Primetime Predictions

The 2016 NFL schedule will be released at 5pm Thursday night

The master schedule for the 2016 NFL season has been finalized. The league will reveal the 256-game slate on Thursday night. For most fans the schedule release is a mundane affirmation that we are one more step closer to football season. For others such as myself, the NFL schedule release is arguably the most exciting day of the offseason because we pin down which weeks the Seahawks will play at home as well as starting to think about booking trips to see the Seattle play on the road. The Seahawks continue to be a Super Bowl contender and they are coming off their fourth straight season in which they made the playoffs. With this resume, we will certainly see our fair share of the primetime spotlight in 2016. I believe the Seahawks will receive four games scheduled in primetime this season. Here are the games I think are primed to be aired under the lights.

Home vs. Carolina Panthers

In 2015 the Panthers came to Seattle and stole a victory in the final minutes. That game was a 1:05pm start on FOX. Carolina enters 2016 as the defending NFC champions and with the Seahawks lackluster slate of home games, this is by far the most appealing game to a national audience. This matchup features the last two teams to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl and there is a nice little rivalry brewing between the Panthers and Seahawks. I believe this game is a perfect fit for Sunday Night Football.

Home vs. Los Angeles Rams

Get ready for a “lemon and lime” color rush game if this prediction becomes reality. Over the last few seasons the NFL has reserved the grand majority of Thursday Night Football games for division rivalries. Seattle has only hosted TNF twice since it came into existence in 2006, and most recently in 2011. This season with the Rams having relocated to the west coast, this is the perfect opportunity to feature a fierce up-and-coming rivalry. This game is good for the Thursday Night spotlight for two main reasons. First, the Rams swept the season series with the Seahawks last season, the first time since 2004. The Rams always play Seattle tough and that will only continue to be the case moving forward. Secondly, this matchup gives the NFL another opportunity to feature the Los Angeles market in primetime, something that I believe will be a common occurrence in 2016.

Away at New England Patriots

This seems like a no-brainer doesn’t it? The rematch of Super Bowl XLIX will be one of the most anticipated games of 2016. I imagine NBC and ESPN had a fierce bidding war to obtain the broadcast rights to this game. NBC likely prevailed. I would be stunned if this game is not on Sunday Night Football.

Away at Arizona Cardinals

Much like how the Seattle/San Francisco rivalry was the marquee rivalry in the NFC West from 2012-2014, the Seattle/Arizona rivalry has now topped it. It is certain one of our dates with the Arizona Cardinals will be in primetime. The question is which one? In 2014, our matchup with the Cardinals in Arizona was scheduled for Sunday Night Football. In 2015, the Seahawks/Cardinals game in Seattle earned the Sunday Night spotlight. To continue this alternating pattern, I expect the 2016 matchup in Arizona to earn primetime honors. Sunday Night Football is the likely landing spot but I would not be surprised to see this game go to ESPN and Monday Night Football.

Marshawn’s Greatest Hits

Photo Credit: sbnation.com

During the fourth quarter of Super Bowl 50, Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch presumably announced his retirement on Twitter in the most Marshawn way possible. Lynch posted a picture of his well-known lime green cleats hanging from a wire; an ocular way of telling everyone he has decided to “hang it up.” The tweet also included a peace sign emoji. Over the last five and a half seasons Lynch produced one of the most successful stretches among any Seahawks running back in franchise history, rushing for 7,284 yards and 66 touchdowns.  Lynch will surely find his name in the Seahawks Ring of Honor sometime down the road and will possibly also garner consideration to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Most importantly however he will forever be remembered as the face of the Seahawks tough, physical identity which made up the first half-decade of the Pete Carroll era, an era which has produced 3 NFC West championships, a pair of NFC titles, and a Super Bowl world championship in 2013.

The Marshawn Lynch era has produced some amazing and hilarious moments both on and off the field. As a tribute to Marshawn Lynch, here are 10 great moments I have pulled from the archives featuring the one and only Beast Mode.

Beast Quake: The 2010 regular season ended with the Seahawks becoming the first team in NFL history to win their respective division with a losing record. The number one highlight of the 2010 campaign came in the NFC Wild-Card Playoffs against the New Orleans Saints when Lynch broke off a spectacular 67-yard touchdown run to seal the victory. It is the defining run of his career and it has been and will continue to be replayed on highlight reels throughout NFL history.

Charlie Pops: You may not believe it but there actually was a time when Marshawn Lynch was outgoing and forward with the media. One such instance came after Lynch’s very first game with the Seahawks, a win over the Chicago Bears in October 2010. After answering a question Lynch made eye contact with the reporter who had asked the question and almost mistook him for teammate Charlie Whitehurst who he thought was playing a prank on him.

Ice Bucket Challenge: The fad of the summer of 2014 was the Ice Bucket Challenge to raise money and awareness for ALS. Many celebrities and public figures posted their home videos online but you may not have known Lynch also posted an Ice Bucket Challenge video during training camp!

Skittles: In an interview with NFL Films in 2010, Lynch provided background information regarding his habits before and during games involving his favorite candy, Skittles. It was not until a Thursday Night Football game in 2011 that it was discussed on a game broadcast when the NFL Network cameras caught Lynch stuffing a handful of Skittles into his mouth. From that point on Marshawn Lynch and Skittles became synonymous. Skittles became a staple of Seahawks game days. The fruity pellets were sold at the concession stands at CenturyLink Field, they were prime snack fodder at Seahawks themed parties, and Skittles were even used as celebratory props at home games. If Marshawn Lynch scored a touchdown at home, there was a 100 percent chance of a Skittles shower on the field.

Skittles rained down onto the field after every Marshawn Lynch touchdown. Photo Credit: sportsgrid.com

“And he walks in!”: Marshawn Lynch played with a thuggish swagger that no other player has. One of his most badass moves came during the Seahawks 2013 home opener. Lynch caught a pass from quarterback Russell Wilson just short of the goal line. With no San Francisco 49ers defender anywhere near him, Lynch completely stopped and stood in front of the endzone for what seemed to be a full two seconds and simply walked across the goal line for the touchdown, dropping the ball as he stared toward the 49ers defenders and bench.

