Will this team be better than last year?

[kidhawk]

If the season started tomorrow we would not be the "world beaters" we were last year but we will be the 1 or 2 seed and a West crown. I don't see any of the other west teams over taking us (although with everyone of there moves they have all gotten better). We might only win the Super bowl by 2 touchdowns next year

To be totally honest, the only problem I foresee for next season (as things are right now) is winning the West. The winner of the NFC west should still be favored to win it all, no matter who it is. I still think we have to be the favorites, but it wasn't the cake walk many people make it out to be. The Niners were nipping at our heels and the Rams and Cardinals are both improving. This division is where the toughest NFL defenses reside and it's not going to be easy.

It is the very toughness of the West that may hamper the Seahawks. The Saints will be improved over the 2013 version and the Panthers are far worse. That scenario could very well give the Saints the #1 seed over whichever team comes out of the West, which could very well spoil the Hawks' chances at a repeat.

I absolutely expect you to think that. Heck, I'd be disappointed if you didn't. You could even be right, but I still think the conferences best defenses are in the west and defenses still win championships and defenses do better on the road than offenses.

 

[MysterMatt]

As for the D? It's also gone backwards with the loss of at least two key components, McDonald and Clemons.

Clemons provided very little last season and McDonald was a preseason roster cut. Yet, you refer to them as key components. McDonald was the beneficiary of Avril and Bennett's production.

Spare me the tripe about Scruggs, etc, those are just bodies who've yet to really prove anything.

McDonald was a "Body that had yet to really prove anything." In fact, very little was ever expected of him after swapping Kelly Jennings for him. McDaniel was also an unknown and unproven player last season after signing a minimal free agent contract out of Miami.

Not sure why you are so down after watching "nobodies" in the same positions last year do what you are so willing to dismiss as likely to happen this season.

Because the past is not a good tool to predict the future, for starters.

 

[joeshaney]

I think that after all is said and done (free agency isn't over yet, draft, undrafted, camp battled, potential trades) our defense will be as good and our offense may be a hair better.

However, our depth will be heavily tested. Our team was relatively healthy on defense and our entire team was very deep. This is more than a minor concern for me. Overall, I'm concerned with our OLine and pass rush depth the most. Also, it doesn't appear that we have anybody viable to step in if any of our corners go down.

 

[jblaze]

As for the D? It's also gone backwards with the loss of at least two key components, McDonald and Clemons.

Clemons provided very little last season and McDonald was a preseason roster cut. Yet, you refer to them as key components. McDonald was the beneficiary of Avril and Bennett's production.

Spare me the tripe about Scruggs, etc, those are just bodies who've yet to really prove anything.

McDonald was a "Body that had yet to really prove anything." In fact, very little was ever expected of him after swapping Kelly Jennings for him. McDaniel was also an unknown and unproven player last season after signing a minimal free agent contract out of Miami.

Not sure why you are so down after watching "nobodies" in the same positions last year do what you are so willing to dismiss as likely to happen this season.

Because the past is not a good tool to predict the future, for starters.

You have that backwards.

 

[AsylumGuido]

If the season started tomorrow we would not be the "world beaters" we were last year but we will be the 1 or 2 seed and a West crown. I don't see any of the other west teams over taking us (although with everyone of there moves they have all gotten better). We might only win the Super bowl by 2 touchdowns next year

To be totally honest, the only problem I foresee for next season (as things are right now) is winning the West. The winner of the NFC west should still be favored to win it all, no matter who it is. I still think we have to be the favorites, but it wasn't the cake walk many people make it out to be. The Niners were nipping at our heels and the Rams and Cardinals are both improving. This division is where the toughest NFL defenses reside and it's not going to be easy.

It is the very toughness of the West that may hamper the Seahawks. The Saints will be improved over the 2013 version and the Panthers are far worse. That scenario could very well give the Saints the #1 seed over whichever team comes out of the West, which could very well spoil the Hawks' chances at a repeat.

