Week 14 would bring the Seahawks their 2nd loss of the year in total and their second loss of the year to the Rams. The Rams, who seem to have the Seahawks number, now sit at 12-1 and look to have a firm grip on the division. The Seahawks drop to 11-2 and are looking to just secure a playoff spot with a very outside chance of a first round bye.
With the 24-30 loss to the Rams behind them the Seahawks are looking forward and focusing on their last 3 games against some strong opponents in the Cowboys, Cardinals, and Redskins. RB Frank Bethel will look to keep his season going but it will be very tough for him to be a serious candidate for rookie of the year with the aforementioned schedule. The Cowboys, Cardinals, and Redskins rank 8th, 5th, and 4th against the run so it will be very tough to produce yards on the ground and make up ground on the Lions sensational RB Dion Spurlock who has a far easier path the last 3 weeks.
Tune in next week for our Week 15 recap as the Seahawks look to get back in the win column against the surging Cowboys.
Week 13 had the Seahawks traveling to Buffalo to square off with the Bills who came into the game at 7-4. The Seahawks came out of the gate firing and scored a long TD to Tyler Lockett on a 75 yard broken play. The offense would slow down after that initial possession putting up only 7 more points the rest of the first half. HB Frank Bethel looked like he was going to be in for another poor performance until he broke out with 2 long runs late in the game. He would finish with 140 rushing yards and 2 TDs on 15 carries.
The true stars of the game for the Seahawks had to be in the passing attack. Cam Newton finished one of his best games of the year completing 16 of 19 passes for 376 yards 4TDs and 0 INTs. WRs Gavin Dildine and Tyler Lockett finished with 7 catches for 138 receiving yards 2TDs and 4 catches for 166 receiving yards and 2 TDs respectively.
The defense also played well today for the Seahawks forcing 3 INTs and holding the Bills to 65 rushing yards. The Bills did have 3 players around 100 receiving yards as well with TE Dalton Andersen grabbing 9 balls for 99 yards, WR Angelo Chavez with 6 catches for 85 yards, and WR London Clay hauling in 8 catches for 111 yards.
The game was actually pretty close until late when the Seahawks were able to pull away while pounding the rock on the ground. Another big victory for this Seahawks squad and now sitting at 11-1 they are getting close to cementing a playoff spot. With a huge home game against divisional rival and fellow 11-1 team the Rams next week, we should be in for another epic matchup.
All previous Seahawks LoB articles can be found here
11 weeks down only 6 more to go and the Seahawks now stand at 9-1. With a tough schedule still remaining there is no doubt the Seahawks will be clawing and scratching to still win every game left on the schedule. After the loss 2 weeks ago to the Rams the Seahawks came out firing against the 49ers this week. It was clear the team was charged up and lead 31-0 at one point late in the 3rd quarter. The Seahawks were so jacked up up this week that Coach Mo had to pull every skill position starter on offense before the 4th quarter even started. He told us "These guys played with so much passion today that I didn't want their fire to end up getting one of them injured. With the game in hand we decided it was best to contain that passion for the tough road ahead." With a final score of 38-10 the Seahawks will try to keep up the momentum in a big divisional battle against the 6-4 Cardinals this week.
The full game footage can be seen here free of charge https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cp6OJKkL568 . With RB Frank Bethel expected back this week look for the ground game to only increase the solid production they were able to put up with Bethel on the sidelines. Every team left on the schedule for the Seahawks is currently over .500 and all are very much still in the playoff hunt. In fact the total combined records of opponents weeks 12-17 is 37-20. This may be a great stretch for the Seahawks to really see who they are this season and find out if they have what it takes to make the playoffs and possibly make a run this year.
All previous Seahawks LoB articles can be found here
Week 10 pitted the 7-1 Rams against the 8-0 Seahawks in a pivotal battle for the NFC West. Both teams have been playing extraordinary football this season. The Seahawks came into the game ranking 1st in points for and 2nd in points against in the league while the Rams came in at 4th and 6th. Both teams have been at the top of their game and it was no surprise that this weeks matchup would finish as an instant classic.
