Seahawks 2016 schedule pt. 2

Seahawks

Week 4

Pt. 2

I will be continuing from where I left off yesterday. This is my preview of the upcoming NFL season for the Seattle Seahawks.

*For weeks 1-9 please see previous post….And away we go!

Week 10, and it’s the much talked about New England Patriots. We have a little score to settle from SB 49, but I’m not sure it will come out that way. The Seahawks beat themselves just as much as the Patriots beat them. Our defense went soft in the fourth quarter, and then there is that turnover from the two yard-line. I’ll be discussing that play in another blog, but just touching on it, I don’t agree that it was the worst call ever, just one of the worst executed plays of the Seahawks entire season. We’ll continue this later. There isn’t ever much surprise with the Patriots, as the “Hoodie” and Tom terrific have been around for some time now. The game being on Sunday Night Football should make it quite a spectacle. If both teams have the kind of year that has become expected of them, it could be huge. Playing in Foxborough is never fun, but I’m thinking the Seahawks will be ready for a war. Even though, if we’ve played as well as I hope up until this game, a loss on the record shouldn’t be thought of as a dagger. If we perhaps meet in the Super Bowl, I’ve always believed it’s even harder to beat a team twice in one year. That being said, a 38-3 whooping sure would be nice!

The next week we host the Philadelphia Eagles. With a new coach, Doug Pederson and Sam Bradford at QB (if he’s still healthy) I’m not expecting the Seahawks to have much problems with the Eagles. If Bradford does get hurt, I’m guessing rookie Carson Wentz will step in. That’ll be fun, for the Seahawks defense. After going 7-9 last season, and swapping out coaches (again) this may be a year of adjustment for the Eagles. Their top running back, Darren Sproles is getting up there in age, too. So yeah, its another mark in the win column.

The following week the Hawks travel to Tampa Bay to face the Buccaneers. An east coast game that starts at 1:00 Pacific time? Well, Thank You NFL! Don’t see that much. After a 6-10 season with a rookie QB, I’m assuming the Bucs will be much improved this season. Jameis Winston will have another year to work with, what I see as one of the better receiving corps in the NFL. I think Mike Evans will only get better, and that Austin Sefarian-Jenkins is highly underrated as a tight end. With Doug Martin back at running back, I’m expecting at least eight wins for Tampa Bay. This just isn’t going to be one of them.

Then we have another huge battle. Against the NFC Champion Carolina Panthers on Sunday Night Football. With the past history between these two teams, I’m expecting another 12-7, or 10-6 game. We nearly always have tight defensive battle with Cam and the boys. Coming off their one loss season, two counting the Super Bowl, they seem to be reloaded again. I believe getting Kelvin Benjamin back can only help the offense, but I also believe losing Josh Norman at CB is going to be big. Norman could cover a lot of ground, so it will be worth watching, to see who takes over. Jonathan Stewart returns at running back, so the offense should be good, barring injuries. It’s the defense I’d be wondering about. I think Norman gave the defensive backfield a lot of options, and I don’t see anybody stepping in. At least not at his level. We’ll see, I’m still calling for a win here, if for no other reason than home field advantage and kickoff at 8:30pm Carolina time. Interestingly, the Panthers travel to Oakland the week before, so flying cross country two weeks in a row? That’s never fun.

 The following week we travel to the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field. In Green Bay in December? No thank you, I’ll pass. After starting 6-0, and then going 4-6 to finish the year, the Packers, I’m sure, are hoping to sustain it for a whole year. Biggest threat I see to the Packers is age. Their key players are all getting up there, especially Aaron Rodgers. He’s still a top 5 QB in my book, but he is getting to that age when thing start breaking down. A lot of their top performers from the last few years are getting up there. I’m sure getting Jordy Nelson back from injury will help, but will it be enough. I say no, not this week anyway.

The final three weeks of the regular season are all divisional match ups. First up, the (now) Los Angeles Rams. I think it’s great to have the Rams back in LA. If for no other reason than the travel requirements for the Seahawks. Also, I’m guessing with no NFL team there for quite a while, the Seahawks may have a few local fans at the game. With their new home and top draft pick, QB Jared Goff, coupled with another year of experience for Todd Gurley, the offense should be adequate. I haven’t heard whether Goff will be starting, or Nick Foles. Personally, I think I’d let Goff learn a little behind Foles. Unless Foles really stinks it up, which he has done before, I think Goff may need a year. Losing James Laurinaitis and Chris Long from the defense may hurt them, but they still have Aaron Donald and Robert Quinn on the defensive line, which isn’t too shabby. Finishing at 7-9 in 2015 the Rams always seem to play the Seahawks exceptionally hard. Don’t know why, but we went 0-2 against them last year. I’m still hoping Jeff Fischer’s “magic” against the Hawks stayed in St. Louis. Win!!

We stay home the following week, as the Arizona Cardinals come to Seattle. As I said about our week 7 game, I’m not wishing bad on anybody, but I’ve just never been a Carson Palmer fan. I just think last year was his best, final shot. I don’t know if he has another one of those years in him. Let’s hope not. Home win.

The final regular season game is in San Francisco against the Forty Niners. By this time I’m sure we’ll know if the Chip Kelly experiment is going to work. Facing them week three and then not until week 17, gives the Niners a lot of growth time. I still believe their just a few players short of being a serious division contender. Especially on defense. If Chip’s style does work, I expect it will be with Kaepernick at QB. But as I said, I think the Niners problems may be on the other side of the ball.

OK, there it is. The 2016 season for the Seattle Seahawks. If we play up to our capabilities and can keep injuries to a minimum, plus get the offensive line to play ten times better than last season, I can easily see us finishing at 12-4 (at the worst). 14 wins would be a lot better, as I believe that will guarantee us a #1 seed and home field throughout the playoffs.

But, really, why squabble. Lets just go 16-0 and give the ’72 Dolphins a scare.

Until next time………………GO HAWKS!!