Review: Seahawks 58, Cardinals 0

This was a good old-fashioned butt kicking. The Seahawks set a franchise record for points scored in a game and a tremendous performance by all three phases gave us a 58-0 victory over the Arizona Cardinals. The Seahawks improve to 8-5 and take over the 5^th seed in the NFC playoff race while the Cardinals extend their losing streak to 9 games. Arizona is now 4-9 on the season. I really do not have anything to critique. This is what I liked about Sunday’s dominant performance.

Wilson, Flynn, Lynch, And The Incredible Offense: I’ll get to my only negative of the offensive performance right now. Russell Wilson threw his first interception at home this season. Now that we have gotten that out of the way lets preach the offense! Wilson threw for 148 yards, a touchdown, and an interception this week against Arizona. Those stats are after only 35 minutes of football. With 10:19 left in the third quarter, Matt Flynn replaced Wilson at quarterback and held down the fort just fine. It was nice to see Flynn get his first playing time of the year and he got a lot of it. The offensive player of the game is no doubt Marshawn Lynch. Lynch ran for 128 yards on 11 carries and scored 3 touchdowns. It was by far Lynch’s best game of the season. To add to the offensive dominance, Robert Turbin also added 108 rushing yards of his own and Leon Washington added a touchdown run as well. On the receiving end, Anthony McCoy led all receivers with 105 yards on three catches. With a performance like that, the Seahawks are on a roll that could spring them to the top of the NFC West. My only worry is our offense will be burnt out for next week’s game against Buffalo.

Sherman, Wagner, And The Incredible Defense: The common joke after the win was that the victory was brought to us by Adderall. Richard Sherman had two interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown, and a fumble recovery in the Seahawks win on Sunday. Bobby Wagner also had two interceptions and a forced fumble. The Seahawks defense recorded their first shutout since 2009 and they also broke a fantasy football record for most points scored by a defensive unit in a single week. After last week’s game in Chicago I had a feeling that the Seahawks would come out in front of the 12^th Man and put on a show but they put on a clinic. This defense is very exciting and there should be pro bowl nods all around. Bobby Wagner deserves to be a strong candidate for defensive rookie of the year and Richard Sherman is playing at a defensive player of the year level. Next week on the road once again, this I do not see how it is possible that this unit can slip.

Smith, Maxwell, And The Incredible Special Teams: Not to be forgotten, the Seahawks special teams also had a game to remember. They forced two Patrick Peterson fumbled punts. Malcolm Smith recovered the first in the endzone for a touchdown, the other was forced by Byron Maxwell and recovered by Sherman. The Seahawks won the turnover battle 8-1 on Sunday and the special teams contributed to 25 percent of our takeaways. That is very impressive.

Skelton, Lindley, And The Terrible Cardinals Offense: I got to see firsthand the joke that is the Arizona Cardinals quarterback carousel. John Skelton threw for only 74 yards and 4 interceptions before being replaced by backup Ryan Lindley who did not fare any better. Lindley threw for only 59 yards but did not commit any turnovers. After the game in his press conference when asked about who the starting quarterback will be next week in their game against the Detroit Lions, Arizona head coach Ken Whisenhunt asked the beat writer for the Arizona Republic with a serious demeanor and tone “I do not know. Are you available?” Whisenhunt may be on the hot seat and it may be in Arizona’s best interest to clean house and rebuild with a new quarterback next season.

Random Thoughts: The offense was introduced this week… The Seahawks wore the blue/blue uniform combination this week. It still looks good. I’m looking forward to seeing the grey jerseys in Toronto next week against the Bills… I tailgated in pioneer square before the game and had a great time. I also ran into my two friends James and Grant, who were also going to the game (and sitting in the club level)… Also before we left for the tailgate, I tried two new drinks. The first was peppermint schnapps mixed with hot chocolate. The other drink was a shot containing half Fireball whiskey and half RumChata creamed rum. It tasted like cinnamon toast crunch cereal. Delicious… It was cold on Sunday but that didn’t matter to me. I felt fine but I am now fighting a sore throat, which in my history books could (and most likely will) turn into a small cold… The people sitting around me including myself were told to stop throwing Skittles. That was after Marshawn Lynch’s third touchdown. Lucky for that security guard, I ran out of Skittles to throw… There was a kid sitting behind me who I think may have been at his first ever NFL game with his dad. It was really cool to see his participate in all of our chants and celebrations. It made me think back to my first Seahawks game when I was 9… The Seahawks week 16 game against the San Francisco 49ers has been flexed into Sunday Night Football. I know I shouldn’t look past our next game but words cannot describe how epic that game will be. Looking forward to it!

Seahawks Playoff Outlook: The Seahawks are 8-5 and are currently the 5^th seed in the NFC Playoffs. The Chicago Bears are currently the 6^th seed with an 8-5 record and the Washington Redskins, Dallas Cowboys, and Minnesota Vikings are all still in the hunt with 7-6 records. The Seahawks are still 1 ½ games behind San Francisco for the NFC West lead. Here are the matchups with NFC playoff implications next week.

Seattle (8-5) at Buffalo (5-8) (in Toronto)

San Francisco (9-3-1) at New England (9-3)

Green Bay (9-4) at Chicago (8-5)

Washington (7-6) at Cleveland (5-8)

Pittsburgh (7-6) at Dallas (7-6)

Minnesota (7-6) at St. Louis (6-6-1)

I will possibly blog during the week leading up to the Buffalo game next week since I am now out of school for the quarter. Go Seahawks!

Review: Seahawks 28, Jets 7

At the beginning of the season, I took a look at our schedule and I predicted we would be 5-5 going into the bye week. Instead, thanks to the Seahawks win on Sunday over the New York Jets, the Seahawks head into the bye with a 6-4 record. With the exception of one mistake by quarterback Russell Wilson, the Seahawks played a nearly perfect game and dominated the Jets. Here is what I saw out of the Seahawks this week.

Lynch Breaks 1,000: The Jets came into Sunday’s game with one of the worst run defenses in the league. With Marshawn Lynch only needing 119 yards to get to 1,000 total on the season, it seemed reasonable that Lynch could get there this week. Lynch finished the game with 124 rushing yards and a touchdown, putting him at 1,005 yards on the season. Lynch’s 4.6 yards per carry was a good average to have this week. The Jets had a focus on stopping Lynch after contact because a great majority of his rushing yards have come after contact. There were not many big plays from Lynch this week but his 27 carries are a solid number to have to evenly spread the total play distribution. I think the bye comes at a great time for Lynch to relax and rest up so he can be fresh heading into the last six games of the season.

