I hate this awful taste in my mouth!

"I think I'm gonna be ill!" - Me watching this, last Thursday.



Losing sucks.  Losing to the team you hate the most sucks even worse.  Losing to the team you hate the most and then having to wait 10 days until your next game?  The worst!  Hey, I guess that's an improvement over years prior though, right?  I mean, I vividly remember dreading gameday during the Mora year and even when we floundered under Holmgren in his final season.  Let me rephrase...  I always love watching the Seahawks, there's not many things in life I enjoy more, but there have been quite a few seasons where my feelings towards the team were apathetic at best.  That feeling of dreading the forthcoming beatdown is now gone and now I'm actually looking forward to the next game after a tough loss, that's gotta be good, right?  Anyone?  Bueller?!

So things didn't go how we wanted them to down by the bay.  Am I terribly surprised?  That'd be a lie, your honor.  As much as I wanted to take a hot yoga class with Pete Carroll and Phil Jackson and believe that eminating positive energy would help free the 'Hawks of their divisional road shackles, I always knew in the back of my head that this game was an uphill battle.  Only, it wasn't!  The game was there for the taking and I guess that's what leaves me with this bitter taste in my mouth.  I'm talkin the dog in this commercial type bitter...

So what went wrong?  Well, the running backs and receivers must've watched an NFL Films season review of the 2004 Seahawks.  I must admit they paid great tribute to Darrell Jackson, Koren Robinson, and co.  They were surely watching with great pride.  Key drop after key drop, one of the worst things to sit through and watch as a fan.  Luckily this hasn't been a problem all season, so we'll see if these guys can get a quick case of alzheimer's and forget about it.  Other things that sucked...

- Nothing more disheartening than watching the Niners pound the ball on us at will.  Trap play after trap play, their OLine were treating our defense the way Frankenstein treats children.  Not a good look.  To be fair though, the Niners OLine is outstanding.  Mike Iupati especially looks the part of "Future All-Pro."  Go Vandals!  Okay, enough with the 49ers respect!

- I hate Ted Ginn so much or at least our inability to shut him down.  Can we please stop this guy from running circles around us for once?  Pretty please?  I'm going to find a Ted Ginn 49ers card and burn it the next time these two play as some sort of sadistic voodoo ritual.  Maybe that'll do the trick...

- Can we trade for Rocky Bernard and have him engulf Alex Smith in his belly again?  Seriously, the only thing worse than losing to Alex friggin Smith would be...

- LOSING TO JIM HARBAUGH!  I can't stand it!  This HAS TO end in December at CenturyLink.  Absolutely has to!  I've never heard someone whine like Harbaugh... after a win!  He talks about other teams like the Giants using their esteemed history and visability as a way to influence the officiating but how many times did I see Harbaugh bitch about a call only for the refs to pick up the flag?  Multiple times!  Now, to be fair, most of the times he was right with his arguements and the correct call ended up being made.  However, I can only remember one instance where Pete Carroll lobbied for a flag to be picked up or a call reversed and it actually happening, and that was with replacement officials!  What's almost worse than all of this is the NFL Network's obsession with showing Harbaugh's reactions instead of showing the damn game!  Get over him!  Rant over, for now...

- Everyone's given Darrell Bevell a lot of shit this season, myself included, so I'll keep it brief.  He's got to improve with his playcalling the rest of the way if this team is going to go anywhere this season.  If this team doesn't go anywhere this season, I'd seriously hope that PC/JS at least look in to a new offensive coordinator.  Obviously, you don't want to "Alex Smith" Russell Wilson and feed him a new system and coordinator every season, but he's smart enough to handle it and if it's the only thing holding this team back, why not?  It's all about fielding the best person/player at every position in the organization.  I'm willing to see what Bevell can do the rest of the way but if the offense is holding this team back, it's time to part ways and look at someone like Hue Jackson or John Gruden (probably an unrealistic pipe dream but what the heck) as well as drafting some dynamic receivers in the early rounds of the upcoming draft.  Let's see what happens though.  I'm willing to give this one a "play it by ear" type of approach.  Hopefully people step up...

-Oh, one last thing...  not to sound like a broken record but MORE SIDNEY RICE AND ZACH MILLER, please...  Thanks!

- Much like the Cards game, our defense couldn't stop any short passes or anything in the flats.  I love this defense to death, literally, like I will die loving the 2012 Seahawks defense no matter when it is I die (please don't let it be during this season, to paraphrase the great Beano Cook... I've gotta see if the Hawks win the Super Bowl) BUT they do have their shortcomings, albeit small ones that can be fixed.  Also, more forced turnovers would be nice...

Funny enough, that's really about it with the negatives from this game.  Even though we lost 13-6 to a divisional rival, I'm not livid or through the roof after this one.  You just knew, if you were being realistic, that this was going to be a tough one no matter how you sliced it.  The reality of the matter is that the 49ers are slightly ahead of us but we did show a bunch of positives that tell me things won't last this way for too much longer.  Here's a look at some of them...

- Marshawn Lynch has now eclipsed Ricky "Running" Watters as my favorite running back of all-time.  Did you see him run through Dashon Goldson?  He reversed Goldson's maturation as a man and sent him back to his days as a prepubscent little boy.

Kudos to fieldgulls.com for the GIF.  Speaking of Field Gulls, you should probably check out Mike Chan's article profiling some of the science behind Marshawn Lynch abusing Dashon Goldson, here...

The Science Behind The Beast

I'm not a numbers guy at all, so I honestly didn't even look at any of the equations involved but I'm sure some of you out there are much sharper (but not as handsome) as I am and would have some fun with that.  Also, there's plenty of cool pictures with arrows and stuff.  Like John Madden meets John Nash.

But anyway, where was I?  Oh yeah, back to Marshawn Lynch.  I love the guy.  If there were a biopic about Marshawn it's obvious that he'd have to be played by one of these 3 guys...

1) Liam Neeson
2) Denzel Washington
3) Ving Rhames

I'm leaning towards Liam becoming the Jackie Robinson of Hollywood and breaking through the color barrier on this one.  How could you not love 'Beast Mode'?  The guy is the consumate professional, likes to have fun off the field like a real f'n person and not some robot, and LOVES to dish out the pain on gameday.  Let's face it, the NFL under Roger Goodell has become a soft, quasi-contact sport with an affinity towards pink accessories and work safety video-esque commercials geared towards making the NFL look like a game my 3 year old sister should try out for instead of a game played by weathered, reckless barbarians.  In these dark times, it's refreshing to see the 'Hawks as one of the few "old school" type teams that will body slam you, shank you outside in the parking lot, win the game, steal your women, and empty out your fridge of it's contents while watching some porn on your PS3 (without deleting the history) on YOUR recliner in the process.  Part of this image, a major part of it, starts with Marshawn Lynch and that is why I love the man in a completely bromantic sort of way.

