Seattle Seahawks:          

2013 RECORD: 13-3  

2012 RECORD: 11-5   

2011 RECORD: 7-9   

2010 RECORD: 7-9

TEAM OVERVIEW: Any doubters left?  Seattle is 31-14-3 their last 48 regular season games vs. the spread.  They will be ignored no longer!  The NFL is a copycat league and Pete Carroll and his GM spent most of the first few years designing a roster that could stand up defensively to what is essentially an offensively-minded league.  Defensively, the secondary is tall and bothersome, while the LB’s are fast and disruptive.  Offensively, the early move for RB Lynch was golden as he brought a unique toughness to the position.  As for Russell Wilson, what Carroll got was a cerebral QB who is elusive and accurate, with the understanding of how to keep out of trouble (turnover trouble and injury trouble).  They beat Denver by understanding that the PASS was the going to work vs. the Bronco scheme.  Other times they beat teams asking Wilson to throw 20 times at the most.  Keeping this team together beyond ’14 in the modern big salary era will be impossible, but the blueprint for success in Seattle is sound and just might keep the Seahawks at or near the top of the NFL for a few more years.  

KEY STATS: Seattle, led by RB Lynch continues to run well, finishing 4^th at nearly 137 per game (4.3).  The run D was 4.5-103 in ’12 and improved to 3.9-101.5.  Seattle easily validated its + point ratio.  Seattle allowed just 231 points, #1 in the NFL.  The turnover ratio was +20 thanks to a +19 interception ratio.  They allowed just four rushing TD’s.  The OL has forever lacked elite pass blockers so even with the elusive Wilson they allowed 44 sacks.  That is about the only negative stat for a team that was #1 in defensive yards per pass attempt, #2 with 16 pass TD’s allowed, an easy #1 in total defense (273.6 per game) and #2 in punt return defense at 3.9 per return.  Spread-wise, Seattle was favored all 16 regular season games.  They remain 23-11 as a home dog off a home loss, and 38-22 as a home dog off any loss.  Decent news is that Seattle is getting better as a home favorite.  Spectacular news is their 6-2 spread road record.  Only once since 1984 (’05) did Seattle even have a winning road record. 

2013 DRAFT REVIEW: Seattle made noise before the draft when they traded a 1^st and 7^th round pick, plus a conditional 3^rd in the ’14 draft for WR Harvin.  They were already the last team to draft when they traded pick 56 for 62/165/199.  Seattle seems to get good trade value but often makes curious choices when picking players.  Like SF, Seattle added 11 players via the draft.  Also like SF, they made their usual amount of mistakes.  If you can’t remember that, just read about the last five picks they made from the ’12 draft!  Seattle did move up for a solid DT at  pick 137. Free agent DE’s Bennett and Avril combined for 16.5 sacks.  NOTE #1: Seattle traded QB Flynn pre-draft to Oakland for picks in ’14 and ’15 draft.  NOTE #2: How’s this for stupidity!  On the eve of the draft, CB Simon was arrested on charges of public intoxication/resisting a police office.  This happened in his hometown (Eunice, LA), who was to honor him with Tharold Simon Day on the following day!  You can’t make this stuff up!  

2-62, RB Michael: Strong and flexible, with past injury concerns.  A poor pass blocker.  Lightly used in ’13.

3-87, DT Hill: Lacks size and can be overpowered at NFL level. Active but slow.  Just 7 rookie tackles

4-123, WR Harper: Fast and wins jump ball, but production average for this solid blocking WR.  Long gone!

5-137, DT  J Williams: Run stuffer team needs dropped due to knee concerns.  That kept him off field in ’13.

5-138, CB  Simon: Stupidity aside, he can run but has raw fundamentals.  JR needed more coaching!  Sat!

5-158, TE  Wilson: 4.51 Pro Day but a back-up at powerhouse Rice!  Complimentary TE was fine (20-13.6)

6-194, RB  Ware: 3.95 average uninspiring.  Not enough patience as a runner. Just 3 carries.

7-220, OG  Seymour: Opened some run holes at Vandy but will be lucky to be a backup in the NFL.  With SF.

7-231, LB  Powell: Played DE and some LB, he’s raw and is being called a project.  In Buffalo.

7-241, DT  J Smith: New Hampshire DL had decent stats but Seahawks will try him at OG.  No action ’13.

7-242, OT  Bowie: Northeaster State OL who is usual off the radar Seahawk NR sleeper pick.  8 starts!

2012 DRAFT REVISITED: Wagner’s rookie year exceeded that of Irvin’s and most any other defensive draftee in the NFL. He has 260 tackles, 7 sacks and 5 picks in his two years.  Irvin is more of a situational sacker who has totaled 57 tackles and 10 sacks in two years.  No one thought Russell Wilson was going to turn out like he did!  He’s not (yet) a 4,000 yard QB and he does fumble a bit more than he should but clearly he’s a leader and a highly effective QB.  RB Turbin had his moments but his years per carry went down in ’13.  DT Howard was * rated but is now with KC.  The remaining five picks were rated NR by me.  Their stat lines are below.  Please note that I have liked some of Seattle’s late round picks in the past.  Kam Chancellor was rated as a 2^nd round prospect by me and the 5^th round DB has been fantastic!  Richard Sherman was also highly rated.

FREE AGENCY ANALYSIS AND STAFF NOTES: Some of Seattle’s free agency losses include good players, but in the case of WR Rice and CB Browner, they were either hurt or on suspension.  Seattle has moved on, although losing WR Golden Tate is a blow to one of their thinnest units.  40 game starter Paul McQuistan is gone, but he was hardly an elite talent.  The DL took multiple hits with the losses of Red Bryant, Chris Clemons and Clinton McDonald.  CB Thurmond is another example of losing a player who could not stay healthy.  Back-up CB Philip Adams was added.  One interesting addition is TE Travis Beckum.  Pete Carroll has always liked to shuffle his TE’s and Beckum is good when healthy.

2014 DRAFT NEEDS: WR, pass blocking OL, DL, LB depth, DB depth.  A tall WR target would help, as Sidney Rice never did get healthy enough to do the job.  Two WR’s may be needed.  The OL is lucky to be blocking for the mobile and cerebral Russell Wilson.  Individually, about three-fifths of the line is average at best.  Red Bryant is gone.  ’13 rookie Jesse Williams might be able to slip in but with the other DL changes more help could be needed.  Four LB’s (Wright, Wagner, Malcolm Smith and Irvin contribute but Irvin also plays some DE and the unit as a whole is coached up more than overly talented except for Wagner.  Seattle has very little DB depth behind their amazing starting quartet.