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!

#10for10 Game #1: The Tip (Seahawks vs. 49ers, 2013 NFC Championship Game)

*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*

Photo Credit: seahawksdraftblog.com

The Seahawks 2013 season was one nobody in the Pacific Northwest will ever forget. After going 13-3 in the regular season, we advanced all the way to Super Bowl XLVIII. There we defeated the Denver Broncos 43-8 to claim our first NFL world championship. If it wasn’t for the events of two weeks prior to the Super Bowl however, the Seahawks would still be Lombardi-less today. The 2013 NFC Championship had it all: Action, suspense, and when it was all said and done, a storybook ending. This is the story of the best Seahawks game I have ever been to.

The day was January 19^th, 2014. The Seahawks were hosting the second NFC Championship Game in franchise history and we were one win away from a trip to New York City for the Super Bowl. Game time was slated for 3:30pm and I was taking my dad to the game, so we decided to skip the bar scene on this pivotal Sunday. We headed downtown around 10am and went straight to the Pyramid Alehouse for lunch. The place was already packed so we stood at a table inside the bar. I sipped on a few Pyramid Hefeweizens and enjoyed a plate of fish and chips. We watched the first half of the AFC Championship Game between the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos and were joined in the late afternoon once again by my friend James and his brother Lane. James and I had airfare and hotel reservations to New York already booked just in case the Seahawks won. As we watched the game we talked about how excited we were to potentially head east for the Super Bowl and we briefly discussed things we might want to do when back there. I don’t call this overconfidence but when the opportunity presented itself we couldn’t help but talk about our potential vacation. We left Pyramid shortly before 2pm and headed straight into the stadium. Once we got our tickets scanned were all given a white “We Are 12” rally towel. My dad and I departed James and Lane and the two of us headed straight up to my seats.

James and I on the main concourse prior to kickoff

When we hosted the NFC Championship Game 8 years prior I distinctly remember every fan being in their seats before the Seahawks had even ended pregame warmups and this game was no different. The Seahawks huddled up before heading back to the locker room one last time and 68,000 fans hollered to ear-shattering levels while waving their towels. We were ready. The Seahawks went the extra mile to pump up the crowd. Before the Seahawks were introduced, they played the Derrick Coleman Duracell commercial on the video screens. Towards the end of the commercial Coleman, who narrates the commercial says “and now I’m here with the loudest fans in the NFL cheering me on… and I can hear them all.” The video got the fans even more crazed. To this day I have scoured YouTube and various video websites to try to find video of the Coleman commercial played before the game and I have not been successful. It is a moment that will be difficult for me to forget.

After the 49ers took the field the Seahawks were introduced and the starting defense got their chance to run out of the tunnel individually. Richard Sherman was the first member of the Legion of Boom to take the field and deafening roar of the crowd lasted through the introductions of Byron Maxwell, Kam Chancellor, and Earl Thomas. After Heart’s Ann Wilson performed the national anthem, owner Paul Allen raised the 12^th Man flag just like he did before the ’05 NFC title game. The Seahawks were going to start the game with the ball.

On the first play of the game the Seahawks wanted to go for it all. The call was a play action pass. Russell Wilson faked the handoff to Marshawn Lynch and dropped back seven, looking deep down the field. He scrambled to his left and as he tried to tuck the ball away it was stripped and recovered by the 49ers Aldon Smith. After one play the Seahawks had turned the ball over deep inside San Francisco territory. I remember having a blank stare on my face and everyone around me had the exact same expression. “What the f**k was that?” was what was on my mind and multiple people in my vicinity shouted that exact same thought for everyone to hear. Fortunately Colin Kaepernick could not put the 49ers in the endzone following the turnover. We held the 49ers to a field goal and they took a 3-0 lead. Things did not get any better for the Seahawks on our next possession as San Francisco forced us into a 3 and out. After trading punts San Francisco got the ball again to start the second quarter. A 58-yard scramble by Kaepernick gave the 49ers a goal-to-go situation. After three failed attempts to get the ball into the endzone the 49ers elected to go for it on 4^th down. In front of a raucous 12^th Man Kaepernick handed the ball to Anthony Dixon who plowed ahead into the endzone. The touchdown gave the 49ers a 10-0 lead with 10:03 left in the first half. The Seahawks cut the lead to 10-3 on their next drive thanks in part to a 51-yard pass from Russell Wilson to Doug Baldwin. Seattle headed into the locker room at halftime down by 7 and although it was disappointing we were not leading there was renewed optimism when, of all things, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis took the stage for a halftime performance.

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis played their hits singles “Thrift Shop” and “Can’t Hold Us” and at the end of the show Macklemore declared that “Seattle sports history will be made tonight.” This declaration left the 12^th Man including myself jacked up. We as fans were ready to do everything we possibly could to help push the Seahawks to a comeback and a victory.

Photo Credit: Seahawks.com

After forcing the 49ers to punt on their first possession of the second half the Seahawks got the ball with excellent field position. On the fourth play of the drive the Seahawks were facing 3^rd and 1. Darrell Bevell called up “17 power,” the same play as the Marshawn Lynch Beast Quake run. Marshawn shed two blocks and broke away towards the front right corner of the endzone. As soon as he got out of the second tackle I could see the space he had to run and immediately went crazy. At about the 10-yard line Lynch tripped but his momentum carried him into the endzone anyway for the score. Skittles rained down in all corners of the stadium and I jumped up and down in unison with my dad and the folks around me. The game was tied 10-10 and it felt like a whole new football game was about to start.

The 49ers took the next drive 83 yards and with 6:29 left in the third quarter the Seahawks faced yet another deficit, 17-10. After this the Seahawks took full control of the game. After a Steven Hauschka field goal made it a 17-13 ballgame, the Seahawks forced another San Francisco punt. Heading into the fourth quarter the Seahawks had the ball on the 49ers 35-yard line facing 4^th down. The following sequence will never be forgotten as a pivotal cog in the Seahawks 2013 Super Bowl season. Hauschka lined up for a field goal but with the kick heading into the wind, he was hesitant to go through with the attempt. Pete Carroll called timeout to go over their options and ultimately decided to send the offense back on the field to go for it. With the Seahawks in the huddle I sat down in my seat briefly, leaned over, and said a quick prayer. The Seahawks broke the huddle and I jumped up to stand. Wilson was able to draw San Francisco offsides and knowing he had a free play, Wilson launched a pass into the endzone which was caught by Jermaine Kearse. The stadium went crazy. For the first time all afternoon the Seahawks had the lead 20-17. There was still 13:44 left in the game and a lot could happen but what has happened time and time again at home, once we corral a lead, the 12^th Man will make it awfully difficult for the opposing team to come back.

Everyone was back in the game. With Lil Jon’s “Outta Your Mind” on full blast before the next kickoff, every fan was screaming, waiving their rally towels, and jumping up and down. On the 7^th play of the series and facing third down, Colin Kaepernick was flushed out of the pocket to his left. As he tried to cock the ball back it was stripped out of his hand by Cliff Avril and picked up by Michael Bennett. Bennett returned the ball to the 49ers 6-yard line. This was the loudest it had gotten inside CenturyLink Field all day. The 49ers were unraveling and if the Seahawks could score a touchdown and go up by 10 points, the game may be out of reach. Unfortunately the drive resulted in no points, as Russell Wilson fumbled a 4^th and goal attempt from the 1-yard line, turning the ball over to the 49ers. After an interception by Kam Chancellor which was translated into a field goal the Seahawks held a 23-17 lead with 3:37 remaining. If Seattle could stop the 49ers one more time, they would be the NFC champions.

