Seahawks are not in as bad a shape as folks think

[tweet]https://twitter.com/FiveThirtyEight/status/661036839441211392[/tweet]

Good to see, thanks for posting this.

No offense but they don't hand out playoff berths to stat leaders. You have to win games. We're 4-4 and until we beat the Cardinals or one of the 2nd-place teams in the NFC South or NFC North decides not to have a better record than we have, we're staying home.

If we do make it, we've already conceded the HFA ties to Carolina and Green Bay.

We're not dead, but we're in pretty bad shape.

KiwiHawk":yw2rx6j7 said:

No offense but they don't hand out playoff berths to stat leaders. You have to win games. We're 4-4 and until we beat the Cardinals or one of the 2nd-place teams in the NFC South or NFC North decides not to have a better record than we have, we're staying home.

If we do make it, we've already conceded the HFA ties to Carolina and Green Bay.

We're not dead, but we're in pretty bad shape.

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Those numbers are reflective of the fact that we easily could be 7-1 with the way we have played....and representative of our brutal first half schedule. Sometimes we need a larger sample size for the record to reflect the team.

They also are important because they indicate a high probability of a very good second half of the season now that the schedule is evening out.

You are right in that we will need some assistance if we dont end up catching AZ, but I think 10-6 is still a safe bet for the playoffs and quite attainable.

We've been in every game. That's the encouraging thing. This is not 2009 where our highlights consist solely of the occasional 30-yard run from Justin Forsett.

Sure we could be 7-1 but that doesn't get you to the playoffs. There's a 47% chance the team won't make it. I'm curious as to where the Hawks were standing at 3-3 last year.

Some good things:

The division is in the Hawks' hands to win/lose.

The defense except for a handful of plays has played well.

The second half schedule is a lot better.

Injured players are returning soon giving the team a healthy roster to start the second half.

The bad:

Russell has not been his usual self. Maybe this is his new normal. If it is the team is not going to make the playoffs.

Seafan":k4ww6dzw said:

Sure we could be 7-1 but that doesn't get you to the playoffs. There's a 47% chance the team won't make it. I'm curious as to where the Hawks were standing at 3-3 last year.

Some good things:

The division is in the Hawks' hands to win/lose.

The defense except for a handful of plays has played well.

The second half schedule is a lot better.

Injured players are returning soon giving the team a healthy roster to start the second half.

The bad:

Russell has not been his usual self. Maybe this is his new normal. If it is the team is not going to make the playoffs.

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No, but it explains why the models rank us so high despite our 4-4 record, and it illustrates the fact that the probability is high that we should be in the hunt in January.

Well, he DID prevent a touchdown...

The last time the Seahawks started the season 4-4 they barely lost to Atlanta in the playoffs. They should have won that game if not for the DC's terrible playcalling. They would have trounced SF. They would have beaten Baltimore. Seriously, we were 31 seconds away.

So we're in the hunt.

SalishHawkFan":2ub9deav said:

The last time the Seahawks started the season 4-4 they barely lost to Atlanta in the playoffs. They should have won that game if not for the DC's terrible playcalling. They would have trounced SF. They would have beaten Baltimore. Seriously, we were 31 seconds away.

So we're in the hunt.

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Agreed. And this year's defense is better in many ways but not depth wise. The offense on the other hand isn't anywhere close to that team.

SalishHawkFan":1sx77v4y said:

The last time the Seahawks started the season 4-4 they barely lost to Atlanta in the playoffs. They should have won that game if not for the DC's terrible playcalling. They would have trounced SF. They would have beaten Baltimore. Seriously, we were 31 seconds away.

So we're in the hunt.

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Probably would have won if the redskins field didn't eat ankles and knees

I think (hope) we're like the 2012 Ravens. Finish 10-6 and peak in the playoffs.

Lots of talent on this team. Some weird games so far. QB play needs to improve.

45Hawker":23gr4nfp said:

I think (hope) we're like the 2012 Ravens. Finish 10-6 and peak in the playoffs.

Lots of talent on this team. Some weird games so far. QB play needs to improve.

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.....and Russ knows it!

Let's just get into the playoffs . people we are not going to host the NFC championship game like we have done for the past 2 seasons we had too slow of a start let's win our division and go from there we can win go 11-5. If lucky 12-4 .