Late to the post. I hope people read the Selah comment. It’s like Hawks and LOB. Sherman basically always played left side, right side of defense. Didn’t follow guys. KJ on his inside/flat. I loved that post by Coach. If you switch your defense what does that do to the other 10 or 6/7 pass defenders when you normally play zone. If man defense is norm then sure. It’s like Panthers in 2006. Steve Smith was absolutely incredible. Holmgren and coaches in that playoff game said just stop Smith. Carolina had no other player at the time to run or catch passes. Delhomme went 15 of 35. 5 of 11 for Smith long of 12 for all of 33 yards. Yes putting 4 guys on Smith works. Saleh can’t do that against JSN and hope to win.
Further, I’m hopeful he’s in zone. SD smart reads and not push it. Hit the open zones. If need be take those base hits. Get FDs. Control the clock. Whiners are not a big play offense. Keep our offense on the field means Purdy has to pressure and not his forte. And our defense stays fresh.
Rival: 49ers. There's no single play or game vs the Rams that compares with the 2013 NFCCG and The Tip - those made the Niners rivalry central to the entire franchise identity through the LOB era. Rams are perhaps a bigger thorn in the side under McVay (though Shanahan's just as bad), but one of the best things about this season is the feeling that MM/JS's Seahawks are finally back at parity with both after several years of just being overmatched and outcoached
If you ask in SF, I believe the prevailing opinion is that the Rams are their principal rival (NorCal - SoCal thing). Living in the Bay Area, I talk to lots of SF fans who were "afraid" of Russ, but many don't have the visceral reaction to the 'Hawks that they do to the Rams.
I don't know what the five Rams fans would say. 😉
No matter how you slice it, they're all great rivalries - and as noted by others, the Cardinals are just a weird odd (or even) man out in the NFCW. 🤷♂️
This year’s commentary around Sam has been the laziest. Started by fans of a franchise that picked JJ to start ahead of him, and are now covering for his clear inferiority, and that viewpoint has been mirrored by lazy analysts who never watch a full game, forget tape.
Knowing how good their coaching staff is, it’ll be a tough game but we still are the better team and should win.
When players are on IR, do they still get to attend all other team functions, like position meetings, practice (on the sidelines), etc…?
My thought is that having them present would help with team cohesion for when they come back off of IR. But I can also see problems with this. First, is it a quote allowed but not mandatory “kind of thing? Second, what about concussions where part of the healing protocol is to reduce cognitive demand and exposure to light and noise?
Players on IR have full access to non-competitive activities. They can go to any position or team meeting, attend practice, use the facilities etc. About the only thing they can't do is physically practice, anything else is basically ok.
Attendance will be at the teams discretion. If you're a Veteran player with a season ending injury, you're probably allowed to skip various meetings etc. But a rookie with a 8-week knock expected to return to the roster probably gets called in.
By the way, I kept forgetting to ask that in one of the Questions for Seaside Joe articles, so I decided to just post it on this thread anyway. Sorry if that gets overlooked.
Right there with you.... Also hated the Raiders with Jim Plunkett/Marc Wilson, Marcus Allen and Howie Long. They always seemed to have our number and I can't stand either team to this day.. In fact, I hope the Broncos make it to the SB if the Hawks do, just for the opportunity to kick their keister once again.
And Bo Jackson too — although honestly The Boz was probably my most hated Seahawk (even though I’ve always been a rabid ‘Hawks fan) and I loved seeing him get trucked by Jackson.
He also created that Raiders aggression intimidation persona that intimidated everyone, all the way down to their uniforms — and attracted a certain type of player. Back in the day when things like roughing the passer was for sissies (there’s a reason Terry Bradshaw is missing his teeth). Jack Tatum, Alzado, Atkinson, Hayes, The Stork, even Stabler, some of the dirtiest players you’ll ever see. Crossing routes against those guys required the biggest balls you can imagine. Is why there will never be another Largent for me, it was about more than the stats in those days.
I’ll never forget that Darryl Stingley hit.
But that was Al Davis and his Raiders became legendary
Which his pasty-ass entitled whining son could never pull off.
