I try to be an optimist, but the sum total of training camp and preseason games has left me mentally preparing for a VERY BAD season. I will admit I was holding out some hope that Drew Lock was at least a league-average quarterback/game manager and combined with the running game, we could skew toward a league-average year. With Lock's performance against the Cowboys, I'm expecting that we will be in the conversation for Bryce Young. Geno is unwatchable; he takes care of the football but the offense has no juice with him at the helm. How many times has Russ marched down the field at the end of the game and won it at the end. Just don't see it with Geno. I will be watching for progress from some of the young guys, especially KW3, but my question for you and the commenters is how do with mentally deal with the losses after being spoiled for so long with all of the wins? I can't not watch!
My main takeaway from this preseason is that the Seahawks will not be good. That's actually an understatement. They will be lousy. With just Geno or Drew at QB, I'd be surprised to win five games.
You asked how concerned are we about the offense. I'm not concerned about the offense or the defense because I've made peace with the likelihood that this will be a rebuilding year. We've been discussing this for some time. You've had a lot to say about it. Those who don't see it coming are going to be shocked but anyone who pays attention to what happens in the off season should be ready.
I'm often surprised by the extent to which many who consider themselves fans don't pay attention outside of the season. Most everyone at least knows of the Russell Wilson trade since it made headlines (nationally). That said, I ran into someone the other day who was surprised when I told her. Again, I'm talking about someone who considers herself an active fan.
A lot of folks know about the trade but haven't thought about the repercussions. A trade like this is a lot like taking strong medicine. It may get you sicker before you get well. There's no guarantee you will get well. Perhaps chemo therapy is a decent analogy. But the team was in decline and it was necessary. Those who aren't expecting the pain and sickness are going to be challenged.
On the other hand, those of us armed with knowledge can find plenty to focus on and enjoy. Most of all, the development of our young guys. On that score, our 2022 picks look extremely promising. I'd not be surprised if this turns out to be our best draft since 2012. I don't know that we'll ever have a better class than that, but this one could be up there with 2011 and 2010.
I'm incredibly concerned about the tackling. Peteball has always been play a conservative offense and limit turnovers and have the defense stop the other team cold. I'm pretty sure we have the conservative offense (and perhaps limiting turnovers in place as well) but the Hawks aren't stopping anyone if they can't tackle.
Here's a hypothetical question for you: Assuming the Seahawks draft high enough to take Bryce Young and they do so. Would it make any sense to draft McCall if available in a later round and let them compete for the starting job? My understanding is that none of the current QBs are under contract for next year.
I have to say Ken I love the approach you are taking to the blog and establishing a community here. Kudos!
I have seen some 53's that have 4 RBs including Walker, and leaving off Johnson, who I think did well from what we could see of him. It seems dangerous to leave him off the 53 in favour of an extra WR (even if it is Penny Hart who ran a play as a tailback in PS3).
Other than that, I can't wait to see what the 9ers do with Jimmy G and how that might play out.
Hi Joe! I’ve been following you since Field Gulls (and on Field Gulls from the John Morgan days) but never left a comment, ever, here or there. I love your approach to Seaside Joe and look forward to your posts. I will say I’m 84.52% all about the Hawks but I do enjoy updates about you (and Clark!). I also really loved the movie review series you did a while back on A24. Keep doing what you do and thank you!!
2022 Hawks: Over/under for me is 5 wins, Geno makes me sleepy, poor tackling drives me nuts, I believe we made the right long-term choices and that we crushed the off season.
A thought that keeps creeping into my mind is one of scheme. Neither one of these coordinators has a track record, good or bad. Waldron had a huge promotion last year and Hurtt this year, and most of the key assistants are new or freshly promoted. It usually takes the better part of four to six games to get comfortable in a new system with an established team. When you consider the number of rookies the Seahawks have, we more than likely will be watching growing pains all season long. And that is assuming the offensive and defensive schemes are any good. There is the possibility that the pre-season woes were as much a fault of the system as that of the athletes. I hope I am pleasantly surprised at the level of play by our beloved Seahawks, but I admit that the level of play might not be all that surprising.
When you listen to the guys at the podium...except Smith, who nearly puts me to sleep...i thought there was a new crop of guys buying into Pete's enthusiasm.
No matter what happens in the field, you can't lose momentum in the program.
Guys like Q and Coleman coming back help that...so does Woods.
Outside the tacking, I think they break camp moving forward. They can clean up the issues in the 2 weeks, and be ready to compete against the Broncos.
I think the Mariners being a story helps them fly under the radar a bit which might not be a bad thing.
Very excited about the interior line making way for the Edge rushers to step up.
Woolen is an interesting player. What they're going to do with their rookies corners is fascinating because it does NOT look like the game is too big for him.
