Seattle Seahawks Start Slow, End Strong, Win The NFC West

It took until the last quarter of the last game on the season’s last week, but they did it. The Seattle Seahawks, once flailing at 3-3 and presumed dead, ended their season on a ridiculous 9-1 tear to clinch the NFC West division title. By beating the St. Louis Rams today, the Seahawks earned themselves not only a division crown, but the number one seed in the NFC playoffs.

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What a rollercoaster season, with a signature game to close things out. The ‘Hawks struggled in the first half, enduring turnovers from stars Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch. Wilson had troubles getting rid of the ball, which at their worst manifested in his interception toss. But despite the first-half shutout, the ‘Hawks kept things close. That, of course, was the defense’s doing.

There is probably nothing more we can say about the Seahawks’ D. There’s never been a group like them before in the history of the game, and the Legend of the Legion just keeps growing after yet another unthinkable performance. St. Louis had their two first half field goals, and nothing else. They got themselves into good field position, only to have to settle. This defense is a wall, but one that moves around and knocks gigantic human beings to the ground like flies.

With Wilson struggling to get things going in the air, the attention quickly turned to the run game. It wasn’t just Marshawn Lynch and his 60 yards – it was also largely Robert Turbin, who matched Lynch with a 14-yard high and put up 53 yards on his own. Lynch never got that explosive run he was so clearly looking for, but it didn’t matter as he ended with a touchdown anyway. And plus, Turbin was fantastic. Getting such solid performances from both RBs was huge for the Seahawks.

Meanwhile, Earl Thomas is blowing up Rams players like party poppers and Cliff Avril is dragging Shaun Hill around like a dog with an old piece of rope. O’Brien Schofield brought Hill down, too. O’Brien Schofield! The Seahawks couldn’t match the all-out insanity that was last week’s game against the Cardinals. That wasn’t their job – their job was to win. And they won. Oh, how they won.

Lynch drove up the middle for a nine-yard touchdown run with just over twelve minutes remaining in the game. That put the Seahawks in the lead, but not commandingly so. Starting at their own 15, the Rams got a first down and a few passing gains to start their drive. Except that was also the end of their drive, because Bruce Irvin intercepted the next toss at the 49. He found a path, started running, and didn’t stop until the Seahawks had themselves an insurance touchdown. The Wilson pick sucked, but the Hill pick-six more than made up for it.

So nobody can score on the Seahawks, still. The Seahawks can beat anyone, even if they only give themselves thirty minutes to do it. Whoever represents the NFC in the Super Bowl will have to win a game in Seattle in order to get there, and there’s one team that’s much better at winning in Seattle than anyone else. Anyone else feeling good about this? I am feeling good about this.