Seahawks know what's at stake in Week 2

Seahawks-Steelers, Week 2 final thoughts: Tariq Woolen's future, Seattle's defensive strength, and "predictions"?

“10 AM east coast game” used to be the scariest phrase in the Seahawks dictionary. Then I came across this stat on Saturday:

The Seahawks are 19-4 in Sunday 1 pm road games since 2018 (best in the NFL)

*This was posted at the Steelers website, so they’re using EST, so they mean to say “10 AM road games" for the west coast.

We know home/road narratives have really flipped for Seattle recently, culminating in a 7-1 road/3-6 home record for the Seahawks in 2024. The only other teams to win at least seven road games last year were the 15-2 Lions and the 15-2 Chiefs, the two best records in the NFL.

And then you’ve got a team that not only missed the playoffs, they were eliminated from contention before Week 18. The only other team to win more than 5 road games and miss the playoffs was the Cincinnati Bengals.

Our attention will turn back to Seattle’s 2025 playoff odds if the Seahawks lose to the Steelers on Sunday and fall to 0-2, even if there’s still plenty of time left to make up the difference. That’s just what we do as fans.

In the 17-game era, only 2-of-21 teams made the playoffs after starting 0-2 from 2021-2023. Both teams won their division to make the playoffs, including the 10-7 Texans in 2023, the same record that the Seahawks had last year and missed the playoffs. But that number got a little bit better in 2024, as three teams started 0-2 and made the playoffs:

• The 10-7 Broncos recovered from an 0-2 start, including a loss to Seattle

• The 12-5 Ravens recovered from an 0-2 start and won a playoff game

• The 10-7 Rams recovered from an 0-2 start, and a 1-4 start, and won a playoff game

Two things stand out from the teams that have started 0-2 in the 17-game era:

1. 5-of-30 (16.6%) have made the playoffs but only 2-of-30 (6.6%) won a playoff game

2. 1-of-30 (3.3%) have made it past the second round of the playoffs and 0-of-30 (0%) have reached the Super Bowl.

There is a very simple explanation for why no 0-2 team in the 17-game era has reached the Super Bowl: They have to go on the road because they lost too many games in the regular season.

Even the 12-5 Ravens had to go to Buffalo last year, losing 27-25 to the Bills in the divisional round. The 2022 Bengals recovered from 0-2, 2-3, and 4-4 to finish 12-4 (they had the Damar Hamlin game, so they didn’t play 17) and Cincinnati was close to going to back-to-back Super Bowls. But the Bengals lost 23-20 to the Chiefs in the AFC Championship, their second straight road playoff game because the Bengals went 12-4, not 13-3. (Unfortunately they could not just decide their fate in that canceled MNF game.)

This is not a post about what will happen to the Seahawks IF they fall to 0-2 — hopefully Seattle avoids that question altogether by beating Pittsburgh — it is merely a reminder that not only does every single game matter…

Every single game matters more when you lose the week before.

Seahawks, you’ve tacked a loss onto your 2025 record and so yeah that’s going to increase the importance of every game after it. What can the Seahawks do against the Steelers to avoid fans calling Week 3 a “must-win” against the Saints?

Seaside Joe readers and subscribers have been sharing their thoughts about that in the comments over the past few days, so I want to turn it back to the community and share some additional thoughts of my own. Want to join the conversation? Subscribe to Regular Joes! It’s only $5! Sign up for a full year and save 10%!

Unrelated sidenote: I watched this preview of Seahawks-Steelers “made” by the NFL and why does it seem like the NFL is using A.I. to make their content now?

You can afford people to write and speak copy, NFL!

Context: Devon Witherspoon doubtful, Nick Emmanwori ruled out

Scott M: I know it's part of the game...but it's super early to already be thin at a position group. Oof.

Tim McConnell: Woolen might just need an eye exam. His ability to play a ball thrown high seems to confuse him. A ball thrown more on a rope he seems fine with. He just seems to not be able to judge where a ball will come down. he either jumps too soon or stops too short. Like he has a depth perception issue. Not a great attribute for a CB.