So the Raiders of lore are no more. Just a caricature now
I was born in San Francisco, like downtown San Francisco, and grew up a few hours away in a town that gets a lot of Bay Area people in summer and winter. They and the Raiders were the closest NFL teams to me growing up, so I chose the Seahawks to be my team because I could not stand the Niners or their fans. I hated them the first time we were in the NFC, so I already hated them when we went back. And it doesn't hurt my ex's entire family are Niners fans.
So to sum up, I think the Niners are our biggest rival. They are the closest team to us, and the one team we have had the most intense games against over the last 10-15 years. And I am sure my personal bias doesn't affect my opinion. :)
We doubted Russ. We doubted Geno. We doubted Hasselback. We sure as heck doubted Dave Kreig. This is what we do. We’re Seahawk fans. These are Seahawks quarterbacks. Never quite as good as we’d like, but they bring their lunch pails and get the job done.
I always think the rams are biggest rival. Only because the whiners beat us when they have a better team, the rams beat us when we are better at times. I'm sure that is perspective on my part or maybe I am still bitter about 2004. FTRs. However, my dislike of the team from Santa Clara is at an all-time high.
On a side note, I was asked recently why I did not like Jim Harbaugh and I said cause Pete did not like him. Only in sports can you say something like that and not sound juvenile. Honestly it probably still does but I don't care.
The 2 players I think of that made a ton of money off of a good playoff performance are Larry Brown who intercepted 2 Neal O'Donnell passes that were thrown right to him. The Raiders made him one of the highest paid defensive players. The other is Joe Flacco who had probably the best month of his career in the run to the Superbowl.
I believe it is customary to follow the current consensus top power ranked teams to have the presumption of winning the SB as a fair way to predict the order before the SB.
Only took them until week 18. Oh well, better late than never. These fools started out with the Seahawks at 7.5 wins, so their head was buried pretty deeply in the sand.
With the Hawk's win tomorrow night, that number of wins predicted by those "fools" will have doubled. I'll be at my daughter's, and in full Seahawk gear, watching . Go Hawks.
To be fair, even we here at SSJ were best case/most optimistically 12-4 with a mean somewhere between 9-8 and 10-7, maybe 11-6? I'm ecstatic with the result bc I was on the more pessimistic side
- too much weight on the importance of Geno/Metcalf;
- too much doubt re: Darnold with a less effective OL and no Jefferson
- doubt on Lawrence, Kupp and Uchenna being out there for more than 6-7 games
- zero belief Schneider would draft an OG in Rd 1 and he did little for the OL in FA
- and the trade-up for Emmanwori, moving higher than most of the draft boards
- didn't expect Byron Murphy II to blossom like he has (wow!)
- who knew Drake Thomas would not only be the needed LB depth, but actually start
- same with Ty Okada, another 'Hawks UDFA who is playing like a Pro Bowler
- also never expected to see Josh Jobe ballin' like he is
- and while hopeful, didn't expect Kubiak to be the massive difference he has been
So 14-3 or even 13-4, for the 3rd youngest team in the NFL? WAY above my expectations
It was crystal clear that the national media was underestimating the Seahawks. We were revamping the offense with a proven OC, the defense finished near the top, and they predicted fewer wins than in MM’s first season? It was clear to me that they were going off of ignorant vibes, rather than any meaningful analysis.
I had them as a 13 win team in the preseason,(on record here in the comments at SSJ) and discounted most of what the naysayers were saying. I felt immediately upon the Darnold signing that KK viewed Darnold as a better QB for his system. (Not necessarily a better QB than Geno, but better for the Hawks) I felt DK’s 900 yards lost would easily be replaced in the aggregate. (Which they were) I felt the O-line would be better simply because of coaching and then the Zabel choice. Sure much of my expectation was an optimistic take on the Seahawks, but I went to the VMAC twice and once to the Lumen fan fest. You could tell these players believed in themselves and what they could accomplish. It is because of their belief more than anything, that I arrived at my optimistic prediction for their success. It was the Seahawks players obvious buy in and belief of the entire coaching staff they were contenders. 100% attendance at voluntary OTAs says it all. The problem is none of the experts doubting the Seahawks ever bothered to go see that was occurring. Hence their predictions of 7 or 8 wins.