The Seahawks forced San Francisco into a 4^th and 2 situation with 2:01 left in the game. The 49ers converted on a pass from Kaepernick to Frank Gore for 17 yards. After the next play, a 4 yard run by Kaepernick, the 49ers elected to let the clock run. After two more completions the 49ers had the ball 1^st and 10 from the Seahawks 29-yard line. 55 seconds remained. After a pass to Vernon Davis the 49ers let the clock run down once more. With every second off the clock came more and more stress. The 49ers were getting dangerously close to the endzone and with them draining the clock, a touchdown would pretty much seal San Francisco’s second consecutive trip to the Super Bowl. The fans tried to stay loud to try to throw the 49ers off but you could hear the worry and panic in the noise, a feeling that has never happened in my 10 years as a season ticket holder. There have been stressful moments but not like this; not with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line.

Then everything changed. Then came the single greatest play in the history of the Seattle Seahawks.

1^st and 10 for the 49ers. 18-yard line. 30 seconds remaining. Colin Kaepernick drops back and throws a fade into the right side of the endzone. The ball is tipped into the air by Richard Sherman and falls right into the waiting hands of Malcolm Smith. The Seahawks had made the tip drill a common routine throughout 2013 and with no other 49ers receiver in the area, from my angle as soon as the ball was tipped I knew it was going to be intercepted. It was the most emotional I had ever been at a Seahawks game. I dropped to my knees because I was emotionally drained. With everyone in the stadium going crazy, after a few moments I got back up, hugged my dad, and the reality of the moment really started to settle in. “WE’RE GOING TO THE SUPER BOWL!” I exclaimed as Russell Wilson took three knees to win the game. With “Can’t Hold Us” playing over the speakers the teams met in the middle of the field and as the clock hit zero I pulled out my phone. I had a text I needed to send to James. That text, which I will never forget, simply said “PACK YOUR BAGS, BROTHER.” We were going to New York for the Super Bowl.

John Nordstrom, the original owner of the Seahawks, presented Paul Allen with the George Halas trophy and after several on-field speeches the fans left the stadium one last time to the sounds of Frank Sinatra’s classic hit “New York, New York.”

Photo Credit: Seahawks.com

The rest is history. The Seahawks went on to win their very first world championship two weeks later. Without Jermaine Kearse’s 4^th down touchdown and Richard Sherman’s tip, there is a very good chance the Seahawks would still be a championship-less franchise. From 2006-2012 the Seahawks season came to an end short of us being able to host an NFC Championship Game, the biggest game a team can host. Those long years waiting made this day absolutely worth it. There is no doubt this is the greatest Seahawks home game I have ever attended and going forward it will be extremely difficult to top.

#10for10 Game #2: Championship Comeback (Seahawks vs. Packers, 2014 NFC Championship Game)

*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*

Photo Credit: Seahawks.com

After overtaking the Arizona Cardinals for the NFC West lead and eventual division championship late in the 2014 season the Seahawks earned the number one seed in the NFC playoffs for the second consecutive season. All it would take was a win in the divisional round and the Seahawks would host the NFC Championship Game for the second straight year. We did just that, and on January 18^th, 2015 the Seahawks hosted the Green Bay Packers with the winner earning a trip to Super Bowl XLIX.

The day started a little different than any other Seahawks home game in my 10 years as a season ticket holder simply because of what time the game was scheduled to start. The AFC and NFC alternate kickoff times for championship weekend each year; one game starts at 12:00pm while the other kicks off at 3:30pm. In 2014 the NFC title game was a noon kickoff Pacific Time which meant the game would start one hour earlier than an afternoon regular season Seahawks home game. After a 5:30am wake up call, I got myself ready to go and I was out of the house by 6:30. I met my friend Jake at a Pioneer Square Starbucks shortly before 7am and we grabbed a cup of coffee before walking over to our pregame destination, the Hawks Nest Bar and Grill. The bar usually opens at 8am for Seahawks home games and they did not open earlier to accommodate the earlier start time. Because of this there was a line about 75 people long waiting to get in at 7:30. We met a couple of Jake’s brother’s friends and when the doors opened at 8 o’clock we headed straight for the L-shaped mini-bar-looking spot in the back of the building.

For the next two and a half hours we watched the various NFL pregame shows on the televisions surrounding our spot while eating and drinking merrily with all the Seahawks fans sitting and standing around us. Over this time I was paid visits by my Dad and uncle who were attending the game together, as well as my friend James and his little brother Lane who had also won tickets through the Seahawks.

James (left), Jake (right), and I at the Hawks Nest before the game

After a few beers Jake and I left the bar at around 10:30 and headed into the stadium. We got our rally towels at the gate and headed straight up to my seats. We were met with a stadium getting fuller by the minute and by the time the Seahawks headed into their locker room after pregame warmups CenturyLink Field was nearly completely full. The Seahawks defense was introduced to a raucous ovation and after Paul Allen raised the 12 Flag for the third time ever with a sea of white towels waving all around, Steven Hauschka kicked off to the Packers to get the game underway.

That first drive could not have been any better. After letting the Packers drive into Seahawks territory, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw a third down pass into the endzone which was picked off by Richard Sherman. All the momentum shifted in the Seahawks favor. If we could take our first possession and turn it into a touchdown, it may be an easy day en route to the Super Bowl. Those dreams ended real fast. On the third play of our first drive Russell Wilson was intercepted by Packers safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. For some reason everything that followed for the next three quarters fell out of sync. That interception led to a field goal and a 3-0 Green Bay lead. Doug Baldwin fumbled the ball back to the Packers on our next offensive play and that turnover turned into another Packers field goal. Then a three and out gave the ball back to the Packers and they in turn scored a touchdown. After the first quarter the Packers had over 4 times as many points as the Seahawks had yards. Packers 13, Seahawks 0.

The Seahawks started the second quarter with another three and out. The Packers turned their next drive into another field goal and a 16-0 lead. By this point all the fans were silent and discouraged beyond belief. We could not believe that a team so good playing at home on a stage so big could come out so flat. Our next drive did not make matters any better. Another Wilson interception to Clinton-Dix gave Green Bay the ball back but we were able to take the ball back from the Packers when Byron Maxwell intercepted Rodgers. We needed to go down the field and score a touchdown to have any confidence moving forward. We got the ball all the way down to the Packers 18-yard line. Unfortunately we could not capitalize. Wilson targeted Jermaine Kearse on the left side of the endzone but was intercepted by Sam Shields. Packers ball 1^st and 10 up 16-0 with 1:55 left in the half. I was in a state of such shock and disbelief I needed to decompose and catch my breath. I abandoned an equally-shocked Jake at my seats for a short period of time and I decided to take a walk down the concourse and use the restroom at the halftime break.

I sit in section 340 at CenturyLink Field which is in the northwest corner of the stadium. I walked all the way down to the 12 Flagpole in the south end of the stadium and waited in a bathroom line that stretched about 100 feet down the concourse. I did not even care about the Alice in Chains halftime performance going on right next to me. I just stared into space, thinking about the 30 minutes of atrocious football I had just witnessed. I was not physically sick but just thinking about how poorly we played made me want to puke once I got in there. I walked back to my seats with a renewed hope that the Seahawks could come back and make this game competitive. Luckily I made it back just in time for the start of the second half.

