</p>
<p>I want to close with a few words here.</p>
<p>"Victory. Success. Prevail."</p>
<p>These are<i> words</i>. <i>Words</i> are dumb. Let the <i>emotion</i> run through you friends, do not hold back.</p>
<p>GO HAWKS!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I am Luke, share your next Seahawks game with me on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/MyHawkSoFly" target="_blank">@MyHawkSoFly</a></p>
https://seattle.sbnation.com/2012/12/2/3718974/Seahawks-bears-12th-man-locker-room-speechLuke Wehrheim2012-11-13T07:01:31-08:002012-11-13T07:01:31-08:00Warren Moon talks "Hometown Hall of Famers"
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<figcaption>Moon shaking hands with former Pittsburgh Steeler Jack Butler, | Ezra Shaw</figcaption>
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<p>I was lucky enough to get a few minutes with Warren to talk about the event, put on by Allstate and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. There was even some time to talk about his career, and the Seahawks as well!</p> <p>Friday morning I was checking my email, in a completely normal fashion, assuming there was no way I'd be offered an interview with a Hall of Fame quarterback.</p>
<p><i>BOY WAS I WRONG!</i></p>
<p>A nice woman going by the name "Samantha" said that Warren was taking part in a program called Hometown Hall of Famer down at his old stomping grounds in Los Angeles. The deal was that I'd get to ask him some questions about whatever I wanted as long as I made sure to ask him about the program. My first thought...</p>
<p>"Wait, I get to ask Warren Moon questions... And all I have to do is plug this super awesome thing you guys are doing for kids in his home town?!?" <i>SWEET DEAL MAN!</i></p>
<p>Basically, what Allstate is doing, alongside the Pro Football Hall of Fame, is sending pro players back to their home towns to speak to the youth currently working their way through young adulthood. They're trying to show them that if you persevere and work your tail off you can do pretty much anything. Warren is probably the best example of that fact; he overcame stereotypes at pretty much every level and became one of the best quarterbacks in the history of pro football.</p>
<p>At the high school level, coming out to find a college to play for, he had trouble finding any good offers; everyone wanted him to swap around to different positions. He ended up at West Los Angeles, which turned out to be just the right choice, as it ended up leading him to a major college program in an interesting way.</p>
<p>Moon spoke to me about ending up at the University of Washington. "My high school coach happened to be going over to West LA," he said, "so I followed him there, and had a lot of success there in that one year. A wide receiver I had on my team at West LA was gonna go to the University of Washington. He had been recruited by several teams around the country because he had an outstanding season. That's where I first got noticed; they were watching him on film, so of course they were watching at the same time because I was the one throwing him the football, so (that) created an interest in me."</p>
<p>He wasn't sure whether or not he'd be able to leave junior college after only one season, but he wanted to badly, as he was only there as a means to find a home as quarterback of a larger more prominent school. He ended up staying for a second succesful season, at which point Don James, the Dawgfather, came knocking.</p>
<p>"The University of Washington was giving me an opportunity to compete for the starting job right away," Moon recollected, "and I kind of wanted to go away from home anyway, just to go somewhere else and be outside of Los Angeles, but still stay on the West Coast where my family could still see me play and be close to home. Don James presented that opportunity to me and I went ahead and signed at the University of Washington."</p>
<p>Much like the college programs before them, NFL scouts and general managers took one quick look at Moon and told him to pack it in; he traveled north of the border, shattering all that was holy while leading the Edmonton Eskimos to five consecutive championships, and in the process forcing everyone in the NFL to take notice.</p>
<p>He ended up in a bidding war between a dozen teams in all three major North American football leagues, and ultimately signed with the Houston Oilers; it was the largest contract in the history of the league. Moon thought that was ironic, "it was just six years earlier that people thought I couldn't play the position, and now all of a sudden I'm the highest paid player in the league."</p>
<p>I suppose that's the message he's looking to send to the kids today at his hometown high school, "It just goes to show that if you stick to your guns, if you have confidence in your ability and you continue to work hard good things will happen for you... there's gonna be adversity in your life all along the way, and it's how you handle that adversity. I'm a perfect example of a guy that didn't give up, didn't let people tell me that I couldn't achieve what I wanted to achieve."</p>
<p>That you are Warren, that you are.</p>
<p>----------------</p>
<p>I was able to get in a couple Seahawks questions as well, and<b> </b>I'll simply transcribe to the best of my abilities the answers for you. Warren's been around the block a time or two so it's always cool to get some insight when you can.</p>
<p><i><b>LW: Russell Wilson has been so great, better than even his supporters likely imagined he would be. Is a sophomore slump likely, or will he keep on growing and keep on showing?</b></i></p>
<p>Moon: "I think he's only gonna grow and get better, just because he'll be more familiar with what their offense is. I think their offensive coordinator will be more familiar with what Wilson does, as opposed to trying to find their way through the first six or seven games to really figure out what he does best and what the offense does best.</p>
<p>I think they're going to get probably one more playmaker too... maybe another wide receiver that's big and real fast that gives him one more weapon over there. So you add a couple of weapons to go along with his experience from this year, to go along with the fact that his offensive coordinator will know what he does best next year, I think they're only going to grow. This is a very young football team; all those guys on that offensive side of the ball, I think they have the second youngest offensive line in the league. They're all just going to grow together and get better."</p>
<p><i><b>This front office has come out of the last couple drafts under a lot of scrutiny, but rookies continue to perform well right away. What are Schneider and Carroll on to that other draftniks just don't get yet?</b></i></p>
<p>"There's a <i>'draft system'</i> where you're rated by whatever the draft experts say you are. All of that is based on measurables; the Seahawks try to find guys who fit their system. They don't care about a guy who might be more highly rated, who doesn't fit what they do, which is a mistake a lot of people make. Just because he had a great college career, or maybe he has all these great measurables, but he doesn't fit the system or the scheme he's going to, and a lot of people draft that way. Well, the Seahawks don't draft that way. They draft guys that fit their system of what they want to do defensively and what they want to do offensively."</p>
<p>"Sometimes that goes off the norm, it (strays from) what a guy might be rated at the time they're drafting, but they don't care about that... That's why they take a Bruce Irvin, who's probably a second or third round pick in most people's eyes but he fits perfectly (with) what they're doing and here he is with 7 sacks at the halfway point of the season."</p>
<p>"Russell WIlson being the same thing, a third rounder; All he had going against him was his height, but here he is a starting quarterback in the National Football League... They thought everything else he could do and could bring to the table fit their system... That's kind of their philosiphy, they're going to go after guys who fit what they do best, they don't really care where everybody else has them rated."</p>
<p><i><b>How did you get into broadcasting Seahawks games?</b></i></p>
<p>"Broadcasting was something I wanted to do when I retired just to stay around the game, and it was something I majored in at college, so it was very natural for me. I went to the Seahawks mainly because Dave Pearson, their VP of communications, was my PR guy with I was with the Houston Oilers, years ago. He offered me the opportunity to come and be the color analyst there... I like Seattle a lot as a city, and I had lived there a lot of the time when I was (playing) in Canada, I also played there a couple of years so I had a lot of relationships there."</p>
<p>"It was a place where I could, be in a place I was familiar... It was just a good situation, a good time for me to go there, and I've enjoyed my time up there for the last 8 years."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I'm Luke, I'm on twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/MyHawkSoFly" target="_blank">@MyHawkSoFly</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p><i>Quick note: I REALLY wanted to throw in some rapid fire random questions at the end but ran out of time. If I ever get to interview the man again I'll be sure to throw some quick ones at him.</i></p>
<p><i>Another quick note: If you listen to the interview you'll hear me try to squeeze three questions into one for my last question, it didn't work... but I'd like credit for trying.</i></p>
<p>For anyone interested in checking out the entire interview, the audio file is right here:<br><a href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1725679/warrenmooninterview.mp3">Warren Moon "Hometown Hall of Famer" Interview</a> <br id="1352764550194"></p>
https://seattle.sbnation.com/2012/11/13/3637710/warren-moon-taking-part-in-hometown-hall-of-famersLuke Wehrheim2012-11-11T19:39:10-08:002012-11-11T19:39:10-08:00Seahawks win! Jets lose! At the same time!