- Awful boneheaded pick aside, Russell Wilson looked the part of a dude who wanted to win the friggin game.  His pass catchers missed the short plane ride to San Fran but Russell looked poised and unaffected by the magnitude of the game.  Even the interception, while admittedly a horrible decision and throw, can be excused away by the fact that it was basically an early punt.  It also stopped us from having to probably witness another disheartening drop from Golden Tate.  It's just a hunch, but I'm thinking Sunday might be another solid game from Russell in the mold of the Carolina game from earlier this season.  Detroit's undisciplined defense can be exploited through play action and rollouts/bootlegs.  Seems like the perfect opportunity for Russ.  Make it happen, Bevell.

- $20 says that if the 'Hawks lose all the Wilson-bashing Flynn-lovers will come out of the woodwork screaming how Matt Flynn would've put up Gino Smith vs. Baylor type numbers in a 99-0 Seahawks victory.  I'm convinced that some of these people don't even watch football or sports to see what happens but to instead try and predict what will happen and then say "I was right, you were wrong!" afterwards.  That is the generation we currently live in...  fuck we're screwed! 

- This secondary is amazing.  I still can't believe that just 2 years ago this was one of the worst units on the team and in the entire league.  Kudos to everyone involved in scouting, drafting, and coaching these guys up to being THE BEST secondary in the NFL, not just the biggest.

- The Offensive Line did a pretty great job of holding off the 49ers defense, no pun intended.  Although I'm sure Jim Harbaugh is probably reading this (ok let's be real there's no way he is or ever will) and lobbying to the NFL that this blog be shut down, immediately.  Knowing Roger Goodell, I'm sure this blog WILL be shut down within an hour.  It was nice knowing you all.  All 3 of you.  Did I mention that Russell Okung pancaked the shit out of Justin Smith?!  No?  Well, here it is!  Kudos to Hawkblogger on this gif...

 

Ahhh, good times!  At least if this NFL thing doesn't work out for Russ he'll make a great line-cook at IHOP.  Hope he doesn't mind the slight drop off in salary.

 

The OLine was pretty solid against a vaunted front seven.  Definitely a positive to build on heading towards the midway part of the season.

 

So next up it's Detroit, a formidable opponent in an early season slump that definitely can not be taken lightly.  No matter how great our secondary is, if the front seven can't pressure Stafford early and often this game will not go according to plan, I can guarentee that much.  This loss sucked on teams now occupying the Barclays Center type levels for sentimental reasons but all hope is not lost.  Yeah it sucks to lose to the Digits and yeah it sucks to start off 0-3 in the division but I'm not worried.  It's obvious that the talent is there and that this team is not far off from being one of the best teams in the league on a consistent basis.  It didn't happen last week but I'm confident in the Seahawks ability to bounce back from a tough loss with a midly surprising win.  Just when you're ready to shout SOS! from the top of the nearest, highest bridge while plummeting ferociously towards your near certain demise, Pete Carroll has the team ready to go and ready to quell the naysayers.  Let's hope it happens again on Sunday.

 

Onwards and upwards my brothas.  What do you all think mah brothas?

 

Here's a tune to get you ready for this Sunday because the Seahawks are surely gonna need a witness!

 

Just Because Video of the Day

 

 

Kudos to the dude making these.  They're friggin awesome!  For most secondary's in the league, this video would be a season's worth of highlights.  For the Legion of Boom, it's almost half a season's worth.  They're a pack of ravenous wolves damnit! 

 

I've had this vision this week where Brandon Browner body slams Megatron and quickly covers him for the pin, much to the chagrin of the Detroit faithful.  It'd be the football equivalent of Hogan body slamming Andre the Giant.  Funny enough, that legendary slam occured in the Lions old building, the Pontiac Silverdome.  Hmmm....

 

Make it happen BB! 

You just gotta love the 'Hawks!

Seriously...  how can you not love this team my brothas?

 

The One Circled on the Calendar

Ever since the NFL regular season schedule was released in April, I've been waiting for this game.  Although teams like Dallas, Green Bay, and New England were peppered throughout the Seahawks early season schedule, the 49ers game is still the one that jumped out at me.  They are the team that likely stands between the Seahawks and the NFC West crown.  They also beat the Hawks twice last season in two intense games.  Sprinkle in this...

and the fact that the teams are built to play similar styles of football and you've got the recipe for a great rivalry.  Oh, and did I mention that the fans of each team are really starting to hate one another?  That helps too.  The 49ers and their fans were none to happy about the hit Michael Robinson and Adrian Moten put on Kyle Williams last season.  I thought it was clean and should have been a fumble but 49ers fans called the Seahawks dirty and their fans tasteless for cheering as Kyle Williams stayed on the turf after a devastating double decker Seahawk sandwich.  Kind of funny and ironic when you consider that 49ers fans went nuts back in 09 when Patrick Willis injured Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck.  But that's neither here nor there.

The good news is that the Seahawks are currently trending upward with the 49ers now trending downward.  Seattle has won 2 in a row and 4 of their last 5 while the 49ers are coming off a spanking at home from the Giants and have lost 2 of their last 4.  While it seems that Seattle is beginning to figure out the rest of the league and how to win games playing their brand of football, it appears that teams are starting to figure out how to beat the 49ers.  Once again the Giants have provided the Seahawks with a formula to defeat a common opponent.  First it was their dominance over the Carolina Panthers that showed the Panthers weaknesses against the run and inability to stop tall receivers as well as how to slow down Cam Newton.  Then it was the Patriots.  Play physical with Brady and his skill players and they will wear down as the game progresses.  Now it's the 49ers.  The Giants demonstrated that if you contain Vernon Davis and the 49ers running game, they don't have the quarterback or the firepower to come from behind against a tough defense.  Of course that's easier said than done, but the Seahawks are the type of team that was built to stop teams like the UTEP Miners 49ers.

The bad news, as far as this game is concerned, is that most of the Seahawks success so far this season has come at home.  They are 1-2 on the road and 0-2 on the road in the division.  Granted, they won their last road game at Carolina and have had a shot to win all 3 but failed to execute in Arizona and St. Louis.  This is still a major test for such a young team and they'll have to prove that they can bounce back on short rest and win their toughest road game of the season.  San Fran is going to be super charged up for this one and will be looking to wipe that bad taste out of their mouths against a division rival on primetime.

Normally this isn't the ideal situation that you'd want the Seahawks to be in.  However, this time things feel different.  It's true that Russell Wilson and the offense will see a much tougher defensive task tomorrow night.  I certainly don't expect 3 bombs of 46 yards or more this week, but I hope that the offense continues to open it up.  They'll have to play extremely smart since the 49ers ravenous defense will be looking to take advantage of any Seahawk mistakes but keep in mind that nearly this exact same team beat the 49ers with Tarvaris Jackson at the helm last season in December.  With all due respect to Tarvaris and the job he did in Seattle, I feel that we can reasonably expect improvement in that area for this game.  Here's some other key things to keep an eye an out for as the Seahawks dig for gold in look to kick some ass in San Francisco!

- Alex Smith looks like Ryan Gosling.  If there were a documentary about mediocre 1st round, 8 year project quarterbacks then Gosling would definitely play Smith.  Having said that, Smith has played well against Seattle of late.  In the past he's offered just enough with his wheels to keep the Seahawks defense off balance.  However, this defense is much faster than any Seahawks defense Smith has faced in the past.  They are also vicious open field hitters/tacklers and sometimes play past the whistle.  Smith is already nursing an injured finger and play a miserable game against the Giants defense.  Let's get to him early and often and take him out of this one early.  Remember that sack Rocky Bernard had on Alex?  Good, me too.  I bet Smith does as well.

