It was an average morning at my house on August 9, 2018.
I woke up next to my beautiful girlfriend in our "love nest", and the brisk morning breeze cooled me off after the previous night's heat. I woke up knowing I had to work later, but this morning was a little different than the rest, for the first time in about eight months, I gave out a loud, "SEAHAWKS!" call as Preseason football began.
FOOTBALL IS BACK…but it feels a little different than previous seasons.
Richard Sherman…49er, Kan Chancellor…Retired, Cliff Avril…Retired, Michael Bennett…Eagle, Earl Thomas…Holding out; it doesn't quite have the same vibe we have been used to for the last many years. Even the personal around the team is different with the losses (or should I saying, firings) of Offensive Coordinator Darrell Bevell and Offensive Line Coach Tom Cable, and the return of Ken Norton Jr. who takes over as Defensive Coordinator.
However, that's not a bad thing.
We were blessed to see this legendary defense that Pete Carroll and Seahawks GM John Schneider put together to help the 2013 Seahawks defeat the Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII for their first Super Bowl victory. The following year, after a miraculous comeback in the NFC Championship against the Packers, our hearts were ripped out as the Seahawks were one single yard away from becoming back to back Super Bowl Champions…but Marshawn didn't get the football. Ever since that scarring defeat in Super Bowl XLIX, the team has not been the same and we have seen players - especially on defense - lose faith in Pete Carroll's system.
As we say thank you to the Legion of Boom for everything they have done in Seattle, it's okay to to turn the page and create a new generation of studs.
We have seen some mistakes in the recent drafts for Seattle; Christine Michael, Spencer Ware, Kevin Norwood, Mark Glowinski, Kristjan Sokoli, too early to tell on Germain Ifedi…but which teams honestly don't make their fair share of mistakes in drafts? This year, the Seahawks are real dependent on these new, fresh young faces such as RB Rashaad Penny, TE from UW Will Dissly, inspirational LB Shaquem Griffin (whose brother Shaquill Griffin plays CB for the Seahawks, too) S Tre Flowers, and OT Jamarco Jones. The LOB era is no more, but I am calling out to the 12s that this new era of Seahawks football will be a bumpy, yet extremely fun ride.
This may be one of the most interesting teams you will ever find in the NFL currently. The Seahawks had household names, and the media is thinking the sky is falling in Seattle and they are doomed without them. Well clearly they don't know how magical Pete and John can be, and have been. They found Kam in the fifth round, Sherman in the fifth, Super Bowl XLVIII MVP Malcolm Smith in the seventh, Russell in the third. Will they win some games? Absolutely. Will they lose some games (and probably some they could've won)? No doubt about it. I have come to terms that this could be in rebuilding mode. I also flipped it around to thinking this team could surprise everybody and punch the league in the mouth for a solid year. The Seahawks Offensive Line has been atrocious over the last few seasons and their running game was U-G-L-Y with no alibi last season, and I'm looking forward to seeing depth in the running game. Rashaad Penny, Chris Carson, J.D. McKissic, Mike Davis, and hopefully a healthy C.J. Promise (who already missed the firstPreseason game ...) equals a dangerous running attack, and if the Seahawks want to get back to their championship mindset, running the ball, playing hardcore defense, and doing just enough on offense can bring this team back to mountain top.
Game-by-game predictions:
While I will give much more in-depth analysis on the Seahawks opponents throughout the season, I present you all with my way too early game-by-game predictions, where I predict the Seahawks record weeks before the regular season starts. I won't be surprised AT ALL if I happen to change my mind on a handful of these predictions throughout the year, as injuries can happen at any time and teams might be better or worse than I predicted.
9/9/18: @Denver Broncos
Playing in Denver is never easy, especially against their stacked defense. However, I'm not sure how good Case Keenum will be at QB and all the talking heads are picking us to lose game one, but I'm not one of them. 1-0
9/17/18: @Chicago Bears (MNF)
The Bears are going to be a confusing team this year outside of QB Mitch Trubisky with another year of experience. I strongly believe as of now we're the better team, especially playing on Monday Night Football. 2-0
9/23/18: Dallas Cowboys
I was there on October 12, 2014 when the Cowboys stormed into the Clink and upset the Hawks, and I like revenge! Call it bias, or call it confidence but I don't see how the Seahawks lose their first home game of the season, and it'll be a close game! 3-0
9/30/18: @Arizona Cardinals
Arizona is going to be an interesting team this year, with new head coach, Steve Wilks and newly drafted QB from UCLA Josh Rosen. While both teams are in "rebuilding mode", the Seahawks strike me as the better team, and yes…I might be the only one in America to have them starting off at 4-0. 4-0
10/7/18: Los Angeles Rams
The Rams came into Seattle last year and squashed them like a bug. While I don't think it will be a blowout, I don't see the Seahawks outlasting the dangerous Rams. 4-1
10/14/18: @Oakland Raiders (in London)
This counts as an away game for the Seahawks. Despite the 10AM road troubles this team has shown over the years, I believe they sneak by the Raiders, and I hope it's from a Sebastian Janikowski game winning kick against his former team. 5-1
10/28/18: @Detroit Lions
Coming off the London game and the BYE week, going to Detroit will be tough. The Hawks will run out of steam as Matthew Stafford will get going in the 2nd half, we've seen it before (October 28, 2012). 5-2
11/4/18: Los Angeles Chargers
Don't be surprised if the Seahawks do end up losing this game, the Chargers defense will attack the Seahawks immensely in this game but the Hawks will squeeze by LA for a typical heart attack-like game. 6-2
11/11/18: @Los Angeles Rams
The Rams are no joke, and scary in their own backyard. I have a disappointing feeling the Seahawks will be 0-2 against the Rams this season, so let's hope I'm wrong. 6-3
11/15/18: Green Bay Packers (TNF)
A flip of a coin can decide this one. I'm sure this might be one of the games I'll end up changing my mind about when it comes to that time. Coming off that brutal trip to LA to play less than a week later, this one might take a toll on the Hawks against a threat like Aaron Rodgers. 6-4
11/25/18: @Carolina Panthers
This might be another game I might change my mind on as the Panthers are a tricky team to judge (did you guys see Cam and Kelvin pregame.....). That 10AM kickoff always worries me and the Seahawks will end up losing a game they probably could have won. 6-5
12/2/18: San Francisco 49ers (SNF)
Welcome back to Seattle, Richard Sherman! A close, nitty-gritty game, but the Hawks should come out on top. 7-5
12/10/18: Minnesota Vikings (MNF)
This Vikings team is supposed to be good, keyword, "supposed to be good". New QB Kirk Cousins should have fun throwing to WR Adam Thielen, but Monday Night in CenturyLink is always dangerous and the Seahawks manage to survive this one. 8-5
12/16/18: @San Francisco 49ers
Fine, let's be nice and give the 40-whiners a victory in their place…but it won't be because of Sherman. 8-6
12/23/18: Kansas City Chiefs (SNF)
Another Sunday Night game (flex TBD) against an always gritty Chiefs team, this is a game the Hawks might need to keep playoff hopes alive. 9-6
12/30/18: Arizona Cardinals
The Cards always seem to make their selves at home and push us around in the Clink. Unfortunately for them, former Head Coach Bruce Arians is gone and the Seahawks should be fighting for a playoff spot, in which I'll give them the win. 10-6
Reminder: These picks are not fully locked in stone, and I will compare these predictions with the ones I give a few days before gameday. September 9th can't come soon enough!