I was right there with you, I believe we predicted a floor of 12 wins based upon the easy schedule, which turned out to be one of the most difficult schedules, nevertheless, we are both optimists. I also raved about the acquisition of Demarkus Lawence as a major upgrade, which it has been. So many wondered if he had any gas left in the tank. He's special.
D-Law is the perfect MM weapon, and I expect he has an encore for us next season. Seahawk history bodes very well for us optimists if we win tomorrow. 100% likelihood of making it to the Super Bowl with the one seed! Go Hawks!
Yes by the preseason we knew more, esp the outcome of the draft. But I was never at 13 wins and neither was anyone else, so you are again the Nostradamus!
Hey Joe, does it cost you money to have the ai narration? For some reason they aren't showing up lately. There is usually a play button at the top of the article.
Poor Cardinals, no-one even thinks about them as our Rivals! Which is accurate, they barely register on my radar most of the time.
49ers yeah I view them as Rivals. But the 49ers have some historical rivalries beyond us that takes a little edge off the contest, knowing we're not necessarily their #1.
Thus, FTR! Although I do get if Rams fans don't quite see us as their #1 given the very one-sided nature of the results in recent years. Hopefully that narrative is flipped and we can build something great.
However none of the NFC West rivalries are close to those really gritty more Eastern battles. That's in part due to geography (Seattle is just so far away there is not simmering inter-city rivalry) and due to history (relatively young team, only been in the NFC West in the 21st Century) and due to a lack of alternate sports rivalry (no-one thinks the Mariners are a rival, there is no NBA team for Portland to fight, the Kraken are too young, then it's the Sounders and honestly the entire MLS feels rivalry free).
So i'm changing my answer. The true Seahawks rivalry is the National/Mainstream media! Always forgetting about us. Overlooking us. Assuming we're weird loners from the forests. They only noticed us when we were Loud (Beastquake, LOB). Time to Rage Against the Machine!.... wait, that's the wrong punk band.... Time to Alice their Chains! Time to send them to Nirvana! Time to Fight their Foo! Heck, lets Modest their Mouse and Mix-a-Lot, Sir! Then Jam those Pearls right up their [censored]
Its hard to root against the Cardinals, let alone think of them as rivals. They are like the kid in the neighborhood that isn't very good at anything but always wants to be included. You just kind of feel bad for them and let them play, and then make them regret asking.
Lets Jam those Pearls right up their Mudhoney! Stab them in the Heart! Send them down the Green River! Have them trampled by a Band of Horses! Drown them in Purple Rain!
Damn. How could these guys not be all over Seattle. Starting to REALLY piss me off....
Late to the post. I hope people read the Selah comment. It’s like Hawks and LOB. Sherman basically always played left side, right side of defense. Didn’t follow guys. KJ on his inside/flat. I loved that post by Coach. If you switch your defense what does that do to the other 10 or 6/7 pass defenders when you normally play zone. If man defense is norm then sure. It’s like Panthers in 2006. Steve Smith was absolutely incredible. Holmgren and coaches in that playoff game said just stop Smith. Carolina had no other player at the time to run or catch passes. Delhomme went 15 of 35. 5 of 11 for Smith long of 12 for all of 33 yards. Yes putting 4 guys on Smith works. Saleh can’t do that against JSN and hope to win.
Further, I’m hopeful he’s in zone. SD smart reads and not push it. Hit the open zones. If need be take those base hits. Get FDs. Control the clock. Whiners are not a big play offense. Keep our offense on the field means Purdy has to pressure and not his forte. And our defense stays fresh.
From a 49ers homer
Why the 49ers will lose to the Seahawks in Week 18
https://www.si.com/nfl/49ers/onsi/news/why-49ers-will-lose-seahawks-week-18
There is not enough comments here yet.
NFL ref crew for the game
https://x.com/nflrefstats1/status/2006085491792519589
Just a reminder that in the last 2 games with SF were each decided by less than 4 points. Nick Bosa and Fred Warner played in both games.