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<figcaption>Steven Bisig-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>Watching the Seahawks win is always super fun. You get so high on winning that your body actually starts to produce it's own Hawksoprine!</p> <p>The Jets came into Centurylink Field as one of two or three teams that make headlines for seemingly anything. I've never liked them, and watching them fall to my favorite team was great. 28-7, and it could have been even worse, everything is peachy right now!</p>
<p>I'll give you all a chance to shout out questions and things, and do my best to answer. Go!</p>
<p><i><b>"What did you like?"</b></i></p>
<p>The Seahawks defense looked back in top form, holding the Jets to just 185 total yards. New York ran 50 plays on the day and all but a handful were covered by the Hawks' defense. Three turnovers forced helped Seattle win the turnover battle; one of those, a Richard Sherman interception at the goal line, helped the defensive unit keep its shutout entact.</p>
<p><i><b>"What surprised you?"</b></i></p>
<p>Russell Wilson finding success throwing the ball. Rex Ryan coached defenses had previously held rookie quarterbacks to a 1:8 touchdown to interception ratio; on Sunday Wilson was 12/19 for 188 with 2 touchdowns thrown to no picks. Their were moments in the game were the young quarterback actually looked pretty flustered for the first time since week 1 at Arizona, getting stripped two times - one for the Jets only touchdown - was unusual for Wilson, but he was able to pick it up in the second half, helping the Seahawks pull away in the fourth quarter.</p>
<p><i><b>"Tebow is unstoppable!"</b></i></p>
<p>Tim Tebow completed all his throws, for an incredible total of 8 yards. Jets opponents will surely need to keep spending valuable time preparing for this guy.</p>
<p><i><b>"THERE he is! Sidney!"</b></i></p>
<p>Much has been made of Sidney Rice's talent, injury issues, and contract; he has now caught 4 touchdowns in the last three football games, and is reminding everyone exactly how good he can be at beating a defense deep. Moving forward this will be something to watch, as the Hawks run game should continue to create opportunities over the top.</p>
<p><i><b>"And him TOO?!"</b></i></p>
<p>You mean Golden Tate? He continued his increased production, catching and throwing for one more touchdown than opposing QB Mark Sanchez. (Side note: Does anyone think Pete chuckles now about that whole <i>"Pete says you're not ready to go pro" "Oh well I'm in the championship game, HAH!"</i> thing these days? He looks like a terrible quarterback).</p>
<p><i><b>"One thing you didn't like so much?"</b></i></p>
<p>The Seahawks continue to let teams hang around a bit longer than they really should. A terribly over-rated Jets team was left to enter the locker room down only 7 points, instead of what probably should have been 14, maybe even 21.</p>
<p>Tough teams will take advantage of continued opportunities, especially on the road, where the Seahawks will likely be, should they make the playoffs. This team will have to continue to work on clamping down earlier in games when given the chance.</p>
<p><i><b>"Anything else you want to say about the game?"</b></i></p>
<p>Yeah one thing; I want to give some props to Darrell Bevell. He has been a hot topic for weeks at a time here and there during this season, but has come up smelling like a bag of roses lately. Between working in a few gimmicky wide receiver throwing plays, and some solid read options for Russell, this offense has seemed much more lively as of late.</p>
<p>I get as frustrated as anyone when this team is struggling, but we must throw the guy a bone (hurry, before he's in the doghouse again!) for mixing it up and keeping the offense fresh to death.</p>
<p><i><b>"Is it true you still sleep with stuffed animals??"</b></i></p>
<p>What?! <i>WHERE'D YOU HEAR THAT?!?</i> Alright that's it, this press conference is over!!</p>
<p>I'm on twitter <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/MyHawkSoFly">@MyHawkSoFly</a></p>
https://seattle.sbnation.com/2012/11/11/3633306/seahawks-win-psh-lets-talk-about-tebow-not-really-thoughLuke Wehrheim2012-11-07T07:42:15-08:002012-11-07T07:42:15-08:00Playoff season, is in season!