Wilson Makes History: Russell Wilson had another solid game this week, going 12/19 for 188 yards and 2 touchdowns. His only mistake of the game was fumbling the ball in the first quarter which was recovered and returned by Jets defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson for a touchdown. Other than this one play, Wilson played another great game and he made NFL history in the process. Wilson is the first rookie quarterback since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger to win his first 5 home games. “There’s no place like home” Wilson stated before he started his postgame press conference and he is right. With Arizona, San Francisco, and St. Louis the only home games left this season, I would not be surprised if Wilson leads the Seahawks to an 8-0 record at home.

Trick-Or-Treat: The Seahawks opened up the playbook a little bit this week and ran two trick plays. The first was a halfback toss flea flicker. Wilson pitched the ball to Robert Turbin, who then tossed the ball back to Wilson. Wilson then threw a deep ball intended for Sidney Rice which was a little bit underthrown. Rice unfortunately could not make the play. The Seahawks were able to make up for it later on the drive, as Marshawn Lynch scored from one yard out 8 plays later. The second trick play was a beauty. 1^st and goal from the Jets 23 yard line; Wilson faked a handoff to Lynch, and then pitched the ball to Golden Tate. Tate then ran to the left and tossed an incredibly slippery football which was caught in the endzone by Sidney Rice for a touchdown. The Seahawks have ran trick plays at all the right times this season it has seemed. I like throwing new wrinkles into the game plan and the coach Carroll and coach Bevell have done a great job deciding when to run these plays. I hope we keep the trick plays and run more of them but I hope we do not abuse the package. Having one or two trick plays per game would be incredibly effective moving forward in my opinion.

We Read Sanchez Like A Book: Like I predicted, Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez has a terrible game. Sanchez finished the game 9/22 for 124 yards and one interception. He made a lot of ill-advised throws and his biggest mistake was a triple-clutched pass that was picked off at the goal line by Richard Sherman in the second quarter. Like I predicted in my preview, if we could cover New York’s receivers well and put pressure on Sanchez, he would make unfortunate decisions. This is exactly what happened. Sanchez and the Jets as a whole played a terrible game on offense and they did not score an offensive touchdown. Shonn Greene only ran for 58 yards and Tim Tebow went 3/3 passing for 8 yards and also had 14 yards rushing on 4 carries. The Jets are going to have a difficult time the rest of the season if they perform on offense the way they did against the Seahawks. At the beginning of the season I thought the Jets would only win 5 games. They have won 3 with 7 games remaining on their schedule. I do not think the Jets are serious playoff contenders like head coach Rex Ryan says they are, and after the season they may have to reconsider Mark Sanchez’s place on their team.

Random Thoughts: I went to the Hawks Nest before the game with my dad to drink and watch football. This was the first time all season I prefunked there. Their buffalo wings were the meatiest wings I’ve had in a long time and they were delicious… I got to rock my season ticket holder knit hat this week. It did its purpose keeping my head warm… The military card stunt during the national anthem was really cool. I think there were more people in the stands at the time of the national anthem this year then there were last year… Ed Hochuli was our referee this week and he did a great job explaining all the calls like he always does… It was actually pretty cold up in the upper deck this week, although I was sporting a beer blanket through the entire game… I didn’t see one person wearing a Tim Tebow Jets jersey. I saw someone wearing a Tebow Florida Gators jersey though in my section… We had another Skittles shower after Beast Mode’s touchdown. It never gets old… The starting defense was introduced this week but only 10 players were introduced by my count. K.J. Wright’s spot which was filled this week by Mike Morgan was not announced. Therefore, only two linebackers were introduced… After the game, I had dinner with my dad at Red Robin on the waterfront. I got the whiskey river barbeque burger. It was delicious… During dinner we were tracking the Rams/49ers game which ended in a 24-24 tie. Too funny and I’ll take that over a San Francisco victory, but the Rams had ample opportunities to win. If they had, we would only be ½ game behind San Francisco for the NFC West lead. Instead, I have no idea what the standings look like now.

The Seahawks bye week is this upcoming week. I have not decided whether or not to do a post next weekend because I have two huge papers to write for my classes. If so look for it most likely Saturday. If not, look for my preview of our week 12 game against the Miami Dolphins a week from Saturday. Thanks everyone. Go Seahawks!

Review: Seahawks 30, Vikings 20

The Seahawks defeated the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday by a score of 30-20. With the Seahawks win and the Arizona Cardinals loss to the Green Bay Packers, the Seahawks are now in sole possession of second place in the NFC West with a 5-4 record. They are now 1 ½ games back of San Francisco for the division lead. This game got off to a very shaky start but after settling down, the defense was able to play well down the stretch and the play of Marshawn Lynch and Russell Wilson fueled this win for Seattle. Here is what I took out of this weekend’s game.

Wilson’s Best Game: I wrote in my preview that this could be Russell Wilson’s best overall performance of the season. I think he proved me right. Wilson only threw for 173 yards but he also had 3 touchdowns and no interceptions. He has now thrown 11 touchdowns and no interceptions in 4 home games this season. What impressed me the most about Wilson on Sunday was his ability to stay patient in the pocket to make a throw. One specific play that shows this is his touchdown pass to Sidney Rice in the first quarter. Wilson was flushed out to the right and instead of tucking the ball and running for the first down; he fired a pass into the endzone for the score. Wilson’s decision making is my favorite facet of his game. After his first touchdown pass of the game to Golden Tate, I looked at Mark, the guy who sits in front of me, and we both agreed that we have officially found our quarterback of the future. At this rate with Wilson under center, the Seahawks will make a legitimate push towards a playoff berth.

The Beast Is Alive And Well: I got to put my Skittles to good use on Sunday. Marshawn Lynch had another impressive performance, rushing for 124 yards and a touchdown. Lynch also had two receptions for 26 yards. The Seahawks ran the ball 45 times against Minnesota on Sunday, which a great amount to evenly spread with the passing game. Lynch now has 881 rushing yards on the season. He is projected to break the 1,000 yard mark most likely in Miami in 3 weeks. Barring a devastating setback, Lynch will be the fastest Seahawks running back to 1,000 yards in a season since Shaun Alexander in 2005. This is also the third straight game Lynch has run for over 100 yards. The Seahawks have figured out how to make Lynch the most effective and I do not expect this pattern to change. In fact, I believe Lynch will break 1,000 yards next week against New York.

