WHAT THE PEOPLE WANTED: CLASH OF THE TITANS!

AN OFFER THEY CAN'T REFUSE

The Seattle Seahawks have accomplished all of their goals for the 2013 regular season. They won the division, they earned the number one seed giving them home-field advantage throughout the playoffs and a first-round bye and they did it by recovering from various different sources of hardship and adversity. The Seahawks play in the most competitive division in the NFL and still managed to lose just three games this season. What's even better is that Pete Carroll has successfully instilled a sense of teamwork that transcends personal achievement in terms of individual statistics and benchmarks often used for a player to negotiate a more lucrative contract at the season's end. The Seahawks sent six players to the Pro bowl, yet if you examine the top categories in terms of the most important categories for team success, you won't see a Seahawk player on the lists for the most recognized individual awards.


Marshawn Lynch had a very successful 2013 campaign running the football, yet he ranks just sixth in the NFL with 1,257 yards. The Seahawks most prolific pass receiver was Golden Tate, ranking 46 in receptions with just 64 and 898 yards. Perhaps the most misleading statistics in Seattle's success this season was at the team’s most important position, quarterback. Russell Wilson matched his rookie season with 26 touchdowns (10th) and 3357 yards (16th), but only nine interceptions. Wilson played mistake free football for most of the season keeping the Seahawks in games late and allowing the defense to finish games. This has become the hallmark of Pete Carroll's football team and the main reason for its success at home 7-1 and on the road, 6-2. This has been a team that has traveled well and taking care of business at home in front of the legendary 12th man at CenturyLink Field in Seattle.


The teamwork mantra of Pete Carroll didn't stop with their offensive competitive climate in terms of individual statistics, or lack thereof. The Seahawks defense rated number one in the NFL throughout the season, surrendering a league-leading 14.4 points per game to their opponent and scoring enough per game (26.7 points) to give Seattle a 417-231 for a league-leading differential of 186 points. Seattle logged 44 team sacks this season, good enough for 10th in the league (tied with two other teams) and an improvement over the previous season by just five sacks. However, the amount of pressure on opposing quarterbacks was palpable during the season as newcomers, Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett, bolstered an already effective defensive line for the Seahawks that were number one in the league last season in scoring defense as well, 15.7 PPG. The leading defensive player in sacks this season was Michael Bennett with 8.5 sacks with Cliff Avril not far behind with 8.0. Though the strength of Seattle's defense is not its pass rush, but instead, it's pass defense in the secondary and Seattle has the best defensive secondary in football. The Seahawks front 7 and its secondary have a symbiotic relationship in terms of dealing with both the pass and the rushing game of their opponents. As the linebackers and defensive line pressure the quarterback, the secondary is able to play a physical brand of press man-to-man coverage that cannot work without a steady level of pressure on the quarterback. At the same time, the play of Seattle's secondary at the line of scrimmage disrupts the receivers ability to run their routes on time, giving the defensive linemen an extra edge and extra second or two for the pass rush to get to the quarterback and caused him to hurry his passes or for the lineman to bat balls down just after they leave the quarterbacks hand. Seattle's linebackers have a special blend of size and speed, giving them the ability to stuff a run heavy offense at the point of attack and to fall into pass coverage on play action or straight up empty backfield designed to move the ball through the air. Because of Seattle's defense and its ability to keep scores low for their opponent, Russell Wilson has been asked to play a different style of play than he's used to playing in college at SC State or Wisconsin. The Seahawks average a league low 25 pass attempts per game and feature a run heavy offense relying primarily on the physical punishing brand of football that money back Marshawn Lynch brings to every carry in every game of the season. Lynch might be the most difficult running back to bring down one-on-one in the game right now. Arm tackles and grabbing at the man they call "Beast Mode" is a strategy that has proved to be ineffective against the 6-year Pro out of the University of California. Lynch is a human piston engine, reliable and sturdy, often taking handoffs through a play action system or read option strategy that gives him the ability to weave his way through a zone blocking scheme in the offensive line, a signature system of offensive line coach, Tom Cable. Marshawn is the beast and always seems to take a play with no hope and turn it into 8 yards carrying defenders down the field like a Metro bus. He is the cornerstone of the Seahawks offensive strategy and is the player who sets the tone for each game and chews-up valuable play clock as the ball hawking Seahawks defense tightens the noose around opposing offenses giving them little hope of catching up if they fall behind early in games. This is Pete Carroll's strategy for the season and it is unlikely to change and the Seahawks trudge into the playoffs with the weight of the 12th man behind them willing them on a collision course with the AFC champion (Denver or New England) in the New Jersey Meadowlands; MetLife Stadium in Super Bowl XLVIII February 2.


