Most Valuable Seahawks

As part of my Ranking the Squads project, I named a team MVP (or co-MVPs) for each season. Here's a list of those MVPs, ranked by number of years they were Seattle's Most Valuable Player (IMHO)...

-Steve Largent (1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1985)
-Matt Hasselbeck (2002, 2003, 2005, 2007)
-Shaun Alexander (2001, 2004, 2005)
-John L. Williams (1988, 1990, 1991)
-Kenny Easley (1982, 1984)
-Cortez Kennedy (1992, 1999)
-Curt Warner (1983, 1986)
-Chris Warren (1994, 1995)
-Chad Brown (1998)
-Josh Brown (2006)
-John Carlson (2008)
-Walter Jones (2005)
-Dave Krieg (1984)
-Warren Moon (1997)
-Rufus Porter (1989)
-Eugene Robinson (1993)
-Michael Sinclair (1996)
-Sherman Smith (1977)
-Ricky Watters (2000)
-Fredd Young (1987)
-Jim Zorn (1976)

Wrapping Up the Ranking the Squads Project

Here's my final rankings of each squad in team history, with links to the articles I wrote about them. Enjoy!

1. 2005
2. 1984
3. 1983
4. 2007
5. 1986
6. 2003
7. 2006
8. 1988
9. 1987
10. 1979
11. 1990
12. 1978
13. 2001
14. 1999
15. 2004
16. 1998
17. 1985
18. 1997
19. 1995
20. 2002
21. 1991
22. 1996
23. 1989
24. 1982
25. 1977
26. 1981
27. 1993
28. 1994
29. 2000
30. 2008
31. 1980
32. 1976
33. 1992

Ranking the Squads #1: 2005

As usual, you can find the previous installments of the Ranking the Squads project here...

1. 2005
Record: 13-3
Postseason: Won NFC West, Won NFC Title, Lost in Super Bowl XL
Offensive Rank: 1st out of 32 teams
Defensive Rank: 7th out of 32
Turnover Ratio Rank: 7th out of 32
Team Co-MVPs: Matt Hasselbeck, Shaun Alexander and Walter Jones
High Point: Seahawks 34, Panthers 14
Low Point: Steelers 21, Seahawks 10

2005 is still fresh in our minds. The joy we felt after the NFC Championship Game hasn't faded into oblivion, and the pain of XL won't completely dissolve until a Seahawk is holding the Lombardi Trophy skyward during a confetti blizzard.

I was lucky enough to attend three games in '05: The win over Atlanta, where we all worried that the Hawks would blow a 21-0 halftime lead; The Hawks took their first step towards erasing fears of a 2004 redux by holding onto a 21-18 win. Then I was at the Colts game, where we clinched HFA and saw the team echo 1983 and take a post-game victory lap...

I was one of 67,837 lucky bastards who got to see the Hawks win the NFC Championship in person... allow me to quote myself from back then:

When I was 8 years old, I started refusing to go to church to watch the Seattle Seahawks. That was the beginning of my march down the path of damnation, in both the spiritual and sports-fandom senses. My eternal soul may still be doomed depending on which thousands-years-old book you’ve taken to heart, but the Seattle Super Seahawks have freed my sporting spirit from the purgatory of mediocrity and broken dreams.

In a real sense, my experience at Qwest Field was as close as I’ll ever get to that sense of joy, bliss and peace that true believers enjoy. If my personal faith is the Seattle Seahawks, salvation arrived on Sunday night… Thirty years of dashed hopes, first-round busts, fourth-quarter collapses, phantom touchdowns and 8-8-ness were shattered in the deafening noise generated by 67,837 disciples and buried in a flurry of blue and green confetti.

Steve Smith? Erased. Those road-warrior Panthers? Reduced to quivering piss-stained wrecks by our smothering D and the assault of the 12th Man. Jake Delhomme? Don’t EVER claim he’s half the QB Hass is after that display of inept chucking and diving… The “soft” Seahawks? Ask Nick Going’s concussed brainpan about that one.

After the final kneel-down, grown men cried, including a little bit of misting up on my end.. Complete strangers hugged each other, and our howls of triumph cut through the damp Seattle night sky.

For 22 years I’ve waited for this, and it’s even better than all those scenarios I’ve imagined for years. Though I love the Sawx, this easily trumps the gleeful 2004 playoff run for me, and I’d say it’s the best moment of my life as a sports fan…

Beside that glorious January night, my most vivid memories of '05 are:

-Babs picking off Bledsoe and streaking into FG range, followed by Josh Brown nailing the game winner and throwing his helmet off after the final gun... Then, just delirium and joy.

-Feely missing, missing, missing and Shockey's premature celebration... and false starts galore for Eli and NYG.

-A sweep of the Rams begun with J.P. Darche falling on a fumble at STL, and ending with SA running for one of his 28 TDs in the rain at Qwest.

-Hasselbeck's great day against DC in the playoffs, after Alexander got knocked out of the game and we were supposed to implode. I'll never forget Hass beating Shawn Springs to the pylon, and SA's ecstatic reaction on the sidelines. Then of course, there was Mack's game-clinching run on a key 3rd down late in the game...

What are your favorite memories of 2005? NO XL talk on this one! Let's just speak of the good times for once.

Ranking the Squads #2: 1984

As usual, you can find the previous installments of the Ranking the Squads project here...

