Why the seattle seahawks will regain the NFC West crown this year

Much has been said about the 49ers and how improved their offense is and as we all know there monster Defence.
But apart from the QB battle and those new uniforms , not much has been said about the team from the pacific northwest.

Improved QB play

The obvious thing that may result in Seattle regaining the crown is improved Qb play, last year Seattle incumbent starter Tarvaris Jackson went 7-7 in his 14 starts( Charlie Whitehurst a.k.a Clipboard Jesus went 0-2 in his 2 starts). even though T-Jax didn’t have a losing record, it wasn't a winning one either. here steps in Matt Flynn and Russell Wilson. matt Flynn led the GB packers to a win in his only start last year against the Detroit Lions, doesn’t sound that impressive does it?, lets also throw in the 480 yards and 6 Touchdowns, impressive isn’t it? Matt Flynn doesn’t have to play to this level, nay half this level to be an improvement on Tarvaris Jackson. This performance may have earnt him the $21 million 3 year deal with Seattle, which will hopefully pay off, however if this doesn’t pay-off and Flynn is a bust then there is Russell Wilson. Wilson broke NCAA record while in his final season with the Wisconsin Badger throwing for 33 Touchdown to only 4 Interceptions , however due to his height (5,11) he didn't seem a round 1 pick, although Drew brees who hold the record for Passing yards in a season is only 6ft, 3 CMs taller than Wilson, it is expected that Wilson will sit out the first few years and learn behind Flynn and T-Jax, however if called upon Wilson should be capable of being a QB in the NFl.

Underrated WRs

When people think of elite WR corps teams like the Green bay Packers spring to mind, but Seattle is hardly mentioned, Sidney rice may be described as a bust by some only after 1 season in Seattle in which he ended up on injured reserve, however, he has added 12 lbs of muscle, which in the past has helped others avoid injury, and should give Seattle a full 16 games out of there no1 WR. Also this year 2nd year player Doug Baldwin should continue emerging as one of Seattle’s leading WR, the undrafted product from Stanford lead Seattle in receiving in his rookie season and is only set to continue his fine performance, and hopefully with improved play at the Qb position will receive more targets and more yards. Finally comes another undrafted WR from 2011, Ricardo 'the rocket' Lockette, despite only playing in 2 games and only having 2 catches in total, he still managed 105 receiving yards and one TD, and 61 yard juggling catch @ Arizona . This only gives whoever is starting at Qb in 2012 another option, it gives them a legitimate, under the radar deep threat.http://www.nfl.com/videos/arizona-cardinals/09000d5d825a100e/QB-Jackson-to-WR-Lockette-61-yd-pass-TD.

Improved O-line

For the last few years the offensive line in Seattle has been in shambles, with multiple different combination not only being used, but the majority of the time failing, however in recent times, new offensive line coach, Tom Cable, former HC of the Oakland raiders has improved the offensive lines fortunes, near the end of last season, despite missing starters Okung, Moffit and Carpenter the offensive line still played to a high standard, and being part of the reason n that there was such a sudden improvement in the performance of Seattle’s run game, and it can only be set to improve with the return of key Starter Russell Okung , Okung so far in his career has shut down pass rushers such as Julius Peppers and has done an excellent job( when fit) of protect whoever the QB is, blind side, however he has been described as injury prone, but i seem to remember a former Seahawks LT as being Described as injury prone early in his career.

Stellar Secondary

Seattle’s secondary is one of the most elite units currently in the NFL, this is highlighted by both of its pro bowl safeties, Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor, last year these who combined for 6 interceptions and 186 tackles, however there is more than meets the eye, despite his size, Chancellor is very manoeuvrable but if mostly known for his hard hitting style, with has earnt him the nickname Bam Bam Kam, and despite Thomas’s 4.37 speed he is also a hard hitter and excels in stopping the run as well as pass coverage. Although there is more to Seattle’s secondary then this, Pro Bowl Corner back Brandon browner and All-Rookie CB Richard Sherman, the latter of which was statistically the best rookie corner in most meaningful coverage stats, also in the wings is experienced veteran Marcus Trufant, Walter Thurmond and Winston Guy, the latter will likley play the 3rd safety in some of Seattle’s defensive schemes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtnIzyWSYO8&feature=player_embedded

Improved pass rush

Seattle Have been much criticized for their first round pick by many even though it makes perfect sense, Irvin was not draft to be a 3 down player, only a situational pass rusher, of which he was the best available, if he returns Clemons and Irvin will work together on passing down and hopefully will reap havoc on the opposition, creating more pressure leading to more sacks and errors by the opposition, stopping the run will be the responsibility of Red Bryant, Seattle’s run stuffing Kick Blocking machine. Also the free agent signing of Jason Jones will only better the pass rush, hopefully ticking the last box to turn the 9th overall defence into a top 5 overall defence

And Finally.....