Super Bowl Media Days: The Marshawn Lynch brand would not be what it is without the quotes and one-liners he has dropped over the past few years. These quotes such as “I’m just about that action, boss” and “I’m just here so I won’t get fined” were highlights of media days prior to Super Bowls XLVIII and XLIX. It was apparent later in his Seahawks career that Lynch dealt with some sort of social anxiety problem that caused him to be extremely nervous and short with the media. This attitude was largely beloved among Seahawks fans but was heavily criticized nationally.

Bevell Gets the Bird: Against the Cardinals on Thursday Night Football in 2013, NFL Network caught Lynch flipping off offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell after Russell Wilson broke the huddle on a third down play inside the 5-yard line. The play resulted in a touchdown pass to tight end Kellen Davis and it was apparent what Lynch’s issue was. The play was a pass play and Lynch was frustrated that he was not called upon to carry the ball. This is one of Lynch’s more under-the-radar memorable moments of his career.

Photo Credit: buzzfeed.com

Clueless Gamer: In recent years Lynch has been warm with only a small handful of media members. One of which being none other than late night talk show host Conan O’Brien. In the media hoopla leading up to Super Bowl XLIX, Lynch agreed to participate in a segment featuring him and New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski playing Mortal Combat on Xbox in a hotel conference room. The segment was mediated by O’Brien who turned it into one of the must-see moments in the days leading up to the big game. It is clear Marshawn had a great deal of fun doing this clip.

“The League” Cameo: Sometimes it is important to be able to poke fun at yourself when times are tough. That is exactly what Marshawn Lynch did in the season 7 premiere of the FX sitcom “The League.” In this clip, Marshawn wants to run a beer over to Kevin, a character on the show. Instead, Kevin’s brother Taco decides to throw the beer over to Kevin proclaiming “what’s the worst that could happen?” I won’t spoil the clip, but it obviously pokes fun at the Seahawks decision to throw the ball from the 1-yard line rather than handing it off to Lynch at the end of Super Bowl XLIX, a decision that was obviously costly.

Beast Quake II: The Seahawks took the NFC West lead after beating the Arizona Cardinals in week 16 of the 2014 season. Although Seattle won the game with ease, it was capped off by another multiple-tackle-breaking 79-yard run by Marshawn Lynch, ending in his infamous crotch grab move. Just imagine if this run had happened at CenturyLink Field!

Review: Seahawks 20, 49ers 3

Photo Credit: Seahawks.com

What a way to set the foundation for an incredible vacation to the Bay Area. Without question the Seahawks played their most complete game of the season on Thursday night, dominating the San Francisco 49ers all night long. The result was a 20-3 victory where in all honesty the 49ers never were competitive. The Seahawks improve to 3-4 on the season and the 49ers now hold a record of 2-5. Here are my thoughts on Thursday’s game.

Running Game Gets Going and Russell’s Good Throws: The very first Seahawks offensive drive of the game set the tone for the rest of the evening and they did not look back. Running back Marshawn Lynch ran for 32 yards on the opening drive culminating in a 1-yard touchdown run. The offensive line protection allowed quarterback Russell Wilson to convert two first downs through the air on passes to Tyler Lockett and Fred Jackson. Offensively, Russell put the game away on his beautiful 43-yard touchdown pass to Lockett in the second quarter. Late in the game we were able to chew clock thanks in large part to the wonderfully basic play calling of offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell. After roasting Bevell almost every week thus far this season, I must say he called a great game on Thursday. We now have a good blueprint to run with for future games. Another day like this in Dallas next week and we will be very hard to beat.

Have A Day, Michael Bennett: After recording just 13 sacks in our first 6 games, the Seahawks came out and had a sack party in Santa Clara. Leading the way was defensive end Michael Bennett who singlehandedly recorded 3.5 sacks of 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. To make matters even better, Bennett made no mental mistakes that he has become known for so far this season. The production of our defensive pass rushers leaves me very optimistic about our upcoming games. Even though we did not force any 49ers turnovers it feels like our entire defense has turned a corner. I understand that the San Francisco offense is not very good but hopefully our ability to successfully close out a game in the fourth quarter will give us momentum heading into next week.

The Bad: There were two things I did not like on Thursday night. The first thing was the Russell Wilson’s decision making on the two interceptions he threw. The first one was a ball thrown at the very end of the first half. He saw Doug Baldwin in the back of the endzone but did not see Tramaine Brock. Brock stepped in front of the pass and made the interception in the endzone. A score of any kind would have given the Seahawks at least a 20 point lead heading into halftime. Wilson’s second interception was thrown into double coverage intended for Jermaine Kearse. From my view in the corner at Levi’s Stadium I saw Wilson had Doug Baldwin wide open and could have hit him in stride if he threw the ball a second or two sooner. Luckily that second turnover only resulted in the only 3 points the 49ers scored all night. The second thing I did not like was the continuing shaky play of the Seahawks offensive line. Their performance was buried among the big plays and the way the game played out overall. It was until after the game I realized the offensive line played a subpar game when I saw that the unit allowed another 5 sacks of Russell Wilson. Next week in Dallas may be a greater challenge. A similar offensive approach however may work well against the Cowboys.

Thoughts on San Francisco: This 49ers team is a disaster and the saddest part may be that their fans definitely know it. They have a banner hanging the length of the press box that says “home of the faithful” but the fans were anything but faithful on Thursday night. This team has talent but they are in need of a partial rebuild to get back to where they were a mere two years ago. With the future of Colin Kaepernick uncertain and the defense lacking experience it may take another couple of seasons for the 49ers to contend for even a division title. Let’s see if ownership is willing to give head coach Jim Tomsula that long of a leash.

