It is pretty clear we need to ratchet our expectations back

[Foghawk]

Yeah man, I'm just going to enjoy the ride next season as always. :irishdrinkers:

 

[Hasselbeck]

With Russ, Earl, Lockett, and Prosise fully healthy this is a much different team. And Sherman too, since apparently he was hurt most of the season.

I'm sorry but injuries derailed the season.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Yeah, eventually injuries flat out DO have a huge impact on a season. Just too many of the main contributors missing too many games. Not to mention Russ playing thru numerous injuries behind that line.
Earl missing a chunk of the season, Bennett and Willson missing around a month, Kam missed some time. Procise rarely played, Rawls missed a ton of time etc. It just adds up.

 

[AgentDib]

I'm all for giving up on the 2017 season in January. Tons of bad stuff can happen over the next year and it's better not to get your hopes up in the first place. Maybe our QB1, RB1, RB2, WR2, TE2, DE1, CB1 and FS1 will get hurt again and we'll only win a single playoff game. After all, if we were any good we would win the Super Bowl every year like the good teams do.

 

[IndyHawk]

It's clear WE is not me ..I refuse to lower anything!This season with so many key injuries and a green OL was not going to be like any season in recent memory.We did pretty well all considering and I expect next year will be a great bounce back season just like the last time when we lost to Atlanta.We need to do some minor reloading at cerain areas but that is to be expected every year.I look foward to next year..

 

[Uncle Si]

Who is "we?"

Do posts like that make people feel better about themselves? You want to dial back expectations then feel free. Seems condescending to assume "we" all should though...

My expectations haven't changed for this team since 2004. Win the Division, make the playoffs, see what happens. Anyone expecting Super Bowls need not look any further than this years Panthers and Broncos or last year's Patriots and Seahawks.

Sensible approach, but I think most people here, myself included saw our roster healthy and loaded in the spring and during training camp and had higher expectations and aspirations than just making the playoffs again.

So I agree with the OP, I won't have those same expectations next year. Too many holes and internal issues going on right now to expect anything more than competing for an NFC west title, but that's as far as I'll go.

Wouldn't it make sense to wait until next August to see what the draft brings, what signing they make of undrafted and free agents before we set our expectations? Expectation that really have little affect on the world in general. I'm jst trying to keep it all in perspective.

Of course, but this thread wasn't created next August, it was created yesterday.

I don't have a crystal ball of what my expectations will be at some future time taking into account team transactions that may or may not happen. Right now, this is my expectation. If we have an amazing draft and FA class, then I shall amend said expectations accordingly.

I saw a team that lost to the Panthers in the same game the year before going into the season with as many question marks. This roster "can" always make a Super Bowl run. Expecting it is a bit different.

I'm let down, but not terribly so

 

[Seahawkfan80]

Go to the Packers forums during week 8/9 of this NFL season and read the Packers fans comments on their board, and then go see them today. If you ever want a visual of schizophrenia, there it is.

Yup....I like their chatbox and get a feel of what they believe there a lot.

Also I do chat here with our team and see pretty much the same thing. Just a different team and players and fans. LOL

Exactly, after that crushing loss to the Seahawks in the NFC Championship game, and then last year's playoff knockout, and then the debacle at the first half of this season, the narrative of Green Bay fans was "time to blow up the Packers and fire McCarthy. Their head coach was a joke, their defensive coordinator was a joke. A lot of fans were beating the drum to let him go mid season...

Fortunately, their GM doesn't listen to fans. Now they are back in the NFC Championship game on a blazing hot streak with a very good chance to win it all this year. Matter of fact, I am starting to think that Rodgers is going to claim his second ring. It almost seems like destiny that the Packers get their 5th 50 years after getting their 1st.

I see a lot of that there. Fire this, Fire that, fire the waterboy. They are concerned now about their AR getting the flu. Dunno about this weekend tho, I happen to think it is Atlantas time. Yanno....gotta fill them new seats with peeps next year...not the marshmallow peeps, the other kind. Kinda makes a person wonder.

 

[Josea16]

I think I'll just see what the draft and free agency brings. And see how the team heals up before lowering my expectations if need be.