After trading drives resulting in punts the Seahawks got the ball back and drove down to the Green Bay 19-yard line. Steven Hauschka lined up for a 38-yard field goal but the ball was picked up by holder Jon Ryan who scrambled left and lobbed up a rainbow to eligible receiver Garry Gilliam for a touchdown. The fake fooled everyone in the stadium and when the pass fell complete the stands went nuts. The gutsy play call put us back in the game. We knew we had a long way to go but we thought this score could spark a comeback. Packers 16, Seahawks 7.

After exchanging punts once more the Packers drove down the field to kick a field goal which extended their lead to 19-7 with 10:53 left in regulation. The Seahawks got the ball back with just over 5 minutes left to go needing a touchdown. On the first play of the drive Wilson was picked off for the fourth time, once again intended for Jermaine Kearse. Many fans gave up on our chances and decided to head for the exits including Marc and Mike, the two guys who sit in front of me. After forcing the Packers to punt the Seahawks got the ball back with 3:52 left in regulation. The following 7 minutes and 11 seconds earned this game the number two spot on my countdown.

The Seahawks drove 69-yards down the field culminating in a 1-yard read-option keeper by Russell Wilson. The score cut the Green Bay lead to 19-14. It was a huge score but we still needed to recover an onside kick to have any shot at taking the lead. Steven Hauschka kicked the ensuing onside kick which bounced off the helmet of the Packers Brandon Bostick. Chris Matthews jumped to snare the ball out of mid-air and the remainder of the crowd went insane. I bear hugged Jake and the guys sitting next to us. I immediately turned to my left to look down at all the fans who decided to leave stop in their tracks. Instead of walking away from the building they stood frozen, hearing the distant cheers inside the stadium; honestly one of the most satisfying sights I have ever seen at a Seahawks game. After an 8-yard pass to Luke Willson, Marshawn Lynch took a handoff 24 yards for a touchdown. All of a sudden with 1:25 left in regulation the Seahawks had their first lead of the game 20-19. We could not believe it. After screaming in celebration I bent over to catch my breath, not before letting out one last yelp. The Seahawks had to go for two to try to extend the lead to 3. Wilson rolled to his right and when the play did not develop he was chased backwards and after spinning around he chucked up a prayer of a pass across his body where it was somehow hauled in by Willson. The Seahawks miraculously had a 22-19 lead but the game was not yet over. The Packers were successfully able to drive into field goal range and kicked a game-tying 48-yard field goal to send the game into overtime. After 60 minutes: Seahawks 22, Packers 22.

The Seahawks won the toss to start overtime and I immediately wanted to yell “WE WANT THE BALL AND WE’RE GONNA SCORE!” in reference to the infamous Seahawks/Packers Wild-Card playoff game in 2003. Jake could tell by the look on my face and before I even had the chance to open my mouth he looked at me and with a dead straight face said “don’t you even dare say it.” Facing a third down Wilson found Doug Baldwin for a 35-yard gain and the Seahawks were a mere 35 yards away from a second straight NFC championship. On the next play Wilson saw the Packers were lined up with a single high safety so he audibled. He dropped back and floated a beautiful pass right into the arms of Jermaine Kearse as he crossed the goal line. When the pass left Wilson’s hand I screamed “FOR THE WIN….” And sure enough when the pass dropped into Kearse’s bread basket I jumped into the air. Jake jumped into my arms and the guys surrounding me in turn jumped onto us World Series style, as if we were the ones who had just won the game. The Seahawks players and coaches stormed the field and pig-piled Kearse in the south endzone. We were the NFC Champions and if felt so good. Daft Punk’s “One More Time” blared over the sound system as the trophy presentation stage was being set up in the middle of the field.

Jake and I with the championship celebration ongoing on the field in the background

Steve Largent presented Paul Allen the George Halas trophy and after speeches by Allen, Pete Carroll, and Russell Wilson it really started to sink in that we were going back to the Super Bowl. Jake and I left the stadium and walked up 1^st avenue on our way to dinner where traffic was at a standstill. We high fived everyone we walked past on the sidewalk while also watching various fans run through the streets in celebration. This was the greatest comeback in the history of Seahawks football and not only were we fortunate to see it live, we were also smart enough not to leave when our chances to win seemed grave with just over five minutes left in the fourth quarter. This game will always be one of my favorites and it has rightfully earned the number two spot on my #10for10 countdown.

Review: Seahawks 35, Ravens 6

Photo Credit: Seahawks.com

As far as the game goes it went as well as anyone would have wanted. But even though the Seahawks went into Baltimore and beat the Ravens 35-6 on Sunday, Seattle is now facing a bit of uncertainty going forward due to the injuries of key players on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. For now however the Seahawks improve to 8-5 and take over the #5 seed in the NFC. The Ravens fall to 4-9 and guarantee their first losing season since 2007. Here are my thoughts following today’s win.

Wilson, Baldwin Fuel Offense: After a slow start Doug Baldwin came out and had a huge day for the third straight week. Baldwin caught 6 passes for 86 yards, half of them being touchdowns. I am impressed the Seahawks and Russell Wilson found different ways to get Baldwin open. Given the success Baldwin had had the previous two weeks it was certainly going to be priority number one for the Ravens defense to shut him down. If there was any question going into this game I feel extremely confident now saying Baldwin is Wilson’s go-to guy. Not to be outdone, Wilson had himself a game as well. In addition to his three touchdowns to Baldwin, Wilson also threw two touchdown passes to Tyler Lockett who led the team in receiving yards with 104. Over the past four weeks Wilson has thrown for a whopping 1,171 yards, 16 touchdowns, and no interceptions. This is clearly the best four-game stretch of his career and with two straight home games coming up next this is a perfect opportunity to pad those numbers.

Defense Stands Tall: There were brief times when it was almost sickening how efficient Ravens quarterback Jimmy Clausen was moving the ball against the Seattle defense in big chunks, specifically at the end of the first half. When you look at the scoreboard and stat board however the day our defense had against Clausen tells a different story. Our defense did not allow a touchdown for the second straight week, we held Baltimore to 27 percent effectiveness on third down, and we won the turnover battle 2-1. This game was a textbook example of what a good pass rush can do for a team. Even though the Seahawks did not sack Clausen when we were able to penetrate the offensive line Clausen’s throws were off target and oftentimes incomplete. For the Seahawks to give up a combined 13 points in two straight games on the road that is a number that we should be proud of.

Injury Outlook: Three starters got banged up on Sunday, each one varying in severity. Michael Bennett jammed his toe late in the game but is expected to be fine. Kam Chancellor injured his tailbone early in the game and head coach Pete Carroll said in his postgame press conference he hopes Chancellor can bounce back and be ready for Cleveland next week. The most crushing blow comes in the offensive backfield. After gaining 44 yards on the first offensive drive Thomas Rawls appeared to injure his knee on a 2^nd and 1 play deep inside Ravens territory. He was able to walk off the field gingerly under his own power which appeared to be a good sign. After the game however that good sign turned grave. Thomas Rawls broke his ankle on that play and he will be out for the rest of the season. This is a huge blow for an offense that shined ever so bright with Rawls carrying the ball. Losing a potential offensive rookie of the year candidate is burdensome but what pours even more salt into the wound is the fact the Marshawn Lynch will not be ready to return next week. It surprised me the Seahawks did not use a heavy dose of read-option in the second half but moving forward we may be forced to use Russell Wilson’s legs in the running game more than offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell would probably like to.

