Week 2: San Fran.

Well, it's only week 2 and it feels like it's late December. Whether you like it or not, this has turned into one of the better modern rivalries in professional sports. It's the highest priced ticket of any non-playoff sporting event in the United States. Again, for a week 2 game. Enjoy it Seahawk fans, this is a special time for this team.

Last time I checked, the Hawks have a pretty decent record at home. They haven't lost in the Clink since Christmas Eve in 2011, to the San Francisco 49ers. Obviously the Niners want to come back and strike early, much like last year's first meeting between the two. Make no mistake, this game is huge when it comes to battling for the NFC West crown.

The biggest things I'm watching for on Sunday Night:

Colin Kaepernick: I dislike Colin Kaepernick as much as the next person, but the dude knows how to play football. If there was any doubt to that claim, watch last week's game against Green Bay. The dude passed for 412 yards, 3 TDs, and ran for an additional 22 yards. Now, Green Bay doesn't quite have the secondary Seattle does, so don't expect these numbers. To compare, last year Kap threw for 244 yards and 1 TD, running for 31 yards. Seattle was also up 42-6 with less than 2 minutes remaining at the time the Niners were able to score said touchdown. With that in mind, I don't see Kap being a fantasy wizard like he was last week, Seattle simply won't allow it.

Anquan Boldin: Again, another player who started the season off as hot as one could imagine. He has 13 receptions for 208 yards and 1 TD against Green Bay. The three reasons I'm not worried about him?
1. Last time he played in Seattle was in 2011. With a "far less stellar than the current" defense in 2011, the Hawks kept him to 2 receptions for 22 yards. He was targeted 9 times in that game.
2. The Niners have only Boldin and TE Vernon Davis as legitimate recieving threats. Their number three reciever? Kyle Williams, the same guy who fumbled two punt returns against the Giants in the 2011 NFC Championship.
3. This:

Frank Gore: This guy could be the most important aspect of this game, easy. Against Seattle, the 49ers are 4-0 when Gore rushes for over 100 yards. When he rushes for less? 3-5. Even with the tools that they have, the Niners need Gore to be effective to win ball games. Last year against Seattle in week 7, Gore rushed for 131 yards. That's all they needed to preserve a victory. In week 16? He only rushed for 28 yards, and needless to say Seattle won that game.

MY PREDICTION:

This game is going to come down to how both lines play. If Seattle's O-line can hold their own against a very talented Niner D-line, Marshawn Lynch Russell Wilson will finds openings to exploit. If the Seattle defense can keep Kaepernick and Gore guessing and frustrated, we will see a very similar game to what we witnessed last winter in Seattle.
I'm not as confident in that happening, especially after how the Hawks played the Panthers. This will be a much closer, much more physical game. Two good defenses against two good offenses, the game could boil down to special teams. Call me biased, but I think Seattle has the edge in it.
Prediction: Seattle's defense shows the world why they're the best in the league and Russell Wilson is able to exploit a weaker-than-last-year San Fran secondary. With the balanced attack and the 12th man doing what they do best, Seattle nails the coffin in the 4th quarter to win by two scores. 34-24 SEA.

Being in Seattle, this game will take on a playoff atmosphere. Rumor has it that Seattle will try to break a Guiness World Record for loudest game ever. I wouldn't put it past them that they break the record a few times over the course of this game.

For more up to the minute updates, be sure to follow Marihawks on TWITTER and FACEBOOK. If you have any ideas or want to guest write, be sure to contact me. GO HAWKS.

Carolina Review.