With RBs Frank Bethel and Devonta Freeman still nursing broken ribs RB Knile Davis was asked to step into the starting role and produced in a big way to the tune of 12 carries for 187 yards and 2 TDs. QB Cam Newton had an up and down game turning in 272 yards through the air with 2 TDs and 2 INTs. WRs Gavin Dildine and Tyler Lockett each had 1 TD and both products over 100 receiving yards. On the rams side of the ball RB Gregory Hillis rumbled to 106 yards and 2 TDs on only 10 carries. QB Jared Goff would throw only 6 pass attempts before getting injured. QB Kevin Hogan would come in and perform impeccably putting up 214 yards 2TDs and 1 INT.
The real story of the game was the Rams trenches. Their defensive line had 6 sacks and was in the backfield nearly every play. The Rams offensive line opened up huge holes all night for the run game while providing all day for both QBs to survey the field. The MVP for the Rams had to be TE Hunter Henry who caught 6 balls for 192 yards and 2 TDs. He secured 2 70+ yard TDs on identical plays where the defense would put OLB Justin Houston in positions to fail each time.
The game was decided on a quick game ending TD drive orchestrated by QB Kevin Hogan to put a nail in the Seahawks coffin by a score of 37-34. The Seahawks look forward to getting back in the win column next week against a tough 49ers team who the Seahawks narrowly edged out earlier in the year. It should be another tough division battle.
All previous Seahawks LoB articles can be found here
Before we dive into our week 9 recap lets discuss a trade deadline deal that the Seahawks and Patriots were able to put through:
The Seahawks sent 1st(via Chiefs), 2nd, and 5th round picks to the Patriots in exchange for LE Nick Sowell. Although Sowell is a very good defensive end he is not a huge upgrade this year. He will step into the starting LE spot opposite RE Jabaal Sheard kicking OLB Justin Houston back to LB. The real benefit will come next year however as the Seahawks will be losing essentially all of their defensive linemen to free agency. After the trade the Seahawks still have 5 picks in the first 3 rounds and are primed to once again be able to add some youth and talent to the squad pending any postseason trades.
Now on to the meat and potatoes. The Seahawks knew this would be a tought battle against a Tampa Bay team that forces alot of interceptions with exceptional linebacker coverage over the middle of the field and solid all around play. The Buccaneers came into the game at 4-3 with some impressive wins and close losses against good opponents.
The Seahawks jumped out to a 7-0 lead with a 72 yard TD drive on their first posession capped off by a TD catch by WR Gavin Dildine. Up 10-7 with 1:58 left in the first half and the ball on their own 25 yard line QB Cam Newton was able to orchestrate a 75 yard 2 minute drill to put the Hawks up 17-7 at half time. Just before the end of the 3rd quarter the Seahawks would go up 26-7 and the game looked like it may be closing in on the Bucs. However, on the final play of the 3rd quarter the Bucs were able to punch in a 71 yard TD run. With the Seahawks now up 26-14 QB Cam Newton would fumble on the 3rd play of the next drive leading to another Bucs FG and a score of 26-17. After a quick drive and a punt the Seahawks would give up another score and see their lead shrink to 26-24. With 4:27 seconds left in the game and up 2 points the Seahawks were able to slowly move the ball down the field and kick a FG with only 10 seconds remaining to go up 29-24.
A strong comeback by the Bucs would come up just short as their record moves to 4-4 and the Seahawks move to 8-0. The Seahawks rest of season schedule is absolutely brutal however and it is very much within reason that their playoff spot is still on the line. Next up will be a trip to LA to take on the 7-1 Rams.
All previous Seahawks LoB articles can be found here
Week 5 for the Seahawks players was like the 7th day of creation for the man upstairs...a time for rest. The fans could not be more excited as the Seahawks strolled into the bye week at 4-0. Coach Mo and the front office however, did not take this time to rest. Instead they pulled off two trades.
In subsequent deals with the Colts and Chiefs the Seahawks gave away HB Donald Grimes, HB/return specialist Dri Archer, and RT Richard Gavazda to the Colts for a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd round pick as well as WR C.T. Wrightster and LG Vaughn Sharper to the Chiefs for a 1st and 4th round pick. The Seahawks come out of the deal with an additional 2 extra 1st round picks, a 2nd, 3rd, and 4th round pick in next years draft.