2. 1984
Record: 12-4
Postseason: AFC Wild Card, Lost in Divisional Round
Offensive Rank: 5th out of 28 teams
Defensive Rank: 5th out of 28
Turnover Ratio Rank: 1st out of 28
Team Co-MVPs: Dave Krieg and Kenny Easley
High Point: Seahawks 13, Raiders 7
Low Point: Broncos 31, Seahawks 14

The '84s are rightly remembered fondly by Seahawks fans. They overcame Curt Warner's season-ending knee explosion in the opener to win 12 games and finish off the defending World Champion Raiders in the AFC Wild Card Game. That sweet revenge for the 1983 AFC Championship boomeranged on us a week later, as Miami got payback for the previous year's gargantuan divisional playoff upset.

Even though I was only 9 years old at the time, the "what-ifs" have always bugged me about the '84s. They were 12-2, and riding an 8-game winning streak, going into the final two games against KC and Denver. Two more wins would have given Seattle home field advantage through the AFC playoffs. ONE more win would have secured the AFC West crown and a first-round bye.

The Hawks already had a playoff spot and a home game sewn up going into Arrowhead. Maybe they were complacent, or maybe they were just running out of gas, but they took a 34-7 beating. Needing a win at home to clinch the Western division and a bye, they meekly fell to Denver the next week 31-14.

Yes, the Hawks gutted out a brutal 13-7 victory over the hated Raiders in the Dome to open the playoffs (rightly regarded as one of the best moments in franchise history), but they bowed out a week later in Miami, losing 31-10. Over the last four games, including the post-season, Seattle was outscored 103-54.

Despite the fade in December, this team was a joy to watch. Dave Krieg had the standout season of his career, throwing 32 TDs, making the Pro Bowl, and carrying the offense in Warner's absence. Kenny Easley won Defensive Player of the Year honors, and led the greatest defense in franchise history.

How good was the defense? In one four-game stretch Seattle's defense OUTSCORED the opposition 30-20! This included the amazing 45-0 win over the Chiefs that featured FOUR interception returns for touchdowns by the Hawks, and a safety scored in a win against Cincy. In four weeks, the defense allowed only two touchdowns and pitched two shutouts. It shouldn't be any surprise this was the best D in team history, given that it starred three eventual Ring of Honor inductees (Easley, Jacob Green and Dave Brown), and other notables like Jeff Bryant, Joe Nash and John Harris.

The '84s were a great team... If not for that December Fade, they may have been Seattle's first Super Bowl team.

Ranking the Squads #3: 1983

As usual, you can find the previous installments of the Ranking the Squads project here...

3. 1983
Record: 9-7
Postseason: AFC Wild Card, Lost in AFC Championship Game
Offensive Rank: 6th out of 28 teams
Defensive Rank: 24th out of 28
Turnover Ratio Rank: 2nd out of 28
Team MVP: Curt Warner
High Point: Seahawks 27, Dolphins 20
Low Point: Cowboys 35, Seahawks 10

First, as they'd say in Galaxy Quest: The historical documents..



I've always loved that one of the greatest moments in Seahawks history got the John Facenda treatment by NFL Films, by the way (mere months before "The Voice of God" passed away).

1983 was the season that hooked me on the Seattle Seahawks for life. I saw Curt Warner gallop for 60 yards on his first NFL carry. I fell in love with a QB named Dave Krieg when he led a valiant but futile comeback against the Steelers and won the starting job. I saw the Hawks win an insane 51-48 OT game against the Chiefs. I went to my first game at the Kingdome, which ended up being a tussle with the Patriots for a spot in the playoffs. I yelled myself hoarse, got to see Largent score, and hung around for the famous post-game "curtain call" by the team after the game.

I was eight years old. I didn't really understand that the Seahawks were supposed to lose that playoff game in Miami. I had no real comprehension of the magnitude of that upset (The Fins were defending AFC Champs, and would be AFC Champs again a year later.. Behind rookie phenom Dan Marino, they were 17-point favorites over Seattle). But I still felt unbridled, boundless joy as I watched the team carry Chuck Knox off the field in triumph. Everything was possible. The Super Bowl was within reach.

It wasn't going to be that easy, of course. Those L.A. Bastards were simply a better team, despite the regular-season sweep the Raiders suffered at Seattle's hands. After that game I cried like Mom had taken away my Intellivision console, but that lifetime bond was sealed.

The '83s are the reason this blog exists, and the reason I dream in Blue & Green.

Ranking the Squads #4: 2007

As usual, you can find the previous installments of the Ranking the Squads project here...

4. 2007
Record: 10-6
Postseason: NFC West Champs, lost in Divisional Round
Offensive Rank: 9th out of 32 teams
Defensive Rank: 6th out of 32
Turnover Ratio Rank: 5th out of 32
Team MVP: Matt Hasselbeck
High Point: Seahawks 35, Redskins 14
Low Point: Packers 42, Seahawks 20

The '07s couldn't run the ball worth a damn, which was brutally evident when Shaun Alexander failed to convert a key 4th-and-1 in OT at Cleveland. After that loss, Holmgren put the team's fate squarely on the arm of Matt Hasselbeck. Beck responded with the best performance of his career, and the Hawks went much farther than a team utterly incapable of running the ball should ever should.

The defense was one of the league's best before comprehensively collapsing in the snow globe of Lambeau Field... Patrick Kerney and Marcus Trufant had career years, and both terrorized the Redskins in a Wild Card Playoff win far more dramatic than the 35-14 final score indicated. As I wrote at the time:

It’s getting to be an cliche, isn’t it? Seahawks get overlooked, disrespected, and dismissed. Seahawks host playoff game; opponents dismiss the impact of the 12th Man. The Qwest Field crowd is louder than a Boeing Dreamliner, a bunch of crazy shit happens, and in dramatic fashion the Seahawks emerge victorious (and the losers later admit the crowd noise was a factor).