Thoughts on Harris: Barring a waiver wire pickup/plug n’ start next week against Cleveland, DuJuan Harris will likely see the bulk of the work load moving forward. This worries me immensely. After watching him work (and fumble on his 5^th carry of the game) on Sunday I see a guy that does not come close to either Lynch or Rawls. The fact that Harris could not even outgain Rawls’s production on his only drive of the game speaks for itself. All it took was one play to formulate an opinion on Harris. On a 2^nd and 6 in the third quarter Harris received the handoff from Wilson and cut left, running into Ravens linebacker Courtney Upshaw and gaining only one yard. If he had cut to the right Harris would have easily had a first down and possibly a little bit more. Harris uses all of his energy when he receives the handoff and has a difficult time reading his blocks. His largest run of the game was a 6-yard scamper on our first drive of the second half. His fumble also has me worried about his ball security because the way he carries the ball it moves up and down quite a bit. Let’s just hope Beast Mode can be back sooner rather than later.

Random Thoughts: The Ravens went with purple jerseys and black pants. I like that look much better than the purple jersey/white pants look. It’s more intimidating… Although the broadcast wasn’t as biased as I thought it may have been, it still was hard to listen to. There were several instances where they butchered the names of different players. For example, Ravens wide receiver Kamar Aiken was called “Kamar Aikman” multiple times by commentator Charles Davis. Also at the top of the broadcast sideline reporter Tony Siragusa called Russell Wilson “Russell Williams.” THAT one is inexcusable… Lots of 12’s in Baltimore but the broadcast tried to make the claim that they were pretty much all bandwagoners. I bet there were some but they do not understand just how many Seattle residents travel to our road games. I bet the majority of them were actually from Seattle.

What’s Next: The number two game of my #10for10 series will be published on Thursday. Look for my preview of next week’s game against the Cleveland Browns on Saturday morning.

Review: Seahawks 38, Vikings 7

Photo Credit: Seahawks.com

It is ironic that the Seahawks and Minnesota Vikings faced off in a college stadium on Sunday because one team on the field certainly played like a college team while the other looked like a serious Super Bowl contender. The Seahawks came into Minneapolis and thanks to strong play on both sides of the ball launched the Seahawks to a runaway 38-7 victory over the Vikings. The Seahawks improve to 7-5 on the season and currently hold one of two NFC wild-card spots. The Vikings fall to 8-4 and hold the other NFC wild-card spot. Here are my brief thoughts on today’s game.

Wilson on Point: After throwing 5 touchdowns a week ago, Russell Wilson followed that performance with his most complete game of the season on Sunday. Wilson completed 21 of his 27 passes for 274 yards and 3 touchdowns while also running 9 times for 51 yards and a touchdown. He could have had over 100 rushing yards and a second touchdown but his 53-yard scamper and score was negated by an offensive holding penalty. Wilson’s near-perfect 146.0 passer rating is also his second best mark of the season. Once again this week there was a correlation between Wilson’s production and the protection he received from his offensive line. The line only allowed one sack and Wilson had more than enough time on several of his throws to complete his passes. With the exception of one pass that was a little high intended for Jermaine Kearse, this was also Wilson’s most accurate game through the air. Something just seems to click with Wilson when the calendar turns to December.

Rawls Shines Once Again: Another week, another 100-plus yard rushing day for running back Thomas Rawls. His day got off to a shaky start after fumbling on his second carry of the game. Luckily that turnover, the only Seattle turnover of the game, did not lead to any Minnesota points. Rawls rode his 5.3 yards per carry average to 101 yards and a touchdown on Sunday. His quickness really seemed to be a problem for the depleted Vikings defense. Here is a number that is sure to surprise Seahawks fans. With 4 games remaining in the regular season Rawls is only 214 yards away from 1,000 rushing yards on the season. During the broadcast they talked about the two-headed monster the Seahawks will have in the backfield once Marshawn Lynch returns from injury but to be honest I think it might be in our best interest to shut Lynch down and ride Rawls for the remainder of the season. That may sound like an absurd idea but the production Rawls has had along with what he is projected to do going forward may not be something head coach Pete Carroll and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell want to mess with.

“Shut Peterson Down, Win the Game”: I wrote about this in great detail in my game preview and this is what I told everyone who asked me my thoughts about this game. The Vikings were only going to be as effective on offense as Adrian Peterson was and the Seahawks shut him down and kept the Vikings offense off the scoreboard. Peterson was held to only 18 yards on 8 carries which are both season lows. The dynamic play of the Seahawks run defense put the game squarely on the shoulders of Teddy Bridgewater and he did not impress whatsoever. With Bridgewater having only thrown 8 touchdowns this season he is the textbook definition of a “game manager” and you could tell that he was struggling to make plays on his own. We took his feet away from him and we flustered him easily in the pocket, sacking him 4 times. By my count Bridgewater was only able to complete two of his throws for 10 or more yards. This was by far the best game our defense has played all season long and to do it on the road against a playoff caliber team should raise eyebrows.

Penalty Problem: In the first quarter alone the Seahawks were flagged twice for false starts and once for 12 men in the huddle. This many procedure penalties in one quarter alone is alarming and we had problems with penalties all game long. Luckily the majority of our penalties were small yardage penalties. We had 9 penalties on Sunday, but they were masked by Minnesota’s penalties because the Vikings penalties would come at what seemed to be the worst times including three straight offensive penalties leading to a notable and laughable 1^st and 38 opportunity. Mental mistakes have improved greatly over recent weeks but we took a step back on Sunday.

Thoughts on Minnesota: Long term the Minnesota Vikings have the talent to contend down the road. Short term may be a different story. The Vikings have a playoff caliber defense but they will only go as far as Adrian Peterson takes them. An offensive outing in a potential wild-card round game like the one they played on Sunday and it will be a quick and ugly one-and-done for the Vikings. With three of their four remaining games against NFC division leaders, it will be difficult for Minnesota to re-claim first place in the NFC North and if they struggle they may have to fight to even earn the #6 seed.

Random Thoughts: Although the temperature was said to have been in the high 30’s and low 40’s it looked like people in the stands were miserably cold. Maybe it’s because it was cloudy and looked like it could start snowing… My opinion is the Seahawks will be the #5 seed in the playoffs. With our next 3 games coming against losing teams now is the time to pull away from the rest of the wild-card pack to solidify our spot in the NFL playoffs.

What’s Next: The Seahawks will hit the road for their final 10am game of the regular season next week against the Baltimore Ravens. Look for my game preview on Saturday morning.

Steelers/Seahawks Preview

 

The Seahawks host the Pittsburgh Steelers for the first time since Super Bowl XL. Screenshot from Youtube.com

Matchup: Pittsburgh Steelers at Seattle Seahawks

Site: CenturyLink Field (Seattle, Washington)

Kickoff: 1:25pm

On February 5^th, 2006 the Seahawks played in their very first Super Bowl, Super Bowl XL in Detroit. We were the NFC champions and we faced off against the Pittsburgh Steelers. In what felt to be a Steelers home game, the Seahawks lost their first chance to win the Lombardi Trophy. Steelers 21, Seahawks 10. The game will forever be remembered for several questionable officiating gaffs which many Seahawks fans still believe may have cost us a championship. Ever since the 12’s have had a justified hatred of the Pittsburgh Steelers. On Sunday, 3,585 days later, comes the home game Seahawks fans have been waiting for ever since. The 6-4 Steelers make their first trip to CenturyLink Field since Super Bowl XL to take on the 5-5 Seattle Seahawks. Pittsburgh leads the all-time series with the Seahawks 9-8 including 21-0 and 24-0 Steelers shutouts in our last two meetings in 2007 and 2011 respectively. The last time the Seahawks scored on the Steelers was Jerramy Stevens’s touchdown in Super Bowl XL. This game could have significant playoff implications for both teams. This is what I will be watching for.

