Seahawks 2022 schedule: September
Seaside Joe 1179: What are your Seahawks September predictions?
There is a little more than three months between now and the first game of the 2022 season. Plenty of time to preview what’s ahead, so I’ll take the schedule one month at a time.
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Sept 12 vs Denver Broncos
It’s not my intention to do predictions with every game, but Week 1 at least offers a few more clues as to probable conditions at least. Plus, it’s not often that Seahawks fans can circle “Week 1” as the game of the year.
And I do think that Seattle stands a good chance at starting 1-0.
The Broncos should finish the 2022 season with a better record than the Seahawks, perhaps by a considerable degree, but Seattle’s defense should know a lot more about Russell Wilson than what Wilson will be able to expect about Clint Hurtt’s first game as a defensive coordinator. That’s the biggest advantage that the Seahawks will have going into this game.
The fact that the Broncos could say the same thing about Drew Lock, if he’s starting, doesn’t matter nearly as much. We already expect Seattle to have a weakness at quarterback, it’s an advantage for any defense that can turn Wilson into a weakness.
It’s also possible that Jerry Jeudy is suspended because of an offseason arrest.
To the chagrin of some, I think there should be a lot of attention on two running backs in this game too: Javonte Williams could breakout for an All-Pro season and it will be the NFL debut of Ken Walker III.
This is also the debut of Denver defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, formerly of the LA Rams, but he won’t have Aaron Donald this time. So this will be the first game for the defense in the post-Vic Fangio era, which could be a good thing or a bad thing.
These teams are entering new eras in polar ways but I could see the Seahawks getting some hopes up with this game on Monday Night Football. The risk is that if the Broncos win in blowout fashion, the national media will turn its attention on Pete Carroll as “too embarrassing to keep.” Hopefully if that happens, someone else steals the spotlight shortly later and the media moves on.
What do you expect to happen? Tell me in the comments.
Sept 18 at San Francisco 49ers
The Seahawks have owned the 49ers since the NFC Championship game, winning 15 of the last 17, including the last four. Does that all end with the Wilson trade? Or does it continue if Trey Lance is a bust?
There is no correct analysis today of how Lance will do tomorrow, there are only theories. I always try to avoid setting myself up for failure by not making proclamations like those without any proof. I believe that Zach Wilson is the next breakout star of the NFL, but a) that’s based on seeing him play a whole season in the NFL first and b) I said “I believe” and I’m open to the possibility that he doesn’t get better.
Lance is just a theory at this point and Jimmy Garoppolo is still on the 49ers.
Without Deebo Samuel confirmed for next season, without Mike McDaniel as the offensive coordinator anymore, without knowing how good Lance is, the entire San Francisco offense is kind of just “in theory”.
The 49ers were an incredibly well-balanced team last season (5th in passing offense DVOA, 4th in rushing offense DVOA, second in rushing defense DVOA, 15th in passing defense DVOA) and even if Seattle somehow had an advantage at quarterback, it would be a miniscule one.
This matchup is kind of a toss up to me, even if like the Broncos, I expect the 49ers to be the better team over the course of an entire season.
September 25 vs Atlanta Falcons
If the Seahawks get the better of Russell Wilson because of fortunate NFL scheduling timing, and then keep the streak alive against the 49ers, they could be going 2-0 vs 0-2 in Week 3 and be regarded as the biggest surprise of the first month.
And I’ve always considered my take on Seattle to be much more realistic than the average, even if I also often find myself reminding people of “the bright side.” That’s usually because the more emotional side of fandom tends to bring out so much negativity about the team on social media and I feel the need to do a lot of over-correcting of the woe is me reactions on Twitter.
Example: for his entire tenure, Pete Carroll, especially in the Wilson era, did much worse in the first half than in the second half. What’s the point of getting so down about everything in the first three quarters of a football game when the same games and seasons keep getting repeated?
On the contrary, when times for the Seahawks appear to be bad, like now, I don’t see the point in getting hopes up and being overly optimistic. My goal is always: realistic.
I think the Seahawks could realistically start 3-0.
The Falcons are in tremendously bad shape, so even if the Seahawks do start 0-2, also realistic, there’s a good chance to a win to wake you up before September ends.
What are your September record predictions?
There are two ways Russell can mess up in his first game. 1. His over-abundant ego, or 2. Nerves over being on the Hawks field knowing the history of the win record & the energy of the 12s. He's going to have to hope he can see over the defensive players fast enough to get a ball in the air before his bum is on the ground. One thing's for sure. The Hawks are going to have a LOT more fun than the Broncos.
“Don’t do that… don’t give me hope!”
Thanks for the write-up, Kenneth, and I agree with you - both scenarios are definitely plausible; and while a season-opening MNF win over the Wilson-led Broncos would be my fondest birthday, Christmas, and Arbor Day wish come true, you’ve helped convince me that the QBs in the 2023 draft are worth sucking for… is it too much to ask for a 1-0 start, and then to be ridiculously competitive in the next 16 games while PCJS sorts out the team, but only win 2-3 more along the way to get a Top-5 pick? Dream scenario… but then I read an article like this, and I get so hyped for the the ‘Hawks to win!