Coffee and Cigarettes: Seahawks links for Thursday

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Seahawks Aren't Perfect, but That's Hardly Reason to Panic | Bleacher Report
Pro football seasons are fragile, or delicate in a sense, and the wheels can come off quickly for teams that struggle to adapt to unique forms of adversity.

Trading picks for top players is NFL GMs' seismic move
To trade a first-round draft pick for a player, an NFL general manager needs absolute conviction that player is a fit on every level and can impact the franchise in a significant way.

Mike Freeman's 10-Point Stance: Another WR Learns Not to Disrespect the QB | Bleacher Report
The latest NFL news, rumors, scores, schedules, predictions, picks against the spread, free agent updates, power rankings, mock drafts and more

The Really True Story of Seattle Trading Percy Harvin to the Jets «
At 12:59 p.m. PT on Friday, October 17, Pro Football Talk posted an article titled “Seahawks want to expand Percy Harvin’s role.” At 2:26 p.m. PT, Fox Sports correspondent Jay Glazer reported that Harvin had been traded to the Jets for a conditional mid-round draft pick. An in-depth Grantland speculation into what transpired during those unaccounted 87 minutes follows:

Seahawks say they are far from buried–and they have reason to believe that | Seahawks Insider - The News Tribune
Here’s something to help the morning coffee go down more smoothly:

Are the Rams finally turning things around? - SBNation.com
The Rams upset the Seahawks last week to shake off a 1-4 start by leaning on their young players and shaking off a coach's conservative tendencies. Retired NFL defensive end Stephen White wonders if it was a sign of things to come for St. Louis.

Will a rugby star make it in the NFL? | National Football Post
An NFL agent breaks down the challenges for any rugby player making the jump.

What the heck is wrong with the Seahawks’ pass defense? - Seattle Seahawks & NFL News
Last year, en route to their Super Bowl title, the Seahawks had by far the best pass defense in the league. Seattle allowed a mere 172 passing yards per game, 22 fewer than the next-best team, and gave up just 5.8 yards per passing attempt.

Higher risk: higher reward? Expect more blitzing as Seahawks try to revive pass rush | Seattle Seahawks | Tri-CityHerald.com
The Seahawks obviously can’t stay the same, not if they want to even have the chance to defend their Super Bowl championship in this season’s playoffs.

PFN: Percy Harvin only makes sense as a long-term investment for Jets - NFL - SI.com
On Pro Football Now, Sports Illustrated NFL business analyst Andrew Brandt discusses if Percy Harvin is a long-term investment for the New York Jets and is Redskins' QB Kirk Cousins on the trading block.

Seahawks Are Laboring With Targets on Their Backs - NYTimes.com
Staying on top of the football mountain is often more difficult than getting there. That is a lesson the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks have been painfully learning this season. The Seahawks often face each opponent’s best effort, and that reality was clear against the St. Louis Rams on Sunday.

NFL trade proposal - Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch to San Diego Chargers - ESPN
Actually, the Chargers desperately need a center -- they've started four players at the position and placed two of them on injured reserve. Problem is, their best external options are probably Jeff Saturday and Matt Birk, who are retired and woefully undersized after drastic weight loss.

NFL Week 8 Playoff Implications: If The Seahawks Lose, The NFC Gains | FiveThirtyEight
FiveThirtyEight, Nate Silver's newly launched website at ESPN, uses statistical analysis — hard numbers — to tell compelling stories about politics, science, economics, lifestyle, and sports.

Interceptions way down for Seattle Seahawks defense - ESPN
Why are the Seattle Seahawks 3-3? Here’s yet another reason: The defense isn’t forcing turnovers, especially interceptions, the way it did last season.

Is Sunday’s game in Carolina the most important of the season? | Seahawks Draft Blog
This weekend is significant. This Seahawks team shouldn’t be losing three games in a row. They’re too good, even with the injuries. Yet they face a big challenge to right this ship and avoid what could end up being a wasted season.

10 Takeaways From Pete Carroll: Luke Willson, Tharold Simon to return to practice
Key takeaways from coach Pete Carroll's Wednesday meeting with the media.

Seahawks receiver Baldwin: Report about Marshawn Lynch not wanting to board bus is 'stupid' | Seahawks Blog | Seattle Times
During their media availability today prior to practice, the Seahawks mostly stuck with a theme of wanting to move on from discussion of the Percy Harvin trade.

Seahawks' Wilson: 'Adversity is opportunity' | HeraldNet.com - Sports
As the clouds darken over Seattle’s season, Russell Wilson is keeping his sunny side up.

Percy Harvin to start with small role on Jets' offense - NFL.com
Jets coach Rex Ryan told reporters on Wednesday that new wide receiver Percy Harvin will have a small role on offense on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. Harvin will handle kickoffs and perhaps punts.