Welp, what a game that was. Needless to say, not quite how I expected the Hawks to play. A couple notes I got from the game:

1) Offensive Line Play: Carolina has a good defensive line, that much is true. But Marshawn Lynch couldn't find running room and Russell Wilson looked like he was scared for his life most of the game. It looked to me like the Seahawks were trying to run a more college style pistol than last year's power run scheme that was so successful. Hopefully they can figure it out soon, because this team won't win if it's only one dimensional.
2) Russell Wilson Sure Can Pass: After starting the game 1-5 for 1 yard, Wilson turned it on, finishing 25-33 for 320 yards, a career high. What mattered even more, is how he finished the game. In the 4th quarter, Russ went 7-8 for 114 yards and Seattle's only touchdown. He sure didn't show much of a sophomore slump in the first week.
3) The Seafense Is Pretty Darn Good: As if we didn't know before, our defense knows how to play ball. They limited a very potent Cam Newton to only 125 yards passing and 38 yards rushing. While they did allow DeAngelo Williams to rush for 86 yards, they did cause him to make a game-determining turnover in the 4th quarter. With Brandon Browner, Cliff Avril, and Chris Clemons all healing up, the sky's the limit for this squad.
4) Need To Capitalize On Opportunities: The Seahawks were inside the redzone three times. First time they got a holding penalty which brought them back far enough to force a field goal. Second time Wilson was sacked and fumbled for a turnover. Last time an intentional grounding penalty stalled a drive and forced a field goal. Can't let that happen to better opponents, period. After forcing a turnover on a botched punt return, the Hawks weren't able to get a first down and punted the ball back after 3 plays. I appreciate winning the field position battle, but this team needs to be better.
5) Traveling Still Sucks: The Seahawks were able to win a tough road game, on the east coast, at 10am PT. That alone is a huge accomplishment, without a doubt. But the team still started slowly and looked sloppy. Glad we could get the win, but home is definitely where the heart is.

Overall, it wasn't pretty. But nobody will remember how they played, they will only remember that the Hawks got the win. Don't stress too hard, the Panthers are a quality opponent. I wouldn't be surprised to find out they win 10-11 games this season. Sure would make this win look a little better, ya?

The Marihawks Super Biased Seahawk Season Preview

Obviously I want to believe that the Seahawks will go 16-0, beating every team out of the water, to coast to their first Superbowl ever. I also think the Mariners are finally going to have a winning season, so that shows how much the fan in me likes to ignore most logic in many situations. I'm not saying the Seahawks don't have a super bowl caliber team, because they do. They've made a number of key moves, have experience, and now even the media is coining the Hawks to do something special. Tread carefully Hawk fans, it's going to be a fun ride.

Key Moves:
I could beat a dead horse talking about how great it was to get Percy Harvin and Cliff Avril in the offseason, but both are starting the season injured and are of no use. Both have the ability to transform their perspective side of the ball, and will do so when healthy. The biggest key for them is getting healthy. (Yeah, I still drafted Harvin on fantasy. Wishful thinking I suppose.)

Cutting FB Michael Robinson was a move that made the fan in me die a little. The biggest leader in the Hawks lockerroom was not only a fan favorite, but knew how to play his position. The Seahawk fan in me understands this move, as much as it pains me. He was getting paid $2.5 million to play only approx. 30% of the snaps. Why pay a play that kind of money to not play? The football move makes plenty of sense financially. The Seahawks don't use a fullback often, and when they do, a younger and cheaper player is more than worthy of stepping in.
Cutting CB Antoine Winfield made a lot of people shake their head also, but let's look at the facts. Winfield is older, slower, and simply outplayed by the younger corners. I'd rather have the young players who played better than to have the big name free agent signing. Look to see Walter Thurmond III, Jeremy Lane, and Byron Maxwell to all contribute to the Legion of Boom throughout the year.
Pete Carroll and John Schneider have cut Matt Hassleback, Aaron Curry, Lofa Tatupu, Mike Williams, and many other players that the fans thought could be something else. These guys know what they're doing, trust them.

Season Schedule (Worst Case Scenario):
This is my opinion of the season as their worst case scenario. It's silly to predict seasons based on an offseason or first few games of the year. Simply look at the Eagles "Dream Team" a couple years back or the Cardinals starting 4-0 last year. Injuries, weather, and momentum will always change the course of a season. This scenario will play on the relative youth of the Seahawks and the fact that they are no longer flowing on the radar. Teams will be ready for them, and it will show.

