Penciling it in: Analyzing the Seahawks' Dance Card (Part II)
by Chris Sully on Sep 8, 2011 7:30 AM PDT
in Know Your Enemy
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PrintAnd here we are in part two of our quarterly breakdown of the Seahawks 2011 season. Huzzah! The second quarter of our season is unique in at least two ways: first, it's the only stretch that we face no divisional opponents; and second, we have our bye week following the Giants game, insuring at least one weekend we won't have to weep openly in front of friends and strangers alike.
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Week Five: @ New York Giants
The Back Story - The Giants are the poster child of 12th Man after an infamous 11-false start game in 2005. Since then, they've been, y'know, the Giants. They always feel like they're going to be good, and in reality, they usually are (last losing season was 2004, and they were 10-6 last year), but with Eli Manning under center, they don't really inspire fear in their opponents. In 2011, they've already lost their entire team to Achilles and ACL tears twice, but they've still got to field a team.
Key Additions - Prince Amukamara, Marvin Austin, Mark Clayton
Key Subtractions - Barry Cofield, Kevin Boss, Steve Smith
Prognostication - This was a game I thought very early on was an easy dash in the "loss" column. They Giants were 10-6 last year
Random Trivia - These are the season-ending injuries the Giants have experienced since training camp started. Starters are indicated with an asterisk: Marvin Austin, Clint Sintim(*?), Terrell Thomas*, Jonathan Goff*, Duke Calhoun, Brian Jackson, Bruce Johnson, Chad Jones, Martin Parker, Sage Rosenfels, Brian Witherspoon.
Week Six: Bye Week Ya'll!
I like to spend the bye week looking at images of Seahawks and their opponents. Oh, here's one:
Teabag via www.bestweekever.tv
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Week Seven: @ Cleveland Browns
The Back Story - The Browns are Holmgrentastic, which is nice, but they don't have a lot else going for them. Colt McCoy is their quarterback, Peyton Hillis their RB, and the guy everyone wants to be a star so their fantasy football team name will make sense (Mohammed "Texas Chainsaw" Massaquoi) is prone to catch a few pigskins. Wow, I'm already bored. Oh, the left side of their line is arguably the best in football.
Key Additions - Phil Taylor, Jabaal Sheard, Brandon Jackson, Usama Young, John Greco,
Key Subtractions - Abram Elam, Sabby Piscitelli, Matt Roth, Chansi Stucky, Floyd Womack, Eric Wright
Prognostication - The Browns could be much better this year, but it won't matter. That's the problem with being in the same division as the Steelers and Ravens. They are still a ways away from being able to compete, and this is an absolutely winnable game for your Seattle Seahawks. Doesn't mean they'll win, but they certainly should, especially coming off a bye.
Random Trivia - Everyone hates the Yankees, even the Browns. Their first ever playoff victory (AAFC Championship game in 1946) was a 14-9 victory over the New York Yankees. Also, they won their league's championship (4 AAFC, 1 NFL) in each of the franchise's first five years of existence, and pulled in 7 championships in their first 10 years. They've won one in the 56 years since.
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Week Eight: Cincinnati Bengals
The Back Story - Mike Brown. Carson Palmer. Arrests. Nochocinco.
Key Additions - A.J. Green, Andy Dalton, Clint Boling, Bo Scaife, Manny Lawson, Nate Clements, Bruce Gradkowski, Kelly Jennings, Taylor Mays... because if you're looking to build a winner, look no further than the Seahawks, Raiders, and 49ers for your cast offs.
Key Subtractions - Carson Palmer (sorta), Ocho Cinco, T.O., Antwan Odom, Tank Johnson, Dhani Johns, Johnathan Joseph, Roy Williams, (breath), Clinton McDonald, Chinedum Ndukwe, Sense of pride
Prognostication - Alright stop, prognosticate and listen, Mike Brown's back with a lack of ambition; somethin', grabs a hold of me tightly, as the Bengals shoot glocks and pad arrest numbers nightly. Will it ever stop, yo? Ask T.O., Brown runs the team, semi-pro; Palmer's extreme, he rocks Mike with a scandal, unretired, uncaged, his salary can't be handled. *dum dum dum, daduh dum dum*
Random Trivia - Between 2000 and 2010, the Bengals saw 32 arrests within their organization, each one presumably dedicated to a different NFL team.
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Week Nine: Dallas Cowboys
The Back Story - Around these parts, the Cowboys are best remembered for a certain goal line fumble and the ensuing hilarity. Unfortunately, since Teflon Tony's tragic mishap the Cowboys have pretty much had their way with the Seahawks, most famously in the Thanksgiving Day Massacre that proved once and for all that Julius Jones was the football equivalent of Jeff Cirillo.
