Playoffs

[RiverDog]

We're heading into Week 14 with 5 games left to play, so it's getting close enough to take a look at the playoff picture.

Our chances took a big hit yesterday with the Rams beating the Browns, the Falcons beating the Jets, and the Bucs beating the Panthers. The NYT playoff predictor pegs our chances of making the playoffs at 23%.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/202 ... cture.html

#1 seed: In the NFC, despite their shellacking by the Niners yesterday, the Eagles at 10-2 are still sitting on the #1 seed and a game ahead of the Cowboys in the NFC East, but that could easily change. Here's Philly's remaining schedule: At Dal, at Sea, vs. NYG, vs Ari, at NYG.

#2 seed: Niners, 9-3. They are also the hottest team in the league right now, having won the last 4 straight in convincing fashion, coming off a thrashing of the aforementioned Eagles. They have a 3 game lead over us in the NFC West and could wrap up the division title next weekend. They also have a favorable schedule with just one team with a winning record. Here's what they're facing down the stretch: vs. Sea, at Ari, vs. Bal, at Wsh, vs. LAR.

#3 seed: Lions. At 9-3, the NFC North leader with a 3 game lead over the Vikings and Packers. Their remaining schedule: at Chi, vs. Den, at Min, at Dal, vs. Min.

#4 seed: Falcons 6-6. Once again, the weakest division in football, the Falcons are a game up on the Bucs in the NFC South. Their remaining schedule: vs. TB, at Car, vs. Ind, at Chi, at NOLA.

#5 seed: Cowboys, 9-3. A firm hold on the first wild card seed and hot on the heels of the division leading Eagles. But they have a tough schedule: vs. Phi, at Buf, at Mia, vs. Det, at Wsh.

#6 seed: Vikings, 6-6. They're three games behind the Lions but play them twice in their last 3 games. We would lose a 3 way tiebreaker due to our being swept by the Rams and Vikings would get the nod over LA due to head-to-head with the Rams. Remaining schedule: At LV, at Cin, vs. Det, vs. GB, at Det.

#7 seed: Rams, 6-6. They own the tiebreaker over us due to their season series sweep. Remaining schedule: at Bal, vs. Wsh, vs. NOLA, at NYG, at SF.

In the hunt our us Hawks (6-6) and the Bucs and Saints, both 5-7. There are a few other teams in the hunt, but they're hanging on by a thread with chances pegged at 2% or less.

We do have a bit of an advantage in that our last three games are very winnable, at Ten, vs. Pit, and at Ari. Assuming we lose our next two vs. the Niners and Eagles, that would still put us at 9-8 and likely at the mercy of some tiebreakers.

It should be an interesting end to the regular season.

[Spohawk5092]

we are done. Even if we get into the playoffs we will be one and done, again.

[RiverDog]

we are done. Even if we get into the playoffs we will be one and done, again.

Yeah, probably. This team doesn't have the talent to compete with the Niners and Eagles, and if we were to sneak in with a 7th seed like we did last season, we'd probably face one of those two teams in the opening round. One and done again.

But I'm still going to watch the games. Even if we don't make the playoffs, it's always fun to scoreboard watch this time of year, hence the thread.

[NorthHawk]

Queue Jim Mora: Playoffs???? ...

[4XPIPS]

I said in another post that we checked into a 7-10 season, and we don't have the defense or the QB to carry us till the end. Yes Geno played well against the Cowboys, but when it came down the final drive where it matters most he once again crumbled against pressure and on 4th down he threw the ball in the dirt instead of throwing it up in the air and giving our team a chance to catch it, but he is limited when it comes to that skill set so not entirely his fault.

WK 14 Hawks @ 49ers Loss
WK 15 Eagles @ Hawks Loss
WK 16 Hawks @ Titans Loss
WK 17 Steelers @ Hawks Win
WK 18 Hawks @ Cards Loss

Most of you will debate me on the last three, but I believe the long road trip to Tennessee against a run heavy team, can't see us winning that one. Cardinals are playing better, and I can see them beating us. The only win I see is the Steelers and they are actually playing so bad at this point, it would be shocking we don't win that game.

We aren't a powerhouse team, and I never felt that way even when we were 5-2. We are too flawed from coaching on down to the team scheme to make an effective playoff push.

[NorthHawk]

Have we beaten a good team yet this year? The Lions, I suppose but we got them early when they hadn’t yet got their act together.

[Aseahawkfan]

All I see going to the playoffs is a noncontending team getting in because 44% of the NFL makes it in and no real chance of winning a Super Bowl. I'd rather lose and take the draft position. It's obvious we still need players and Pete and John traded our 2nd round pick for some rental when they should have known we were not close.