Regardless of whether or not the Saints get the first seed, they can't play with the NFCW be it the niners or the Hawks. I don't care if the game is in NO, there is no way that's happening. Playing against tough competition all year like we'll have to will make us better and much more capable to stomp finesse teams like the Saints.

In case you forgot, that "finesse" team beat the Niners last year, played a fairly tight game in the divisional series in Seattle, and the off-season moves to date for the Saints have been geared toward more physicality on both sides of the ball.

 

[Atradees]

New team every year really. I would expect some of that with success.

The key component to this team is Russell Wilson.

Getting back to the superbowl can be a matter of inches.

McDonald was our biggest lost in my opinion. Clemons is also a good player still.

Guys are gonna catch a few passes because of the all star QB.

 

[ZagHawk]

If the season started tomorrow we would not be the "world beaters" we were last year but we will be the 1 or 2 seed and a West crown. I don't see any of the other west teams over taking us (although with everyone of there moves they have all gotten better). We might only win the Super bowl by 2 touchdowns next year

Did we all forget that the Niners are returning pretty much their entire team next season? that they were 1 catch away from beating us in our own house, and that was with the previous 2 turnovers. CK will continue to get better. Arizona beat us in our own house, they're not getting any worse. That the Rams are certainly getting better. Re-watching the NFCCG it definitely was one of the few games where I felt a lot of the iffy calls went our way for once. Just saying the NFC West is not a lock. And sadly #5 seed no matter how hot you are going into the playoffs is not an easy road to the Super Bowl (ask the Niners).

 

[Hawks46]

If the season started tomorrow we would not be the "world beaters" we were last year but we will be the 1 or 2 seed and a West crown. I don't see any of the other west teams over taking us (although with everyone of there moves they have all gotten better). We might only win the Super bowl by 2 touchdowns next year

To be totally honest, the only problem I foresee for next season (as things are right now) is winning the West. The winner of the NFC west should still be favored to win it all, no matter who it is. I still think we have to be the favorites, but it wasn't the cake walk many people make it out to be. The Niners were nipping at our heels and the Rams and Cardinals are both improving. This division is where the toughest NFL defenses reside and it's not going to be easy.

It is the very toughness of the West that may hamper the Seahawks. The Saints will be improved over the 2013 version and the Panthers are far worse. That scenario could very well give the Saints the #1 seed over whichever team comes out of the West, which could very well spoil the Hawks' chances at a repeat.

Yeah, well I would also expect the Falcons and Bucs to get better too. Which may keep you from the one seed, but will still make your team better in the long run.
I don't think a tough division is ever a detriment, unless it costs a team the playoffs. A string of SB victors over the last 10 years like the Giants, Ravens, Steelers came out of brutal divisions as 3 and 4 seeds.

I agree. Iron sharpens Iron. Look at the Superbowl, it's the perfect example. The Broncos were the most dominant team in the AFC and beat some pretty good teams, and beat them handily. They seemed to be much more dominant than Seattle did in their playoff run. Thing is, we're so used to playing at an ultra high intensity in division games that Denver seemed easy to the Hawks. It wasn't just individual matchups, it was intensity and physicality.

It's hard to imagine the Falcons being worse, although I don't see them getting more physical. Tampa is going to give a lot of teams trouble this year; they are much tougher on defense. Carolina might not be as good, but they didn't lose much on defense and that defense is still elite. I like NO's moves so far this offseason; you probably have the 2nd best Safety tandem in the league, but I still don't think the Saints can match the Hawks sheer physicality at this point.

 

[Anthony!]

To me as of right now we are not as good. Reasons, d-line, o-line, maybe wr. If things remain as is, the only way we can say were are better, is if they open up the offense, and let RW throw the ball more. We can offset some of the d-lien by keeping the defense form having to be on the field a lot or by scoring a lot. To do that we need to throw more, and to do that they need to let RW be Rw all the time, not just sometimes. Doing this would also give time for the o-line time to jell. As to WR I believe we might be okay as I think the CFL ROY guy the 6' 5" guy might turn out to be pretty good and add in Harvin, Baldwin, and what I think will be a much more used Kearse might be darn good. All that said the key is letting the offense loose.

