Are we second best in the div again?

[Barthawk]

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.

DTM- Steadman Bailey was a non-factor before he was tragically shot in the head. Tavon Austin over Lockett? Please go scout for the Rams or Cards. Lockett had a more productive year than Austin as a rookie. More than 200 yards than Austin receiving.. as a rookie 3rd WR, not the #1. Austin was the #8 pick in the draft not a 3rd round rookie..

Brian Quick-- 4 seasons in the NFL and he has 64 catches... 10 last year.

 

[kearly]

I still struggle to respect Arizona, even though I think they have a good coach and front office. It seems like they rack up wins against bad teams, and then squeak by good ones. Their best "signature win" under Arians was a 38-8 buttkicking of Green Bay in week 16, but that Packers team was a shell of itself at the end of last season. Further, the Cardinals were blown out at home the very next week by Seattle. They had a very impressive 11 point win at Dallas in 2014, but 11 points isn't exactly a butt-kicking.

Arizona doesn't give off the vibe of a dominant team, more like a good team that is steady and avoids mistakes.

 

[scutterhawk]

To me it's just laughable to wring our hands and crown the Cardinals as paper division champions, based on some FA acquisitions that may or may not wind up making their team better.
Seattle's success under Carroll has been about guys massively outplaying their contracts.
I happen to think our OL will be average by mid-season and above-average by season's end. Granted, the first half-dozen games could have some scary moments; we just need Russ to survive while making chicken salad out of that initial group. Glowinski, Sokoli, Sowell, Webb, I think there are three opening day starters in those 4 names. Add a couple good prospects in the draft, plus other guys who might suprise (Nowak?) and we might have something. Sometimes I wonder what Cable's uncensored account of coaching OL in Seattle would be, sharing the reality he is dealing with.

OL questions aside, I happen to believe we have numerous guys who are going to surprise us and come on this year and outplay their contracts. What if this is the year Tharald Simon gets and stays healthy? Maybe KPL finds his niche.

Jeremy Lane was a huge "keep" for us and I expect him to outplay his contract. Kearse, Baldwin, Lockett, Rawls will continue to outplay their contracts. CMike with his head screwed on straight? Look out!

What if the 2016 'Hawks as a whole just have that "it" factor, that chemistry, that was so totally missing last year, yet so totally present in 2013 and the second half of 2014?
The key is not to give away 3-4 games (thus the division) on the front end of the season like we did last year.

Yep^, and to add, wasn't it Bruce Arians that was crowned Coach Of The Year while Pete Carroll was actually coaching up no name 3rd, 4th, 5th, and NON DRAFTED players to the Super Bowls? :stirthepot:

 

[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.

Once gurley has established himself as the best back in the division, then we can start a league wide discussion. Unfortunately for you there was a guy named Rawls who led the entire league in yds/attempt. Until Todd separates himself from Rawls, the best one could do is speculate on who's best, but the stats certainly in no way support that gurley is clear cut best in the division. In fact prior to injury I would say San Fran has a horse in the race as well in Hyde. Remember everything he did was in a one dimensional offense with an amazingly dysfunctional o line.

And yeah the Rams have some bigs in stedman bailey.
All the Hawks have is jimmy freaking graham.

And any comparison favoring tavon Austin over Tyler Lockett invalidates your discussion .
Lockett is on pace to smash Devin Hester records.


Lockett is on pace to smash Devin Hester records.

Austin is on pace with Leon Washington at best.

If there is anyone on this forum that wouldn't trade Rawls for Gurley straight up they are lying or too blind a homer to make a realistic assessment. I will admit I forgot stedman bailey got shot in the head, apologies.

"All the hawks have is jimmy freaking [torn patella tendon, may never be the same] Graham." Yeah I mistakenly didn't include a player who has suffered the most devastating lower body injury, short of amputation, that a player can have in our future prospects.

Tavon Austin has dealt with fringe to below NFL level quarterbacks and is easily a better athlete than Lockett, would I trade lockett for austin, no probably not I likely over rated Austin in a direct comparison, but there is a comparison.

 

[vin.couve12]

Carson Palmer doesn't have good and/or healthy back to back seasons.

Rams might actually be second best...

 

[vin.couve12]

Also, my main complaint with Gurley coming out of the draft still stands. His lateral agility isn't all that great and even though he had some great games for the Rams, he still didn't show that he can create on his own when the running lane isn't there. Not unlike a Demarco Murray where he looks great behind a Dallas OL that can give him a lane to get vertical vs an Eagle OL where he was forced to try and create on the fly. This years version of that is the big Bama kid, albeit him being a much larger version of that long striding RB lacking in lateral agility.

 

[lukerguy]

Um... look at the standings.. yes we were last year.

We still have a ton of work to ensure we don't finish there this year as AZ has had a great offseason and we haven't improved yet.

 

[253hawk]

Don't forget that AZ benefited from penalties more than any other team in the league (particularly pass interference), and Seattle was dead last (when did we get our first DPI/defensive holding call, week 11 or 12?)