Jordy Nelson, DeAndre Levy deserving of Pro Bowl nods - NFL.com
Packers wide receiver Jordy Nelson and Lions linebacker DeAndre Levy lead Chris Wesseling's list of players deserving Pro Bowl consideration. Find out if your favorite player made the list.

Rams to continue with hot-hand approach at RB - NFL.com
Tre Mason was the St. Louis Rams' workhorse in their upset win over the Seahawks. However, coach Jeff Fisher insists the Rams will utilize whichever running back has the hot hand in any given week.

Marcus Lattimore close to capping unlikely comeback - NFL.com
Niners running back Marcus Lattimore has suffered countless setbacks since breaking out at South Carolina. It's safe to say everyone will be rooting for the former Gamecock to make his return.

Six trades we'd love to see before NFL trade deadline - NFL.com
Tuesday marks the league's annual trade deadline. With that in mind, the Around The NFL guys give you six trades they'd love to see go down. Anyone want to see Johnny Manziel head to New York?

Agent: Marshawn Lynch never lost it after Harvin trade - NFL.com
Will we ever know what really went down in Seattle? After reports of Marshawn Lynch being rather upset following the trade of Percy Harvin, Beast Mode's agent says that is purely fictional.

Ex-GMs Ron Wolf, Bill Polian up for induction in Pro Football Hall of Fame - CBSSports.com
Ron Wolf and Bill Polian are up for induction as contributors for the 2015 Pro Football Hall of Fame induction.

Meet the Prospect: West Virginia WR Kevin White - CBSSports.com
The most productive wide receiver in college football in 2014, White is shooting up draft boards with his dominant play and has his eyes set on the NFL

FOOTBALL OUTSIDERS: Innovative Statistics, Intelligent Analysis | Scramble for the Ball: Getting it Right?
Mike: It was a rough week for the NFL's instant replay system. Tom: Any bone in particular you wish to pick? I think the NFL's replay system is actually pretty good, though I do think they could shorten some of these stoppages.

Moon: Marshawn was on the bus, but he was a “little upset” | ProFootballTalk
The Percy Harvin trade has created a bunch of different story lines and angles.  Including whether and to what extent former Seahawks teammate Marshawn Lynch reacted negatively to the news. A report over the weekend suggested that Lynch almost didn't get on the team bus.

Percy, Santonio and Braylon: Jets Keep Giving Themselves Receiver Headaches | Bleacher Report
The playmaking wide receiver became expendable just months after his Super Bowl heroics. He was shrouded in innuendo and scandal, and his production never really lived up to his reputation, save for one magical playoff push.

Smarter Stats: Sacks don't tell the whole story of NFL's best pass rushers | SI.com
Sacks are overrated. There, we said it.

Seahawks’ Richard Sherman: ‘We’ve gotta play better football, and I think that’s coming’ - Seattle Seahawks & NFL News
Until now, the Seattle Seahawks hadn’t lost two games in a row since October of 2012. How is a Super Bowl champion to deal with such unfamiliar territory, and under such a bright spotlight? After all, just eight months after blowing out the Broncos 43-8 in Super Bowl XLVIII, the Seahawks — at 3-3 through the first seven weeks of the season — are now facing an uphill battle to even make it to the playoffs.

Doug Baldwin on the state of the Seahawks after the Harvin trade and consecutive losses | HeraldNet.com - Seattle Sidelines
“We’re positive,” he said. “We feel good. Obviously some of the games didn’t come out the way we wanted them too, but we’re a third-down, toe-tapping catch and a special teams play away from being 5-1.”

Benson Mayowa set to start in place of injured LaMarr Woodley - Silver And Black Pride
With LaMarr Woodley appearing to be done for the season with an injured biceps, the Raiders will have to look elsewhere for a starter at defensive end. That elsewhere is Benson Mayowa. Mayowa came...

Seahawks to use Robert Turbin at fullback for now | ProFootballTalk
Turbin says he’s up for the job. “Absolutely,” Turbin said. “I just want to win. I want to help the team as much as I can. I’m a team guy. If they need me to take on the role for the next few weeks or whatever the case may be, than sure.”

Churchill: Seahawks Need Fast Start « CBS Seattle
The Seattle Seahawks are in unfamiliar territory. They didn’t lose their first game last season until Week 5 and already have equaled their 2013 season tally in losses and it’s just Week 7. Two seasons ago, the Seahawks did not drop their third game of the year until Week 8. The last time Seattle was .500 or worse after six or more games was 2011 when they started 2-4. That season also represents the last time the team lost three straight games, which is what they will try to avoid Sunday in Carolina.

Sherman still confident, Turbin to serve as fullback - Oct. 22, 2014 | SPORTS RADIO KJR
"I think the team is still confident in what we can do, still confident in our abilities," Sherman said. "If three losses were to ruin the season, then it would have ruined last year’s season too because we lost three last year then too. I think our team is fine and understands what we need to do to turn it around and we’re confident in our ability to do that."