Rival: 49ers. There's no single play or game vs the Rams that compares with the 2013 NFCCG and The Tip - those made the Niners rivalry central to the entire franchise identity through the LOB era. Rams are perhaps a bigger thorn in the side under McVay (though Shanahan's just as bad), but one of the best things about this season is the feeling that MM/JS's Seahawks are finally back at parity with both after several years of just being overmatched and outcoached
If you ask in SF, I believe the prevailing opinion is that the Rams are their principal rival (NorCal - SoCal thing). Living in the Bay Area, I talk to lots of SF fans who were "afraid" of Russ, but many don't have the visceral reaction to the 'Hawks that they do to the Rams.
I don't know what the five Rams fans would say. 😉
No matter how you slice it, they're all great rivalries - and as noted by others, the Cardinals are just a weird odd (or even) man out in the NFCW. 🤷♂️
You’re comparing Riq Woolen to Dexter Jackson? If you want a comp, it’s Malcolm Smith.
This year’s commentary around Sam has been the laziest. Started by fans of a franchise that picked JJ to start ahead of him, and are now covering for his clear inferiority, and that viewpoint has been mirrored by lazy analysts who never watch a full game, forget tape.
Knowing how good their coaching staff is, it’ll be a tough game but we still are the better team and should win.
I have an unrelated question:
When players are on IR, do they still get to attend all other team functions, like position meetings, practice (on the sidelines), etc…?
My thought is that having them present would help with team cohesion for when they come back off of IR. But I can also see problems with this. First, is it a quote allowed but not mandatory “kind of thing? Second, what about concussions where part of the healing protocol is to reduce cognitive demand and exposure to light and noise?
Players on IR have full access to non-competitive activities. They can go to any position or team meeting, attend practice, use the facilities etc. About the only thing they can't do is physically practice, anything else is basically ok.
Attendance will be at the teams discretion. If you're a Veteran player with a season ending injury, you're probably allowed to skip various meetings etc. But a rookie with a 8-week knock expected to return to the roster probably gets called in.
Concussion protocol is different to IR. At the moment i believe there is no guideline to reduce cognitive demand, only to restrict and control a players physical activity. Here's a link to the 2024 document, I couldn't find the 2025 version https://static.www.nfl.com/image/upload/v1758892132/league/qjqlkfe9ffaivuugiqcf.pdf
Thanks!🙏
By the way, I kept forgetting to ask that in one of the Questions for Seaside Joe articles, so I decided to just post it on this thread anyway. Sorry if that gets overlooked.
Still miffed at the way the Broncos with John Elway and Karl Mecklenberg used to run roughshod over the Hawks.
The Broncos didn't run all over the Hawks in that Super Bowl. They got flat out whomped. Makes up for a lot of their wins.
Right there with you.... Also hated the Raiders with Jim Plunkett/Marc Wilson, Marcus Allen and Howie Long. They always seemed to have our number and I can't stand either team to this day.. In fact, I hope the Broncos make it to the SB if the Hawks do, just for the opportunity to kick their keister once again.
And Bo Jackson too — although honestly The Boz was probably my most hated Seahawk (even though I’ve always been a rabid ‘Hawks fan) and I loved seeing him get trucked by Jackson.
Al Davis had the Midas touch back then and it seemed unfair when he was able to land the perfect RB in Bo Jackson.
Boz was a caricature of an NFL player. Can you imagine if social media existed in the 80's? He would have taken full advantage.
He also created that Raiders aggression intimidation persona that intimidated everyone, all the way down to their uniforms — and attracted a certain type of player. Back in the day when things like roughing the passer was for sissies (there’s a reason Terry Bradshaw is missing his teeth). Jack Tatum, Alzado, Atkinson, Hayes, The Stork, even Stabler, some of the dirtiest players you’ll ever see. Crossing routes against those guys required the biggest balls you can imagine. Is why there will never be another Largent for me, it was about more than the stats in those days.
I’ll never forget that Darryl Stingley hit.
