Can Seattle go 14-2?

[Brees#1]

Hear me out...

They play the two weakest divisions in the league. Against the NFC East, they're going 3-1 or 4-0. Against the AFC East, they're going 3-1 or 4-0.

The only losses against those two divisions I see are back to back home games, and they are not losing to both NE and Dallas.

They are going to better than NYG and Washington, and they have pretty much fleeced the Eagles. Not only that, they are better than the Dolphins and Jets. Bills are not a home advantage team. They will be coming off a home game against NE. Back to back home games are not ideal when the second team is superior.

So 7-1 at worst against those two divisions. Now the other stuff....

This is the best opportunity they have to kick the Rams while they're down. They need to sweep LA, and it's possible if they get the first matchup, they will. They do not have to go to SF until week 17, and week 7 SF will be coming off a road game AT NE, Garoppolo's former team. So if Seattle goes 4-1 in their division before week 17. If Seattle needs to sweep SF, and SF is already locked in the wild card, they won't be denied.

So now you have perhaps 12-2.

The Vikings have lost a lot this offseason and I don't think their defense will be as good, which is even more trouble trying to beat a team who hasn't lost in the last five tries.

Week 1...at Atlanta. I stressed this already. This is Seattle's make-or-break game for a dominant year. They run the risk of tying TB at 13-3, and the Seahawks only have a shot at one scenario.
Beating Dallas instead of NE, gives them a even conference record with the Bucs. The Bucs have to lose one to the Falcons.
Common Tie-breaker
Rams: Seahawks 2-1
Falcons: 2-2
Giants: 3-3
Vikings: 4-4

Next tie-breaker will be strength of victory. Seattle's best wins will amount to SF, Arizona, Dallas/NE, and Buffalo with lots of bad wins. TB's best wins will amount to NO, Chicago/GB, and not as many bad wins. I have not done the math officially on these teams so I cannot say who comes out on top. But as you can tell, an Atlanta win or sweeping the AFC and NFC East is a must.

They may not be the best team in the NFC on paper but the schedule could give them the biggest advantage they could ask for. They just need to take care of business the first three weeks and win week 10.

 

[jerseyhawksfan79]

Hear me out...

They play the two weakest divisions in the league. Against the NFC East, they're going 3-1 or 4-0. Against the AFC East, they're going 3-1 or 4-0.

The only losses against those two divisions I see are back to back home games, and they are not losing to both NE and Dallas.

They are going to better than NYG and Washington, and they have pretty much fleeced the Eagles. Not only that, they are better than the Dolphins and Jets. Bills are not a home advantage team. They will be coming off a home game against NE. Back to back home games are not ideal when the second team is superior.

So 7-1 at worst against those two divisions. Now the other stuff....

This is the best opportunity they have to kick the Rams while they're down. They need to sweep LA, and it's possible if they get the first matchup, they will. They do not have to go to SF until week 17, and week 7 SF will be coming off a road game AT NE, Garoppolo's former team. So if Seattle goes 4-1 in their division before week 17. If Seattle needs to sweep SF, and SF is already locked in the wild card, they won't be denied.

So now you have perhaps 12-2.

The Vikings have lost a lot this offseason and I don't think their defense will be as good, which is even more trouble trying to beat a team who hasn't lost in the last five tries.

Week 1...at Atlanta. I stressed this already. This is Seattle's make-or-break game for a dominant year. They run the risk of tying TB at 13-3, and the Seahawks only have a shot at one scenario.
Beating Dallas instead of NE, gives them a even conference record with the Bucs. The Bucs have to lose one to the Falcons.
Common Tie-breaker
Rams: Seahawks 2-1
Falcons: 2-2
Giants: 3-3
Vikings: 4-4

Next tie-breaker will be strength of victory. Seattle's best wins will amount to SF, Arizona, Dallas/NE, and Buffalo with lots of bad wins. TB's best wins will amount to NO, Chicago/GB, and not as many bad wins. I have not done the math officially on these teams so I cannot say who comes out on top. But as you can tell, an Atlanta win or sweeping the AFC and NFC East is a must.

They may not be the best team in the NFC on paper but the schedule could give them the biggest advantage they could ask for. They just need to take care of business the first three weeks and win week 10.

14-2 is a nice thought but the NFCW is tough and with AZ improving it wouldn't surprise me if they split and go 3-3. Also the D-line still needs to be improved whether it's Clowney coming back which I highly doubt or getting Griffen. A trade for D-line help isn't out of the question. Russ will be Russ but the RBs health are a question even with the addition of Hyde. Right now I would say on paper if no more moves are made, they're a 10 possibly an 11 win team.

 

[NWPATSFAN]

Hear me out...