Grimes had fallen into the #2 RB spot on the depth chart as Coach Mo and the rest of the team have shown their love of rookie HB Frank Bethel. LG Sharper was going to be a big part of the offensive line starting next year so the coaching staff will have to find a new player to fill that hole after the season. Overall, the coaching staff was pleased with the trades and are hoping to make those picks count in the draft.
With the 4-0 start in the books and very difficult schedule still ahead lets take a quick glance at the 1/4 season player stats for the Seahawks:
QB Cam Newton has compiled 875 passing yards with 8TDs, 3 INTs, and a 70% completion percentage. Solid numbers that looked much more impressive before the 3 INT effort in week 4 vs the 49ers.
HB Frank Bethel came out of the gate roaring to start the season but played terrible weeks 3 and 4. Overall the season stats are still impressive with 74 carries for 394 yards(5.3ypc) and 8 TDs to go along with 0 fumbles so far on the year.
WR Tyler Lockett stepped up big in weeks 2 and 3 with fellow WR Gavin Dildine missing both of those games. Lockett has a total of 27 catches for 433 yards and 4 TDs
WR Gavin Dildine despite only playing in 1 and a half games so far this season has put up 12 catches for 250 yards and 3 TDs.
RE Jabaal Sheard is currently on pace for 24 sacks tallying 6 through the first 4 contests. He also has 3 forced fumbles.
LOLB Justin Houston has also made his new team satisfied making plays all over the field to the tune of 3 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 1 INT.
Overall both sides of the ball have played well so far and the Seahawks as a team rank #1 in points scored at 34ppg and #2 in points against at 10ppg.
Week 5 will bring a tough matchup against a Dolphins team that despite their 1-4 record has many solid pieces on the team and plays very tough on both sides of the ball. The keys for the Seahawks in this game will be to get the ground game going and to force turnovers. Tune in next week for the week 5 recap as the Seahawks hope to remain one of the only undefeated teams remaining.
All previous Seahawks LoB articles can be found here
A game for the ages. Week 4 pitted the Seahawks against the 49ers in a back and forth duel. The Seahawks would jump out to an early 7-0 lead but would find it difficult to continue the momentum. The 49ers played a steady game and eventually took a double digit lead before the Seahawks came roaring back to close out a nail biter 21-20.
This was 49ers QB Russell Wilson's first game against his former team and he would finish with 183 pass yards to go along with 2 TDs and 1 INT. The 49ers played a very balanced game throwing and running the ball a similar amount. The ground game was not able to find holes outside of 1 big run by HB T. Maroney for 62 yards. The ground game finished at 79 yards on 17 carries. As always with the 9ers, they played great defense forcing Cam Newtons 1st, 2nd, and 3rd INTs on the season.
Newton was relied on more in this game than any of the first 3 weeks as he completed 24 of 32 passes for 277 yards 2TDs and 3INTs. HB Frank Bethel struggled for the second week in a row tallying only 39 yards on 16 carries. WR Gavin Dildine, in his first week back from the broken ribs caught 9 balls for 126 yards and 1 TD. The play of the game had to go to WR Tyler Lockett though. Newton through a pass to Gavin Dildine which was deflected high into the air by 49ers CB Eric Rowe. Lockett raced across the field and made a diving catch for a 20 yard gain and would go on to finish with 81 yards on 6 grabs.
The Seahawks defense as a whole played solid allowing a total of 251 yards while forcing 1 INT. They gathered 2 sacks but had multiple pressures. The Seahawks came very close to losing this game and without a few lucky breaks surely would have fallen to Coach OldMeatHead and the division rival 49ers.
Check back in with us next week as the Seahawks go into their bye at 4-0. Some exciting moves were made in the front office and we will break down those trades as well as touch on some 1/4 season team stats.
All previous Seahawks LoB articles can be found here
Going into week 3 Coach Mo knew the Patriots were a tough draw and it would take a total team effort to come out with a victory, especially with ROLB Myles Jack and WR Gavin Dildine still both out with injury. The rest of the team was able to step up and pull out a tough fought battle at home 18-9. Once again the defense played exceptional while the offense started out hot but would falter down the stretch.