Pass Defense Good, Rush Defense Bad: Christian Ponder was the worst rated passer in the NFL this week. The Seahawks defense held Ponder to only 63 yards passing and one interception. Seattle also sacked Ponder 4 times, two and a half of them coming from rookies. Defensive lineman Greg Scruggs and linebacker Bobby Wagner had a sack each and Bruce Irvin also added half a sack. The pass defense looked great throughout the game, but the rush defense was an entirely different story. After giving up large amounts of yardage to Frank Gore and Mikel Leshoure the past two weeks, I thought the Seahawks run defense would be able to hold Vikings running back Adrian Peterson to limited yardage. Boy was I wrong. Peterson was able to run for 80 yards on 4 plays in the first 1:45 of the game. Peterson finished the day with 182 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Although these numbers are atrocious, the Seahawks were able to hold Minnesota to only 3 points in the second half and Peterson only ran for 38 yards in the second half. The defense needs to get better. Fortunately for the Seahawks, our next opponent the New York Jets are 27^th in the league in total offense per game, averaging 317 yards per game.

Random Thoughts: Our tailgate started a little bit later than usual. It was still fun though… The Seahawks wore blue jerseys and blue pants again this week… I have never sat around more attractive females than at this game… I witnessed a guy accidentally spill a beer all over a guy in the aisle next to me. Kind of embarrassing and the guy who spilled the beer slipped on the aftermath of our Skittles shower. Should I feel partly to blame?… The Newport High School marching band surprisingly sounded really good. They wore blue jackets with the Seahawks logo on the back and the NHS logo on the front left breast. Of course they would upgrade the freebies AFTER I graduated… The starting offense was introduced this week. Everything with pregame seemed a little bit rushed… The Seahawks are now 4-0 at home for the first time since 2005. We went 8-0 at home in the regular season in 2005. Is this a sign of times to come?… Great effort by Golden Tate on his second touchdown but it is always scary when he tries to leap and flip to get the ball across the goal line… The Seahawks only had 4 penalties for 49 yards this week. That is a great stat. Hopefully we can keep it up. Do you know what one of the best parts of having season tickets is? Having back-to-back home games. The Jets come to town next weekend and I can’t wait to do this all over again.

The Seahawks will look at film tomorrow, have a day off on Tuesday, and start preparations for New York on Wednesday. Look for my preview of next week’s game against the Jets on Saturday afternoon. Thanks for reading guys. Let’s keep this thing rolling! Go Seahawks!

Patriots/Seahawks Preview

Matchup: New England Patriots vs. Seattle Seahawks

Site: CenturyLink Field (Seattle, Washington)

Kickoff: 1:05pm

Tom Brady faces off against the Seahawks in Seattle for the first time in his career this Sunday as the Patriots come to town in a huge test of top offense vs. top defense. The Patriots enter the game 3-2 and they are coming off a 31-21 win over the Denver Broncos. The Seahawks return home from Carolina where they beat the Panthers 16-12 last week. The Patriots lead the all-time series 8-7. The last time these two teams played was in 2008. The Patriots defeated the 2-win Seahawks 24-21 on December 7^th, 2008 with Matt Cassel at quarterback for the Patriots. Here are the storylines I will be looking at this week in arguably the most anticipated home game this season.

Russell Wilson has continued to improve each week despite lackluster statistics. This week he faces the Patriots and their 30^th ranked pass defense. With a beastly front four which includes Vince Wilfork, it may be difficult to run the ball this week. If this is the case, Wilson will be on the spot to make plays. I would definitely look for Wilson to scramble if given the opportunity. This may be a week where Wilson runs for close to 50 yards. One of the biggest keys this week, just like any other week is to limit turnovers. If the Seahawks can keep the ball for as long as they can and limit the time Tom Brady is in control of the Patriots offense, we will have more room to breathe and will put increasing pressure on New England. The longer we have the ball, the more pressure put on Brady and the Patriots.

The Seahawks boast the number one overall defense in the National Football League. This year especially, the Seahawks defense has done a great job of making opposing quarterbacks look silly. Aaron Rodgers was sacked 8 times in the first half alone and the explosive Packers offense was only able to score 12 points. With a beat up offensive line including a hurt Logan Mankins, the Seahawks have the potential to have a stellar day. Behind the roar of the 12^th Man, expect the defense to put immense pressure on Tom Brady to flush him out of the pocket or make snap decisions. Bruce Irvin is the man to watch this week. In 5 games this season Irvin has 4.5 sacks. He is on pace for 14.5 sacks on the season. After a multi-sack game during the last home game I would not be surprised at all to see him repeat those numbers this weekend.

Expect the nickel package to be used more this weekend. The Patriots like to use all of their weapons in different packages and formations. The Patriots will use Brandon Lloyd, Deion Branch, Wes Welker, Julian Edelman, Rob Gronkowski, and Danny Woodhead all throughout the game. The only set matchup I see is Lloyd vs. Brandon Browner; the number one cornerback. Marcus Trufant may have a big role this week. Trufant is the number three cornerback on the depth chart and is used primarily in the nickel package. With the cornucopia of receivers the Patriots have at their disposal, we may see more secondary players on the field at irregular times. With the difference in normality within certain defensive packages against this complex New England offense, players that normally do not make an impact may be able to make plays this week if the rush can force Brady into bad decisions.

The Patriots have the number one ranked offense in the National Football League. The Patriots are averaging close to 35 points per game yet they have already lost two games on the road. Tom Brady is Tom Brady. There is no debating that. However keep in mind the following facts: This is the farthest trip for the Patriots this season and their only cross-country trip. Tom Brady has never played at CenturyLink Field before. He is facing the number one defense in the league. I do not expect Brady to have as bad of a game as Tony Romo or Aaron Rodgers but he has the capability to do effective things that will frustrate the Seahawks defense. For example…

The no-huddle offense has become a staple of the New England offense this season. According to Coach Carroll, the no-huddle offense is difficult to run with a roaring crowd; mainly due to the difficulty of communication between coach and quarterback. If the Patriots can put up some points early and put the Seahawks in a disadvantage, I would expect to see no-huddle called to sink us even further.

Random Thoughts: This is the first time I will be back at CenturyLink Field since Monday Night Football against the Packers. We are coming off a win and are in striking distance of the Cardinals and 49ers. I expect the crowd to be in their seats early and be as loud as the past two games… It is the only home game during the month of October for breast cancer awareness… This will be the best halftime ceremony I have ever been a part of. Cortez Kennedy will have his #96 jersey retired. I’ll have to remember to bring a couple tissues. I teared up during Walter Jones’s jersey retirement… I am super excited to see Tom Brady play live for the first time. This will be one of those games where I look back and can tell my kids “I got to see one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time play”… Don’t sleep on the Patriots running game. Stevan Ridley and Brandon Bolden are two great backs that can both have a big impact this weekend for New England… I have 30.5 ounces worth of Skittles ready to throw on Sunday. Don’t let me down Marshawn… Tailgating will be done in a parking lot like before the Cowboys game. Very excited… There is a Washington Huskies home game the day before against the USC Trojans. Looks like I’ll have to save my voice for Sunday… Might have to break out the sweatshirt and jeans for the first time this week. Only supposed to get up to 60 degrees on Sunday… The Seahawks will most likely wear blue this week. They’ve worn the blue practice jersey’s all week during practice… Ian Eagle and Dan Fouts have the call for CBS this week. Words cannot express how happy I am that I won’t have to sit through THAT commentary… The pregame giveaway is a lanyard. Was hoping for something a little bit cooler for a game against a team like the New England Patriots… I predict that Bill Belichick will wear his famous gray hoodie… The Seahawks are looking to get to 4-2 for the first time since 2010. A win would be huge going forward, especially since we play the San Francisco 49ers on the road next on five days rest.