After playing San Francisco twice the season already, the Seahawks are no strangers to the 49ers brand of smash mouth football, nor are they to Seattle's ball hawking, face slapping style of intimidation and supreme confidence in their abilities to function like a well-oiled machine in front of their 68,000+ strong, screaming and yelling 12 man. So what will be the strategies for these teams who mirror one another and have a special familiarity so much that surprises are unlikely and head-to-head toughness and execution are more likely to be the determining factors in this "loser go home" "winner Super Bowl bound" contest that will answer all the questions that these 2 great teams have for one another going into this gargantuan game of Titan vs. Titan.


Before the 2013 season, the 49ers and Seahawks began an arms race that continued until the very last contest of the regular-season in December. The Seahawks made the first significant move of the NFL off-season, signing superstar WR Percy Harvin in a blockbuster trade with the Minnesota Vikings. The 49ers answered just days after Seattle's big move, signing veteran WR Anquan Boldin, of the training Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens. Then, the Seahawks made another move to improve their football team by signing free-agent defensive end Cliff Avril of the Detroit Lions. Frisco answers again, signing Glenn Dorsey, a free-agent defensive end from the Kansas City Chiefs. In another move for Seattle, they signed veteran corner, Antoine Winfield, a free-agent from Minnesota. Again, not to be outdone, the 49ers immediately signed Nnamdi Asomugha, a veteran DB from Philadelphia. This chess match of personnel continued throughout the season involving players who would even play for both teams at one point or another during the season. As recently as week 16 and 17 of the regular-season, defensive back Parrish Cox play for both the Seahawks and the 49ers a veritable yo-yo of West Coast trips to the airport for Cox. Pete Carroll made moves to choose players off the 49ers practice squad, and in a seemingly personal response, Jim Harbaugh would snatch players from the Seahawks practice squad, if only to carry them on their active roster for a couple of days. Whether or not this was a personal war of personnel, nobody really knows, but it does seem somewhat ironic that these 2 teams have been in a constant battle of weapons and nothing is too sacred for these 2 calculating coaches as long as it gives them an edge in the very competitive division of the NFC West.


Now, the smoke has cleared and both Seattle and San Francisco have settled their rosters for the clash in Seattle and the right to claim a trip to New Jersey and the opportunity to represent the national football conference in Super Bowl XLVIII. As different as the personalities of each teams head coach are, it's ironic how alike both teams are on the field. Seattle has a bruising rushing attack featuring Marshawn "Beast Mode" Lynch who crushed the 49ers in Seattle with 98 yards rushing and a couple of touchdowns. The 49ers feature a hard running; resilient and tough back "Frank Gore" the man who was the Achilles' heel for Seattle when they visited Candlestick Park for the last time. Gore ripped off a cutback off tackle play for 51 yards setting up the 49ers for the game-winning field goal in Seattle 19-17 and evening the regular-season and 1-1. Seattle and San Francisco both feature young and athletic quarterbacks who are as likely to be a team with their legs as they are with their arms. Colin Kaepernick is a long and lanky QB with the galloping running style that can rip off huge chunks of yardage if left in space and when plays break down. He has a very strong arm and can accurately throw the deep ball of wide receivers gain separation on their defender. Russell Wilson is quick and Wiley in the pocket and has a great sense of pressure and went to run and went to continue looking downfield and throws on the run better than perhaps any quarterbacks in the game today. Both quarterbacks are smart and confident and can take over a game if the defense gives them any space on the field. Kaepernick has perhaps a better supporting cast for receivers and has a game breaking tight end in Vernon Davis. Wilson has a great blocking tight end in Zach Miller, who is dangerous especially in the red zone, and several slot receivers who have good hands and excel blocking down field in support of the running game. The Seahawks have the edge in the running game, while the 49ers can hurt you from the various pass catching receivers downfield. Both teams play very hard and tough on special teams and have very accurate and capable placekicker's and in and game that has a high emphasis on tough defenses, the kicking game might be the balance in which the NFC championship game is decided.


