Seattle Seahawks
2011 PFF All-NFC West Team
The most maligned division in the NFL once again produced a mixed bag from its teams this season and for the eighth straight year an NFC West squad collected a postseason victory. The division produced one of the best sides in the NFL, one of the worst, and two teams who had up-and-down season that offered hope to the optimistic that they might make strides next season and equal evidence to doubters that they could fall back in 2012.
But 2012 is for the future and right now we are honoring the best players from the NFC West for the 2011 regular season as we make the final stop on our All-Division tour. The team unsurprisingly features a high number of San Francisco 49ers, but each team had players to be proud of this season and one St. Louis Ram has a rare honor that was afforded to no other player in this series. What was that honor? Read on and find out as we unveil our last All-Division Team for 2011.
Re-Focused: Seahawks @ Cardinals, Week 17
As commentators Sam Rosen and Chad Pennington kept on telling us this was a good, hard-fought encounter where both teams played like they had a lot more on the line than pride. It was as if Fox were concerned you couldn’t work out for yourself if you were enjoying the game; let’s just reassure the people watching that football with nothing at stake can be more entertaining than watching Tim Tebow struggle to complete 25% of his throws, they said … without actually saying it of course.
Truthfully, this was far more to my taste with some outstanding play on both sides to discuss and extrapolate into next year. When the dust of this season settles, the offseason is done and we are looking forward to Kick Off 2012, will what we saw here be far more salient than what was transpiring in Mile High?
Three to Focus on: Seahawks @ Cardinals, Week 17
After a late push for the playoffs, Seattle’s hopes were ended last week when they lost to the 49ers. It was a tough ask for them to find a way into the postseason but Seahawks fans can take faith from the way the team battled down the stretch.
Likewise in Arizona–despite some of the worst quarterback play in the NFL–the Cardinals found themselves in the thick of the playoff hunt until late in the game at Cincinnati. Although they didn’t make the playoffs, the Cardinals looked a much better team late in the season than they had the rest of the year.
Despite the fact that this had been highlighted as a meaningless game by many due to it not having any playoff implications, both these teams go into this game desperate for a win to end their seasons on a high as they head towards 2012 an here are three areas to focus on. Read the rest of this entry »
Re-Focused: 49ers @ Seahawks, Week 16
The Seahawks where looking to keep their playoff hopes alive by knocking off division rival San Francisco, but the 49ers had different plans. As they did in Week 1, the 49ers were looking to punish Seattle into submission and crush any hope of playoff glory.
Seattle is a much-improved football team since the last time these two met. The Seahawks were riding the highs of an impressive running game and a defense keen on taking the ball away from their opponent, but a lack of takeaways and pressure caught up to them in this one.
As for the 49ers, they just keep on winning. Every week it’s the same thing, stout defense and ball control on offense. The 49ers are still looking to lock up that first round bye with a final victory in Week 17. Read the rest of this entry »
Three to Focus on: 49ers @ Seahawks, Week 16
At the beginning of the 2011 season this might have been a decider for the NFC West. The defending champion Seattle Seahawks building in their second season under Pete Carroll and the San Francisco 49ers finally making best use of the talent on their roster under the direction of their new head coach. Only one of those pre-season prophecies has been realized but with a late season surge of form the Seahawks are still not out of playoff contention and this matchup is still one of the most intriguing on the Week 16 slate. After a crucial Monday night win over the Steelers the 49ers, coming off a short rest, have two divisional games left to clinch a first round bye whilst the Seahawks require two wins to have any hope of a playoff game. Something has got to give in this game.
The first encounter between these two squads all the way back in September in Week 1 gave some early signs to how far out in front the 49ers would be in this division with a 16pt victory, but few thought they would be in the running for a first round bye. The Seahawks have made strides since then and with their home field crowd behind them on Christmas Eve the atmosphere is sure to be electric as Seattle seeks to stay alive in the playoff hunt. Here are three matchups to keep an eye on as this game unfolds.
