Pete Carroll, Seattle Seahawks.
So the Seattle Seahawks won two games in a row. Are those wins the start of something good? Or are they an illusion?
The Seahawks hope to keep their roll going through the end of the season. They still have a mathematical chance at making the NFL Playoffs, but it’s an outside shot. Even if the Seahawks win out, there are five teams between them and the final NFC Wild Card spot.
Realistically the biggest thing they have to play for is pride. Or is it? This is where reality and illusion collide.
Seattle could and should win as many games as they can to close out the season. There is plenty on the line aside from going to the playoffs (again). Starting with Russell Wilson never having a losing season since joining the NFL, the Seahawks need to win out to keep the streak going. That’s a huge source of pride not only for him but also for the entire organization.
Running the table and assuming Russ plays like the Russ 12s have come to know and love accomplishes two things. A) Wilson plays well, and if he still wants out after the season, his trade value remains high. B) By winning as many games as they can, makes the first-round pick sent to the Jets in the Jamal Adams trade just that much lower. That won’t lessen the pain, but anything to make that deal just a little better we will take, right?
Finally, Herm Edward’s voice echoes in the background, “You play to win the game! Hello! You play to win the game!”
There are plenty of landmines out there the Seahawks need to be aware of in the last four weeks. Seattle has four games left, two of which are against the Bears and Lions. They are both very winnable games, considering they are a combined 5-20 in 2021.
There are also a pair of divisional games still on the table. One contest is against the COVID-19 depleted Los Angeles Rams, now set for Tuesday. L.A. is a team the Seahawks always play tough. But it’s a road game, and the Rams are 4-2 at SoFi Stadium this year. Additionally, the Rams still have a shot at winning the NFC West; this game is crucial to them.
The other game is against one of the NFC’s top teams, the Arizona Cardinals, at State Farm Stadium on January 9 to close out the regular season.
There is a chance that the Cards will clinch their playoff seed before the final weekend. Throw in the fact that three-time All-Pro DeAndre Hopkins is out for the rest of the regular season; this rivalry game just got a little easier. Would Arizona rest several of their stars to keep them healthy for the playoffs?
Hopefully, that happens. But Arizona is in a three-way tie for the top seed with Tampa Bay and Green Bay. Something tells me that battle will go down to the last game.
So that gives the Seahawks a decent to great shot at a 5-1 or at least a 4-2 record to finish out the season. That would put their final record at 8-9 or 7-10 and Russ’s first losing record in the NFL. Going 6-0 with wins over the Niners, Rams, and Cards is possible, but the odds are long. That means there will be fallout.
The fallout could be as minor as a few assistant coach or player personnel changes. Or it could mean a rebuild which would include the departure of Wilson and or head coach Pete Carroll.
Either way, the Seattle Seahawks have some essential players on the doorstep of leaving town. Forty percent of the starting offensive line, center Ethan Pocic, and right tackle Brandon Shell have contracts that expire at the end of this year. Also, key players such as Duane Brown, Gerald Everett, Carlos Dunlap, and Quandre Diggs have void years in 2022, making them free agents.
Don’t fall for the illusion about how good Seattle is just yet. The Seahawks have plenty of work to do, either way, to become what 12s all want, and that is a winner.
How do you think the Seattle Seahawks will finish the 2021 season? Let us know in the comments section below or on social media.