What one team can do, another can do.

It's pretty common for human beings to put too much weight upon the most recent events. We tend to think that what we JUST SAW is indicative of larger trends, and has enormous predictive power. The most recent event in the world of Seahawks football was an embarrassing, demoralizing defeat in St. Louis, and based in large part upon that performance, you'd probably be hard pressed to fill Qwest with Seahawks fans who HONESTLY believe Seattle will win this Sunday at Chicago.

Concurrently, we've all seen the entire NFC West get off to a brutal start. No NFCW team has a road win against a non-divisional foe so far this season, so the chorus has already started signing: "Oh, this shall be the year a team with a losing record wins the divisoooooonnnnnnn!" (Cue the bitching about how a 6-10 division winner might make the playoffs instead of a deserving NFC East runner-up... Horror!)

I'm here to tell you that conventional wisdom is fucking dead-ass wrong on two counts:

1. The Seahawks will win at Soldier Field this Sunday.
2. As usual, the NFC West Champion will finish the season with nine or more wins.

These notions are intertwined, obviously. In the entire history of the NFL, only two division winners finished with non-winning records: The 1985 Browns and the 2008 Chargers. Both teams finished 8-8 (Cleveland dropped a heartbreaker at Miami, and the Chargers BEAT the mighty Colts in the Wild Card game), and here's the crazy part: NEITHER TEAM WAS IN THE NFC WEST.

Yup. Go look up the entire history of the division, going back to its creation in 1970. Somehow, someway, at least one team has managed to win more than half its games for 40 seasons in a row. 2010 won't be any different; Some team, at some point, will figure it out. The cosmic tumblers, as the man once said, will click into place. Some team will win a couple games on the road, maybe even against a team or two they aren't supposed to beat.

It could be ANY of the four teams in our division (just kidding about the Niners: They are FUCKED)... Why not the Seahawks?

Why can't they rise up this week and smite an overhyped team with an overbearing fan base stuck in a glorious but long-gone past? The Seahawks can stuff the Chicago running game. They can harass whichever QB the Bears roll out there into mistakes and turnovers. They can feed the ball to Beast Mode and physically punish that Chicago defense. Softened up, that Bears defense can be carved to pieces by a well-protected Matt Hasselbeck. Golden Tate could make a big play, as could Leon Washington, John Carlson, Mike Williams or Deon Butler. Pete Carroll, Gus Bradley and Jeremy Bates can outsmart the Chicago coaches.

WE CAN WIN. WE WILL WIN.

We can be the team that breaks out of the NFC West scrum of suck, and it starts Sunday, Twelves.

Most Underrated Seahawk Ever?

When I talked about great running backs in Seahawks history a few days back, I left out John L. Williams (and a couple readers took appropriate umbrage at this slight). I didn't do this as an intentional snub or out of forgetfulness; I honestly just have never thought of JLW as a "running back" in the way that label applies to Warner, Warren, Watters, Alexander, etc. He was a punishing runner, a nimble receiver, and an excellent blocker. In short, he was one of the best football players, regardless of position, to ever suit up for Seattle. Look at his resume:

* 2-time Pro Bowler (1990, 1991)
* In 8 years in Seattle, he racked up 8730 yards from scrimmage. That's more than Curt Warner, Chris Warren, or Brian Blades. Only Largent and Shaun Alexander have more YFS in franchise history.
* He has the 3rd most receptions in team history, behind only Largent and Blades.
* He scored two of the most important touchdowns in Seahawks history; both were long catch and runs off the "middle screen." One was at Chicago in 1987, in a crucial win that got Seattle into the playoffs. The other was at L.A. in '88, to put the Seahawks ahead of the Raiders for good and clinch the NFC West crown (both are chronicled in the video above).
* He was also a highly effective blocker, allowing Curt Warner, Derrick Fenner and Chris Warren to all rack up big numbers on the ground from 86-93.

I would argue strongly that among pre-Holmgren-era Seahawks, he is the most deserving of a spot in the Ring of Honor, and I would get his throwback jersey custom-made if I had the means (the necessary means).

What do you think, sirs?

PS: Three years ago, PFR had a great Pro-JLW post of their own.

Ground "BEEF"

It's easy to forget that the Seattle Seahawks actually have a fairly rich history of fielding great running backs and successful ground attacks. Curt Warner tore a hole in the AFC West for most of the 1980s, Chris Warren put up big numbers for some awful teams in the 1990s, and around a decade ago Ricky Watters had some of the best years of his tumultuous but borderline-Hall-of-Fame career in a Seattle uni.

Then there's Shaun Alexander, who must be regarded as one of the greatest Seahawks ever, no matter how many Twelves detested the shortcomings in his demeanor and skill set. SA's gifts deteriorated rapidly in 2006 and 2007, however- So now we're going on FIVE YEARS without a running back/ground attack that can get in the end zone on 3rd and Goal from the 2, or convert on 4th and 1, or eat up long stretches of clock to help us hold onto a 4th quarter lead.

THAT is why Pete Carroll went out and got Marshawn Lynch. Just for fun, I wanted to compare Lynch to some of the great Seahawks running backs I've already mentioned.

Today, Lynch is 24. He has 34 NFL starts, 687 NFL carries, for 2765 yards and 17 TDs.

Curt Warner at 24 (through 1985 season): 33 starts, 636 carries, 2583 yards, 21 TDs.

Chris Warren at 25 (through 1993 season): 31 starts, 513 carries, 2113 yards, 11 TDs.

