This is an article I wrote for our blog, hawksontap.com, but wanted to share it here for my friends at .net. I know it's been a rough season so far, but I believe our best football is in front of us. Get strapped in for a crazy second half of the season! If you want to read the article in it's best format, head to my blog where there are pictures, etc. But if not, enjoy it here!
Well here we are officially at the half way point this season, and while the Hawks don’t seem to be clicking on all cylinders yet, they still sit at a respectable 5-3, with great odds of making it to 6-3 this Sunday against a woeful Giants team. Are you happy with where the Hawks are, or are you disgusted by the way they are playing. Are we spoiled as fans because of how last season went, and now nothing short of domination will suffice? Did we forget that last year was full of close games against bad teams, for example the Titans, Buccaneers, Texans, Vikings, etc., and most of those were at home? Really, the Hawks didn’t turn into the Super Bowl contender Hawks until we beat the Saints on Monday Night Football in dominating fashion. From that point forward, notice was served that the 2013 Hawks were special. What will be the defining moment this year, when will that game happen? I say it happens on November 23rd in Seattle vs. the Cardinals. Let’s be honest, we’re still not afraid of the Cardinals. We still feel the Niners are our direct competition. Whether or not we should feel that way is another question, but that’s just how it is, and it actually bodes well for our 2nd half run that we’re about to go on.
Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t going to be easy. But let’s break it down. Giants game is a must win, no question. If we lose another home game, we are in deep trouble. Giants put us at 6-3. Then a sneaky, dangerous game in Kansas City, a virtual house of horrors if you’re a long time Hawk fan and can remember the AFC West days. This is a game that Seattle could win, but it’s also a game that will be extremely tough. Alex Smith excels at ball control offense, doesn’t make mistakes, and that’s a pretty good recipe for success against Seattle. Throw in the fact that Arrowhead is very tough place to play, and also the fact that Justin Houston and Tamba Hali will basically be making Russell Wilson run for his life all day and you have what looks like a loss. I expected one loss in the state of Missouri this year, but not two. That loss to the Rams will haunt us all season as we realize just how precious each win is when chasing a division title. Let’s say we lose to Kansas City, and we go to 6-4. This is ok, and I expect this.
So the hawks are going to lose one more game that's it ( very unlikely) I say at best 10-6 and on the road for a wild card game.
Next up, season defining game in Seattle vs. Cards. Our first crack at them since they tarnished our invincibility at home last December. Our first crack at them while they hold the keys to the NFC West. You can bet Seattle will be amped up for this one both as a revenge game for last year, and because we flat out must win this game. I fully expect a battle, but one that we will ultimately emerge victorious. Now, sitting at 7-4, we travel to San Francisco on a short week for a Turkey Day showdown in prime time. The Niners are a proud team, and it won’t be easy, however by this time their season will be over. They are about to get loss number 5 this week in New Orleans. They’ve already lost to the Bears and the Rams in their shiny new Levi’s Stadium (two non-playoff teams no less) so they really aren’t seeing a home field advantage like they had at Candlestick. Hawks win this one after being so close to pulling off wins in SF the last two years. Next up is the Eagles, in Philly. Against Mark Sanchez. Hawks will be sitting at 8-4, and playing in a stadium where they have had some great success in recent years. Plus, if anyone can stop Mark Sanchez, other than his own lineman’s butt, it’s his college coach Pete Carroll. Philly’s defense is a joke, and they don’t play that well at home either. I will say, if we lose in Kansas City, we have to win in Philly. A win over Philly, while also having wins over Carolina and Green Bay, will be huge for us if it comes down to tie breakers for seeding, playoff spots, etc.
Now at 9-4, we get the other piece of the 49er sandwich (schedule maker doing us no favors this year). Niners in Seattle, with everything on the line, we’ve seen how this goes down before. Hawks will rise to the occasion, Kaep will fold in Harbaugh’s last game in Seattle as coach of the Niners. Losing to the Niners in Seattle in December is just not happening. To 10-4 we go. Bring on the Cardinals, in AZ. Game of the year folks. This game is basically for the division title, as we will be at 10-4 and let’s say the Cards are at 11-3 (they have one loss now, plus the one we give them in Seattle, plus they will find another loss somewhere in between, probably to Detroit). A win for Seattle in AZ puts both teams at 11-4, but the Hawks would own the tiebreaker after sweeping the Cards head to head. Beating the Cards is not going to be easy, as they have a super aggressive defense, a great coach, an improved offensive line, and an offense with a ton of talent. I’m simply banking on our championship experience carrying us through, something the Cards roster is devoid of. We won handily in AZ last year (I was at the game!), and much like last year when we visited the site of the Super Bowl at the end of the season when we played the Giants, we will do the same this year as the Super Bowl is in AZ this year. Our guys will focus in on the huge task of repeating, and will embrace it. Then, in the final week, we just can’t have a letdown as the pesky Rams come to Seattle to finish the season as they seemingly always do. Hawks will disburse of the Rams because there is no other option. Cardinals, meanwhile, have to travel to SF, a place they haven’t won at in a long, long time.
Ending at 12-4 seems like a stretch. Especially with this gauntlet of a schedule. However, if this Seahawk team can recapture their “1-0 every week” and “every week is a championship opportunity” mindset, it’s very possible. At 12-4, we should have a great shot at home field advantage, or at least the 2 seed. The Hawks are getting healthier, the locker room is galvanizing after some rough weeks and a real “us against the world” sentiment is growing. These Hawks are way more comfortable in the underdog role, which will serve them well down the stretch I believe.
