Seahawks 28, Jets 7

The Seahawks weren't playing against another NFL team today- They were up against a living cautionary tale. In recent years the New York Jets have made every move the Seahawks desperately tried to avoid. Blow a high first round pick on a shaky quarterback? Check. Let your defense age into mediocrity? Check. Sign a bunch of big-name free agents and become more fixated on winning media attention than football games? SUPER Check. The Jets are a comprehensively terrible team, and if the Seahawks had lost to them at home it would have set off a wave of justifiable panic amongst Soldiers of Twelve.

There was a time (not very long ago) that the Seahawks would have shat away a game like this. They would have dicked around, let the Jets stay close, and then found a way to lose. I'm sure there were legions of Twelves who thought this way when it was still 14-7 through the 3rd quarter. Why haven't we put these jokers away? One big play and this game is tied! Aaaarrrrgghhhh! Not me. Sure, there was a point where it looked like this might be a particularly ugly win- But I NEVER thought we could possibly lose this one. Why?

The Legion of Boom was NEVER going to let Mark Sanchez put up the points New York needed in order to win. The Jets defense was NEVER going to bottle up Marshawn Lynch for the entire game. Knowing that, it followed that Russell Wilson was going to get opportunities to make plays downfield. Yeah, it was disconcerting to see NYJ's pass rush get after Wilson in the 1st half, but once Lynch got going I KNEW RW3 was going to deliver the deathblow. Today's performance by the Seahawks wasn't artistic- it was a blowout win at home over a god-awful, forlorn Dead Team Walking. For now, that's plenty good enough.

The Jets, like their coach, are a bunch of blustery fake tough guys, and today they ran into a squad stocked with guys who LIVE to inflict punishment and pain. At one point, it looked like Kam Chancellor might snap a Jets receiver in two with a vicious, legal hit. Bruce Irvin was at times unblockable, and Richard Sherman expertly baited Mark Sanchez into throwing a  mind-numbingly stupid red zone interception. Sanchez looked absolutely out of his depth, and nothing Tim Tebow did was worthy of any serious discussion. The man is a sideshow, and he was out-quarterbacked by Golden Tate today. Perhaps he should shut his big fat yap from now on, yes?

It's a cliche now, but it doesn't make it any less true: Russell Wilson is the quarterback Tebow WISHES he could be. NO NFL QB has been better at home this season, and he's the first rookie QB since the merger in 1970 to win his first five home starts. Yeah, NYJ's lone TD can be blamed on him holding the ball too long, but two Seahawks TDs came on PERFECT Wilson throws. His 4th quarter dime to Sidney Rice for six was a throw Tim Tebow couldn't even make in fucking Madden, let alone real life. Once again, Wilson gave Seahawks fans reason to believe the QB situation is settled for the next decade or so.

It's becoming reasonable to wonder if Marshawn Lynch will someday surpass Shaun Alexander as the greatest running back in Seahawks' history. His style of play isn't just effective- It's legitimately inspiring. He's on track for one of the greatest individual rushing seasons in franchise lore, and I believe only injury can derail him from eventually being remembered as the best back to ever play in Seattle. The other big offensive story is Golden Tate- Is it finally "clicking" for him? All season, he has displayed a knack for big, game-changing plays. My biggest criticism is that his celebratory dance moves are... odd.

Seattle now gets a their (very late) bye week before schlepping to Miami in 2 weeks. That's the next challenge: Go 3300 miles for a 10 am game and beat a decent team in their building. A loss wouldn't be devastating, but a win would give Seattle some margin of error in December and silence some of the team's remaining doubters.

The Hawks are right were I thought they'd be at this point back in August: 6-4, and set up nicely for a playoff run. Four of their last six games are against teams with losing records; 10-6 and the tournament are there for the taking. Heal up and finish strong, Seahawks.

What do you think, sirs?

