The Seattle Seahawks 2016 season has kept fans busy as they’ve turned to pulling out their hair and biting their nails to see the outcome of our every game. You sure can’t dub it impressive, especially after their week 14 loss to the Green Bay Packers, but they have managed to stay positive and keep their head in the game for the remainder of the season. With a record of 8-4-1, the Seahawks look to week 15 to regain their balance and clinch a playoff spot. This article discusses why you should never count the Seattle Seahawks out.
Never Count the Seattle Seahawks Out
The Reign of Pete Carroll and John Schneider
For the majority of the Seahawks time in the league, their franchise has just been an average team. It wasn’t until a few years ago that their talent really struck. It was when Seattle hired Pete Carroll and John Schneider as their head coach and general manager, respectively, that they began to make a name for themselves. 2011 was the only season that the Seahawks missed the playoffs since the two took the reigns.
Since the 2012 season, the Seahawks have had a minimum of eight wins going into week 15. In all four of those seasons, they have made it into the divisional round of the playoffs after either achieving first round bye or winning the wild-card match up. Nevertheless, each time they Seahawks have grabbed a first round bye in the playoffs, they had made it to the Super Bowl.
Building a Stellar Roster
Carroll and Schneider know how to build an impressive roster for their franchise. They can easily pick out the golden nugget in the pile of dirt. Many of their top players were drafted in the mid to late rounds. Quarterback Russell Wilson was drafted 75th overall in the 2012 NFL Draft after numerous others, including Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, Kirk Cousins, and Ryan Tannehill, who, arguably, have not quite had as successful career as Wilson. Wide receiver Doug Baldwin went undrafted in 2011 and is now Wilson’s main target on offense. Safety Kam Chancellor and cornerback Richard Sherman were both drafted in the fifth round by the Seahawks in years 2010 and 2011. The year that Seattle won the Super Bowl against the Denver Broncos, they had one of the youngest, on average, rosters in the league.
That same year, they had the number one defense in the National Football League. It is regarded as one of the best defenses to ever play, if not the best. Seattle still has a number of the same players on their team, but the most notable losses include Bruce Irvin (Oakland Raiders), Malcolm Smith (Oakland Raiders), Byron Maxwell (Miami Dolphins), Chris Clemons (retired), and Brandon Mebane (San Diego Chargers). They say defense wins championships and if the Seahawks defense can thrive again, they have a chance to snag the Super Bowl LI title.
Championship Mentality
The Seahawks are one of the few teams who can keep their head in the game even after a devastating loss. Russell Wilson says it’s all about the positivity and “believing in himself” as a leader. The entire team has kept up this type of mentality.
Tough Minded. Can't wait for tomorrow morning. #GoHawks
— Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) December 12, 2016
After every game, win or lose, it’s all about putting it on the table and preparing for the next upcoming week as if it is a championship itself. This type of psych is absolutely something an opponent must be prepared to face when playing Seattle.