Random Thoughts: The Seahawks wore wolf grey and improved their all-time record wearing wolf grey to 6-0… Levi’s Stadium is an absolutely gorgeous facility. The fans of the two teams who make it to Super Bowl 50 will certainly enjoy the gameday experience in that building. The tailgating in Blue Lot #1 was a lot of fun, even though the lot was gravel and we got there so early that the tailgates around us were not fully raging until shortly before we made the walk over to the stadium. Next time I head to Levi’s I’ll probably try to get a parking pass in the green lot since it is closer… The 12’s really traveled well this week and we were certainly heard. 49ers fans didn’t even seem to care that their stadium had been taken over by the enemy. It was kind of bizarre and nothing like what I had experienced at Candlestick Park in years prior… Beer and food prices were a little steep but the variety was hard to beat. I bought a couple of hot dogs but two of my friends enjoyed curry, which they generously let me taste test. It was delicious… The view was great but the sun beat down on us for about the first quarter which was both hot and annoying. I consider it lucky that this game was in primetime. We would have been baking and extremely uncomfortable if it was a Sunday afternoon game… After the game we tried to go down to the NFL Network postgame show but the seating hosts would not let the large contingent of Seahawks fans down to the lower level seating, most likely because they did not want to show just how many Seahawks fans took over Levi’s Stadium. Take my word, if they had let all of us down there it would have challenged the number of fans who were waiting around after the Seahawks beat Arizona on Thursday Night Football in 2013… As we waited for traffic to die down after the game we decided to continue our tailgate. A group of 7 of us enjoyed a few celebratory beers before heading back to downtown San Francisco where we were staying… I will definitely want to go back to Levi’s Stadium with friends in future years. I had a great time and I know the other two guys I stayed with did also… Fight on.

What’s Next: Look for my preview of next week’s game against the Dallas Cowboys on Friday evening, a day earlier than normal.

Seahawks/49ers Preview

Photo Credit: Seahawks.com

Matchup: Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers

Site: Levi’s Stadium (Santa Clara, California)

Kickoff: 5:25pm

For the second time in as many years the Seahawks head to Silicon Valley for primetime football. The Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers face off under the Thursday Night spotlight at Levi’s Stadium. After another heartbreaking loss last week the Seahawks sit at a very underwhelming 2-4. After one of the worst offseasons in NFL history, the 49ers have also jumped out of the gate slowly as they too sit at 2-4. San Francisco however enters this week’s game coming off a win over the Baltimore Ravens last week. The Seahawks lead the all-time series against the 49ers 18-15 including a 17-7 victory in their last meeting last season. This is must-win for the Seahawks since they cannot afford to lose any more ground in the division race. Here is what I’ll be watching for.

While I was busy putting offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell on blast in my game review, I completely failed to mention that there has been a change along the Seahawks offensive line. Patrick Lewis got the start at center in place of Drew Nowak and although I saw improvement in interior blocking and pass protection last week, the play of the unit as a whole continues to be an issue. Lewis got hurt in last week’s game so Nowak will likely be back in the starting lineup this week with the newly re-signed Lemuel Jeanpierre as his back up. Quarterback Russell Wilson was sacked four more times against Carolina. Although the San Francisco defense has lost a lot of talent from last year’s team, they have managed to record 9 sacks so far this season, over half of them coming from their linebackers. This week it will be necessary for Jimmy Graham, Will Tukuafu, and Marshawn Lynch to block in order to help give Wilson time to make throws. The primary keys to a successful day on offense mirror what I said about Carolina’s offense a week ago. If Marshawn Lynch can run effectively he will take immense pressure off the passing game. Also, if Wilson uses misdirection regularly it will create space to make big plays. Although Seattle has not used read option much at all so far this season, do not be surprised to see it make an appearance in this game, especially if we are trailing in the second half.

With the shaky play in the third level of our defense in recent weeks, the best way to attack the 49ers offense on Thursday is to force quarterback Colin Kaepernick into short and intermediate throws only. If the Seahawks cannot put consistent pressure on Kaepernick that may actually be a good thing, as he has thrown the ball well deep down the field when forced to scramble outside the pocket, including a long touchdown pass to wide receiver Torrey Smith last week. Smith will line up across from Cary Williams, the matchup that will garner the most attention from me outside the numbers. I think the presence of middle linebacker Bobby Wagner will be the most important aspect of our defensive game plan. Although we played a solid game with Kevin Pierre-Louis in place of Wagner against Carolina, it will help greatly to have Wagner back to lock down the middle of the field.

No team may have lost more over one offseason than the San Francisco 49ers did over this past offseason, especially on the defensive side of the football. It is hard to believe that only two defensive starters from the 49ers 2012 NFC Championship team, linebackers Ahmad Brooks and NaVorro Bowman, remain on the roster. Over the course of the last 10 months the 49ers released outside linebacker Aldon Smith after a series of run-ins with the law. They also lost nose tackle Justin Smith and middle linebacker Patrick Willis to retirement. To make matters even worse the man they drafted last season to be the heir apparent to Willis, Chris Borland, also retired due to future health concerns. The loss of Borland was particularly unfortunate because he was a tackling machine in place of the injured Willis a season ago.

This season San Francisco has allowed an average of just about 27 points per game, a number that greatly correlates to the 49ers record thus far. The 49ers linebacker corps will have my full attention as they sport the two leading tacklers on the team in Bowman and Michael Wilhoite. However given the below-average pass protection Russell Wilson has received this season my 49ers X-Factor spotlight goes to the man most effective at getting to the quarterback. My X-Factor Player to Watch this week is outside linebacker Aaron Lynch. Lynch has recorded 3 sacks this season; a third of San Francisco’s total and all three coming at Levi’s Stadium. Lynch is also coming off his most productive day in coverage, recording a season high 5 tackles and one pass defensed this past Sunday. Keep an eye on how left tackle Russell Okung handles Lynch on the outside.