If there is one thing I am always looking for from the Seahawks offense it is consistency. Running back Marshawn Lynch will not play again this week so Thomas Rawls will see the majority of the carries for the second straight week. Unlike San Francisco which sports the 27^th ranked run defense in the league, Pittsburgh comes into this week’s game as the 5^th best run defense. Rawls may have a difficult time getting going and I certainly do not expect him to put up the record-breaking numbers of a week ago. Note however that Rawls leads the league in yards per carry with an average of 6 YPC. If Rawls can run for at least 80 yards I believe the Seahawks will be in good shape. You cannot count on Rawls alone to carry the offense. I want to see the same type of good decision making from quarterback Russell Wilson that made our passing game wildly effective last week. In our 5 wins this season Wilson has thrown only 3 interceptions. Pittsburgh is good at forcing turnovers. So far this season the Steelers have 18 takeaways including a +5 giveaway/takeaway ratio which is tied for 6^th best in the league. The Seahawks can and will win this game if Wilson takes care of the ball.

During last week’s win cornerback Cary Williams was benched in favor of DeShawn Shead, who made 4 tackles and forced two fumbles. With Jeremy Lane activated from the physically unable to perform list, I believe we will see change at Williams’s spot against the Steelers. Head coach Pete Carroll said on Monday that there would be an open competition for the right cornerback job during practice this week. If Williams starts expect him to be on a short leash with Shead and Lane sharing playing time if Williams struggles. If Williams does not start altogether I expect Shead to get the nod since it is likely the Seahawks would like to ease Lane into the defensive game plan. Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger averages 315 passing yards per game so the Legion of Boom will surely be tested this week. In addition, opposing quarterbacks have a 120.6 passer rating when throwing towards Cary Williams. Being able to cover deep passes will be huge, as Pittsburgh likes to throw deep. As a skilled veteran, it would be no surprise at all to see Roethlisberger test Williams, Shead, or Lane early and often.

The Pittsburgh Steelers offense is a unit that has changed quite a bit over the years. The one constant is quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who will be playing in his first career game at CenturyLink Field. My focus for the Steelers offense is how well they handle the crowd noise as well as Roethlisberger’s pass protection. The Steelers will start two offensive linemen who did not start the season with the first group. Left tackle Alejandro Villanueva will have a big test in front of him as he will line up across from Cliff Avril, who has been on fire as of late. Center Cody Wallace is a 6-year veteran who has been playing in place of Maurkice Pouncey all season. If the Seahawks can put pressure on Roethlisberger it will take away the most effective facet of his game, stepping up and throwing the deep ball. Wide receivers Antonio Brown, Martavis Bryant, and Markus Wheaton will all make a major impact this week if Roethlisberger has time to go through his progressions. Look for Big Ben to throw several deep passes on Sunday.

The Steelers have lost many big names on the defensive side of the ball since the last time these two teams played. Gone are the days of Joey Porter and Troy Polamalu and the Steelers have replaced these names and more with great talent. Veterans James Harrison and William Gay have made a big impact this season, combining for 60 tackles. Rookie Bud Dupree leads all Steelers defenders in sacks with 4. I will be focused on the guy who statistically has had the best season of any defensive player. My X-Factor Player to Watch for the Steelers this week is inside linebacker Lawrence Timmons. Timmons has locked down the middle of the field for Pittsburgh since 2007 and although he is a seasoned veteran his numbers are very impressive. Timmons leads the team in tackles with 73. He can also rush the passer which could make for a long day for Seahawks linemen Justin Britt and Patrick Lewis. Timmons can also drop back into coverage. He has recorded 6 passes defensed and one interception. If Russell Wilson decides to throw short or intermediate passes expect Timmons to be in on the play.

Random Thoughts: All navy once again for the Seahawks uniform wise. The Steelers will wear white jerseys and yellow pants… This is the national game of the week on CBS and the entire country except for the San Francisco Bay Area will be able to see this game on local television. Jim Nantz and Phil Simms have the call with Tracy Wolfson patrolling the sidelines… The referee will be Walt Anderson… The gameday giveaway is flags which will be distributed to the first 44,000 fans… Don’t fall asleep again this year Alan. I don’t want to see a repeat of what happened last year… I am expecting to be disappointed in regards to the number of Pittsburgh fans in attendance. Steelers fans probably travel the best of any NFL franchise… To those attending please be smart when engaging with opposing fans. I know it may be difficult to holster any trash talk towards Steelers fans given our bad blood towards their franchise… I am kind of surprised there hasn’t been any news this week bringing up Super Bowl XL and specifically what kind of ovation the Steelers will likely receive upon running out of the tunnel… I have been waiting years to have the opportunity to boo this team. I will certainly savor every second.

Prediction: Expect a nerve-racking back-and-forth game. The Seahawks will have a 23-21 lead with 5 minutes left to play. Ben Roethlisberger will lead a Steelers drive deep into Seahawks territory but will have to settle for a Chris Boswell field goal. With the Steelers leading 24-23 the Seahawks will have one last opportunity to drive into field goal range to win the game. Two big gains by Thomas Rawls and a huge completion from Russell Wilson to Tyler Lockett will put Seattle inside the Pittsburgh 35-yard line. Steven Hauschka will knock through a game winning 50-yard field goal with only seconds remaining. The Seahawks will improve to 6-5 and will lock down their first winning record of the season.

Seahawks 26, Steelers 24

#10for10 Game #4: Beast Quake (Seahawks vs. Saints, 2010 NFC Wild-Card Playoff)

*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*

Photo Credit: Seahawks.com

There are many reasons why I love playoff football but one of those reasons is very unique to me. My birthday falls during the first part of January, and it has been proven possible that NFL playoff games can fall on my birthday, January 8th. It happened on my 15^th birthday, a 27-20 Wild-Card loss to the St. Louis Rams. Six years later it happened again, this time on my 21^st birthday. What better way to ring in my alcohol legality by enjoying Seahawks playoff football? I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.

In Pete Carroll’s first season as head coach he led the Seahawks to a 7-9 record; a two game improvement from the previous season but due to an extremely weak division and a win over St. Louis in the final week of the season dubbed the “NFC West Championship,” the 2010 Seahawks became the first team in modern NFL history to make the playoffs with a losing record.

Photo Credit: nfltouchdown.com

We were the 2010 NFC West champions which guaranteed us a home playoff game. Our opponent? The 11-5, defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints.

After a night of drinking with my then-girlfriend Lisa the night before, game day started a little on the slow side. We left her apartment in the U-District relatively early for a 1:30pm kickoff and stopped for a coffee at the international district Starbucks. We happened to run into my dad and my dad’s friend Steve at Starbucks and they graciously offered to take us out to the Pyramid Alehouse for lunch before the game to celebrate my birthday. I distinctly remember that we were seated and I immediately put my hungover head down on the table to rest. After assuring the waitress that I was in no mood for a beer, I ordered fish and chips and she then brought me two glasses of water. Lunch was not particularly noteworthy, however I did excuse myself twice to answer a couple of different phone calls from family and friends wishing me a happy 21^st birthday. After lunch Lisa and I headed into the stadium.

One of the disadvantages of drinking in or around the stadium is that the bars and concession workers do not accept vertical driver’s licenses. Because of this fact Lisa had to order my first legal beer inside the stadium, something that still irks me to this day but it is what it is. We ran into my friend Ned at his seats on the lower level during pregame warmups and after a brief chat we headed up to my seats. I may not have had a more epic rally in my life. In a mere 5 hours I went from hungover to “ready to party it’s game time” mode. By kickoff I physically felt great!