Where are you guys all at? All of you who were sure that Sean Taylor’s ghost would smother the Seahawks with burgundy ectoplasm? All of you who put sooooooo much emphasis on the Seattle defense allowing 44 points in a meaningless game? All of you who thought “momentum” was so important? All of you who thought DC would have an emotional edge, as if Seattle had nothing to play for (hmmm.. maybe for themselves, for the fans, etc)?

I’m not hearing a peep from any of you.. I wonder why. If we lived in a just world, so-called “experts” who spout lazy psuedo-analysis like I heard all week would be banished from the journalistic profession. However, they still have jobs and are getting ready to completely dismiss the Seattle Seahawks yet again. Fucking Come-swabs. Jesus.

Yeah, I was at that Redskins playoff game... and yes, it was AWESOME.

The '07s are one of only THREE squads in team history to win 10+ regular season games and at least one playoff game (the others were '84 and '05). For that, I figuratively tip my bonnet their way.

Ranking the Squads #5: 1986

As usual, you can find the previous installments of the Ranking the Squads project here...

5. 1986
Record: 10-6
Offensive Rank: 10th out of 28 teams
Defensive Rank: 8th out of 28
Turnover Ratio Rank: 7th out of 28
Team MVP: Curt Warner
High Point: Seahawks 41, Broncos 16
Low Point: Bengals 34, Seahawks 7


If you're wondering how a non-playoff squad can make the top 5, you're probably too young to remember the exhilarating conclusion to the 1986 season... First the set-up:

The Hawks exploded out of the gate, starting out 4-1 and pulling off one of the great comebacks in team history at Foxboro. Down 31-21 late, the Hawks scored 17 points in the last three minutes to win 38-31. Paul Moyer recovered a blocked punt in the end zone to tie the game, and Krieg hit Ray Butler on a 67-yard bomb for the game-winner.

Seattle also won a brutal 17-12 Kingdome blood-pisser over the eventual World Champion Giants to run their record to 5-2. Then the month of ash and doom... four losses... outscored 119-34... only four offensive touchdowns. Sure, each loss was to an eventual 10-win team, but it truly felt like Seattle might not ever win another game.

The next five games were, improbably, the greatest stretch of Seahawks football we'd see until 2005. This was the absolute peak of Dave Krieg's career: Over a 5-0 stretch he fired 11 touchdowns and one lonely interception. His QB rating? 130.96.

Seattle needed big plays to beat the sad-sack Eagles 24-20 (72 yard bomb to Darryl Turner, Eric Lane blocked punt, BJ Edmonds punt return), but four days later they ruined Turkey Day in Big D with a decisive 31-14 victory. This is still the BEST. THANKSGIVING. EVAR. The Hawks somehow topped this with a 37-0 MNF wipeout of the L.A. Raiders at the Dome the next week, which included an 11-sack beating of Jim Plunkett. On a personal note, my parents decided to dramatically reveal our new big-screen TV when I got home from school that day, just in time for the game... Just like Ice Cube, I gotta say it was a good day.

In San Diego the Hawks kept rolling behind four TD strikes and 305 yards passing from ol' Mudbone, setting up a final showdown with the eventual AFC Champion Broncos... It was instantly apparent that Denver brought a knife to a gunfight that day, as Curt Warner romped for 192 yards rushing and three TDs in a 41-16 demolition of Mr. Ed and his minions.

So why did Seattle miss the playoffs? They lost tiebreakers to the Bengals, Jets and Chiefs (all of whom the Hawks lost to during that forlorn 0-4 stretch at midseason).

On my deathbed, I will still believe that if the '86ers had just squeaked into the playoffs, they would have won Super Bowl XXI. Maybe that's why the 1986 team is so beloved by those of us who witnessed their exploits: They showed us a quick glimpse of championship-level football, and we wouldn't really see that from the Hawks again for damn near 20 years.

Ranking the Squads #6: 2003

As usual, you can find the previous installments of the Ranking the Squads project here...

6. 2003
Record: 10-6
Postseason: Lost in NFC Wild Card round
Offensive Rank: 7th out of 32 teams
Defensive Rank: 15th out of 32 teams
Turnover Ratio Rank: 18th out of 32 teams
Team MVP: Matt Hasselbeck
High Point: Seahawks 24, 49ers 17
Low Point: Ravens 44, Seahawks 41

If your average NFL fan remembers anything about the 2003 Hawks, it's "We want the ball and we're going to score," followed by Al Harris and his stupid dreads streaking into the end zone to win the wild card game for Green Bay.

That's a damn shame, because the '03 Hawks were a lot more than that. They were frustrating, but exhilarating. They won (and lost) games in dramatic fashion. They were amazing at home (8-0), but only 2-6 on the road. In fact, they were riding a six-game road losing streak into the regular season finale at Candlestick Park. Seattle needed a win to keep its playoff hopes alive, and they were facing former coach Dennis Erickson (who would have loved to ruin the Seahawks season). The Hawks quickly fell behind 14-0 that day, but clawed their way back and pulled out a hard-won 24-17 victory (punctuated by an astounding pitch & catch TD from Hass to K-Rob).

