Seattle Seahawks: Super Bowl or Bust?
By Todd Pheifer
Jan 27, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; General view of Super Bowl XLVIII logo at the media center in the Convention Center prior to Super Bowl XLVII. The Baltimore Ravens will play the San Francisco 49ers on February 3, 2013 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
The Seattle Seahawks have the talent and attitude to win the Super Bowl this season. Only, three more wins are needed. Three wins over opponents that will also have to ability to win it all. At this point of the season, everyone has a legitimate shot.
In many facets of life, including sports, we talk about “windows” of opportunities. For the sports world, the window concept refers to franchises that have put themselves in a position to contend over a period of several seasons. In leagues like the NFL that have a salary cap, this is accomplished by savvy drafting of young talent so that a group of players mature at the right time and remain affordable.
This is obviously the goal of every team, but not everyone gets it right from year to year. Injuries, bad picks and momentum can quickly derail a team that looks good on paper. Free agency allows for teams to speed up the process, but when expensive stars fail it can limit a team’s ability to keep building.
You can certainly argue that the Seahawks have a window that extends beyond this season. The core of this team is still young and hungry. Players like Russell Wilson, Marshawn Lynch, Golden Tate (if he re-signs), Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, Bruce Irvin, K.J. Wright, Bobby Wagner, Percy Harvin and Russell Okung are still relatively young. When you look up and down the roster, these are just some of the names that stand out. There are many more young athletes that are already impact players.
The key is that from a financial standpoint, many of the young stars are still relatively affordable. In addition, the Seahawks have options going forward that will keep them financially flexible. Seattle may need to cut talented playes like Zach Miller and Sidney Rice in the offseason, but there is enough depth to move forward. If you follow that line of thinking, this team may have a window of 3-4 seasons to win the Super Bowl.
Of course, there is also the argument that the NFL can be a fickle league. There is certainly evidence of this. Top-tier teams can quickly fall, while doormats of last year can end up in the playoffs. This happens every season. The Seahawks have had their challenges this year, but relatively speaking the season has unfolded very well. When you watch football for a few years, you realize that opportunities like this do not happen every season.
It is unfair to suggest that this is the Seahawks’ only opportunity to win the Super Bowl. However, this is a very good chance to win it all. The opponents are not going to get easier in the future. Seattle could be slightly healthier, but not by much.
The time is now. Go get that Lombardi Trophy, Seahawks. Things could change a whole lot next season.