- Can the 'Hawks duplicate their success from last season against Frank Gore?  They'll have to in order to jump on the 49ers early.  I'm almost more worried about Kendall Hunter than I am of Gore.  Gore used to destroy us but Hunter is the type of shifty scatback that the Seahawks tend to struggle with but this defense is different than any defense we've had in the past.  In the past the 49ers have lined up in run heavy formations with extra linemen in order to jam the ball down the Seahawks throats.  We've even seen DT Isaac Sopoaga line up at fullback in goal line situations.  On the flip side, Mebane and Branch are having incredible years and we've seen how stout Bryant and even Clemons can be against the run.  Gonna be my favorite part of watching this game, watching the play in the trenches.  Should be absolutely nasty.

- I'd say that K.J. Wright and Bobby Wagner are lookin like our version of NaVorro Bowman and Patrick Willis, in their own unique way.  They might not be there just yet, but the potential is there for them to be just as good in my opinion. 

- DO NOT RETALIATE!  We all know that NFL refs are famous for seeing the second man retaliate after missing the original cheapshot.  There are definitely going to be some "altercations" in this one.  I fully expect to hear the announcers talk about how vicious and heated the teams are and how they've got to "settle down."  "Chippy" will be used to describe this game numerous times, get ready for it.  The Hawks can get ready for this by taking a look at Richard Sherman's tape from the Carolina game.  There were numerous times where Steve Smith should've rightfully been called for a personal foul or offensive pass interference.  I'm glad they weren't called because to me it was just two competitors goin at it, but the key was that Sherman never fell for Smith's antics.  Now, if someone takes a cheap shot at Russell or Marshawn that's a different story.  Send Giacomini after em and take the 15!  This team don't let shit fly.

- Turbin Time!  I expect both teams to try and establish the run and grind it out to victory.  The 49ers more so than the Seahawks actually.  That's why I hope that Robert Turbin gets a few more touches in this one.  He's shown reliable hands catching passes out of the backfield and showed that he can lower the boom in the St. Louis game.  Marshawn just took a beating against New England and while I know that he'll bring his A-Game to Candlestick it's important that Turbin do the same.  We're going to see a mix of Gore, Hunter, and Jacobs all night long.  Hopefully Turbin gets in to the mix as well.

- Continue to stretch the field.  We've seen Sidney, Tate, Baldwin, and even Zach Miller show the ability to stretch opposing defenses.  This is a crucial element for this offense as it gives them much needed balance.  We saw some of the guys on offense talk about finally opening up the offense, this is something that has to continue.  I expect it'll get dialed down a bit for the 49ers game but they've got to try and stretch the field consistently throughout the game.

- Doug Baldwin broke out against his former college coach in the opener last season.  He also scored against them in the home game in Seattle.  Baldwin's a determined dude.  You know he just loves playing his ex college coach who passed over him in the NFL and would love nothing more than to stick it to him, again.  Same goes for Tricky Dick Sherman.

- This would be an excellent time to see Kam Chancellor have his signature hit for the 2012 season.  Vernon Davis would be an excellent target.  Just sayin.

- Get ready for a streetfight and another nailbiter.  Luckily, this team is getting pretty good at those.  I get the feeling that Harbaugh is going to want to prove that he can execute his gameplan against the Seahawks will.  For some reason, I feel that the Niners still feel that they are leaps and bounds more physical and tougher than their foes from the Pacific Northwest.  I hope that this is the case at least, because Seattle will certainly show them otherwise.

- Let's hope the Niners break out Colin Kaepernick, the Pistol, and the Option.  We saw how Brandon Browner and the boys feasted on Cam Newton when he ran the option.  Kaepernick is quicker than Newton, but not as good a runner as Cam.

- Sherman v. Moss should be great.  Of course, San Francisco could try and isolate Moss on Browner but Brandon's press coverage skills might have something to say about that.  I can't wait to see Ringworm get in Moss' face!  In general, the 49ers receivers don't scare me much.  Hopefully Tru bounces back after the Pats game and has a solid game out of the slot.  Also, let's try and not let Michael Crabtree look like he's back at Texas Tech this time. 

- Bring the pain! 

I think the Seahawks stand a fighting chance in this one.  A big road win wouldn't surprise me and would do wonders for that division record.  The 49ers are going to be pissed after being humiliated at home by the Giants but that doesn't mean the Seahawks are just going to roll over and let them take this one.  They've got this magical ability to do the unexpected, especially when they're underdogs.  The game's opening line?  San Fran favored by 7.  I prefer the Seahawks be the underdog really.  That's where they seem to do the most damage.  Regardless, you can bet that the team has had this game circled on the calendar for a while now.

Did That Really Happen?!

Brandon Browner pulverizing Wes Welker courtesy of BigLeadSports

And that wasn't the only time Brandon Browner annihilated Wes Welker.  Welker's tough and had a great game but in the end it was the Seahawks who were built like warriors, outlasting the exhausted defending AFC Champion Chowdawheadz Patriots.

Brady was getting anything and everything early on and seemed primed for a massive game but the SeaFence wasn't havin it!  I felt that the players were making plays when given the opportunity but the playcalling on both sides of the ball seemed timid.  Gus Bradley did a great job at the half of making the necessary adjustments (a common theme here) to shut down the Patriots offense and the players executed them to perfection.  Darrell Bevell had his up and down moments as well but in the end found the formula for success and more importantly, victory.

Things weren't looking too good for a minute there.  I've got to admit that I thought I was having an SOS moment before Russell Wilson and the defense turned the game on it's head.  I still can't believe they really won this game.  It's apparent that this team isn't the Same Old Seahawks and that it deserves our 100% loyalty and pride.  These guys never give up and have come up with big play after big play when it's absolutely needed most.  You always hear sayings like "learning how to win" trotted out but it seems to be the case here.  This team is finding the recipe for success and showing a knack for getting it done when it matters most, no matter who the opponent is.  Here are some other notes from this massive win!

- Bobby Wagner is a stud, period.  What a blend of speed and toughness, and he does an impressive job of diagnosing and shedding blocks.  Seems to get better week by week.  Could he be better then Lofa in time?  I'm excited about his potential and the progression/production we're already seeing from him

- Russell Wilson looked the part of franchise quarterback.  With his back up against the wall, down 13 in the 4th quarter, Russell showed why John Schneider loves him so much.  Ballsy throw to Edwards on 4th and 3 when Tate was probably the go to option and 3 beautiful deep bombs to Baldwin, Tate, and of course Rice for the winner.  Gotta love what you saw from #3.

- Richard Sherman turns opposing wide receivers into invisible men out there.  If I were an opposing coordinator I'd line up my weakest line across for him every time.  He talks the talk like a young Ali and backs it up like the first Richard Sherman.  He's a unique talent and one that we're lucky we get to watch blanket opposing receivers every week.  You can tell he was a receiver for most of his life.  He does an excellent job of boxing out receivers and high pointing the ball to pluck away interceptions from helpless, unsuspecting receivers.  He has a skill of making it look like he's the intended receiver.  RARE!