Re-Focused: Seahawks @ Bears, Week 15
The difference between these two teams was slim but all too obvious: one quarterback played mistake-free football for two halves, whereas a certain Caleb Hanie could only manage one. Bears fans must be wondering what they did to deserve such bad fortune. A month ago, Jay Cutler had just completed his best-ever game as a Bear, we were talking of Matt Forte as a legitimate MVP candidate, and the team was nailed on to a playoff berth. Unfortunately, the crowbar of fate has pried them away and they are now almost certain to miss out.
The Seahawks have an identical record–and as little chance of making it to January as the Bears–but for some reason, a more positive feel at the moment. Maybe it’s the fact they see themselves with a brighter future; they’re a young team who are a quarterback and a re-tooling of the offensive line away from being very good indeed. Is Tarvaris Jackson that player? Read the rest of this entry »
Three to Focus on: Seahawks @ Bears, Week 15
Soldier Field will host two sides with very contrasting fortunes in Week 15 as the Seattle Seahawks take on the Chicago Bears. The Seahawks (6-7) have won four of their previous five games; a run of form the likes of which they have not enjoyed since 2007. A key part of this success has been the re-invigorated presence of Marshawn Lynch, who, since Week 9 has amassed 706 rushing yards and six touchdowns. The Bears (7-6) will be attempting to halt a three game losing streak, with all three losses having occurred since the injury of franchise quarter back Jay Cutler.
The game has serious playoff implications for both sides. The Bears, who looked like a lock for a playoff spot just a few weeks ago, can put themselves back into the picture with a win here. The Seahawks know they must now run the table to have any chance of getting in. Their remaining schedule (at home against the 49ers and at the Cardinals) makes this a possible task, so we should see everything they’ve got in their attempt to beat Chicago on Sunday. Read the rest of this entry »
Re-Focused: Rams @ Seahawks, Week 14
When the schedule makers put this game on Monday Night football, they thought it had a chance to be meaningful. It was between the two best teams in the NFC West last year, but even then that wasn’t saying much. Now the Seahawks are a long shot for the playoffs, while the Rams have been out of contention for practically the entire season.
It wasn’t the most interesting first half of football you’ll watch. Neither offense could do much with the ball and the only thing that separated these teams was a punt blocked by Seattle returned for a touchdown. In the second half Seattle got its act together. Good play by the defense as well as special teams led to good field position for the Seahawks. The offense in turn made some big plays of its own, as well as not making any big mistakes.
It wasn’t a pretty victory, but that is how most of Seattle’s wins have gone. In the end we didn’t learn much more about these teams. The Seahawks win with running and defense, while the Rams just don’t win.
Three to Focus on: Rams @ Seahawks, Week 14
It’s safe to say that this is not the matchup that ESPN envisioned when carving out their schedule prior to the season. They likely assumed the Rams and Seahawks would be battling it out for the division title at this point. It was a gamble to bank on two teams with such an underwhelming recent history, but it was a calculated one. Heck, somebody had to win this division and who could have imagined it would be the 49ers.
Several months, injuries, and defeats later, we’re stuck considering whether 2 Broke Girls or the Charlie Brown Christmas special might be a more entertaining Monday night viewing choice. Not to fear, there are enough intriguing storylines and matchups in this affair to warrant a look.
Re-Focused: Eagles @ Seahawks, Week 13
When the Philadelphia Eagles went on their off season spending spree they were planning how to beat the Green Bay Packers to become the dominant team in the NFC. They loaded up on talent that could get in front, unleash their pass rush, and make the kind of splash plays that would take them to glory.
It hasn’t worked out, and in a game against a motivated Seattle Seahawks team all of their problems came to the fore. You got the traditional bad play from the linebackers, missed tackles all over the place, and an inability to deal with the somewhat inevitable injuries to Michael Vick. The scoreline didn’t flatter a Seahawks team who, outside of the opening play of the game, knew what they had to do to win; run the ball, not turn it over and minimize the number of big plays allowed.
What this means for the Eagles going forward is hard to tell. New personnel on defense? A new defensive coordinator? Possibly even the end of the Andy Reid regime? While we leave the Eagles to ponder these questions let’s not forget the Seahawks have already had to answer some tough ones of their own, and while plenty remain, they appear to be moving in the right direction.
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