15-1 next season

[Seahawk Sailor]

No disrespect but you sir are coo-coo. "this was our window"? - no effin' way.

Word. That window cracked open this year. We have few true needs in the draft that can easily be filled with our picks. We're not down a bunch of picks mortgaged out to other teams for our success this year, and we don't have to mortgage the farm this year to try and win it all just once. We're built of a solid foundation with a couple of needs, a lot better than most teams can boast. Playing in the league's toughest division netted us 11-5 this year with our star quarterback handcuffed half the year. With him not handicapped like he was at the beginning of this year, he rolls those teams we lost to this year.

And the read option is more than a one-year-and-done phenomenon. Wilson's outstanding in the pocket, and a real threat to run. Even after the read option is fully scouted and accounted for, he's still a dual threat, no matter how you want to slice it. You can't sell out for the run because you know he's going to burn you with his feet, and if you contain him in the pocket, he's just going to pass his way to a touchdown.

This year is simply a preview of the full feature yet to come.

 

[formido]

Second youngest team in the NFL. How on earth could this be the closing of our window? So silly.

All we need is a pass rush. That should be the only thing we do in the off-season. Every other part of our team is adequate to great. If we had had a pass rush this year, no team could have beat us, regardless of officiating or bad breaks.

 

[plyka]

We can probably go ahead and stop with this. There's just as real of a chance that we regress to 8-8. Or Wilson gets injured and we go 6-10 or something. Or the Rams come on as well and our new golden age is stifled by a crowded division and we go 10-6 but still miss the playoffs. And so on.

You're really just naming all mathematically possible scenarios and then incorrectly claiming a 50/50 probability on each outcome. You may as well say that the chances of being 16/0 next season is exactly the same as being 0/16. Irrational.

 

[Seahawk Sailor]

Pass rush specialist. Elite receiver. Two picks needed to create a beastly dynasty. With this regime's track record of picks, who here really thinks this is outside of the realm of possibility?

And even with a beastly NFC West division, do you really think that a battle-tested 12-4 team coming out of the west is worse off than 13-3 or better with a cupcake schedule?

We about won against the #1 team in the NFC, and it's my firm belief that if the game were played at the later time slot, we would have. Even a yard more execution, a better grip on the ball, would have added 14 points to our score.

 

[OlympicDreams]

I don't know...I've just been a beaten down Hawks fan for too long. The way this season went, with the lack of injuries and how we just started taking all these teams by storm that seemed underprepared for us....just seems like the ball bounced in our direction this year. Football is so unpredictable, so not-formulaic, and we were so close.

This is the hardest loss for me to digest in many ways, even moreso than our Superbowl loss. This team was just SO GOOD and on such a roll right now, and this game was in my mind the highest hurdle between us and the Lombardi.

Sorry guys, just still digesting it I guess.

 

[ceej22]

This was definitely not the last chance. Difference now between the past is we are getting nearly every impact player next year and can focus on the weak points. I fully expect the zone read to slow down but if teams defend against that other doors will open. Also, Russell had a fabulous game and Atlanta shut down the zone read. His 60 came from scrambles and Lynch was shut down. He's legit and will continue to work hard to get better.

 

[Shane Falco]

I believe the only way our read option gets slowed down is if it's a conscience decision by the team to back off of it. Now if we had a QB that couln't throw like Wilson can, it'd be different. But now it's like saying they are going to figure out the play action and take that away from us. It's not the only thing we do. It's just one dynamic. And they all compliment each other.


I guess in short I am just trying to say that we have a quarterback that can employ the read option not a read option guy that is trying to be a quarterback.

 

[Sentrix]

What's really annoying about the 2013 schedule is that most of the easy games are at home, where we'd have a better chance to win anyway. The toughest three non-division opponents (Houston, Atlanta, NY Giants) are all on the road. Whereas we're playing teams like Jacksonville and Tennessee at home. Not exactly great for the 12th man. Since we don't have many appealing home matchups, I'm sure the home game against the Niners will be slated for primetime when the schedule is released.

I'll go on record as saying 13-3. Super Bowl or bust season.

 

[Zowert]

The scary thing (for our opponents) is Russell Wilson has an entire off season to improve his game and knowing how hard he works and how dedicated the guy is, Russ will spend every day doing SOMETHING to make himself into a better quarterback.

 

[onanygivensunday]

We're now one of the teams that the rest of the league expects to win 12+ games/year.

I like that we will have some tough games on the road next year.

We can stand the seasoning. Win those games and build confidence for the playoffs.

 

[volsunghawk]

I just don't see it. Our schedule next year is brutal. Playing in the NFC West is going to make securing the #1 seed VERY hard over the next several years.

Our schedule THIS year was brutal, and we missed the #2 seed and a bye by half a game.

And this team is getting better.

Do you think we lose on the road to Arizona next season? I sure as hell don't.

 

[Daytomann]

We should be very good next season. Expectations will be off the charts.

 

[kearly]

Russell Wilson is going to have an MVP type season next year. It will draw comparisons to Aaron Rodgers 2011 season. A season which Rodgers carried his team to a 15-1 record.

If Seattle wins the division next year, they are winning the Superbowl as well.

 

[Decimation]

I actually think we will be really good next year. 15-1? Eh, a little bit unrealistic with the division we're in. I'm thinking that we will make the playoffs for sure and Russell will keep getting better and better. He played a great game yesterday minus a couple mistakes but overall a great performance he carried the team on his back.

 

[volsunghawk]

We should be very good next season. Expectations will be off the charts.

Except for that QB, right? The guy who, in your words, is "just serviceable" and isn't a "real QB"?

:roll:

 

[Largent80]

Winning all at home and at least .500 on the road nets a 12-4. Heck, we may do better on the road than that.

This year proved that we know how to play on the road, and we are a couple of players from being dominate.

It is GOOD to be us.

 

[WindCityHawk]

We can probably go ahead and stop with this. There's just as real of a chance that we regress to 8-8. Or Wilson gets injured and we go 6-10 or something. Or the Rams come on as well and our new golden age is stifled by a crowded division and we go 10-6 but still miss the playoffs. And so on.

You're really just naming all mathematically possible scenarios and then incorrectly claiming a 50/50 probability on each outcome. You may as well say that the chances of being 16/0 next season is exactly the same as being 0/16. Irrational.

Yup, that was pretty much my point.

 

[Sarlacc83]

Every one of you knows that 2013 is going to be special. You know it, so stop letting yourself beat it down to save yourself the emotional turmoil. The defense will take another step forward next year (remember, Wagner was a rookie, and K.J. Wright is only a second year player, and I expect Seattle to add speed to the WILL.) Couple that with the fact you know we're going to find a couple D-linemen this offseason, I just know that if this team lets up more than 13 ppg (against) next year, I'll be shocked.

Oh, and if Seattle adds another playmaker for Wilson? Fuhgeddabout it. We could very well average 25 - 28 ppg with 13 pga? 13-3 would be a disappointment with those stats.

 

[Greenhell]

The scary thing (for our opponents) is Russell Wilson has an entire off season to improve his game and knowing how hard he works and how dedicated the guy is, Russ will spend every day doing SOMETHING to make himself into a better quarterback.

I concur. I've said this same exact thing is other threads. It will be scary to see how excellent he'll be with a year experience under his belt.