Seahawks 30, Vikings 20

Would you like to see all my pictures from Sunday's game? Here you go.

It wasn't that long ago that I was a ranting, raving, spittle-spraying Matt Flynn disciple (you can look it up). Just a few weeks ago I was in a panic- My reasoning was that since the Seahawks clearly had an elite defense and running game, we were potentially blowing a chance at a Super Bowl run by "wasting time" developing a rookie QB. Matt Flynn would at least avoid the big mistakes! He could be like Trent Dilfer on the 2000 Ravens or Brad Johnson on the 2002 Bucs! Russell Wilson will cost us wins while he's learning on the job! Attica! ATTICA!!!!

I was missing something very obvious all along- That there would be weeks when that defense might not keep the enemy out of the end zone for 60 entire minutes. There would be days where we'd need our quarterback to meet the defense halfway and make the plays to lift Seattle to victory. COULD Matt Flynn do that? Maybe. But only nine weeks into his career, we KNOW that Russell Wilson can. We also know that he's nowhere near the limit of his abilities yet. This is amazing. This is miraculous. It has made me look like a jittery, flaky basket case, but it should make every Twelve alive RADIANT with hope for the future.

On a day where the defense succumbed to a Hall-of-Fame quality running back (while admittedly mitigating the damage by ERASING Christian Ponder and the Minnesota air attack), Russell Wilson threw three TDs, didn't commit a turnover, kept drives alive with his legs, and generally looked like the embryonic version of a All-Pro quarterback. After years of vainly searching for The Quarterback of The Future, PCJS have found that savior- The Neo that will free all our asses from the Lombardi-less Matrix we inhabit. Is there another young QB you'd rather have (other than Luck or RG3)? For a MINIMAL investment, Seattle has found the answer for the problem that has vexed this franchise since Matt Hasselbeck's decline began in 2008. The future of this team hasn't looked this bright since 2003, and that fact leaves me absolutely GIDDY.

Enough talk about the distant future, though. After Sunday's win over a solid Vikings squad, the Hawks slid into the final NFC playoff slot. With 4 of their final 7 at home, the Seahawks are well-positioned to reach 10-6 and make it into the tournament. They own tiebreakers over Minnesota and Green Bay now, and have easier remaining schedules than fellow Wild Card hopefuls Detroit and Tampa Bay. Despite allowing a huge amount of yards to Adrian Peterson, Seattle's defense is still one of the best in the NFL- And now the offense is starting to bear a much greater share of the burden, averaging 27 ppg over the last two weeks. Against sub-par squads like NYJ, Arizona, Buffalo and St. Louis, Seattle might dominate. Against the likes of Miami, Chicago, and SF there's no reason to think they can't win. It's hard to imagine a finish worse than 9-7, and increasingly easy to picture a run that gets us to 11-5 or.. gasp! 12-4.

Who stood out on Sunday besides Wilson? Marshawn Lynch kept plowing towards a spot in the Pro Bowl, and still has a decent shot at the NFL rushing title. Purple Jesus got the headlines, but Beast Mode powered Seattle to another win. Golden Tate still hasn't achieved the consistency we need to see from him, but he had another nice game- His effort to score on his 2nd touchdown reminded me why he's one of my favorites. The Legion of Boom made Christian Ponder appear utterly helpless, with an significant assist from our front four. This was a game the Hawks should have won, and needed to win- They bounced back from an early Vikings TD and won the day from that point forward.

On a personal note, it was great to be back in Seahawks Stadium, adding my voice to the multitudes of Twelves screaming for Minnesota's destruction. I was able to go to the game with my little brother James (who just started studying/playing football at PLU), and I ran into a couple of other old friends as well. I'm hoping/planning to be back for one of the last two home games this December, and my gut tells me that a win over STL on 12/30 is going to get us back into the playoffs.

What do you think, sirs?

