Seahawks 27, Cowboys 7

There was a telling moment captured by the FOX cameras with about four minutes left in Seattle's 27-7 demolition of the Dallas Cowboys- Jason Garrett took out his challenge flag and handed it to one of his minions. He wouldn't need to use it. The Dallas coach had surrendered. The will of the Cowboys was broken.They were left in bloodied submission, limping to the team plane. The Seahawks saw what they wanted from Dallas, and they JUST FUCKING TOOK IT.

Wasn't that one of the most enjoyable days you've EVER spent watching the Seahawks? For most of our franchise's history, when we've had success we've tended to gain it by outsmarting, out-hustling, or outmaneuvering the opposition. Rarely would we see our Hawks physically dominate the enemy, so we got tagged as a "finesse" team. After today, I can assure that as long as Pete Carroll is our Coach, no one will EVER call us as a finesse team again.

After a first half that ended with Seattle leading but looking generally jittery and unsteady, the Hawks came out after the half Born Again Hard- They'd have methodical, punishing touchdown drives of 88 and 90 yards in the 3rd quarter, and a 14-play, 6-and-a-half minute 4th quarter drive to snuff any Dallas hopes of a miraculous comeback. Russell Wilson had way too many of us (myself included) wondering if Matt Flynn might need to step in for our MNF showdown against the Packers next week, but he settled down and ended up delivering an impressive, doubt-squashing, 112.7-rated performance. Marshawn Lynch battered the Cowboys front seven throughout the opening half, and MARAUDED through and over them in the second half, ending up with 122 yards and the death-blow touchdown. Golden Tate had three pivotal catches, but his blind-side 1st-degree-assault block on Sean Lee summed up Seattle's new mission statement: We Will Bury You.

The offense showed impressive signs of growth, and the special teams units put up our first ten points- But it's Seattle's defense that will give opposing coaches full-blown night terrors. Our defenders attack with blinding speed and vicious brutality- Jason Witten will someday end up in the Hall of Fame, but he seemed spooked and battered today after absorbing multiple shots from the Legion of Boom. By the 4th quarter, from Tony Romo to Dez Bryant the Cowboys had the look of a team that just wanted to get the fuck out of town.

In that 4th quarter, the Seahawks faced a 4th-and-1 in Dallas territory. They could have tried a long field goal. They could have tried to pin the Cowboys deep with a punt. None of the above. They went for it. It was a "Fuck You" call by Pete Carroll, as in: "Fuck You. We want that yard. You can't stop us. We're taking it."

We took it. And we're going to keep just taking things from the enemy all season. Yes, we're a very young team, and yes, stumbles and growing pains lie ahead. Yes, the NFC West looks like it's taken a MASSIVE leap forward overall. Yes, the mighty Green Bay Packers are coming to Seahawks Stadium for MNF next week. But now, they have to worry about US. They have to worry about what we want to take from them, and about how the fuck they can possibly stop us.

What do you think, sirs?

Cardinals 20, Seahawks 16

Today the Seattle Seahawks provided plenty of ammunition for those who want to conclude that they're embarking on another doomed campaign. Again they came out flat and lost a season opener they were favored to win. Again they allowed an inferior opponent to build a 1st-half advantage that ultimately couldn't be overcome. AGAIN the offensive line couldn't protect the quarterback. AGAIN GAME WINNING PASSES WERE DROPPED. The story is all too familiar. If one was inclined to believe in curses, today's debacle in Glendale provided plenty of evidence.

Here's the thing, though: I don't believe in curses. I DO believe in Russell Wilson.

Wilson's numbers weren't great. If you wanted to compare his opening day stats to Robert Griffin III, Wilson's look dreadful. Every pass wasn't delivered with sniper-level accuracy. A terrible swing pass to Lynch ended up being a lateral and cost Seattle three points. He bailed out of the pocket under pressure too quickly a number of times. Despite all that, today CONVINCED me that he will lead the Seahawks to the playoffs, and that he'll do so this season. Why?

