Seattle is a type of groups that’s laborious to consider in as a result of, on paper, they don’t appear to match up with different prime playoff contenders within the NFC.
In Week 9, Pete Carroll’s Seahawks have been introduced with the chance to maneuver forward of the San Francisco 49ers for sole possession of first place within the NFC West and second place within the convention, holding the tiebreaker over Detroit. As a substitute, they traveled to Baltimore and pooped their pants, justifying all of the doubters who haven’t purchased them as true NFC contenders.
Dropping is at all times disappointing, however touring throughout the nation solely to get trampled 37-3 by the Ravens will be demoralizing. Seattle was a quiet 5-2 coming into Sunday’s sport with an opportunity to take management of the division. However just like the Lions a few weeks prior, the Seahawks ran right into a buzzsaw in Baltimore. The Ravens beat two of one of the best the NFC has to supply by a mixed rating of 75-9.
When talking of the highest groups within the convention this yr, the Seahawks may get a point out, nevertheless it’s often down the road. They’re by no means talked about first, second, or hardly ever even third amongst NFC “contenders.” Sunday was their likelihood to throw it in everybody’s face, however they couldn’t even rating a landing. Lamar Jackson was even sidelined for a part of the sport for Baltimore, and Seattle nonetheless couldn’t get something going.
Not the Seahawks we used to know
Geno Smith performed like he was caught in a New York Metropolis flashback with the Jets whereas the working sport was stifled by the Ravens’ protection. Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet mixed for twenty-four yards on the bottom on 13 carries. The loopy half about this sport is neither group scored within the first quarter. The second quarter is the place issues slipped away for Carroll’s Seahawks as they went into halftime down, 17-3. And that was all she wrote.
The Seahawks have a date with the 49ers on Thanksgiving evening, however have an opportunity so as to add a pair wins earlier than that, squaring off towards the Commanders and Rams. Then Seattle performs the Cowboys, the Niners (once more), and the Eagles. These 4 weeks will possible decide whether or not the Seahawks are a legit playoff group.
Over the subsequent few weeks, Seattle could have loads of alternatives to show these exterior the Pacific Northwest unsuitable about this franchise. One factor they’ll have to do is recapture the run sport. What was as soon as a staple of Carroll’s Seahawks’ offense is now simply an afterthought. Seattle ranks within the decrease third of the NFL in dashing.
It’s unimaginable for Seattle to be 5-3 as a result of they’ve been a middling or worst group in lots of offensive and defensive classes for a lot of the season. They’ll look nice for a few video games, then moist the mattress and get blown out. That’s why it’s so laborious to belief this group and maintain them in the identical regard as different NFC squads. The Seahawks want to search out themselves earlier than Week 12, in any other case, they could discover themselves on the surface trying in by way of that postseason window they snuck into final yr.
