Who will win the Patriots @ Seahawks game this weekend? Give us your thoughts! Here are mine...
| The "12th Man" will be ruckus Sunday! |
Seattle fan or not one must admit the Seahawk D is doing work this year. Currently, I'm about to poop my pants as I write, Seattle is #1 in yards per game allowed in the NFL. Wow! Versus the pass, which they will see much of I'm sure, they rank 4th. Against the run 3rd and overall scoring 2nd. Holy crap! Better than I thought and I knew based on some fantasy stats that Seattle was tough. So obviously the matchup is the NE offense vs the upstart and potentially dominant Seahawk D. Well...guess what team is 1st league wide in offensive yards per game??? Right, New England. Wow, this is a mighty matchup. Much more than I thought. Both teams are 3-2 but this maybe the best game of the year so far at least in terms of games that probably won't get all the hype that others will. Interestingly enough, NE is not just passing this year. They rank 10th "threw" the air and more impressively 3rd on the ground. Scoring is 1st and of course it helps to play Buffalo who essentially for NE is like the wood I've been chopping lately...it splits real easy. Bottom line here is that this should be a great game. And Seattle has certainly arrived as a contender. Anytime you have a defense like this you are a contender. Debate that alone Tyler Greenwood. Side challenge there. But back to the point at hand. One must consider maybe the Brady vs Carroll's D won't be the key matchup. Maybe it will be whether or not Seattle can score vs New England. At Tennessee in week 1 the Pats D gave up 13 points to a Locker led O. In week 3 they gave up 31 to a Flacco led O and in week 4 28 to a Fitzpatrick led O. A Wilson led offense??? Well NE's run D isn't bad so Wilson will have to make plays in the passing game. I see the Seahawks scoring 17. Can Brady lead his team to score more than 17 when Seahawks Stadium will be a rockin? I say no. In fact I say NE goes without a TD. 17-15 Seattle.
Fink About It!
From Bro Ken:
ReplyDeleteWell, I like the banter too. This topic has potential. I am rooting for the Seahawks in reality and in fantasy, but I must say realistically that NE has definitive probability unfortunately. I am simply glad you did not ask about Ravens vs someone else, and the some else being a West team. You know I would have to go with the Ravens D. Thanks again for sharing.
definitive, probability, and unfortunately are great words but to use them in succession without commas or conjunctions I'm impressed
DeleteI will acknowledge I have never been a Seahawks fan at all. This year, I find myself checking out how they're perfoming. Each week, I am thoroughly impressed how Sherman, Thomas and Browner eliminate the "big plays". I am shocking myself that I even know 3 defensive players at all! Like I said, I really enjoy the defense.
ReplyDeleteBut…..This is Tom Terriffic coming to town. The game will obviously hinge on the D forcing turnovers and giving the Seahawks O as many short field opportunities as possible. I mean, Bevell's play calling is as sophisticated as a Pop Warner's. (Footnote: I thought Bates was still calling plays, guess not :). Run on first and second and then let's try a pass to no one who can get any separation from defenders. New England's secondary is susceptible to the big plays, but Seattle's play calling won't allow Wilson to be anything more than a "game manager." As much as I'd love to send the Patriots back home with a L, this is not going to happen. Patriots win 28-10.
Brycen
That a boy Bryce. I like the info and prediction. You have some great insights.
DeleteOh kieth, another great topic my friend. I agree seahawks defense is great, but there offense is still terrible. I still think Flynn should have been starting and not wilson. The play calling has been absolutely terrible and all they do is run it on the first 2 downs and then try to pick up third down on a pass….no need to change it up, I guess. Contender?? Seahawks?? I still say no, your defense can win you games, but you still need offensive talent to make plays, and the only guy they have is Lynch. And when you're relying on Sidney Rice (always injured), golden tate, and that other cast of clowns I just dont think they're that great. Plus I would argue that the Hawks have great corners, and the LB's are decent, but the niners and texans are still superior to them. Give me the niners any day of the week! And I dont really look at defensive stats all that much, and although the numbers look good, I still think they're division isn't that great offensively so when you get to play those teams 6 times it helps.
ReplyDeleteAs much as I would love to see Tommy get killed this weekend, I just see him picking the hawks defense apart and Welker probably catching 15 balls. I just dont think the hawks can score enough points to keep up with them. My prediction is Patriots 24 Hawks 13.
Tyler
I agree about Flynn. Although Wilson has shown poise which I like I don't understand why you wouldn't give the job to Flynn since you're paying him what you are. Wilson should've been groomed. But with a defense this good the Seahawks are contenders. Last year you could've easily said the same things about the Niners offense as you are about the Hawks O this year. They weren't impressive except for Gore. And remember their have been superbowl winners with lousy offenses. Although that trend is changing.
DeleteEarly in the preseaon, and even back during Seahawks training camp, anyone who followed the Seahawks close enough knew that something might get in the way of the safe and conservative decision to automatically give the starting QB gig to what seemed like the obvious choice, Matt Flynn.
ReplyDeleteBut Matt Flynn would be a great choice right? 2 games starting under his belt, an NCAA championship, multiple seasons learning and developing in Green Bay alongside Aaron Rodgers, and a cool calm and collected approach to the game. All was good in Seattle-land. We had our 10 million dollar guaranteed guy ready to lead us into the future...
And then, all of a sudden something started happening. Pete and Schneids drafted another QB. Why would they do that??? What were they thinking?!?!
Well here's what happened. This inspiring, stronger-armed, and much more mobile guy came along (some 3rd round QB draft pick from Wisconsin) and won the job. Not only did Wilson make Flynn look like an AARP premium plan in the waiting, he injected himself immediately as a leader and someone who was ready to face the adversity this young team would face going forward. If Matt Flynn had started week 1, he would probably be rolling out in a wheelchair by week 3 based on his inability to move out of the pocket.
