I dont understand the optimism after an "almost win"?

[toffee]

What is there to not understand? We showed hope and promise beyond what most people expected (especially on offense). Hope brings excitement and optimism, what is so hard to understand about that?

Also....How were we out coached when the Lambs have the clear better roster yet we were in it till the end and lead much of the game?

Couldn't say it better,

I truly not sure where this thread was coming from, which part of rebuilding or reloading does the OP not understand? We lost most 'stars' on the defense side, and one of the two stars on the offense. We had a bunch of no names, castoffs, rookies starting, we were totally respectable, and put FEAR in the Rams. We out coached the hottest coaching commodity in the league.

I expect our team to pull out a win when we meet them again later on this season.

 

[Ad Hawk]

11-5? That is funny.

This team isn't going to be 11-5.

Most of the Hawks fans know it too. Otherwise, there wouldn't be a ton of people optimistic after losing by a little to a much better team. We aren't making the playoffs so at least playing somewhat competitively with a much better team is what we have to hang our hats on.

11-5 isn't happening. That is laughable.

Sigh. I didn't say we were an 11-5 team, only that the feeling is exactly the same. Hawks lose, and the world crashes down for many here. When this team loses, even in 13-15, people would complain that we didn't have what it takes, the philosophy is all wrong, etc.

The moaning is always the same, and the voices are the same.

 

[LoneHawkFan]

To the OP,

I think it's entirely probable that you are putting words into other people's mouths. Or at best regarding a handful of fans issuing moral victory and applying it to everyone who was optimistic about the result.

I also don't believe in moral victory. However I said even before the season started, that I wanted to see signs that we have talent to retain on this team during this rebuild year. More to the point, I wanted to see us begin to form our blueprint for winning. Our identity. How we were going to win in the post LOB era.

We lost and that sucks. The end.

We expected a lot of that this year. We got it.

But yesterday we also got a real glimpse that there is talent on this team. We aren't a dumpster fire of a roster that needs 2-3 drafts just to get to competitive levels. And it looks like we've found the emerging elements of our identity and how we're going to win going forward. And that's not just from one game now. We can see this coming the last three weeks.

There is room for excitement in the small victories. In a season where we knew it would be close to impossible to truly compete at a high level. We are finding out where we are, who we are and even in defeat (close or not), we can see the value of our direction and we can see that we're not that far off from being ok to even good.

So I can both be optimistic while still eschewing the notion of a moral victory. The two can coexist quite easily. And one doesn't invoke or presume the other.

This sums it up for me as well.

I remember feeling pretty freakin' good after one of the toughest losses of this decade- at the ATL in the 2012 Divisional Playoffs. I remember being crushed, however, at how we could let one of the best receivers in the NFL torch a young, still growing LOB with seconds left in a game so they could hit a GWFG and advance on to SF. Sucked ballz to lose...but man was it ever encouraging to see, you know, how we were forming. I'm not saying we're as good with this version as with that one...just saying you can be both crushed and optimistic at the same time.

If all you care about is wins and losses, what is the fun in watching the games? Why not just read about it?

 

[scutterhawk]

I thought (even told my Brother), that we were likely going to get our asses handed to us by the Rams, but we hung with the best team in the NFL yesterday, hell, we even took the lead away from them a couple times, how the hell is that not a positive?

No Earl Thomas, KJ Wright isn't back yet, and obviously, Doug Baldwin still isn't anywhere near 100%, yet we still found a way to show enormous improvement on Offense, losing a shootout by 2 measily points in the waning seconds of the game? they showed a hell of a lot of HEART, so hell yeah!, I'M STOKED!!!!

 

[justafan]

Yes, I get it, we hung with the best. Well, we still lost. There is no such thing as a moral victory in this sport. We didnt get spanked (I didnt expect to) but we did out-coached. 2 and 3 is not looking good. IMO, it's now safe to say that our draft picks were a swing and a miss! We already had a better back than Penny on the roster, and the love for Shaqeem sure has disappeared as quick as he came, our touted punter has bad kicks at the worst possible times too. Good teams find a way to win at the end, we used to, and the Rams do now. I

I dont think they outcoached the hawks. With that much talent on offense and Dline they barely won. Pete has this team playing tough physical ball and I love it. Sure I would love for them to win but after all the talent we lost Im ok with it.

 

[hawkfan1975]

Yes, I get it, we hung with the best. Well, we still lost. There is no such thing as a moral victory in this sport. We didnt get spanked (I didnt expect to) but we did out-coached. 2 and 3 is not looking good. IMO, it's now safe to say that our draft picks were a swing and a miss! We already had a better back than Penny on the roster, and the love for Shaqeem sure has disappeared as quick as he came, our touted punter has bad kicks at the worst possible times too. Good teams find a way to win at the end, we used to, and the Rams do now. I

You don't understand near complete team changover?
You don't understand the term "any given Sunday?"