THE RETURN OF THE BEAST.
The Seahawks managed to resigned probably there only offensive play maker from last year, Marshawn Lynch, despite having a poor start The Beast lead the league in rushing down the stretch and also broke a Franchise record of getting 1 TD in 11 straight games, not even the great Shaun Alexander could do that, the contact with Lynch signs also fit both parties well, lynch gets a ton of cash and the contract expires when Lynch turns 30, the usual dropping off age of many HBs.

This Shows all the reason why the Seahawks may regain the divisional Crown from the 49ers in the 2012 season.

How improved will the QB play? We really don't know. I don't think Flynn will be a huge success, but we'll see. They could do it but I wouldn't be too optimistic.

Hey Cherries where did you get this from? Must be some sort of joke site or something...

Reckon there's more chance of a Giants repeat than a Seahawks division title.

Still don't get the Flynn hype. He's played 2 games.

Rice has really only produced with Favre

Okungs already injured iirc

Also Marshawn Lynch has only ever really produced in a contract year. The highlight runs aside, he really isn't that good.

Agree about Lynch, very overrated, need to see him stay at that level for 2-3 seasons before judging him. The secondary of Seattle is great but they were found out by shifty receivers, the corners are huge but that isn't always a good thing. Sidney rice is also overrated, only had one good year in Minnesota. Seattle is an up and coming team but its unfortunate that the niners also happen to be a young team with a coach that has Pete Carrols number I actually see St Louis as more of a threat

got to remember than seattle almosthad the 49ers in both games.
1stgames score was only because ted ginn and we were driving for the win atCL until mr t-jax fumbled

49ers have improved a fair bit as well. Jacobs and LaMichael James not to mention Gore. Have brought in Moss and drafted a WR or two as well.


A bit weird how so much chat is gnerated by the Seahawks but other articles get ignored

i also nevermentionedhow flynn or wilson will revitise mike williams

Olly wrote:Hey Cherries where did you get this from? Must be some sort of joke site or something...

what parts of what imentions are jokes?

Agree with pretty much everything said so far as I really dont see Flynn really reaching your expectations cherries, two games with the Packers to a full season with Seattle are pretty different situations. Also really dont believe Rice is underrated constant injury problems and just one good year thanks to Favre, in my opinion calling him underrated is overrating him. Doug Baldwin could easily disappoint quite a lot of players have exceeded expectations in a Rookie year to fall below the now raised expectations.

Plus 49ers should improve offensively and still have the solid defence and who knows what the Rams will do with all of their picks.

cherriesfan wrote:

Olly wrote:Hey Cherries where did you get this from? Must be some sort of joke site or something...

what parts of what imentions are jokes?

Cherries be honest with me. Did you write that?

yes

So how come you can spell perfectly on there but never ever before?

because i used speel check

'Almost' doesn't mean anything, the patriots 'almost' beat the Giants but it didn't mean that they played the better game. I only care about wins and although I don't expect as many as last year, I think the niners have the better players. If you look at all players on both rosters, how many on seattle would be starters for the niners. Maybe lynch but I would take the niners committee of RB's over him and maybe one of their cornerbacks to pair with Rogers. The safeties on both teams are maybe at about the same level. I don't think Carroll is that great of a coach too and I find it hard to believe he can mastermind a division win. The only hope for Seattle is that the 49ers have a really tough schedule and that they could suffer a sophomore slump under Harbaugh(unlikely though)

Sorry Niners but id take both Seattle safeties.

Yeah I have to agree on the safeties. Seattle's safeties are better than the 49ers IMO.

niner wrote:'Almost' doesn't mean anything, the patriots 'almost' beat the Giants but it didn't mean that they played the better game. I only care about wins and although I don't expect as many as last year, I think the niners have the better players. If you look at all players on both rosters, how many on seattle would be starters for the niners. Maybe lynch but I would take the niners committee of RB's over him and maybe one of their cornerbacks to pair with Rogers. The safeties on both teams are maybe at about the same level. I don't think Carroll is that great of a coach too and I find it hard to believe he can mastermind a division win. The only hope for Seattle is that the 49ers have a really tough schedule and that they could suffer a sophomore slump under Harbaugh(unlikely though)

if youlook whatcarroll has done over the last 2 yearsand its amazing, taken a teamn of old washed up vets and turned it into , one of the youngest mostexicting rosters in the NFL, him a scnieder are also masters of day 3 of the draft and scouting

When talking about the likes of Doug Baldwin, beware the Mike Williams syndrome (Buccaneers WR). You don't know the full capabilities of a WR until aroudn 3 years into his career.