- We're still good for a few WTF moments out there but it kind of makes the game even more enjoyable.  My heart begs to differ but the guys have done a good job of overcoming penalties, shady playcalling, bonehead mistakes and miscues, dropped passes, etc.  Jon Ryan's fumbled snap was this week's WTF moment for sure.  You know he's glad the team picked him up after that one.

- McQuistan got blown up quite a few times and had some key whiffs.  He's normally pretty solid, which made this surprising.  We'll see if he bounces back against the Niners.

- I've got a ton of respect for what James Carpenter has been able to do this season.  Some thought he'd be done for the season and yet he's been extremely solid since his return, a testament to his hard work and dedication.

- We won't see Walter Thurmond III this week due to the short week but apparently he should be ready to go for the Lions game.  We'll see if he can provide a similar impact to Carptenter upon his return.  While the secondary has been lights out this year, Tru could use some competition in the nickel.  I think WTIII will be a nice shot in the arm.

- I'm never doubting this team again.  This is the most exciting Seahawks football team I've ever watched.  With the offense looking like it now has some life and potential, every moment of every game seems jam packed with excitement and anticipation. 

- This game reminded me a lot of the Cowboys game in 2005.  A game the Seahawks won 13-10 on a last second 55 yard field goal from Josh Brown.  That game was in Week 7, this game week 6. Rainy and windy conditions throughout the game, Seahawks stage a late comeback on the strength of a tough defensive performance and timely interceptions, and a dramatic victory.  We'll see if this game is the catalyst for an 11 game winning streak like in 2005.  Seriously.  I wouldn't put it past this team.

- Don't even know what to say about Brandon Browner except that I love him. 

- Great to see Doug Baldwin making an impact again.  I just love the guy's tenacity and his willingess to give up the body for the team.  Nice game Dougie Fresh!

- Can't wait to see Turbin get more touches.  There's going to be games where opposing defenses are hellbent on taking away Marshawn.  It happened on Sunday.  I think in games where this is the case, we'll see more and more of Turbin as the season progresses. 

- The punt return by Leon to set up the final drive was glorious.  The rest of his game might've been unspectacular but he came up aces when we needed him most.  Love having him on the team!

- Got to try and avoid obvious mismatches like Jeron Johnson guarding Aaron Hernandez at the 1 yard line.  I'm a fan of Jeron but he didn't stand a chance there.  I had a Kelly Jennings flashback for a minute there. 

- How huge was the grounding call on Brady to end the 1st half?  The stars aligned for us on that one.

- K.J. Wright is a scary dude.  I can't help but laugh when I think of him hitting me and me then being fed through a straw for the rest of my life.

- I like keeping Wagner on the field in the nickel with Leroy going to the sidelines.  Hill's solid in the base package but has never been very reliable in coverage.  The D needs Wagz on the field as much as possible.

- Big shout out to Braylon on the TD catch.  He stepped up when his number was called.  Hopefully we'll see more of this.

- I love Pete Carroll and John Schneider.

4-2 with the Niners in San Fran tomorrow!  This is the game I had circled on the calendar when the schedules were released in April.  I was very optimistic that the 'Hawks would be much improved and would possibly exact revenge on Harbaugh and co.  Before the season, I would've told you that this game is probably a loss but now I'm definitely feeling the opposite way.  Funny how momentum can change your perception.  The Niners just got hammered at home by the Giants and looked lousy in the process.  Meanwhile the Hawks are coming off of an emotional rollercoaster of a win against the Pats.  Worry not, this isn't the Same Old Seahawks and I'd be surprised by a letdown.  Here's hoping the team rides this wave of momentum in to another upset victory over one of "America's teams." 

WE ALL WE GOT, WE ALL WE NEED!  Go Hawks!

RIP Beano Cook

Damn.  Beano always was one of my absolute favorites.  That kind of wit and humor is so rare in the sports media these days.  Everybody's shootin for it, but can't quite get it.  The sports and football world lost a legend and a one of a kind today.  There ain't gonna be another one quite like Beano.

 

 

Some Love for Brandon Browner

 

Chiefs OT Eric Winston recently commented "We're athletes.  We're not gladiators.  This isn't the Roman Coliseum."  He said this in response to Kansas City fans getting all Philadelphia for a minute and cheering as Matt Cassel suffered a head injury that forced him from the game...

Eric Winston has clearly never met Brandon Browner.  Browner not only looks the part of ancient gladiator but he plays the part just as well.  He's the kind of guy that invites violent contact and wants nothing more than to inflict pain and destroy the souls of any opponent who stands in his path.  Whether it be DeSean Jackson, Greg Jennings, Jerome Simpson, Eli Manning, whoever it may be the man simply doesn't give a shit.  This guy entertains the hell out of me.  More so than any other football player I could ever remember.  He defies logic and to me he defines what it means to be a Seattle Seahawk.  So without further ado, here is some much needed Brandon Browner love!

Oct 9, 2011 - This play against the Giants was not only a game clincher and a game changer, it was also a life changer for yours truly.  I was at this game with a buddy and my girlfriend.  It was my girlfriend's first professional football game and she comes from a family of Giants fans.  My buddy is a Giants season ticket holder and has had season tickets in his family for decades.  I was sitting in a section, of course, surrounded by Giants fans with me and 2 or 3 others as the only exception.  You'll remember the game was a great back and forth affair and the back and forth carried over to the upper deck.  I was getting relentlessly harrassed by Giants fans, especially so by the two "gentlemen" sitting right behind me.  Things were getting very heated and very personal.  My buddy, now a New York City Police Officer, had to step in and stop things before they got out of control and thankfully so.  As I tuned these two jobbers and countless other trashy Giants fans out of mind a crazy thing happened.  After our former savior Charlie Whitehurst found Doug Baldwin in the endzone for 6, the Seahawks had the lead 29-25!  Now, it's important that you know that I had been to the "Old" Meadowlands 4 times prior to this and each time I witnessed a Seahawks loss, (thrice to the Giants, once to the Jets) including a 44-6 drubbing at the hands of the Giants just three years prior.  Knowing this, I was setting myself up for the seemingly inevitable.  I had seen Kerry Collins drive the length of the field with under 2 minutes to go literally a decade earlier to dash my dreams as a 14 year old at his first Seahawks game ever, I couldn't stand to watch Eli Manning do the same.

The Giants marched down the field like I knew they would before getting inside the 20 where things started to look real bleak.  As the until-then comatose NY/NJ crowd typically sprang back to life as victory seemed certain, a hero stood up amongst the Seahawks and made certain that my day would not follow the same script it usually had.  This was the "New" Meadowlands and this was a new breed of Seahawks.  That man of course, was Brandon Browner.  What happened next literally blew my mind and changed my life..