The Seahawks offense was introduced as 67,000 fans waved their white rally towels; a scene that still gives me goosebumps when the Seahawks give away rally towels. Walter Jones raised the 12^th Man flag and as kickoff approached I prayed the Seahawks could pull off one of the biggest upsets in recent memory. I did not expect a win to be honest, but I knew that we always have a shot to win when we play at home. The start of the game went pretty much how fans across the country thought it would. The Saints took their opening drive down into red zone and settled for a field goal. After an interception by Matt Hasselbeck (which was deflected mind you), the Saints found the endzone when Drew Brees hit fullback Heath Evans for a 1-yard touchdown pass. We were not even 9 minutes into the game and the Saints already had a 10-0 lead. Seahawks safety Lawyer Milloy pulled the entire defense together after this touchdown and told them how important it was for them to stick together. It was at this point that the momentum started to shift.

The next Seahawks possession took the ball down to the New Orleans 11-yard line. On 1^st and 10 Matt Hasselbeck fired a play-action pass down the seam which was caught by tight end John Carlson for a touchdown. The score cut the Saints lead to 10-7 and the energy from the fans had fully returned. The Saints would not be denied on their next possession however, leading to a short touchdown run by Julius Jones which re-gave New Orleans a 10 point lead. The next Seattle drive featured a 39-yard fade from Hasselbeck to Cameron Morrah. On the very next play Hasselbeck found an uncovered Carlson in the endzone for his second touchdown of the game. The Saints led 17-14 but it was clear the Seahawks were going to be able to be competitive, so long as they could go blow-for-blow with the most explosive offense in the league. The way New Orleans was playing on defense, we in the stands believed it was going to be possible.

After a Seahawks field goal tied the game 17-17, the Seahawks got the ball back and were driving late in the first half. With 1:23 left in the half Hasselbeck connected with wide receiver Brandon Stokley for a 45-yard touchdown. The score gave the Seahawks their first lead of the game, 24-17, and Lisa and I along with everyone else around us went crazy. It felt as if  the common narrative in the stands was “we thought we could be competitive but actually take a lead??!! I cannot believe this is happening!”

The Seahawks got the ball to start the second half and immediately extended their lead. Hasselbeck connected with Mike Williams on yet another long bomb and the Seahawks suddenly had a 31-20 lead. After a mediocre regular season and dealing with a broken wrist, Matt Hasselbeck was having the game of his life. It was his finest hour in his final home game as a Seahawk. The scoring continued on our next drive as an Olindo Mare field goal extended our lead to 34-20.

A 34-20 lead in 2015 would probably mean the end of this game but unfortunately the Legion of Boom was two or three years late to this party. Two punts led to 10 New Orleans points and with 9:16 left in the game the Seahawks lead was down to 34-30. The Seahawks punted the ball back to the Saints with 5:36 left and the Saints had to drive 94 yards to score touchdown and take the lead back. I distinctly remember the game going into a television timeout and they played a pump up video on the video screens. It was a video that synced select Seahawks players and clips of the fans screaming to Ozzy Osbourne’s “Let Me Hear You Scream” (something that has since become a Seahawks playoff tradition for select playoff games). This fired up the 12^th Man to a level that had not been seen or heard at any point during the game. With an ultra-motivated crowd the Saints did nothing on their next drive, punting the ball back to Seattle with 4:20 left to play. All the Seahawks need to do was score a touchdown to virtually seal the upset. What happened next earned this game a spot on my #10for10 list.

After running back Marshawn Lynch was stopped for no gain, offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates called the now-famous play, “17 Power.” Hasselbeck snapped the ball, turned around and handed to Lynch who somehow escaped 4 tackles at the line of scrimmage, and two more in the second level of the New Orleans defense. Lynch was off to the races. After shedding a fifth tackle, he delivered the nastiest stiff arm I have ever seen to Tracy Porter which launched Porter five yards backwards. It was at this point I thought Lynch could go all the way. After shedding a seventh tackle he cut it back inside and he had a clear path to the endzone. During the entire run the stands were going crazy and after Lynch stiff armed Porter I held on to Lisa on my left while grabbing at the two guys sitting in front of me. As soon as Lynch cut it back inside I knew he was going to score. I did not see him cross the goal line and I did not see him do his now-famous “hold mah dick” because I ran up the stairs on the aisle, waving my arms in exhilaration. I high-fived and hugged probably about 20 or more people and upon running back down the stairs back to my seat Lisa had a look in her eyes and an expression on her face I will never forget; a look of “you are absolutely crazy.” It was later revealed that this touchdown run was recorded as seismic activity close by the stadium and will forever be known as “Beast Quake;” the defining run of Marshawn Lynch’s career. The score gave the Seahawks a 41-30 lead and with 3:22 left in the game we all now believed we would be victorious.

Photo Credit: Seahawks.com

The Saints were able to drive down the field and score which cut the lead to 41-36 but New Orleans could not successfully execute the following onside kick. The Seahawks ran out the clock and the 7-9 NFC West champion Seahawks had remarkably punched their ticket to the NFC Divisional playoffs. I remember the fans stuck around for a while after the game and as the Black Eyed Peas “I Gotta Feeling” blared over the sound system on repeat, Lisa and I embraced for what felt like forever. To this day this is probably my most memorable birthday ever, and there is no question it rightfully deserves a place on this countdown.

#FireBevell: Panthers 27, Seahawks 23

Photo Credit: Panthers.com

For the second straight week the Seahawks blew a lead late in the game and they were unable to complete a last-minute comeback attempt. The Carolina Panthers came into Seattle and exited with their first win ever at CenturyLink Field, defeating the Seahawks 27-23. The Panthers improve to 5-0 while the Seahawks fall to 2-4. Again, many different groups were to blame for this loss but for yet ANOTHER week I point the finger at the play calling of offensive quarter Darrell Bevell. Do not get me wrong, a defense as talented as the Seahawks should be able to hold a lead, but the plays that were called on the second-to-last offensive drive of the game leaves me fuming mad. This review is entirely dedicated to that drive as I give my thoughts on each of those 5 plays.

1^st & 10, Seattle 20 Yard Line, 3:55 Remaining: Hindsight is 20/20 on this play, and it was a similar feeling to the 3^rd down completion to Jermaine Kearse at the end of the Detroit game two weeks ago. The Seahawks broke the huddle in a shotgun formation with 5 wide receivers spread out. My first thought was why in the world are we throwing the ball on first down?! Even though Carolina had all three of their timeouts and the two-minute warning to work with, we had been marginally effective running the ball with Marshawn Lynch in the second half. Anything short of a first down on this play and Seattle would have either gotten Carolina to burn timeout #1 or chewed the clock down to about 3:10 left. Luckily Russell Wilson connected with Jimmy Graham for a 20-yard gain to keep the clock going and give us a fresh set of downs. Regardless, my personal philosophy would be to establish the run on first down and we refused to do so.

1^st & 10, Seattle 40 Yard Line, 3:05 Remaining: Oh goodie! Another first down opportunity and another chance to establish the run! Instead, Russell Wilson dropped back to pass and kept the ball for a two yard gain. The clock would have kept on running. Unfortunately Marshawn Lynch was called for holding on the play, moving the ball back 10 yards.

