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12 Thoughts: The schadenfreude edition

A collection of FTR thoughts that weren’t turned into their own articles ...

Schadenfreude is defined as “pleasure derived by someone from another person’s misfortune”. The English equivalent is epicaricacy which means “rejoicing at or depriving pleasure from the misfortune of others”.

Since the Seahawks are taking on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Munich, Germany on Sunday, schadenfreude seems like the more appropriate word.

Plus it’s easier to say.

And a lot more common in usage.


Thought #1

At the point a year ago, the Los Angeles Rams had scored 245 points.

This season?

131.

According to ESPN, that’s tied for the 2nd-fewest by a defending champion in the Super Bowl era.

And, yes, my pseudonym and I are taking an immense amount of pleasure from that.

FTR!


Thought #2

Believe it or not - and you’ll probably believe it since they’ve seemingly been on national TV for every one of their games this season ...

The Denver Broncos have scored fewer points than the Rams this year.

121.

Let’s ride! (or not)


Thought #3

Heading into the season, Seattle was expected to land a top-10 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

At the midpoint of the season, Seattle is still expected to land a top-10 pick.

Except now it’s expected to be the pick they got from Denver that lands in the top-10 rather than their native pick.

Confession: I, like many others, am not-so-secretly rooting for a top-5 pick from Denver to go with a native pick that’s in the high-20s or low-30s.


Thought #4

Keeping with the Broncos misfortune for a moment ...

Prior to this season, Russell Wilson’s worst completion percentage was 61.3% in 2017. His lowest touchdown percentage was 3.8% (2016). His worst QBR was 54.7 (2021). His worst passer rating was 92.6 (2016).

At this point, it would take a MASSIVE turnaround for him to not have 2022 be his low-water mark in all 4 of those categories.

Current:

  • Completion % = 58.8
  • Touchdown % = 2.6
  • QBR = 36.0
  • Passer rating = 83.5

Thought #5

Just to pile on (and magnify the pleasure) ...

  • Geno’s completion % is 72.3
  • Geno’s touchdown % is 5.3
  • Geno’s QBR is 68.1
  • Geno’s quarterback rating is 107.2

Thought #6

A partial list of starting QBs who are making more than Geno Smith this year with less team success to show for it:

  • Aaron Rodgers, 3-6
  • Derek Carr, 2-6
  • Jared Goff, 2-6
  • Jimmy Garoppolo, 4-4
  • Kyler Murray, 3-6
  • Matt Ryan (no longer starting)
  • Matthew Stafford, 3-5
  • Russell Carrington Wilson, 3-5
  • Tom Brady, 4-5
  • Trevor Lawrence, 3-6

I could have also included Justin Herbert (5-3), Ryan Tannehill (5-3), and Joe Burrow (5-4) since their teams have worse records than the Seahawks (and Seattle beat the Chargers).

I didn’t though because they’re at least above .500.

For what it’s worth, every quarterback on that list was expected to be better than Geno Smith this year.

Every. Single. One.

Schadenfreude at it’s freaking finest!


Thought #7

Teams that are currently starting a quarterback that’s earning LESS than Geno Smith:

Oh, and the 8-0 Philadelphia Eagles ... which is still schadenfreude except that it’s REVERSE schadenfreude because I didn’t select Jalen Hurts in a single one of my fantasy drafts.

And there were 33 of them.


Thought #8

Russell Wilson will end the 2022 season having still never gotten a single MVP vote.

(FTR whistles happy tune.)


Thought #9

Focusing on the upcoming matchup against the TB12 and the once-removed defending champs (2020) ...

Tampa Bay is 2-6-1 against the spread this season.

That’s the worst mark in the league.

They’re favored in Germany ... and they’re gonna get smoked. 2-7-1, here they come.


Thought #10

Through the first 9 games of the year, Tampa Bay has 546 rushing yards.

Total.

That includes everyone on their roster.

Kenneth Walker III has more than that by himself (570).

And the Seahawks, as a team, have more than twice as many rushing yards as the Bucs (1,204) ... despite having only 50 more attempts (233 vs. 183).

OUCH!

(in a good way)


Thought #11

How about rushing touchdowns?

I am so glad you asked.

Tampa Bay’s rushing attack has punched the ball into the end zone exactly 3 times ... in 9 games.

K9 has 7 rushing touchdowns for the Seahawks.

And the team, as a whole, has 10.


Thought #12

Looking ahead at Seattle’s first game after their Week 11 bye ...

The Las Vegas Raiders placed two Pro Bowl pass-catchers on Injured Reserve this week.

Sucks for them.

And for a few of my fantasy teams.

I’ll gladly take the hit though if it means the Seahawks have a clearer path to an 8-3 record after Week 12 is in the books.

Go Hawks!