Key Additions - Tyson Smith, DeMarco Murray, Rob Ryan
Key Subtractions - Marc Columbo, Roy Williams, Marion Barber, Andre Gurode
Prognostication - With Rob Ryan in tow, the Cowboys' defense should again be fairly stout. Their offense doesn't seem to have done a whole lot to improve, other than finally ditching Marion Barber (shock of all shocks: Tim Ruskell's team picked up an overused and discarded former Cowboy RB!). Their OL is going to be much younger this year, with at least two rookies expected to start. If Romo can return to his old form and Dez Bryant can step up and be the guy he was expected to be, this is a team that can push for the playoffs (where they will lose in the first round, Cowboy-style!). That's a big if though, and this is another fringe-winnable game for the Seahawks based on the somewhat schizophrenic nature of America's Team over the last few years.
Random Trivia - Jerry Jones acquired the Cowboys as a result of the 1980s Savings and Loan Crisis. Then-owner "Bum" Bright had the team and his S&L taken over by the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Commission who then pressured Bright to sell the team to Jerry Jones.
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my first thought was
goddamn that thing is going to hurt when he sticks it up your ass.
How do you think he injured it in the first place?
He’s had that foot so far up new player ass, they’ve been wandering aimlessly around the practice field speaking in toes.
Gotta love a good vanilla ice freestyle!
Word to your mother. I’m out.
by spokahawk on Sep 8, 2011 8:00 AM PDT via mobile reply actions
Oh Mike you silly goose...
I Bleed Blue and Green
ME...Tweeting Stuff! About my upcoming game...and other random musings.
by DSAhawker on Sep 8, 2011 8:12 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Insert glib comment about Holmgren's apperance
But shit, he is still an intimidating man.
I looked at that pic for 2 minutes and didn't notice his ass once
Are you also one of those people who point out sweaty crotches during the game? hm?
I Bleed Blue and Green
ME...Tweeting Stuff! About my upcoming game...and other random musings.
At this point in the season I can see
the Hawks being around 1-7 to 3-5. With the Bengals game being the only one that we should be clear favorites.
70% of space is covered by dark matter, the rest by ET.
1-6!
WHY ARE YOU BEING SO DOWN ON OUR CHANCES WE CAN’T LOSE THE BYE WEEK
Otherwise, yeah. 1-6 is entirely possible, although 2-5 is more likely (home against Arizona) and 3-4 is pretty doable (game 1 or @ Cleveland). I present this not to be pessimistic but so that I won’t be sitting in here in 2 months saying “why aren’t we 7-0!!???”.
"It's okay to have an open mind, just not so open that your brains fall out." - Carl Sagan (well, a lot of guys)
by Johnny Slick on Sep 8, 2011 9:17 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
oops.
forgot about the bye. But, we could still forfeit by accident.
70% of space is covered by dark matter, the rest by ET.
Or Okung could trip on the kerb whilst eating an ice-cream
That’s losing it.
Whoa, I just went and re-read it.
This takes us through week nine bro. Predictions stand.
70% of space is covered by dark matter, the rest by ET.
I do not understand all the pessimism.
Going down the roster I see this team clearly has improved at every position. Including quarterback. To you hasselbeck fans I love him too. Its about turnovers
Turnovers?
TJax has more turnovers than IHOP.
70% of space is covered by dark matter, the rest by ET.
by hazbro24 on Sep 8, 2011 9:27 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Last year I imagine a lot of people thought the roster had improved before the season started
Yet in certain area we blew worse in 2009. I agree we certainly look better on paper. But it’s an accumulation of many things – lock-out, the short off-season, the desperate offensive play in the preseason, the sheer fathonless unknown about how this team will perform in San Francisco, that leads to me to think I might be spending most of the season hiding between my hands.
That said, I’m still delusional enough to think that PC will just start whooping and fist-pumping and we’ll go on to give the 49ers a bloody good hiding.
More like
pseudo-pro!
"It was a dream come true to be the quarterback in Seattle; Bigger and better than anything I could have dreamed of." -Matthew Hasselbeck
8-0.
Everyone on that schedule is riddled by injuries, criminal incompetence in management, or both. This will be the portion of the season where vastly superior physical tools and talent dominate, driving the final stake through the heart of the Ruskell model.
Payback on the Giants in their house, as we run through all those gaping injury holes. Seahawks 28, Giants 9.
Cleveland and Cincy suck more than ever. Wins by 2 TDs over both.
Dallas gets to feel what we felt on Thanksgiving Day, losing by 26 in the Clink
.