I was visiting my parents in the Tri-Cities, and caught a flight back to Ohio that night after the game. We got back to Columbus just in time to see the right combination of Sunday results to put the Hawks in the postseason for only the 2nd time since 1988.

Yeah, the next game in Green Bay left me looking like this:



...but I was still very proud of that 2003 team. Despite fading after a 5-1 start, they showed real heart by smashing their way into the postseason and taking the heavily favored Pack to overtime. They were the first Seahawks team win 10 regular season games in 17 years, and still stand as one of only five Seattle squads to reach that plateau.

Ranking the Squads #7: 2006

As usual, you can find the previous installments of the Ranking the Squads project here...

7. 2006
Record: 9-7
Postseason: NFC West Champions, Lost in Divisional Round
Offensive Rank: 14th out of 32 teams
Defensive Rank: 19th out of 32
Turnover Ratio Rank: 27th out of 32
Team MVP: Josh Brown
High Point: Seahawks 21, Cowboys 20
Low Point: Vikings 31, Seahawks 13

The '06ers made their reputation in the postseason, with a dramatic victory over the Cowboys and an OT loss at the heavily favored Bears. Despite an almost completely depleted defensive secondary, the Seahawks recovered from a 1-3 regular season finish to nearly reach the NFC Championship Game.

Before those two redeeming performances, the 2006 Hawks were a mediocre squad repeatedly bailed out by our formerly beloved kicker Josh Brown. Whether it was the capper to a snoozeworthy win at Detroit, both ends of a STL sweep, or the triumphant finish to a SNF win at Mile High, JB was the difference between victory and defeat for a struggling team. Hasselbeck missed four games after a dirty hit from E.J. Henderson and was never 100% after returning, and SA's decline began in earnest despite memorable performances against Green Bay on MNF and versus Chicago in the divisional playoff.

Ahh, but that win over Dallas... It will forever be remembered as one of the greatest wins in franchise history. Here's what I wrote about it at the time...

Ranking the Squads #8: 1988

As usual, you can find the previous installments of the Ranking the Squads project here...

8. 1988
Record: 9-7
Postseason: AFC West Champions, lost in Divisional Round
Offensive Rank: 12th out of 28 teams
Defensive Rank: 16th out of 28
Turnover Ratio Rank: 7th out of 28
Team MVP: John L. Williams
High Point: Seahawks 43, Raiders 37
Low Point: 49ers 38, Seahawks 7

First of all, if you want to read a great, detailed account of the 1988 season, go buy Fighting Chance by Fred Moody. Used copies are literally 75 cents on amazon...

This was the first Seahawks team to win a division title, and they had to scratch, bite, claw and gouge their way to the top of the AFC West. The Largent/Harden saga was a great metaphor for the entire '88 campaign... Here's the visuals from youtube:



In an opening day loss at Denver, Harden laid out #80 with a dirty hit that busted Largent's facemask (and luckily not his brainpan). Largent saw the perfect opportunity for revenge during the Kingdome rematch and took it... That was the '88 Hawks: They took a lot of shots, they endured a ton of abuse, and at times looked nowhere near playoff-worthy... But they will be forever remembered fondly by the fans who witnessed their struggles, and by the division championship banner that hangs in Qwest Field.

Seattle needed a victory against the Raiders in L.A. on the season's final Sunday to win the West, and they prevailed in a thrilling 43-37 shootout. The highlight? John L. William's 75-yard touchdown dash that put Seattle up 37-20 (play is at 3:00 mark of this clip)...



In the divisional playoff at Cincinnati, the Hawks fell behind 21-0, and Chuck Knox infamously had Joe Nash repeatedly fake injuries to slow down Sam Wyche's no-huddle offense. Seattle staged a furious 4th quarter rally, which was thwarted by a bobbled snap on a PAT try by holder Steve Largent (?!??).

If you'd like to learn more, consult your local library... or just go buy Moody's book, you cheapskate.

Ranking the Squads #9: 1987

As usual, you can find the previous installments of the Ranking the Squads project here...

9. 1987
Record: 9-6 (7-5 with "regular" players, 2-1 with "replacement" players)
Postseason: AFC Wild Card (5th seed), Lost in Wild Card Round
Offensive Rank: 6th out of 28 teams
Defensive Rank: 14th out of 28
Turnover Ratio Rank: 14th out of 28
Team MVP: Fredd Young
High Point: Seahawks 34, Bears 21
Low Point: Raiders 37, Seahawks 14

The '87s are one of the most memorable teams in Seahawks history. On one hand, they are infamous for the Boz and that awful MNF beatdown administered by Bo Jax and the Raiders. Despite that, the Hawks pulled things together and notched one of the most amazing regular season wins in team history. In Chicago, against the mighty Bears, the Hawks were supposed to be mere foils in the great Walter Payton's final regular season home game... But we spoiled those plans like John McClane at Nakatomi Plaza, y'all, and clinched a playoff berth.

If the Hawks could have just beaten the lowly Chiefs in the season's final game, they would have hosted the Oilers in the AFC Wild Card game instead of traveling to the Astrodome. On top of a 41-20 loss, we lost Pro Bowl RB Curt Warner for the playoffs.

Stupid Gorram Chiefs.

In that Wild Card game, the Hawks were severely outplayed for about 58 minutes. After a missed Houston FG gave the Hawks the ball down by seven in the waning moments, Dave Krieg led an amazing TD drive that included a 4th and 10 conversion, a long bomb to Ray Butler and the tying score on a lazer-beam strike to Largent. This was probably the single greatest performance of #80's career: 7 catches for 132 yards and both Seattle touchdowns. Largent had more impressive statistical performances, but none on a bigger stage, and none with the team's main offensive weapon (Warner) sidelined.