But that was Al Davis and his Raiders became legendary
Which his pasty-ass entitled whining son could never pull off.
So the Raiders of lore are no more. Just a caricature now
Agreed about Largent!
The Raiders under Davis were certainly intimidating but alas, that Raiders mystique is long dead.
With you there about the Raiders. And the Broncos facing us in the SB.
I was born in San Francisco, like downtown San Francisco, and grew up a few hours away in a town that gets a lot of Bay Area people in summer and winter. They and the Raiders were the closest NFL teams to me growing up, so I chose the Seahawks to be my team because I could not stand the Niners or their fans. I hated them the first time we were in the NFC, so I already hated them when we went back. And it doesn't hurt my ex's entire family are Niners fans.
So to sum up, I think the Niners are our biggest rival. They are the closest team to us, and the one team we have had the most intense games against over the last 10-15 years. And I am sure my personal bias doesn't affect my opinion. :)
We doubted Russ. We doubted Geno. We doubted Hasselback. We sure as heck doubted Dave Kreig. This is what we do. We’re Seahawk fans. These are Seahawks quarterbacks. Never quite as good as we’d like, but they bring their lunch pails and get the job done.
I always think the rams are biggest rival. Only because the whiners beat us when they have a better team, the rams beat us when we are better at times. I'm sure that is perspective on my part or maybe I am still bitter about 2004. FTRs. However, my dislike of the team from Santa Clara is at an all-time high.
On a side note, I was asked recently why I did not like Jim Harbaugh and I said cause Pete did not like him. Only in sports can you say something like that and not sound juvenile. Honestly it probably still does but I don't care.
The 2 players I think of that made a ton of money off of a good playoff performance are Larry Brown who intercepted 2 Neal O'Donnell passes that were thrown right to him. The Raiders made him one of the highest paid defensive players. The other is Joe Flacco who had probably the best month of his career in the run to the Superbowl.
Just decided to peek at some mock drafts. I probably should have expected it, but they now have our Seahawks picking at #32!
I believe it is customary to follow the current consensus top power ranked teams to have the presumption of winning the SB as a fair way to predict the order before the SB.
Only took them until week 18. Oh well, better late than never. These fools started out with the Seahawks at 7.5 wins, so their head was buried pretty deeply in the sand.
With the Hawk's win tomorrow night, that number of wins predicted by those "fools" will have doubled. I'll be at my daughter's, and in full Seahawk gear, watching . Go Hawks.
Enjoy the game!
To be fair, even we here at SSJ were best case/most optimistically 12-4 with a mean somewhere between 9-8 and 10-7, maybe 11-6? I'm ecstatic with the result bc I was on the more pessimistic side
- too much weight on the importance of Geno/Metcalf;
- too much doubt re: Darnold with a less effective OL and no Jefferson
- doubt on Lawrence, Kupp and Uchenna being out there for more than 6-7 games
- zero belief Schneider would draft an OG in Rd 1 and he did little for the OL in FA
- and the trade-up for Emmanwori, moving higher than most of the draft boards
- didn't expect Byron Murphy II to blossom like he has (wow!)
- who knew Drake Thomas would not only be the needed LB depth, but actually start
- same with Ty Okada, another 'Hawks UDFA who is playing like a Pro Bowler
- also never expected to see Josh Jobe ballin' like he is
- and while hopeful, didn't expect Kubiak to be the massive difference he has been
So 14-3 or even 13-4, for the 3rd youngest team in the NFL? WAY above my expectations
I predicted 20-0, but I do that every year.
It was crystal clear that the national media was underestimating the Seahawks. We were revamping the offense with a proven OC, the defense finished near the top, and they predicted fewer wins than in MM’s first season? It was clear to me that they were going off of ignorant vibes, rather than any meaningful analysis.
