Reasons to be optimistic about next year

[Screamin12th]

5) There's no way our offensive line can be this bad again

You want to make a bet? We saw them play well maybe 3 times all season and at the end teams started to use late shifts to really screw them up. I expect more of the same next year. The only way they get better is if they find a stud or two in the draft and a new Oline coach.

 

[chf]

Heh.

The sky is falling!!!

 

[chf]

In a riff on this quote:

“I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians."

Love my Seahawks, could take or leave a whole bunch of their fans.

 

[DHoey]

Won't mind seeing more of McEvoy either.

You probably will after they let Jimmy walk.

In all honestly, the talent is/was there, they just didn't stay healthy. It's quite a bummer how one or two injuries can sink a teams season. Seattle, Oakland, Arizona 2 years ago are all examples of that. It's a tough league and the margin for error is razor thin. Sometimes shit happens and all you can do is battle through. I don't think they lose any big pieces to the roster and will pick up some pieces in the draft. Hopefully the O-line grows and takes a huge leap forward.

2017 Hawks > 2016 Hawks

 

[WizardHawk]

Unfortunately cutting Kearse would only save about 300k in the cap. So I'd much rather have him still on the roster for depth purposes and just play Lockett and Richardson a lot more. Those guys aren't exactly the Cal Ripken of wide receivers so with durability being a question mark, depth and continuity is always important.

The problem with that concept is this is the one area where Carroll will NOT live up to his always compete mantra. For whatever reason, he won't leave Kearse on the bench even when the numbers and efforts by others are FAR outdoing anything Kearse does. Simply having him on the roster ensures he's taking the majority of reps out there and it's killing them. Killing them dead.

 

[chf]

Did you have a 'da-da-dum!' soundtrack in your head when you typed 'Killing them dead?'

 

[Logicallylethal]

The problem with that concept is this is the one area where Carroll will NOT live up to his always compete mantra. For whatever reason, he won't leave Kearse on the bench even when the numbers and efforts by others are FAR outdoing anything Kearse does. Simply having him on the roster ensures he's taking the majority of reps out there and it's killing them. Killing them dead.

Actually before Lockett got hurt in that Arizona game, he had supplanted Kearse in the 2 wr sets. Richardson has seen more snaps in the 2 wr sets with Baldwin as well. What I've noticed is, Kearse has come in on either 3 wr sets or on plays where he's adding run block support.

I think moving forward if Kearse is on the roster, it's realistic to expect him to get a reasonable amount of the reps in practice and snaps in game. Because at the end of the day, Kearse isn't a bad wr, he just had a really bad year.

44 QB rating targeting Kearse in 2016

But in 2015, Russ was completing 72 % of his passes with a 116 QB rating targeting Kearse

 

[JMR]

We also need a good corner opposite of Sherman, Our secondary is a weak spot now, other than Sherman our corners are sub-par .... 2 great safeties when Earl and Kam are back there, 1 good corner....

I think Shead held up just fine this year. The last couple years actually. Problem is now he has an injury that sounds pretty severe. Totally disagree with the secondary being a "weak spot". Not with 3 HOF type players no matter who else you put opposite Sherm. It may not be as deep as it once was but it's far from a liability. Lane didn't have that great of a year but he's played at a higher previously than what we saw this season.

 

[JMR]

Plenty to be optimistic about. Young top quality QB who should be entering his prime years and hopefully not nursing leg injuries like this season again. Lots of other really good young players as well on both sides. The thing with the '17 Hawks will be about what becomes of the OL. I still see it as something where you want to let the guys we have there now develop and not upheave the whole thing, with exception of probably RT. Maybe Odhiambo will be ready to compete for that spot.

I think Haushka has to have some competition for his job as well. Missed the most XPs in the league this year as well as some other critical kicks that could have had us hosting the divisional round instead of having to travel.

 

[boogiewithstu2007]

I think Shead held up just fine this year. The last couple years actually. Problem is now he has an injury that sounds pretty severe. Totally disagree with the secondary being a "weak spot". Not with 3 HOF type players no matter who else you put opposite Sherm. It may not be as deep as it once was but it's far from a liability. Lane didn't have that great of a year but he's played at a higher previously than what we saw this season.

Problem is your only as strong as your weakest link, and right now teams are just attacking those weak links... Shead is decent, but right now at the corner spot we have 1 really good player, Obviously Earl and Kam are legit at the safety spots but we need another good starting corner in a big way ..

