45 Comments
Nov 17, 2022Liked by Seaside Joe

I’m happy that they are entertaining during a “rebuilding year”

I’m happy that they have a reasonable possibility of going to the playoffs

I’m happy that they have a reasonable chance of winning a playoff game when they get there GASP

I’m ashamed of being happy that the Broncos are in a downward spiral. BUT

I’m happy that we are going to have some VERY good draft picks due to the RW trade

And that’s what I think about the SeaHawks!!!!!

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Nov 17, 2022Liked by Seaside Joe

After the Beastquake game I decided two things to be absolutely true for myself, both of which I think I probably had an inkling of before but had no way to verbalize:

1. Teams should try to win every game because you never know what will happen. Tanking for any reason sucks. Period.

2. When the Seahawks win a playoff game, it's a successful season. Period.

I say this because the joy I felt as Marshawn dove into the end zone surrounded by a convoy of blockers (including Matt Hasselbeck!) was something I wouldn't have experienced if the Hawks had missed the playoffs (as many fans were advocating, in order to gain 10+ spots in the draft). Similarly, the joy I felt at winning that game hadn't previously happened since 1984 (1983 season), when the Seahawks surprised the Dolphins in the divisional round. (In 1985, I just assumed the Hawks would beat the Raiders in the wild card, which I realize was also a mistake.)

I realize not every fan has these convictions and I don't expect others to embrace them. But by my own standards, I was good with most of Pete's run as coach, and hopeful it can continue.

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Nov 17, 2022Liked by Seaside Joe

The Hawks are much better than I expected. I thought 6 wins was their ceiling. Geno has been way beyond my expectations. The draft class has come through very quickly. Injuries have been fairly minimal. One win in the playoffs is realistic.

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Nov 17, 2022Liked by Seaside Joe

Joe, I think you hit the nail on the head when admitting that the value of watching the Seahawks is just entertainment. That is a healthy psychological reaction to the Seahawks' spiral downward these last few years. Add in the Covid pandemic and the loss of watching games at my local Eagles Club, plus a string of surgeries that my wife and I had to go through recently (we are in our seventies), and it was all very depressing. Fortunately, we are on the backside of all those problems. (Haven't gotten back to the Eagles Club yet, but I plan to soon.) Now that the Seahawks are astonishingly better again, at least for entertaining me, that cheers me up. But seeing my grandkids for Thanksgiving again is vastly more important. Is there light at the end of the tunnel for the Seahawks? I don't know. Are they entertaining again? Yes, they are, and that's enough. You're right. We have to keep it in perspective and recognize its true value.

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(Banned)Nov 17, 2022Liked by Seaside Joe

" I’m enthralled watching these couples go on dates with each other as they force the words “I love you” through their teeth to someone who they clearly hate."

Kenneth, that sounds positively horrid and I can't imagine why anyone would care to watch.

As for quarterbacks, hope springs eternal. I've long thought the NFL is a sucker's game if a fan's only source of satisfaction is winning a superbowl. Worse than the really terrible odds is that, once it finally happens, just like that it's over. What do ya get? An evening of hipping and hawing, while probably drinking too much?

No, the satisfaction that goes with being a fan comes in a thousand ways. That's why people get so caught up in the draft. The anticipation of who might get taken, then getting to know the new players and watching them develop. The way the games unfold from week to week. The goal is just the goal. The journey is what it's really about. Like the old adage, "Life is what happens while you're planning for something else".

If you're one of the blessed few who gets to root for a team like New England which wins numerous superbowls, that's an anomaly and a "once in a lifetime" sort of thing that one will tell their grandchildren about. Seattle isn't unusual in having one championship across 40+ years. When it was happening, and people were hoping because the team was so dominant, many made the point that we'd better enjoy this, as it may not happen again in our lifetimes.

Your analysis of this team's chances of making a deep run align perfectly with mine. I think we're already at the point where no team is going to want to face the Hawks. But we've not really proven much of anything. Geno's had his moments of brilliance and his "deer in headlights" moments. He looks better than Russ this year, which is astounding, but he will not be mistaken for Josh Allen. The team has some real talent but most of it is very young. Hopefully K9 learns whatever a rookie learns from a game like the one with the Bucks. He's not yet unstoppable, and therefore not consistent, and Geno needs that in order to avoid those "deer in headlights" moments. Russ, at his best, like Allen, could place the team on his back. Geno's more of a system guy. All the pieces need to be clicking for him to do his Geno-magic. The pocket needs to hold up, the running game needs to be a legitimate threat, and guys need to be getting open. Then he can make smart choices that distribute the ball in unpredictable ways while keeping it safe from turnover.

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This has been my favorite season in several years. I expected it to be dreadful. I think Geno can win a playoff game if we get the right match up. I don't see us as a Super Bowl contender, but what do I know? I expected this to be a 5 win season if all went well.

