So much for our backloaded schedule

[RiverDog]

I'm never going to be accused of counting my chickens before they hatch, but we have the easiest schedule of all 32 teams in the league....and this was supposed to be a backloaded schedule with our toughest games coming in the 2nd half. But as of today, we don't have a single team in our stretch run that has a winning record.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... -schedule/

The Panthers, Cards, ands Packers, all playoff participants last season, are all floundering while the 49'ers and Rams both suck as we expected them to.

Just goes to show you the difficulty of trying to handicap an NFL schedule in August.

[NorthHawk]

The teams you noted are all dangerous teams and could easily win if we are beat up and not playing some of our core players.

[RiverDog]

The teams you noted are all dangerous teams and could easily win if we are beat up and not playing some of our core players.

Agreed. I was speaking strictly from a won-loss perspective.

[jshawaii22]

I'm never going to be accused of counting my chickens before they hatch, but we have the easiest schedule of all 32 teams in the league....and this was supposed to be a backloaded schedule with our toughest games coming in the 2nd half. But as of today, we don't have a single team in our stretch run that has a winning record.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... -schedule/

The Panthers, Cards, ands Packers, all playoff participants last season, are all floundering while the 49'ers and Rams both suck as we expected them to.

Just goes to show you the difficulty of trying to handicap an NFL schedule in August.

Yeah, the schedule, when it came out wasn't exactly praised by any of us. "The Rams Suck" --- RD, you do remember that they keep beating us and making us look pretty bad each time. On Any Given Sunday. We are playing GB in the middle of Winter, again. Anything can happen. However, 13-2-1 has a nice ring to it. The teams that are doing well this year, the GMen, 'Skins and Detroit can all be beat, especially if they are all in the Northwest. Going to be hard to catch Dallas.

I'd like to play Oakland in the SB. That's my dream. I might have to bust out the American Express Card for the tix and air plane to Houston.

[monkey]

Good thread Riv you're exactly right about handicapping in September. It's nigh unto pointless.
Barring injuries to too many key players we will be heavily favored in all remaining games.

Btw, not to root my own horn but, I told you guys that the Packers were the NFL's most overrated team, I told you guys that they would miss the playoffs, and all the talk would be about firing their useless coach (I'm standing by my prediction that he will be fired after the season).
I told you guys that the Cardinals also were overrated and could miss the playoffs.
I think mostly I got a bunch of eye rolls from people here and at other sites I post at.
Nationally, the media had the Packers and Cardinals as HUGE favorites to compete against New England in the Super Bowl.
Now we get to play them both as HUGE favorites and all I can do is laugh and say, "Told you so!"
Normally I feel a twinge of guilt when tooting my own horn in predictions, but when I NAIL two teams that are the two most popular picks to go to the Superbowl, then I revel in it.

[HumanCockroach]

Monkey, a LOT of us have been calling the Packers that for a long time. Truth is, they have no defense every year, and the last two, no running game.

I could say the same about Arizona and Carolina as well. Coming into the season it was a shoo in that these two would once again be vying for the SB( at least if you listened to anyone that could shout in a microphones general direction), with Carolina running away with it because of the return of their true #1 receiver and Can't ( the epitome of overrated) growth and development ( LMFAO LAST season was the anomaly, not the norm).

[RiverDog]

I have to defend the media and talking heads. As far as these predictions go, they were simply reflecting the opinion of the masses. It's only natural to pick teams that did well in the previous season to repeat that performance in the following season.

I'd be interested in a preseason prediction of a breakout team, defined as one that failed to make the playoffs in recent years that did so this season. IMO the Raiders are the best team to fit within that category.

[c_hawkbob]

I have to defend the media and talking heads. As far as these predictions go, they were simply reflecting the opinion of the masses.

Not sure I agree, I think the "experts" base their preseason prognostications on how teams looked towards the end of the previous season and popular opinion follows them.

Problem is past performance is no guarantee of future success. Every season is a new set of challenges for every team.

[RiverDog]

Yea, perhaps. But one thing that I think we can agree on is that due in part to their penchant for parity, the NFL is more difficult to forecast than college football, MLB, and the NBA.

The other point is that we are in a really good position heading into the playoff stretch, not only because of the schedule but that we're peaking as IMO our best two games of the season to this point was our last two. I don't expect to get much of an argument out of that statement.

