Seattle Seahawks Find New Ways To Keep Their Games Interesting

Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

Recently the script has called for action, adventure, humor and even a few tears…yes folks, these are your Seattle Seahawks! You can’t fault them for not being creative and you can’t say that you don’t get your monies worth. Just like any theatrical production, movie or concert, you go to be entertained and our Seahawks definitely do that. Two out of the six games this season have seen it go all the way to the final act and in most cases the good guys (Seahawks) are victorious. Sunday was no different. Oh sure, the players and coaches were different but the playbill read the same….good guys host a football game, friends come over to play and create some havoc, eventually good guys put their big boy pants on and chalk up a win.

I must admit that I am a little tired of the way this reads week in and week out. I would like one week that I can just sit back, relax and watch my team pulverize the other team, in a friendly sort of way. Just one week to give our starters a rest at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Just one week that we don’t have a player end up on the injured list. Just one week without costly mental errors. I thought this was going to be the week with Tennessee coming in a bit banged up, us looking to regain our mojo after losing last week and the home crowd ready to welcome the team home (By the way, congrats KC, but don’t get too comfortable).

As is the norm, our passing game continues to be mediocre. It is hard to complain too much when you throw 23-31 for 253 yards and no interceptions. However, allow me to try. I have become very spoiled based on last year’s end of the season run. Maybe my expectations are unfounded and I will continue to be disappointed all season long. In this game there were several instances that the replay showed a player wide open downfield and Russell Wilson opted to tuck the ball and run.

There were several instances that Russell didn’t work along his progression to find the open receiver. There was decent pressure against Russell in this game, but what we have come to expect is that he will scamper around, elude a few behemoths and loft a ball ever so gently into the waiting arms of one of our very capable receivers. And before you say…”but, but, but”… yes, I know he did just that with Sidney Rice twinkle-toeing the sidelines.

But just as often as he does this, he is also overshooting his receivers. I would love for him to set up in the pocket with good pass protection, work along his progression and hit a receiver in stride down the sidelines, but it just hasn’t happened like that this season. And just a question, did Sidney Rice know the addresses of all the stadiums because I am not sure that he even made it to some of those games based on his stats?

It was nice to have Max Unger back providing some well needed stability along that line, which will see a healthy Zach Miller back soon and Russell Okung, whenever his toe is healed. In the words of Howard Jones…’things can only get better’. And let’s not forget, we have Percy Harvin coming back in the near future and we have done all of this winning with him being absent. Once he comes back he will free up space for our receivers to work the sidelines, and just as important, his ability to give us great field position with every kickoff.

Don’t get me wrong I do appreciate the Seahawks keeping things interesting by trotting out Jon Ryan to give him a shot at winning $10,000 dollars by kicking the football through the goal post…oh wait, that was only what it felt like. And a shout out to Chris Maragos, the good-hands person, for a comedy of errors that provided a lift to the Titans just before half. Seriously, how many times does this have to happen to us this season?

It was good to see Steven Hauschka back out there in the second half, I don’t think my heart could have endured another field goal attempt like that. Who knows, maybe we will see the duo of James Carpenter and Earl Thomas try to kick a field goal next.

Our penalties continue to plague us but I do realize that this is the price you pay for having a very aggressive defense. 6 penalties for 65 yards will not kill you, but it doesn’t help. I will give them a pass on their penalties this week.

Their running game continues to improve and find ways to get yards à la Marshawn Lynch‘s beast-mode. He runs with tenacity, purpose and a statement that says ‘I am going to hit you just as hard as you hit me’. He only had 77 yards, for 3.1 yards per carry, but those are hard-earned, time-consuming plays. Unfortunately, he does put the ball on the carpet every once in a while and that is the risk that you have to be willing to take when he is carrying the ball. I am willing. Thank goodness Mr. Wilson was there to clean one of those up against the Titans.

Overall I feel very good with where the Seahawks are at currently. They have a lot of upside coming their way in the next several weeks, with games that are winnable and players coming back. When they put everything together, this team will be scary…let’s just hope the next theater production isn’t based on Jekyll & Hyde. Go Hawks!