To this day, I consider this one of the top 5 happiest moments of my life.  I'm talking pure, natural hype and happiness.  I've got the birth of my little sister and my nephew up there, of course, but this wasn't even just a great "sports moment" this was a great LIFE moment!  I love the Seahawks and I always believe in them but even I couldn't have come up with a better way to end a game.  As Brandon Browner raced past Pete Carroll, who was going nuts on the sidelines, I followed Pete's lead and was in pure jubilation in the upper deck.  Screaming, hooting, hollering, whatever sounds came out of me it was all involuntary.  People began to throw things at me, yell obscenities, threaten me to fights in the parking lot, the anger was so real.  And it was so damn amazing!  It was so worth it!  Brandon Browner put me on top of the world and I'll never, ever forget this moment and neither will my buddy or my girlfriend.  That night, we met up with our friends who had been watching the game on TV at our local watering hole.  Everyone knew how excited I was and everyone took the time to congratulate me on what was an amazing experience.  We partied in to the wee hours of the night and I swear that the hangover the next day was the best hangover of my life!  All thanks to Brandon Browner.

Let me back track a bit right now.  For some reason, I grew up loving the Pac-10 (errrr 12, my bad), the Pacific Northwest, Idaho, Montana, weird stuff like that for a kid from NYC.  I was really in to the Pac 10, a diehard Cougs fan, and it was then that I first saw Brandon Browner play.  I remember being in awe of the 6'4 200+ pound corner at Oregon State who would just thrash opposing receivers at the line of scrimmage.  It was around the time of Steven Jackson, Derek Anderson, Nick Barnett and Dwan Edwards.  Not a bad squad at all.  Browner was a monster his redshirt freshman year snatching 6 picks and making numerous Freshman All-American teams.  After that season, the hype on Browner died a bit and I remember being upset when he wasn't drafted and had to sign as a UDFA for the Broncos.  They tried converting him to safety but an injury ended his stay there and it was time for a new path for the big fella.

Now fast forward to 2 offseasons ago.  I had kept track of Browner's career with the Calgary Stampeders since I'm a big fan of Canada (diehard Blue Jays fan, sorry M's fans, I do have a soft spot in my heart for them though!) and I had heard some rumblings that he was going to attempt to make a comeback to the NFL.  I was excited at the possibilities and then started to think about the Seahawks preference for long corners who can play press coverage as well as make plays on the ball.  Browner fit the bill.  Boom, a few weeks later the Seahawks sign him to a Futures Contract and I'm ecstatic!  I browsed through some of the forums I frequent (.Net is my addiction) and saw a lukewarm reception to the signing.  Some called him the next Jesse Lumsden but deep down inside I knew that this guy would make an impact.  If I'm to be honest with myself, I don't think I truly expected Brandon to play at the level we have seen him play at with the Seahawks, but that's a testament to the man that Brandon Browner is.  His commitment to working hard and improving is obvious to anyone who saw Mike Wallace treat him like he was Mike "Roast" Rumph last season.  Rather than get down on himself, Browner just kept getting better.  His transformation from raw, physical specimen playing corner to Pro Bowl corner has been a marvel to watch.

When I think of the Seattle Seahawks under Pete Carroll and John Schneider, I think of guys with talent, a chip on their shoulder, often overlooked and underappreciated, with the dedication required to improve immensely.  I think a lot of that stems from Pete Carroll placing belief and faith in guys who probably haven't felt that feeling before.  When someone believes in you it's an amazing feeling and amazing things can stem from it.  I think that's why you see our great core of young guys constantly improving.  Russell Wilson is trending upward, Bruce Irvin, Kam, Sherm, E.T., K.J. Wright, Golden, etc. all these guys seem to be getting better with each game.  It's a beautiful thing to watch and I know I'm not alone on that feeling.  I think the four biggest examples of guys getting a chance and improving under Pete Carroll are Browner, Bryant, Lynch, and Clemons.  Bryant was a failed DT and looked to be on his way out until a change to DE turned his career around and has turned him in to one of the fan favorites on the team and a force to be reckoned with.  Lynch was traded by the Bills and got off to a slow start with Seattle before "Beast Mode" became a household name against New Orleans.  Even then Marshawn struggled early last season but after improvements he made and the offensive line made, he's become one of the best running backs in the league.  Clemons wasn't even wanted by Seahawks fans at first!  Trading Darryl Tapp was considered a sinful act until Clemons showed (and continues to weekly) that he was the perfect fit for the LEO in Pete Carroll's unique defense.  However, Brandon Browner one upped all of them by coming over from the CFL and turning in to a Pro Bowler in his first season!  I don't know if I've ever been happier for a pro athlete...

What's best about Browner is that he continues to improve week after week and he continues to make huge plays whenever the Seahawks need him.  He's become the new "Big Play" Babs in my mind.  He just has the uncanny ability to come up aces whenever the Seahawks need a big play.  His forced fumble against Carolina, in my mind at least, was THE game changing play of the game.  A close second, again just my opinion, would be him teaming with Truuuuuuuu!! to stop Louis Murphy at the 1 on what could've been a go-ahead touchdown for the Panthers.  Cam Newton got the yutz on the next play and the Seahawks went on to win.  None of it possible without the savage play from Brandon Browner.  The stop at the 1 yard line also had personal significance for yours truly.  I've had a Marcus Trufant Authentic Jersey for years now, I'm pretty sure I got it as a gift from my father on Christmas one of the first seasons the team switched over to the last jerseys.  It's my gameday staple and I've worn the shit out of that thing.  It's still in excellent shape but it's time to move in to the new era of Seahawks football.  I need a new jersey and that goal line stop by Tru and Browner signified a changing of the guard for me.  It was Tru passing the torch to Brandon Browner and now there is no doubt in my mind that when I'm not such a broke ass and can afford it (unless my girlfriend's reading this, then there is no excuse for me not to have a Brandon Browner jersey by Christmas) I will be getting a #39 jersey.  And can I say that I love the #39?  I played baseball my whole life and towards the end of my "career" I started wearing the #38 to signify my birthday, March 8th.  The only question now is whether I get a home blue or wolf grey, hmmm...

 

Brandon Browner doesn't just bring the pain anymore, the man can straight ball.  However, watching Brandon Browner bring the pain has been one of my favorite things to watch when watching Seahawks football since he joined the team.  Fittingly, I felt that I should leave you all with some of my favorites from #39, enjoy!

 

 

 

Thoughts on Street Fight Win in Charlotte

SONIC BOOM!

Sorry I'm a day late and a dollar short but I had a buddy from WAZZU in town that'd I hadn't seen in years.  Needless to say great times were had and the Seahawks rang in the festivities in typical Seahawks fashion.  Nothing's ever easy with this team but I'm thinking John Schneider must be giddy as a schoolboy right now.  The 'Hawks defense once again showed how talented and ruthless they are and the offense, despite momentum shattering penalty after momentum shattering penalty, showed signs of improvement in a huge road win at Carolina.  Long story short, Seattle redefined "gutting it out" in this one.