Really ready for our expensive safeties to hit the field and be difference makers. They're paid for plays...make them!
hope Eason makes it onto the taxi squad, seems like he energized the players around him, similar to the way Russ Wilson did as a rookie; would have liked seeing him throw to the starting WRs
Not sure Drew Lock will ever be the guy. He seems to have all the physical attributes, but lacks it between the ears. How could he not have known Pete is all about protecting the ball, yet he goes out there gunslinging on the one day he has the best opportunity to take the job.
What is the best case scenario for our offense? I know the worst case scenario (in the words of Football Outsiders, «start Geno when we want to have a quick 3&out and insert Lock when we rather have a turnover»).
What will we do at linebacker? Unretire KJ? Rushers in coverage got a bad rep last year from KNJ scheme. Will that work this year? Can we bring KNJ back as a linebacker coach? Is our awful tackling due to his leaving?
This preseason has me really excited for the regular season. Not because of potential playoffs (not gonna happen) but to watch the “kids” grow. And I look at it as rookies, undrafted free agents, and second year players.
We haven’t been in this position for over a decade. So I’ve changed my frame of reference in following the Hawks this year. Playoffs? Who needs playoffs. I’m looking at growth over the season. For example, our rookie tackles will look and play like rookies…but they already have me excited about their potential, based on the preseason.
And I’m hopeful we see a KW3 performance that will take the sting out of a middling at best passing game.
By seasons end, I just want to be able to say “the kids are alright.”
I’m worried about it all! As much as I’d love Will Anderson Jr or Bryce Young, I don’t enjoy watching the Seahawks lose, and I won’t root for loses. I live in Virginia, so I have PAY to watch them lose. 😝
I’m a Pete guy, but part of me would like to see Seattle go for a hotshot offensive minded head coach. Let’s try winning games big instead of keeping things close and winning by being patient and committing fewer mistakes.
Patience as a fan will be key this year, but it sure would be nice to see an upward trajectory.
Lastly, I’m absolutely floored by Woolen! Everyone said he was a project and might contribute down the road...look for him to do something on Special Teams. I don’t know if he’ll start week 1, but wow he looks like a great player! Avatar...whoops everyone drink 😂
I’ll consider this season a success if we win any upset games or finish with seven or more wins. If we come away with a pair of above average tackles, a stud running back and two starting corners and a decent pass rusher from the draft it’s will be fantastic. If Fant and Harris work out that’ll be a bonus.
JIMMY G IS STAYING WITH THE 49ERS! Hallelujah. It's over. Moving ON!!!!
I try to be an optimist, but the sum total of training camp and preseason games has left me mentally preparing for a VERY BAD season. I will admit I was holding out some hope that Drew Lock was at least a league-average quarterback/game manager and combined with the running game, we could skew toward a league-average year. With Lock's performance against the Cowboys, I'm expecting that we will be in the conversation for Bryce Young. Geno is unwatchable; he takes care of the football but the offense has no juice with him at the helm. How many times has Russ marched down the field at the end of the game and won it at the end. Just don't see it with Geno. I will be watching for progress from some of the young guys, especially KW3, but my question for you and the commenters is how do with mentally deal with the losses after being spoiled for so long with all of the wins? I can't not watch!
My main takeaway from this preseason is that the Seahawks will not be good. That's actually an understatement. They will be lousy. With just Geno or Drew at QB, I'd be surprised to win five games.
You asked how concerned are we about the offense. I'm not concerned about the offense or the defense because I've made peace with the likelihood that this will be a rebuilding year. We've been discussing this for some time. You've had a lot to say about it. Those who don't see it coming are going to be shocked but anyone who pays attention to what happens in the off season should be ready.
I'm often surprised by the extent to which many who consider themselves fans don't pay attention outside of the season. Most everyone at least knows of the Russell Wilson trade since it made headlines (nationally). That said, I ran into someone the other day who was surprised when I told her. Again, I'm talking about someone who considers herself an active fan.
A lot of folks know about the trade but haven't thought about the repercussions. A trade like this is a lot like taking strong medicine. It may get you sicker before you get well. There's no guarantee you will get well. Perhaps chemo therapy is a decent analogy. But the team was in decline and it was necessary. Those who aren't expecting the pain and sickness are going to be challenged.
On the other hand, those of us armed with knowledge can find plenty to focus on and enjoy. Most of all, the development of our young guys. On that score, our 2022 picks look extremely promising. I'd not be surprised if this turns out to be our best draft since 2012. I don't know that we'll ever have a better class than that, but this one could be up there with 2011 and 2010.
I'm incredibly concerned about the tackling. Peteball has always been play a conservative offense and limit turnovers and have the defense stop the other team cold. I'm pretty sure we have the conservative offense (and perhaps limiting turnovers in place as well) but the Hawks aren't stopping anyone if they can't tackle.
What the heck is going on?
A question from the INJURY category:
Can somebody smart tell me what a Hernia is, how long KW3 might be out, and what are the chances of a recurring injury?