Ricky Watters at 24 (through 1993 season): 26 starts, 414 carries, 1963 yards, 19 TDs.

Shaun Alexander at 25 (through 2002 season): 29 starts, 668 carries, 2806 yards, 32(!) TDs.

Does this mean that Marshawn Lynch is going to be a multiple Pro-bowler like these other Seahawks greats? Not necessarily. It is clear that Lynch is an instant upgrade at RB, and as the O-Line develops through the season, we should be able to move the ball on the ground and control the tempo in those critical games down the stretch in November/December/January.

Welcome to Seattle, Marshawn. If you produce, the Twelve Army will treat you as a 5th-rate God. Don't go do anything stupid to fuck it up.

Two Weeks to Victory

We can win in Chicago. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. I'm so fucking sick and tired of absorbing all the negativity from the naysaying wing of the Twelve Army, and I'm even more nauseated by the tendency for most to present this negativity as unvarnished truth.

We've got Rainn Wilson out there offering to coach the Seahawks. Harf harf derp. We've got SeaChicken Littles running around squaking "same old Seahawks" as if that's a novel fucking sentiment. I'm here to tell you that this team can pull together and cut the shit in two weeks at Soldier Field.

Yeah, the Seahawks looked fucking abysmal against the Rams yesterday, but I'm here to let you in on a little secret: Chicago's 3-1 record is a mirage. They are not as good as St. Louis, and I'm telling all of you they are primed for a hungry, pissed Seattle team to roll into their little crashed spaceship by the lake and KICK THEIR ASSES.

If Carroll, Bates, Bradley and the rest of the coaching staff are professionals; If they have any idea what they fuck they are doing, the Seahawks will hit the field in Chicago amped up like starving, vicious animals.. ready to murder and devour everything in their path.

Hasselbeck will be the QB. It's not my ideal choice, but we will make it work. The O-line will protect him better, the running game will gash those overrated Chicago defenders, and Beck will avoid the big mistake... and then our defense and special teams will win the god damn game.

Cutler might be back from his concussion, just in time to get a few more brain bruises from our boys. We will feast on the moronic combo of Martz' hare-brained schemes and Cutler's pea-brain... We will force turnovers and turn them into points. We will push them into Lake Michigan!

The special teams WILL make a play or two to win the game. They won't stop Leon and Golden all day. No way.

So I don't want to hear fuckers assuming we're going to be 2-3. Nothing is written in stone, especially against a flaky, vulnerable team like the Bears.

We're going to turn it around on the road, and it starts in two weeks. Who the fuck is with me on this????

Rams 20, Seahawks 3

You're up, kid.

Near the conclusion of today's debacle, I peeled off my Matt Hasselbeck jersey and hung it up in the back of my closet. I can't shake the feeling that I won't be wearing it again until the day Beck takes his place in the Seahawks Ring of Honor.

To be fair, Hasselbeck wasn't the sole reason Seattle took its 2nd 17-point road loss in three weeks today. His performance wasn't nearly as fetid as it was in Denver two weeks ago; Today he was merely average and uninspiring, going 20/36 for 191 yards and two turnovers. The bigger issue is that with Beck at the helm, Seattle's offense seems about as lively and fresh as a hefty bag filled with roadkilled varmints. The offense is loaded with potential at WR, sports a promising RB in Justin Forsett, a near-great TE in John Carlson, and a solid offensive line. If Whitehurst has anything to offer, it's athleticism and a competent deep ball.

I hate joining this chorus, but even I think it's time to give Whitehurst his shot after the bye in Chicago. The big risk is that CW may be even worse than Hasselbeck, and it would be VERY difficult to go back to Beck based simply on Whitehurst being extra-sucky. However, with two weeks to get ready for the Bears, this is the right time to get Buddy Christ ready to face live fire.

Will I gnash my teeth and curse Carroll's name if he doesn't make this move? Hell no. Right now, it's a total crapshoot in terms of which QB gives us a better chance to win games. But if he DOESN'T make this move now, it's a pretty clear vote of No Confidence in Whitehurst's future as Seattle's starting QB.

I have said for a while that I'd support Beck as the starter as long as he gave the team the best chance to win NOW. I no longer think that is clearly the case. If Beck is still under center in two weeks, I'll support him lustily and hope he at least "manages" enough games solidly so the defense and special teams can rack up some wins... But I think it's time to see if Charlie Whitehurst has what it takes to WIN some games for the Seahawks.

If you look at this team and the division we play in, we still have a great shot to steal a division title while in the midst of rebuilding for an even brighter future. We're still tied for the lead in the NFC West, and there's no indication any of the other teams are going to break out of the pack and win 10 or more games. This division will come down to the season's final Sunday, and it's highly likely that whichever team notches its 9th win that day will advance to the playoffs (Rams at Seahawks and Cards at Niners on January 2, y'all).

There's SO much about these Seahawks that should excite the Twelve Army. From Red Bryant to Leon Washington, there's a lot of talent on this roster... there's already a great special teams unit, the ingredients of an elite defense, and even a few gems on offense. Carroll and Bates are making weird decisions too often, but I still think our coaching staff has been massively upgraded. I want Whitehurst to play not just to see if he's the right choice for the unknown future.... I want him to play because I don't want blind loyalty to Matthew to keep us out of the playoffs this year.

I really think the NFC West is going to come down to that final game against the Rams at Qwest in January. If we get Whitehurst's FTL drive up and spinning now, his arm and legs might just carry us into the postseason.

What do you think, sirs?