1^st & 20, Seattle 30 Yard Line, 2:52 Remaining: Regardless of the penalty, we still had a first down to work with. It was yet another opportunity to run the ball and potentially chew clock. For the third time Bevell dialed up a pass, this one winding up being incomplete intended for Marshawn Lynch. This would have been a perfect place to run read option to gain those penalty yards back. It was a high-percentage throw but with an offensive line that struggled once again on Sunday, Russell Wilson dropping back to pass is not the smartest move to make in this first down situation. To make matters worse this incompletion stopped the clock and Carolina was not forced to take a timeout. If the Panthers defense forced the Seahawks into a three and out, they now would have at least one timeout in their back pocket when they get the ball back. YOU MUST BE ABLE TO KEEP THE CLOCK RUNNING IN THESE SITUATIONS LATE IN THE GAME. Incomplete passes DO NOT get the job done!!!!!

2^nd & 20, Seattle 30 Yard Line, 2:45 Remaining: Another pass. This time however the line collapsed and Russell Wilson checked down to Marshawn Lynch who was stopped for no gain. Carolina decided to use their first timeout to stop the clock. It may be understandable to throw here but Seattle needed 20 yards to move the chains, a little dump off pass simply does not cut it. Now the Seahawks need to gain 20 yards on one play in order to extend the drive. You have to do something to give Wilson better protection in order to make a throw down the field.

3^rd & 20, Seattle 30 Yard Line, 2:36 Remaining: Yet ANOTHER pass, but it was obviously warranted since we were backed up so far. Once again the pass protection was nonexistent and Wilson was sacked for a three yard loss. Carolina then called their second timeout. The Seahawks were forced to punt the ball back to Carolina with two and half minutes to play with the two minute warning and one timeout at their disposal; plenty of time to go down the field to either tie the game or take the lead.

For Carolina, mission accomplished.

I honestly do not know what else I can say on this matter. For the second straight week Darrell Bevell’s persistent naivety to not run the ball failed the only obligation the Seahawks had, to protect the lead. The past couple of seasons the Seahawks defense had done enough to win games. Now games are coming down to the wire and week after week more fans are starting to see how inept Darrell Bevell is at calling plays. He tries too hard to be an offensive guru. When executed correctly these pass plays give the 12’s the false perception that Bevell is an offensive genius. He is NOT an offensive genius. Bevell’s play calling combined with the offense’s inability to execute his terrible plays is now starting to make this feel like an unexpected lame-duck season destined for our first playoff-less season since 2011. As farfetched as it may sound right now, I would rather see Steve Sarkisian be reunited with Pete Carroll as our offensive coordinator in 2016. FIRE. BEVELL.

Random Thoughts: FIRE. BEVELL.

What’s Next: The Seahawks turn right back around for Thursday Night Football next week. Look for my preview of our next game against the San Francisco 49ers on Wednesday.

Seahawks/Bengals Preview

Photo Credit: nwsportsbeat.com

Matchup: Seattle Seahawks at Cincinnati Bengals

Site: Paul Brown Stadium (Cincinnati, Ohio)

Kickoff: 10:00am

The onslaught of tough defensive lines continues for the Seahawks this week. The Seahawks head to the Queen City for the first time in 12 years on Sunday as they take on the AFC North leading Cincinnati Bengals. After winning last Monday the Seahawks are 2-2, tied for second place in the NFC West. The Bengals are 4-0 and they off to their best start since 2005. Cincinnati leads the all-time series with Seattle 10-9. In their last meeting back in 2011, the Seahawks started Charlie Whitehurst at quarterback but his dismal performance early in the game caused head coach Pete Carroll to substitute in an injured Tarvaris Jackson to finish it. The Seahawks never got going and the Bengals won easily by a score of 34-12. This will be the very first time Russell Wilson and the Legion of Boom get to go against the Bengals, but Cincinnati poses difficult matchup problems with the talent they possess especially on defense. This will be an extremely tough challenge for the Seahawks. This is what to watch for.

After the struggles on offense a week ago, a lot must change in both the passing game and running game in Cincinnati. It would be in our best interest to exclusively run a package of quick passes and roll-outs. Given the shaky play of our offensive line recently, the Seahawks will run the risk of putting quarterback Russell Wilson in harm’s way if he stays in the pocket and tries to go through his progressions. Do not be surprised if Jimmy Graham has another lackluster outing on Sunday. Tyler Lockett and Doug Baldwin should be Wilson’s go-to guys if we stick to short passes. I believed that we could beat Detroit without running back Marshawn Lynch. Although we won with Thomas Rawls carrying the load, this week we will be in deeper trouble offensively with Lynch once again inactive and Rawls getting the start. A successful day on the ground should be a minimum of 70 yards rushing yards out of Rawls.

The Cincinnati Bengals have one of the most explosive offenses in the league. Gone are the days of Carson Palmer throwing to Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Now it is Andy Dalton, Cincinnati’s 5^th year quarterback, who has led the Bengals to the playoffs in each of his first 4 seasons. The Bengals have a plethora of talent at the skill positions but the interesting thing will be to see how well the Seahawks defense matches up against these players. Number one wide receiver A.J. Green has averaged 104 receiving yards per game over his first 4 games and he will garner the attention of Richard Sherman. Seattle cornerback Cary Williams will line up across from Marvin Jones. Expect Dalton to throw in the direction of tight end Tyler Eifert a lot, especially in red zone opportunities. Eifert has averaged just over 5 targets per game but co-leads all Bengals receivers in touchdowns with three. The Bengals also sport a two-headed monster in the backfield with running backs Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard. Hill and Bernard combined have averaged 115 rushing yards per game but they will be facing the best front seven they have seen all season long.

If there is one stat to note about the Bengals offense it is this. Dalton likes to take shots down the field at any given time so be on the lookout for him to test the Legion of Boom, especially in the first quarter. Cincinnati has outscored its opponents 35-6 in the first quarter so far this season. An early lead has been the norm so if the Seahawks can hold the Bengals to less than a touchdown in the first quarter it will bode well for the rest of the game.

Given the horrible play of the Seahawks offensive line recently, this is the kind of matchup that probably makes the mouths of the Bengals defensive linemen drool. Cincinnati is tied for 6^th in the NFL in sacks and they sport two of the game’s better defensive players along their line. Geno Atkins is a sack master who does a great job penetrating the interior line of scrimmage. So far this season he already has 3 sacks. My main focus however is the man that will likely go up across from Seahawks right tackle Garry Gilliam. My X-Factor Player to Watch for Cincinnati this week is defensive end Carlos Dunlap. Dunlap leads all Bengals defenders in sacks with 3.5. He has recorded at least one sack in 3 of their first 4 games but has yet to face an offensive front as weak as Seattle’s. His tackle numbers are not high and after watching film, Dunlap plays his best on passing downs. If the defense does a good job forcing the Seahawks into third downs, Dunlap’s presence on the field will definitely be felt. It will be up to the Seahawks to keep the tempo up and move the ball successfully in early down situations in order to make Dunlap’s impact minimal or obsolete.

Random Thoughts: The Seahawks announced on Friday they will wear white jerseys and College Navy pants. Cincinnati wore their orange alternate jerseys last week so chances are very good they will wear black jerseys and white pants this week… This week FOX has the Sunday single-header, and Seahawks/Bengals is the most attractive matchup on their lineup, so Joe Buck and Troy Aikman will have the call… This week’s referee is John Parry… This next point I feel obligated to discuss. Andy Dalton is the only redheaded starting quarterback in the league. Watching him speak in his press conferences this week I cannot help but be jealous of how his hair looks. My red hair looks good short but once it starts to curl it gets disproportionate and all over the place. Dalton has wonderful-looking straight red hair. I would trade my red hair for his red hair 11 times out of 10… This is the last Seahawks game I’ll watch at home until we play the Minnesota Vikings in week 13. Crazy.