Barry Carlson: Woolen is: in the 99 percentile on speed, height, and length. 10 percentile in aggressiveness Someone can fix this, right? Cut off his food or something!

Mike Macdonald’s latest comments about Witherspoon are that he’s going to be a gametime decision, but that the Seahawks don’t expect it to be a long-term injury. Witherspoon was injured on the Josh Jobe interception but finished the game.

"His adrenaline's pumping like crazy," Macdonald said of Witherspoon finishing the game. "Just shows you he's tough as nails. You wouldn't have known he was dealing with it as the game was going on."

On Emmanwori, Macdonald said that Seattle can’t guarantee that he won’t miss four games anyway, but that they are optimistic that he won’t and that’s why he wasn’t put on IR.

It appears as though Tariq Woolen will have to have a big role this week, days after Macdonald declined to commit to him as a continuing starter. Perhaps this game without Witherspoon will allow the Seahawks a chance to further evaluate their depth options, including Shaquill Griffin, who was signed to the 53-man roster this week. If Jobe and Griffin look better than Woolen, maybe a change will be made after Witherspoon is ready to return.

The Seahawks also have Nehemiah Pritchett and Derion Kendrick.

Random Bonus Video: Pritchett hammering Jalen Milroe when both were still in college in 2023:

As for Woolen, Tim could actually be right. Charvarius Ward has LASIK in 2020 and his career took off from there.

CONTEXT: (I reposted a stat showing that Woolen had allowed the sixth-most yards of Week 1 and so that’s the context of this next comment):

Randall Murray: What is interesting about Woolens yards given up rank, and a little surprising SJ you didn’t also note, look at the names in front of him. Those are considered good pass defenders. Guys making some big money. Not justifying Woolen, but more than one top player got beat in week 1. I would want to see how practice and next game goes.

So these are the 5 players who allowed more yards than Woolen in Week 1:

• Adoree’ Jackson

• Jaire Alexander

• Minkah Fitzpatrick

• Marlon Humphrey

• Terrion Arnold

The reason I didn’t mention them is that most of them are ‘name players’ but not necessarily still good players. Jackson is being cited as one of the worst all-around starters in the NFL of Week 1 (the media has been asking Vic Fangio if Jackson will continue to start and why), and the Giants let him go after last season; Jaire Alexander was cut by the Packers and struggled to find a permanent home and the Ravens are also being questioned if he will continue to start; Fitzpatrick is a safety, so I obviously skipped him (is he still a good safety though?); Terrion Arnold is an unproven 22-year-old.

That leaves Marlon Humphrey, who might be the only player on the list who is currently considered good. That being said, Humphrey has been a hot-and-cold player and the Ravens were going against Josh Allen in a shootout.

I don’t think Woolen has done enough in his career to warrant the same slack as Humphrey. When Woolen has a bad game, it’s not unusual. It’s been pretty consistent since 2022 that he’s going to be the “main character” after a handful of games every year. He doesn’t need an interception to get himself off the hot seat, he needs to just go a little while without being noticed.

zezinhom400: I hope Seattle stays committed to the run and that they do more effective play-action, despite the opportunities in the opposing secondary. Long term, that's what will win us games. But hopefully those 3rd down conversions come easier and we see some more tight end action given Pittsburgh's challenges back there.

Bob Johnston: My hope is that the Hawks run it down TJ Watts' throat all day long.

The Seahawks were committed to the run last week when it wasn’t working, so hopefully they do commit to the run this week against a Steelers defense that ranked 29th in rushing yards allowed; only one team ran the ball more often than the Jets did in Week 1.

Run game has been a huge focus this week so a lot of folks are going to breathe a sigh of relief if Seattle’s first drive features a couple of 7 to 12-yard runs and it won’t matter if it’s Kenneth Walker or Zach Charbonnet. Either one of them is capable of it, as long as the offensive line is creating lanes and pushing the pile.