Prediction: Bear Bryant once said “defense wins championships.” This is not a championship game by any means but it may feel like it. The Seahawks will prove that this statement is true. Tom Brady will be sacked 6 times. The offense will not be spectacular but we will do a good enough job in the red zone to put up points and put continued pressure on the Patriots. I have seen the Seahawks beat iconic quarterbacks such as Brett Favre, Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers, and Kurt Warner live. By Sunday night, Tom Brady will be added to this list.

Seahawks 26, Patriots 21

My review will be up on Monday Afternoon. I will be working on my preview for next week’s Thursday night game against San Francisco in a crammed timeframe so bear with me. Enjoy the game everybody. Go Seahawks!

“God bless America and God bless the Seattle Seahawks.”- Cortez Kennedy

Review: Seahawks 14, Packers 12

I have watched Seahawks games for 22 years. I have been a season ticket holder for the last seven seasons. I have NEVER witnessed a more epic finish than what happened on Monday Night. I have dubbed the Seahawks victory over the Green Bay Packers the “Monday Night Miracle” after Golden Tate scored on a Hail Mary as time expired to give the Seahawks the lead and the win. I will get to my analysis, feelings, and opinion of Tate’s catch later on in this post. Other than this play, one of the greatest moments in Seahawks history, here are my thoughts about the rest of the game.

Pass Rush: Present: In my preview posts, I always state that the pass rush is the biggest key on defense. If you can put pressure on the quarterback the chances of getting him to be uncomfortable throwing and/or forcing him to commit turnovers skyrockets. The Seahawks sacked Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers 8 times in the first half; 4 by Chris Clemons, 2 from Bruce Irvin, and 2 from Brandon Mebane. It honestly got to the point where the performance of the Seahawks defense was laughable in the stands. It really was that amazing. In the second half the defense recorded no sacks, which is unfortunate. The next phase of improving the pass rush will be to display consistency throughout the entire game. Can you imagine if the Seahawks continued to sack Rodgers throughout the second half? It would have been the greatest defensive performance in team history.

Shutting Them Down: The pass rush is only one part of the Seahawks defense’s night. The defense, which entered the game allowing only 13.5 points per game, held the explosive Green Bay offense to only 12 points. The Packers averaged 35 points per game last season. Considering the weapons Green Bay has, I am beyond satisfied with the defensive performance. The leading receiver for the Packers was tight end Jermichael Finley and he only had 60 yards receiving. The Seahawks now have the 4^th best overall defense in the league. With another road test coming next, the Seahawks need to make sure that the defense keeps on rolling. If they can do that, they will prove to me and the 12^th Man that they can be successful both at home and on the road.

Another Average Night: Russell Wilson once again did not put up highly impressive numbers against the Packers. Wilson ended the night 10/21 for 130 yards and 2 touchdowns. Wilson did not even break triple digit yardage numbers until the final drive of the game. Once again however, Wilson committed no turnovers. In three games, Wilson has 4 touchdowns and only one interception. It is now to the point where I have to critique Wilson in terms of his stats. Throwing for only 130 yards cannot become the norm for Wilson. Russell must show improvement throwing the ball and completing passes. The defense is holding this team upright and they can only go so strong for so long. Sooner or later whether it is because of seasonal wear-and-tear, the defense will not be able to hold the fort down. It is up to Wilson to improve his numbers. If he can throw for at least 250 yards per game, I think the Seahawks have a great chance of winning the game.

The Special Teams Is Exciting: It feels like every time the opponent lines up to punt or to kick a field goal, the Seahawks have a chance to block it. On Monday night, the Seahawks came incredibly close to blocking both a punt and a field goal. On the attempted field goal block, one Seahawk hurdled the Packers center and I was so convinced he was going to block it I jumped up before the ball sailed through the uprights. Against the Cowboys, the Seahawks special teams could have singlehandedly won the game and it is a huge relief to know that this very important unit is good enough to significantly alter the outcome of the game. The season is young, but I think the special teams will make much more noise throughout the rest of the season.

In Primetime, The 12^th Man Never Disappoints: I tip my cap to myself and the rest of the people in attendance on Monday night. Most everybody was in their seats by the time pregame ceremonies rolled around. The scene was really cool with everybody waving their rally towels. The most impressive thing though was that very few people left the stadium after the Seahawks failed to convert on 4^th down right after the two-minute warning. Not to criticize Seattle sports fans, but usually at that point in a game most fans usually leave to avoid getting stuck in traffic heading home. Not on Monday night though. I am very happy that everyone around me stayed and we all got to witness one of the most incredible plays not just in Seahawks history but in NFL history.

Let’s Talk About The Final Play: Before the Seahawks lined up to run the final play of the game, I looked up one row across the aisle from me. There was a Packers fan who started chanting “S**t Hawks! S**t Hawks!” He had been chanting this throughout the game and of course it made me mad. I started thinking to myself and praying that the behavior by those types of fans is exactly the reason why the Packers do not deserve to win this game. The Seahawks had played lights-out all game long and they played too hard not to win.

Wilson took the snap and after rolling to the left he planted and fired a Hail Mary to the corner of the end zone. From my view, I thought that Golden Tate had out jumped all 5 Packers defenders and had made the catch. After investigating the scene I saw the side judge call touchdown and I went absolutely crazy. I didn’t even see the back judge call interception and touchback. I was focused on seeing the ref call touchdown. As soon as the side judge did, my eyes were attracted to his arms and the fans around me went into full party and celebration mode. Everyone around me including myself didn’t bother watching the play on the big screen as it was reviewed; we were too happy that we had won the game. When the replacement referee confirmed the call on the field, round two of celebrations in the stands took place. My buddy Elliott and I could not believe what had just happened. As we walked down the aisle to the concourse, I heard people scream “I love Golden Tate!” and “Russell Wilson will NEVER buy a drink in this city ever again!” I then headed back home to re-watch the end of the game.