Random Thoughts: No word yet on the Seahawks uniform combination but do we have 5 road games remaining. We will don college navy for one of those games (Dallas). With two opportunities to wear wolf grey still available to us, that means there is a 50/50 chance we wear wolf grey in San Francisco. It’s basic math, people. The 49ers have elected not to wear their new all-black alternate uniform for this game. Instead they will wear their traditional look of red jerseys and gold pants… Jim Nantz and Phil Simms have the call on the NFL Network/CBS simulcast with Tracy Wolfson covering the sidelines… The referee this week is Walt Anderson… Thursday will be an incredibly hectic and exciting day. I’m looking at a 4am wakeup call followed by a 7am flight to San Francisco which gets me into the Bay Area around 9 or 9:30am. Then comes a 4-hour window before the parking lots open at Levi’s Stadium. Tailgate will begin shortly after 1:30 then the game at 5:30. Then back to San Francisco after the game for the rest of the weekend… Should have waited to pull the trigger on tickets on Stubhub. I can’t believe prices have dropped as much as they have since the season started… I’ll be satisfied with at least two visits to In-N-Out Burger over the next 4 days… I love flying into SFO. The airport runway setup right off of the bay is unlike any other city I have flown into… Here is my history of being heckled at 49ers home games. In 2011 one drunken 49ers fan tried to sit on my lap and as he walked away he screamed “SEATTLE SEAHAWKS GINGER FRO” in reference to my incredibly long red hair. In 2012 I posed for a picture during a timeout and someone sitting above me in my section screamed “ginger on three! One, two, three!” In 2013 after posing for a picture a 49ers fan sitting a few rows above me threw a sandwich in my direction. It hit a 49ers fan sitting about 4 rows below me and he looked back and made eye contact with me. Because I was wearing Seahawks paraphernalia, he assumed I was the one responsible for the sandwich being thrown. He probably wanted to get security involved but the people around me seemingly convinced him I was not to blame. Granted all these incidents happened at Candlestick Park, but I have heard (and seen on Deadspin) that the Candlestick crowds make the drive down to Santa Clara every week. Hopefully the people around us are nice. I hope my friends and I are not the subjects of harassment. As long as we stay in our own lane and root for the Seahawks only, we should be fine.

Prediction: Due to the incredible sense of urgency after back-to-back devastating losses, I believe the Seahawks will come out with a vengeance. Marshawn Lynch will run for a touchdown and Russell Wilson will both throw a touchdown and run one in from inside the redzone. The Seahawks defense will play an air-tight game, allowing only one 49ers touchdown. The Seahawks will come home 3-4 and will have an extra couple days off before we get started on the Dallas Cowboys.

Seahawks 27, 49ers 13

Programming Note: I will be leaving my computer in Seattle so I will not be able to post my game review until I get home. Look for my 49ers review either late Sunday night or early Monday morning.

#10for10 Game #6: U Mad Bro? (Patriots vs. Seahawks, 2012 Season)

Seahawks WR Sidney Rice hauls in the game winning touchdown late in the 4th quarter. Photo Credit: Seahawks.com

*To commemorate my 10^th season as a Seahawks season ticket holder, I am telling the stories of the top 10 home games I have attended in the past 10 years*

In 2008 the New England Patriots made their first trip to Seattle since the 1993 season. I was looking forward to seeing Tom Brady play in Seattle but unfortunately he missed the entire season due to a torn ACL. The Patriots re-appeared on the Seahawks home schedule in 2012, bolstering an already stacked slate of home games. With Tom Brady healthy this time around, I was hoping that a young Seahawks squad could knock off the AFC East incumbents to prove they deserved status as one of the better teams in the NFL. Little did I know that this would become one of the most thrilling Seahawks home games of all-time.

Gameday started like any other; 6am wake up call, breakfast, shower, and a little NFL Network thrown in. My friend Modris (yes the same Modris from the #9 #10for10 game) met at my house in Seattle and we along with my friend Jake (from #10for10 game #10) and his brother took an Uber into downtown Seattle. We started at McCoy’s Firehouse in Pioneer Square and each had a 36 ounce Pabst Blue Ribbon at 9am. Shortly thereafter we moved to a tailgate in a neighboring parking lot where we would drink and barbecue until close to game time. Modris even went into another bar close by and randomly took a tequila shot. When asked why, his response was “why not? It’s the Seahawks!” Couldn’t agree more my friend. I wish I would have gone with you and joined in. After several Bud Lights and hot dogs, we headed into the stadium around noon.

After getting out to a 3-0 lead the Patriots responded quickly when Tom Brady connected with wide receiver Wes Welker for a 46-yard touchdown pass to give New England their first lead of the game. The Seahawks re-took the lead later in the first quarter after Doug Baldwin reeled in a 24-yard floater from Russell Wilson in the endzone. The second quarter was all Patriots, as they put up 10 points and took a 17-10 lead into halftime.

After a Steven Gostkowski field goal made it 20-10 Patriots, then came one of the more notable plays of the afternoon. The Patriots got the ball back but their drive stalled when Brady tested Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman. Sherman leaped up in front of Deion Branch and intercepted the pass. This play eventually triggered the “U Mad Bro?” tweet following the game. With 9:21 left in regulation Gostkowski kicked another field goal to give New England a 23-10 lead. The Seahawks needed at least 13 points in the final 9:21 and against a team as good as the New England Patriots, that is a lot to ask for. Many 12’s believed the Seahawks were dead in the water at this point.

The Seahawks wasted no time on their next drive. Wilson completed a pass to Golden Tate on the first play of the drive for 51 yards and 15 additional yards were tacked on after an unnecessary roughness penalty on the Patriots. The Seahawks later faced a 4^th down and needed to convert in order have a chance to stay in the game. Wilson threw a wobbly fade to the front-left corner of the endzone and the pass was somehow hauled in by Braylon Edwards, cutting the New England lead to 23-17. After three drives which resulted in no points, the Seahawks got the ball back with 2:38 remaining and had a chance to take the lead. After converting a huge 3^rd down, the Seahawks had Sidney Rice lined up with 1-on-1 coverage. Russell Wilson dropped back 5 steps, and launched what I still believe to be the prettiest pass he has thrown to date. Sidney Rice caught Wilson’s beautiful rainbow and Modris and I went nuts. The Seahawks had somehow come back to take a 24-23 lead and all we needed to do was stop the Patriots next drive and we would walk out of CenturyLink Field victorious.

There have been several games over the years which have come down to the Seahawks defense having to stop the opposing offense to clinch the win. As a 12 this is what we live for, being able to get as loud as we can for one last drive to determine the outcome of the game. This final Patriots drive was no doubt the loudest it was at CenturyLink Field throughout the 2012 season. After an incomplete pass, Jason Jones sacked Brady and the crowd went wild. The Patriots were going to face a 3^rd and long situation against one of the better defenses and loudest crowds in football. The pass fell incomplete and quickly the game came down to one final play, a 4^th and forever from deep in Seattle territory. The Seahawks dialed up the pressure and although Brady was able to evade the pass rush, his conversion attempt came two yards short. The turnover on downs gave the Seahawks the ball and after two Wilson kneel downs, the Seahawks had completed the incredible comeback, knocking off the defending AFC champions 24-23.