By now you've read all the recaps and you've heard all the press conferences.  John Schneider wasn't kidding about wanting to build this team to win street fights.  It seems like every game has been one and the Seahawks have won more than they have lost.  It's important to remember that anything goes in a street fight and it's sure felt that way with the return of the "real refs."  I get the feeling that the "real refs" work with extreme confirmation bias.  These guys have called a ton of Seahawks games during their careers and they definitely go extra hard on the 'Hawks when it comes to ticky-tack personal fouls and holds.  Meanwhile, Steve Smith was charged with attempted murder on Richard Sherman after the game, yet no flags were ever thrown for these offenses.  Kudos to "Tricky Dick" Sherm for being smart and not fighting back but everyone here knows that if it were a BrownerBomb there would be a flag, Seahawks.  Some might say the Seahawks undisciplined play is to blame for creating this confirmation bias but I'm not too sure about that.  This was the same garbage we saw when Holmgren was the HC and the team was one of the least penalized teams in the league year in and year out under the Walrus.  It's the same reason why we can't stomach most of the hacks (Tim Ryan's pretty good, gotta say) that get stuck broadcasting our games.  They're usually the 4th or 5th best crew that FOX has and they trot them out to butcher our games repeatedly.  I think I've been living in denial thinking that one day this might change but Who am I kidding?  It never will...

The quarterback conversation has been beaten to death already so I'm going to keep it brief on that topic and say that Russell Wilson had his ups and downs but ultimately showed great improvement in all areas.  Not only did penalties subtract massive yardage from his statline, they also robbed him of really getting any consistent momentum going.  Still, he overcame this and got the late touchdown pass that we've missed around here for the past year and a half.  This seems to be getting overlooked but we live in a nitpicky society where we'd rather immediately find someone's faults than their positive qualities so this doesn't surprise me much at all.  People will not be fully satisfied until Russell Wilson is hoisting the Lombardi above his head and even then they might wonder if he's too small in stature to lift it.

Kudos yet again to Frank Omiyale.  Quietly, Frank's been one of the revelations of the season.  Everybody and their momma (myself included) wanted him cut and he's done nothing but impress.  While guys like Okung and Giacomini are sabotaging drives left and right with mindless penalties (some of them at least, some have also been awful officiating) Omiyale has been the definition of solid whenever needed along the 'Hawks line.  His versatility has also been a huge plus, as he's done a great job in protection from both tackle spots.  Hats off to him.  I love Breno's nasty streak, but there comes a point in time where you've gotta clean up your act.  Nothing wrong with being a classic mauling, roadgrader but do it between the whistles, please.  I'd have no qualms with Omiyale getting the start over Giacomini next week vs. New England.

Speaking of the O-Line, how good has James Carpenter looked at left guard?  Another guy that a lot of 'Hawks fans buried that is coming back with a vengeance.  To be fair, a lot of those same doubters didn't like Carp as a Right Tackle and projected him more as a Guard, but I even liked what I saw from Carp towards the end of his season last year.  The move to guard has certainly helped him out a lot, but I don't think he would've been a complete bust at RT.

Two guys that certainly can't be labeled "busts" and deserve a ton of credit for their rapid progression are BRUUUUUUUUCE!! Irvin and Bobby Wagner.  Irvin was monumental against Carolina and I'm extremely happy for him for getting to end the game with a forced fumble.  With him and Clem playing the way they are right now, and Jason Jones showing great versatility playing all across the line and getting pressure, the Seahawks front four pass rush is showing signs of improvement.  Not to mention that Brandon Mebane is playing out of his skull right now.  To me the 2 Brandon's, Mebane and Browner, have been the most impressive players so far on an outstanding defense.  I love watching this D play their brand of ball!  It's such a rarity in this new era of the NFL.  I also loved seeing the D get off the field on 3rd downs.  Yet another area where the team they showed improvement.  Speaking of improvements, let's go back to Bobby Wagner for a minute.  Make that two games in a row now where Wagner has shown that he's on the K.J. Wright path to progression.  He just keeps on making plays and rarely appears to be out of position.  Not only that but it's looking like he's got some ability to make plays in the backfield, which would be a huge plus for the Seahawks considering not many knew if he had those abilities even in college.  Schneider and Carroll never cease to amaze me and make me realize that I should just sit back and enjoy the ride in front of me.

The last few guys I want to shout out are Darrell Bevell, Sidney Rice, and Zach Miller.  Rice and Miller looked like the marquee free-agent acquisitions they were last season with reliable, if not spectacular play.  Sidney is just a vacuum, as one dude from Carlow East calls him "Baby Fitz" and I agree.  He catches everything thrown his way and really needs to be a featured part of this offense.  Same goes for Miller, he looked great exploiting the middle of the field and showed the steady hands that made him a Pro Bowler in Oakland.  This was one of the most encouraging things I took away from this game.  That and Darrell Bevell opening things up a bit and showing some faith in Russell Wilson.  The offense looked much more capable than in the past 2 games, which is nice, but the red zone playcalling still leaves a bit to be desired.  Maybe this will all make sense in the end when Russell gushes about how thankful he is that the coaches helped slow the game down for him, etc. who really knows? 

All I know is that I am desperately awaiting the arrival of next Sunday already!  The chance to see Kam and the boys utterly annihilate Tom Brady in front of 67,000 blood thirsty fans at the CLink is something that's already got me beyond hype up for this week to fly by!  Next up, I'll be profiling some of the unheralded plays that turned a possible destructive loss in to a signature win for the Seahawks, Golden Tate and the often talked about yet rarely seen (until now.. maybe) "touchdown maker" and Brandon Browner and how he embodies the Seahawks identity on defense, and how this truly is the year of the 12.  Big win, enjoy it ladies and gentlemen.

And as always, I'd love to hear what you all have to say about the State of the Seahawks!  To quote a very smart man named after two sporting goods brands...  "GO HAWKS!"

Can the Seahawks "Kelly Jennings" the Panthers?

Help me Braylon Edwards, you're NOT my only hope!

I've got a buddy who graduated from the University of Miami.  Every Sunday whenever an ex-Hurricane does something noteworthy we'll glance over at each other and simultaneously (there goes that word again) yell "From the U!"  Doesn't matter who the guy is, how insignificant of a player he is, or how much he's sucked before hand, this is our tradition.  I'm sure there's thousands of ex-Canes doin the same thing out there all thanks to Michael Irvin.  However, there's one man who NEVER got a "from the U!" (more like F U!) from me during his time with the Seattle Seahawks and in fact I'm quite sure my friend would rather forget that his glorious (can you feel the sarcasm?) alma matter produced this guy either..  of course I'm talking about Kelly Jennings!  

Teach me how to Jennings, teach me teach me... nevermind

Jennings was actually a pretty decent cover corner and always surprised me with his ability to step up and tackle in the running game, but he'll always be remembered by the 12th Man for his horrible inability to locate the ball in the air and make a play on it.  Geez, it's frustrating just thinking about it years later!  I know what you're thinking.  You're thinking why am I administering this sick sense of cruel and unusual punishment, but don't worry there's a point.  When I look ahead to this Sunday's game against the Panthers I see a few notable mismatches that the Seahawks should be able to exploit on offense and on the defensive side of the ball.  The run game should be able to  bludgeon the Panthers weak run defense to death and if that happens they should be able to control the game and limit the amount of opportunities for one Cameron Jerrell Newton, no doubt an electrifying player unlike any quarterback the league has seen before.  No disrespect to Newton and the Panthers, whom I deeply respect as a team ever since my father bought me that Tim Biakabatuka jersey over a decade ago, but this is a contest where if the Seahawks play their game they should be able to win.  Which brings me back to our favorite anti-hero, Kelly Jennings.