The Seahawks jumped out to a quick 18 points in just over a quarter of football but would fail to score again in the second half. The Seahawks tried to rely on their defense and run the ball more in the second half but it was very tough sledding for the run game today. Rookie HB Frank Bethel would finish with just 32 yards on 12 carries and outside of a 17 yard scamper from QB Cam Newton the Seahawks as a team finished with less then 40 yards on the ground and just over 2.0 yards per carry. The only standout on offense was WR Tyler Lockett who carried the team on his back with 7 grabs for 155 yards and 2 TDS.
The defense only gave up 6 points outside of a time expiring field goal to the end game but did allow almost 400 yards of total offense. It was a bend but dont break type of day where 2nd year player and 1st year starter SS Cassius Woodard played well to the tune of 2 INTs. Overall the defense forced Patriots QB Andy Dalton to throw 4 INTS while the Seahawks had 0 turnovers on the game. That would be the difference in a tight matchup.
Next up on the dockett is a trip to San Francisco to face off against the 49ers who are likely the best 0-3 team in the league. After splitting last seasons 2 games the Seahawks will need to limit their turnovers if they hope to come away with 4 straight wins on the season.
All previous Seahawks LoB articles can be found here
Week 2 was an NFC battle between Big Ben and his Chicago Bears againt Cam Newton and his new team, the Seattle Seahawks. The Chicago Bears continue to have no head coach and it really showed in this game. Seattle jumped out to a quick lead and would slam the door on the Bears early.
Newton almost doubled his pass attempts from week 1(10) completing 11 of 19 passes for 191 yards and 1 TD. As Coach Mo promised WR Tyler Lockett took on a much bigger role with WR Gavin Dildine still sidelined with the broken ribs he suffered in week 1. Lockett caught 9 balls for 151 yards and 1 TD. New Seahawks WR Robert Woods and TE Zach Ertz both notched their first catches of the season.
The real standouts once again were the entire defensive unit and the Seahawks rushing attack. The defense allowed only 6 points while forcing 2 turnovers and notching 3 sacks. Rookie HB Frank Bethel continues to shine early on this season posting 25 carries for 152 yards and 3 TDs. If Bethel can come anywhere near the current 7.0 yards per carry he is averaging it will provide a huge boost to a Seahawk team that sorely missed a rushing attack the last 2 seasons.
Week 3 will be a very tough test and a true benchmark for this years Seattle team as they take on the New England Patriots who narrowly lost in the Superbowl last season. The Patriots have what most people consider the best team on paper. Keep your eyes peeled for our week 3 recap after this pivotal matchup next week.
All previous Seahawks LoB articles can be found here
Week 1 pitted the New York Jets traveling accross the country to meet the Seahawks at CenturyLink Field. On a rain filled Sunday the Seahawks would keep no prisoners rallying to their largest ever OMFL victory 59-7. The Jets team came out extremely flat and it looked like none of their players gave it their all in this game.
It was quite an impressive performance from Seattle who really played well in the trenches. The Seahawks totalled 288 yards on the ground while the Jets could only manage 66 rushing yards. Newly minted rookie starter HB Frank Bethel could not have started the season much better with 171 rush yards and 4 rushings TDs on 21 carries. HB Donald Grimes contributed 118 yards and 2 TDs on only 8 carries. The Seahawks have not had holes that big to run through in Coach Mo's entire tenure in Seattle.
The game was not all peaches and cream though as star WR Gavin Dildine and highly prized free agent acquisition ROLB Myles Jack both had to leave the game. Dildine had 3 catches for 124 yards and 2 TDs before having to exit just after halftime. Neither would return to the contest and news later broke that both players suffered broken ribs. Dildine has a less severe break and is likely to miss around 3 weeks while Jack will not be able to return for at least 5 weeks. Crushing losses for a team with very high aspirations.
Coach Mo said "It's time for the next man up. We have confidence WR Paul Richardson can help this team win but we will no doubt rely more heavily on WR Tyler Lockett with Dildine out. As far as Jacks absence we will be moving Justin Houston back to his natural OLB position while kicking Aldon Smith back to defense end. Brandon Williams will get the nod as the #2 DT in week 2 as well. I have supreme confidence that these players will step right in and we will still be able to compete at a high level."