He showed decisiveness, patience, and incredible calm under pressure. Let's cut the shit: If either Doug Baldwin or Braylon Edwards makes a difficult but TOTALLY PLAUSIBLE catch, we're already going apeshit about The Legend of Russell Wilson. With his team needing a touchdown, he whipped them downfield and into position to win. In his VERY FIRST NFL GAME. That's pretty fucking awesome. I saw nothing but upside from Russell Wilson. I saw a quarterback who is capable of consistently delivering excellent quarterback play. We haven't had that since 2007, people. Late-model Hasselbeck couldn't do that, and neither could Tarvaris Jackson or Charlie Whitehurst.

Could Matt Flynn? Yes, I think so. I think it's WAY too soon to even consider that move, though. Not only would the team have to be losing, they'd have to be losing in such as way that starting Matt Flynn would be likely to make a measurable difference. In addition to that, the window for such a move is VERY narrow. It would have to be made while the Seahawks are still in playoff contention- If Seattle falls out of the playoff race, why not give Wilson a season of experience? If the Seahawks lose next week AND Wilson looks out of his depth, there's some chance Flynn could start against Green Bay in a desperate bid to get to 1-2... but I doubt it. If we're 0-3 and heading into STL for a death match? That's where I think a switch might be made, but only if the defeats are clearly at least in part due to sub-replacement-level QB play.

My friend Hawkblogger said this before the game, and he was absolutely correct: The offense couldn't be counted on to win this game- The defense needed to be dominant. For a long stretch in the 2nd half, they were, but it simply wasn't enough... and it won't be enough for this defense to merely be "good." They have to smother the enemy. They absolutely can't let the likes of Kevin Kolb hop off the bench and drive their teams to go-ahead touchdowns. Even if they have Larry Fitzgerald to throw to, that's completely unacceptable. Much more is expected from them.

Realistically, the Seahawks are in a must-win situation at home vs the Dallas Cowboys next Sunday. Everyone will pick Dallas to win, and everyone will be wrong. Wilson will take another step towards his destiny, and backed by a bloodthirsty crowd a humbled Seattle defense will make Romo be Romo. I refuse to believe these are the Same Old Seahawks- because I believe Russell Wilson is motherfuckin' Neo... And he's fixing to wake everyone up.

What do you think, sirs?

Detailed Predictions for the 2012 Seahawks

Yesterday I posted my predictions for the entire NFL, which included #10winsandaplayoffspot for our Seahawks. Here's some of my big (and small) predictions for what should be a very enjoyable season for the Twelve army.

1) The season will end with a 31-28 OT loss at Green Bay in the Divisional Round of the NFC playoffs, but the Seahawks will show a new power is rising in the NFC by pushing the #1 seed Packers to the brink of defeat. The most memorable moment? A come-from-behind victory at San Francisco in the NFC Wild Card game (more on that below).

2) The Seahawks defense will rank among the NFL's top 5 in terms of yards allowed, points allowed, and takeaways. Earl Thomas will be the team's MVP, and will be selected to the Pro Bowl along with Kam Chancellor, Brandon Browner, and Defensive Rookie of the Year Bruce Irvin.

3) Russell Wilson will show us moments of brilliance, but also plenty of rookie mistakes. Thankfully, a dominant ground attack will conceal some of Wilson's vulnerabilities early in the season, and Marshawn Lynch will be named to the Pro Bowl and the All-Pro team after leading the NFL in rushing. Matt Flynn will start two games filling in for an injured Wilson, and lead the Seahawks to victory in both games.

4) Sidney Rice will stay healthy and be Seattle's leading reciever, held back from a spot in the Pro Bowl only because the reality of a rookie starting QB will make the Seahawks rely heavily on running the football.