Just like how the crowd celebrated in amazement 3 weeks earlier against Green Bay, the mood walking down the stadium ramp after the game was sheer amazement and joy. We honestly could not believe we came back from two scores down to beat the New England Patriots. THE New England Patriots.

Following the game we headed back to Pioneer Square and enjoyed more Bud Light at 88 Keys while watching the first part of Sunday Night Football. The joint was absolutely packed and it was one of the more festive atmospheres I have been a part of in all these years going to Seahawks games. Given who we beat and how we beat them, this game has definitely earned a spot on my #10for10 list.

Upon Further Review: 2015 Seahawks Schedule

The Seahawks will open the 2015 season on the road against the St. Louis Rams
Photo Credit: Seahawks.com

The road to Super Bowl 50 has been paved. On Tuesday night the NFL regular season schedule was released. Here now are my thoughts on what the Seahawks will be up against this fall.

Perfect Bye Week

The Seahawks bye week falls in week 9 this season. In my opinion week 9 is the best week to have your bye because it splits your season evenly into two halves. The first half of the season has the Seahawks playing 5 of their 8 road games including the home openers of two different teams; at St. Louis during “Back to Football” weekend and at Green Bay in week 2. The back half of the Seahawks schedule is loaded with attractive home games, including three consecutive home games in the month of November.

NFC West Matchups Spread Out

Last season the Seahawks played 5 of their last 6 games against NFC West opponents. This season however our divisional matchups are more spread out across the entire season. The Seahawks will open their season on the road against the Rams and will not play another divisional game until week 7 when the Seahawks head to bay area to play the San Francisco 49ers. The Seahawks will also play back-to-back divisional games in both November and December.

Primetime Thoughts

This season Seattle is scheduled 5 primetime games, two of which taking place at CenturyLink Field. The Seahawks will play three games on Sunday Night Football, one game on Monday Night Football, and one game on Thursday Night Football. Earlier this week I predicted which games I thought would be scheduled into primetime. I guessed two games correctly (Cardinals at home, Packers on the road). I am glad to see Monday Night Football come back to town for the first time since 2013 and I am also excited that our Sunday Night home game against Arizona will take place after daylight savings time, meaning the sun will have gone down and it will be dark by the time kickoff rolls around.

The Decade-long Wait Comes to an End…

… On November 29^th. In 2011 the NFL changed their scheduling formula, sending the Seahawks back on the road to face the Pittsburgh Steelers instead of having the Steelers visit Seattle. This year we get the matchup many 12’s have been waiting for since February 5^th, 2006. The Steelers come to town to wrap up Thanksgiving weekend in a rematch of Super Bowl XL, a game that many Seahawks fans still feel bitter about. For me personally this matchup has been in the back of my mind since it was announced Pittsburgh would come to town several years ago. Although the Seahawks are not Lombardi-less anymore, I think this game should still be considered a “revenge” game. Players and coaches have come and gone over the past 9 years but the sting of having that game taken away from us will never fully go away. I sincerely hope the 12^th Man makes it audible what this game means to us. I hope that when the Steelers run out of their tunnel, we all boo louder than we have ever booed an opponent before.

Down the Stretch

I feel the Seahawks got off relatively easy in regards to the strength of their schedule in the month of December. The game that I see could be the biggest game of the season is our Sunday Night matchup against the Baltimore Ravens on December 13^th. With the hunt for the playoffs sure to be heating up, this game could be the difference between us controlling our own destiny in the final three weeks and us facing an uphill battle against the rest of our division. Our two home games in weeks 15 and 16 are wins on paper. The season finale at Arizona is a nice change from playing St. Louis at home 4 out of the last 5 seasons. If Arizona can stay healthy, it wouldn’t surprise me to see that game be flexed into Sunday Night Football with the NFC West title on the line.

Seahawks 2015 Schedule: Predicting the Primetime Matchups

Photo Credit: Fansided.com

Tomorrow night the NFL will release the 2015 regular season schedule. This is a day many fans and season ticket holders look forward to, as we will know when we play our opponents and when we may be heading on the road for away game road trips during the fall.

Any given team can be scheduled a maximum of five primetime games at the time of the schedule release and can earn one additional game flexed into primetime during the season. The Seahawks are the defending NFC Champions and will likely play at least four games in primetime this season. Usually a team who had that much success during the previous season would be a lock to have five games scheduled in primetime however as the defending Super Bowl champions last season, the Seahawks only played in four nationally televised games. This season I believe the Seahawks will be scheduled five primetime games. These are the matchups I predict will be shown under the lights on national television.

Cardinals at Seahawks

The San Francisco 49ers have faded into mediocrity and the Arizona Cardinals have emerged as the primary threat to dethrone the Seahawks as NFC West Champions. The Seahawks have played the Cardinals in primetime each of the last two seasons however both of those games were played in Arizona. The Seahawks have never hosted the Cardinals in primetime since moving to the NFC West in 2002 and this upcoming season may be the best opportunity for this matchup to happen on national television. I could see this game being played on either Sunday Night Football or Monday Night Football, however I believe SNF is more likely.

Lions at Seahawks

If Detroit had defeated Dallas in last year’s Wild-Card playoff game the Lions would have come to Seattle to play the Seahawks in the Divisional round. The Cowboys won instead, and instead of the Lions coming to town the Seahawks hosted the Carolina Panthers. The Lions are one of four 2014 playoff teams to play the Seahawks at CenturyLink Field in 2015. They are an up-and-coming team that I believe could challenge Green Bay for the NFC North crown this season. On top of the talent Detroit possesses on both sides of the ball, the homecoming of former Seahawks wide receiver Golden Tate is a storyline that would not go unnoticed in the days leading up to the game. I believe this game is best suited for Monday Night Football on ESPN.