The Seahawks certainly will miss those two players but only time will tell if they can keep the ship rolling. Week 2 will bring a matchup against a Chicago Bears team which should be no match for the Seahawks. Check back in next week for our week 2 wrap up.
All previous Seahawks LoB articles can be found here
As promised, your favorite column - Seahawks LoB, is back to deliver the Seahawks in depth draft day grades and outlook. Lets dive right in:
1st round (29th overall): TE Mario Hurt - 78 overall - Draft Grade: B- - Hurt joins a solid TE group in free agent acquisition Zach Ertz and 2nd year Seahawk Nick Boyle. With Boyle set to see some time at FB this season Hurt will step right into the #2 TE spot. Considering how often the Seahawks use 2 TE formations Hurt could be in for a solid rookie campaign. At the very least, the Seahawks can groom Hurt for the #1 TE spot next year if Ertz is not resigned during the season. Coach Mo had this to say about the TE group, "Its an open competition. Ertz has the inside track right now but if Hurt impresses us early on we could see him slide into the #1 role. We love Hurts potential and he has really showed up in practices for us so far. If you ask me, we have the best group of 3 TEs in the leaague." Our final grade on Hurt is a B-. Hurt is average to above average in almost all aspects however nothing jumps off the page in his game. We see him as an average development type player who could turn into a low end #1or high end #2 option in the league.
1st round (31st overall): HB Frank Bethel - 79 overall - Draft Grade: A - As a player with superstar potential, Bether has been turning heads all training camp. He is not the quickest HB in the league but the guy can truck to go along with one of the best stiff arms in the game. He should be able to get those tough yards the Seahawks have found so hard to come by these last few seasons. To everybodys shock Coach Mo recently told the media Bethel is going to start week 1 ahead of Donald Grimes and Devonta Freeman. With Bethels training camp and clear sky high potential we could not give this pick anything less than an A
1st round(32nd overall): LE Lewis Gunter - 79 overall - Draft Grade B- - The Seahawks defensive line is jam packed with talent this year so this pick was clearly a look into the future. Gunter is a normal type development player who shows above average strength and power moves but below average finesse. A year sitting behind and learning from some great defensive linemen should have Gunter in a position to compete for playing time next year. We give this pick a B- for a player that with some coaching, could turn into a starter within a few years.
2nd round(61st overall): RG Tyler Nowak - 75 overall - Draft Grade A - While repping with the 2's during training camp Nowak has shown that he has superstar potential dominating the 2nd string defensive line in the run game. Nowak shows elite level strength to go along with very good run blocking, subpar pass blocking, and average ability in impact blocking. Nowak will not be a starter this year but the coaches have made it a point to focus training on this player and believe he will be an impact starter in year 2. Our draft grade of A is based on the fact that we believe this player can be moved over to LT and be an elite starter there within 3-4 years.
2nd round(64th overall): RE J.T. Pollard - 76 overall - Draft Grade B+ - As we mentioned when breaking down fellow rookie LE Gunter the Seahawks defensive line has no room for rookies this year. That being said, Pollard looks like a quick development player who will join Gunter within a few years at DT or DE. We came to the B+ grade as we think Pollard has more long term potential than Gunter while having similar attributes right out of college.
3rd round(93rd overall): FB Ivory Lynch - 73 overall - Draft Grade F- - In the first week of training camp Lynch showed the Seattle coaches that he really struggled run blocking. The Seahawks almost exclusively use their FB to block so Lynch was subsequently cut in short order. The Panthers picked Lynch up off the streets and Coach Mo said "We wish him the best of luck in Carolina. We are sorry it did not work out here but that is how it goes sometimes." Being cut so early no other grade can be given except F-.
4th round(127th overall): FS Connor Goff - 73 overall - Draft Grade B - Zone coverage and pure hit power are two things the Seahawks strive for with their safeties. Goff provides that with excellent traits in both coming right out of college. Whats holding Goff back is sub par speed. The coaches are hoping that they can squeeze just a bit more out of his speed than Goff was able to show in college and at the combine. If they are able to, Goff could be a very talented starting FS within short order.