5) Season by quarters: 1st = 3-1 (wins over AZ, DAL, STL); 2nd = 1-3 (upset win over DET); 3rd 3-1 (wins over MIN, NYJ, MIA); 4th 3-1 (wins over AZ, SF, STL). We'll go 5-1 in the division, 6-2 at home, and 4-4 on the road.

Five Memorable Games (in chronological order)

October 28th: Seahawks 27, Lions 26
The 3-4 Seahawks roll into Ford Field on a 3-game losing streak, and aren't given much of shot at beating the seemingly playoff-bound Lions. However, this is the day things start to "click" for Russell Wilson, who throws for 300+ yards and two touchdowns. Wilson also scores the winning touchdown in the waning seconds, but takes a brutal shot to the ribs in the process- He'll miss two games recovering from the injury.

November 11th: Seahawks 38, Jets 0
Tim Tebow has his worst day as an NFL quarterback- He is sacked 6 times and committs 5 turnovers. Earl Thomas and Richard Sherman both score on interception returns, and Matt Flynn throws for 350 yards and three touchdowns filling in for an injured Russell Wilson. The Seahawks are 6-4 and officially rolling.

December 23rd: Seahawks 24, 49ers 10
After a heart-breaking loss to the Bills in Toronto, the 8-6 Seahawks need to win their last two games to make it into the playoffs. The 10-4 Niners are unprepared for the ferocious onslaught of a wounded, desperate Seattle team. Marshawn Lynch batters the 49ers for 165 yards on 30 carries- twice he's pelted with Skittles by the Twelve Army after reaching the San Francisco end zone. Alex Smith is sacked 5 times and intercepted thrice, and the Niners limp out of town defeated.

December 30th: Seahawks 20, Rams 13
Jeff Fisher and the 5-10 Rams arrive in Seattle determined to keep the Seahawks out of the playoffs, and give the Seahawks a 60-minute fight. Wilson hits Doug Baldwin for the go-ahead touchdown with only 1:45 left in the game, and the NFC 6th Seed is secured when Kam Chancellor intercepts Sam Bradford deep in Seahawks territory with only 15 seconds left to play. The reward? A rematch with an amped-up and butt-hurt Niners squad at Candlestick Park.

January 5th (NFC Wild Card Game): Seahawks 24, Niners 20
It's unanimous everywhere but the Pacific Northwest: The big, bad Niners are going to exact terrible vengance upon the Seattle Seahawks. It looks that way for most of the game- The Niners lead 20-10 going into the 4th quarter. Then a 85-yard, 6 minute drive capped by a Robert Turbin 1-yard plunge gets the Seahawks within three with 7 minutes left. San Francisco responds with a punishing drive of their own that stalls in the Seattle red zone. With just over 2 minutes left, Red Bryant smothers a field goal attempt to extend the Niners' lead, and The Legend of Russell Wilson is truly born.

On a final drive that will echo in Seahawks legend forever, Wilson completes 5 passes for 60 yards, and scampers for an addition 20 yards (including a desperate dive for the first-down marker on 4th and 5 outside of field goal range). Within field goal range, the commentators talk about how Pete Carroll should play for overtime. Nope. Not Big Balls Pete. With only 21 seconds left to play, Wilson fires a Real-Genius-worthy LAZER to Braylon Edwards in the back of the end zone for the 17-yard winning touchdown. No Seahawks fan will forget where they are in that moment, and Pete Carroll will BARELY supress the urge to dance a jig in front of a sullen, defeated Jim Harbaugh.

There you go. What do you think, sirs?

DKSB's Mayan-Apocalypse-Defying 2012 NFL Predictions

Just like I did in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011, I downloaded my NFL Schedule Grid, filled it out, and predicted the outcome of the upcoming NFL season- My annual preamble to this:

All preseason predictions are, to a greater or lesser degree, bullshit. The beauty of this game is its unpredictability. Anyone who tells you they KNOW who will make the playoffs, who will win the Super Bowl, etc, is trying to sell you something. Folks with deeper, more detailed knowledge of the game might be able to give you slightly more accurate predictions, but at the end of the day it's still at best educated guessing.