They play the two weakest divisions in the league. Against the NFC East, they're going 3-1 or 4-0. Against the AFC East, they're going 3-1 or 4-0.

The only losses against those two divisions I see are back to back home games, and they are not losing to both NE and Dallas.

They are going to better than NYG and Washington, and they have pretty much fleeced the Eagles. Not only that, they are better than the Dolphins and Jets. Bills are not a home advantage team. They will be coming off a home game against NE. Back to back home games are not ideal when the second team is superior.

So 7-1 at worst against those two divisions. Now the other stuff....

This is the best opportunity they have to kick the Rams while they're down. They need to sweep LA, and it's possible if they get the first matchup, they will. They do not have to go to SF until week 17, and week 7 SF will be coming off a road game AT NE, Garoppolo's former team. So if Seattle goes 4-1 in their division before week 17. If Seattle needs to sweep SF, and SF is already locked in the wild card, they won't be denied.

So now you have perhaps 12-2.

The Vikings have lost a lot this offseason and I don't think their defense will be as good, which is even more trouble trying to beat a team who hasn't lost in the last five tries.

Week 1...at Atlanta. I stressed this already. This is Seattle's make-or-break game for a dominant year. They run the risk of tying TB at 13-3, and the Seahawks only have a shot at one scenario.
Beating Dallas instead of NE, gives them a even conference record with the Bucs. The Bucs have to lose one to the Falcons.
Common Tie-breaker
Rams: Seahawks 2-1
Falcons: 2-2
Giants: 3-3
Vikings: 4-4

Next tie-breaker will be strength of victory. Seattle's best wins will amount to SF, Arizona, Dallas/NE, and Buffalo with lots of bad wins. TB's best wins will amount to NO, Chicago/GB, and not as many bad wins. I have not done the math officially on these teams so I cannot say who comes out on top. But as you can tell, an Atlanta win or sweeping the AFC and NFC East is a must.

They may not be the best team in the NFC on paper but the schedule could give them the biggest advantage they could ask for. They just need to take care of business the first three weeks and win week 10.

First we don't even know if they'll play 16 games.

Have to admit I stopped reading after you mentioned SF having the WC locked up. Why wouldn't it be Seattle having the WC locked up and SF taking the division?

At least you got the piece about the Rams correct. Well partially anyway. The Rams screwed themselve's like many of had been saying. They were a flash in the pan. But Seattle needs to take advantage of that over the next few seasons.

Jerseryhawk addressed the rest of the concerns. A lot of unknowns in Seattle right now.

 

[jerseyhawksfan79]

First we don't even know if they'll play 16 games.

Have to admit I stopped reading after you mentioned SF having the WC locked up. Why wouldn't it be Seattle having the WC locked up and SF taking the division?

At least you got the piece about the Rams correct. Well partially anyway. The Rams screwed themselve's like many of had been saying. They were a flash in the pan. But Seattle needs to take advantage of that over the next few seasons.

Jerseryhawk addressed the rest of the concerns. A lot of unknowns in Seattle right now.

That's a good point and one I forgot about.

 

[boogiewithstu2007]

Biggest concern with Seattle right now is there defense, and staying healthy at running back... But that D HAS to improve if they want a legit shot to win the NFC West... I"m not really confident with Norton, I've lost faith in him... Loved him as a linebackers coach but haven't been impressed at all with him as our D coordinator, he hasn't been very good playing chess vs offenses...

 

[Wolverine830872]

For the first time in a while, the Hawks seem to have a very favorable schedule (although a lot of 10am games). I hope to god the season goes forward with no hiccups. 55 players on a roster means someone has to get covid at some point right? These guys aren't necessarily the best decision makers and will not want to quarantine if they can get away with it.

If you remove covid from the situation though, I really really like Seattle's chances this year.

 

[jerseyhawksfan79]

For the first time in a while, the Hawks seem to have a very favorable schedule (although a lot of 10am games). I hope to god the season goes forward with no hiccups. 55 players on a roster means someone has to get covid at some point right? These guys aren't necessarily the best decision makers and will not want to quarantine if they can get away with it.

If you remove covid from the situation though, I really really like Seattle's chances this year.

I'd like them better if they add one more D-line guy. Plus Carson being ready for week 1 would be a bonus.

 

[jerseyhawksfan79]

Biggest concern with Seattle right now is there defense, and staying healthy at running back... But that D HAS to improve if they want a legit shot to win the NFC West... I"m not really confident with Norton, I've lost faith in him... Loved him as a linebackers coach but haven't been impressed at all with him as our D coordinator, he hasn't been very good playing chess vs offenses...

If Norton can't get this defense back to mid teens than he has to go.