 

[scutterhawk]

That SB loss, was probably as good as we will be for a while.

Given what this team is doing and how the coaching staff is producing - it just does not make sense to count this team as a contender.

Admittedly, I didn't see them making the playoffs - mainly because the lack of pass rush (which ended up hurting us all year anyway) and the lack of OL.

At some point, you don't have the horses.

A lot of teams want to go to the SB, but it is ridiculous to think every team has a shot at it. And given what we know about the team, the holes, the weaknesses and proclivities of some members of the coaching staff - it probably was not reasonable to expect it either.

I think a lot of us bought into the "Wilson Magic" but some of that was created by defenses keying in on a once in a decade runningback, that allowed our QB a lot less people focusing on him. Wilson is still spectacular, but without the other threats and without an OL (or a coach that adjusts the playcalling to account for the weaknesses of the opposing defense)...asking Wilson to heroball us to the SB is kind of ridiculous.

Think back to the Packers teams where Rodgers kept them a threat but watching them you knew they really were not a serious threat to make the SB. Having a great QB is really important but it isn't enough, and to be fair - Wilson was pretty injured this year which might account for his below par performance even when supposedly healthy.

This is a team that needs to fill a lot of holes. And there are teams all over the NFL that have to fill holes. The idea we can just easily fill the gaps, as other teams don't is probably unreasonable.

We looked like a wildcard team all year and ended up looking like one in the playoffs. Because we are one.

As long as we still have Pete Carroll as Head Coach, I'll be gathering up and hanging onto all of your discarded positivity's :smilingalien:

 

[bmorepunk]

Expecting to win the Super Bowl is unrealistic. Always.

It took the Patriots a decade to win one whenthey barely won it against the Seahawks. A decade. With the people they have.

If your baseline expectation is winning a Super Bowl and you're going to be miserable and frustrated with anything short of that, then I question how much actual entertainment you get out of the game. Even if you are a Patriots fan and you've had Bill Belichik and Tom Brady for 15 years, the probability of winning the Super Bowl isn't very high.

We'd all like to see this team play better, and a lot of people have made good points about how they could have done better, both structurally and in particular situations. But if you can't enjoy the good we've had as fans along with some of those negative feelings then I don't get your interest in the game.

 

[KiwiHawk]

In 2008 - that's not even 10 years ago - we went 4-12. Prior to that we even had a 2-14 season. 2016 isn't even close to the most disappointing season. We made the freaking playoffs and even won a playoff game.

What, presactly, if the freaking yardstick for success if this was a disappointing season?

 

[TwistedHusky]

I think people need to consider what 'ratcheting expectations back' means.

I see threads about being depressed today, and have seen threads counting this season as one of the most disappointing.

If your definition of success is to make a SB, then you need to realize that making a SB is difficult and sometimes just avoiding the bad luck is enough.

Last year this was a wild card team, not a contender. This year, this was a wild card team, not a contender.

There are some fundamental issues that this team faces that cause it to be a wild card team, and those are not going away. More importantly, while injuries did affect this team - at the end of year, with a #2 seed being an achievable goal, the issues this team faces contributed to several losses that put that out of reach.

And that had nothing to do with Wilson being injured, it was a number of fundamental issues this team faces that will likely be issues next year. You could, however, make a really good case for Earl being out as the reason - so I will give you that one.

If going far in the playoffs is your definition of success, this team is going to underachieve for you.

If being a good team with some flaws that will keep it from going that far in the playoffs is good enough, because you recognize that is all you can really demand of a team in this position, then I think you will be fine.

This is a team with a lot of great players and a lot of issues it has to solve. Still better than a 2 win team or a 4 win team but it isn't significantly better than the bulk of the NFL like it was years ago.

This is still a very good team and we are tremendously lucky to get to watch guys like Kam, Earl, Wilson, Lockett, Rawls as well as most of the of the defense every week. While it isn't always great football, there are always great football plays from great football players - and there is rarely a game where we are outclassed or simply unable to compete with the opposition (maybe that Green Bay game).