Here's a hypothetical question for you: Assuming the Seahawks draft high enough to take Bryce Young and they do so. Would it make any sense to draft McCall if available in a later round and let them compete for the starting job? My understanding is that none of the current QBs are under contract for next year.
I have to say Ken I love the approach you are taking to the blog and establishing a community here. Kudos!
I have seen some 53's that have 4 RBs including Walker, and leaving off Johnson, who I think did well from what we could see of him. It seems dangerous to leave him off the 53 in favour of an extra WR (even if it is Penny Hart who ran a play as a tailback in PS3).
Other than that, I can't wait to see what the 9ers do with Jimmy G and how that might play out.
Hi Joe! I’ve been following you since Field Gulls (and on Field Gulls from the John Morgan days) but never left a comment, ever, here or there. I love your approach to Seaside Joe and look forward to your posts. I will say I’m 84.52% all about the Hawks but I do enjoy updates about you (and Clark!). I also really loved the movie review series you did a while back on A24. Keep doing what you do and thank you!!
2022 Hawks: Over/under for me is 5 wins, Geno makes me sleepy, poor tackling drives me nuts, I believe we made the right long-term choices and that we crushed the off season.
A thought that keeps creeping into my mind is one of scheme. Neither one of these coordinators has a track record, good or bad. Waldron had a huge promotion last year and Hurtt this year, and most of the key assistants are new or freshly promoted. It usually takes the better part of four to six games to get comfortable in a new system with an established team. When you consider the number of rookies the Seahawks have, we more than likely will be watching growing pains all season long. And that is assuming the offensive and defensive schemes are any good. There is the possibility that the pre-season woes were as much a fault of the system as that of the athletes. I hope I am pleasantly surprised at the level of play by our beloved Seahawks, but I admit that the level of play might not be all that surprising.
When you listen to the guys at the podium...except Smith, who nearly puts me to sleep...i thought there was a new crop of guys buying into Pete's enthusiasm.
No matter what happens in the field, you can't lose momentum in the program.
Guys like Q and Coleman coming back help that...so does Woods.
Outside the tacking, I think they break camp moving forward. They can clean up the issues in the 2 weeks, and be ready to compete against the Broncos.
I think the Mariners being a story helps them fly under the radar a bit which might not be a bad thing.
Very excited about the interior line making way for the Edge rushers to step up.
Woolen is an interesting player. What they're going to do with their rookies corners is fascinating because it does NOT look like the game is too big for him.
Really ready for our expensive safeties to hit the field and be difference makers. They're paid for plays...make them!
hope Eason makes it onto the taxi squad, seems like he energized the players around him, similar to the way Russ Wilson did as a rookie; would have liked seeing him throw to the starting WRs
Not sure Drew Lock will ever be the guy. He seems to have all the physical attributes, but lacks it between the ears. How could he not have known Pete is all about protecting the ball, yet he goes out there gunslinging on the one day he has the best opportunity to take the job.
What is the best case scenario for our offense? I know the worst case scenario (in the words of Football Outsiders, «start Geno when we want to have a quick 3&out and insert Lock when we rather have a turnover»).
What will we do at linebacker? Unretire KJ? Rushers in coverage got a bad rep last year from KNJ scheme. Will that work this year? Can we bring KNJ back as a linebacker coach? Is our awful tackling due to his leaving?
This preseason has me really excited for the regular season. Not because of potential playoffs (not gonna happen) but to watch the “kids” grow. And I look at it as rookies, undrafted free agents, and second year players.
We haven’t been in this position for over a decade. So I’ve changed my frame of reference in following the Hawks this year. Playoffs? Who needs playoffs. I’m looking at growth over the season. For example, our rookie tackles will look and play like rookies…but they already have me excited about their potential, based on the preseason.
And I’m hopeful we see a KW3 performance that will take the sting out of a middling at best passing game.
By seasons end, I just want to be able to say “the kids are alright.”
I’m worried about it all! As much as I’d love Will Anderson Jr or Bryce Young, I don’t enjoy watching the Seahawks lose, and I won’t root for loses. I live in Virginia, so I have PAY to watch them lose. 😝
I’m a Pete guy, but part of me would like to see Seattle go for a hotshot offensive minded head coach. Let’s try winning games big instead of keeping things close and winning by being patient and committing fewer mistakes.
Patience as a fan will be key this year, but it sure would be nice to see an upward trajectory.
Lastly, I’m absolutely floored by Woolen! Everyone said he was a project and might contribute down the road...look for him to do something on Special Teams. I don’t know if he’ll start week 1, but wow he looks like a great player! Avatar...whoops everyone drink 😂
I’ll consider this season a success if we win any upset games or finish with seven or more wins. If we come away with a pair of above average tackles, a stud running back and two starting corners and a decent pass rusher from the draft it’s will be fantastic. If Fant and Harris work out that’ll be a bonus.