Enjoy Winslow b!tching to Flynn when he doesn't throw him the ball.

I think the Seattle safeties are more talented but based on last seasons play alone, I'd take Goldson and Whitner over most safeties in the league. Earl Thomas and Eric Berry will be the best fs and ss in the league within a few years

Just think Carroll is overrated. He has had an average 5 or 6 years in the league, lost more games than he has won, and failed with the Patriots and Jets. His cover up and further refusal to help the NCAA investigate his own wrong-doings don't improve my opinion of him either. he jumped ship straight after the scandal was caught out.

Chancellor hands down over Whitner, younger and far more dynamic.

have to take Thomas over Goldson too, never particularly rated hi m before this year

h

Honestly have to agree with Chancellor over Whitner but although I'd take Thomas over Goldson for the long haul, you would struggle to find a better safety than Goldson last year. But it's only one year. Whitner's leadership more than makes up for his lack of skills though, he delivered every time he was needed and he is more athletic than given credit for. It'll be interesting to see if Chancellor even stays at safety because he is so big, don't know if he has already been used as a bandit.

Goldson was possibly the best safety in the league last year. Looking towards the future you would say Chancellor and Thomas but now it probably is Goldson and Whitner. There's too much NFC West talk in here. The worst division getting the most talk...... I'd have hopes of Barron becoming Thomas like, he is almost a lock to perform solidly. Possible pro-bowler and at his best he could be All-Pro(not rookie year more than likely), potential DROTY I'd say. Can cover TEs and with Gonzalez/Graham that's a big plus

I won't lie, Barron was massively overdrafted. He was a borderline first before people realised the safety group was complete **** this year.

Barron is more like Chancellor, nothing like Thomas really. Think Barron is good but agree with him being overdrafted, just look at Harrison Smith (like him though) going in the first and Wilson going in the second, the safety class was bad.

He was overdrafted but that doesn't change the fact that he is a very good and olid player. He won't be a bust. You can guarantee it. Also I would say there are some similarities between the Red Barron and Thomas. Both are solid tacklers, fast and can be great hitters. Barron is a solid cover guy and he is good on the run. Havign Ronde Barber back there could be a problem though. Thomas was left covering the deep part of the field but Barron roams a bit like a linebacker. Could be a John Lynch the Bucs need

I think at best hes a good in the box safety. Don't think he'll ever be that adept in coverage

Don't think Barron could ever be a bust either (Not many Bama players are), just find it strange than he was a 25-30 pick a month before the draft. It hink Barron will be pretty good but he lacks the athletcism of guys like Thomas

the section i thought would cause no debate
caused the most

niner wrote:Don't think Barron could ever be a bust either (Not many Bama players are), just find it strange than he was a 25-30 pick a month before the draft. It hink Barron will be pretty good but he lacks the athletcism of guys like Thomas

You see that with a lot of players though. Poe, Irvin, that fella Jenkins the 49ers drafted. I suppose Tannehill to seem extent.


Cherries, I don't get it either there's feck all talk on other teams but this generates a shedload. Nothing when I talk about the Bu cs like.

The discussion always rages on when the honeybadgers are mentioned

Nobody cares about the Bucs tho

Who do you support again GSC?



In a few years time people will care about the Bucs, hopefully they won't be the Yucs anymore. I think they have the bones of a very competitive team, need about 2 more drafts to get it right.

Eagles

Nobody remembers the power rankings from the original 606?

I only got into the 606 Af towards the end. There's feic all people on the V2 AF section though, a recruitment drive is needed!

cherriesfan wrote:the section i thought would cause no debate
caused the most

That's because its so unbelievably wrong!! Give me a minute to read through and I will give you a proper response!

Well I said a minute, I might have meant a couple of hours.