Sunday Sept. 8		at Carolina Panthers                                               LOSE (0-1) Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
Sunday Sept. 15		San Francisco 49ers                                                WIN (1-1) CenturyLink Field, Seattle, WA
Sunday Sept. 22		Jacksonville Jaguars                                               WIN (2-1) CenturyLink Field, Seattle, WA
Sunday Sept. 29		at Houston Texans                                                   LOSE (2-2) Reliant Stadium, Houston, TX
Sunday Oct. 6		at Indianapolis Colts                                               LOSE (2-3) Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN
Sunday Oct. 13		Tennessee Titans                                                     WIN (3-3) CenturyLink Field, Seattle, WA
Thursday Oct. 17		at Arizona Cardinals                                              WIN (4-3) University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, AZ
Monday Oct. 28		at St. Louis Rams                                                    LOSE (4-4) Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, MO
Sunday Nov. 3		Tampa Bay Buccaneers                                          WIN (5-4) CenturyLink Field, Seattle, WA
Sunday Nov. 10		at Atlanta Falcons                                                   LOSE (5-5) Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA
Sunday Nov. 17		Minnesota Vikings                                                  WIN (6-5) CenturyLink Field, Seattle, WA
Sunday Nov. 24	---	BYE
Monday Dec. 2		New Orleans Saints                                                LOSE (6-6) CenturyLink Field, Seattle, WA
Sunday Dec. 8		at San Francisco 49ers                                           LOSE (6-7) Candlestick Park, San Francisco, CA
Sunday Dec. 15		at New York Giants                                               WIN (7-7) MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
Sunday Dec. 22		Arizona Cardinals                                                 WIN (8-7) CenturyLink Field, Seattle, WA
Sunday Dec. 29		St. Louis Rams                                                       WIN (9-7) CenturyLink Field, Seattle, WA

To me, the absolute worst record would be a 9-7. That's with their struggles on the road and inability to knock off the passer. The NFC West is easily the toughest division in football, even the Cardinals are more than capable of surprising and ruining a few teams' records. Anything less than a winning record would be devastating to this team, and I simply don't see that happening.

 Season Schedule (More Realistic Approach):

This is how I see the season leaning more towards. This team has experience, the youth and the depth. With injured players returning, this is one of the most talented rosters in the NFL. They have the ability to just start off week one and keep the pedal down the entire year.

Sunday Sept. 8		at Carolina Panthers                                               LOSE (0-1) Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
Sunday Sept. 15		San Francisco 49ers                                                WIN (1-1) CenturyLink Field, Seattle, WA
Sunday Sept. 22		Jacksonville Jaguars                                               WIN (2-1) CenturyLink Field, Seattle, WA
Sunday Sept. 29		at Houston Texans                                                   LOSE (2-2) Reliant Stadium, Houston, TX
Sunday Oct. 6		at Indianapolis Colts                                               WIN (3-2) Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN
Sunday Oct. 13		Tennessee Titans                                                     WIN (4-2) CenturyLink Field, Seattle, WA
Thursday Oct. 17		at Arizona Cardinals                                              WIN (5-2) University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, AZ
Monday Oct. 28		at St. Louis Rams                                                    WIN (6-2) Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, MO
Sunday Nov. 3		Tampa Bay Buccaneers                                          WIN (7-2) CenturyLink Field, Seattle, WA
Sunday Nov. 10		at Atlanta Falcons                                                   LOSE (7-3) Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA
Sunday Nov. 17		Minnesota Vikings                                                  WIN (8-3) CenturyLink Field, Seattle, WA
Sunday Nov. 24	---	BYE
Monday Dec. 2		New Orleans Saints                                                WIN (9-3) CenturyLink Field, Seattle, WA
Sunday Dec. 8		at San Francisco 49ers                                           LOSE (9-4) Candlestick Park, San Francisco, CA
Sunday Dec. 15		at New York Giants                                               WIN (10-4) MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
Sunday Dec. 22		Arizona Cardinals                                                 WIN (11-4) CenturyLink Field, Seattle, WA
Sunday Dec. 29		St. Louis Rams                                                       WIN (12-4) CenturyLink Field, Seattle, WA