 

[JMR]

Problem is your only as strong as your weakest link, and right now teams are just attacking those weak links... Shead is decent, but right now at the corner spot we have 1 really good player, Obviously Earl and Kam are legit at the safety spots but we need another good starting corner in a big way ..

So how are you proposing this gets done? Draft? 2 or 3 years to develop that player if you are fortunate to hit on the right one. By that time Sherman himself is 30+ and may not even be around. Free agency? Lots of failures going that route, and the type of guy you're talking about is probably a $10M a year sign. The cap is not going to allow you to go buy pro bowl caliber starters at every position. This defense has been strong enough up front to survive accepting a little risk at 1 or 2 spots somewhere, which is a lot better position than most teams are in.

 

[boogiewithstu2007]

So how are you proposing this gets done? Draft? 2 or 3 years to develop that player if you are fortunate to hit on the right one. By that time Sherman himself is 30+ and may not even be around. Free agency? Lots of failures going that route, and the type of guy you're talking about is probably a $10M a year sign. The cap is not going to allow you to go buy pro bowl caliber starters at every position. This defense has been strong enough up front to survive accepting a little risk at 1 or 2 spots somewhere, which is a lot better position than most teams are in.

I"d say draft, or if the right free agent is available for the right price... O-line is number 1, then improving our corner spot is #2 ... If we gotta let Jimmy go we have little choice, it's a shame but it might have to happen..

 

[Anointed One]

In a riff on this quote:



Love my Seahawks, could take or leave a whole bunch of their fans.

Just curious, do you know the history and content of Gandhi's quote?

 

[chf]

Just curious, do you know the history and content of Gandhi's quote?

Not in any depth or anything, no.

I assume you meant 'context?'

 

[blstoker]

I"d say draft, or if the right free agent is available for the right price... O-line is number 1, then improving our corner spot is #2 ... If we gotta let Jimmy go we have little choice, it's a shame but it might have to happen..

Personally, looking at what's available in the draft, I'd say our top priority this draft should be defense.

 

[Logicallylethal]

As bad as things were this year, we were still one or two plays away from having home field advantage and the bye

1) If Christine Michael doesn't fumble on the final drive against the Rams, Seahawks likely march up the field for a TD. We win and have HFA

2) If Steven Hauschka hits the 27 yard chip shot we win and have HFA

3) If the final throw to Kearse was 1 or 2 inches underthrown or Kearse times his jump a bit better, it's a touchdown. We win and have HFA.

4) If Hauschka hits the extra point and the defense makes one last stop, we win and have HFA


Even in the Falcons game where we lost 36-20 there were a few plays and bounces that could have swung the game an entirely different direction

1) Our 2nd drive (7-7) when Russ misses Doug in the end zone by a few inches. A throw he usually drops in. It's 14-7 if he hits it

2) The Devin Hester return called back. We punch it in after that return, it's 17-7 (or 21-7 if things were really going our way and we got that TD from Baldwin in the 2nd drive too)

3) 10-26 in the third when we go on that 14 play 80 yard drive there were two plays that bothered me. The 2nd down play Russ had an Doug on an out route to his left. He didn't trust his read otherwise that's an easy 5 yards and Doug potentially turns that corner for a TD. Then third down, Doug was open in the end zone but Russ over throws the jump pass. Touchdown cuts that down to 17-26 with an entire 4th quarter to go

4) 13-29 with about 9 mins left in the 4th. Russ has a golden opportunity to hit Doug deep and he overthrows him by 1-2 inches. If Russ hits him in stride and we convert the 2 point conversion, all of a sudden it's 21-29 with most of the 4th quarter still remaining.



Point is, as terrible as things were this year with all the injuries, a historically bad o-line, and luck not being on our side...we still almost got the 2 seed and we still had chances to beat the Falcons

Now let's throw Earl Thomas back into the mix, let's reinsert Tyler Lockett, Sherman 100 % (MCL), Jimmy Graham health at the start of the year, and a better o-line with the core and talent that we already have...we'll be good

 

[boogiewithstu2007]

Personally, looking at what's available in the draft, I'd say our top priority this draft should be defense.

I wouldn't argue that, if a good defensive player is available, sure...

 

[Anointed One]

Not in any depth or anything, no.

I assume you meant 'context?'

I could've sworn I said context into my phone...

 

[Anointed One]

Personally, looking at what's available in the draft, I'd say our top priority this draft should be defense.

Agreed... Especially since our depth at DB isn't that good anymore... I'd like to see a new OLB as well...

 

[chf]

I could've sworn I said context into my phone...

Damn you Siri!