[Rambo2014]

Wow Dak and Zeke are in their rookie seasons and are lightyears ahead of Russ W

Americas team maybe again

[NorthHawk]

It's going to be tough going considering the rash of injuries to our starters.
Now Britt looks like he's out for Sunday so Hunt might be starting.

[Hawktawk]

WTH happened to Britt? practice injury? Wilson struggles mightily if the center isn't up to snuff.
Tampa bay is going to be a load with the team so banged up. Carolina will be tough if we don't get some players back.
Several of the guys who gave us so much confidence are out. PC and JS roster depth will be sorely tested.
its a field goal league. Any given Sunday. The hawks could be 10-0 but they could be 4-6 or 3-7 but for a handful of plays.
I don't see a game on the remaining schedule we cant win but I don't see one we can't lose either.Maybe the 9ers....

[Hawk Sista]

If Britt and ET are both out, I can see us losing to the Bux. It won't be the end of the world if we do - & I hope I'm wrong. But this is the sort of game we lose. East coast, heavy faves etc..

[Hawktawk]

At least it's not 10 am

[Vegaseahawk]

If Britt and ET are both out, I can see us losing to the Bux. It won't be the end of the world if we do - & I hope I'm wrong. But this is the sort of game we lose. East coast, heavy faves etc..

Kam & Russ will be lights out. My only concern is Lane.
Sea 24 TB 19

[RiverDog]

If Britt and ET are both out, I can see us losing to the Bux. It won't be the end of the world if we do - & I hope I'm wrong. But this is the sort of game we lose. East coast, heavy faves etc..

Losing tomorrow would virtually end any reasonable hopes of HFA as the Pukes would have to lose 3 out of their last 5, but we can afford at least one and possibly two losses and still have a good chance of getting a first round bye, so it doesn't justify pushing all our chips to the center of the table and bring back guys like Bennett until they're completely healed.

[Hawktawk]

Then came the Monday after....
I think a reassessment of the NFC is in order.
Somewhat quietly the conference is suddenly littered with legitimate contenders. Anyone watching yesterday could see Tampa is coming on.
Frankly I was stunned we were 6 point faves after they had gone in and knocked off KC.
The Falcons are red hot as are the Saints. The Giants are on a roll,currently in second in the conference. Detroit is lights out right now. The Redskins are for real.
Even foundering Caroliina put up 32 points on the road in a close loss to one of the best teams in the AFC.Ill be there next Sunday night but i'm not going to just pencil in seattle after what I just saw.

I'm not even half as confident as I was sunday morning at anything more than a likely division title. Beyond that Seattle will beat nobody with a putrid offensive embarrassment like that.

[RiverDog]

Then came the Monday after....
I think a reassessment of the NFC is in order.
Somewhat quietly the conference is suddenly littered with legitimate contenders. Anyone watching yesterday could see Tampa is coming on.
Frankly I was stunned we were 6 point faves after they had gone in and knocked off KC.
The Falcons are red hot as are the Saints. The Giants are on a roll,currently in second in the conference. Detroit is lights out right now. The Redskins are for real.
Even foundering Caroliina put up 32 points on the road in a close loss to one of the best teams in the AFC.Ill be there next Sunday night but i'm not going to just pencil in seattle after what I just saw.

I'm not even half as confident as I was sunday morning at anything more than a likely division title. Beyond that Seattle will beat nobody with a putrid offensive embarrassment like that.

Yea, I hear ya brother. What a downer. I went into yesterday's game thinking that we were legitimate SB contenders. This morning, there looks to be at least 6 teams in the NFC alone that are as good or better as we are.

But the season is far from over. We had a lot of starters out on both sides of the ball yesterday, including one at every level on the defense. Things could look drastically different by the time the second season gets started in January.

[Rambo2014]

My Take Now after calling the Seahawks game!


Dallas vs Oakland in the SB...Cowboys 24, Oak 13

[Hawktawk]

Must be a pretty lonely existence sitting around trolling the division leader by a mile. How does it feel to wake up knowing Fisher extended his all time most losses streak? When did the Rams last have a winning season? 10-11 years?

Meanwhile Seattle went to at least the second round in 6 of the last 7 years including back to back SB's and a lombardii.

The Rams have NEVER had a team like seattle's the past 5 years.

Your a friggin moron. And in the twit file you go....

[HumanCockroach]

My Take Now after calling the Seahawks game!