In OT, All-Pro linebacker Fredd Young picked off a deflected Warren Moon pass deep in Oilers territory. Unfortunately, the INT was waved off and declared incomplete despite clear visual evidence that the ball never touched the astroturf.

Little did we know that was the Genesis of two decades of the
Hawks getting royally screwed by NFL officials... Ugh. Dave Krieg would throw a much less controversial pick later in OT, and that was that.

The '87s are largely a "what-if" story. What if there hadn't been a players strike that ripped the guts out of the middle of the season? The unpleasant truth is that the Hawks edged Miami out of a playoff spot based on a win in a "scab" game. What if we had won that game at Arrowhead? What if Warner hadn't gotten hurt? What if I hadn't gotten one of those retarded Boz haircuts? and so on...

What are your memories of the 1987 Seahawks?

Ranking the Squads: Hitting the top 10

As usual, you can find the previous installments of the Ranking the Squads project here...

11. 1990
Record: 9-7
Offensive Rank: 18th out of 28 teams
Defensive Rank: 11th out of 28
Turnover Ratio Rank: 23rd out of 28
Team MVP: John L. Williams
High Point: Seahawks 17, Chiefs 16
Low Point: Chargers 31, Seahawks 14

I was 15 in the fall of 1990, and part of me wondered if I'd have the same passion for the Seahawks after my idol Steve Largent's retirement. An 0-3 start didn't help me deal with the absence of Largent and Curt Warner, but then the Hawks got it together with an MNF beatdown of the Bengals (punctuated by an INSANE Twin Peaks MNF opening where Agent Cooper and Sheriff Truman have some damn fine coffee and sit down to watch the Hawks.. as a little Twin Peaks nerd, I freaked when Agent Cooper said "Go Seahawks").

Of course, that win in Arrowhead is the most memorable part of the 1990 season, but overall this was a solid team, and the de facto last gasp of the Ground Chuck era.

Here's the totally frakked part of 1990: We ended up in a three-way tie with Houston and Cincinnati for the final playoff berth. Despite beating both teams head-to-head, we missed the playoffs because the Bengals and Oilers both had better conference records. That result was asinine enough to force a change in the NFL's tiebreaking procedures:

2. Head-to-head sweep. (Applicable only if one club has defeated each of the others or if one club has lost to each of the others.)

too late to help the '90s, of course.

10. 1979
Record: 9-7
Offensive Rank: 4th out of 28 teams
Defensive Rank: 24th out of 28
Turnover Ratio Rank: 16th out of 28
Team MVP: Steve Largent
High Point: Seahawks 28, Broncos 23
Low Point: Rams 24, Seahawks 0

The '79ers started 1-4, but rallied for an 8-3 finish, including a memorable MNF win in Atlanta (and a loss to L.A. where the Hawks accumulated NEGATIVE SEVEN YARDS)... That's about all I got.. I was four years old at the time.

Alright, from here on out, each of the top nine teams will get its own special blog entry.. Stay tuned.

Ranking the Squads: Not all 9-7 teams are created equal...

As usual, you can find the previous installments of the Ranking the Squads project here...

Now we start getting into playoff teams. Obviously, a team that wins a playoff game or two is going to be higher up the ladder here, but what about when we're comparing 9-7 teams that made the playoffs and lost their first game to 9-7 teams that happened to miss the postseason? As you'll see, I'm not going to penalize a team that wasn't lucky enough for 9-7 to be a tournament-worthy record that particular season.

15. 2004
Record: 9-7
Postseason: Won NFC West, lost in Wild Card round
Offensive Rank: 12th out of 32 teams
Defensive Rank: 22nd out of 32
Turnover Ratio Rank: 9th out of 32
Team MVP: Shaun Alexander
High Point: Seahawks 27, Vikings 23
Low Point: Rams 33, Seahawks 27 (OT)

If I could have justified ranking a team that won a division title lower, I would have. Three losses to STL, including the most painful regular-season loss (that literally brought me to tears) and the ONLY home playoff loss 2nd home playoff loss in team history. STL was 6-9 against the rest of the NFL in 2004, but their 3-0 record against Seattle got them a trip to the NFC Divisional Playoff. Bastards.

This was a talented bunch that managed to blot out the few decent memories from that autumn with spectacular collapses, blown leads, and sleepwalking blow-out losses. Even our dramatic division-clinching victory over ATL was marred by Shaun Alexander's infamous "Stab in the back" post-game comments.

Yuk.

14. 1999
Record: 9-7
Postseason: Won AFC West, lost in Wild Card Round.
Offensive Rank: 12th out of 31 teams
Defensive Rank: 8th out of 31
Turnover Ratio Rank: 12th out of 31
Team MVP: Cortez Kennedy
High Point: Seahawks 27, Packers 7
Low Point: Buccaneers 16, Seahawks 3

This is what the 1999 team did to me: Six weeks after I was trying to figure out how long the drive was from Columbus, Ohio to Atlanta (site of XXXIV), I was forced to root for the RAIDERS so the Hawks could back into the postseason after a brutal 1-5 meltdown in the season's closing weeks.