As tough as both Seattle and San Francisco are on both sides of the ball, there are some drawbacks to both football teams and they reside on the same side of the football and at the same position. Colin Kaepernick and Russell Wilson are both great leaders and play a similar style of read and react in terms of throwing the ball downfield or tucking it and making plays with their legs. What separates the 2 young quarterbacks is largely based on stylistic differences. Kaepernick is much more flamboyant runner, galloping with wagging arms as he sprints down the field, while Wilson is far more compact runner and seems to glide across the field like he's on wheels. Many so-called pundits of football point to Kaepernick's superior straight-line speed, but in reality, both athletes possess similar speed. Wilson is a legitimate 4.55 runner and showed his speed at the combine in Indianapolis in 2012. Kaepernick ran just slightly faster at 4.53, but with a 6 foot five frame and mostly legs, the San Francisco signal caller can Gallup down the field and out run many of the linebackers at the second level of the defense in a longer race downfield. Wilson has the advantage in small spaces and with his first step is lightning quick. He also seems to have an intangible that his counterpart hasn't seemed to develop as well. It's an unteachable internal sensation that a quarterback gets when the passing pocket begins to break down. Each passing play a potential 360°° circle of attack begins around the quarterback, shortly after the ball is snapped. The goal of the quarterback is to keep his eyes downfield going through his progression of checking down from primary to secondary targets searching for an open downfield receiver. He must also be able to feel the pressure around him with an internal clock that tells him when to give up on the pass opportunity and hopefully exit the pocket and look for openings to run for positive yardage. Remarkably, Wilson entered the NFL with an extraordinary high level of pocket awareness and at such a primary level of the game. His propensity to avoid high pressure blitzing attacks from the defense sparked many to compare him to, Harry Houdini, the early 1900s Hungarian-American illusionist and stunt performer, noted for his sensational escape acts. Kaepernick is more suited to make people miss in space, and once he reaches the secondary would be tackler's, he's a very difficult runner to catch or tackle. On the other hand, Wilson is more likely to keep his head up looking downfield for open receivers while he runs. He runs to pass rather than Kaepernick who passes, then looks to run and once he puts the ball up under his arm, he commits completely to the run. Both quarterbacks have a bright future, but seemed to get great results, but in very different ways. They also rely heavily on their fantastic defenses that put them in advantageous situations to succeed. Rarely do either quarterbacks find themselves with long fields in front of them, giving them multiple opportunities in enemy territory and optimum scoring opportunities in the red zone.


This NFC championship game has been met with all the hype you would expect from the two best football teams in the NFL about to go to war for all the marbles and another chance for a Super Bowl trophy. The Seahawks missed their chance in 2005 losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers highly controversial game where the officiating was more than just a little suspect. The 49ers missed a golden opportunity to go to the Super Bowl II years ago on a muffed punt, then just last year San Francisco lost on heartbreak opportunity in the waning seconds of regulation when Kaepernick overthrew Michael Crabtree in the corner of the end zone. The Baltimore Ravens prevailed 42-37 leaving the 49ers defeated and heading home again without a trophy. Both the Seahawks and the 49ers are incredibly hungry for another chance and this game carries all the significance you can imagine for two division rivals who have everything to lose and everything to gain and, as Richard Sherman stated during a pregame press conference, neither of team has any love "lost or found" for one another.


