2-10

That is the Seahawks record in September away games in the Pete Carroll Era.

I am sure this has been brought up somewhere among the many threads here but I find that to be a very incriminating record. I don't know why this team struggles so much in September, but they sure do have a knack for turning it around somewhere mid-season and being one of the most feared teams to face late in the season.

I guess Pete is right after all. It's not how you start, it's how you finish. This team has been a living, breathing symbol of that paradigm.

X's and O's aside for a moment, I sure do wish this team would get off to a hot start and maintain that momentum for a change. These early season L's are often the difference between having to go on the road in the playoffs or coming through Seattle.

Todd, I agree but what would the 12s bitch about then?

It seems we are never satisfied these days.

I do know this about myself, I'd rather see a slow start with a strong finish than the other way around.


I'm currently sitting outside smoking a cigar and drinking a nice IPA, was actually contemplating what it will feel like if we lose tomorrow. 1-2 is not the start I want but if it means we go 11-2 the rest of the way, I'll take it.

Thanks for putting things in perspective. Both of you.

I'll add this just cuz.

I've marked an "L" down for tomorrow but between the sunset, a few good beers, and the new kicks that my girls bought me, I don't seem to be worried about tomorrow.




Obviously that may change come the AM but for now I'm thinking we'll be ok.

GoHawks

#noslowstarts

Slow starts and fast finishes historically haven't gotten it done for us. Further emphasizing the importance of a fast start, those two September road wins both came in 2013, the year in which we tied our best-ever record, secured HFA, and won the SB. Surely that's not a coincidence. The old saying "It's not how you start, it's how you finish" can be motivational after a rough start but has proven to be false. Fast starts matter.

2-10 is horrific

I agree that is what this team does, but can't agree that Pete is right about it. There are only 16 games and each one of them count the same as the next, September games are as important as December games (conceding that opponents might play into weight of win/loss) If they had won, a very winnable game, in LA they would have been #2 seed in playoffs which makes all the difference for this team.

Also of note - the two wins came in 2013, the SB year and even then they were both close games @CAR and @HOU.

Other than 2013 Pete has never won a September road game?? Inexcusable.

Saw an article arguing that the Seahawks' increasing reliance on UDFAs and low draft picks for depth contributes to their slow starts each year.

It makes for a nice story, but I think it's probably just random chance.

^^^
You may very well be right. But, slow starts do give the faint of heart and pessimists something to worry about and fret over. So, it does address those needs. :229031_shrug:

Soooooo......since we have not won a road game in September in the past four years, we are not likely to win today?
Since we do not play to our potential on "grass", we're not likely to win today as well? So the odds are against us.
Since my satisfaction with the direction of the front office of the NFL is quickly slipping, I may be spending less time on this message board......shame. I love winning Seahawk football.with the Offense marching down the field and scoring.
The last two game have made me nauseous. If we do not improve our running game we might well start out with a 2-3 record this year.

Fans are diversified. Some can't wait for the preseason to be over with. Some are uncomfortable in September but love December. A few don't even begin to watch until November / December. And then there are those that don't check in until the playoffs.

In contrast, there are those who look forward to the building process and assembly of a team. For them, the preseason and September / October is of great interest. I'm one of them. So win or lose today, I am once again enjoying the building process. Building today to finish strong and compete, once again, in a sudden death playoff.

We're all different and unique with our Seahawks experience.

The idea that it is "not how you start, it's how you finish" is built into the framework of the coaching, as one governing philosophy. The results speak to that approach.

Any knowledgable long distance runner knows not to burn himself out at the beginning of a race, as does the highly skilled boxer in the early rounds of a fight. Most organisms of finite resource seek to climax with gusto. So too are Seahawks players taught the importance of finishing strong. They know the season is over four-months long, and that they would rather be playing well in January (during the playoffs) than in September.

There are more practical explanations for this trend having to do with the general offensive struggles at the beginning of the season. As a defense-oriented coach, most of Carroll's fingerprints are left on that side of the ball. Carroll is a coaching genius, especially as compared to his offensive assistants over the years. However, the offensive coaches are empowered with more autonomy because those are the areas of the team more disassociated from his defensive expertise. As a result, Carroll's defenses tend to dominate his offenses during training camp practices. The offense basically starts out playing behind the eight ball, needing to build on their confidence and rhythm as the season progresses.

Has Ludakrishna popped in yet to remind us that we're playing on grass? Because that hasn't been brought up enough yet.

pmedic920":9j6vth1i said:

Todd, I agree but what would the 12s bitch about then?

It seems we are never satisfied these days.

I do know this about myself, I'd rather see a slow start with a strong finish than the other way around.

I'm currently sitting outside smoking a cigar and drinking a nice IPA, was actually contemplating what it will feel like if we lose tomorrow. 1-2 is not the start I want but if it means we go 11-2 the rest of the way, I'll take it.

Click to expand...

Already finished my Diesel this morning with one of those Bloody Mary things.

Just to keep things even, doesn't the team take games one at a time. "Go 1-0 every week" is what they say. So with that in mind, fans are allowed that point of view.

The only difference being that fans are not privy to the inside story. We fans have no way of really knowing the actual game plan and what part of it did or did not work. We can only assume from observation of what we see. Some people in here are pretty good at dissecting things based on what is seen but the total picture is still not a known fact.

Just something to ponder over during those sunsets and cigars.
:|

This ones got a bad smell about it