Upon arriving at home I watched the replay of Tate’s catch over and over and over again. Here is my opinion about what happened:

I don’t think Golden Tate caught the ball. I think that the refs clearly missed his offensive pass interference and although the NFL rulebook states that in the event of simultaneous possession the tie goes to the passers, I don’t think there was simultaneous possession in this case. I think M.D. Jennings of the Packers had two hands on the ball initially and Tate only had one hand on it. Upon descent to the ground, Tate was able to sneak in his other hand around the ball to give it the look that both players had their hands on the ball.

There is one view I have seen that shows that the officials may have made the right call. Although Jennings had full possession of the ball initially, he had both feet off the ground. Golden Tate had two hands on the ball and both feet on the ground before Jennings did, meaning Tate completed the entire “act of a catch” before Jennings did. Over the last couple of seasons there have been a couple questionable touchdown/non-touchdown calls because the receiver did/did not complete the entire act of a catch. Most notably, a Calvin Johnson reception for the Lions in Chicago against the Bears that did not count because he let go of the ball before getting up off of the ground. In this instance, from this one view it looks like Tate completed the catch and the Seahawks were correctly awarded the touchdown.

The response from what happened on Monday night has been unbelievable to me. As a Seahawks fan we have had many games that have come down to close calls go negatively towards us over the years. To have this play go in our favor I honestly had trouble understanding the feeling of the victory. It is incredible to see the national attention we have gotten over the last 48 hours since the last play of the game. We have been the top story on SportsCenter, the Today Show, and even President Barack Obama tweeted his opinion about the outcome of the game. At the end of the day, the Seahawks won and the Packers lost. As great a game as this was and for the memories that will live on forever, it is time to move on, get over it, and focus on our next game.

My Opinion Of The Replacement Refs: I’ll keep this brief. After almost three weeks of questionable calls, it was only a matter of time a call made by the replacement officials would determine the outcome of a game. Although the result of Monday night’s game went in our favor, I still believe the job done by the replacements have been utterly ridiculous and it is time for the real referees to return. As of now it looks like the NFL and the NFL Referees Association have agreed on a new contract which will end the lockout. This is ultimately the best case scenario for the league.

Random Thoughts: I did not prefunk before the game. We were running a little late and wanted to get into the stadium in time to get a rally towel and to see pregame… The Steve Sabol tribute was really cool to see again. The ovation was really nice and well deserved. Sabol, the president of NFL Films died this past week after a battle with brain cancer. He was 69… It was weird to see Trent Dilfer raise the 12^th Man flag. Usually in the flag raiser video the person’s accomplishments are listed. The most memorable accomplishment for Dilfer was his 2003 Steve Largent Award. I loved Dilfer when he was a Seahawk but I personally do not think he has the appropriate accolades to be raising the flag for a regular season game, much less a Monday Night Football game… The offense was introduced and Russell Wilson got the loudest ovation once again. What a thrill that must have been for him… I was asked to sit down by the person behind me for the second straight week. This week it was a Packers fan probably in his late 50’s or early 60’s. Of course I ignored him and he must have dealt with it because he didn’t make a complaint through the rest of the game… Beer is too expensive inside the stadium. Period… There were way too many penalties by the Seahawks this week. That must change going forward. Most of the penalties are discipline penalties that should be easily avoided… There were WAY TOO MANY Packers fans in attendance. Probably worse than the number of Cowboys fans at the home opener… Marshawn Lynch did not score a touchdown, but that did not prevent me from ripping open a king-size bag of Skittles and throwing them at the end of the game when Tate scored the game winning touchdown… The 2005 NFC Championship Game will most likely always be my favorite Seahawks game that I attended, but there is no question this game is the most exciting game I have ever been to. It will probably take another Hail Mary reception at the end of a game to de-thrown this as the most exciting game I have ever been to.

I apologize that this review post is a little bit late. I just started my first week of school and have been up to my neck in readings for my classes. This will not stop me from writing my preview post of the game next weekend against the St. Louis Rams. Look for that preview most likely on Saturday afternoon. Thanks for reading everybody. What an incredible game. Go Seahawks!

Packers/Seahawks Preview

Matchup: Green Bay Packers at Seattle Seahawks

Site: CenturyLink Field (Seattle, Washington)

Kickoff: 5:30pm

The Seahawks have a big task ahead of them in week 3, as they host the defending NFC North champion Green Bay Packers in front of a nationally televised audience on Monday night. The Seahawks are coming off a much needed win last weekend over Dallas and the Packers are also coming off a dominating victory over Chicago last Thursday night. The Seahawks are 5-10 all-time against Green Bay. In their last meeting, the Seahawks were blown out by the Packers at Lambeau Field 48-10 in 2009. Here is what I will be looking for this week.

This week the Seahawks need to make sure the best players start along the offensive line. This means having Russell Okung at full strength. Although the Packers have struggled recently as a whole on defense they have some pretty spectacular players. Clay Matthews in particular is a player the Seahawks must keep in check. Through two games Matthews already has 6 sacks. I always touch on the fact that Russell Wilson can make plays happen with his feet but it would be much easier to have the offensive line give him the time and the protection to make throws from within the pocket. In addition to Matthews, the Seahawks also have to keep a keen eye on B.J Raji along the defensive line and Tramon Williams in the secondary. Raji can singlehandedly give Marshawn Lynch fits this week and Williams can make the Seahawks pay if Russell Wilson is not on target with his throws.

I have heard a lot of talk early this week about the Seahawks perhaps using a ground-and-pound strategy this week. Marshawn Lynch is averaging 103.5 yards per game and I have no reason to believe why Lynch will not break 100 yards again against the Packers. Maintaining a steady run game against the Packers enables many things that would carry momentum to a victory. If the Seahawks are effective running the ball, expect them to win the time of possession battle and put themselves in position for many scoring drives. However going off of this point…

The Seahawks cannot afford to settle for field goals on every drive. I have full confidence in our defense to keep the Packers offense in check but I do expect the Packers to score touchdowns. Russell Wilson needs to improve in the passing game. The Seahawks rank last in the NFL in passing yards per game and a strong performance by Russell Wilson will put us in a great position to win. This week I predict that Sidney Rice will be our leading receiver. I think the Packers will give up a couple big plays that will carry Rice over 100 receiving yards this week.

Our pass rush has not shown significant improvement acceptable to my standards. Because we are up against a talented gun slinging quarterback this week I think our pass rush will struggle again this week. On defense, if we can hold the Packers offense to less than 150 yards in each half I think we will be in great shape. Look for our secondary to be in the spotlight on Monday night. I will not predict any interceptions or big plays but I think all four starting secondary players will play up to expectations.