This team could realistically win those away games in Carolina, Houston, San Fran, and Atlanta, but I've taken into account the first few games might be fa learning curve for the new people on the roster. An early game on the east coast against a team that could have beat them last year in Carolina could start the season off rough. The Texans have proven their might in the NFL recently and the Hawks last year found ways to lose against good quarterbacks on the road. Gotta give credit to ATL and San Fran, those teams are ridiculously could and have every opportunity to take the NFC as Seattle does.

There is a lot to be optimistic about in Seattle. This team could easily take the NFL and bring home the first major championship to Seattle since the 70's, and first in football. They could also get bit by the injury bug and remind us all why Seattle has a difficult sports scene. Enjoy the optimism, enjoy the fact that this team is fun to watch and will always put on a show. For the first time in many years, it's fun to watch sports in Seattle.

If you don't already, follow Marihawks on Facebook and Twitter for more up to date news from the Seahawks and the Mariners. And remember, as Russ would say: GO HAWKS.

NFL Uniform Rankings

What a crazy month it has been, and I can only tell it'll get busier. Recently, I was fortunate enough to graduate from college and am about to embark on a two week trip to the UK. While this site has been virtually at a stand still of late, I am hoping for it to be getting back to regular posts by July at the latest! Appreciate the following and the support, I look forward to continuing this site!

NFL Uniform Rankings:
As a huge fan of uniforms, I rarely stop looking for news and updates on uniforms from all sports. My criteria for a good uniform? Good colors, good helmet, good font and simplistic detailing. I don't like when there is too much going on, and I'm a sticklier for tradition. These rankings are a combination of the team's colors and their home and away uniforms. While I might love a home uni, if the road one is weak, the team will fall in my rankings. Also, personal bias of the team is ignored. As much as I hate the 49ers and Packers, they look pretty good. With all that in mind, here are Marihawks first annual NFL Uniform rankings!

32. Cincinnati Bengals: While I don't mind their helmets, colors, or overall scheme, I absolutely can't stand the white stripe on the side of the jerseys. Also not a fan of the kindergarten number font or the fact that they can't seem to choose if black or orange is their primary color. I can appreciate having both, but use one as a rare alternate.

31. Tennessee Titans: So, so ugly. Baby blue, navy blue, red. Stripe on the top of the jersey looks way too generic. Remember playing Madden 2002-2008 and making a team? All the jerseys were really generic, and Tennessee seems to have chosen one of those templates. Too generic, looks like a child made them.

30. Arizona Cardinals: Went from one of the best looking uniforms to one of the worst. The random striping, awkward colors spots, and strange grey facemask just don't work well together. Their black alternate is one of the worst in the game. Hopefully they're coming up with something new.

29. New England Patriots: Ugly uniform. The only reason people like it, or they've kept it, was because of their sucessess. The side stripes don't match and the templates look very dated. If it weren't for Brady and company, these probably would have been scrapped years ago.

28. Atlanta Falcons: Too crazy. Unnecessary striping and picking the wrong color as their permanent home. Look, Falcons are black, so this team should be wearing their black at home. Instead, they chose red, and stand at 28. Their throwbacks with the red striped socks are easily the best in the league, so maybe, just maybe, they should wear them more.

27. Carolina Panthers: These aren't horrible, but definitely need an upgrade. This isn't 1996 anymore, an upgrade would help this team. They've already updated their logo and wordmark, why not the uniforms? Keep the Carolina Blue and Black, emphasize more of the blue. Take away silver and put it as an outline color.