Dallas vs Oakland in the SB...Cowboys 24, Oak 13

So your saying Oakland and Dallas have NO shot at the SB. Got it.

[Hawk Sista]

Hawk Sista wrote:
If Britt and ET are both out, I can see us losing to the Bux. It won't be the end of the world if we do - & I hope I'm wrong. But this is the sort of game we lose. East coast, heavy faves etc

I hate to say it, but I felt like we were ripe for a loss....In addition to the aforementioned reasons, a) everyone in our division lost, b) the Bux are no joke - they just went into Arrowhead and beat a very good home Chief team, and c) not that it is an excuse....but the injuries killed us. Make no mistake, Tampa Bay whupped the Hawk's butts - just saying reasons, not excuses. I just wish I would have picked that way in our pool. As I said, those are the kind of games we lose and if the Carolina game were away, I'd say we would lose that one too.

But, my friends, the sky is NOT falling....check it out:

1. ET, Shead, Bennett, Morgan, Coyle, Britt all have a legit chance for being back at the CLINK this weekend......under the lights at the CLINK.
2. The Hawks simply play better when THEY must, and they MUST.
3. RW the perfectionist will not post another shI++y-A$$ game like that for the rest of the season.
4. There is no Seahawk team under any other coach in my memory that can take a loss like that and teach to it, adjust, and come out better for it.

It is ALL still in front of us. All of it.

[RiverDog]

I hate to say it, but I felt like we were ripe for a loss....In addition to the aforementioned reasons, a) everyone in our division lost, b) the Bux are no joke - they just went into Arrowhead and beat a very good home Chief team, and c) not that it is an excuse....but the injuries killed us. Make no mistake, Tampa Bay whupped the Hawk's butts - just saying reasons, not excuses. I just wish I would have picked that way in our pool. As I said, those are the kind of games we lose and if the Carolina game were away, I'd say we would lose that one too.

But, my friends, the sky is NOT falling....check it out:

1. ET, Shead, Bennett, Morgan, Coyle, Britt all have a legit chance for being back at the CLINK this weekend......under the lights at the CLINK.
2. The Hawks simply play better when THEY must, and they MUST.
3. RW the perfectionist will not post another shI++y-A$$ game like that for the rest of the season.
4. There is no Seahawk team under any other coach in my memory that can take a loss like that and teach to it, adjust, and come out better for it.

It is ALL still in front of us. All of it.

Good call, Sis. Most of us, including myself, sensed another big victory. That's why I was look for a window to jump out of.

But I have to differ with your "All of it is in front of us" remark. Not quite all of it. We lost our last reasonable chance at catching the Cowboys for HFA. It's doubtful that the 'Pukes will lose 3 of their last 5 while we win out, which is what it would take. But other than that, everything is still on the table.

[Hawk Sista]

One does not have to have HFA to win the Lombardi.

In fact, outside of the last few years - they haven't. Since 2000 - only 5 top seeded teams have won in those 16 games. The average seed is 2.94 (really, 3rd). Since 1975, the top seed has won only 37% of the time. YES, it is clearly good to be the top seed. Each of our team's trips to the Super Bowl, we have had the top seed.

I am disappointed we lost. I saw it coming. I thought our record would be worse than it is right now given the o-line and RW's health. I still maintain that it is ALL out there in front of this talented team; I really believe it. There is NOTHING counting us out and I'm gonna keep on believing we make a big dent in these playoffs.

That said, there are some legit teams that I thought were benefitting an easy schedule or being opportunistic. I think the Skins, Cowboys, Bux, Falcons, maybe Lions are all legit threats in the NFC...maybe even the Saints if they get it going.

[Hawktawk]

Green Bay looked excellent tonight as well. No gimmes left sorry

[Hawk Sista]

NO game is ever a gimmie, particularly on the road, but NO GAME is ever easy. I think we, as fans check games off as wins more easily than the players and coaches who put a ton of time into preparation.

Remember our super bowl year?? We nearly lost to the Texans (thank you, Mr. Sherman) but overcame a deficit to make it to OT and win? Remember we nearly chocked one out at home to the crappy Titans (yeah, the Titans) when Hauschka got hurt and Ryan tried a FG that was returned for a TD? Remember when the winless BUX came into our house and had a 21 - 0 lead (or something) before we stepped it into gear and won in OT? We lost to the Colts, we lost to the Niners, and we lost to the Cards in one of RW's worst games ever. Had any of those almost losses been a loss, SF would have had the #1 seed and who knows. Every game we lost that year was winnable. Every game we won was "losable" - all this to say while we fans may sometimes take our team's success for granted, I don't think they do....and I don't think we will see RW have another outing like the one last Sunday.... at least not tis year.