I've always had particularly deep contempt for implausible preseason predictions. I'm talking about when some lazy sportswriter predicts the records for all 32 teams and comes up with an impossible aggregate record, or predicts playoff matchups without working through tiebreakers, etc. That's why every year I go through the ENTIRE regular season and predict the winner of EVERY game, so all the pieces fit together. What follows is my own particular flavor of bullshit, which you can dissect in the comments at your leisure.

Here we go- Enjoy! (More details on what I think will happen with the Seahawks will appear in an upcoming post)

NFC WEST
49ers 11-5 (3)
Seahawks 10-6  (6)
Cardinals 5-11
Rams 5-11

NFC NORTH
Packers 13-3 (1)
Lions 10-6
Bears 9-7
Vikings 4-12

NFC SOUTH
Falcons 11-5 (2)
Panthers 10-6 (5)
Saints 9-7
Buccaneers 6-10

NFC EAST
Giants 10-6 (4)
Eagles 9-7
Cowboys 8-8
Redskins 6-10

NFC PLAYOFFS
Wild Card Round: Seahawks 24, 49ers 20; Panthers 19, Giants 17
Divisional Playoffs: Packers 31, Seahawks 28 (OT); Falcons 27, Panthers 23
NFC Championship Game: Falcons 28, Packers 27

AFC WEST
Broncos 9-7 (4)
Chargers 8-8 (6)
Chiefs 6-10
Raiders 6-10

AFC NORTH
Ravens 11-5 (2)
Bengals 8-8
Steelers 8-8
Browns 5-11

AFC SOUTH
Texans 11-5 (3)
Colts 6-10
Titans 6-10
Jaguars 4-12

AFC EAST
Patriots 13-3 (1)
Bills 9-7 (5)
Jets 5-11
Dolphins 3-13

AFC PLAYOFFS
Wild Card Round: Broncos 35, Bills 17; Texans 45, Chargers 24
Divisional Playoffs: Texans 23, Ravens 20; Patriots 38, Broncos 31
AFC Championship Game: Patriots 30, Texans 20

SUPER BOWL XLVII
Patriots 37, Falcons 27
MVP: Tom Brady

NFL MVP: Tom Brady, Patriots
NFL DPOY: Earl Thomas, Seahawks
NFL Coach of the Year: Ron Rivera, Panthers
NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year: Andrew Luck, Colts
NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year: Bruce Irvin, Seahawks

What do you think, sirs?

Your 2012 Seahawks Jersey Buying Guide

Back in the Spring of 2007, I brushed aside my better judgment and bought a Josh Brown jersey. I knew that he only had one year left on his contract... But he made all those game-winning kicks in 2006! And it would be cool to wear a kicker's jersey! We all know what happened- I got one year of use out of the damn thing before The Traitor Josh Brown bolted for St. Louis. I recouped less than half of my $75 investment reselling it on eBay, and learned a hard lesson about NFL jersey purchases: If you choose poorly, you'll be pissing away your hard-earned cash. Thus, I started this annual guide to jersey-buying. The big twist this season is the introduction of the new Nike jerseys. Yeah, they look awesome- But the price of a replica jersey has increased 33% from $75 to $100. This year it's even more important than usual to get this decision right.

I'll be setting aside the following options: #12 Fan jerseys, customized jerseys, and throwbacks. I've changed my mind about #12 jerseys- Under Pete Carroll almost ANY player's jersey is a $100 gamble, so I can't blame anyone for playing it safe and deciding to go with a "FAN" model. But for those of you who are a bit less risk-averse, I'll be sticking to current players whose jerseys are readily available on sites like NFL.com, the Seahawks Pro Shop, etc. Also, I'm focusing on the $100 models, not the more expensive varieties.