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Nov 17, 2022Liked by Seaside Joe

I went into the season simply wanting to see improvement throughout the season and becoming a team that physically imposes their will on other teams. I'm pleasantly surprised by the winning record and I think the Hawks have made great strides towards accomplishing my two goals. They've got young guys that are heavily contributing which is amazing and who knows, maybe they have enough to make a strong run in the playoffs. But what I'd really like to see more of is continuing the improvement.

I look at this team and think it's a lot like the 2012 team.

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Nov 17, 2022Liked by Seaside Joe

I think the Seahawks are fun, exciting, entertaining, and the favorite part of my life these days.

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Nov 17, 2022Liked by Seaside Joe

Fun to root for again, without the stress of expectations.

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Nov 17, 2022Liked by Seaside Joe

I also think you're spot on, Kenneth, in that I suspect this team could win a playoff game, but a four-game run is probably out of reach. If DK kicks up another level as receiver, or Kenneth Walker goes fourth dimension in his running, I think the offense could already be playoff-ready. The D needs a game changer, maybe two. It might be a line-wrecker, or a seek-and-destroy safety.

Either way both sides of the ball tend to sputter against better opponents, so I agree that while they're ahead of the curve, the Hawks need a few more things to go right. Offseason will be huge, another one like this year's and watch out.

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Nov 17, 2022Liked by Seaside Joe

I’d like to see Geno hold his own against a good defense for an entire game. He’s shown that he can adjust at halftime, which is important, but it’s hard to see scoreless first halves leading anywhere good over time.

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Nov 17, 2022Liked by Seaside Joe

So far, this Seahawks team has been a great suprise,to me. More than that, they have been exactly as you described...entertaining! This is where I place the most value for the 2022 season. I am enjoying the whole process as it develops. SSJoe keeps me informed, and that adds to the fact that I'm enjoying the ride!

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Seattle didn't get their mid 2000's status over night. Pete and JS took over the team in 2010 and yes they won a home playoff game (7-9 won the NFC West that year) against the previous SB champ NO. Remeber though, it took 3 drafts and some key free agents added in 2013 to make them a top tier team. (Lynch add was key in 2010) That includes a team that has depth on their roster at skill positions. Seattle had the right fits for their injuries.

Seattle is still a MOR team at this juncture, but of course your right Kenneth, when you say you can get hot in the playoffs and get a few breaks along the way. Remember the Flaco lead Raven team of 2012 (and the Dilfer lead team). Good D's was their key to winning it all, as was Seattle's, Denver's, Ram's in the 2000's. The Seahwks D hasn't arrived to that point yet. They need to improve at LB, D Line and safety might even be a concern in 2023. Seaside Joe mentioned that in an earlier article.

Seattle is fun to watch again. They compete (SF was the exception). It appears so as the season progresses, that Seattle does have a pretty good staff under Pete this year I. It appears they can make adjustments instead of running head first into the wall every week. The Raider game will be an interesting watch after the bye and the loss. Seattle has a great opportunity to find some wins in the second half of the season. Raiders, Panthers should be wins, but you have to play the game first. The Rams, although still a nemesis for Seattle, are the best matchup we've seen in a couple of years. I think the Jets are going to be a tough out. Good thing that's a home game. SF at home is kinda like Seattle's SB this year. A win against a star heavy cast would be really satisfying. Strange things happen to the 49ers in Seattle. KC could well be the best team in the NFL this year top to bottom.

I think for Seattle to get a win in the playoffs would require winning the West and hosting a wild card game. Any further than that might be a bit of a reach when you get into Divisional.

Seattle is doing a great job at setting the stage for 23 and capturing the fanbase in the process (as well as the leagues admiration). Pete may be the old dog teaching the league a few new tricks, that haven't really changed much since his arrival.

Go Hawks!

Go Hawks

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Do you want to know what the very best reality TV show is?

The NFL season.

The story lines are there on every team every season. This year, some of the very best story lines are with the Seahawks.

Everyone doubted them! The QB is awful! The Coach is past his “best before” date! Burn it all down!

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We are closer to begin good, and got there faster, than anyone thought pre-season (except maybe Pete, though I still think Pete is pleasantly surprised even if he claims to have known all along).

Our success this season doesn't really change anything though. We still need another great draft (which we're set up for with great draft capital), savvy free agent pickups and good luck with player health/injuries. We are off to a great start but aren't there yet.

I hope everyone doesn't hate me for this, but I still think Geno is a bridge QB and that he will not be starting for our 2025 Super Bowl Championship team.

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After games 6-9 I thought the Hawks were really on their way back compared to the first five games. Now I don't know. I will say there are more entertaining. And I do have more hope for the playoffs than I did at the beginning and I do think Geno could win a playoff game. Dallas and Philly stumbled so anything is possible as far as the playoffs go.

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