[c_hawkbob]

This year we're Earnie Shavers. We're capable of knocking out any team in the league and looking like the best there is as we do it ... but we're also flawed, and if that flaw comes to the forefront and is taken advantage of by a capable opponent, we can look down right bad.

I wouldn't count us out of any game this year, including going to Dallas and then on to the SB, but i wouldn't be shocked to see us look like bumbling fools again either. We will win more than we lose but we're capable of losing to teams we have no business losing to.

It's better than knowing you're a basically bad team and hoping that the shocker is to be able to win one we have no business winning every once in a while. I remember those days.

[Uppercut]

many on sports radio shows are having euphoria over the Raiders O-Line? I was not watching close but how did they build that up so fast? Guess they had the wallet out.

[Hawktawk]

NO game is ever a gimmie, particularly on the road, but NO GAME is ever easy. I think we, as fans check games off as wins more easily than the players and coaches who put a ton of time into preparation.

Remember our super bowl year?? We nearly lost to the Texans (thank you, Mr. Sherman) but overcame a deficit to make it to OT and win? Remember we nearly chocked one out at home to the crappy Titans (yeah, the Titans) when Hauschka got hurt and Ryan tried a FG that was returned for a TD? Remember when the winless BUX came into our house and had a 21 - 0 lead (or something) before we stepped it into gear and won in OT? We lost to the Colts, we lost to the Niners, and we lost to the Cards in one of RW's worst games ever. Had any of those almost12 losses been a loss, SF would have had the #1 seed and who knows. Every game we lost that year was winnable. Every game we won was "losable" - all this to say while we fans may sometimes take our team's success for granted, I don't think they do....and I don't think we will see RW have another outing like the one last Sunday.... at least not tis year.

Lol sis I was at 2 of the games and watching a third(Texans first 4-0 start) at a family reunion . Watching Seattle set records vs Tampa with 12s booing in the second quarter. I told a few to stfu.
Then sitting I the rain watching Russ and the offense blow a 5 turnover performance to lose to Az. But I told my pissed off best friend it would be worth it if they win it all. It's hard to win. Gb losing 4 in a row tells you that. But the last 5 weeks are fraught with peril.

[Hawk Sista]

[obiken]

many on sports radio shows are having euphoria over the Raiders O-Line? I was not watching close but how did they build that up so fast? Guess they had the wallet out.

Great question, by drafting well and picking up FA that work in like Russell Okung. Can you imagine just having Unger and Okung right now on our OL?? Can you imagine putting Dak Prescott on our team and RW on the Cowboys, holy smokes, the numbers for RW would be staggering!

[HumanCockroach]

Anyone missing Okung haven't watched him play this year... Just saying..

[Hawktawk]

Anyone missing Okung haven't watched him play this year... Just saying..

Exactly
At least Fant hasn't been lost for the season with a foot injury or ankle sprain. Did Okung ever play 16 games for Seattle?
I like Fant. I like Britt. I Like Britt and Graham a whole lot better than I like Unger. Fant may wind up a pro bowler a year from now.
Is it OK to say we had a bad day after a few good ones instead of saying we suck and the sky is falling all the time?

[NorthHawk]

What we have now is potential on the OL with some flashes of good play, not much more.
Because of the CBA limiting practice time and the time it takes for the OL to learn to work well together, it's a big gamble to rebuild the OL when every other part of the game can play far better than average level.
That's the frustrating part, not knowing if they will ever develop or be allowed to develop as a group and meanwhile the core of the Defense is getting older and maybe even starting to move past their prime as the injuries mount amongst them.
With the draft classes of 2010 to 2012 giving us most of our core players, we should be able to win 3 Super Bowls. If the OL doesn't step it up the rest of this year and next, we will be looking back with only one during this decade and talking about what might and should have been.
And that would be a sad waste of talent.