8-0.
Go get some spray paint
*tip it upside down and suck in really hard then run around in circles
*Warning may cause death, severe mental retardation and for you to get back together with your ex-girlfriend.
Going into the Bye Week
we will likely be 2-3…….. I just received my tickets for the @ Browns game…….. So my wife and I will be representing FG nation there. If anyone has some witty/ nifty Seahawk sign suggestions, please forward them to me. All I could come up with so far is something like “Cleveland’s experiencing a BROWNER Out. GO ’HAWKS” (obviously I want to see Browner succeed and maintain the starting job before I fully commit to that). I’m sincerely hoping that both the Cleveland and Cincinatti games are winnable. I think that as week 17 is wrapping up, we will find ourselves at 8-8 and tied at the top of the division but we miss the playoffs based on division record.
Sigh
Bleedshawkblue has got it right, you heretic, WE’RE GONNA BE 8-0 BABY HEADIN TO THE SUPERBOWL
Heresy grows from idleness.
by Corax --Nevermore-- on Sep 8, 2011 11:48 AM PDT up reply actions
Im headin down to
the New York Giants game from Boston with a few others of the 12th man army. Pray we dont get shot! But we’re going to get a hotel in the city and have a blast! Here’s to hoping the score is a little more even than it has been the last few seasons. “DRINKS”
by RawkEmHawkEmBirdbots on Sep 8, 2011 11:49 AM PDT reply actions
Eric Steinback (pun intended) is out for the season.
So the best left side of an O-line is no longer arguable. Prince Amukamara will probably be playing in his 1st game back from a broken foot in the giants game. To large factors to look at.
Hah
because if you’re looking to build a winner, look no further than the Seahawks, Raiders, and 49ers for your cast offs.
That’s a surprisingly smarmy remark considering we got our biggest additions from futile franchises, Cardinals, Vikings, Raiders. Not encouraging.
Formerly Known As Vasilii
That's right!
They (Vikings) solely provide the entertainment for “Capital One” credit card commercials. :)
The Vikings have been as futile a franchise as any other for a decade
One year of relevance under your rival team’s aged QB doesn’t change that. They’ve pretty much been a non-factor since they moved to the north, and they’re back where they belong now.
Formerly Known As Vasilii
by Thomas Beekers on Sep 8, 2011 12:10 PM PDT up reply actions
They got a proud history, I'll give you that
But so do the 49ers, and they’re a futile franchise too.
Formerly Known As Vasilii
by Thomas Beekers on Sep 8, 2011 12:10 PM PDT up reply actions
They had 4 playoff appearances in the decade, and won 3 playoff games
Not sure how that equates to the futility that tons of other teams experienced, such as the Bills (0 playoff appearances this decade), Lions (ditto) , Texans (ditto) or Browns (1, lost in 1st round).
They got jobbed by the refs in the saints game
just like we did against the stealers. A couple of plays away from the super bowl. They’ve been contenders/competitive almost every season for the last decade with the last year being the exception. The expectations were high, and had Rice not been hurt, they might have had a much better run.
70% of space is covered by dark matter, the rest by ET.
And they were good with the fearsome
QB duo of Gus Ferotte and TJax.
70% of space is covered by dark matter, the rest by ET.
My point exactly
One instance of having Brett Favre and nearly getting to the Super Bowl does not make a a decade of relevance.
Formerly Known As Vasilii
by Thomas Beekers on Sep 8, 2011 5:34 PM PDT up reply actions
No one said
i was here to encourage. To be fair, our additions are primarily 26 years old or younger (or in the case of gallery, a stop-gap veteran). The way to build a team is through the draft. If you can’t rely solely on that, you get the top young free agents. You can’t really do that with quarterbacks (save for exception-to-the-rule Drew Brees), so we went for Tarvaris Jackson.
Two of the Bengals “key additions” were scrap heap guys — Jennings and Taylor Mays — and others include a 31-year old CB who underperformed after earning a massive contract, and a journeyman backup QB in Gradkowski who couldn’t beat out a mediocre second round QB to start.
Smarmy, sure, but lets not pretend our additions are equivalent to theirs, yeah?
They're not
But our additions aren’t nearly as good as they get called among Seahawks fan. Nature of fan hype. We didn’t even have the best off-season (draft included) in the NFC West, in my opinion.
Formerly Known As Vasilii
by Thomas Beekers on Sep 8, 2011 1:17 PM PDT up reply actions
The Browns game is the one that I am the most pesemistic about
I look at the others as completely winnable.
"Never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than what it might appear to others that what you were or might have been was not otherwise than what you had been would have appeared to them to be otherwise."
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