 

[HawkFan72]

In case you forgot, that "finesse" team beat the Niners last year, played a fairly tight game in the divisional series in Seattle, and the off-season moves to date for the Saints have been geared toward more physicality on both sides of the ball.

I agree the Saints look good. Before we beat the Saints last year, we all said they were our biggest competition for the #1 seed and there were some (me included) who were not confident in a victory over them.

Saints are really good and could easily be the #1 or #2 seed next year.

 

[SouthSoundHawk]

There isn't even a set roster...

Ask this again when teams have to cut down to 53.

It's kind of silly to make up ones mind before knowing all the facts. I hope this isn't how any of you approach voting, haha.

 

[Anonymous]

Yes, at around May 5th or so.

Next question?

 

[Russ Willstrong]

Winning it all last year means we have a template for success. The experience, chemistry and confidence from winning the title gives us an edge going forward. Every team has a weakness so we just need to understand ours and minimize it. Last year it was our O Line and receivers not getting open yet we seemed to improve somewhat. We scratched and clawed to win many games last year so to say we can't be better this year may not be accurate. Fact is that we didn't play up to our talent/potential most of the season last year. We may have lost some good talent this year but play better because of our experience and progress as a young hungry championship team.

 

[loafoftatupu]

I think the team will be better if they remain fairly healthy. They lost some of that guaranteed depth that was so favorable.

Many of the players are only getting better because of their experience. So many kids that are still growing.

 

[Rainger]

Here's hoping. In PC and JS I trust.

Better does not absolutely mean winning the SB again or even having the best record. The team can be better with not as good as an outcome based on other factors. But I am waiting for it.

The Team has gotten better every year that Pete has been here. The 7-9 team in his second year was much more talented (and better) than the first year 7-9 team.

A 12 and 4 team can actually be better than the 13-3 team this year. It is all in perspective.

Yes they can be better.

 

[theascension]

Everyone is going to know and study Seattle intensely after such a stunning Superbowl win. I think we'll have to get better on offense, we'll still be very stifling defensively but Wilson has to get some protection. If he gets protection and PH is healthy.. absolutely I think we start having less frustratingly close games where we kept settling for field goals.

Let's not forget the defense put us in amazing situations every game and only allowed an average of 1 TD a game or so and we still couldn't put up a ton of points.

4 interceptions in the Arizona game and we couldn't get it going. Re-watching the game Russell Wilson was clearly bothered by his shoulder injury, overthrowing a lot. A healthy Wilson, a healthy O-line are the biggest key to being better. I don't have much doubt on our defense, core guys are there still.

 

[drdiags]

To be determined. Right now with the natural churn of the roster, some fine players have moved on. Others were part of the grit that made the Seahawks those junk yard dogs they are. Of the remaining Seahawks FA or cuts, I see MRob moving on. Maybe O'Brien Schofield or Rice gets picked up later in the offseason but I doubt it. I need to see one of the young OLs take on the enforcer role Breno had. I need to see which DL can bring the physical nature stopping the run that Red and Clemons did. I need to see the youth on the squad start being productive and until that happens I say the answer is no, this team will not be better than the Superbowl champs.

Not one move made has shocked me, I agree with them but they hurt because a lot of those guys were in the mud with us fans, when the team was a laughingstock as a 7-9 division winner. I look forward to the new guys making their presence known, because in time, Earl, Sherman and Russell will be leaving this team over the next decade or so. It is how it goes.

I remember a couple of years ago when the forum was discussing the 4/5 year plan and what it would look like. Looks pretty darn good. Can only imagine what the next 4 years will have to show. I know the journey is just starting.