I had them as a 13 win team in the preseason,(on record here in the comments at SSJ) and discounted most of what the naysayers were saying. I felt immediately upon the Darnold signing that KK viewed Darnold as a better QB for his system. (Not necessarily a better QB than Geno, but better for the Hawks) I felt DK’s 900 yards lost would easily be replaced in the aggregate. (Which they were) I felt the O-line would be better simply because of coaching and then the Zabel choice. Sure much of my expectation was an optimistic take on the Seahawks, but I went to the VMAC twice and once to the Lumen fan fest. You could tell these players believed in themselves and what they could accomplish. It is because of their belief more than anything, that I arrived at my optimistic prediction for their success. It was the Seahawks players obvious buy in and belief of the entire coaching staff they were contenders. 100% attendance at voluntary OTAs says it all. The problem is none of the experts doubting the Seahawks ever bothered to go see that was occurring. Hence their predictions of 7 or 8 wins.
I was right there with you, I believe we predicted a floor of 12 wins based upon the easy schedule, which turned out to be one of the most difficult schedules, nevertheless, we are both optimists. I also raved about the acquisition of Demarkus Lawence as a major upgrade, which it has been. So many wondered if he had any gas left in the tank. He's special.
D-Law is the perfect MM weapon, and I expect he has an encore for us next season. Seahawk history bodes very well for us optimists if we win tomorrow. 100% likelihood of making it to the Super Bowl with the one seed! Go Hawks!
Yes by the preseason we knew more, esp the outcome of the draft. But I was never at 13 wins and neither was anyone else, so you are again the Nostradamus!
I wasn’t at 14 wins until the bye week, so they did outperform even my expectations…. As soon as they win tomorrow.
I also have our Seahawks picking at #32, FWIW.
The Seahawks defense is ELITE against the run. Using EPA they are the leaders, and the next best is significantly behind them.
These defenses have been the most efficient against the run in 2025:
Seattle Seahawks — −0.15 EPA/rush (best in NFL; elite stop value per carry).
Jacksonville Jaguars — −0.06 EPA/rush (top tier).
Denver Broncos — −0.05 EPA/rush (top tier).
Houston Texans — −0.05 EPA/rush (top tier).
Hey Joe, does it cost you money to have the ai narration? For some reason they aren't showing up lately. There is usually a play button at the top of the article.
Poor Cardinals, no-one even thinks about them as our Rivals! Which is accurate, they barely register on my radar most of the time.
49ers yeah I view them as Rivals. But the 49ers have some historical rivalries beyond us that takes a little edge off the contest, knowing we're not necessarily their #1.
Thus, FTR! Although I do get if Rams fans don't quite see us as their #1 given the very one-sided nature of the results in recent years. Hopefully that narrative is flipped and we can build something great.
However none of the NFC West rivalries are close to those really gritty more Eastern battles. That's in part due to geography (Seattle is just so far away there is not simmering inter-city rivalry) and due to history (relatively young team, only been in the NFC West in the 21st Century) and due to a lack of alternate sports rivalry (no-one thinks the Mariners are a rival, there is no NBA team for Portland to fight, the Kraken are too young, then it's the Sounders and honestly the entire MLS feels rivalry free).
So i'm changing my answer. The true Seahawks rivalry is the National/Mainstream media! Always forgetting about us. Overlooking us. Assuming we're weird loners from the forests. They only noticed us when we were Loud (Beastquake, LOB). Time to Rage Against the Machine!.... wait, that's the wrong punk band.... Time to Alice their Chains! Time to send them to Nirvana! Time to Fight their Foo! Heck, lets Modest their Mouse and Mix-a-Lot, Sir! Then Jam those Pearls right up their [censored]
The Arizona Cardinals are not our rivals. But State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ is our nemesis.
SoFi Stadium is bling. Levi’s Stadium looks like a parking garage. State Farm Stadium hosts demons. And Lumen Field is magical.
Its hard to root against the Cardinals, let alone think of them as rivals. They are like the kid in the neighborhood that isn't very good at anything but always wants to be included. You just kind of feel bad for them and let them play, and then make them regret asking.
One of the best answers ever! Thank you.
Triple Likes on this comment, fabulous fabulous!!
Lets Jam those Pearls right up their Mudhoney! Stab them in the Heart! Send them down the Green River! Have them trampled by a Band of Horses! Drown them in Purple Rain!
Damn. How could these guys not be all over Seattle. Starting to REALLY piss me off....