Lions 28, Seahawks 24

Before today's game, I was standing by the Seahawks' tunnel with a bunch of other Twelves. This teenage Hawks fan was standing next to me, and he yelled at Pete Carroll as the Coach ran past us. At the last instant, Coach Carroll chucked the ball around his back toward the kid Chris Paul-style. Unlike a pass from Chris Paul, PC's toss missed the mark- sailing just over us and into the arms of a Lions fan (a little fucker who wouldn't give the damn thing up to us Twelves). 

As Sterling Archer once said, "Hooray for metaphors!" This was SO close to being the win that propelled the Seahawks towards the playoffs. Instead, that process has to start next week. 

I'm not nearly as upset about this loss as I probably should be, and it's not because I'm mellowing or getting old/lame. Obviously, there's plenty of evidence you could use from today's loss to buttress an "Ahh! Let's all freak out" argument: Pete Carroll's inexplicable challenge underlined his still-not-exactly-excellent in-game decision-making. The defense melted like a Notebook fan in the presence of Ryan Gosling- After showing such consistent dominance over the first seven games, their collapse today was deeply unsettling. Their inability to stop the opposition on 3rd down is more than a mere annoyance at this point. Finally, Russell Wilson threw another interception that led to what ultimately were the decisive points for the enemy. 

Despite all of this, I see a clear path to #10winsandaplayoffspot for the Seahawks. I don't think one sub-par performance means that the defense is no longer elite. More importantly, I think we saw tangible growth from Russell Wilson today. That pick aside, he looked like an actual factual GOOD NFL quarterback, leading the Seahawks on two drives that ended in red-zone TD passes. If it wasn't for the defensive near-surrender on Detroit's final possession, Wilson would have led Seattle on a drive for the come-from-behind winning touchdown (that included a clutch 4th and 2 conversion). He's shown me more than enough to convince me that he's our QB of the future and the present- The man who can lead us into the playoffs NOW. 

We've got a quarterback- and from here on out, we have a MUCH more favorable schedule. Five of our last eight games are at home, including the next two games and three of the last four. Given the zaniness we've already seen at Seahawks Stadium this fall, I like our chances in EVERY home game left on the 2012 slate. Next week's game is an absolute must-win for the Hawks- Not only would it bring one of the Wild-Card leaders back into a tie with us, it would also give us tiebreakers over Green Bay AND Minnesota (the two non-NFCW teams ahead of us in the Wild Card race). With this week's results, the Seahawks are only one game of out the NFC's final playoff spot, and it's starting to look like 10-6 will be good enough to make "the tournament." Before Labor Day, I predicted that the Seahawks would be 4-4 at this point, and that they'd make a big leap in the 2nd half to make it to 10 wins, get in the playoffs, and upset the fucking Niners in the Wild Card round. Even after today's aggravating, demoralizing loss, I still completely believe that's what the future holds. 

Up until that crushing conclusion, I had a grand time at the game today. I ran into a loyal reader and his brother outside Ford Field (Scott and... Mike?); They had incredibly nice things to say about this blog, and I am deeply grateful for their support, and the support of everyone who has been reading my blatherings in this space since 2008. My Twitter buddy Evan (pictured above) met me at the game, and there were more Twelves scattered through the crowd than I had anticipated. We rejoiced at Zach Miller's go-ahead TD and sat there dazed after the defense gave the lead away- but we were there, and our numbers are growing. As this team starts stringing wins together, you'll see more and more Twelves in stadiums from coast to coast. 

I'll be there at Seahawks Stadium next week, and I'll scream myself mute to get us a win. What do you think, sirs? Was anyone else at today's game? Anyone have tales to tell? 

Going Behind Enemy Lines (Again)

I always get a bit squirmy when I hear Twelves get pissed off about fans of opposing teams taking up seats at Seahawks Stadium. It's not that I LIKE it when enemy fans infest our stadium- Shit, I'll boo them when they start making a racket like anyone else would- It's just that as someone who has been to plenty of Seahawks road games, I want to avoid being a giant fucking hypocrite. I view it as something akin to diplomatic immunity: Yeah, it sucks that foreign diplomats rack up huge parking fines when they are over here, but we don't want our diplomats overseas getting fucked with- Hooray for reciprocity!