The Bucs exposed Jon Kitna as an inferior NFL QB by blitzing the bejeezus out of him, and then every other team followed that blueprint. Add in the Joey Galloway controversy that hovered over the entire campaign, and this season is mostly painful memories, despite Seattle's first playoff trip in 11 years.

13. 2001
Record: 9-7
Offensive Rank: 19th out of 31 teams
Defensive Rank: 18th out of 31
Turnover Ratio Rank: 11th out of 31
Team MVP: Shaun Alexander
High Point: Seahawks 34, Raiders 27
Low Point: Eagles 27, Seahawks 3

A late-season flourish led by Trent Dilfer nearly got the '01s in the playoffs, but this campaign is mostly remembered for Matt Hasselbeck's growing pains and the impact the 9/11 attacks had on the NFL.

I went to the opener in Cleveland, where I rocked my brand-new Hasselbeck jersey, endured three hours of verbal abuse, and finally got to celebrate when Rian Lindell nailed a 52-yarder on the final play for the win. On the way out, my future wife and I passed Bernie Kosar signing autographs while wearing our Seahawks gear... I let out a "Woooo! Seahawwwwks!" and Kosar shot us a LETHAL dirty look.

Fun times! Then I flew out west on September 10th, with the intent of seeing my friends, my family and catching the Chiefs game at Husky Stadium the following Sunday. I have to admit that even though I knew it was the right move to postpone that game after the 9/11 attacks, I still really wished that I had a game to go to that Sunday. It would have helped me, at least.

This was also the last year of our old uniforms, and the end of the Husky Stadium era. Thank god.

12. 1978
Record: 9-7
Offensive Rank: 7th out of 28 teams
Defensive Rank: 26th out of 28
Turnover Ratio Rank: 16th out of 28
Team MVP: Steve Largent
High Point: Seahawks 17, Raiders 16
Low Point: Chargers 37, Seahawks 10

Those who are old enough to remember the '78s (not me) spin yarns about how entertaining the Hawks were in the late 70s... Fake field goals! Fake Punts! Excitement galore! The numbers back this up: In 1978 and 1979, the Seahawks had one of the most explosive offensive attacks in the NFL. Unfortunately, they also had a defense about as effective as the Maginot Line.. Even with that suspect defense, Seattle posted a winning record in only its 3rd year in the league. Not too shabby, huh?

Ranking the Squads: 8-8 and not that great...

As usual, you can find the previous installments of the Ranking the Squads project here...

19. 1995
Record: 8-8
Offensive Rank: 10th out of 30 teams
Defensive Rank: 23rd out of 30
Turnover Ratio Rank: 25th out of 30
Team MVP: Chris Warren
High Point: Seahawks 31, Broncos 27
Low Point: Jets 16, Seahawks 10

'95 was the classic "Seahawks Will be Great Next Year!" tease: Start out like crap, then start playing like the goddamn '84 Niners once eliminated from playoff contention. A pathetic 2-6 start became a 6-2 second-half rally, highlighted by that insane comeback win at Mile High Stadium in December. I should have been diligently studying for finals that Sunday, but instead I watched the Hawks smack around Mr. Ed and erase a 20-0 deficit to get a rare win in Denver. I have no idea how I did on my finals that quarter, but I remember every detail of that game...

18. 1997
Record: 8-8
Offensive Rank: 9th out of 30 teams
Defensive Rank: 22nd out of 30
Turnover Ratio Rank: 19th out of 30
Team MVP: Warren Moon
High Point: Seahawks 45, Raiders 34
Low Point: Jets 41, Seahawks 3

The '97s have a special place in my heart, because this was my first year as a season ticket holder. Those above a certain age may remember that new owner Paul Allen made a huge swath of the Kingdome's 300 level seats $10 for the 1997 season. $200 for a pair of season tickets? Even my broke grad school ass could swing that...

Unfortunately, my first game as a season ticket holder was that 41-3 beating Seattle absorbed from the NYJ. As I said to my buddy Ed at the time: "What a weekend... Princess Di gets killed, and so do the Seahawks!"

The season improved slowly after that, mainly thanks to a late-career Pro Bowl effort from back-up QB Warren Moon (yup.. John Friez was supposed to be our starting QB that season). That shootout win over Oakland is still one of the most entertaining games I've ever been to. That was the day Darryl Williams laid out Rickey Dudley with one of the most brutal hits EVAR (start of clip below):



17. 1985
Record: 8-8
Offensive Rank: 13th out of 28 teams
Defensive Rank: 8th out 28
Turnover Ratio Rank: 10th out of 28
Team MVP: Steve Largent
High Point: Seahawks 49, Chargers 35
Low Point: Chiefs 28, Seahawks 7

The '84s went 12-4 without Curt Warner, so with his return for the 1985 campaign expectations were sky-high. We were even picked to win the Super Bowl by.. Playboy Magazine? Yup.

This instead was the maddening "win 2, lose 2" season for the Hawks, and in a tough AFC where the 11-5 Broncos missed the postseason, we were out of playoff contention by Thanksgiving. On paper this was a strong team, but they had a knack for dropping heartbreakers (back-to-back road losses to the Broncos and Jets in October spring to mind) and losing to teams they should have walloped.

Way to waste Steve Largent's best season, '85s.