26. St. Louis Rams: If they wore their royal blue and yellow jerseys, the Rams would be top 3 easy. But sadly, they look like absolute crap. The stripes don't work, and they rely on all blue way too much. Start wearing the gold pants more, and they would be higher. Scrap it all and go oldschool? They'd be a gorgeous looking football team.

25. New Orleans Saints: Not enough going on. Generic uniforms. All-black looks bad, black pants with black socks looks stupid. Add some striping around and they'd look much better. Heck, just wearing their "gold" pants would look better. They've started wearing the gold more, but until it's the only pants they wear, the Saints will be ranked poorly.

24. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The Red, Pewter, and Black were cool ten years ago. Another example of an ehhh uniform looking good due to wins. This uniform just screams update needed. Kudos for having original colors, but the uni needs a little upgrade to make it look better.

23. Dallas Cowboys: Look, I get it's an iconic uniform, but honestly, how hard is it to make sure your colors match throughout the uniform? Their helmet is silver and navy blue, their jerseys are royal blue. The pants aren't silver, but a bluish tint, with royal. Their blue uni's match, but they wear them maybe once a year. Not great.

22. Jacksonville Jaguars: Wow. Just wow. Much better than what they were wearing, but these new uni's miss pretty badly. First, the best Jaguars jerseys were teal, but incorporated gold. These, try, but miss. I like the number font, but those helmets are the ugliest things to happen to the NFL. Here is the best example of play like a college team, look like one.

21: New York Giants: I am a huge fan of their home uniforms. They are clean and look classic. What puts them at 21 is their roads. The all red jerseys look lazy. Add some blue to the numbers and stripes, add blue socks, and they'd look dramatically better. Until then, ehh.

20. San Diego Chargers: The powder blue is ugly and doesn't belong on an NFL field. I like the homes, but hate hate hate the aways. Never a fan of matching socks with pants, and the stripe looks forced. Also, put a little more blue on the helmets. Thankfully they've removed the stupid partial neckline white, so it'll look a bit better this year.

19. New York Jets: What can be said about the Jets that hasn't been said before? Not a horrible uniform, but not classic either. Hate the random stripe. It's a very forgettable piece, and their logo is far too generic. I appreciate the use of only green and white, and think it works. But, the logo sucks and the all-green sucks

18. Pittsburgh Steelers: Look, these aren't bad uniforms. I appreciate that they're classic, and have only one request. Make the shoulder sleeves full and match each player. But, when a college team looks just like you, you probably won't go to high on an NFL uniform ranking... just sayin.

17. Oakland Raiders: Another uniform that looks good enough that I wouldn't touch. But just because it's a classic look doesn't make it the best in the NFL. I wouldn't hate to see the Raiders play around with some shoulder or sock striping, just to see if you can refine the look.

16. Denver Broncos: This one pains me a bit. I've always liked the all-whites, and really miss the blue tops. But, in Denver, Orange is king, and I can respect that. Get an entire new uniform template and make it happen. Until then, these jerseys were meant to be dark blue. I wouldn't hate an entire throwback, but I digress.

15. Philadelphia Eagles: Love the helmet, and probably always will. What I am not a fan of, however, is the green. I have always loved the old Eagles' colors, and think moving back to a brighter green would make these uniforms look much much better.

14. Baltimore Ravens: I appreciate that they wear purple and black, they look good together. The only issues I have are the black pants. First off, they look in need of a stripe. Second, the black socks with the black pants makes it look like players are wearing leotards. Change it, become top 10.

13. Indianapolis Colts: I've always been partial to these uniforms. I love the colors, the logo, the striping, and pants. Honestly, I don't think I'd change a thing to these uniforms. Maybe change the facemask to white instead of grey, but that's about it.