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<figcaption>Stephen Brashear</figcaption>
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<p>Playoff talk is officially in season! And I am here by order of the President of the United States of America to get you all pumped up for this weekend's contests after a long hard day of voting.</p>
<p>The playoffs are coming! The playoffs are coming!</p>
<p>I don't know why but that line reminds me of something... I tried googling it, turns out "The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming" is an American comedy film from 1966.</p>
<p>Basically, I have no idea what "The playoffs are coming!" makes me think of; because I sure as shit have not seen any comedies from the year my dad realized lotion wasn't just for girls.</p>
<p>That's all pointless anyway, we're here to talk about football! Playoffs more specifically! WHY ALL THE EXCLAMATION POINTS?!?! SO EXCITED!!!</p>
<p>Why am I excited?</p>
<p>Allow me to itemize...</p>
<p>1. We're over halfway through the year, the playoff picture is clearing up.</p>
<p>2. The <a href="https://www.fieldgulls.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Seahawks</a> are right in the middle of that picture, for the first time in five years (not including the time Seattle made it in with a losing record - that doesn't count).</p>
<p>3. Both of America's annual favorites are already just a couple short weeks away from being eliminated!!!</p>
<p>4. Number three is referencing the <a href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Cowboys</a> and <a href="https://www.ganggreennation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Jets</a>, I get so damn tired of hearing about them.</p>
<p>I'm going to try to do a few things for you every week: Talk about each teams remaining schedule in an attempt to guess who I think makes it in, as well as list some reputable websites predictions on how everything will shake out. I'll also give you insider tips on who to root for this weekend, and who to send all your bad juju to.</p>
<p><b>As it stands now</b></p>
<p>Right now the Seahawks (5-4) are sitting on the second wildcard spot behind Green Bay (6-3), one and one half games back of San Francisco (6-2) in the division.</p>
<p>On the outside looking in are:<br><a href="https://www.dailynorseman.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Vikings</a> (5-4, lose tiebreaker to Seahawks by virtue of loss in week 9)<br><a href="https://www.prideofdetroit.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Lions</a> (4-4, own tiebreaker over Seahawks by virtue of win in week 8)<br><a href="https://www.bucsnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Buccaneers</a> (4-4, 2-4 in conference)<br><a href="https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Cardinals</a> (4-5, own tiebreaker over Seahawks currently by virtue of week 1 win)</p>
<p><b>What do those other guys have going on right now?</b></p>
<p>Green Bay: With road games against the Lions and <a href="https://www.bigblueview.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Giants</a> following this week's bye, the <a href="https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Packers</a> are in immediate danger of losing their grasp on that fifth playoff spot. They'll likely need to win at least one to keep ahead of the Seahawks, Vikings, & Lions.</p>
<p>Minnesota: A visit from the Lions awaits them this weekend, with Green Bay on a bye, this is a chance to pull to within a half game of the Pack.</p>
<p>Lions: Same goes for the Lions as goes for the Vikings. Keep up with the Packers.</p>
<p>Cardinals: Having lost five straight games, I want to say talking about the Cards is a waste of time; but they won four straight before that and there's always the chance they could run off a few straight wins with... nevermind. They are on a bye this week, and face an Atlanta team that hasn't lost yet in week 11. If they lose that game, you can pretty much call them cooked.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.ninersnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">49ers</a>: At home against the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/st-louis-rams" class="sbn-auto-link">Rams</a> this week, the Niners will likely hold serve going into their bye. A loss would open the door for Seattle, should they win this week against the Jets</p>
<p><b>What're the Odds?</b></p>
<p>By that I mean, what are the odds these guys end up in the playoffs?</p>
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<p>Team</p>
</td>
<td width="128" valign="top">
<p><a href="http://Playoffrace.com" target="_blank">Playoffrace.com</a></p>
</td>
<td width="128" valign="top">
<p><a href="http://MakeNFLplayoffs.com" target="_blank">MakeNFLplayoffs.com</a></p>
</td>
<td width="128" valign="top">
<p><a href="http://footballoutsiders.com/stats/playoffodds" target="_blank">Footballoutsiders.com</a></p>
</td>
<td width="128" valign="top">
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/MyHawkSoFly" target="_blank">This Guy</a></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="128" valign="top">
<p>49ers</p>
</td>
<td width="128" valign="top">
<p>80.37%</p>
</td>
<td width="128" valign="top">
<p>80.36%</p>
</td>
<td width="128" valign="top">
<p>93.2%</p>
</td>
<td width="128" valign="top">
<p>95%</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="128" valign="top">
<p>Packers</p>
</td>
<td width="128" valign="top">
<p>64.25%</p>
</td>
<td width="128" valign="top">
<p>63.32%</p>
</td>
<td width="128" valign="top">
<p>86.5%</p>
</td>
<td width="128" valign="top">
<p>85%</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="128" valign="top">
<p>Seahawks</p>
</td>
<td width="128" valign="top">
<p>36.44%</p>
</td>
<td width="128" valign="top">
<p>35.98%</p>
</td>
<td width="128" valign="top">
<p>75.7%</p>
</td>
<td width="128" valign="top">
<p>65%</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="128" valign="top">
<p>Vikings</p>
</td>
<td width="128" valign="top">
<p>36.74%</p>
</td>
<td width="128" valign="top">
<p>36.72%</p>
</td>
<td width="128" valign="top">
<p>8.8%</p>
</td>
<td width="128" valign="top">
<p>25%</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="128" valign="top">
<p>Lions</p>
</td>
<td width="128" valign="top">
<p>24.48%</p>
</td>
<td width="128" valign="top">
<p>24.13%</p>
</td>
<td width="128" valign="top">
<p>11.0%</p>
</td>
<td width="128" valign="top">
<p>35%</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="128" valign="top">
<p>Buccaneers</p>
</td>
<td width="128" valign="top">
<p>21.49%</p>
</td>
<td width="128" valign="top">
<p>21.53%</p>
</td>
<td width="128" valign="top">
<p>14.8%</p>
</td>
<td width="128" valign="top">
<p>15%</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="128" valign="top">
<p>Cardinals</p>
</td>
<td width="128" valign="top">
<p>14.26%</p>
</td>
<td width="128" valign="top">
<p>13.86%</p>
</td>
<td width="128" valign="top">
<p>0.8%</p>
</td>
<td width="128" valign="top">
<p>5%</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<p> </p>
<p>I pulled these from the sites listed above; a few interesting things pop up to me at first glance, Football outsiders seems to have almost completely decided it knows who is going to make the playoffs. I'm guessing that's because they use their DVOA ratings to calculate odds, so teams that are rated highly will come out on top over the thousands and thousands of simulations they run.</p>
<p>MakeNFLplayoffs.com gives each team a 50% chance in each remaining game; Playoffrace.com doesn't state how it comes up with calculations, although I'd assume it's similar as the odds for the two seem to mirror each other.</p>
<p>I'm not a fan of giving everyone even odds in each remaining game personally; we're far enough into the season that we know the Rams won't beat the 49ers half the time, maybe one in three at best.</p>
<p>-Sidenote- Really PlayoffRace? Was<a href="http://playoffrace.com/PackersSeahawksImpact.aspx" target="_blank"> this </a>really necessary?</p>
<p><b>Who should we root for?</b></p>