But you are going to be tremendously disappointed if you cannot enjoy that because you expected/demanded more.

And fundamentally, as long as we have the current approach with our line and the current production from our OC - it would be ridiculous to expect that much anyway. We don't have the same team we did, but we still have a good team. It just isn't great anymore, and you need to include that in your expectations.

 

[Siouxhawk]

Expectations for fans should be the same as what Pete envisions for a franchise to be considered a success-- A highly efficient team that's in the mix every year with the chance to get hot and push deep in the playoffs.

That's who we are.

Fans should be especially encouraged with how far we progressed this year with our bevy of injuries and inexperience on the offensive line. In fact, our coaching staff should be applauded for getting the team as far as they did. Great things await for this team.

 

[Mad Dog]

Expectations for fans should be the same as what Pete envisions for a franchise to be considered a success-- A highly efficient team that's in the mix every year with the chance to get hot and push deep in the playoffs.

That's who we are.

Fans should be especially encouraged with how far we progressed this year with our bevy of injuries and inexperience on the offensive line. In fact, our coaching staff should be applauded for getting the team as far as they did. Great things await for this team.

I agree with this. The first goal for the team is to own the division. I think that's every year's goal for me as it gives you a home playoff game and a 50-50 shot of getting a bye. Then if you can get in the dance you have a shot.

But to put SB or bust as the only goal. Well be prepared to be disappointed a whole heck of a lot. If you like being disappointed then that's fine. But sharing that disappointment with the world of the internet and calling for mass firings is going over the top. Then you are reflecting your bizarrely high expectations upon everyone else as if they are realistic.

There's a ton of sage advice given by smarter people than me:
"Be careful what you wish for"
"You don't know what you've got til its gone"
"The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence"
"Out of the frying pan, into the fire"
"Don't take the speck out of your brother's eye without removing the log out of your own."

Take joy in this team, savor the memories of SB XLVIII, hope for more playoffs and chances for another ring in the future.

 

[scutterhawk]

That SB loss, was probably as good as we will be for a while.

Given what this team is doing and how the coaching staff is producing - it just does not make sense to count this team as a contender.

Admittedly, I didn't see them making the playoffs - mainly because the lack of pass rush (which ended up hurting us all year anyway) and the lack of OL.

At some point, you don't have the horses.

A lot of teams want to go to the SB, but it is ridiculous to think every team has a shot at it. And given what we know about the team, the holes, the weaknesses and proclivities of some members of the coaching staff - it probably was not reasonable to expect it either.

I think a lot of us bought into the "Wilson Magic" but some of that was created by defenses keying in on a once in a decade runningback, that allowed our QB a lot less people focusing on him. Wilson is still spectacular, but without the other threats and without an OL (or a coach that adjusts the playcalling to account for the weaknesses of the opposing defense)...asking Wilson to heroball us to the SB is kind of ridiculous.

Think back to the Packers teams where Rodgers kept them a threat but watching them you knew they really were not a serious threat to make the SB. Having a great QB is really important but it isn't enough, and to be fair - Wilson was pretty injured this year which might account for his below par performance even when supposedly healthy.

This is a team that needs to fill a lot of holes. And there are teams all over the NFL that have to fill holes. The idea we can just easily fill the gaps, as other teams don't is probably unreasonable.

We looked like a wildcard team all year and ended up looking like one in the playoffs. Because we are one.

Nope, :177692: Feel free to ratchet back...I still believe, I MYSELF, HAVE NO QUIT IN my heart for the Seahawks.
Too damned many quitter fans :141847_bnono:

 

[chris98251]

That SB loss, was probably as good as we will be for a while.

Given what this team is doing and how the coaching staff is producing - it just does not make sense to count this team as a contender.

Admittedly, I didn't see them making the playoffs - mainly because the lack of pass rush (which ended up hurting us all year anyway) and the lack of OL.

At some point, you don't have the horses.

A lot of teams want to go to the SB, but it is ridiculous to think every team has a shot at it. And given what we know about the team, the holes, the weaknesses and proclivities of some members of the coaching staff - it probably was not reasonable to expect it either.