On Sunday, I'll attend my 10th Seahawks road game (and my 2nd at Ford Field in Detroit), and I gotta admit it: I LOVE being the "bad guy." I love being part of a tiny, outnumbered group of hard-core partisans- I'm a contrarian fucker at heart, so rooting for my teams in hostile territory really suites me well. The flip side of this is that I also love rooting for my Red Sox at Safeco, and I plan to catch a Columbus Crew game at Royal Brougham Park the first chance I get... But that's a discussion for another time.

I have a routine I tend to adhere to at these games, and a fairly simple set of rules. I like to get there when the gates open so I can get down to the Seahawks tunnel and see the players and coaches up close. This is what I wrote about that experience at Cleveland a year ago:

The Awesome stuff? I got to weasel my way down to the Seahawks tunnel, and the Hawks seemed way more interested in coming over and talking to us fans in Cleveland than they seem to be back at home games. I don't blame them- I want them focused and ready for battle... but it really seemed to excite them to see so many Seahawks fans come out to support them. I got to shake hands with and monosyllabic-ally talk at Sidney Rice and Pete Carroll, but the COOLEST moment was when Earl Thomas noticed I was wearing his jersey. His eyes lit up, he ran over and gave me an ENTHUSIASTIC handshake (almost to the point of hurting me). I was just overwhelmed by the experience. Seriously, if you are a Seahawks fan, find a way to get down to the tunnel during warm-ups... It can be mind-blowing. 

I also have my own personal rules of contact as a road fan:


-No drinking.
-No booing or jeering the other team, just cheering for the Seahawks.
-Don't start shit with opposing fans, but if you have to defend yourself, outsmart them.

I actually stumbled upon a great self-defense strategy at the Cleveland game last year: Sitting in the Family/No alcohol section. Compared to my previous experiences at Cleveland Browns Stadium, I was relatively unmolested sitting in that area last year. As long as I didn't curse around the kids, it was like being surrounded by little human shields- One dude a section over even yelled "If you weren't in the family section, I'd kick your ass." I yelled back "Thank you for validating my decision to sit here!" I'm doing the same thing Sunday up in Detroit. I guess this strategy wouldn't work if you really LOVE getting blitzed at games and letting off long strings of public profanities... But I doubt that many readers of this blog are part of that demographic.

Like I said, this will be my 2nd game in Detroit. Back in 2006 I saw the Hawks win 9-6 (yawn) on a Josh Brown FG as time expired. The environment was fairly sedate for a couple of reasons: First, Ford Field is a deeply odd NFL venue that doesn't give its tenants a big home field advantage. You know how the stands at Seahawks Stadium are RIGHT ON TOP OF the field? Not in Detroit, dude. The field feels miles away from the stands in Ford Field. Second, the Lions were fucking abysmal back then- The stadium was far from full, and the fans that did show up seemed more interested in getting hammered than the action down on the field.

I expect a similar dynamic Sunday, but for different reasons. The Lions' disappointing start won't help, but the bigger factor will be distraction- The Tigers will be playing in Game 4 of the World Series across the street just hours after the Seahawks/Lions game. From experience, we know Rams fans in STL have been particularly distracted/quiet/absent during Cardinals' playoff runs (to the Seahawks' benefit). Hopefully we'll see the same situation on Sunday in Detroit.

What about everyone else? What are your experiences at Seahawks road games? In my experience (going to games at CLE, IND, CIN, NO, DET, STL) Cleveland was by far the WORST place to watch the Seahawks, and St. Louis was the best (in terms of not getting harassed/made to feel like I was in actual physical danger). Anyone else going to the game Sunday? If so, hunt me down- I'll be in a new-school blue Nike Marshawn Lynch jersey (no beard though), and I'll probably be down by the Seahawks tunnel during all the pre-game stuff.