4th round(128th overall) SS Lavary Thompkins - 71 overall - Draft Grade C+ - Thompkins brings elite level hit power to the table but little else at this stage of his career. Below average speed and poor zone coverage are the two biggest things holding him back. If the Seahawks can tap into those skills they may be able to get contributions out of Thompkins but until then he will be on the roster bubble and hopefully be able to give something on special teams.
5th round(157th overall) SS Banks Bean - 71 overall - Draft grade C+ - In a now deep but young position for the Seahawks Bean will have to fight for a roster spot this training camp. Like Goff he shows above average zone coverage and hit power but has big strides to make in all other areas of his game. Bean will certainly need to contribute with Thompkins on special teams to remain on the team at the moment.
Overall Draft Score: C+
The Seahawks only 3rd round pick and all the other 5th-7th round picks busted out early leaving us with a final score of C+. The Seahawks certainly got some players that will contribute down the road but TE Hurt and HB Bethel look like the only two that will be seeing the field on offense or defense this season. If Bethel is able to put together an amazing rookie year and be a huge contributor this grade could easily be bumped up. Coach Mo left us with this, "We knew going into this draft we did not have many positions where a rookie could conceivably win a starting job so we were very focused on taking the best player available and building for the future. I feel like we did a good job of that and most of these guys will compete for starting positions within a few years."
All previous Seahawks LoB articles can be found here
What an offseason it was for the Seattle Seahawks. After having over 80M in cap space and 19 draft picks it was obvious the team was going to have a new look coming into the season. That being said, Coach Mo thought the team exceeding expectations exclaiming, "I think there is no doubt that our team is more talented from this massive Free Agency talent infusion than it was in our conference championship run last season." Let's take a look at some of those free agent signings Coach Mo is gushing about:
Free Agency Recap:
QB Cam Newton OVR: 95 With management not willing to give Russell Wilson an extension in the neighborhood of 25+M a year Cam Newton was brough in at just under $19M for 1 season to fill the temporary void. Newton and Wilson are similar players and not much should change skill wise with the switch.
QB Matt Ryan OVR: 84 The Seahawks were left with zero QBs on the roster going into the offseason so who better to hold Newton's clipboard than a 2 time OMFL defending champion in Matt Ryan. The Seahawks will also use Ryans knowledge of the Falcons offense should the teams meet again in the playoffs.
HB Devonta Freeman OVR: 93 Freeman is going to provide depth and start out the season 3rd at the RB position behind 1st round pick Frank Bethel (more on him later) and veteran Seahawk Donald Grimes who is coming into his last season on his rookie contract. Freeman will also be trotted onto the field as the lead kick and punt returner this season.
HB Knile Davis OVR: 75 With the Seahawks all but set at the RB position Davis will be an extreme depth add and could provide valuable intel on 2 time OMFL champion and former Bills coach Ducks(now with the Eagles) as well as 2 time OMFL champion Dwayne. Davis will also be used in the return game 2nd in line behind Freeman.
WR Robert Woods OVR: 81 Woods was also brought in, like Knile Davis, to provide emergency depth. The WR position is solidified with the top 3 options Lockett, Dildine, and Richardson holding down the fort. Unless there is an injury Woods will not see the field much.
TE Zach Ertz OVR: 88 The tight end position in Seattle has not been a major factor in the passing game the last few seasons but Ertz may be a difference maker that can change that. Although Seattle totalled only 52 catches for 560 yards from the entire tight end group last year Ertz could easily surpass those numbers by himself this season. Ertz is the 2nd best blocking tight end Seattle has had since Coach Mo took over the team while also being the 2nd best receiving tight end in that same time frame. That combination likely makes him the best TE Coach Mo has had to work with and Ertz may be relied on heavily this year in the Seattle offense.
RE Jabaal Sheard OVR: 91 Carlos Dunlap moved on in free agency and the man to take his spot is the talented defense end Jabaal Sheard. Dunlap did total 14 sacks for the Seahawks last season but Sheard is a much more well rounded end than Dunlap and actually rates better in almost every category. Anything less then 12-14 sacks this year for Sheard will certainly be a dissapoint in the eyes of the Seahawks.
