Last weekend Seattle Seahawk fans watched in horror as Phillip Rivers and the San Diego Charges got even for their embarrassing loss during the preseason.
Unplugged by Chargers
The Charges unplugged the Hawks and put a low to the high that both the 12th Man and the players had been onsince embarrassing the Green Bay Packers during the opening game for the 2014 season and some of the newly acquired Seahawk bandwagon fans quickly jumped off after the Chargers came up with a 30-21 win against the reigning Super Bowl Champions.
Now don’t get me wrong. The loss to San Diego was disappointing but is it reason to give up on the season or the chance for them to meet their goal of another championship season.
And let’s not forget that Phillip Rivers is a really good quarterback and when he connects with future hall-of-famer Antonio Gates, well all bets are off. Even Coach Pete Carroll admitted they didn’t have an answer for the magic these two players can make when working together.
Exposed?
Rivers dared to throw Richard Sherman’s way which Aaron Rodgers refused to do the week prior. Although Richard did get a few stops during the second half, he was repeatedly beat by San Diego’s receivers. We’ve all heard after the game how the Chargers exposed Sherman. Sherman, in typical Richard Sherman fashion, disagreed, but after leaving the field where temperatures measured 120 degrees and heading into a locker room that measured 90 degrees, skipped the post-game presser. This added fuel to the fire and Sherman’s rare silence seemed to speak volumes . Sherm took to Twitter after the game and gave a more in-depth answer to his critics days later by giving Rivers and Gates kudos but saying the rest of the Chargers were “there.”
As for San Diego receiver Keenan Allen who caught three throws that Rivers dared to send Sherm’s way, the always quotable Sherman made mention that Allen might be able to talk about that “one game when he caught a few passes against Richard Sherman,” and then Sherman adds, “But didn’t score.”
Oh Richard.
Seahawks Set For Super Bowl Rematch with Denver
So what can we expect this week when Seattle meets with Peyton Manning and the Broncos?
Unfinished Business
One thing is for sure, this weekend when the Broncos come to Seattle for a Super Bowl rematch, it’s unlikely that Peyton Manning will shy away from throwing in Sherman’s direction. The mouth of the Pacific Northwest will have another chance to reinforce his status of being the self-proclaimed best corner in the league.
The Seahawks (1-1) take the field at home on Sunday for a Super Bowl rematch against Denver (2-0) and neither team has forgotten the lopsided 43-8 victory for the Hawks. The Broncos now are not the same team that took the field in New Jersey in February. They’ve acquired defensive end DeMarcus Ware which has made Denver’s defense solid. There are, however, those who are questioning whether the Broncos offensive line is as solid as it needs to protect Peyton Manning – especially protecting him from a Seattle defense. The Seahawks will be sure to find and capitalize on any weakness Denver’s offense shows.
Lord have Mercy … it’s Percy
The Seahawks have that special not-so-secret weapon in Percy Harvin and they still haven’t fully uncovered all of the ways a healthy Harvin can make this team unstoppable. The Broncos are going to try and defend against the living, breathing speed racer and they haven’t forgotten his 87-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the second half of the Super Bowl.
It’s Molly … oops I mean Wes Welker
Speaking of speed (pun intended) Wes Welker will return to the playing field on Sunday after being out two games for popping positive for performance-enhancing drugs. The rumor that Wes vehemently denies is that the substance was the party drug Molly. Welker was originally suspended for four games but due to new rules regarding banned substances, players will no longer be suspended for games during the season for testing positive off-season, instead, they’ll be referred to a substance abuse program.
Welker is the Captain to Payton Manning’s Tennille but Sunday will be a test for Wes and his gigantic helmet. He hasn’t seen action on the field since Sept. 1 when prior to the announcement of his suspension, he was sidelined due to yet another concussion.
The 12s
Regardless of what Denver says, the noise level at CenturyLink field will have an impact of the game. Let’s not forget that missed snap in the beginning seconds of the Super Bowl when the Seahawks scored a safety due to communication issues with Peyton and his center due to crowd noise. The noise level at the Super Bowl will be nothing compared to what Peyton is about to experience Sunday. All Seattle fans need to hear is that they won’t be a factor – they will make themselves a factor.
This is a game to watch
Even if you aren’t a Seattle or Denver fan, if you love football, this is a game to watch. The Seahawks are looking to show that one lousy game in San Diego doesn’t define them just like the Broncos are looking for redemption for the spanking they received during the Super Bowl – Sunday’s rematch will be a test to both teams.
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