Seahawks at Cowboys

Any Dallas Cowboys game is a candidate to be scheduled into primetime but let’s look at the resumes of both teams. Both the Seahawks and Cowboys won their divisions last season, they came one Dez Bryant non-catch away from meeting in the NFC Championship Game, and the Cowboys delivered the only blemish to Seattle’s home record in 2014, a 30-23 loss last October. Although they have lost key production on offense, specifically at running back, the Cowboys are primed to be a serious contender in 2015. If the Seahawks had not played on Thanksgiving last season I would think this game could definitely be worth scheduling as the afternoon matchup on turkey day. The reality is the NFL will not schedule a team on Thanksgiving back-to-back seasons on the road. NBC will likely get this matchup for one of the better Sunday Night Football matchups of the season.

Seahawks at Packers

This is another matchup that could be destined for Sunday Night Football even though it may be more appropriate on Monday Night Football. Think about the three matchups against Green Bay dating back to 2012: the Fail Mary, the Seahawks 20-point blowout win on NFL Kickoff 2014, and the miracle comeback in the NFC Championship Game three months ago. This is the Seahawks first trip to Green Bay in the regular season since 2009 and given the recent history between these two teams, it will certainly be a hostile environment for the Seahawks to handle. I would be stunned if this game is not scheduled in primetime. If it is not it will certainly be “America’s Game of the Week” on FOX in the 1:25pm time slot.

Seahawks at Rams

Only 6 teams do not get one of their games scheduled on Thursday Night Football each season. Any team’s odds of playing one game on TNF are high but the Seahawks chances are exceedingly high in 2015 given that they were one of the 6 teams who did not play on TNF last season (last year’s Thanksgiving game was an NBC game, not an NFL Network/CBS Thursday night game). 13 Thursday Night games in 2014 were division rivalries. I believe the Rams would be the most likely opponent for the Seahawks to play on Thursday Night Football.

Honorable Mention

Although I did not predict the following matchups to be scheduled in primetime, I think these three games also carry potential to be scheduled on national television instead of the games I listed: 49ers at Seahawks, Steelers at Seahawks, Seahawks at Ravens

Review: Broncos 21, Seahawks 16

Photo Credit: denverbroncos.com

Payback is oh so sweet, isn’t it Denver? The Seahawks opened the 2014 preseason with a slight thud as they lose to the defending AFC champion Denver Broncos 21-16. The loss snaps the Seahawks 9-game preseason winning streak dating back to the 2011 season. I saw some good but quite a lot of bad on Thursday night. Here are my thoughts.

Thoughts on our Starting Units: On the whole I thought both the Seahawks starting offense and defense looked pretty average. On offense, Russell Wilson played two series and went 4/6 for 37 yards. There is definitely rust that still needs to be shaken off as Wilson failed to hit Doug Baldwin and Luke Willson on quick passes that definitely would have been made in the middle of the regular season. Wilson looked much better on his second series, where he put together a 14 play, 90 yard drive resulting in a Christine Michael touchdown run following a 45-minute lightning delay. What was also disappointing was that starting wide receivers Baldwin, Percy Harvin, and Jermaine Kearse made minimal impact in the first two drives, combining for two catches for 29 yards.

On defense, the Seahawks did a very good job stopping Broncos running back Ronnie Hillman to start off the game. The secondary did a decent job in coverage but it seemed that Peyton Manning had more success on his two drives of this game than he had during the entire Super Bowl back in February. Richard Sherman was not targeted at all, which gave Byron Maxwell and Jeron Johnson an opportunity to play an expanded role in coverage. Brock Coyle did a very nice job starting at middle linebacker, making 5 tackles, and his intensity on kickoff coverage makes me ponder the possibility of him making this team over current backup linebacker Heath Farwell. On the whole I expect to see much improvement next week when we play San Diego.

Too. Many. Penalties: I don’t know if it was just the referees trying follow the new penalty rules or if gameplay was straight up sloppy but there were enough flags thrown against both teams for me to tie them together, go up to the roof of my house, and shimmy down the side of said house unharmed. Seattle and Denver combined for 25 penalties, resulting in 226 penalty yards. The Seahawks had 13 of those penalties for 131 yards. Five of the Seahawks penalties were snap infractions, either false starts or defensive offsides. The quantity of these mental mistakes is unacceptable and will be a focus in practice this week. The Seahawks veterans also need to figure out a way to mentor younger players to keep their heads cool, as cornerback Tharold Simon was ejected after a Denver touchdown for striking a Broncos player in the head following the score. If we can cut our penalties down to about half next week that will show me that there was significant improvement made in practice next week.

Jackson vs. Pryor, Round One: One of the more underrated position battles going on in camp is who will be Russell Wilson’s backup this season. Terrelle Pryor has looked more impressive in practice with a combination of good speed on the ground and solid accuracy through the air. In this first game, however, I think Tarvaris Jackson has a leg up on Pryor. Jackson went 5/7 for 47 yards, earning an 89.6 passer rating. Jackson made safe decisions and was able to move the ball fairly well. Pryor has been known to be a good practice quarterback but be a “deer in the headlights” player during games. This was apparent on Thursday night. Pryor was very erratic through the air, underthrowing and throwing behind his targets several times. His decisions to keep the ball and run also seemed to fail, as he seemed to take too much time deciding whether or not to throw or to make something happen on the ground. If this first game is any indication, Jackson deserves to be the second-string quarterback next week, and Pryor will have to move the ball extremely well next week to keep his name in the conversation to be the backup. Another below average performance by Pryor next week and Jackson may have the backup quarterback job safe to himself.

Run Defense Struggles Mightily: Later on in the game, Broncos running backs Juwan Thompson and Kapri Bibbs did a good job finding holes to run through while gaining large chunks of yards. Thompson and Bibbs combined for 77 second half rushing yards on 10 carries while making the Seattle backups look very mediocre. The entire team gave up 116 total rushing yards on the day. Could it be too early to wonder if the Seahawks are okay with their defensive line depth? After Brandon Mebane and Tony McDaniel exited the game, no defensive tackles made any tackles for the rest of the game; Thompson and Bibbs were able to make it to the second level of the Seahawks defense before the tackle was made more often than not.