What are you doing here then? MLB awaits you.

 

[djb28]

Because with all the warts, some that you listed, you can plainly see growth and what is to come. This team is no bottom feeder, cellar dweller. They are on the rise. The running game is back. That will allow Russ to be Russ again. The OL is showing a tenacity and toughness I haven't seen in years. The defense - while certainly no LOB Era - is full of young pups who are learning their way and I feel are going to be very, very good players.

Like I just watched on Good Morning Football, they said...

"Don't sleep on Seattle."

You're damn right. Even my girlfriend Kay Adams said something to the effect of how I feel which is why do I feel so good about Seattle after a loss?

Because you can see the beginning of what is to come. It's 2012 all over again.

I thought she was my girlfriend?

 

[seahawkfreak]

So I do not begrudge anyone feeling good. I feel good myself.

I feel good, I just don't like the phrase "moral victory."

That's what fans in loserville places like Cleveland and Buffalo say, and IMO we're better than that.

This is a rebuild year, and so I'm fine with being encouraged or optimistic with staying competitive with arguably the best team in our conference and division.

- run game looked FANTASTIC
- Russell played really well
- Lockett and Moore, awesome
- O-line run blocking, fantastic

Just don't use the term moral victory.

Not that anyone has said that.

 

[Uncle Si]

You're the only person that used "moral victory" in the Shack as well.

And you argued with me there as well.

That's how this works, people state opinions, then there's agreement or disagreement.....on ambivalence.

Are we done with the how many forums did Sarge use the term moral victory, or can we continue the conversation?

Just citing for accuracy.

You're suggesting the term "moral victory" is pejorative, but you're the only one saying it. You're arguing against a term that no one else is using.

 

[AgentDib]

We didnt get spanked (I didnt expect to) but we did out-coached.

The Rams are in the discussion for most talented team in the NFL while we are not (to put it kindly), and yet we were a holding penalty away from attempting a game winning field goal. I don't see how you reconcile that outcome and talent disparity while also thinking we were "out coached" unless you ignore the myriad of things that our coaching staff did well in order to look at one or two decisions that you probably disagree with because the outcomes were bad.

Fans love to talk about coaching in terms of time-out usage and play call outcomes because they look like concrete things that can be bickered about. Coaching is also the hundred thousand moments you don't see like the time spent teaching your 5th round draft pick safety how to use outside leverage in man coverage or the hours spent on tip drills that lead to an interception.

 

[OrangeGravy]

Something missing in this is what the players' attitude is after this game. Listening to the Oline comments in particular, they were pretty pumped after that game. They were disappointed in the loss , but you could hear in their words and tone that they are ready to roll. It doesn't matter what we fans think or feel about this game, only what the players take out of it and it appears to be a good sign. We will see

To those complaining about our offense being run first, I suggest you either get over it or find a new team to root for. It's not gonna happen and it shouldn't happen. Sure it means you will be in tighter games more often, but that also means that you are in almost every game you play even if things aren't clicking perfectly. I would like to remind you that this league has favored the pass for a long time and everyone thought running the ball and tough D was the way of the dinosaur when Pete took over, yet it played out pretty well. I still think it's the best way to win more games than you lose year after year. High flying passing teams might have a higher ceiling in "A" year, but they are subject much more variance from year to year. Just look at how often GB and Rodgers flame out. Other than New England (who isn't really a pass happy team every year) what other team with a high pass to run ratio would you trade the last 5/6 years with? How often do the high flying passing teams end up holding the trophy at the end?

 

[Optimus25]

I feel better about this team after yesterday's loss than I did after last week's win.

Pretty much sums it up.

 

[kobebryant]

I don’t know if I would ever classify it as a moral victory, but there are definitely good losses that show growth and encouragement.

This game reminded me of the 2011 home loss to the 49ers. Went blow for blow with a more talented team, the class of the NFC - those 49ers and these Rams, using a very physical style ,and ultimately lost but showed that they’re on the come up.

 

[hawks85]

Because with all the warts, some that you listed, you can plainly see growth and what is to come. This team is no bottom feeder, cellar dweller. They are on the rise. The running game is back. That will allow Russ to be Russ again. The OL is showing a tenacity and toughness I haven't seen in years. The defense - while certainly no LOB Era - is full of young pups who are learning their way and I feel are going to be very, very good players.

Like I just watched on Good Morning Football, they said...

