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When the season started, if you had told me the Seahawks would be 7-7 with 3 games left to play, I would have been fairly happy.
As is, not so much.
Watching the team I love lose 4 of their last 5 games will do that to me.
And yet, I remain optimistic despite the setbacks.
Thought #1
Godwin Igwebuike needs to be added to the active roster.
Now!
- This week: 3 kickoff returns for 83 yards, long of 31, average of 27.7
- Last week: 3 kickoff returns for 104 yards, long of 50, average of 34.7
- Combined: 6 kickoff returns for 187 yards, long of 50, average of 31.2
For some perspective on those numbers . . .
- DeeJay Dallas has returned 12 kickoffs this year for 270 yards with a long of 30 and an average of 22.5
- Last year, DeeJay Dallas returned 33 kicks for 764 yards with a long of 40 and an average of 23.2
And then there’s this:
Among players with at least 10 kickoff returns this season, Minnesota Running Back Kene Nwangwu leads the league with a 25.8-yard average.
Thought #2
In addition to returning kicks, I’d like to see Igwebuike on offense.
Sure, he only has 18 carries and 7 receptions in his NFL career but he has 118 yards on those 18 carries (6.6 average) and 60 yards on the 7 receptions (8.6 average).
We’ve seen what he can do in space.
Get the man the ball.
Thought #3
I’m completely bummed about Tyler Lockett breaking his finger. If he’s unable to return this season, he’ll end the year 36 yards shy of his 4th consecutive 1,000-yard season.
And that will be a shame because the franchise record is 4 straight.
Unsurprisingly, the record is held by Steve Largent who had 1,000+ yards in four straight seasons twice - first, from 1978 to 1981, and again from 1983 to 1986.
Thought #4
As hard as it was to watch the 49ers celebrate their NFC West title on our home field, I don’t believe the difference between them and us is nearly as large as it appears.
- Seattle blew multiple coverages that led to big plays at inopportune times
- Quandre Diggs dropped an EASY interception
- A few plays after the Diggs faux pas, Travis Homer coughed up the ball in Seattle territory and the Niners returned it to the 6-yard line
I’m not going to say that Seattle would have won the game if those things didn’t happen, but I will say that the Niners played an almost-flawless game and Seattle was still within one score with 3 minutes to play.
Thought #5
Much will be made about the Seahawks being on the outside looking in regarding playoff positioning. As well it should.
But . . .
Seattle is still in the 8th spot right now - the same spot they were in before the Thursday Night game.
And the Seahawks still hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Lions who are the only team that can catch them, record-wise, this week.
More to the point, the 2 teams directly ahead of Seattle - the Washington Commanders and New York Giants - play each other Sunday night. Both currently sport records of 7-5-1 which means one of them will fall to 7-6-1 this week (unless they tie . . . again).
A half-game lead with 3 games to play isn’t an insurmountable lead. Especially if it’s the Giants that lose on Sunday night.
Thought #6
Let’s continue on this vein and assume for the moment that it’s the Giants that lose on Sunday night.
Next week they play the Minnesota Vikings on the road.
Week 17 has them hosting the Indianapolis Colts.
Their season finale is in the City of Brotherly Love against the league-leading Philadelphia Eagles.
Yes, it’s possible that the Eagles could be resting players in Week 18. But let’s assume that’s not the case. The Eagles won the first matchup by 26 points. My money is on them completing the sweep.
Oh, and if the Giants do lose to the Commanders on Sunday night, it will be their 4th loss in their last 5 games. Sound familiar? The difference between them and Seattle is that Seattle won 1 of their last 5; the Giants could only manage a tie.
Thought #7
What if the Giants win?
Well, then we need the Commanders to lose one more game than us over the last 3 weeks of the season.
The good news is that they very well do that.
- Week 16: at San Francisco
- Week 17: vs. the Cleveland Browns
- Week 18: vs. the Dallas Cowboys
For what it’s worth, the Cowboys beat the Commanders by 15 points (25-10) back in Week 4 with their backup quarterback, Cooper Rush, completing 15 of 27 passes for 223 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Thought #8
Seattle’s final 3 games are against the Kansas City Chiefs on the road, against the New York Jets at home, and against the Rams in the Lumen Field season finale.
Two wins in those 3 games could lock up a playoff spot.
Thought #9
If the Seahawks miss out on a playoff spot, their native pick in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft would be no worse than #18.
With a little bit of luck (so to speak), it could be in the top-15.
Thought #10
Jalen Carter or Will Anderson.
That’s the answer to the question of who I want the Seahawks to select with the 2023 R1 that they got in the Russell Wilson trade.
Don’t get cute, John (and Pete); just pick one of those 2 players when you go on the clock with Denver’s pick and then grin like the Cheshire Cat until you’re on the clock again.
Thought #11
Geno’s string of 12 straight games with a completion percentage over 60 and a passer rating over 80 was snapped last week against the Carolina Panthers when Geno went 21 of 36 (58.3%) for 264 yards with 3 TDs, 2 INTs, and a passer rating of 85.9.
Against the Niners, Geno was 31 of 44 (70.5%) for 238 yards with 1 TD and a passer rating of 90.9.
I’m bummed the streak got snapped, but that’s 13 of 14 games that Geno has bested 60% completions with a passer rating over 80 and regardless of what else happens this week, he’ll be the the only QB who can say that heading into Week 16.
Thought #12
The Seahawks need 1 win over their last 3 games to best last year’s 7-10 record and 2 wins over the last 3 to finish above .500.
I think they can do it.
Go Hawks!
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