<p>Besides the Seahawks obviously? These are the games that most impact Seattle's chances to make the playoffs, and who you'd hope to win.</p>
<p><b><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/san-diego-chargers" class="sbn-auto-link">Chargers</a> @ Buccaneers:</b> Chargers all the way. The Bucs have a tough schedule and I don't see them winning more than 9 anyways, but we may as well hope they get the first of their three required losses out of the way this week.</p>
<p><b><a href="https://www.battleredblog.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Texans</a> @ <a href="https://www.windycitygridiron.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Bears</a>:</b> Go Texans. There's no huge impact for the Seahawks here unless a Bears loss kicks off some sort of crazy slide for them, but when in doubt, root against other NFC opponents</p>
<p><b><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/atlanta-falcons" class="sbn-auto-link">Falcons</a> @ <a href="https://www.canalstreetchronicles.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Saints</a>:</b> Falcons all day. Saints look like they're out of it right now, let us all hope together that they stay that way.</p>
<p><b>Rams @ 49ers: </b>DOWN WITH THE NINERS!!! I hate them, and the Seahawks are only a game and a half out.</p>
<p><b>Giants @ <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Bengals</a>:</b> Send your "bad juju" <span>Eli Manning's</span> way, down with the Giants.</p>
<p><b><a href="https://www.milehighreport.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Broncos</a> @ <a href="https://www.catscratchreader.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Panthers</a>: </b>I'm rooting against the Broncos here, in hopes that it lights a fire under their asses and they use that to whoop the only NFC team remaining on their schedule, the Bucs, in a couple weeks.</p>
<p><b>Cowboys @ <a href="https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Eagles</a>:</b> Always root against the NFC East. In this case... just shoot your television, or hope a black hole opens up and sucks both teams into it, along with all those nasty Philly fans.</p>
<p>By the way, I figured it out... it was Paul Revere. The <i>BRITISH</i> are coming! And by the way, <a href="http://www.history.com/news/12-things-you-may-not-know-about-paul-revere" target="_blank">he didn't actually say that</a>.</p>
<p>We won the war anyways, so now we vote and there is no queen. Good work Paul, voting is all thanks to you.</p>
https://seattle.sbnation.com/2012/11/7/3612088/playoff-push-week-9Luke Wehrheim2012-10-18T07:09:20-07:002012-10-18T07:09:20-07:00Thursday Night Fights: Seahawks vs. 49ers
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/I38Lhy8tg8u-zvAH2qjtk8WHxGE=/0x67:849x633/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/1566851/136102261.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jay Drowns - Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Even the Electric Light Orchestra couldn't write a song that describes fully what we will witness tonight</p> <p>If someone took the time to make some decent power rankings, and I'm not talking about <i>power rankings</i> that you read at ESPN or Yahoo, I mean literally ranking which teams pack the most punch on Sundays, the San Fransisco <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.ninersnation.com/">49ers</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.fieldgulls.com/">Seattle Seahawks</a> would take the top two spots, and it wouldn't even be close.</p>
<p>These teams are nearly identical, in a world where passing offenses are booming and scores climb higher and higher, both are built on the idea that you can minimize your mistakes, control the clock with a solid running game and play great defense; slowly grabbing ahold of victories with brute force.</p>
<p>Both teams have invested early round draft picks in their offensive lines and feature high profile, productive players at running back, with solid players backing them up. If either squad falls behind by a couple of touchdowns they will have plenty of trouble coming back against the other team's defense, as both offenses feature average passing attacks and elite defensive units.</p>
<p>In all the similarities though, there are a few small details that I think will shape the way this game plays out. As it is my job, and my pleasure, I will lay them out for you here this morning.</p>
<p><b>Ted Ginn Jr versus <span>Leon Washington</span></b></p>
<p>This isn't <i>technically</i> Leon matched up against Ted Ginn, it's each returner against the other teams coverage units. Ginn is only returning punts this year (Kyle Williams has taken over kick returning duties along with <span>Kendall Hunter</span>) but Seahawks fans know what Ginn can do; he torched Seattle for two return touchdowns late in the teams' first matchup last year to seal the victory for San Fransisco. He isn't having his best year, but the potential for a big play is ever present when he's back to return a punt.</p>
<p>Leon Washington, on the other hand, has found some success this season; while his return average is... somewhat average, he has found big plays when the Seahawks have needed them (see his last return against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.patspulpit.com/">Patriots</a>). He'll need to make a play late against an average 49ers coverage unit, as the game will likely hinge on field position late.</p>
<p><b>Clemons and his gang of misfits versus the 49ers offensive line on passing downs</b></p>
<p>Seattle's defensive line has become one of the best in the NFL -- good news because the 49ers have one of the better offensive lines to counter it. This is truly a strength versus strength situation.</p>
<p>Everything starts right in the middle, where Jason Jones has been one of the most productive interior lineman in pass rush situations so far this year, along with <span>Brandon Mebane.</span> The 49ers' interior O-lineman will have their hands full. It will be crucial that those two, along with <span>Alan Branch</span>, at least occupy the guards on passing downs as the tackles will be enough for Clemons and Irvin to handle when trying to get to Alex Smith.</p>
<p><span>Vernon Davis</span> will likely be out in routes unless the line can get pressure early. This would certainly benefit the Seahawks as their seam defenders will have a hell of a time dealing with his speed down the middle.</p>
<p><b>Seattle's pass blockers versus San Francisco's pass rush</b></p>
<p>More of a "weakness on weakness" matchup, this is just as important a battle. The 49ers have struggled to get pressure on quarterbacks this year, while the Seahawks have had issues in pass protection (Wilson has only been sacked 12 times, but has avoided plenty more with his athletisism). In week 1, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/">Cardinals</a> brought pressure up the middle and forced <span>Russell Wilson</span> into some mistakes, and San Francisco will surely be looking to achieve the same outcome. With <span>Justin Smith</span> inside they certainly have someone who can help collapse a pocket. They will need to; Wilson can make plays on the move but I'm sure the 49ers would rather take their chances on that front than let him relax in the pocket.</p>
<p><b>Alex Smith versus Russell Wilson</b></p>
<p>If there were a "re-do" of both the 2005 and 2012 NFL drafts one of these guys would be picked considerably later than he was, and the other would likely be picked far earlier. While completely different in nature, both face their own challenges and limitations.</p>
<p>One or both will struggle tonight; they face great defenses, ones that will not give up many opportunities for success. While the Seahawks secondary is undoubtedly the more talented unit in coverage, the Niners are no pack of pansies.</p>
<p>This is likely the most important matchup, as I feel both run games will struggle to gain anything easy. There will be third downs to convert and turnovers to avoid, and most likely fights to break up. The quarterback that coverts and avoids most often will find himself all smiles come time for post game interviews.</p>