The weather at CenturyLink field in Seattle is forecasted to be clear and dry which provides a perfect landscape for this football game to be decided by the best team, not the team that suffers from poor field conditions as we have seen this season in other games played in severe conditions. When two highly talented football teams come together for a significant game like this, you want to have the game decided by the players, not the officials and certainly not the weather conditions. The Seahawks 12th man is primed and ready to make things as difficult on the 49ers as humanly possible, and the stadium will be bursting at the seams. The stadium doesn't even offer standing room only tickets, much like each home game for the Seahawks throughout the regular-season. This town is ready for something special and the Seahawks have the players to make it happen. However, the 49ers have made a difficult journey to get to this game. First, being a wild card team, Jim Harbaugh and his Niners had to fly to Green Bay Wisconsin to play against the Packers on the hallowed frozen tundra of Lambeau Field with temperatures plummeting far below zero. San Francisco proved worthy to the task and beat Aaron Rodgers and the Packers and earning the right to play a divisional playoff game on the road again, this time on the East Coast field of Charlotte Carolina against the Panthers. It was a hard-fought and physically punishing football game, but again the Packers prevailed and now face perhaps the best football team in the NFL here in Seattle. The Seahawks are the number one seed and cruised to a 13-3 regular season schedule and then dispatched quarterback Drew breeze and the New Orleans Saints. The Seahawks didn't play their best, but they did enough and the 12th man helped lift them to a victory setting up the ultimate match up with the 49ers at the place the Seahawks and their fans call the "C'Link.” The crowd has already broken to world records for crowd noise and set the mark at a resounding 137.7 dB, the same level of noise you would hear at Ground Zero in front of giant amplifiers and speakers at a rock concert or standing on the tarmac next to a jet airplane. The 12th man has truly created a horrible place for a visitor to have to play football and the stakes don't get much higher than this game for the NFC championship and the right to play in Super Bowl XLVIII.


The Seahawks and 49ers know that they must control the line of scrimmage and develop a strong running game to have any chance of winning today. Both young quarterbacks are dynamic both running and throwing the ball, but it is expected that neither of them will put the ball in the air more than they keep the ball in the hands of the Seahawks Marshawn Lynch and the Niners Frank Gore, both punishing runners and extremely difficult to tackle. Russell Wilson's passing statistics have dipped over the last four or five games, but there might be more to that than meets the eye. Seattle's defense has been so dominant that once their offense manages 20 or more points, Pete Carroll and his coaching staff believe they will play enough quality defense to win the game. Thusly, Wilson is being asked to do less in the passing game and more in regard to protecting the football and not giving the opponent a chance to capitalize on costly turnovers and mental errors. Wilson only attempted 18 passes against the New Orleans Saints last week, but much of the reason could be attributed to the inclement weather conditions and the game plan put together by Pete Carroll and his assistant coaches. In the first half of the game, Drew Brees was held to 34 yards passing, the lowest total in his career. Because of the driving rain and the blowing wind, New Orleans adopted a dedication to the ground attack and for the most part, it was working against the Seahawks stingy rushing defense. It wasn't until the Saints fell behind that Brees fell back into his usual artistry of passing, tallying over 300 yards in the second half alone. Unfortunately, for Brees and the Saints, improved to not be enough as the Seahawks went on to win the game 23-15. Although the score was only a separation of eight points, the Seahawks dominated in the game and the 12th man in combination with Seattle's defense and Legion of boom, they tightened the noose around the Saints offense and squeezed the life out of them in the waning seconds of the contest.


Now, the Seahawks face the 49ers in the ultimate showdown between two young and dynamic quarterbacks with defenses that allow them to be aggressive and then sit on small leads until the clock ultimately expires. Because of the fact that both of these teams matchup against one another almost identically, Jim Harbaugh and Pete Carroll will likely need to get creative on offense as well as their defensive sets and reads. These teams know each other very well and know what to expect once they take the field. I look for Wilson to throw the ball more than he has in the last six games, but it's imperative that he avoids making mistakes and giving the 49ers more opportunity to move the ball on offense. Colin Kaepernick has not had success in Seattle, losing both games by large margins and looking very much the inexperienced signal caller, bothered by the crowd noise and the gravity of the team rivalries. Last time Kaepernick came to CenturyLink Field, he threw three costly interceptions as the Seahawks prevailed 29-3. The only real threat that the 49ers made in the red zone resulted in a Kaepernick interception to Earl Thomas on a tipped pass. From there on, not much went right for Harbaugh's 49ers. It was a total beat down as lightning and thunder filled the skies of Seattle as an ominous reminder of where these 49ers were playing and how dominant the Seattle Seahawks can be in their own house with their own family of 67,000 screaming and hollering fans…… The 12th man.