Thoughts on Denver: It is hard to have any concrete thoughts on an opponent this early in the season, but the Denver Broncos showed that they can definitely get up for a big game. The Broncos fed off the energy of their crowd and played with a chip on their shoulder. Even the backups and rookies who may not have been on Denver’s Super Bowl squad last year played with payback on their minds. Barring injuries, I believe the Broncos will be competitive in every game they play and even though Peyton Manning’s offense may not come close to breaking the records broken last season, they will definitely put up solid numbers once again. As of now, I’m thinking our game against Denver in week 3 will be a much closer game than you might seem to think.

Random Thoughts: The Seahawks matched their white road uniforms with wolf grey pants. The Seahawks did not wear this combo in any regular season or postseason game last year and I am starting to think it is because this combination is bad luck. Hopefully Thursday is the last time we see white/grey for a long time… During the 45-minute lightning delay, Q13 FOX switched from the Seahawks broadcast to a re-run of “Cops.” It was an episode that highlighted the King County state patrol so that was cool I guess (even though I wasn’t paying attention to the couple of minutes that I watched)… Actually I don’t know what was worse: Cops or the broadcast of the 49ers/Ravens game on NFL Network. They had the commentators watching the game on television and doing play-by-play from a studio in Los Angeles. It was almost unwatchable it was that bad… How many more weather delays are we going to have to deal with this season? Hopefully none… It was actually pretty funny hearing Broncos quarterback Brock Osweiler scream “Omaha” on his snap counts. It is yet another category that I can confirm Osweiler is no Peyton Manning… I tried Twilight Summer Ale from Deschutes Brewery during the game. Good flavor but as far as “good beers to drink in the summer” go I’ll probably stick to hefeweizen from here on out… I can’t wait to get back to CenturyLink next week.

Check back next Thursday as I preview our second preseason game against the San Diego Chargers. I may hop on early next week as well. Go Seahawks!

Seahawks 2014 Schedule Review

The Seahawks will Host the Green Bay Packers for NFL Kickoff 2014
Photo Credit: seahawks.com

The Seahawks 2014 regular season schedule was announced Wednesday night. Here now are my thoughts on what the Seahawks are looking forward to this fall.

Primetime Thoughts: In my primetime outlook post earlier this week I nearly guaranteed that the Seahawks would be scheduled to play five games in primetime. To my surprise I was wrong. The Seahawks have been preliminary scheduled four primetime games, with the possibility of up to two more games flexed into primetime. The Seahawks will play three of these four games on the road; at the Washington Redskins on Monday Night Football, at the San Francisco 49ers on Thanksgiving night on NBC, and at the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday Night Football.

To my amazement the Seahawks were only scheduled one home game in primetime and it was the one game we all knew was coming; on Thursday September 4^th against the Green Bay Packers to open the 2014 season. As a season-ticket holder I am furious that we only have one home game in primetime. As the defending Super Bowl champions I feel we have earned at least 2, maybe even 3 home games in primetime. However perhaps we were too good to be scheduled in primetime at home. ProFootballTalk reported late Wednesday night that “the NFL was wary of putting Seahawks home games on in prime-time due to their track record of blowouts in nationally televised games played in Seattle the last several seasons.” As disappointing as this may be, it is accurate. In the Pete Carroll era, the Seahawks are 7-0 at home in primetime. Excluding the win over Green Bay in 2012, the Seahawks have won these games by an average of 21 points.

From where I am sitting the best possible Seahawks home game to be flexed into Sunday Night Football that is currently scheduled for Sunday afternoon is November 9^th against the New York Giants. Our week 12 home game against Arizona could also be a candidate to be flexed into primetime but only if the Seahawks/Cardinals game in Arizona week 16 is flexed OUT of Sunday Night Football. I would also expect that FOX has protected the Seahawks week 15 home game against San Francisco, eliminating that game from possibly being flexed into primetime.

NFC West Slugfest: The Seahawks will play their first 10 games and let the cards fall where they may. Once week 11 rolls around however, they will be entering a full 12-round fight cage-match style. The Seahawks will duke it out with San Francisco, Arizona, and St. Louis in 5 of their final 6 games. In this same 6-game stretch Arizona will play 4 games against the NFC West, San Francisco will play 3 games against the NFC West, and St. Louis will play 2 of their final 6 against NFC West foes.

Light on 10am Starts: The Seahawks are scheduled to play only three road games in the 10am Pacific Time slot this season. Our game in St. Louis against the Rams will be played in a dome, our game in week 8 against the Carolina Panthers could be played in warm weather, and the other 10am game in week 11 against the Kansas City Chiefs could be played in a colder climate.

Easiest Stretch of the Season: The Seahawks have a chance to separate themselves from the rest of the pack between weeks 9 and 12. Three of their four games in this stretch are at home, as they host the Oakland Raiders, New York Giants, and Arizona Cardinals. Their one road game comes week 11 against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Toughest Stretch of the Season: Having to play San Francisco 2 out of 3 weeks is no picnic. Road games against the Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals only add to the brutality. This is exactly what happens between weeks 13 and 16. The combined record of the Seahawks opponents in these 4 games last season was 44-20.

Toughest Stretch of the Season #2: The beginning of each season provides the most mystery, as teams could start off their season hot but then flounder as the season progresses. The Seahawks will travel to play the San Diego Chargers, a 2013 playoff team, in their home opener week 2. The Seahawks will then come home for a rematch of Super Bowl XLVIII against the Denver Broncos the next week. After their super early bye week (week 4) the Seahawks will travel all the way across the country to play the Washington Redskins in what I see could be an early “trap” game.