DT Kawann Short OVR: 87 The weakest spot on the Seahawks stout defense from last season was the run game. Michael Bennett and Dan Williams didn't do a sufficient job last year so the Seahawks are changing things up at the defensive tackle position. Short will be the #1 DT playing on all downs while Aldon Smith (20 sacks last season) will slider over from his end position last year to take on the #2 DT role.
DT Brandon Williams OVR: 83 Williams will provide injury depth as the new #3 DT this season.
DT Ian Williams OVR: 76 Ian Williams, along with Brandon Williams, are merely emergency depth options.
LOLB Justin Houston OVR: 95 Houston will slide down to LE where his skills should translate very well. Houston will look to match Aldon Smiths lofty total of 20 sacks from last season.
ROLB Myles Jack OVR: 97 Joining a crowded and talented group of linebackers Jack was the prize get for the Seahawks this offseason. At only 24 years of age Jack was signed to a 4 year nearly 40M contract. Jack is a very intelligent player with solid speed and should help the Seahawks improve on their rush defense and stay near the top of the league against the pass this season.
CB Mackensie Alexander OVR: 85 A huge addition to an always thin position for the Seahawks Alexander will step right in alongside last years rookie sensation Brandan Gabriel to provide the most formidable cornerback duo Coach Mo has ever worked with.
That rounds out the free agent class for the Seahawks this year. It certainly looks like Seattle is doing everything they can to get over the hump and make their first ever OMFL superbowl. Catch us on our next segment as we break down the Seahawks draft class and look towards the teams week 1 matchup against the New York Jets.
All previous Seahawks LoB articles can be found here
After a 10-6 season and a wildcard birth into the playoffs Seahawks fans were dissapointed when their superbowl dreams fell short with a conference championship 10-19 loss in Philadelphia to previous OMFL Bowl winner Ducks. Overall it was a very successful season for the Seahawks, winning their first and second ever OMFL playoff games in the wildcard round 43-20 over the Vikings and subsequently knocking off the back to back defending OMFL Bowl Champion Dwayne and his Falcons 17-13 in the divisional round. That brings Coach Mo's OMFL lifetime playoff record to 2-2.
Many rumors have been swirling in the Seattle air about what will happen to the team this offseason with so many key contributors on expiring contracts. QB Russell Westbrook, FS Earl Thomas, MLB Bobby Wagner, LT Joe Thomas, RE Carlos Dunlap, DT Michael Bennett, CB Josh Shaw, CB Jeremy Lane, SS Patrick Chung, LG Joe Haeg are just among the starters who are still yet to be signed. With only 1 franchise tag available and many of these guys asking for 5 year deals there may be massive turnover on the Seahawks team once again this offseason.
With 3 first round picks as well as multiple picks in rounds 2 and 3 along with some opening cap space there will be many important new faces on the roster when next season kicks off. It will be very intriguing to see where the Seahawks go from here. With Free Agency less then 24 hours from opening Coach Mo only had this to say, "Prepare yourself for another successful talent overhaul here in Seattle folks. It's Superbowl or bust for us!"
All previous Seahawks LoB articles can be found here
Here we stand just over halfway through the season with the Seahawks nestled in at 7-2. Seattle's management has come through on their promise to infuse the team with more talent in the offseason. After the 3-13 finish last year the 12th man has come back in full force and has been reinvigorated by some stout play on both sides of the ball.
The standout this year has certainly been the defense. After finishing in the bottom half of the league every year since Coach Mo took over things are looking different this year. The defense has given up 14ppg to go along with 257 yards per game good for 1st and 4th in the league respectively. With fresh talent all over the defense its hard not to call this a group effort but both new defensive ends Aldon Smith and Carlos Dunlap have certainly stood out. With 21 sacks between them they are weaking havoc on opposing pass attacks and have the Seahawks sitting in the top 3 in team sacks.
The offense hasn't been quite as dominant this year but the team still ranks #4 in ppg at 26. Much of that can be attributed to short fields and some defensive scores but at 291 yards of offense per game the Seahawks have brought a more balanced offensive philosophy to the table. Ranking 17th and 18th in passing and rushing yardage it is a breath of fresh air for Coach Mo to finally have a semblance of a rushing attack back in Seattle.