The Green Bay Packers are a very talented team. Aaron Rodgers is one of the elite quarterbacks in the league and the weapons he has around him scare me this week. Cedric Benson saw expanded play last week so I would expect to see the Packers try to establish the running game early. As far as receivers, Rodgers has Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Donald Driver, and Jermichael Finley to throw to. All five of these guys can put up big numbers and all can find a way to get open. Jennings will most likely be back this week after missing the Chicago game with a groin injury. If we cannot put pressure on Rodgers, these receivers will put up big numbers.

The Seahawks this week will be keeping a close eye on the Packers special teams. Last week, Green Bay ran a fake field goal that turned into a touchdown pass and a relatively easy seven points. I do not expect Packers head coach Mike McCarthy to pull trick plays out of his hat again this week but the Seahawks need to be aware that fake plays are included in the Green Bay playbook.

The Seahawks have not lost a home game on Monday Night Football since 2004. Since then the Seahawks are 4-0 at home on Monday night. This week the 12^th Man will be on fire and it will be up to the Seahawks to make sure we stay that way. Bad play and Green Bay scores will take the fans out of the game so the Seahawks need to keep up their Monday night momentum. Best case scenario to keep the crowd alive is to score. Score early, score often.

Random Thoughts: The last time the Seahawks played on Monday night I showed up at halftime due to a final exam for school. This year I am sacrificing my first day of the 2012 school year to be at the game. It better just be syllabus day in both of my Monday classes… The Seahawks are giving out white rally towels to the first 50,000 fans this week. Looks like I may have to cut my prefunction short this week to make sure I get one… Kris Allen of 2009 American Idol fame is singing the national anthem Monday night. Usually for primetime games the home team is able to book a well-known artist so Allen is a breath of fresh air in my opinion… There has been buzz online this week about the possibility of Chris Hansen raising the 12^th Man flag on Monday night. The new Seattle arena is on track to be officially approved on Monday so I think it would be only fitting to have Hansen raise the flag. However, according to multiple Twitter reports, former Seahawks quarterback Trent Dilfer will be raising the flag. Dilfer works as an analyst on Monday Night Countdown so he will be in town for the game… I have been used to cold weather primetime home games recently. It will be nice to go to a primetime game with no sweatshirt and shorts instead of jeans… The Seahawks will most likely wear blue this week. I want to know what games we will be wearing gray for… Honestly I don’t want Greg Jennings to play for Green Bay. I would be fully content with starting DeSean Jackson and Mike Williams of Tampa Bay in fantasy football this week… The offense will be introduced this week. I cannot wait for Russell Wilson to run onto the field on national television in front of the 12^th Man and all the fans who cheered him on at the University of Wisconsin… I will be bringing lots of Skittles this week. Fair warning: If anyone is sitting in or around section 340 on Monday night, be prepared for a Skittles shower if Beast Mode scores a touchdown… I’m so happy I won’t have to listen to Jon Gruden’s horrible analysis on television… Maybe if we win I’ll try to go down to field level to get a picture with Stuart Scott of ESPN. That would be pretty cool, even though I have heard he can be a d**k sometimes… Speaking of ESPN, it will be nice to get a lot of national media coverage this weekend leading up to the game. I just hope all the talk is not about the Packers. Who am I kidding? Of course it will be. The Seahawks get ZERO national media respect… If we win the talk on ESPN better not be about how the Packers lost. That happened last week against the Cowboys. Nobody wanted to acknowledge the fact that we played an incredible game. Stupid east coast bias.

Prediction: This game will be a lot closer than most people think. At this point however, I’m not convinced the Seahawks can pull it off. They have the pieces and the talent to win but I am not convinced right now that it will all come together. The lack of a pass rush will be the difference in this game. I think we could be in for a track meet early on in the game. I see Aaron Rodgers passing for at least 275 yards and a couple touchdowns. The Seahawks will be competitive throughout the entire game but the Packers will sneak out of Seattle with a victory.

Packers 31, Seahawks 27

Check back Tuesday afternoon as I review the Monday night matchup with the Packers and preview the next upcoming week of practice. Thanks for reading everybody. Go Seahawks!

ESPN: CAN YOU HEAR US NOW?

Review: Seahawks 27, Cowboys 7

After struggling on the road in week one, the Seahawks returned home and completely dominated the Dallas Cowboys 27-7. It started with a fumbled kickoff and that was enough to fuel the 12^th Man and the Seahawks took advantage of the opportunity and never looked back. I took a lot of positives out of this game. Here are some of my thoughts after this great win.

“They Just Can’t Play Here:” That was a statement from my friend Alan regarding Dallas’s special teams after the Cowboys fumbled the opening kickoff. The biggest headline leading into this game was the Tony Romo botched snap six years ago and the Cowboys continued their special teams struggles into this game. The Cowboys kickoff fumble turned into three points, then later in the quarter Seahawks linebacker Malcolm Smith blocked a punt and Jeron Johnson returned it 5 yards for a touchdown. Seahawks special teams 10, Dallas 0 after the first quarter. I have to believe that the crowd plays a part in the terrible play by Dallas’s special teams, not to take anything away from our special teams. It is amazing looking back into hindsight that those scores alone would have been enough to beat Dallas yesterday.

My Russell Wilson Evaluation: After getting off to a slow start, Russell Wilson shined in the second half. He ended the game 15/20 for 151 yards and a touchdown. His 75% completion percentage in a single game is the highest for a Seahawks rookie quarterback in franchise history. His stat line may not be the most impressive, but his decision making is what really caught my eye. Each of his throws were right on the money and he did not force any throws into double or triple coverage. Through eight quarters, Wilson has only turned the ball over once and that one turnover came on a hail mary before halftime of the Arizona game. In his last 73 games dating back to USC, when Pete Carroll teams win the turnover battle their record is 70-3. When we take care of the ball like we do we have a great chance to win or at least be competitive. This is turning into my favorite attribute of Russell Wilson’s play. His numbers may not be the best but the way he plays the game mentally gives us our best chance to win.

Our Defense Continues To Prove It Can Be A Top 5 Unit: Through two games the Seahawks have allowed an average of 13.5 points per game. At this pace the Seahawks could be a very tough team to pick against as the season extends and teams potentially get thinner and tired. I was very impressed by the way we tackled. One play in particular; a second quarter swing pass from Tony Romo to DeMarco Murray where K.J. Wright went for the tackle, and was able to wrap him up long enough for Bobby Wagner and Kam Chancellor to come over and help make the tackle without letting Murray get away. I think our tackling has improved as a whole but there is still some work to do. Our run defense continues to be dominant, only giving up 49 rushing yards to the Cowboys. The pass rush did not meet my expectations this week because Romo was only sacked once. This needs to change soon especially since Green Bay comes to town next week.