[HumanCockroach]

Unfortunately for us, that isn't how it works. You don't HAVE that talent if you decide to overpay for lineman without it, or at least not the talent to warrant the cost. People seem to confuse paying for below par play by FA and injury prone under performers on the offensive line as something against Seattle's model, it's not, Seattle has let MORE overpaid defensive players walk, than offensive players. Interesting that people continually ignore that.

[NorthHawk]

For an OL to play consistent football they have to get the reps together.
Changing the personnel on a yearly basis by definition works against this.
It's the only group that requires the high number of reps together as a unit, so it's going to be a real challenge for them to ever be consistent if players are constantly replaced.

I've always said that average players working together would play better than a unit of All Pros with little experience as a group. That's how important reps are.

[RiverDog]

One does not have to have HFA to win the Lombardi.

In fact, outside of the last few years - they haven't. Since 2000 - only 5 top seeded teams have won in those 16 games. The average seed is 2.94 (really, 3rd). Since 1975, the top seed has won only 37% of the time. YES, it is clearly good to be the top seed. Each of our team's trips to the Super Bowl, we have had the top seed.

I am disappointed we lost. I saw it coming. I thought our record would be worse than it is right now given the o-line and RW's health. I still maintain that it is ALL out there in front of this talented team; I really believe it. There is NOTHING counting us out and I'm gonna keep on believing we make a big dent in these playoffs.

That said, there are some legit teams that I thought were benefitting an easy schedule or being opportunistic. I think the Skins, Cowboys, Bux, Falcons, maybe Lions are all legit threats in the NFC...maybe even the Saints if they get it going.

True, HFA is not a requirement for winning a Lombardi.

But in our case, it damn sure helps one helluva lot. The only three times we had HFA just happens to coincide with the only three times we've made it to the Super Bowl. That's not just some random coincidence.

[Hawk Sista]

I agree, RD. That is why I stated it in my response. The woes of Seahawks unable to win on the road seems to have been exorcised to some degree by PC and co. We came VERY close to beating Carolina last year. Had we not let the score get so lopsided, we likely would have been to our third SB in 3 years. (yeah, I know...if, if, if).

I do think that if our boys are healthy, we can win one at home and one on the road in January. One never knows.... we could end up with only 7 wins this year.

[HumanCockroach]

True, HFA is not a requirement for winning a Lombardi.

But in our case, it damn sure helps one helluva lot. The only three times we had HFA just happens to coincide with the only three times we've made it to the Super Bowl. That's not just some random coincidence.

So does having officials in your back pocket ala the Pats, but ultimately, anyone can win any game on any given day. That's how the NFL works, and has always worked. I don't see a problem with Seattle "getting up" for a big game, and haven't seen that as a problem in Carrolls tenure, and I'd be hard pressed to find a "bigger" game save one, than an NFCCG on the road against self professed "America's team". You?

[RiverDog]

So does having officials in your back pocket ala the Pats, but ultimately, anyone can win any game on any given day. That's how the NFL works, and has always worked. I don't see a problem with Seattle "getting up" for a big game, and haven't seen that as a problem in Carrolls tenure, and I'd be hard pressed to find a "bigger" game save one, than an NFCCG on the road against self professed "America's team". You?

What you say is true. We are a much better road team under Carroll than we were when Holmgren was our HC. No way could Holmgren take a club into a place like New England and win. I attribute the difference to the great defenses that Pete puts on the field. They keep us in every game. Plus one thing you didn't mention is that the Cowboys do not have a very intimidating HFA when you compare them to places like our house, Kansas City, Green Bay, et al. so I don't think having HFA is as critical in this playoff run as it was for Holmgren's teams, but it's undeniable that HFA increases our chances more than it does other teams. I'm not sure what our all time home playoff record is, but at least since they opened our current venue, it has to be one of if not the best HFA in the league.

But the Cowboys are clearly the best team in the league at this moment and I think we'll have our hands full if we are matched up against them no matter where we play them. They have unarguably the best OL in the league, have a mobile QB, a productive TE, and one of the top WR's in the game. Our defense will struggle to contain Dax just like we struggled to contain Tyrod Taylor. On the other side of the ball, our offense is very inconsistent, we're not a good running team like we have been in past years, so it depends on which O of ours, in particular which OL, shows up as to whether or not we can keep up with what could be a high scoring game.

But both teams have a long ways to go before we can start talking about potential matchups. Hopefully we can start getting our guys healthy so we can give ourselves the best possible shot at this thing. Call me cautiously optimistic.