Some might say Sunday’s visit by the Seahawks to MetLife Stadium in New Jersey was a dress rehearsal for February – whatever it was, it was a clear indicator that Seattle, who is now 12-2, is in it to win it.
Former Super Bowl MVP, Eli Manning, couldn’t make anything happen against Seattle’s renowned Legion of Boom who turned it up against the Giants. Corner Richard Sherman appeared to become Manning’s favorite receiver with two out of five interceptions and a tip that resulted in pick by defensive back, Earl Thomas.
Manning put up a goose egg and looked more like a man down than MVP against the Hawks.
Secondary? Whatever. Jeremy Lane and Byron Maxwell, who are both playing due to the suspension of Walter Thurmond and injury/possible suspension of Brandon Browner, showed that they are definitely a part of Seattle’s LOB. Maxwell matched Sherman’s two interceptions and Lane had five tackles on defense and two on special teams. Boom.
On the offensive side of the ball, running back “a.k.a. Beast”, Marshawn Lynch, bulled through New York’s defense for a touchdown and Doug Baldwin also made a beautiful catch to put another six points on the board.
And what about MVP contender, Russell Wilson? He didn’t just lead his team to a shutout win against the New York Giants on Sunday with 206 passing yards and 50 yards rushing – he also became the record holder for the most wins as a second-year quarterback.
The 12th win for the Hawks was the 23rd of Wilson’s sophomore year, breaking Ben Roethlisberger’s previous record of 22.
On Sunday, Wilson also joined the distinguished company of Dan Marino and Peyton Manning as one of only three quarterbacks in NFL history to throw over 50 touchdowns during their first two seasons.
Not too shabby and just what the doctor ordered for the Hawks after their disappointing 19-17 loss against the San Francisco 49ers the week prior. Now the Seahawks look forward to the Arizona Cardinals who are playing excellent ball and are fighting for a chance at the playoffs. It is yet to be determined whether Arizona wide receiver, Larry Fitzgerald, will play after suffering a concussion during the Cardinals 37-34 overtime win against the Tennessee Titans.
A win against the Cardinals December 22 means the Seahawks secure home field advantage during the playoffs which will make the Seahawks even more of a threat to opponents. Seahawks fans bring the power of the 12th Man and have proven to make it virtually impossible for away teams to win in Seattle’s CenturyLink Field.
The quest for home field advantage was helped on Sunday when the New Orleans Saints lost to the St. Louis Rams, which means they are now out of contention for being on home turf during the playoffs.
Throughout this season, the Seahawks have taken a 1-0 mentality each week focusing on getting the win week by week and not looking too far into the future but you have to think that it had to have felt good to win at MetLife heading into Week 15 with the possibility of returning there in February becoming more and more a reality.
Thanks for Reading. You can follow @Stowemama on twitter for your Seahawks needs, and follow the site @lastwordonsport while you are at it. Please take a moment to like our Facebook Page.
Interested in writing for LastWordOnSports? If so, check out our “Join Our Team” page to find out how.
Football fans…check out our two partnered NFL podcasts – Thursday Night Tailgate Radio and Overtime Ireland. Both shows bring you interesting commentary, critical analysis and fantastic guests including former and current NFL players, coaches and personalities.