<p><b>Bottom Line</b></p>
<p>The Seahawks need to punch the 49ers in the mouth. They're on the road against a very physical team that is coming off an embarrassing loss. A sweep of the Hawks last year likely gives the Niners a strong sense of confidence, but the matchups are there to be won for Seattle.</p>
<p>As I said before, Electric Light Orchestra could not ever write a song that could encompass what we are going to watch tonight. But they tried anyways:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Save me, oh save me<br>It's unreal, the suffering<br>There's gonna be a Showdown<br><br>And it's rainin' all over the world<br>It's raining all over the world<br>Tonight, the longest night</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Rambling never got anyone anywhere, but it does make for a good way to kill time. Join me on twitter <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/MyHawkSoFly">@MyHawkSoFly</a></p>
<p>-</p>
<p></p>
https://seattle.sbnation.com/2012/10/18/3519246/thursday-night-football-nfl-seahawks-49ersLuke Wehrheim2012-10-13T08:53:11-07:002012-10-13T08:53:11-07:00Seahawks defensive backs need to stay home Sunday
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/FT2MdsUixCBLdmfvZ1Npr_X-QKY=/0x66:4000x2733/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/1292735/151646120.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Christian Petersen - Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Tom Brady is making his first career trip to the Clink, and he will be looking for a couple of deep strikes against a young and talented secondary.</p> <p>This weeks matchup isn't as much of a "must win" as it is a "man if we could get this win we'd really be set up to make the playoffs" kind of game. Winning in Carolina last week put the team at 3-2, which is about as good as we could have expected before the season started. Looking at the schedule in August, many had the Seahawks starting out with 3 wins in their first 6. If we lose Sunday against New England it certainly won't be the end of the season, if we win though, it may be what helps propel this team to heights this year only foreseen by the most optimistic of optimists.</p>
<p>The Patriots offense has been flying high as of late, and has all the weapons you'd need to take down even the toughest defense. Yeah, sure, the Seahawks have one of the best secondaries in the league and a run defense that just doesn't quit, but this is the Patriots, guys... Browner and Sherm are shutting down Lloyd? Welker is open. Trufant is effectively silencing Wes Welker? There is NO WAY Rob Gronkowski is covered up the seam. That guy is Calvin Johnson's brother from another mother, I swear.</p>
<p>Much has been made about Josh McDaniels' trip to Eugene to learn a little bit of that spread hurry up magic Chip Kelly's been enchanting everyone with at Oregon, but in my mind the Seahawks will have a much bigger hurdle to leap this weekend: play action.</p>
<p>If we were playing word association on a mass scale and I said "Patriots offense!", we'd hear all sorts of different words shouted, I mean, it is mass scale so obviously... there'd be a lot of answers. But I'd be willing to bet most would be the same, or at least similar.</p>
<p>"Brady, Shotgun, Trips, Hurry Up, Welker, Randy Moss, Deep Balls"</p>
<p>Back when Bellichick was winning his Superbowls with the Patriots, he didn't demand as much of Tom Brady, mostly that he control the game and allow guys like Antowain Smith and Corey Dillon to carry the better part of the load in conjunction with a masterfully orchestrated defense.</p>
<p>That was all wiped from our collective memories though when Bill took a chance on a down and out Randy Moss. In Randy's first two seasons with Brady at the helm passing became the primary focus. This year though, the Patriots have run the ball only 6 times fewer than they have passed, and have done so very effectively. Stephen Ridley is having great success, and the Patriots are using that against their opponents week in and week out.</p>
<p>In week two the Cardinals were able to squeek out a win in New England by holding the scoring down and taking advantage of a few scoring opportunities. And honestly, that has been a bit of a beacon for hope for me. There is surely a blueprint somewhere in there that Pete Carroll can use to hold that same offense at bay.</p>
<p>What was missed though in all the praise after that game for the Cardinals defense was the opportunities they gave Tom Brady in play action. I'll show you an example here that shows why it's so difficult to cover the Patriots in play action.</p>
<p>This is the first play of the second quarter, the Cards have scratched and clawed to get the 6-3 lead they hold.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1549269/patscards1.jpg"><img src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1549269/patscards1.jpg" class="photo" alt="Patscards1" width="98%"></a></p>
<p>The Patriots have just run the ball off the right side on their first two plays of this possession, the first of which sprung for 20 yards. They come out in 22 personnel, (two tight ends and two running backs), the Cardinals counter by placing nine men in the box.</p>
<p>(While I don't think the Hawks will have to place 9 men in the box at any point on Sunday, they'll surely need to show Ridley some respect; he has looked good so far this year.) The fullback motions to the right, the defense reacts by shifting the linebackers over as well.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1549293/patscards2.jpg"><img src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1549293/patscards2.jpg" class="photo" alt="Patscards2" width="98%"></a></p>
<p>At the snap everyone but Hoomanawanui and Lloyd sell the run to the right, drawing the linebackers down into the action. The Cards linebackers and corners effectively cover their men on this play. The outside linebacker (just off screen here) picks up Gronkowski and the corner is covering the other tight end to the offense's left (also off screen).</p>
<p>Kerry Rhodes over reacts to the two tight-ends moving left, coming downhill hard to help cover them, and messes everything up. His bite on Gronk/Hoomanawanui leaves the middle deep part of the field wide open. The back covering Brandon Lloyd on the right side of the field is giving away inside position, which makes me think he expected help from Rhodes, the only deep safety on the play.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1549333/patscards3.jpg"><img src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1549333/patscards3.jpg" class="photo" alt="Patscards3" width="98%"></a></p>
<p>By reacting so strongly, Rhodes has opened up the entire middle of the field for Lloyd, who is running a deep post. This is both genius play design on the Patriots part, and poor play by Kerry Rhodes. It leads to an easy touchdown opportunity for Brady.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1549341/patscards4.jpg"><img src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1549341/patscards4.jpg" class="photo" alt="Patscards4" width="98%"></a></p>
<p>Luckily for the Cardinals, Tom Brady missed his man on the play. Brady and the Patriots offense have been on a roll since then however, and the Seahawks should not expect the same mistakes this weeekend.</p>
<p>Earl Thomas is undoubtedly more talented than Kerry Rhodes, but he is young and has been known to find himself out of position from time to time. He is most often able to make up for it with elite speed and quick reactions, but I have a feeling he'll need to be in top form this weekend; that will allow the Seahawks to continue to play the upfront and aggressive style of defense they love so much, without allowing any deep bombs like the should-have-been pass I outlined above.</p>
<p>-------</p>
<p>My name is Luke. Follow me on twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/MyHawkSoFly" target="_blank">@MyHawkSoFly</a>, satisfaction is guaranteed. Oh and let me know how you liked the markups on the photos, I'm trying out different methods to highlight elements of plays so it'd be great to find out what's working and what isn't.</p>