That being said the rushing attack has been far from dominant. Donald Grimes has certainly been better than his rookie campaign but sitting at 144 attempts for 633 yards(4.4ypc) Coach Mo is still not thrilled stating, "Just over four yards per carry as a team just is not going to cut it if we make the playoffs. We have to get that into the high fours to give ourselves a realstic shot at this thing." With Gavin Dildine getting injured after the first month of the season the passing attack has largely gone through Tyler Lockett. Lockett is now up to 55 grabs for 881 yards and 12TDs. Dildine was on pace to be a big time contributor notching 25 catches for 386 yards and 3 TDS in the 4+ games he played but he will still be out multiple weeks after his injury during the week 5 game.
Both losses on the year have come since Dildine went down. The first one in week 6 against the Bengals by a score of 20-30 and the second just this week against the 49ers 16-23. Backup WR Paul Richardson has struggled to have the same impact that Dildine had and the Seahawks can't wait for Dildine to be back in a few weeks.
In one of the toughest divisions in the OMFL this season the Seahawks are tied for 1st with those 49ers at 7-2. The NFC West has been absolutely brutal to opposing offenses this year with all 4 teams rankings in the top 10 in fewest yards given up. The 49ers, Seahawks, and Rams ranking 1, 2, and 3 no less in that category. The 4-4 Rams and the 2-7 Cardinals are some of the best .500 or below teams in the league this year.
With a tough road ahead in an attempt to make the playoffs including a week 16 matchup against the two time defending champion Falcons it will not be easy. Coach Mo said "I fully intend on this team making the playoffs. These guys have really gelled this year and some of these rookies have been impressive in stepping up to the plate. If we can get the ground game going a bit more I see no reason why we can't nab a first round bye and make a run at the Superbowl."
All previous Seahawks LoB articles can be found here
Are the Seahawks back?!? Is the turnaround real? What an offseason and draft it was for the previously depleted Seahawk organization. Before we hit Free Agency the Seahawks were considered the lowest rated team by talent in the entire NFL. They went into the free agent period with an unfathomable amount of holes. Luckily, they had a wallet bulging with cash and 11 draft picks to play with. They come out of the offseason with 27 new players on the roster, including 12 new starters. There would be 3 new starters along the offensive line while the entire defensive line(LE, DT, DT, RE) was entirely new. The defensive side of the ball saw the most turnover with 8 new starters(LOLB, SS, and both CB spots to go along with the 4 new defensive linemen).
Shoring up the trenches seemed like the real theme of the offseason for these Seahawks. After acquiring 7 offensive and defensive linemen and a new block first starting TE in free agency the Seahawks scooped up 6 more guys on the offenisve and defensive lines in the draft. The trenches will be a completely new fight in the upcoming season for the Seahawks.
When we asked Coach Mo about the new talent he was ecstatic, saying "I am re-invigorated for the new season. We did a fantastic job of raising the talent level in this organization and I cannot wait to coach this group of players. I think the fans will be shocked at how much better this team will be from a wins and on field productivity standpoint." We asked Coach Mo to name a few standout players from practice so far and he shared this, "I am pleasantly surprised with our first round pick CB Brandan Gabriel. He has really transitioned to the speed of the NFL seamlessly. I really think he has the potential to be a superstar in this league. Our other first rounder ROLB Willie Roan is slightly more raw and after a full year in our system I think people will be shocked by his production next season. As an entire unit I am most excited for our brand new defensive line. (Defensive Ends) Aldon Smith and Carlos Dunlap along with (defensive tackles) Michael Bennett and Dan Williams are going to be complete game changers. We really struggled all over the defense last year and that new line will make things much easier on our defense as a whole."
This time of year every team is excited and hopeful that this will be their teams run at glory. That being said the Seahawks have no excuse not to drastically increase their win total of 3 from last season. Their is talent across the roster once again in Seattle and things are looking up. As we were walking out of the Seahawks practice facility Coach Mo slyly leaned over to us and said, "Oh, and did I mention how good it is to have Michael Bennett back with us, hardee har har har har."
All previous Seahawks LoB articles can be found here