"Don't sleep on Seattle."

You're damn right. Even my girlfriend Kay Adams said something to the effect of how I feel which is why do I feel so good about Seattle after a loss?

Because you can see the beginning of what is to come. It's 2012 all over again.

This is exactly what I'm saying. I'm not looking to make the playoffs nobody is. Everyone has basically written us off. Some of you guys need to get that re-load or re-build out of your head its going to drive you crazy. All I want is better performance than last year and we are delivering. I like what we are doing right now...running the ball playing smash mouth defense. I don't want a fancy dancy heavy pass offense. Wait til it gets cold and snowy those bitching about the pass game will have second thoughts. The problem with most of the people on here is that they want that high octane pass offense with all the shifts and audibles like the Rams do. Seattle isn't built like that. Honestly I don't want that kind of offense. We need to do exactly what we did yesterday that's Seattle football, and we went blow for blow with the best team in football. I still believe we should have won but it is what it is.

 

[hawks85]

Because with all the warts, some that you listed, you can plainly see growth and what is to come. This team is no bottom feeder, cellar dweller. They are on the rise. The running game is back. That will allow Russ to be Russ again. The OL is showing a tenacity and toughness I haven't seen in years. The defense - while certainly no LOB Era - is full of young pups who are learning their way and I feel are going to be very, very good players.

Like I just watched on Good Morning Football, they said...

"Don't sleep on Seattle."

You're damn right. Even my girlfriend Kay Adams said something to the effect of how I feel which is why do I feel so good about Seattle after a loss?

Because you can see the beginning of what is to come. It's 2012 all over again.

This is exactly what I'm saying. I'm not looking to make the playoffs nobody is. Everyone has basically written us off. Some of you guys need to get that re-load or re-build out of your head its going to drive you crazy. All I want is better performance than last year and we are delivering. I like what we are doing right now...running the ball playing smash mouth defense. I don't want a fancy dancy heavy pass offense. Wait til it gets cold and snowy those bitching about the pass game will have second thoughts. The problem with most of the people on here is that they want that high octane pass offense with all the shifts and audibles like the Rams do. Seattle isn't built like that. Honestly I don't want that kind of offense. We need to do exactly what we did yesterday that's Seattle football, and we went blow for blow with the best team in football. I still believe we should have won but it is what it is.

 

[Seanhawk]

I don't know how you can't be optimistic for the offensive side of the ball. Have you seen a Rams-Seahawks game the last three or four years? Even when we were atop the division, the Rams would dominate the line of scrimmage and dictate what could be done. Sunday they flipped the script against the class of the NFL and controlled the ball.

The defensive side of the ball on the other hand. 306 yards on first down? Yikes

 

[SnapDan]

It's just a glass half empty against a glass half fun situation.

All off season I've been super excited to watch this team, Pete get his mojo back, last season was a real low point, although we went 9-7 everything sucked, the vibe sucked, I genuinely believed in July after our draft and moves, the team that started this year would be better than the one that finished last year.

We have been so struck down with injuries this year and we were told all off season by the 'experts' this was a 4 win roster. When we got beat up on by the Rams last year and the week after was the return of Zeke, he's gonna run 300 yards, Cowboys in play off contention etc etc and we went in there with no Sherman, Chancellor, Avril or run game and won, that's when I believed everything was still going to be ok. That game against the Rams we matched them and a play here or there and we'd have won that game. Had KJ Wright and Earl Thomas been on I'm certain we would have won, we almost did it without them!

I honestly believe we will be a play off team, we always start slow and finish strong, I had the Hawks starting 2-3 in my predictor (We lost to the Cardinals and beat the Bears in my predictions) so being 2-3 isnt a suprise to me. With the Raiders, Lions and Chargers next it's very possible we go 3-0 and then go up against the Rams again full of confidence and hopefully KJ back on the field and Doug Baldwin back up to speed.

 

[StoneCold]

What if we refer to it as a morale victory?

 

[Sgt. Largent]

What if we refer to it as a morale victory?

Be careful, you're going to get yelled at for being the only person who talks about this.

 

[lukerguy]

I think the moral victory comes from the fact that even though the defense looked horrible, we expected the Rams to put up that many points..

I wasn't counting on a 5.5 YPC average against Suh, Donald and company. That's pretty fantastic effort by the offense. The Seahawks hadn't run the ball that well since the SB year, and even during that season there were times against Fisher's Rams that the offense looked inept and couldn't run.

I also think there's a feeling that Pete will be able to make and form the defense both now and in the future... so if you can run the ball like that against a good team, I think you have a very good starting point for success in the future.