<p></p>
https://seattle.sbnation.com/2012/10/13/3497744/seahawks-need-the-defensive-backfield-to-stay-disciplined-on-sundayLuke Wehrheim2012-10-06T10:42:27-07:002012-10-06T10:42:27-07:00Seahawks doomed? No Way
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/sGJT3frmcfRZPyC7tFgkz-iWbx8=/0x230:2666x2007/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/825555/20120818_kkt_sn8_693.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Joe Nicholson-US PRESSWIRE - Presswire</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Seahawks are still very undecided on whether or not they'll make the playoffs, they're looking to clear things up and make a decision by week 16 at the latest.</p> <p>Saturday morning is a time for pouring an entire box of Captain Crunch into a large tupperware with milk and watching some cartoons. I wanted to talk to you all a little about what 2-2 really means though, so I'm going to risk spilling some milk on my keyboard and do both at the same time. Here goes!!</p>
<p>This past week there's been a bit of a doomsday feel about the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.fieldgulls.com/">Seahawks</a>. It's not completely dominated the mood but it's been prevalent at my workplace, on the radio, and even my Facebook news feed. It got me to thinking, "Is 2-2 the dead sentence some people feel like it is?"</p>
<p>It's not. Believe me.</p>
<p>While not a particularly enticing spot, 2-2 is only one game off the lead in most divisions and with a win in Carolina the Seahawks will be one game back of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/">Cardinals</a> (<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.ninersnation.com/">49ers</a> as well if they win) with plenty of time to make up that ground.</p>
<p>The National Football League has a shorter season than anyone but the NCAA at 16 games, which leads to a great sense of urgency from fans. Early season struggles often lead to doom and gloom outlooks. But they're usually not as prophetic as they feel, look at these quotes, written just one year ago this week about a 2-2 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/">Steelers</a> team.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>"QB <span>Ben Roethlisberger</span> (foot) might not last 16 games behind a horrendous offensive line." -via <br><a target="_blank" href="http://espn.go.com/nfl/powerrankings/_/year/2011/week/5">ESPN</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>"A minus-10 turnover ratio might be the most telling statistic about the Steelers. This is a team in danger of falling apart. The beleaguered offensive line might get <b>Ben Roethlisberger</b> killed by season’s end. Big Ben has been sacked 15 times this year and has taken at least a dozen brutal hits from opposing defenses. Ben’s a warrior, but his toughness might not be enough to get him through the year. On the other hand, the Pittsburgh run defense has been surprisingly awful." -via <a target="_blank" href="http://itiswhatitis.weei.com/sports/newengland/football/patriots/2011/10/04/weei-nfl-power-rankings-week-5-3/">WEEI 93.7FM</a></p>
<p>"Pittsburgh plays every team tough, but that offensive line coupled with Big Ben's need to try to make the "big play" are going to get Roethlisberger absolutely killed. Throw the ball away, Ben." -via <a target="_blank" href="http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ycn-10139133">Yahoo Sports</a></p>
</blockquote>
<p>That team in Pittsburgh ended up winning 12 games, losing only 2 from that point on. The turnover ratio improved and the defense got back to doing what it was originally expected to do, something these writers didn't think would happen. What about the 2-2 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/atlanta-falcons">Falcons</a>?</p>
<blockquote>
<p>"The Falcons strugged to put away the Seahawks... That's not a good sign for this team. Not at all." -via <a target="_blank" href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/873665-nfl-power-rankings-for-week-5/page/24">Bleacher Report</a></p>
<p>"Got back to .500 after dispatching the Seahawks, but this week they face the big boys in the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/">Green Bay Packers</a>. Atlanta doesn't need a win here to keep its dream alive for the playoffs, but it would help." -via <a target="_blank" href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.azcentral.com%2Fsports%2Fcardinals%2Farticles%2F2011%2F10%2F04%2F20111004nfl-power-rankings-2011-week-5.html&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fseattle.sbnation.com%2F2012%2F10%2F6%2F3464508%2F2-wins-2-losses-is-no-death-sentence" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener">AZCentral</a></p>
</blockquote>
<p>He was right, Atlanta didn't need the win against Green Bay. They lost and still went on to win 10 games and secure a playoff spot. Are you sensing a trend here?</p>
<p>Lets look at my favorite of all, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Cincinnati Bengals</a>. Not many thought the team would do very much coming off a terrible season, but rookie sensation <span>Andy Dalton</span> proved them all wrong. I liked this line best:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>"The Bengals are 2-2? Who would have thought that would happen? Not me, that's for sure. They're not a good team, but they have taken themselves out of <span>Andrew Luck</span> contention with their last few wins." -via <a target="_blank" href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/873665-nfl-power-rankings-for-week-5/page/9">Bleacher Report</a></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Andrew Luck? The Bengals were the top defense in the league through the first four games, and that defense carried them all the way to an improbable 9 win season and a playoff berth.</p>
<p>It is the nature of fans and writers to predict the future, with 6 days between games there's plenty of time for overreactions and speculation. In the end though it's really just that. The Seahawks could very well go on to lose 8 of their last twelve and finish 6-10, outside of the playoff picture. They could win 9 of their last 12 and breeze into the playoffs at 11 wins.</p>
<p>Whatever happens, it will depend on what they do, not what they have done.</p>
<p>Will they shore up their pass protection like those Steelers everyone was ragging on? Do they need a win in Carolina as bad as Atlanta seemed to against the Packers last year? Will their overly assertive defense carry them through the year like Cincy's did? Or will they fail to turn the corner like some of the 2-2 teams I failed to mention due to their lack of success.</p>
<p>The Seahawks have played four games, they have lost two and won two. Both of those losses went down to the last offensive possession of the game. As frustrating as last weeks loss was, and as awful as it may be to see another loss in Carolina, even that will not doom this season</p>
<p>As they like to say, "it's not over until the fat lady sings." And in the NFL, the fat lady never sings this early in the action.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>My name is Luke. Follow me on twitter <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/MyHawkSoFly">@MyHawkSoFly</a>, satisfaction is guaranteed.</p>
https://seattle.sbnation.com/2012/10/6/3464508/2-wins-2-losses-is-no-death-sentenceLuke Wehrheim2012-10-05T06:01:00-07:002012-10-05T06:01:00-07:00Not so fast on the change at QB, guys
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/8rLOzX7mDTFR0QyO-6eRvOoBogU=/0x716:4000x3383/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/710409/20120811_ajw_sn8_111.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Joe Nicholson-US PRESSWIRE - Presswire</figcaption>
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<p>I'll give you something to tell them to help calm the over-reaction. Or it'll just fuel the fire, either way you'll be talking football. Win.</p> <p></p>
