Are we second best in the div again?

[RW92]

I see other teams signing and improving their pass rush and I just us sitting idle. We have to improve the line on both sides of the ball or it will be a crap shoot again next year. I hope we get moving with quality additions.

 

[onanygivensunday]

Both teams will be banging on 12 wins... and no way do we start 2-4 again this year.

 

[TwistedHusky]

We have some pretty glaring holes in the OL, where any football fan can point to teams that struggled for a bit with GOOD OL because the line was "learning to work together". So how does a team with barely there OL that are all new to each other going to do? Well history says, there are going to be challenges.

So the Hawks can buck the trend but the data says teams with OL that a fair % are strangers, tend to have a few hiccups.

Also

Our defense got worse, our pass rush got worse and there seems to be a belief that Wilson can just spin straw into Gold, so that's manageable.

But unless you are Brady (and even if you are), you win SBs because of a great defense and a capable offense.

Sure superman type stuff will help you win an occasional game here and there you have no business winning, but in the long run - the stalwart D and the pass rush or lockdown secondary will win out. At least going back to the SBs where the undefeated Pats found this out at the hands of the Giants.

Brady won the SB because they got Browner and Revis, before that they weren't getting on the stage.

So, if the argument is that the Cards SB window is only open as long as their QB can stay viable, the counter is that our own window is only open for as long as we can keep the defense together. And we lose pieces every year. So unless some big infusions hit the defense, we probably also only have 2-3 years more too. Otherwise we just turn into the Steelers, a mighty offense that turns heads in the regular season but doesn't make it all the way for whatever reason each season.

We are just behind the Cards by almost any measure. And in that same measure, the Cards have less holes. Their weakness is the QB "might" be "too old". Our weakness is the OL, potentially the run game, and losing an important piece of our defense/pass rush.

We lost the division to them last year. They got better this offseason. We got worse.

 

[DavidSeven]

All comes down to Palmer. Can he repeat last year's re-breakout performance and also stay on the field? How much longer can Fitzgerald stay elite? What will Honey Badger look like next year? Will Patrick Pererson get fat again?

On paper, they look nice though.

 

[hawksfansinceday1]

I literally fantasize about playing AZ in the NFCCG, home or away. Carson Palmer throws interceptions in playoff games, it's what he does. Did anyone else watch their playoff games?
Carson Palmer will never get a team to a Super Bowl.

 

[Schadie001]

So last time I checked we kick the ever living crap out of the cards on their home turf. Yes they won the division because we sucked out of the gates. But do any of you honestly believe they are better? I don't.

 

[Smellyman]

So last time I checked we kick the ever living crap out of the cards on their home turf. Yes they won the division because we sucked out of the gates. But do any of you honestly believe they are better? I don't.

with no Sweezy, Okung, Rawls, Lynch who else?.....30-6 at half!

Be interesting to see schedules this year. Hopefully, we don't get screwed again.

 

[TheRealDTM]

Gawd, we suck. Who should we pick first overall in 2017?

Its not that we are bad, we will be a top 10 team, its about relativity. If we don't win the division we won't win the superbowl and there is arguably 1 maybe 2 teams that are at or above our talent level in our division.

Have to strongly disagree with you on the Rams having better WRs and RBs.

Gurley is easily the best RB in the division, he may be the best in the league. I can see the argument over WRs but I'd take Tavon Austin over lockett and they have bigs in stedman bailey and Brian Quick.

 

[Smellyman]

Gawd, we suck. Who should we pick first overall in 2017?

Its not that we are bad, we will be a top 10 team, its about relativity. If we don't win the division we won't win the superbowl and there is arguably 1 maybe 2 teams that are at or above our talent level in our division.

Have to strongly disagree with you on the Rams having better WRs and RBs.

Gurley is easily the best RB in the division, he may be the best in the league. I can see the argument over WRs but I'd take Tavon Austin over lockett and they have bigs in stedman bailey and Brian Quick.

Lockett already had a better receiving year than Austin. QB has a lot do with that, but Lockett was better in the return game too. Lockett is even bigger than Austin! Can't say that very often.

 

[Overseasfan]

Our defense isn't going to slow down one bit. ST we're still the kings. Offense will be a close one between us and the Cards but I see us outperforming them there as well.

