Even with Earl Thomas out, this Seahawks team is built to win against adversity

After returning to full health after his first ever inactive week, Earl Thomas didn’t last long, not even getting a full half of football in before a new injury sidelined him. Thomas went down and with him, all hope of an NFL Championship. This is what the initial reaction was from Twitter following the apparent leg injury to the Seattle Seahawks’ intimidator.

I have to say though, despite my sarcastic tweet where I said

I don’t believe that and perhaps it’s just the fact of being a student of history. Earl Thomas doesn’t make or break this team. Does it change? Yes. Does it have to find other means to play? Probably. Will the Seahawks lose all their games from here on? No.

It’s simple: This team has consistently weathered adversity from Kam Chancellor missing time, to Bobby Wagner missing time, to Russell Wilson being banged up—this team has always found a way to hold it together and play true to the “next man up” mantra that every coach preaches but few truly inspire.

There’s this strange mentality in the Seahawks community, one I talked about before the season even started. Everyone counting wins, punching tickets and notching championships before the first ball is kicked. I told you I was taking it one game at a time this year and by god, it has helped me stay sane through all of this.

It’s also the mantra Wilson talks about when he says 1-0 every week. Earl or no Earl, this team won’t stop fighting for its shot at glory.

I was instantly reminded of Chuck Knox’s quote about the 1984 Seahawks following a devastating knee injury to their offensive engine, running back Curt Warner (in the first game no less): “Curt Warner being hurt would never become an excuse for us not to win. Curt Warner does not play defense. Curt Warner does not play special teams.”

That team, having lost it’s heart on offense, went on to record a franchise best 12-4 record that stood for twenty-one seasons. A mark surpassed by a team similarly tagged by injury. In that 2005 Season, Seattle missed it’s top two receivers and had to rely on a running game and a hastily assembled defense with an overachiever at middle linebacker.

Facing adversity is what teams do. It’s what people do. This team though, it has a history of finding ways to overcome. Especially this season. Surviving and thriving while Michael Bennett was on the mend and Kam Chancellor was out. Hell, Neiko Thorpe and DeAndre Elliot stepped in when DeShawn Shead was down.

I don’t know about you, but I look forward to the chance for Steven Terrell to show his skills over the longer term than the last few weeks allowed. I’ll be scared a little. That’s okay. I will not however, write this season off as some lost cause because of this injury. So why would you?