[NorthHawk]

And we’re very tight on Cap space with more than a dozen FA’s to sign or replace.
This year has an all or nothing feel with giving up the 2nd round pick for a player on the last year of his contract.

Reducing the salary cap hit at Safety should be a priority this off season.

[RiverDog]

Have we beaten a good team yet this year? The Lions, I suppose but we got them early when they hadn’t yet got their act together.

The Lions had just beaten the defending world champs on their home turf in the season opener when we beat them in their home opener, so I don't think we can say that win was anything less than a quality win over a top tier team.

[NorthHawk]

No team really has their game together at the beginning of the year.
There are usually surprise wins and losses for the first few weeks of every year.

[RiverDog]

No team really has their game together at the beginning of the year.
There are usually surprise wins and losses for the first few weeks of every year.

As there is any time of the year. I don't think it's limited to the first few weeks of the season.

[NorthHawk]

But it's a different team every year. Nobody really knows how well they are going to play for the first few games. It's much easier to win and lose at the beginning as changes are incorporated and players aren't yet fully in a groove with their roles.

[Agent 86]

There is a playoff clinching scenario for the Seahawks this weekend.

Seahawks win over Pittsburgh combined with a Minnesota/Green Bay tie game (they play the Sunday nighter)

[RiverDog]

Interesting that the NY Times has us as at 69% to make the playoffs, but less than 1% to win the Super Bowl.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/202 ... cture.html

That epitomizes what a lot of us have been arguing about.

[Aseahawkfan]

I'm ready for the Pete Carroll Era to end. It was a fun ride, but the bus is broken and I don't feel like waiting for a driver to get it fixed when he's picking the wrong parts or overpaying for them.

[Agent 86]

I'm ready for the Pete Carroll Era to end. It was a fun ride, but the bus is broken and I don't feel like waiting for a driver to get it fixed when he's picking the wrong parts or overpaying for them.

I still think Pete the coach is fine, he can work with young talent, he still has the respect of all is players, I don't think that is an issue.

However, Pete the draft talent evaluator as many of you already have said on here, has not been good for a while now. He hasn't given himself enough tools to work with. I don't think anyone expects a defense as good as what it was from 2012-2015, that was generational, but it has been way too poor now to truly compete for a championship. One thing I notice watching other games is how often a linebacker or DB will start to break on a ball before it is thrown, or just as it is being thrown. When I watch the Seahawks play D, they are not breaking on a pass until it is halfway to the intended receiver, which is just too late. Just not very aggressive, which tells me they are being taught not to get beat over the top. Don't give up the big play, but it still happens. Their tackling and the angles that most take on the way to the tackle is not good to put themselves in a good position to make the tackle. Witherspoon appears to be the only "game changing" player they have on defense.

I think it was you Asea that noted there are now 14 teams that make playoffs, giving fans that carrot to keep watching. In reality, only about 5-6 of those teams are true contenders, the rest is just filler for more money and ratings. It's always exciting watching a playoff game with your team in it, but many playoff teams fans know they have no hope of making a run. I thing most agree we are in that boat this year, and have been for about 6-7 years now. I know we all aren't satisfied with that, but I think it's not reality to expect a true contending team year after year. You probably get a 4 year window if you are lucky enough to draft a rookie QB in the 1st round that turns out right away (like we had with Russ).

I am not ready for Pete to go as coach, but think maybe it is time for him to give more power to JS when drafting.

[Aseahawkfan]

I am ready for Pete to go. He's 72. It's been 9 years since we were real competitors for a Super Bowl or anyone talked about us doing much. Pete's firing coordinators or going through new ones every 2 or 3 years and we're still staying the same.

I want some fire in there, some change. Something to shake things up and get it moving in the right direction.

[Agent 86]

It's a pretty simple scenario. We must beat Arizona, and Green Bay must lose to Chicago next week. For the 2nd year in a row, we need a win and a Packers loss to make it in. The Lions helped us last year, can the Bears do the same?

And I know, I know. Even if we make it in, it's one and done. No one in here can possibly believe we will win a playoff game with this sad sack defense. As a fan I always want to watch my team play a playoff game to give me that excitement, but at this point, I don't even really care what happens. Which is sad for me, I don't ever remember feeling this way about one of my teams. They are not playoff worthy, and the fact 7 of the 16 teams in the conference make it in is the only reason why we are on life support.

[NorthHawk]

If we get into the playoffs we have a punchers chance depending upon who the opponent is. The problem is we have a glass jaw and would have to hope the other team fails to meet the challenge.
Basically it like getting into the playoffs. We would have to hope another team loses for us to be successful.