Danno: Seahawks 38 Steelers 10….On defense, Woolen gets an INT covering DK and Rodgers gets sacked at least 4 times and besides the INT, he suffers a strip sack by Nwosu. DK is penalized for 25 yards as his frustrations cause an outburst personal foul.

Largentium: It sure would have been fun to see Spoon get in DK's head and take him out of the game like so many other DBs have. I don't know that Woolen has that in him to mess with DK like that.

Scott M: No but Coby Bryant will....He could get DK ruffled

Maxx: If 'Spoon is truly out, does Josh Jobe have it in him to get in DK's head and draw those 15 yard unnecessary roughness penalties DK committed with us? I certainly hope so. I hope Jobe sticks to DK all game like he was Lester Hayes.

The expectations of a DK Metcalf penalty on Sunday are probably the most realistic and believable ones of all. It may not even matter that Metcalf knows that’s what people expect him to do because when he was on the Seahawks he had no problem letting the Rams or 49ers get in his head when we all knew that’s what they were trying to do.

Metcalf didn’t have a penalty in Week 1, so he’s way, way, way overdue.

PNWRider: Steeler 24-17. I just believe with the injuries and probably the OG of QBs it’s going to be hard with a new offense. Emmanwori was not put on IR so that’s a positive at least.

I am looking for: More TE use, Commit to the run and play action, Stretch the field, Defense get some sacks !, Better tackles.

I expect the Seahawks to get to Aaron Rodgers a few times, at least. Behind The Steel Curtain sees protection as a major key to the game:

The Seahawks have a good defensive line, highlighted by Leonard Williams and Demarcus Lawrence. While it’s admirable that Broderick Jones owns his mistakes, he needs to start fixing them by playing better. Aaron Rodgers being under constant pressure will play into the hands of the Seahawks, who will look to win a low-scoring game.

Jones allowed 3 sacks in Week 1. How many did Walter Jones allow in his entire career? 9?

Macdonald expects Uchenna Nwosu to play some, but be on a pitch count. Demarcus Lawrence, Boye Mafe, and Derick Hall all probably played better than raw sack/pressure numbers would indicate in Week 1. I think the Seahawks front-7 still has the potential to be a top-5 unit in the NFL when you combine the DT, DE, OLB, and LB groups. Depth is there, but will an OLB step up to become a superstar?

Chris H: Do what we do man, that's all. Just do what we do. Although, I'm not sure really what we do. I thought I knew what we do, but then we didn't do what we do, so now I don't know what we do.

Who do?

JIMMY JOHNSON: The one thing I am certain of is our Big Trench Men on Defense will feast all game, every game.

Rusty: As All-22 points out, Leonard Williams plays the game at a different level than most. IMO, he was the best player on the field last Sunday.

Leonard Williams is a superstar…to us. Interesting that he continues to fly so far under the radar nationally.

Stephen Pitell: I'm done with making predictions after shaming myself with last weeks predictions. Trying to predict the future seems foolish to me. I would like to see SSJ discontinue encouraging us to make predictions. There are more worthy subjects to fill our time with.

It can be fun at times, I admit, and I make no judgements on anyone having fun.

I never try to encourage “predictions” per se. (Don’t fact check me if I used the word prediction!)

There are people who write for me and I tell them to make their argument. Use evidence. Back it up with history, tendencies, probabilities. It’s not a crystal ball. You can set expectations for any outcome in the world, so long as you can make a good argument to back it up with evidence. It’s not a prediction necessarily — and nobody is expected to always be right (even if you are proven right, we all know you got a little bit lucky!) — it’s an expectation.

I have no problem setting an expectation because then Seahawks fans will be prepared for certain outcomes. Call it a prediction if you want, but I’m never intending to go off of just vibes or gut. It’s what we think will happen based on what happened before. There’s value in that part to me.

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