It hasn’t always been pretty for the 2013 Seattle Seahawks. There have been far too many close calls, they’ve been taken into overtime by lesser teams twice, and they haven’t played their best football on the road.
Ultimately, none of this has mattered.
The Seahawks, heading into a Week Twelve bye, sit at 10-1, and at the very top of the NFL. They lead the NFC West comfortably, with the 6-4 San Francisco 49ers well in their rear-view mirror. In short, the ‘Hawks have an excellent shot of landing the number one seed in the NFC playoffs and enjoying the sensational home field advantage that the “Twelfth Man” provides all the way through the post-season. The reasons for the success of this organization are too many to name, but as is the case with most successful franchises it starts at the quarterback position.
Midway through his second NFL season, Russell Wilson has already proven to be one of the greatest draft steals in recent memory. The 75th overall pick in 2012 has quickly developed into a top ten NFL quarterback, and that might be a conservative estimate. In spite of his small stature, Wilson has emerged as one of the most efficient, reliable, and intelligent signal callers in the league. His obsessive commitment to game preparation and tape study has translated to nothing but success in his early career. He is a playmaker in every phase of the offensive game plan exhibiting fantastic accuracy on deep throws, decision making well beyond his years, and an elite talent for extending plays with his feet. G.M. John Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll took a chance on this young man, and the early returns are brilliant.
Having a quarterback like Wilson opens up running lanes for one of the most physical runners in the NFL. Quite simply, Marshawn Lynch is running the ball like a man possessed. Lynch is second in the league with 925 rushing yards and has visited the end zone eleven times this season, putting him at a touchdown per game pace. Ever since he arrived in Seattle, Lynch has been one of the best ‘backs in the league, and the focal point of one of the league’s best rushing attacks. Just keep feeding the man Skittles and watch him run.
It’s impossible to discuss the Seahawks’ success without discussing their elite defense. The ‘Hawks “D” is allowing the third fewest points per game in the league (16.3), and has only allowed 3226 total yards of offense on the season, good for fifth in the league and even more impressive when one considers that most teams have already had their byes.
This top notch unit is led by one of the best secondaries in the league, “The Legion of Boom”. Led by elite cover man Richard Sherman and ball-hawking safety Earl Thomas, this is one of premier pass defenses in football. In spite of cornerback Brandon Browner’s 4-6 week injury timetable, the “Legion” doesn’t figure to slow down much, with talented backup Walter Thurmond holding down the fort.
Adding to all of this optimism is the return of wide receiver/return man Percy Harvin. In his first game back from a hip injury, Harvin caught one pass for 17 yards and had an impressive kick return, but his true value to the team won’t be on full display until the team returns from its bye in Week Thirteen. Harvin is one of the most unique offensive talents in the game, and is a threat to chew up yardage in a wide array of situations. The upside of any offense that possesses talents like Harvin, Lynch, and Wilson is limitless, and opposing defenses would be wise to start preparing now.
The only cause for alarm for this franchise is the difficult schedule it faces in the stretch run of the season. Week Thirteen’s home tilt with the New Orleans Saints is a game that could go a long way to determining who will end up with the top seed in the NFC playoffs, and it doesn’t get any easier after that. In Week Fourteen the Seahawks travel to ‘Frisco for an important divisional match-up, and then stop off in Jersey for a tough Week Fifteen showdown with the New York Giants, who appear to be in the midst of a late season playoff push. In Week Sixteen the surprising Arizona Cardinals visit Seattle in another tough divisional match-up, before the Rams come to town in Week Seventeen to close out the regular season.
Clearly, the schedule is brutal and this squad has a lot of work to do before we can declare them NFC West Champions, but overcoming adversity and tough situations has been the theme of the 2013 Seattle Seahawks. With a talented and hard-working team, a fiery and passionate head coach, and an absolutely rabid fan base, this team is set to make some noise in January. What they accomplish in the ensuing weeks will show us a lot about this team’s identity and what they’re truly capable of. One thing that is certain is that it’s never a wise move to bet against them.
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