<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It hadn’t even occurred to me to think what people would be saying about the quarterbacks after Seattle's loss last weekend to the Rams in St. Louis. In hindsight I was way off base, and admittedly I should have seen all of this coming. Let us gather the children now and go over the facts:</p>
<ul>
<li> <span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "></span></span></span>Matt Flynn will collect $2 million dollars in salary this year on top of the $6 million he collected when signing his deal.</li>
<li> <span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "></span></span></span>Russell Wilson was taken in the third round.</li>
<li> <span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "></span></span></span>Russell Wilson is short.</li>
<li> <span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "></span></span></span>Defeat was sealed versus the Rams on an interception thrown by Russell Wilson, he also threw two other interceptions in that game.</li>
<li> <span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "></span></span></span>The Seahawks passing game is dead last in the league when looking at yardage totals.</li>
</ul>
<p class="MsoNormal">All of those are facts; there is literally no doubt about them. I know because I looked them all up on Wikipedia, and that shit <i>never</i> lies. The beauty of all that is the truth in it. Simplistic as it may be, there is comfort in the knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that things are true. People are not always so comfortable separating themselves from things that are easy to assess and moving on to what driving forces might lie beneath the surface, and that’s how you get the quarterbacking controversy we’ve got today.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Football is a game of angles, speed and inches though. There is rarely ever true "fact" due to the level of variability in every play, and the volume of plays in each game. Each moment has it’s own impact on the game and deciding which moment is most important in determining the outcome is practically impossible.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As that is the case I’m going to take a moment to remind everyone why those facts have little bearing on the situation at quarterback for our hometown team. One by one, I’m going to calm down every rabble rouser out there!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">"Matt Flynn’s salary is like 8 million times more than Wilson though!"</b></i><br> Flynn’s contract is pretty miniscule for a starter, and to suggest that pay scales should dictate playing time would drive any football coach batshit crazy. Look around the league and you’ll see that Flynn’s contract is really only slightly above average for a backup, and it’s only as high as it is because the Hawks didn’t really have a choice but to bring him in (they weren't guaranteed to get a QB in the Draft).</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Think about this for a second, if Wilson had been on the roster going into free agency do you think they still give him fair market value to come to Seattle? I doubt that, and while that is a point one could argue against you’d certainly have to admit that they would have thought twice. Wilson is a guy this front office coveted going into the draft, and regardless of whether or not they saw him starting year one, they surely pictured him working into that role by year two.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Two separate teams let Matt Flynn walk out of their facilities and leave town before he signed here, so stop hanging on to all those news stories you read following his explosion against Detroit last year.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i>"I told you so! Third round quarterbacks never succeed as rookies"</i><br></b>Discussing Wilson’s draft stock is meaningless on the football field, so avoid bringing it up from this point on, people. Once a guy is on the roster, he is just that. "A guy on the roster." Pete Carroll has always made it clear to the media and fans that he makes his decisions on the field, not in an office with spreadsheets. Asking yourself where or how a player was acquired is far from his style in terms of dictating play time.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">While his draft value back in April speaks to some of his perceived shortcomings it has no bearing on future success and does not speak to whether or not he’ll overcome them.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">"Russell is too short! He can’t see anything!"</i></b><br> His height does seem to be affecting his play. He has looked ruffled at times so far this year and is having trouble finding guys in certain spots. The degree to which this is an issue is debatable though, and I’m not worried anyways.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">His height is no different from any deficiency that any other player might have. A weak arm, lack of commitment, injury issues... the list goes on forever. There are a plethora of things that slow and eventually kill the careers of young players that once looked poised to succeed. No one ever knew four games in that a guy's career would be over because of any of the other issues, and I don’t see height any differently.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I didn’t expect Wilson to gain a Drew Brees-like understanding of finding throwing lanes from within the pocket in four games. As long as he shows some level of improvement, I’ll patiently wait for the jury to return with a verdict.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">"Three interceptions in a game?!? No way we can win like that!"</i></b><br> Blame for the interception that ended the game last Sunday has been a hotly contested topic. I heard one ex-quarterback point out that it was surely Wilson's fault the ball was picked, because he should not have thrown it to TE Anthony McCoy on the play in the first place; that Doug Baldwin was open and would have easily gotten more yards anyways. Another *more successful* quarterback felt the read was correct and that McCoy could have made it out of bounds.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">No matter which way you look at the play that ended the game, the fact that he threw them doesn’t mean as much as the how and why. The second pick he threw, where he had the ball tipped from behind, was on him as far as I can tell. He seemed to stand tall a little too long, which is funny because previously everyone had been talking about how often he left the pocket too early for their tastes.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The first was a ball that should have been caught by Dough Baldwin. You can point to the throws location and bring up how difficult it can be to catch a pass thrown behind you but I promise you if you were given the chance to ask Doug he’d tell you that was all on him there.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Three picks, all of which impacted the game, none of which seem likely to be repeated often enough to be a serious issue. Russell has made generally good decisions up to this point in the season, especially for a rookie.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">"This passing game is gross, last in the league… Everyone else is setting records"</i></b><br> Putting Matt Flynn in as the starter might bump the Seahawks' offense up a bit, I guess, but you’ve got to understand that the Seahawks are meant to have low totals in the passing game. Lost in this statistic is that they also have the fewest passing attempts and that is by design.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I will say, however, in regards to the gameplan, I would love to see some more passing on early downs. Run, run, pass seems great considering the "run, run" part has been so helpful up to this point, but I feel like it has a drawback in that it puts more pressure on a quarterback to make good on third down.