I still have nightmares of Larry Fitzgerald, Marques Colston, and Vincent Jackson (to name a few) high-pointing the ball and leaping to make the insane catch over a defenseless Jennings who more often than not had his back turned to the play and hadn't even jumped to contend the pass.  You really couldn't blame the guy for opposing offensive coordinators being smart and repeatedly targeting him with their taller receivers.  The only reason why I thought of Jennings in the first place is because while I was scanning the Panthers roster I noticed that all the Panthers DB's/LB's are fairly short in comparison to the Seahawks TE's/WR's.  With Chris Gamble (6'1") out the size advantage the Seahawks will possess on offense becomes even more noticeable.  Here's a look at the Panthers DB's and LB's and their respective measurables.

CB Captain Munnerlyn (5'8"/190 lbs)
CB Josh Norman (6'0"/195 lbs)

CB Josh Thomas (5'11"/190 lbs)

S D.J. Campbell (6'0"/200 lbs)

S Charles Godfrey (5'11"/210 lbs)

S Colin Jones (6'0"/205 lbs)

S Sherrod Martin (6'1"/200 lbs)

S Haruki Nakamura (5'10"/205 lbs)

LB James Anderson (6'2"/235 lbs)
LB Jon Beason (6'0"/235 lbs)

LB Thomas Davis (6'1"/235 lbs)

LB Luke Kuechly (6'3"/235 lbs)

LB Kenny Onatolu (6'2"/235 lbs)

LB Jason Phillips (6'1"/240 lbs)

LB Jordan Senn (5'11"/225 lbs)

The Panthers also have old friend CB Ron Parker (6'0"/205 lbs) on their practice squad and it is possible that they could call him up for this game with Gamble hurting and a limited number of healthy pure Corners.  What's also interesting and kind of creepy, to me at least, is that 5 of the 7 Panthers LB's weigh 235 pounds, according to their team website.  Something tells me somebody got lazy, but I digress.  Anyway, that's a fairly undersized secondary.  Then compare that to some of the Seahawks WR's and TE's and you'll see an excellent opportunity for the Seahawks to right years of Kelly Jennings' wrongs...

WR Sidney Rice (6'4"/202 lbs)
WR Braylon Edwards (6'3"/214 lbs)

TE Zach Miller (6'5"/255 lbs)

TE Evan Moore (6'6"/250 lbs)

TE Anthony McCoy (6'5"/259 lbs)

You see that Rookie Luke Kuechly, the highly touted MLB from Boston College,  and ex-CFLer Kenny Onatolu, the Panthers version of Brandon Browner in a way, are the only guys with the size to match up with their larger counterparts.  It should be noted that both players are known for their stellar pass coverage skills, however the Seahawks should be trying to run a lot of 3 TE sets to ensure that one of the TE's is always matched up with a much smaller defender.  When I watched the Giants play the Panthers two weeks ago, it was easy to notice the dominance of Ramses Barden and Martellus Bennett, especially in the red zone.  Both players stand in at 6'6" and both absolutely shredded the Panthers secondary, boxing out smaller defenders and plucking balls out of the air at will.  Interestingly enough, the Giants utilized bruiser running back Andre Brown to perfection to set up the pass.  The Seahawks of course, have their own bruiser(s) in Marshawn "Money" Lynch and Robert "Hold my" Turbin.  The blueprint for success against this Panthers defense is out there and it's one the Seahawks should follow.  The Giants used their size advantages to simply overpower the Panthers and forced Cam Newton to play from behind all night in what was one of Newton's worst performances in the NFL.  I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that Evan Moore, who is practically the same size as Giants TE Martellus Bennett, scores his first touchdown with the Seahawks and has a breakout performance.

Let's see if Darrell Bevell, Russell Wilson, and co. can finally put it together, take advantage of the obvious size and experience mismatches and dominate an opposing defense.  We saw it happen in the 2nd half of the game against the Cowboys, hopefully this week the Seahawks can put it together for 4 dominating quarters.  I still think this will ultimately be a close game.  I need the Seahawks to prove to me they can execute their offensive gameplan and win on the road this season before I start predicting blowouts and such, but if all goes right this game does have the recipe for a Seahawks blowout victory. If they follow Tom Cable's creed "You run to win, but you throw to score" this week, their redzone bugaboos should be solved and the running game and defense should be able to take this team to 3-2 and heading home to face New England.

What do you think 12's?

Growing Pains and Enjoying the Ride

One day I tell ya!  One day this blog will be big enough to afford Photoshop to make this box cover of the First Season of Growing Pains REALLY hilarious!  For now, you'll just have to deal with Alan Thicke instead of Pete Carroll, which isn't a bad consolation prize actually..  anyways.  After the Arizona loss I wrote about how it was important for the team to not lose sight of their, and mostly Pete Carroll's, overall philosophy of not getting too high or too low after any given Sunday.  Sure, every coach and team talks about that kind of stuff, but I doubt many practice what they preach as much as the 'Hawks do in that regard.  We've seen the 'Hawks bounce back from tough losses countless times under the stewardship of Mr. Pete Carroll.  Sunday at Carolina is another chance for our boys to do so.

Much like the hit show of the mid 80's to early 90's, the Seahawks 2012 team slogan could very well be "Growing Pains."  This team is young all across the board and most of it's impact players are especially young.  Save for Brandon Browner and Chris Clemons, this team is as young and talented as it gets.  I spoke yesterday about how I might have underrated the fact of how young this team is, and I still think it's something they will ultimately overcome this season on their way to a playoff berth.  However, it's apparent that there are going to be some rough spots along the way and you'll be saving yourself a heart attack down the road by preparing for and realizing that fact now.  I encourage you to listen to this clip.  Warren Moon talks about Russell Wilson and his development and how he can improve.  It's definitely interesting stuff and I have to say that I agree with Moon here.

Warren Moon on Russell Wilson

I especially agree with Warren when he says that due to the day and age we live in where people expect instant gratification that expectations for Russell's success are at an all-time high.  Sure, you've got your success stories like Cam Newton and Andy Dalton and apparently Robert Griffin III, the rare breed of guys who can make the jump from college to the pro's and tear it up, but sometimes it doesn't pan out that way.  I was certain that Russell would hit the ground running, and in many ways he has, but it's also obvious that there are other things that this offense and specifically the passing game need to work on to get DangeRuss to that point.  The pass-protection on obvious passing plays has been suspect, the play calling has often left Russell digging out of a hole, and the receivers appear unable to get consistent separation.  Just one of these things could hinder a passing game, let alone all of them.  You could drop Johnny Unitas in to that huddle and he'd struggle to get things going.

I'm seeing a lot of overreaction from the 12th Man as well.  People looking for Flynn to start after just four games with Wilson, a guy that everyone genuinely wanted to start after his breakout pre-season.  There's no guarantee that Flynn would do any better with the limitations this passing game has right now.  I always feel that before making a change with an area of the team, it's important to have a better alternate in my mind.  You don't just change for the sake of change.  Keep in mind that Russell Wilson is now the more experienced quarterback of the two in terms of NFL games played.  If the team has training wheels on Russell Wilson aka the guy who won the job in camp then what kind of training wheels would they put on Matt Flynn, the man who lost it?  It'd probably look something like this...