Hope to see you there!

Niners 13, Seahawks 6

I hate losing to the 49ers. It makes me sick to my ass (as Mom once said). Jim Harbaugh is The King of All Douchenozzles, and he's built a team of punk-ass nimrods in his craven image. There's no NFL team I hate more than San Francisco (including Pittsburgh, so you know my hatred for SF is steadfast and true). I hate their players, their coaches, their fans, and that rotting, stinking husk of a stadium they all infest.

So why can't I get all that worked up over this loss?

As much as we all hate to admit it, San Francisco is one of the top 2 or 3 teams in the NFL. They routinely blow inferior opposition off the field. They don't just beat their foes- Often, they embarrass them. The Seahawks are no longer inferior opposition. They won't go to Candlestick and get blown out by 3 touchdowns anymore. In fact, for most of last night's game they outplayed the Niners- If just a couple of passes are completed instead of dropped, Seattle is sitting in first place in the NFC West today.

There aren't moral victories in the NFL, but losses can still indicate the growth and maturation of a franchise. In less than three years under Pete Carroll, we've evolved from a squad that dropped most of its games via double-digit obliteration to one that wins more often against the NFL's elite teams than it loses. Did Frank Gore trample all over our defense in the 2nd half? Yeah. But our defense also held the Niners to 13 points- Even on an off night, and against a great team, they did their job. On most nights, if your defense only gives up 13 points, your team is going to win the game.

There's been a sadly predictable knee-jerk reaction to Russell Wilson's (statistically) poor performance last night: FLYNNNNNNN! I think that I've built up substantial credentials as a Pro-Flynn Twelve (or at least as a Wilson skeptic), but I think any talk of a QB change at this point is absolute lunacy. We saw a glimpse of the quarterback Russell Wilson could become against the Patriots, and even last night he was largely sharp (especially in the first half). I don't see how Flynn starts a game in 2012 short of Wilson getting injured, and that is absolutely the right path for Pete Carroll to take.

Wilson has room to grow as a quarterback, but his receivers didn't do him any favors last night. Golden Tate in particular had an awful game- Hopefully last night's spasm of dropsies was an isolated incident, not the start of some horrifying flashback to 2004. There were bright spots- The offensive line did a great job in terms of both blowing open running lanes and protecting Wilson. Marshawn Lynch once again proved that he is the toughest (and perhaps the best) running back in the NFL, racking up over 100 yards against the best rushing defense he'll face all season.

Now Seattle sits at 4-3. Realistically, they have a better shot at making the playoffs as a Wild Card than by winning the NFC West. This fact makes our upcoming games against Detroit and Minnesota doubly crucial in terms of playoff tie-breakers. The Seahawks SHOULD be able to beat the flaky Lions on the road after a 10-day rest, and with all due respect to the Vikings, I don't think ANY enemy squad is beating us at Seahawks Stadium this season.

Back in August, many Twelves were bemoaning our borderline-sadistic early schedule. 2-5 was a common prediction for where Seattle would stand after seven games. I said we'd be 4-3 (obviously winning an entirely different combination of games), and here we are at 4-3. The remaining schedule is festooned with winnable games, so I'm still completely comfortable with my other big August predictions: 10-6, a Wild Card berth, and an upset win over the 49ers at Candlestick in the Wild Card round. Does anyone doubt that this team will be significantly better in January than it is now? Given the recent history of 10-6 or 9-7 teams winning the Super Bowl (3 of the last 5 Champions), these Seahawks would have a decent shot at XLVII if they can just "get in the tournament."

Next time we face those dog-faced cretins from down the coast, the results will be different. Hopefully, we'll get the chance to beat them TWICE this winter.

What do you think, sirs?