Cleaning Up Our Laundry: After getting flagged 13 times in Arizona, the Seahawks only got penalized 5 times against Dallas for a total of 35 yards. There were only 10 penalties combined in the game which makes me wonder was there that significant of change in one week’s time or were the replacement referees just letting them play? I am very satisfied with this stat but I was concerned multiple times in this game about Breno Giacomini. Giacomini is a very fiery competitor and at times he can let the opponent get under his skin. He was flagged twice in the preseason for personal fouls on one drive and it looked like that could have happened again a couple times yesterday. These are the penalties that kill drives and kill games. All in all I am hoping this game is a sign that we have cleaned up our mistakes, however that big of a positive difference in only one week’s time is going to keep me cautiously optimistic heading into future games.

Our Best Receiver: I was asked by Alan in the middle of the game who I thought is our best wide receiver. After a little bit of thought I answered Golden Tate. He looked at me surprised but I explained my opinion that whenever Tate gets the ball in his hands there is a chance he can make something explosive happen. He can make plays when given the opportunity and I think he may have the best hands on the team. Tate can even make a huge block when the time warrants him, just like he did when he leveled Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee:

Tate is an emerging talent that I will predict right now will be our leading receiver by the end of the season.

Same Old Romo, Same Old Cowboys: According to Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram in Texas, the Cowboys have a .500 winning percentage dating back to the 1990’s. Going off of this stat I guess it shouldn’t be surprising that after the Cowboys surprisingly beat the defending world champion New York Giants they would slump off and lose to the Seahawks. The Cowboys may be the most inconsistent and overrated team in all of football, and it drives me crazy when I hear talk that Tony Romo is an elite quarterback in the NFL. 23/40 for 251 yards and one touchdown and one interception is not elite in my book. Dallas is an average team at best. They can challenge for the NFC East title but in no way are they legitimate super bowl contenders, at least not at this point in the season.

Random Thoughts: I woke up at the earliest time for a week of football in two years (5:45am). By the time I got home for Sunday Night Football I was beat… One of my roomates made bloody Mary’s before leaving for the tailgate. Tomato juice and vodka at 7:30 in the morning is not my idea of a good time… Alan, Jake, and I tailgated about two blocks north of the stadium with Jake’s brother Chris and his friends. Usually I am used to going to the bars before Seahawks games because parking lot tailgating is either too expensive or too bare but Sunday was one of the best tailgates I have been at in a long time. It felt like a college atmosphere, almost as if we were prefunking for a Husky football game… Alan bought a Marshawn Lynch jersey before the game. Great investment in my opinion… The alumni day ceremony was one of the worst I have seen. Everything seemed rushed and because of limited time, the Cowboys were introduced halfway through the ceremony… The Seahawks defense was introduced to the crowd to a roaring ovation… Former Seahawk Paul Johns sung the National Anthem. Johns sings the anthem on alumni day almost every year… Shawn Springs raised the 12^th Man flag, continuing the tradition that a talented and popular former Seahawk raises the flag at the home opener… Two rows down there was a lady who got super drunk and obnoxious, calling out Seahawks fans for not starting trash talk with Cowboys fans in the fourth quarter. I’m all for having a good time at a game but when you get mad at other Seahawks fans for not being a$$holes towards the opposing fans, I have a problem with that… I brought six bags of Skittles into the game for whenever Marshawn Lynch did something great. We threw four bags worth of Skittles when he scored his fourth quarter touchdown… One fan across the aisle looked back in anger because I think one of our Skittles hit him or went down his back. If you are going to make a big deal about a single Skittle, then I’m sorry. I’ll buy you some tissues for the Green Bay game sir… The Seahawks wore blue jerseys and blue pants on Sunday. I don’t think we will wear gray at home this season… The giveaway was a mini 12^th Man flag. Mine ripped before the game even started… The halftime show was the Red Bull skydiving team. I’m always entertained to watch people jump out of airplanes for our entertainment… After the game we went back to the tailgate, drank a couple more beers, then bussed back home to Wallingford… I am very disappointed that the other NFC West teams all won on Sunday. It makes the division look better and we get more national media coverage but it does not help the Seahawks gain any ground on taking the division lead.

I believe the Seahawks are off the next two days and preparation for next week’s Monday night matchup against the Green Bay Packers. Check back this week for my notes heading into week 3. Go Seahawks!

Cowboys/Seahawks Preview

Matchup: Dallas Cowboys vs. Seattle Seahawks

Site: CenturyLink Field (Seattle, Washington)

Kickoff: 1:05pm

After a disappointing first week, the Seahawks return home to face the Dallas Cowboys in our 2012 home opener. The main storyline surrounding this game is this is the first time the Cowboys have played in Seattle since the 2006 playoffs. In that wild-card playoff game with a 21-20 lead, the Cowboys were in position to take the lead on a late-game field goal. Instead Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo fumbled the hold and was tackled short of the goal line. The Seahawks held on to win and advanced to the divisional playoffs against Chicago.

Even though the Seahawks last played the Cowboys at home in that playoff game, we have played the Cowboys three times since then; all on the road. The Seahawks went 0-3 in those three matchups since, including a 23-13 loss in Dallas last season. The Cowboys lead the all-time series against the Seahawks 9-5. Here is what I will be looking for in this week’s home opener.

This week John Moffitt starts in place of J.R. Sweezy at right guard. I think this gives us our best possible offensive line. Last week our offensive line was unable to consistently give Russell Wilson enough time to make solid throws and other decisions. We need to solidify an offensive line that will not shuffle week in and week out. If we can do this and rebuild continuity along the line, I believe we will see significant improvement. One question mark this week is left tackle Russell Okung who suffered a bone bruise in his knee last week. Coach Carroll expects Okung to play this week. If Okung cannot go, Coach Carroll said Frank Omiyale is ready to step in to replace him. I am very worried about the offensive line if Okung does not play. I originally thought Omiyale was going to be cut after training camp. I do not think he is the best option at the position. I would suggest sliding Paul McQuistan to left tackle and starting Lemuel Jeanpierre at left guard. I am not concerned about the running game no matter who starts along the line, but if the starters are not healthy, expect Russell Wilson to be flushed out of the pocket on a consistent basis, much like he was last week in Arizona.

The biggest thing to look for this week on defense is the interior pass rush. Cowboys starting center Phil Costa is presumed out this week with a strained back. Backup Ryan Cook will most likely start this week at center for Dallas. Jason Jones is definitely the man to keep your eye on on defense this week but also look for Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright to have a big impact. Much like the Cardinals defense did last week, I think it would be effective to stack the box on first and second down to put extra pressure on Tony Romo and to clog interior running lanes for running back DeMarco Murray. My hope is for our defense as a whole to record at least one sack per quarter.