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In short, yeah the passing game is bad; but it’s not as bad as it looks on paper.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I don’t think Wilson has played great and he undoubtedly needs to be better on those third downs; he’s made some mistakes (most of which have been extensively discussed on the interwebs and talk radio stations), and missed his share of opportunities to convert. But looking at it objectively, he's passing for 60%, has mixed some bad throws with some very good throws (play-action to Golden Tate vs GB, TD Pass to McCoy vs Dallas, 22-yard strike to Sidney Rice vs. ARI, etc) and is about where you'd expect a rookie to be on the learning curve. It's only a matter of philosophy whether you'd prefer to go with a possibly higher floor veteran with a lower ceiling over a higher-ceiling rookie with a likely lower floor at this point.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Putting Flynn in seems like a good idea in part because he is that grass on the other side of the fence. In football though the fence is tall and very difficult to see through, so don’t be so sure that the grass is as green as it looks.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">My name is Luke. Follow me on twitter <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/MyHawkSoFly">@MyHawkSoFly</a>, satisfaction is guaranteed.</p>
https://seattle.sbnation.com/2012/10/5/3457734/and-now-they-want-a-change-at-quarterbackLuke Wehrheim2012-09-27T07:07:15-07:002012-09-27T07:07:15-07:00NFL Odds: betting the Vegas lines for Week 4
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/3vK4U96OGcds6jBfjSR5QVBrTCU=/0x0:3990x2660/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/119587/20120811_kdl_sh5_326.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jeff Hanisch-US PRESSWIRE - Presswire</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>I don't always gamble on NFL games. But when I do, I win... Sometimes.</p> <p>I'm a new writer here at SB Nation Seattle, so I haven't got any picks on record here, but you can look back at my <a href="http://www.myhawksofly.com/humdrum-pick-em-week-1-picks-are-in/" target="_blank">Week 1</a> and <a href="http://www.myhawksofly.com/locks-hawks-and-six-smoking-hot-experts-week-2/" target="_blank">Week 2</a> pick 'ems on MyHawkSoFly.com, in which I picked straight winners. My 10-6 record in back to back weeks might seem underwhelming but it was enough success to convince me I should step up the challenge a bit and pick against the Vegas lines instead.</p>
<p>See, when you look to pick a winner, it's often difficult to go against a clear favorite as you'll most often come out on top in those games. That leaves about half the games that are actually going to be worth picking, and I demand twice that! If your first reaction to this is to remind me I was barely above average in picking the first two weeks I don't want to hear it. I'm irrational and hormonal! I will not be soothed, you hear? I'm picking on spread and that's that.</p>
<p>For Week 3, I simply threw my picks up on Twitter as I was kind of between girlfriends as far as blogging homes goes. You can check <a href="https://twitter.com/MyHawkSoFly" target="_blank">my feed</a> to see the picks - although I'd rather you didn't (yikes) - or just trust me when I say it was a pretty bloody Sunday.</p>
<p>Throwing your hard earned cash down on NFL games is something I don't usually advise - obviously: see above - but I'll tell you what, if you're going to do it you'd better make sure you have my advice. I may be terribly average but what I lack in accuracy I make up in gusto!</p>
<p>I'm crossing my fingers and throwing darts! Here comes Luke Skyhawker's week 4 wagers!</p>
<p><b><i>Baltimore favored by 12 against Cleveland</i></b><br>While Weeden's last couple of showings are a far cry from his 4 interception opener, I have to believe the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.baltimorebeatdown.com/">Ravens</a> defense will be in a position to force him into plenty of mistakes if Flacco and company give them an early lead. I've got five bucks that says Baltimore covers at home.<br><b></b></p>
<p><b>O/U 43 1/2</b> - And I'll take the over</p>
<p><b><i>New England favored by 4 in Buffalo</i></b><br>Man I don't even want to touch this game. New England has looked touchable (get your mind out of the gutter), and <span>Ryan Fitzpatrick</span> is a piece of poor quarterbacking on a paper plate. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.patspulpit.com/">Patriots</a> have lost two consecutive close ones and I'd wager (no more than $5) that they won't leave another one in the hands of a kicker late. Pats cover.<br><b></b></p>
<p><b>O/U 52</b> - That's a ton of points, Patriots might be angry enough to hit it by themselves. Over.</p>
<p><b><i>Philadelphia favored by 2 against New York (<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bigblueview.com/">Giants</a>)</i></b><br>This is my mortgage maker baby! If someone tells you that they're favoring a team that can't keep the ball in their hands to save their lives that's getting a visit from a tough minded strip sacking defending Superbowl champion football team what do you do? ASK THEM HOW MUCH YOU'RE ALLOWED TO PUT DOWN! Giants beat the spread and win in Philly.<br><b></b></p>
<p><b>O/U 46 1/2</b> - Over, this could get real 'back and forthy' late once the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/">Eagles</a> have given New York an early lead.</p>
<p><b><i>San Fran favored by 4 in New York (<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.ganggreennation.com/">Jets</a>)</i></b><br>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.ninersnation.com/">49ers</a> are a good football team that got punked last week. I just don't like the Jets, and don't trust them anymore than I would a call girl with my wallet while I showered. 49ers cover, but not by much.<br><b></b></p>
<p><b>O/U 40 1/2</b> - Niners defense has been waiting for a chance to dominate, I think they do it this week and keep the score low. Under</p>
<p><b><i>Arizona favored by 6 1/2 against Miami</i></b><br>While I feel like the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/">Cardinals</a> are due for a loss here soon, I can't imagine it will come at the hands of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.thephinsider.com/">Dolphins</a>. However, I'm going to put myself out on a limb and say the Dolphins will cover. A late score will bring things within a fieldgoal, but they'll get no closer<br><b></b></p>
<p><b>O/U 39 1/2</b> - Don't ever go over when an NFC West defense is involved... it might happen, but over the course of the year you'll lose well more than you'll win.</p>
<p><b><i>Seattle favored by 2 1/2 in St. Louis</i></b><br>I'd never bet against the Hawks. And my five dollars says that <span>Cortland Finnegan</span> should have a pretty tough time intimidating anyone on this <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.fieldgulls.com/">Seahawks</a> roster. I'm assuming the Seattle defensive backs will contain <span>Danny Amendola</span> long enough for Bruce to get in for another sack or two while the Hawks are cleaning up in the second half. Seattle covers<br><b></b></p>
<p><b>O/U 38 1/2</b> - Seattle is allowing 13 points per game, that means we're supposed to assume Seattle will score 26 if we want the over? Not the way they've been playing. I'll take the under.</p>
<p>Those are the games I got a good feeling about. I'll leave the rest of the games up to you to call in the comments.</p>
<p>Lines are as follows:</p>
<p>Green Bay by 7 1/2 at home against New Orleans<br>Detroit by 5 at home against Minnesota<br>Atlanta by 7 at home against Carolina<br>Kansas City by only 1 point at home against San Diego<br>Houston by 12 at home against Tennessee<br>Denver by 6 1/2 at home against Oakland<br>Cincinnati by 2 1/2 on the road against Jacksonville<br>Tampa Bay by 3 at home against Washington<br>Dallas by 3 1/2 at home against Chicago</p>
https://seattle.sbnation.com/2012/9/27/3412812/betting-the-vegas-lines-week-4Luke Wehrheim