Most of the struggles the team has had so far this season point to youth and inexperience as the culprit.  Needless penalties?  Got a whole lot of that goin on.  Miscommunication?  Check.  Failure to pick up assignments in pass protection?  Check.  QB escaping the pocket too early and not stepping up in the pocket?  Check.  Defense not getting off the field on 3rd downs?  Check.  A lot of parallels can be drawn to the '04 Seahawks who had the talent and just needed a little more seasoning before finally arriving as a dominant team and made the same types of mistakes that this team is making right now.  However, I think this year's version of the team is far superior to that of '04 and I fully expect them to cash in on the potential sooner rather than later.  

What's also important to realize is that prior to the season we would've been happy with a 2-2 record, or at least I know I would've.  Sure, we've bungled two winnable road games against divisional opponents and sit in last place in the division by virtue of that alone.  They still beat the Cowboys and the Packers though, two quality opponents, and played dominant defense in both of those games.  There's a plethora of 2-2 teams out there right now trying to figure themselves out and the Seahawks are one of them.  Just look at the Giants last season for an example of why you've got to buckle up and enjoy the ride. Sitting at 7-7 and with a fanbase ready to fire Tom Coughlin and hopefully bring in Bill Cowher during the off-season, the Giants went on an improbable run to end the season and eventually win the Super Bowl.  Living in New York City, I can tell you that while their fans, in typical New York fashion, enjoyed winning the Super Bowl they DID NOT enjoy the regular season.  They bitched and moaned and complained and got passive aggressive about the team all season long and then wanted to enjoy their Super Bowl as if they were behind their team the entire time.  I call BS!  I hope the 12th Man doesn't end up this way because it would be a damn shame.  We're better than that!  Just sit back and watch this team with the mindset that you know nothing about them from week to week because they're still growing and you'll save yourself from the agita and the early grave.

We don't want to be "THOSE" grumpy, miserable fans with the sense of entitlement that act like toddlers when things don't go their way because of a football game.  I've only seen a few people point out that the Seahawks have faced 4 of the Top 10 teams in the league in Pass Defense so far this season. Hardly anyone has even mentioned that when talking about Russell's performance so far as a rook.  Things get a lot easier for him, in theory, as he won't have to face another pass defense that currently ranks in the Top 10 until Week 13 at Chicago.  Stick it out my Seahawks brethren.  I know we all see the talent that this team has amassed and know that we're oh so close.  On the brink of our destiny being fulfilled and the slipper finally fitting.  However, the NFL is not a movie.  You've got to work on things, constantly make adjustments, and fight through a grizzled 16 game schedule before you can even start thinking of the glory and the payoff.  That's why it's imperative that this team keep an even keel and stick together and it's imperative that the fans do the same, no matter how impossible it seems.  Look, I know how crazy things get on Gameday when we're all armchair quarterbacks that want to see great things, there's no denying that and I'm guilty of that every week, but the days afterwards we can certainly do a better job as fans in how we react to this team.  Players and coaches getting harassed by fanboys on Twitter?  I'm not a huge Twitter guy as you can tell by my measly 13 followers, but that's a little extreme, no?  Point of this is just chill out and enjoy the ride my brothers, as the 'Hawks would say.  These youngins need our support, so let's give it to them.

Very well, on to the future..  First, I thank the football gods for giving the Seahawks a rare east coast 4pm start.  That's 1pm for you west siders out there.  I've bitched for years about how the NFL should make all games where west coast teams fly to the east coast 4pm eastern starts.  Finally, I get my wish.  As for the game, I think the 'Hawks match up well with Carolina all across the board.  The Panthers defense is a shambles, especially when containing the run, so I fully expect Marshawn, Turbin, and Leon!?!? (some day...) to put in work.  I wouldn't expect much more from Russell than what we've seen, minus the fluky interceptions he threw last week.  No need to open it up this week with the Panthers run defense so porous, but it would be nice to see the 'Hawks go back to what was working on that opening drive in St. Louis.  Lean on the run but as Warren Moon said, keep Russell fresh and active and throwing the ball consistently and not just on 3rd downs.  I know people will be worried about stopping Cam Newton but the 'Hawks have the team speed on defense to contain him if they play smart and stay assignment correct.  We don't need anybody to be the hero here, just a bunch of ball hawks that gang tackle with authority will suffice.  The Panthers have a vaunted running game with a plethora of options in Stewart, Williams, and Tolbert but I trust the Seahawks run defense to shut down anyone at this point, they are that outstanding.  

One area of real concern has to be shutting down Steve Smith.  Of course, the easiest way to do so would be to get to Cam Newton early and often, but I don't trust the Seahawks pass rush on the road just yet.  At least not enough to predict them bringing the heat to Cam all game long.  In my opinion, it'll be up to Richard Sherman to bounce back from his lackluster performance, despite the INT, against the Rams and try and contain Smith.  We've seen receivers who fit the mold of Steve Smith hurt the 'Hawks in the past few seasons.  Panthers Offensive Coordinator Rob Chudzinski will certainly try and move Smith around the field to create better matchups for him on Sunday.  Gus Bradley has to counter that and has to make sure that Sherman is on Smith at all times.  While Marcus Trufant did a solid job in limiting Danny Amendola last Sunday, it won't be as easy if he's constantly matched up with Smith, who can be a weapon out of the slot.  As such, Brandon Browner's lack of top level speed could be a liability when covering the explosive former Ute.  We saw Mike Wallace torch Browner in Week 2 last season and although Browner has come a LONG way since that point, even shutting down and often manhandling DeSean Jackson towards the end of last season, it's still a matchup that Gus Bradley should try and avoid.  How refreshing is it knowing that Earl Thomas always has over the top responsibilities and that whoever is matched up on Smith, he should be there to help?  Love that dude.  

Another Panther to keep an eye on and one that Seahawks fans will remember is Tight End Greg Olsen.  Olsen, you'll sadly remember, was with the Bears in 2010 and put on a clinic during the playoff game in Soldier Field that ended the Seahawks cinderella run.  I wouldn't be too upset if Kam Chancellor greeted Olsen, insert obligatory "from the U!" comment here, with a hit that Ronnie Lott or Jack Tatum would be proud of.

I've got the Seahawks winning this one late 27-24 and getting to 3-2 on the year and 3-2 in the conference.  Don't forget how huge wins against conference opponents and potential playoff contenders like Carolina, Dallas, and Green Bay could loom.  This team is going to find it's feet eventually and when it happens, good lord watch out!  The thought of the defense and offense working together as one for a full 60 minutes is enough to make my head explode.  It might not happen this week, it might not happen until the second half of the season, but my God when it does this team is going to be like Liam Neeson in Taken.  A badass son of a bitch who for some reason people still keep coming after and disrespecting only to get completely annihilated.  I'll be waiting for that moment, that oh so beautiful moment.

What do you think, my fellow 12's?  Think it'll all come together or like Phil Collins and Chargers fans will we be waiting for this moment all our lives?  Let me know!  Go Hawks!