 

[Wolverine830872]

I'd like them better if they add one more D-line guy. Plus Carson being ready for week 1 would be a bonus.

yeah still definitely some roster holes to fill. This is going to be the ultimate "depth" year as well because guys will almost definitely miss time for quarantines. I think this gives Pete Carol and the staff an edge over most franchises as the team seems to coach up well, and hopefully our facilities and team mantra will even make us less susceptible to guys getting sick.

 

[jerseyhawksfan79]

yeah still definitely some roster holes to fill. This is going to be the ultimate "depth" year as well because guys will almost definitely miss time for quarantines. I think this gives Pete Carol and the staff an edge over most franchises as the team seems to coach up well, and hopefully our facilities and team mantra will even make us less susceptible to guys getting sick.

I still think the FO has a move left, just waiting for TC and maybe a price to drop.
Hopefully Seattle or any team doesn't get hammered but it'll take one team with a mass breakout to shut down the league.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

It is... mathematically possible.

 

[handicappers]

Only if they play the Rams 16 times.

 

[seattlefan75]

As much as I love the hawks going 14-2 I don't see that happening. Its an interesting breakdown of when we play our divisional opponents but our division too stacked two of the last 2 super bowl teams that appeared in the super bowl we have to play them 4x this year not to mention the cardinals with flamethrower passing game.

Our defense isn't that great and I doubt we will have fans in the stadiums so there goes our homefield advantage.

 

[Jikkle]

They'd have to have a lot of things go right for them to hit 14-2. It's still just a solid roster that Russell Wilson props up higher than it has a right to be.

They went 11-5 last season but if Russell Wilson didn't have an MVP year and just had a pretty good one I'd make the argument they would've been 9-7 or 8-8.

I see them about roughly the same offensively probably a tad better with DK improving going into his 2nd year but they really didn't make any moves that you'd consider big upgrades or that are game changing.

Defensively is where their problems mainly are and they have some question marks with younger guys that will need to emerge and produce if they want to be legit contenders for a title and not one of those good enough to make the playoffs but not good enough to make a run once you get there kind of teams.

Right now they have almost no pass rush and a solid but not great secondary. The defense is the very definition of middle of the road and I think they'll need to get a quality pass rush from the guys they got the past two drafts to get them over the hump.

As far as the division match-ups go recent history suggest they struggle in division with the Rams and Cardinals regardless of the quality of teams. The only divisional team they really play at a high level is the 49ers as those games are usually two of their best performances of the season.

But you have those funny divisional dynamics where Cardinals will be a thorn in the 9ers and Hawks sides but Rams typically play them well, Hawks will play the 9ers well but struggle with the Rams and Cardinals, and the 9ers are kinda a neutral team in it all as they never really play any of the teams well but never poorly either.

 

[Ricky Roma]

They went 11-5 last season but if Russell Wilson didn't have an MVP year and just had a pretty good one I'd make the argument they would've been 9-7 or 8-8.

TBH...they were an 8-8 type team last year with Wilson....certainly not a legit 11 win team.

 

[CaptainStubing]

First we don't even know if they'll play 16 games.

Have to admit I stopped reading after you mentioned SF having the WC locked up. Why wouldn't it be Seattle having the WC locked up and SF taking the division?

At least you got the piece about the Rams correct. Well partially anyway. The Rams screwed themselve's like many of had been saying. They were a flash in the pan. But Seattle needs to take advantage of that over the next few seasons.

Jerseryhawk addressed the rest of the concerns. A lot of unknowns in Seattle right now.

If any league will make sure they play a full season it is the NFL. Too much tv revenue at stake

 

[Dr. Strangelove]

Only if they play the Rams 16 times.

If that happened, the Hawks would be 4-12. They always struggle with the Rams, regardless of whether they are better or worse on paper.
As to the OP's question. I can't be bothered to read the whole rambling nonsense but the answer is no and .

 

[eaglesnut]

How's the Oline? You don't go 14-2 without the Oline.

This was some pretty in depth stuff on the schedule, OP. Thanks for doing the work. I wish you could write better. It does appear very favorable, but they still have to go to play in the East 5 times

 

[Shanemansj13]

No, not in that division.

 

[Shanemansj13]

TBH...they were an 8-8 type team last year with Wilson....certainly not a legit 11 win team.

They did have a tougher non-divisional last year but still...that team could have very well went 8-8 easily

 

[Ricky Roma]

They did have a tougher non-divisional last year but still...that team could have very well went 8-8 easily

They scored something like 10 points more than they allowed. The defense gave up more yards than it produced on offense....they relied a lot on turnovers, and that's mostly due to luck since they had a fairly puny pass rush. I certainly don't see an 11 win team there.