If anyone is looking for a short read, click next and don't bother, lol, I don't know how to keep it short and simple and most that know me around here, know that about me.
Pete kind of summed it up the other night in the Rams post game press conference, when he reminded everyone that this is exactly where were were the season when won the Super Bowl with him at the helm.
It's been a frustrating season for everyone this year. Most started out with the Joe Blitzfitz cloud of gloom and doom floating over their heads. Then after the Seahawks we all know and love showed up and started to play football again, it dawned on everyone that this wasn't a rebuilding season, but rather, it was a necessary house cleaning season, and a chance to put the Pete Carroll Compete for your job mantra back into action. Before we knew it, we had a seriously competitive team on the field representing us, and a game plan that can win games anywhere, anytime against any team in the NFL.
The trick right now, is that we can't allow for much in the way of screw ups, and in my opinion, in the world of NFL officiating, there isn't a lot of love or support for the notion of our Seahawks finding their way to another Super Bowl, n the New York NFL Head offices. Why else can an opponents step out of bounds not once but twice and then run it in for a touchdown, and even under review allow them to keep it.
That one hand out alone from our officials, cost us that game, and there are lots of other similar calls, that, interestingly enough have given our opponents just enough to skate by us and put a win in their column and a loss in ours.
The bottom line is, if we give them any excuse to help our opponents knock us off, they will use it. We have all seen some of these "TickyTack" calls as the commentators refer to them,repeatedly called against us at the most critical moments of the game. We have to put up more points and not let those situation determine our fate each week. Russell needs to light up, get out of his head, quit analyzing the damn 3rd down conversions, and just play some good old fashion smash mouth football and have some genuine fun. His stats will take care of themselves.
Our defense is almost there, I know that I won't get much support for recommending that we put Shaq back over on the other side of the field where he excelled, when Sherm ws with us. He is doing a better job than most, but he was a lot more effective on the opposite side of the field. I'm not sure who we would put in Sherms old spot, maybe Flowers might excel there better than at the weak side where they have him now.
Our offense is playing solid and we have a hell of a running game back now. Looking like Beast Mode part due, Russell needs to get the hell out of his head on the 3rd downs and start just playing football and having fun, When he loosens up and gets improvisational, he kills our competition. His hesitation and the ensuing sack opportunities have hurt us in almost every game this season, due to the inevitable fumbles, that result in easy points for our opponents and in nearly every game we have lost this year, its been by a margin of those few points that have defeated us.
We should have had the Rams twice and the Chargers as well, if it hadn't been for that on reoccurring factor. Our special teams and Mike Dickson as playing lights out, Shaquem is putting on a hell of a show in every game, I wish they could find a place for him on the defense. I believe his fight, determination and contagious spirit, would light the Legion of Boom up in a way that no other player could inspire them to.
I understand Pete's Compete mantra and whole heartedly support it, but I've seen what Shaquem can do when he is challenged, go back to his last two seasons in College, and what he was able to achieve there, and that is what got him to Seattle. I truly believe that this kid will always excel and supersede the expectations that are placed on him.
It's not a chip on his shoulder or a ego thing, it's a fire that was born in his soul when he was still a young pup, facing a world that was determined to deny him and that he has always proven them wrong and has always found it within himself to overcome any challenges that have come his way, not just overcome them, but exceeded the expectations of even his greatest doubters.
Shaquem Griffin, is a gift from God to this world, and I really hope over time that The Emerald City and The Seattle Seahawks, provide him with the opportunity to prove one more time, that "it's not a handicap unless you say it is, and I refuse to say it", instead he will always turn what others see and say is a handicap, in to his greatest asset, as he goes through life proving to himself and more importantly to others, that he is as capable of true greatness as any other kid in College Ball or in the NFL.
With all that said, I project that we have a really impressive showing against the Green Bay Packers, tonight, If we go out and play our game like we are capable of playing, it, run, run, run, control the clock, score, and shut down Rodgers passing attack, we can handle the Packers pretty easily.
If our Defense is fired up and ready to play , they will stop the running game early, keep a lot of pressure on Rogers but even more importantly cover his receivers. The Packers are coming in wounded. Hopefully Ken Norton understands that we need to tighten up our coverage by our defensive secondary, we have traditionally excelled in man to man coverage, causing fumbles and intercepting passes thrown under pressure, that is what took us to the Super Bowl twice and will take us there again this year too, if we can make that lst little tweak in our game.
We really are looking so damn good on all sides of the ball, offense, defense, special teams, and there is absolutely no reason we can find ourselves in the Super Bowl at seasons end. We can get there loosing game, but one Ace in the hole is that unless we really implode the Rams are going to have to get past us to get themselves into Super Bowl contention.
Statistically we should beat there butts soundily in the next showdown, and should have beaten them both times we played them this year..
I'm not making excuses for our losses to them or the Chargers, we can't afford to let these teams get that close to winning in our games with them, We have so improved, but have made hurt urseles as well. I don't care if we run the ball every damn play the rest f the season, and Russell Willson never throws another pass. If we can average 3.3 yards a run, that 3 and a 1st every damn time. We have the talent on our denfese to play Legion of Boom style and quality football and start denying our opponents the points we have been giving them this season. I really think it's time for Pete and Kenny to have a sit down and get the BOOM back in the Legion, it won't take much, Pete has the formula and Kenny has delivered on it before and can again.
Hell maybe they ought to hire me to point out where they are screwing up and how to get it right lol. You know I'm joking right? I bought a referee shirt from the second hand store the other day that I'm going to start wearing on football days, my wife tells me I always reffing the game non stop from start to finish anyways, ha ha, may as well dress the part. I am a true Seahawk 12 Homer, and love this organization so much. Pete Carroll is gonna do it again in 2018-2019, like only he can do it.
Seattle Seahawks 43 vs Green Bay Packers 17.
If the Legion of Boom, steps it up in this game and lowers the Boom, like we all know they can, we could see Erin Rogers setting on the sidelines with that damn smirk wiped off his face, and cheering for his backup most of the game. That is the key difference between Erin and Russell, Erin can't take a lickin and keep on ticken, Russell can and does game after game after game, Look for Chris Carson, Raashad Penny, Mike Davis, Shaquem Griffin and Michael Dixon, oh and of course our leading rusher, Russell Wilson to really shine brighter than all the rest tonight.