The point here, is that Pete Carroll and all the armchair GMs around here COULD have gone with the safe and easy choice (even though he was injured) to start week 1. But instead, Pete walked his talk and let open competition decide the starting role. Wilson was clearly the better QB through training camp and the preseason. He had the team, and he literally won the job. Not just in the media, but also with his teammates. This was a huge risk that I was skeptical of, and it could prove to be a risky business decision (Flynn's contract) in opposition to GM John Schneider that could still ultimately cost Pete his job. So far Pete looks like a genius. He has a 4-2 team, led by an undersized, but sensational, rookie QB who seems to have the "it" factor, the best defense in the league, and absolutely no unrealistic Superbowl expectations to aspire to this year.
Wasn't it weird to watch the Patriots seemingly make the Hawks look silly over and over on defense yet still come up short? How do the Hawks do that?! How many throws does Brady have to make? Bill Belichek and Tommy-Boy-Cry-Cry played right into the game plan of the clutch Seahawks. So instead of second guessing why Wilson is starting and rooting for out of town "East Coast Favorites" like some people around here, I'm busy enjoying one of the most exciting versions of the Seahawks I have ever seen, and I'm proud to have put the effort into actually following them for the last 7 years, through sickness and in health.
(clap) (clap) (clap)...(pat) (pat) (pat)...I'm glad you've "followed" Seattle so closely through the tough times
ReplyDeleteSeattle has a good defense as I stated before today's game. I picked them to win today did you? No one will ever know. Today Wilson made some great throws against an average pass defense. Fitzpatrick threw 3 TDs vs them I think. Wilson should poise today which as I pointed out before the game he has shown all season. I highly doubt Flynn or Wilson is really the difference here. It's the D.
Kieth, you undervalue and mock my team loyalty to the Seahawks. I am simply putting forward the fact that I possess much more day to day research and analysis towards the Seahawks than you guys do. I'm not looking for pats on the back and don't need to predict wins/losses to feel good about an inconsequential season for the local team here. Thanks for your 'in depth' response to my carefully crafted contribution...
ReplyDeleteMike I appreciate your contributions. Without sarcasm this blog would be full of dry statistical scientific theories that remind me of a guy in suspenders looking at a fossil under a microscope. You may in fact know more about the inner workings of the Seattle Seahawk organization than I. All weekend I've done nothing but applaud the Seahawks and their young QB. I'll stand by my opinion of Flynn though and if I'm wrong that's okay. It's happened before and will happen again. Wilson may in fact be the next Tom Brady replacing Drew Bledsoe. If he leads them to a superbowl victory than the decision was truly worth it. Anything short of that in my opinion will give anyone supporting Flynn a deserving argument at least until Flynn proves he can't play in this league.
ReplyDeleteKieth, I agree with your assesment and will point out that even I thought the move to go with Wilson was risky, as stated in my earlier post. The Seahawks D is definitely covering the blemishes, for now... But Wilson makes this team much more dangerous than a one dimensional Flynn would have made them, regardless of how low scoring they are on the scoreboard/statistically on offense.
ReplyDeleteSorry for not visiting this post prior to Sunday's game. I am not surprised by the outcome of the game nor the disbelief that most (Kieth, Tyler & Brycen) of you are shocked about the starting QB. The three of you are a bunch of "band-wagoners" jumping on which ever team is hot.
ReplyDeleteMike and I are true and faithful fans. It must have been the games we went to as young hawk fans in the Kingdom.
Well that was definitely an interesting post mike. I will admit that I am not a hawks fan and I won't pretend to be one, but that was a very nice win by the hawks. I absolutely despise the patriots so watching them lose always makes my day. I can't really say if Wilson has the "it" factor you're talking about mike. If my memory serves me correct i think ryan leaf started 2-0 in his career, and look was happened. Now before you start killing me, my overall point is its very early to make any conclusions. I'm not saying Wilson is leaf I'm just saying its early. He has looked decent thru 6 games, I'd definitely like to see a lot more before i make any judgment. Also I'm not so sure that Flynn couldn't have the same record. Just last weekend the hawks barely beat the panthers, and they looked horrible. What kept them in the game....the defense. Their defense is in the discussion as one of the best in the league and that is what allows Seattle to be in games. I know I'm in the minority thinking that Flynn should have been starting because what's the point in paying him to be a backup. Couldn't the hawks just have kept Jackson if they planned on getting Wilson?? If Wilson leads the hawks to the playoffs in the years to come and a Super Bowl then ill be first in line to say Carroll and everyone else was right mike, but as of right now the only thing I'm buying about the hawks is their defense.
ReplyDeleteTyler
I agree, cautious optimism is the best route at this point with Wilson, and the Seahawks Defense is definitely the reason for their current record, no doubt about it. Although, your comparison of Wilson to Leaf is quite a stretch, considering Leaf was a 1st rounder and a head case from the start. But I'll let you slide this time...
DeleteJust remember the only reason the Hawks went after Flynn is because they had no other option at the time. T-Jack was pretty much on his way out (common knowledge here in Seahawk land) and Wilson hadn't even been drafted yet. The reason Flynn got picked up quickly is because he had been the only available hot free agent QB commodity for weeks. Even desperate teams like Miami willing to pay much more money were after his talents, thus the adequate price tag and reasonable expectation of him being the starter.
I think it was Zach in the comment above who just called you guys band-wagoners! LOL! Let em' have it Gorm!!! Anyway I enjoy the debate, and agree it's too early to make any final judgements. But to repeat my underlying point, this version of the Hawks is damn fun to watch, so start tuning in!