Now, San Francisco comes into Seattle believing they have a prescription to handle the crowd noise and the gravity of this most important game. Kaepernick even commented that CenturyLink field was perhaps a little louder than most stadiums. That might not have been the best way to taunt the people who cause the most trouble in a stadium than any other in the 32 cities of the NFL. The Seahawks and the Niners have managed to make it through the long 16 game season and into the third round of the playoffs with a primarily healthy roster of players. The Seahawks will be without the talents of their electrifying wide receiver, Percy Harvin, and the 49ers could possibly be without Carlos Rogers, the starting right corner. Harvin is listed as "out" and Rogers as "Questionable,” however whoever wins this game or loses will not be predicated on injured players or weather conditions. It will be because one team executed their game plan and the other did not. Both teams seem loose and ready despite the importance of this NFC championship game, and it seems clear that two veteran football teams are ready to clash and prove who is the biggest and baddest in the National Football Conference.

SEAHAWKS MUST RIDE WAVE OF WILSON'S SUPER BOWL VISION

The Seattle Seahawks are coming off their second defeat this season and unfortunately, it had to be at the hands of their division rival, the San Francisco 49ers.  For a Seahawk fan, losing to the 49ers is akin to losing a child or something similar.  Jim Harbaugh and Colin Kaepernick carry the honor of being the most disliked 49ers and they always seem to be the ones with their mouths flapping constantly anytime a microphone or camera is nearby. 

After the loss to the Niners, free safety Earl Thomas mentioned that perhaps some of his teammates got too caught up in the idea of winning the home-field advantage throughout the playoffs by earning the number one seed in the NFC.  The Seahawks took care of business, beating the New Orleans Saints, in Seattle the week prior, but their flight down to San Francisco didn't turn out the way they had hoped or expected.

First, and foremost, the Seahawks committed far too many penalties and what's worse, the flags occurred on plays that were critical to drives leading to field goals rather than touchdowns.  Reportedly, 49ers head Coach Jim Harbaugh and OC Greg Roman, had a pre-game on-field meeting with NFL referee, Clete Blakeman, and the rest of his officiating crew.  Harbaugh and Roman tipped them off that, in their words (paraphrased), "The Seahawks held our receivers on every single play up in Seattle, in our first meeting.  That's why our receivers were unable to get loose and make plays down field."  They went on to warn the officiating crew on practically every infraction Seattle has drawn since Pete Carroll took over in 2010.  I don't quite understand why it is that the referees tolerate coaches attempting to sway them into making penalty calls against their opponent.  The officiating crews should already be prepared for all rules and penalty situations as well as interpretation for all on-field infraction calls before the game starts without a pregame powwow with the coaches and other team personnel.  It’s preposterous and should be considered a giant insult to the NFL officiating crews, but somehow it’s allowed.  There were several ghost penalties on Seattle, though I also saw several penalties called on the 49ers that had no merit whatsoever.  This is by far the worst officiating performance on the year that I have seen in recent memory.  Clete Blakeman’s have been highly criticized for making errors in officiating and affecting the outcome of more games than any other crew currently officiating.  If the replacement officials were making these calls, they would be crucified by the; league, media, fans, the players and coaches alike.  I expect more from these professionals and it just might require that the National Football League pay the officials like full-time employees, rather than the job being seasonal, something like public school teachers deal with each summer.  The decisions and interpretations made during these pro-football games are integral to calling a clean game, and each individual game has more gravity and impact than perhaps any other team game in terms of the ramifications that lead to post game qualification.  Not to mention, the difference of hundreds of millions of dollars between successful organizations and perennial losers.  Last season, the Seahawks were denied a divisional championship by "one half game" because the 49ers tied with the Rams earlier in the season.  Because of that, Seattle became a wild-card team and did not get the first round bye in the playoffs or a home game in postseason play.  Instead, they had to fly across the country to Washington DC to play the "Washington Pro Football Team" in the wild-card matchup at FedEx Field, in Landover, Maryland.