16. 1998
Record: 8-8
Offensive Rank: 10th out of 30 teams
Defensive Rank: 10th out of 30
Turnover Ratio Rank: 7th out of 30
Team MVP: Chad Brown
High Point: Seahawks 38, Eagles 0
Low Point: Jets 32, Seahawks 31

Yeah, this was the year of Vinny Testaverde's Phantom Touchdown (sounds like the name of some shitty prog-rock band)... A call so bad that it got the NFL to bring back instant replay for the 1999 season, but still kept the Hawks out of the playoffs. I was still in Bellingham at the time, and I went so insane with rage that my roommate and his girlfriend had to flee the apartment. In my ensuing hulking-out, I broke the poor guy's laundry hamper.. It was worth having to buy him a new one to vent that rage, though.

The Jets seem to take special pride in tormenting us, huh? Maybe that's why that win at Qwest last December was so spectacularly satisfying..

Ranking the Squads: It's a 7-9 partaaaay!

If you're new to this, the previous entries are here... Let's go!

23. 1989
Record: 7-9
Offensive Rank: 27th out of 28 teams
Defensive Rank: 16th out of 28
Turnover Ratio Rank: 23rd out of 28
Team MVP: Rufus Porter
High Point: Seahawks 24, Bengals 17
Low Point: Redskins 29, Seahawks 0

1989 was the end of the Steve Largent and Curt Warner eras in Seattle, and the '89ers were a drab, forgettable collection, sporting one of the worst offensive attacks in team history. The sad end for this squad was their utter and complete bitch-out in Largent's final game (a 29-0 ass-plowing). I was 14, and there at the Dome for #80s farewell. I cried, and not just because Largent was retiring.

22. 1996
Record: 7-9
Offensive Rank: 16th out of 30 teams
Defensive Rank: 24th out of 30
Turnover Ratio Rank: 11th out of 30
Team MVP: Michael Sinclair
High Point: Seahawks 23, Oilers 16
Low Point: Lions 17, Seahawks 16

My best moment of this season? That crazy win on a blocked FG return against Houston. But what day from '96 really sticks with me? My friends and I were getting ready to drive from Bellingham to Seattle for a They Might Be Giants concert, but I wouldn't let us leave until the Seahawks @ Lions contest was over. Rick Mirer came off the bench to lead the Hawks into position for the game-winning FG, which Todd Peterson didn't exactly shank.. Well, it was worse than that.. It looked good but just faaaaaaaded beyond the goal post.

FUUUUUUUUCK!

I was in such a bad mood that it cast a pall over an otherwise awesome TMBG show for me.... and that was the 1996 Hawks for me.

21. 1991
Record: 7-9
Offensive Rank: 20th out of 28 teams
Defensive Rank: 8th out of 28
Turnover Ratio Rank: 22nd out of 28
Team MVP: John L. Williams
High Point: Seahawks 13, Broncos 10
Low Point: 49ers 24, Seahawks 22

This was the season that finally gave Behring an excuse to chase Knox and Krieg out of town.. I have a vivid memory of the Seahawks in a death-struggle against the Niners, and Krieg fumbled away the win trying to get an extra few yards on the potential game-winning drive. Like most of '91, it was a great effort punctuated but an awful result. One or two more wins in 1991 might have averted the disaster of 1992. Ugh.

20. 2002
Record: 7-9
Offensive Rank: 16th out of 32 teams
Defensive Rank: 23rd out of 32
Turnover Ratio Rank: 14th out of 32
Team MVP: Matt Hasselbeck
High Point: Seahawks 31, Chargers 28
Low Point: Cardinals 24, Seahawks 13

To paraphrase Kyle Reese in The Terminator...

We were that close to going out forever. But there was one man who taught us to fight, to storm the wire of the camps, to smash those metal motherfuckers into junk. He turned it around. He brought us back from the brink...

His name was Matt Hasselbeck.

This is where the good times started to roll... Where Matt Hasselbeck became a leader, and this team learned how to win. Here's hoping we haven't forgotten after that god-awful 2008 season.

Ranking the Squads: Two different ways to suuuuck

Check out previous installments here and here...

25. 1977
Record: 5-9
Offensive Rank: 8th out of 28 teams
Defensive Rank: 28th out of 28
Turnover Ratio Rank: 24th out of 28
Team MVP: Sherman Smith
High Point: Seahawks 56, Bills 17
Low Point: Patriots 31, Seahawks 0

I was two years old, so I have to entirely rely on the historical record here... After starting life 2-16 (through '76 and the first month of '77), the Seahawks got things together (on offense at least) to finish a respectable 5-5 over 1977's last 10 games.

Stat weirdness: Steve Largent only had 33 catches in 1977 (the 2nd-lowest total of his career), but had a career-high 19.5 yards per catch. He also scored 10 TDs, a season total he only topped in 1983 and 1984.

Huh?

24. 1982
Record: 4-5
Offensive Rank: 27th out of 28 teams
Defensive Rank: 5th out of 28
Turnover Ratio Rank: 19th out of 28
Team MVP: Kenny Easley
High Point: Seahawks 16, Steelers 0
Low Point: Patriots 16, Seahawks 0

The '77s were explosive on offensive, and pathetic on defense. The '82s were their goatee-wearing evil doppelgangers... Led by pro bowler Kenny Easley, the Seattle defense was damn-near dominant in 1982.

After an 0-2 start, the NFLPA went on strike, and seven games were wiped off the schedule. During the strike Coach Patera was shitcanned and replaced by Mike McCormack, who not only coaxed a 4-3 finish out of the '82s, but would go on to hire Chuck Knox after the season and help build the great Seahawks teams of the 1980s.

Ranking the Squads: Revenge of the 6-10's

Here's the first installment of my "Ranking the Squads" series.. Now we continue by looking at the four teams in Seahawks history to finish 6-10.