My criteria include length of current contract, likelihood of sticking with the team (Hell, they already printed up Nike BMW jerseys and BOOM.. He's cut), quality of performance/character, durability, and originality. One side note that I think needs repeating: NEVER PUT YOUR JERSEY IN THE DRYER! Dryers kill jerseys! Don't do it under any circumstances. With proper care, these new Nike dudes should hold up for a nice, long spell. If possible, wash them on the delicate cycle in cold water by themselves. Also, they run a size smaller than the old Reebok replicas. For example, I wore a Large Reebok jersey, but wisely bumped that up to XL for my Nike Marshawn Lynch jersey. Onto the rankings! (Side note- If you've seen jerseys for other players in store back home in Washington State, let us know who and where in the comments section)

9. Mike Williams 
Nike chose poorly printing these up. The good news is that they are already on sale, I guess. If the Seahawks wanted to be extra nice to their fans, they'd do what my Columbus Blue Jackets did back in March- Offer to let fans swap the name on the jerseys they JUST bought for free. Hey Seahawks- Let people who plunked down $100 on a BMW jersey come down to the Pro Shop and get them transformed into Braylon Edwards jerseys, yo!

8. Matt Flynn
It's pretty obvious that the NFL and Nike thought Flynn was going to win the QB1 job in Seattle, given how many Flynn jerseys were printed up- but unless you're a family member or a HUGE LSU fan there's little reason to buy his jersey until the moment he wins back the starting job, either by injury or ineffectiveness from Wilson.

7. Zach Miller
There are two big reasons I'd avoid buying Zach Miller's jersey: Concussions, and Kellen Winslow Jr. His production could dip this year because of both factors. I hope the guy can stay healthy, and if so I think he's a really important asset to the team, but I wouldn't buy his jersey right now.

6. Sidney Rice
I have a weird thing where I don't like wearing the jersey of an injured player- Just a personal quirk of mine. Even though I think Rice could end up in the Pro Bowl if he can stay on the field, his injury-riddled history would make me very hesitant to buy his jersey. 

5. Marshawn Lynch 
I bought a Lynch jersey IMMEDIATELY after the new Nike jerseys were released. Then the DUI arrest happened. Crap. I don't exactly regret the purchase, but if I'm being honest I probably would have gotten another player's jersey if I was in the market for one AFTER he got arrested. A Lynch jersey is still a respectable buy, though- If he can avoid a suspension he has a decent chance to lead the NFL in rushing this season, and he's also the author of the single greatest play in Seahawks history. He also won't be a free agent until 2016, so unless the arrest/threat of suspension really bothers you, his jersey is still an excellent purchase.

4. Doug Baldwin 
Baldwin is the definition of a "fan favorite." He's got the best twitter feed of any player on the team, and he seems genuinely down-to-Earth and relate-able. I'll never forget when he tweeted a pic of himself with a Twelve at Target, and #89 was wearing a Seahawks hoodie like HE was a fan or something- I just found that very cool, personally. Baldwin is also an awesome WR (duh) and he doesn't even become a restricted FA until 2014.

3. Kam Chancellor
If you want to wear the jersey of a God Damn Bad Ass, Kam-Bam is your best bet. He's the nastiest member of the Legion of Boom (by the way, where are the Sherman and Browner jerseys?) and he's stayed out of trouble off the field. My only concern? Right now he's scheduled to become a free agent after the 2013 season. I don't seem him leaving Seattle for a LONG time, but with PCJS you never know.

2. Earl Thomas
If there's a guy on the current roster who just SCREAMS "career Seahawk destined for the Ring of Honor," it's Earl Thomas. He's still the best player on the team, and by all accounts also a locker-room leader and solid citizen. Plus, he won't be a free agent until 2015. Very sensible buy.

1. Just wait until the team prints up a shit-load of Russell Wilson jerseys.
Who am I kidding? This is what you'll all end up doing anyway.

What do you think, sirs?

Side note: I'm looking to sell two tickets to the game Thursday. Face value is $90 but I'm willing to sell them for less than that. If you're interested, email me at dksb17 at gmail dot com.