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My last article posited that the 2022 version of the Seahawks could surprise a lot of people by winning more games than they did in 2021.
Today, I’m going to take that a step further.
Yes, that’s right, today I am going to lay out a path for the Seahawks to reach double-digit wins, based on their schedule for the upcoming season.
Admittedly, a lot of things would have to go right for Seattle to finish the season with 10 or more wins, including:
- The defense is going to have to be a lot better under Clint Hurtt, et al. than it was under Ken Norton Jr.
- The offense has to play mostly mistake-free football.
- We need the good version of Jason Myers.
- The team needs to stay healthy - especially at running back.
Yes, that seems like a lot.
It IS a lot.
But ...
- KNJ set a low bar for Clint Hurtt to clear.
- Pete chose an ultra-safe game manager to start at quarterback.
- Myers is pretty darn good in the even years
- Fingers crossed on the health of our running backs, but we’re overdue for that to go our way so ... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Note: In even years, Myers is 84 of 94 on field goals (89.4%) - including a perfect 24 of 24 and a career long 61-yarder in 2020 - and 108 of 118 on extra points (91.5%). In odd years, Myers is 77 of 96 on field goals (80.2%) and 131 of 147 on extra points (89.1%).
Now that the caveats are out of the way, let’s look at the schedule to find a path to double-digit wins – and keep in mind that the Seahawks have a 4th-place schedule:
Week 1: Vs. the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football
I expect us to lose but what if the Seahawks surprise me … and Russell Wilson ... and the Broncos … and Peyton and Eli on the ManningCast ... and the NFL world in general? How crazy would it be if the Seahawks pulled off the offset?
(I am looking forward to a John P Gilbert “... and Twitter reacted” article if this happens.)
Week 2: In Santa Clara, vs. the San Francisco 49ers
The early line on this game (in June) had the Seahawks as 8-point underdogs. I haven’t checked the updated lines, but I suspect it has grown now that Geno Smith has been named the starter heading into Week 1.
However, the Seahawks almost always beat the Niners, especially since Kyle Shanahan took over, so let’s call this a W and imagine that the Surprising Seahawks start out 2-0.
Week 3: Vs. the Atlanta Falcons
This is a win. I’m not even going to be shy about it. Atlanta is a mess – even if their quarterback situation might be slightly better than Seattle’s.
Week 4: At the Detroit Lions
Sure, the Lions might be favored by a point or two, but that’s only because it’s a home game. The Motown team wasn’t good last year, they won’t be much better this year. Seattle can take them.
Week 5: Down in the bayou, facing the New Orleans Saints
The oddsmakers like the Saints in this one but I think Jameis Winston is rubbish. That doesn’t mean that I think we’ll win though. Maybe we do - I hope we do - but I’m going to call this a Loss.
Week 6: At home vs. the Arizona Cardinals, sans DeAndre Hopkins (who will be serving the final game of his PED suspension)
Yeah, I already gave 2 reasons for a Seahawks win (home game, no D-Hop) so let’s move on.
Week 7: At the Los Angeles Chargers
There are 2 games on the schedule that even optimists are fairly certain the Seahawks will lose and this is one of them. (Spoiler: K.C. is the other one.)
Week 8: Vs. the New York Giants
The Seahawks are going to be favored in this game, especially if they’re 5-2 heading into it. I expect the Giants to win about 4 games this year and this will not be one of them.
Week 9: At Arizona
I’m okay with a split (but I’m pulling for the sweep). Just please don’t let anyone get injured at the House of Horrors that is State Farm Stadium.
Week 10: Germany, baby!
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the “home” team and will probably be favored by a touchdown or so. The game starts at 6:30am Pacific Time (Ugh!). Let’s pencil this one into the Loss column, maybe get some extra sleep, and and hope that the DVR proves me wrong.
Week 11: Seattle’s bye week
The Seahawks could be 6-4 at this point … plus or minus a couple of games. I’m going with 6-4 though - Vegas oddsmakers and their Over/Under of 5.5 be damned.
Week 12: Vs. the Las Vegas Raiders
Davante Adams catching passes from his good friend -slash- college quarterback, Derek Carr, is going to be a lot of fun to watch. But the Raiders will be coming off a road game against the Broncos whereas the Seahawks will be well-rested. This one should be a W.
Week 13: At the Los Angeles Rams
There are reasons why I think this could be a W but I’m not going to get into them today. Put this one down as a Loss … for now.
Week 14: Vs. the Carolina Panthers
Pete Carroll and John Schneider clearly didn’t think Baker Mayfield was better than their in-house options and I would have a hard time arguing that they were wrong. I’m putting this one in the Win column.
Week 15: Vs. the 49ers … on Thursday Night Football
I’m going to ride or die on the Seahawks continued dominance of the Niners with a healthy belief that Seattle is the best “prime time” team in the league … even without Russell Wilson leading the charge.
Week 16: At the Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas Eve (day)
Yes, it’s a 10am start on the west coast and, yes, the Chiefs are expected to be very good this year (again). But the 12s deserve a Christmas miracle and there’s always one game a year that no one could ever expect to end the way it does. This. Could. Be. That. Game. (But probably not.)
Week 17: Vs. the New York Jets
New Year’s Day is supposed to be set aside for college bowl games but not this year. The Jets are not a threat; this is a W.
Week 18: Season finale, against the hated L.A. Rams, at home
I’ve already laid out a path for the Seahawks to get to double-digit wins, even if the Christmas miracle goes the other way, so we’ll let the Rams have this one. For now.
Yes, it would take a lot of things going the Seahawks’ way for them to get to 10+ wins.
But …
As I have shown ...
Double digit wins is possible.
Go Hawks!
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