29. 2000
Record: 6-10
Offensive Rank: 19th out of 31 teams
Defensive Rank: 25th out of 31
Takeaway/Giveaway Rank: 23rd out of 31
Team MVP: Ricky Watters
High Point: Seahawks 27, Raiders 24
Low Point: Dolphins 23, Seahawks 0

2000 was a massive let-down after the 1999 playoff run, but frankly it was probably predictable after the collapse down the stretch in '99. In fact, over 15 games spanning mid-99 to early-00, the Hawks were a pathetic 3-12. The most notable thing about 2000? Kitna's craptacular performance convinced Holmgren to go out and trade for Matt Hasselbeck after the season.

28. 1994
Record: 6-10
Offensive Rank: 20th out of 28 teams
Defensive Rank: 16th out of 28
Takeaway/Giveaway Rank: 11th out of 28
Team MVP: Chris Warren
High Point: Seahawks 30, Steelers 13
Low Point: Browns 35, Seahawks 9

In '94, we sported a QB who was just AFC Offensive Rookie of the Year (Rick Mirer), and September was a wonderland of glorious possibilities... Seattle opened with two road wins, and after pounding on the playoff-bound Steelers in the Dome, the Hawks were 3-1 and lookin' strong. Then the offense disappeared during a 6-game skid, when Mirer and his minions broke the 20-point barrier only once. The end of 1994 was also the merciful termination of Coach Tom Flores' tenure in Seattle.

27. 1993
Record: 6-10
Offensive Rank: 19th out of 28 teams
Defensive Rank: 18th out of 28
Takeaway/Giveaway Rank: 8th out of 28
Team MVP: Eugene Robinson
High Point: Seahawks 10, Patriots 9
Low Point: Cardinals 30, Seahawks 27

There's not much memorable about 1993 besides Rick Mirer teasing us into believing he was worth the #2 overall pick, but here's one vivid memory I had of the 1993 campaign...

26. 1981
Record: 6-10
Offensive Rank: 15th out of 28 teams
Defensive Rank: 25th out of 28
Takeaway/Giveaway Rank: 6th out of 28
Team MVP: Steve Largent
High Point: Seahawks 27, Jets 23
Low Point: Giants 32, Seahawks 0

From October 26, 1980 to October 18, 1981, our Hawks went 1-15! Thank god I was six years old at that point and still had no idea what was going on... The '81s recovered from a 1-6 start to go 5-4 down the stretch, including that highly memorable MNF win over the mighty Chargers...

Coming up.. We start to wade through a sea of 7-9 almost respectable-ness... Bring your hip-waders.

Ranking the Squads: The Worst of the Worst

Today we start ranking all 33 squads in Seahawks history, with a big assist from Pro Football Reference... We're gonna start with the dregs... Hooray!

33. 1992

Record: 2-14
Offensive Rank: 28th out of 28
Defensive Rank: 17th out of 28
Team MVP: Cortez Kennedy
High Point: Seahawks 16, Broncos 13
Low Point: Cowboys 27, Seahawks 0

At least the 1992 Hawks were memorably bad, right? Behring finally chased Knox and Krieg out of town after the 1991 season, and the dark times swiftly began. A valiant defense led by NFL DPOY Cortez Kennedy was betrayed by an offense that could only muster 140 total points. In a mind-numbing 6-week mid-season stretch, Seattle scored ONE offensive touchdown.

Anyone who actually watched the entire 1992 season or went to any of the games earned their stripes as true Hawks fans...

32. 1976

Record: 2-12
Offensive Rank: 21st out of 28
Defensive Rank: 28th out of 28
Team MVP: Jim Zorn
High Point: Seahawks 30, Falcons 13
Low Point: Bears 34, Seahawks 7

The '76 Hawks were the mirror image of the '92 team... A decent, even occasionally exciting offense undone by the worst defense in the league. Jim Zorn did his best proto-Mike Vick impression (without, you know, the felonies), and fellow rookie Steve Largent showed his first flashes of brilliance too.

The best thing about the '76 Hawks? They weren't the '76 Bucs.

31. 1980

Record: 4-12
Offensive Rank: 21st out of 28
Defensive Rank: 25th out of 28
Team MVP: Steve Largent
High Point: Seahawks 26, Oilers 7
Low Point: Cowboys 51, Seahawks 7

First half of the 1980 season? Not so bad.. a win at the Astrodome over the playoff-bound Oilers, and a 4-4 record not unlike the '78 and '79 teams... The playoffs were still a possibility at Halloween.

The second half? A catastrophic 0-8 implosion capped by that humiliating 51-7 Thanksgiving beatdown at Texas Stadium. It's amazing that Coach Patera wasn't fired after the '80 season... Largent racked up over a thousand receiving yards while the Hawks seemingly fell far behind their expansion brothers in Tampa Bay...

30. 2008

Record: 4-12
Offensive Rank: 25th out of 32
Defensive Rank: 25th out of 32
Team MVP: John Carlson
High Point: Seahawks 13, Jets 3
Low Point: Giants 44, Seahawks 6

The best thing I can say about 2008 is that we all lived to tell the tale... This was easily the most disappointing team in franchise history, but I ranked it above the 1980 team because the '08ers actually showed some fighting spirit down the stretch.. What a grey mass of mediocrity, huh?

Speaking of mediocrity, you'll get a full-on blast of it in the next installment of Ranking the Squads... Stay tuned.