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.