For both teams it is very necessary to analyze the wide receivers. The Seahawks have a healthy Golden Tate this week and he will most likely start at split end this week. Doug Baldwin is expected to play at full strength this week after he had two of his teeth chipped in the fourth quarter last week. The only Seahawks receiver who will not play this week is Charly Martin who suffered a bruised lung in Arizona last week. Martin spent time in an Arizona hospital after last week’s game as a precaution and he is expected to miss at least a couple games. Although Martin is hurt I don’t think the Seahawks will activate a receiver from the practice squad. The Seahawks will most likely dress only five receivers against the Cowboys.

For the Cowboys, I am afraid the Seahawks will spend too much time worrying about Kevin Ogletree. Ogletree came out of nowhere last week against the New York Giants, catching 8 balls for 114 yards and 2 touchdowns. Although Ogletree is an emerging threat, that does not mean we can be lenient with defending Miles Austin and Dez Bryant. Austin will most likely be defended by Brandon Browner, who made it clear last week he still has a problem with penalties. To my memory, I believe Browner got caught for pass interference, holding, and illegal contact all last week. If Browner does in fact cover Austin this week, look for Romo to throw in Austin’s direction a lot. There is a good chance that by throwing towards Browner, the Cowboys will pick up some yards via penalties. Jason Witten will also be back stronger this week. I think Witten will get targets but because he is still not 100 percent, his numbers will not be overly impressive. I think four catches for Witten would be considered decent.

Random Thoughts: This Sunday is the home opener. Barring a home playoff game, this will be the loudest game of the season by far… The Cowboys are the best opponent for our home opener since I have been a season ticket holder. Not a fan of playing the Rams and Cardinals in home opener’s year after year… My tailgate starts down at the stadium at 8:45am. I am stoked… I think the Seahawks will be wearing navy blue jerseys this week but I would love to see them wear gray and force Dallas to wear their ugly navy blue uniforms… Last year in the final regular season game against San Francisco, everybody seemed to bring and throw around Skittles whenever Marshawn Lynch broke off a big run or scored a touchdown. I need to remember to buy my Skittles before Sunday. I hope the 12^th Man remembers to do the same… The referee this week is a guy by the name of Donovan Briggans. My friends and I have nicknamed him “replacement Mike Carey.” For those of you who don’t get the comparison look up both of those names. Hopefully you will then understand… Kenny Albert and Daryl “Moose” Johnston is the play-by-play/commentary pair this week. If the Seahawks would have won last week we might have gotten the number one FOX crew of Joe Buck and Troy Aikman to call this week’s game. Slightly disappointing… This Sunday is also Alumni Day. I hope Cortez Kennedy makes an appearance even though the Seahawks postponed his jersey retirement until halftime of the New England game on October 14^th… I can’t wait to talk fantasy with the people around me on Sunday. I just hope from a fantasy perspective the Seahawks shut down Dez Bryant… On Alumni Day the Seahawks always have a popular former player raise the 12^th Man flag. I think that the flag raiser this week will be either Michael Sinclair or Shaun Alexander.

Prediction: I could see this game being very sloppy, at least to start out. The Seahawks have not lost a home opener since 2008 when they lost to San Francisco in overtime. The Seahawks are 8-2 all-time in home openers at CenturyLink Field. Not many people expect the Seahawks to win this week. I hate to say the Seahawks will win because of luck but I do think there is a chance a couple of bad calls or lucky breaks in favor of the Seahawks will be the difference in this week’s game. All in all, Russell Wilson will have a much better game than last week and the defense will be able to shut down the Cowboys running game. I think Romo will throw for three touchdowns but it will not be enough as Marshawn Lynch and a poised Wilson will lead the Seahawks to a nail-biting close victory.

Seahawks 30, Cowboys 27

I hope to have my review up before the start of Monday Night Football. Thanks for reading. For those of you going to the game this week, have lots of fun and BE LOUD. Go Seahawks!

Seahawks sign Lynch to multi-year contract

According to reports the Seahawks have signed running back Marshawn Lynch to a four-year, $31 million contract. $18 million is guaranteed.

This can also translate to 31,313,313 bags of Skittles.

The Seahawks now have a very big decision to make in the next 18 hours. With Lynch re-signed we can now decide to use our franchise tag on a different player. If I had to take a guess on which player will receive the tag, should we decide to use it, my money is on linebacker David Hawthorne. Hawthorne would receive a one-year, $8.8 million dollar tender if he is tagged.

The franchise tag deadline is tomorrow (March 5th) at 1:00 pacific time. I will update the blog when I learn more about our intentions in regards to the franchise tag. Stay tuned!

Eagles Review

The Seahawks victory over Philadelphia on Thursday night was by far the most fun game of the season so far. Because it was a night kickoff, it gave me and my friends lots of time to drink and hang out before the game. It was also the first time we played a game during the week since November 12th, 2007 when we shut out the 49ers on Monday Night Football. I got into the stadium a little later than I was hoping so I didn’t get the chance to go down to the NFL Network tent in the corner of the endzone to see if I could bug the crew for a picture or autograph. I had to settle for watching the taped broadcast once I got home.

The friend I took to the game is a die-hard Eagles fan. He was probably the reason why the experience in my area was so  much fun, as they were heckling him the entire game. The guys behind us lost a bet so they bought us both a beer and the guy next to us even snuck in a fifth of vodka (to which I politely declined a swig). In the third quarter, the other friends we drank with came up to sit with us and they had a blast. One of them had never gone to a Seahawks game before and she said “this is the most ridiculous atmosphere I have even been a part of.”

As far as the game goes, it was as good as I could have scripted it. Two Marshawn Lynch touchdowns and the Pick Six by David Hawthorne in the fourth quarter were the biggest highlights. We completely dominated Philadelphia and with the win, we sit at 5-7. We ended the playoff dreams of the Eagles while holding on to our own by a thread. Here are my game thoughts:

1. Skittles are my new favorite candy. I knew about the bag Marshawn eats after each score dating back to last year. NFL Network showed him eating his skittles and the popularity of the tasty fruit candy has skyrocketed. Skittles is even giving Lynch a two-year supply and a personalized dispenser for his locker.

2. Night games continue to blow my mind. There’s something about the dark that really makes a person scream louder. I’m glad our next game is a Monday Night game.

3. I don’t know exactly who to blame for the 12th Man flag fiasco. The Eagles kicked off before the flag was even raised, which didn’t let the crowd get extra hyphy before kickoff, and causing Golden Tate to be late to the huddle for the first play, resulting in a 5-yard illegal shift penalty. Possible groups at fault: The NFL Network, the officials, and the Seahawks.

4. Great game by Tarvaris Jackson. He only threw 16 times but the key was that he didn’t turn the ball over. I applaud him for his performance.

5. Only five penalties for 30 yards. It’s about time we get it together.