12. Detroit Lions: What puts the Lions so high are their colors. I've always loved watching the Lions with their silver and blue. Thankfully they've gotten rid of most of their black, but it still remains. If they would just finally get rid of all that black, the Lions would have one of the best uniforms in the league.

11: Minnesota Vikings: If it weren't for the redesign, the Vikings would have been 31 on this list. I love what they've done, going back to a simpler style. Not a fan of the black facemask or number font, but these are a great looking uniform. Add a white striped sock for the purple pants and they'd be one of the best.

10: Buffalo Bills: Another team that benefited from a good redesign a few years back. These are a beautiful set of uniforms with the striping, colors, and look at those striped socks. Gorgeous. Hopefully they get rid of that stupid neckline, and then this would be a perfect set.

9. Miami Dolphins: I've always like the Miami uniform, going with the teal and orange. Not the biggest fan of the new logo, but it isn't bad enough to make them fall. I like the use of teal and navy in the new uniforms, with orange as a small highlight color. Nike nailed it with this uniform.

8. Houston Texans: Hey Patriots, this is how to use blue and red in a uniform. Very simple, yet strong. I like the blue helmets with the blue jerseys, and I've always been a fan of color helmet, white jersey, and color pants. This might be the only team I don't hate wearing same color socks with pants. The Texans just look good.

7. Cleveland Browns: I might be the only person in the world to rank the Browns this high. Look, I absolutely love the brown and orange together, plus no other team uses it. They're original, the striping perfect, these uniforms remind me of Cleveland, Ohio. Rumor is that they will be changing it up next year, so hopefully nothing drastic happens.

6. Washington Redskins: Look, I'm going to ignore all the controversy with the name and logo. I love the logo, it looks good. Anyways, this is one of the best color combinations in the NFL. I LOVE maroon as a color, it always looks good. I am glad they brought back the yellow pants, because they just look better in them. Kudos for the pant and sock striping.

5. Green Bay Packers: Again, kudos for sticking with colors that other teams don't use. The striping is classic and always has look good. This is the only team I think could pull off a yellow helmet with out looking like crap, and it works. Plus, that logo is iconic. Can't really beat it.

4: San Fransisco 49ers: As much as I hate this team, they look pretty amazing. Glad they got rid of the black, and are sticking with the red and gold. Look, this team would be number one if it weren't for one of the most unnecessary problems to have, the shoulder stripes. They don't even bother making them look good anymore. Either get rid of them or make them look good. Other than that, still a gorgeous uniform.

3. Seattle Seahawks: Figures I'd have them here, huh? Well, when first unveiled, I hated this look. I wanted the classic Seahawks jerseys back, so I was pretty unhappy when I saw these. What I didn't realize is how freaking good they would look on the field. They didn't overdo the green, they didn't over play the grey. Now, I wish they would add grey to their blue pants (inside the "feathers" on the stripe), or just wear blue and grey pants away, but I still love this look.

2. Chicago Bears: These easily could be the best looking set in the NFL. I'm a sucker for the navy blue and orange (Broncos?) and think that they use it perfectly. Good shoulder striped, simple helmet, and sock striping on both the home and aways. This is truly one of the finest uniforms in the league, it wasn't easy putting them at number 2.

1. Kansas City Chiefs: I might get killed over this, honestly. But hear me out. The Chiefs have a gorgeous logo, and a very simple helmet style. I love the white facemask on the red helmet, especially because they prominently use red and white. Their homes are gorgeous, the perfect amount of red, white, and a little bit of yellow. I, however, like their aways that much more. The sock striping, red pants, and overall look is arguably the sharpest in the league.

Well folks, there you have it. I'm sure that many, if not all of you, disagree with me. If so, comment below or hit up the facebook page and let me know why!

For the next two weeks, updates will be very little, if not nonexistant. I'll be in the UK checking out the other football and what not, so I'll try to keep up with the pages when I can. Other than that, the Mariners are in full swing and some thoughts will be explored when I get back.