Seahawks 2014 Primetime Outlook

Photo Credit: cbssports.com

*Before I start this post, let me first apologize to everyone for the two and a half month hiatus. Life has been pretty hectic but I’m back!*

The NFL will release the 2014 regular season schedule on Wednesday night, meaning we will know the “when’s” and “what times” attached to the Seahawks 16 regular season games. To many football fans, the release of the regular season schedule is no big deal but to avid fans and season ticket holders such as myself, the release of the NFL regular season schedule is the most highly anticipated date of the offseason as we finally get to make our plans for the fall. As the defending Super Bowl champions, the Seahawks will certainly see their fair share of the primetime spotlight this season. At the time of the NFL schedule release, teams can be scheduled in primetime no more than five times, and can qualify to play a sixth primetime game via flexible scheduling during the season. It is almost guaranteed that the Seahawks will have five games in primetime when the schedule is released Wednesday night but the speculation as to which games will be in primetime adds to the mystery. Like last season, I have tiered all of our matchups to separate which games I believe are more attractive to a primetime audience. There are four tiers:

Tier One: Games I think will (and should) be scheduled in primetime

Tier Two: Games I think could be scheduled in primetime

Tier Three: Longshot games I could see scheduled in primetime, but are not likely to be

Tier Four: Games I do not think will be scheduled in primetime

TIER ONE

49ers at Seahawks, Seahawks at 49ers, Broncos at Seahawks, Packers at Seahawks, Seahawks at Panthers, Seahawks at Redskins

After playing them three times in 2013 including the NFC Championship (or the unofficial Super Bowl as some called it), there is no doubt that one of our games against the San Francisco 49ers will be scheduled in primetime with the other game going to FOX on a Sunday afternoon, and once again I believe it will be the game at CenturyLink Field that is destined to be played under the lights. I believe that the NFL will want to start the 2014 season off with a bang, which is why I predict 49ers at Seahawks will be the game scheduled for NFL Kickoff 2014 on Thursday night, September 4^th. At first I thought it would make more sense to schedule the Seahawks/49ers game at Levi’s Stadium as the primetime game between these two teams as the NFL would want to highlight the 49ers new stadium. However after learning that the 49ers will likely not play any Monday or Thursday night home games in 2014 due to traffic concerns it became more logical in my mind that the Seahawks would host the 49ers in primetime for the 3^rd consecutive season.

I would be absolutely stunned if the Broncos/Seahawks game, a rematch of Super Bowl XLVIII, is not slated for primetime. It makes too much sense. The fact that these two teams are once again the early favorites to make it back to Super Bowl XLIX makes this game a potential ratings wonderland. I expect this game to be a serious candidate for Sunday Night Football, or possibly Monday Night Football.

Two years ago the Seahawks beat the Packers in Seattle in what has been remembered then and now as the infamous “Fail Mary” game. The Packers return to Seattle this season to try to avenge that sour loss and I believe this matchup will be the Seahawks 3^rd game scheduled in primetime. I think it would make all the sense in the world to have this game scheduled on Monday Night Football just like it was two seasons ago.

NOTE: On paper the Seahawks have a more attractive road schedule than home schedule, so I think the Seahawks will have two scheduled primetime games on the road and if Seattle qualifies for a sixth primetime game sometime during the season, that too will be a road game.

This is the third consecutive season that the Seahawks travel to Charlotte to take on the Carolina Panthers. This season however, both teams are defending division champions and took the top two seeds in the NFC Playoffs last season. The Seahawks game against the Panthers is one of the more attractive road games we play this season and I could see this game being played on either Monday Night Football or Thursday Night Football.

This year the Seahawks also play the NFC East, the one division that the NFL loves to over-schedule into primetime every year. If the Seahawks are going to play one game in primetime against an NFC East opponent, count my vote towards our game in Washington against the Redskins. Even though the Redskins finished in last place last season, couldn’t you see the “Russell Wilson wins a Super Bowl before #2 overall pick Robert Griffin III does” storyline be dissected for days leading up to the game? I definitely could. Monday Night Football would be the best fit for this game.

TIER TWO

Cowboys at Seahawks, Cardinals at Seahawks, Seahawks at Eagles, Seahawks at Chiefs

The Dallas Cowboys are one of the most attractive teams for the NFL to have playing in primetime. Any Cowboys game is a candidate to be in primetime and their game against the Seahawks in Seattle is no different. I believe there are more attractive teams for the Seahawks to play in primetime at home but a Cowboys/Seahawks game is definitely a possibility.

Last season the Arizona Cardinals snapped the Seahawks 14-game home winning streak dating back to December 2011. With the competition within the NFC West getting stronger there will certainly be some NFC West rivalry games slated for primetime in 2014. I could see Cardinals/Seahawks in Seattle on Thursday Night Football.

I could also see the Seahawks play two other 2013 playoff teams in primetime in 2014. The Philadelphia Eagles are the defending NFC East champions and will see an expanded slate of primetime games this season. Sunday Night Football or Monday Night Football would be the ideal landing spot for this game. If the Seahawks are going to play a road game in primetime against an old AFC West foe, I think it should be the Kansas City Chiefs. Monday Night Football or an early season Thursday Night game would be the best fit for Seahawks/Chiefs.

TIER THREE

Rams at Seahawks, Giants at Seahawks, Seahawks at Cardinals, Seahawks at Chargers

The Seahawks were challenged by the St. Louis Rams last season and the Rams may be ready to make a splash in the playoff conversation this year. Rams/Seahawks in Seattle is sure to be a longshot given the Seahawks other home opponents but it is the better matchup of the two. The New York Giants are another NFC East team which could draw big ratings in primetime but I do not believe this game is likely to be played in primetime. The one thing potentially working in favor of this matchup however is the legacy of the series; specifically the Seahawks win over the Giants in 2005 when New York surrendered 11 false start penalties.

Seahawks/Cardinals in Arizona was a primetime matchup last season which is why it is unlikely to be repeated in primetime this season. Of the matchups in this tier, the Seahawks game in San Diego against the Chargers may have the best chance to be scheduled in primetime, especially since the Chargers also made the playoffs last season.

TIER FOUR

Raiders at Seahawks, Seahawks at Rams

The only way Raiders/Seahawks sneaks its way into the primetime schedule is the argument that the NFL wants to display former bitter AFC rivals on a national stage much like they did the last time Oakland came to town in 2006. I think this matchup is a gigantic mismatch on paper at this point and could be just as ugly as the Super Bowl was. An early double-digit Seahawks lead could turn viewers away later on in the broadcast.

Last season the Seahawks played the Rams in St. Louis on Monday Night Football and that game went head to head with the World Series which was being played just down the street. The environment inside the Edward Jones Dome that night was less than ideal and introduced the prospect of St. Louis missing out on attractive matchups in primetime down the road. Pencil this year’s matchup against the Rams in St. Louis into a Sunday morning/afternoon slot.