We might have some growing pains but I doubt those will get us a 2-4 start again. We should be in the lead for the division from day 1.

 

[SomersetHawk]

Probably not even 2nd best, Cards have all but locked up the West by signing Evan Mathis. Meanwhile Quinton Coples looks set to fix the Rams offensive woes.

I'd say we were maybe 5th best.

 

[McGruff]

Gawd, we suck. Who should we pick first overall in 2017?

Its not that we are bad, we will be a top 10 team, its about relativity. If we don't win the division we won't win the superbowl and there is arguably 1 maybe 2 teams that are at or above our talent level in our division.

Have to strongly disagree with you on the Rams having better WRs and RBs.

Gurley is easily the best RB in the division, he may be the best in the league. I can see the argument over WRs but I'd take Tavon Austin over lockett and they have bigs in stedman bailey and Brian Quick.

I don't crown paper champions. As far as I am concern every season is a reset and every team has equal opportunity. We are all tied for first.

And debate about Gurley vs. Rawls, but the numbers lean heavily towards Rawls. It's another Luck vs. Wilson debate. Gurley will always win becuase he was a first round pick and the precrowned best back in a generation and Rawls was undrafted.

But the WR comments is laughable. Austin has been a colossal underacheiver and the rest are even worse.

 

[penihawk]

You gotta love "on paper football" in March. I think we are fine as long as our "on paper" team shows up to play ball like they can from day 1 next year and stays healthy.

 

[AVL]

Someone believes we would have lost to the birds in the playoffs? Crazy talk.

Arians still has more coach of the year awards than playoff victories. The press loves him, no doubt.

 

[Largent80]

I still think that if we won that first game vs. the rams, and didn't allow Cincy to come back down 17 on the road the division was ours. And that was with an o-line that was the worst I have seen from Seattle in decades.

If we can put together a mediocre line we will get back in the drivers seat.

 

[morgulon1]

So last time I checked we kick the ever living crap out of the cards on their home turf. Yes they won the division because we sucked out of the gates. But do any of you honestly believe they are better? I don't.

The Cardinals are THE division champions . That will change this season. We will not lose b.s. Games early on like we did last season.

 

[Attyla the Hawk]

You don't win championships in March.

I honestly think that if Seattle tends to it's own issues, we'll win the division.

First, was last year's defensive meltdowns an aberration or was it a sign of things to come. We lost the division entirely because the defense couldn't hold leads. We can complain about the OL all we want, but the reality is, that offense put up 4th quarter leads -- in some cases double digit leads -- and the defense caved.

If the defense returns to form -- we're a 12-13 win team.

Second, Seattle has issues with slow starts to the year. How much of that is this dogma that 'it's not how you start, it's how you finish'? That may be somewhat true. You can't win championships in September either. But you sure can lose them.

It could also be a function of our penchant for developing and starting rookies. Those players are going to struggle in the first few weeks. And then round into form as they gain experience. Not all organizations rely on fresh, young talent -- at least not ones that are in full on rebuild mode. It's part of Seattle's model for longevity of success. But it's also sacrificing quality at the start of the season in order to have solid play late despite injuries. Is the cost for that advantage the slower starts we see?

It's entirely possible those are related. Although it doesn't really answer why were unable to perform on defense when it's littered with our best, most experienced and most expensive 2nd contract talent. The way we lost kind of defies the inexperience.

 

[Largent80]

The team carried Sokoli and Glowinski for the whole year almost redshirting them. This could pay off this season and we have a nice assortment of early picks in May.

Should be interesting, but I wouldn't be surprised to see a rookie on the O-Line this year.

 

[nash72]

but the rams and cardinals have better WRs and RBs,

Have to strongly disagree with you on the Rams having better WRs and RBs.

Well Austin and Gurley are better than anybody we have so i'm not seeing a problem with the statement.

 

[McGruff]

but the rams and cardinals have better WRs and RBs,

Have to strongly disagree with you on the Rams having better WRs and RBs.

Well Austin and Gurley are better than anybody we have so i'm not seeing a problem with the statement.

Austin sucks and Rawls outperformed Gurley on a per carry basis.