Prediction: Any road game is tough especially at 10am pacific time, but I think this will be a very long day for the Seahawks on offense. Russell Wilson will be sacked 5 times and will throw two interceptions on tipped balls. Marvin Jones will catch one touchdown from Andy Dalton and Jeremy Hill will run for two more. The Seahawks will head home 2-3 and will be pressured to make offensive personnel changes before we take on Carolina in week 6.

Bengals 24, Seahawks 16

Lions/Seahawks Preview

Photo Credit: Seahawks.com

Matchup: Detroit Lions at Seattle Seahawks

Site: CenturyLink Field (Seattle, Washington)

Kickoff: 5:30pm

For the second time this season and the first time at home, the Seahawks welcome the primetime lights to CenturyLink Field. This week the Seahawks welcome ESPN Monday Night Football to the Emerald City for our week 4 matchup against the Detroit Lions. After our win last week the Seahawks are 1-2. The Detroit Lions won 11 games a year ago but have gotten off to a very rocky start in 2015. They have stumbled out to a 0-3 record and coming out to Seattle will be no easy task. The Seahawks lead the all-time series with Detroit 7-5 but in their last meeting in 2012 the Lions got the best of the Seahawks, beating us 28-24 at Ford Field. The Seahawks are also 8-0 in regular season primetime games at CenturyLink Field under Pete Carroll, winning those games by an average of 18.5 points. Here are my points of emphasis going into this week’s game.

Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch is battling a hamstring injury and reports earlier in the week indicate he has a 50/50 chance of playing. As great as it would be to see him active this week, I believe we can win without him. If he is inactive it will be important for quarterback Russell Wilson to get everyone involved. Giving Detroit a taste of their own medicine may be the best way to go about attacking their defense, making them play nickel and even dime coverage. Doug Baldwin could be a major beneficiary in the short passing game this week and I think we are well off using both Jermaine Kearse and Jimmy Graham in the intermediate and deep passing game on the outside. I believe getting off to a fast start and early lead will go a very long way in preserving a Seahawks victory. Detroit’s offense becomes very predictable if their opponent takes an early lead. Detroit hung tight in two of their first three games; week 1 in San Diego, and last week at home against Denver. In those two games combined, the Lions ran a very even balance of plays on first down, throwing on 55 percent of their first down opportunities. In their second game of the season, a 26-16 loss in which they were never really in the game, the Lions threw the ball on first down 90 percent of the time. An early lead for Seattle will likely force the Lions to completely abandon the run.

There are three things the Seahawks defense must do against this potentially powerful Lions offense. First, they must take away the edges, keeping plays in the middle of the field.  Detroit has added a lot of speed both at running back and wide receiver and the majority of their large chunks of yards come outside the numbers. The second thing Seattle must do is a no brainer, successfully cover Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson. Johnson will line up across from Richard Sherman and even though Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford has shied away from throwing the one-on-one jump ball up to Johnson, it may be in our best interest to shadow Johnson with double coverage. It would not surprise me to see defensive coordinator Kris Richard use K.J. Wright to drop back in coverage to help Sherman cover Johnson. The third thing we must do could go a long way in forcing turnovers. Have you ever heard of the phrase “you cannot make chicken salad out of chicken s—t?” After watching film of each of the Lions first three games, this phrase basically sums up Matthew Stafford in a nutshell. His 5 interceptions so far this season are tied for 2^nd in the league. If Stafford feels pressure and tries to scramble, the chances of him throwing interceptions are great because instead of smartly throwing the ball away he tries to make something happen. It would be wise to dial up all sorts of pressure packages to try to confuse Detroit’s rather inexperienced offensive line. I cannot emphasize this enough. If we can successfully penetrate the Lions offensive line regularly it will go a long way in winning the turnover battle.

Since Matthew Stafford was drafted in 2009 the Lions have been known to be an extremely pass-heavy offense. Detroit will use packages including 3 or even 4 wide receivers and/or multiple tight ends. On the outside they will use Golden Tate in the quick passing game and tight end Eric Ebron gives them another weapon between the hashes. This year however they have made strides in balancing their offense out. After struggling to stop Bears running back Matt Forte early on last week I have doubts on whether or not the Seahawks will be able to contain the run again on Monday night. My X-Factor Player to Watch for the Detroit Lions this week is their rookie running back Ameer Abdullah. Regardless of the fact that running back Joique Bell has already been ruled out this week, there is no question in my mind Bell’s presence is a complete waste of a roster spot. Abdullah is Detroit’s best option at running back. His quickness and ability to bounce runs to the outside make him difficult to stop. His burst at the line of scrimmage is also scary as his speed and size allow him to gain extra yards after contact rather easily. Abdullah is also Detroit’s kick returner so it will be important for Steven Hauschka to kick the ball deep or out of the endzone to eliminate the possibility of Abdullah giving the Lions good starting field position. The best way for the Lions offense to be effective will be to keep the tempo up. If they can keep the Seahawks defense on the field and tire them out the Lions will have a chance to stay in this game.

After three weeks there are still questions regarding the Seattle offensive line. If Detroit wants to make an impact on defense they must be able to put pressure on Russell Wilson. They are fully equipped to do so. Even though they lost defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh in free agency they still have two very talented pass rushing ends in Jason Jones and Ziggy Ansah. They also added defensive tackle Haloti Ngata to take Suh’s spot on the interior line. This week may also mark the return of leading tackler DeAndre Levy at outside linebacker. Levy has been out all season with a hip strain. He is a ball hawk who will make plays in coverage. The secondary is led by safety Glover Quin who led the NFL in interceptions in 2014. His two interceptions so far this season also puts him tied for the lead in picks in 2015. Much like forcing Matthew Stafford into turnovers is a key for the Seattle defense, the exact same can be said for the Detroit defense. I believe the team that wins the turnover battle will win this game.

Random Thoughts: Nothing special as far as uniforms go this week. Seattle will go all College Navy and the Lions will wear white tops with silver pants… Mike Tirico and Jon Gruden have the call for ESPN with Lisa Salters reporting from the sidelines… The referee this week will be Tony Corrente… Even though ratings for Monday Night Football have dropped since ESPN took over the broadcast in 2006, MNF is still a very special game to attend. It is the only game of the day and they entire nation is tuned in. This will be the 8^th and a half Monday Night Football game I attend live. If you’re wondering what “and a half” means, I could attend only the second half of a Monday Night game against St. Louis in 2011 because I had a final exam to take at the University of Washington. My professor would not let me reschedule so I missed Doug Baldwin block a punt for a touchdown, the only exciting highlight of that game… A pregame lunch at Buffalo Wild Wings before the game will certainly be fun… This week I am taking my friend Josh to the game. He has gone to a game with me every year since 2007. I note his presence because of the games we have attended the past two years. Since the beginning of 2013 the Seahawks have a 19-2 record at home. Our two losses in this span were to Arizona in 2013 and Dallas in 2014. I took Josh to both of those games. He has certainly been Mr. Unlucky over the past couple of years. I’m confident we will turn this run of misfortune around this season!

Prediction: I said the team that wins the turnover battle will win this game. The Seahawks will intercept Matthew Stafford three times which will lead to three separate scores. The Seahawks will finally play a satisfying first half and by halftime the game will have already been won. Russell Wilson will throw two touchdowns and Fred Jackson will also run one in from the redzone. The Seahawks will get to 2-2 and get ready for Cincinnati in week 5.

Seahawks 27, Lions 13