I think a lot of us bought into the "Wilson Magic" but some of that was created by defenses keying in on a once in a decade runningback, that allowed our QB a lot less people focusing on him. Wilson is still spectacular, but without the other threats and without an OL (or a coach that adjusts the playcalling to account for the weaknesses of the opposing defense)...asking Wilson to heroball us to the SB is kind of ridiculous.

Think back to the Packers teams where Rodgers kept them a threat but watching them you knew they really were not a serious threat to make the SB. Having a great QB is really important but it isn't enough, and to be fair - Wilson was pretty injured this year which might account for his below par performance even when supposedly healthy.

This is a team that needs to fill a lot of holes. And there are teams all over the NFL that have to fill holes. The idea we can just easily fill the gaps, as other teams don't is probably unreasonable.

We looked like a wildcard team all year and ended up looking like one in the playoffs. Because we are one.

Nope, :177692: Feel free to ratchet back...I still believe, I MYSELF, HAVE NO QUIT IN my heart for the Seahawks.
Too damned many quitter fans :141847_bnono:

Not quitters, many are fans that are not in denial that we need to improve aspects if we want to stay in the hunt going forward, this off season we will know if were seeing change effective to that continued level of competition.

 

[onepicknick]

If your expectations are SB or bust then you're setting yourself up for disappointment, even Patriots fans would have a hard time with expectations as high as that.

Look at the PCJS era:
70-41-1 regular season record in 7 years (average of 10 wins a year)
Made the play-offs 6 out of 7 times
9-5 play-off record (never one and done)
4 division titles
2 NFCCG wins
1 Superbowl

How in the world does this sound disappointing to anyone? If the next 7 years produced similar numbers I'd be incredibly happy and grateful.

If we have runs like the Pats I would take that heck I'll bet they win The SB just because of coaching.

On another note do you think we will still own the NFC west with Shanahan taking the HC job for the niners?

 

[AgentDib]

Not quitters, many are fans that are not in denial that we need to improve aspects if we want to stay in the hunt going forward...

I agree that the goal is always to improve, but any team that makes the playoffs is in the hunt. The line between playoff contender and playoff pretender is strictly imaginary deterministic nonsense. Of all the possibilities we merely see a single outcome, and our outcome could be better or worse in the future without changing a single thing simply due to unpredictability. Our single biggest improvement would be to secure the first round bye as that eliminates an entire round of results affected by randomness.

There is a probability distribution that represents even the 49ers chances at winning the Super Bowl next season and the goal for the Hawks this off-season is simply to make moves that pushes their distribution as far to the right as possible. Losing or winning the Super Bowl this year doesn't change that goal at all.

Last year this was a wild card team, not a contender. This year, this was a wild card team, not a contender.

I'm sure you remember the improbable but great comeback OT wins against the Bucs and Texans in 2013. Without those we don't have the first round bye, and it's entirely possible that we could have lost in the wildcard to the Packers, or in a road divisional @CAR or @SF. It's not like our home divisional game against the Saints was a sure thing even with them, let alone the NFCCG. Losing any of those wouldn't have changed our potential upside and losing divisional playoff games now doesn't mean we aren't contenders. The NFL is exciting because the single game playoff leads to upsets and uncertainty.

I haven't seen anybody suggest we shouldn't try to improve the team however we can. It's just possible to think that we should try to improve our chances without also claiming they are currently zero.

 

[irfuben32]

They gutted the o-line to pay for Harvin and then Graham (in money and picks) and it didn't work out. They gambled that Cable's coaching and Russell's scrambling would be enough to get by on and it wasn't.

 

[classicaaron]

I think the Hawks are a playoff team but not a real contender. Some of the teams that were ahead of them this year will also get better if the Hawks get better as well. And surely some teams may fall back down to earth but another team will just get hot, have the right schedule and fill the spot again anyways.

What really stood out to me was watching the patriots game they said 30 players were not on the last super bowl team. that is amazing they could get back with almost a new team so quickly. so obviously the patriots are doing something right in the draft and in free agency. Seattle has not hit in those areas and desperately need to turn it around to make it back as i think this is the biggest difference.