[RiverDog]

We're in the exact same spot that we were going into Week 18 last season. We need a win while Green Bay needs to lose. Pete and Re-Pete.

I'll have to dig up our preseason prediction thread once the season is over, but mine was that we'd finish the regular season with a 9-8 record and sneak into the playoffs with the 7th seed where we'd be one and done.

[Aseahawkfan]

If we get into the playoffs we have a punchers chance depending upon who the opponent is. The problem is we have a glass jaw and would have to hope the other team fails to meet the challenge.
Basically it like getting into the playoffs. We would have to hope another team loses for us to be successful.

We been having this same chance for almost 10 years. 9 years from the last Super Bowl loss, 10 years from our Super Bowl win.

Is this really what we want? A puncher's chance with 7 other teams hoping we can run the table in some miracle run? I'm tired of that. Never worked out well for us. Never seen it work well for almost anyone. It keeps teams in limbo endlessly with fans just happy to get into the playoffs rather than really compete.

[NorthHawk]

Even if we win the 1st round game, I seriously doubt we get past the next team.
So that would make it what, 3 playoff wins in 7 years? In the mean time the Rams have won a SB and the 49ers have been to the SB and expect to go deep into the playoffs this year, too.
So all it would accomplish is a lower draft pick.

[RiverDog]

Even if we win the 1st round game, I seriously doubt we get past the next team.
So that would make it what, 3 playoff wins in 7 years? In the mean time the Rams have won a SB and the 49ers have been to the SB and expect to go deep into the playoffs this year, too.
So all it would accomplish is a lower draft pick.

Yeah, that's what the logical side of my brain thinks. But my emotional side, ie my heart, tells me that no matter what the odds are, you still try your very best until you're mathematically eliminated. As Yogi Berra once said, it ain't over until it's over.

[Aseahawkfan]

I think we all feel this.

Even a part of me is hoping, "Let me be wrong this year and Seattle go on some insane run making me eat my words." The logical part of my brain is thinking, "Pete's had a great run. He's no longer able to make the cold, calculating decisions he made when he arrived. The trades are no longer pennies for dollars, but are instead dollars for pennies. You don't win doing things that way. His schemes are not working any more. He doesn't know how to fix them. We're floundering at Pete's floor as a quality head coach, but Pete's not able to reach the top of his coaching and team management ability any longer."

[mykc14]

I think we all feel this.

Even a part of me is hoping, "Let me be wrong this year and Seattle go on some insane run making me eat my words." The logical part of my brain is thinking, "Pete's had a great run. He's no longer able to make the cold, calculating decisions he made when he arrived. The trades are no longer pennies for dollars, but are instead dollars for pennies. You don't win doing things that way. His schemes are not working any more. He doesn't know how to fix them. We're floundering at Pete's floor as a quality head coach, but Pete's not able to reach the top of his coaching and team management ability any longer."

Yes... I want to be wrong. I want us to do the incredible, but I just don't see any way that it happens. We are stuck in mediocracy and the problem is that PC thinks we are one player away. We don't rebuild we reset. We are on our third reset and are no closer to winning a SB.

[Spohawk5092]

and have almost ZERO defense with no tackling ability...next!!

[RiverDog]

I've seen a lot of discussion that the team does not have any heart, that they're just mailing it in ala the Mora year. While I didn't get that impression, a lot of good football minds have made that observation. You would think that after a very inspiring win against the Eagles would have had the opposite effect.

So has Pete lost the team? Is there more than meets the eye, that something like the Jamal Adams benching caused a backlash in the locker room? Do players like playing for Pete anymore?

It will be interesting to see how this team plays against the Cards. The Packers and Bears, the game that will determine if we have a shot at the playoffs or not, kicks off at the same time as our game with the Cards.

[Spohawk5092]

Cards dispatched a very good Philly team who lately is struggling. I predict an ugly loss fwiw. Sorry, just what I feel. Hope for big changes in the off season!

[jshawaii22]

A loss could move us up into the top 15 of the draft, depending on other teams final game. A win, pretty much gets us absolutely nothing but the joy of a 9-8 season (whoopie!) --

New coach and probably a new GM would be a good start along with a new QB. After watching more college football in the last month then I want to admit to, I know who I don't want more then who I do. Lots of options. I've liked Penix and Nix but both have been moving up the QB ladder, so now it might cost up picks / players to move up. Not an issue for the right one.

[NorthHawk]

We currently sit at the 15th pick so we could drop 3 or 4.

https://www.profootballrumors.com/2024/ ... ft-order-6


Since we don't have a 2nd round pick it might be best to trade down and recover at the very least a late 2nd plus more depending how far down the end result would be.