1. Remember Kevin Kolb? Matt Cassell? These guys looked really good playing for high powered offences in the little game time they had. Since then, how good have both of them been? Flynn may well turn out to be a top QB, but he is still working his way into a new offence, and has only started a couple of games, where he had Green Bay's O Line and receivers around him! As for Russell Wilson, well for every Drew Brees, there are probably another 30 short QBs who haven't made the grade. Again, he might turn out to be quality, but he is still a rookie and if he has to play due to an injury, I would be surprised if he was to be adequate

2. Doug Baldwin had a half decent rookie season, but needs to show it over a couple of years. There have been plenty of WRs who have one good year, then fail to show much. One example of that is Sidney Rice, he had a great year with Favre, but other than that he has been rather toilet. That one year accounted for close to half of his career receiving yards and touchdowns

Sidney Rice Career Stats

Year Games Rec Yards Y/R TDs
2007 13 31 396 12.8 4
2008 13 15 141 9.4 4
2009 16 83 1,312 15.8 8
2010 6 17 280 16.5 2
2011 9 32 484 15.1 2
Total - 57 178 2,613 14.7 20

As for the 3rd guy you mentioned, well there are probably receivers with that kind of highlight play on every team in the league!

3. Personally I haven't been that impressed with the Offensive lines that Cable has coached, his line at Oakland was never that good, but towards the end of last season I will admit the run game was good. I also don't think Okung is as good as he was advertised to be when drafted, but as you say he has been disrupted by injury. I still fancy Justin and Aldon Smith against your O line, as I do against nearly any line in the league.

4. I will give you the secondary, they have a quality set of starting safeties, and the two main corners look pretty good too.

5. Again the pass rush looks decent, I do think that the defence on the whole is going to be top 10 for sure

6. The Beast needs to show that he can play at that level even when his contract isn't on the line.

As it happens I have a feeling that the Seahawks might nick a wildcard, but I still can't see them beating the mighty Niners!!!

It took you 3 hours to read through it?


Would agree with most of that, except Kolb wasn't even that great with Philly. Seahawks are a dark horse but I wouldn't be confident backing them. In other NFC dvisions I could see Chicago, Carolina and Philadelphia winning out.

Thomond wrote:It took you 3 hours to read through it?


Would agree with most of that, except Kolb wasn't even that great with Philly. Seahawks are a dark horse but I wouldn't be confident backing them. In other NFC dvisions I could see Chicago, Carolina and Philadelphia winning out.

Ha! I read it then went off and forgot about it!

I have a feeling the NFC wildcard race is going to be seriously tight, there are at least 3 teams in each of the 4 divisions that could be feasibly called playoff contenders

Cardinals are more likely than Seattle

Don't take Carolina that seriously

One of Detroit/Chicago will have a down year

bambamwillis wrote:Well I said a minute, I might have meant a couple of hours.

1. Remember Kevin Kolb? Matt Cassell? These guys looked really good playing for high powered offences in the little game time they had. Since then, how good have both of them been? Flynn may well turn out to be a top QB, but he is still working his way into a new offence, and has only started a couple of games, where he had Green Bay's O Line and receivers around him! As for Russell Wilson, well for every Drew Brees, there are probably another 30 short QBs who haven't made the grade. Again, he might turn out to be quality, but he is still a rookie and if he has to play due to an injury, I would be surprised if he was to be adequate

2. Doug Baldwin had a half decent rookie season, but needs to show it over a couple of years. There have been plenty of WRs who have one good year, then fail to show much. One example of that is Sidney Rice, he had a great year with Favre, but other than that he has been rather toilet. That one year accounted for close to half of his career receiving yards and touchdowns

Sidney Rice Career Stats

Year Games Rec Yards Y/R TDs
2007 13 31 396 12.8 4
2008 13 15 141 9.4 4
2009 16 83 1,312 15.8 8
2010 6 17 280 16.5 2
2011 9 32 484 15.1 2
Total - 57 178 2,613 14.7 20

As for the 3rd guy you mentioned, well there are probably receivers with that kind of highlight play on every team in the league!

3. Personally I haven't been that impressed with the Offensive lines that Cable has coached, his line at Oakland was never that good, but towards the end of last season I will admit the run game was good. I also don't think Okung is as good as he was advertised to be when drafted, but as you say he has been disrupted by injury. I still fancy Justin and Aldon Smith against your O line, as I do against nearly any line in the league.

4. I will give you the secondary, they have a quality set of starting safeties, and the two main corners look pretty good too.

5. Again the pass rush looks decent, I do think that the defence on the whole is going to be top 10 for sure

6. The Beast needs to show that he can play at that level even when his contract isn't on the line.

As it happens I have a feeling that the Seahawks might nick a wildcard, but I still can't see them beating the mighty Niners!!!

Rice is mroe out of hope,he has been injured nearly every season he played,soif he can stay healthey he may be good again, that said before he got injured he was our leading WR.
and at one point last year in 1 game
he had 55 more yards and 2 less INTs than T-Jax