Although Seattle did get some questionable officiating calls against them at Candlestick Park, it's important to point out that poor officiating wasn't the reason that Seattle lost to the 49ers last Sunday.  The Seahawks had their chances and simply didn't execute.  This was a very hard-fought contest that remained close for all four quarters of the game.  The only major difference in the game was that when the 49ers needed a big play, they got it.  Running back, Frank Gore, ripped off a 51 yard trap play, placing the 49ers well within their kicker's (Phil Dawson) field-goal range.  Many, including myself, sat in front of their televisions wondering why Coach Carroll didn't simply allow the 49ers to score, which would have left the Seahawks offense and Russell Wilson more than two minutes to put together a "possible" game-winning or tying drive.  Seattle had a one point lead 17-16, so even if the 49ers would have scored a touchdown, and tried for a two-point conversion, Seattle would have only trailed by six or seven points.  They could have figuratively driven down the field, scored a touchdown and tied the game with the PAT or could have tried for a two-point conversion, themselves, for a victory.  The two point conversion for Seattle would have been unlikely, though.  Carroll would likely have opted to play for the “tie” and an overtime period to live to fight on.  However, when the Seahawks coaching staff decided to play for a defensive stop or perhaps a turnover, (which made no sense whatsoever) they left so little time on the clock that any kind of heroic drive to score and tie the game was unlikely with just 26 seconds remaining in regulation.  The ensuing kick was short, giving Golden Tate a chance for the return.  Unfortunately, he was only able to manage a return to the 15 yard line.  Next, Russell Wilson found Jermaine Kearse on a deep "go route" down the middle of the field.  Kearse tripped on his own feet, and fell down as he tried to adjust to the ball.  This allowed the defender to intercept the ball, icing the game for the 49ers and ultimately splitting the 2013 series with Seattle, 1-1.

So, what did we learn about the 49ers game last week?

The Seahawks played one of their worst games of the season and lost by only a deuce.  Colin Kaepernick didn't look particularly sharp and even without Brandon Browner and Walter Thurmond, the Seahawks kept the Niners' wide receiving and tight end “quartet” under control for the most part.  Kaepernick was 15-29, 175 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT and a passer rating of 67.5.  The Niners signal caller has never had particularly good outings against the Seahawks, going 1-2 and getting blown out in both trips to the Northwest.  Seattle's defensive line also did their jobs for most of the game; Frank Gore had 110 yards, with 51 of those yards on one play at the end of the game, the play that ultimately decided the game.  The Niners had no touchdowns rushing and they kept Kaepernick from using his feet to attack Seattle's defense.  The real breakdown was on Seattle's offense and the ongoing problem with making mental errors and drawing ridiculous and unnecessary penalties on big plays and important drives.  The Seahawks had four plays called back of 20 or more yards gained passing and rushing.  Five of their nine penalties were on third down, killing drives and giving the ball back to the 49ers.  Russell Wilson was 15-25, 199 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT and a passer rating of 81.9.

The Seahawks protection of Russell Wilson was much improved, from what the diminutive QB phenom has dealt with over a 10 game stretch, while 2/3 of his best offensive lineman were out with various injuries.  Breno Giacomini, Russell Okung and the rest of the offensive line allowed Wilson to be sacked just twice for 21 yards.  Unfortunately, Seattle could not get their running game going throughout the game.  Marshawn Lynch tallied just 72 yards on 20 carries and his longest carry was for just 11 yards; Lynch scored the only rushing TD.  Robert Turbin was the only other Seahawks running back with a carry, just 2-12.  Another aspect of Seattle's offense that was nonexistent was Russell Wilson running the read option or even taking off of boot passing plays where he would usually tucked the ball under his arm and run if he couldn't find an open receiver.  Wilson carried the ball just once for 2 yards.  This is highly unusual for the Seahawks offensive not to utilize Wilson's speed while out on the flank looking for throwing lanes.  Slot receiver, Jermaine Kearse, had a real good look at a well thrown ball from Wilson in the left front corner of the end zone that hit Kearse right in his hands, but failed to haul it in.  This was a game of missed opportunities and far too many mistakes.  The mistakes have been a common theme for Pete Carroll's Seahawks over the last two years.  However, making plays hasn't been a chronic problem for this football team.  Each week it seemingly turns out that a new hero arises and makes the plays necessary for Seattle to move the ball and score often enough to win.  Wilson was unable to consistently find open receivers as Tate (6), Baldwin (3) Kearse (2), and Miller (1) seemed almost nonexistent.  The leading receiver of the day was rookie tightend, Luke Willson, 3-70, TD.

From the onset, it didn't appear that the Seahawks came into the stadium with the energy we are used to seeing from Pete Carroll’s highly excitable players.  There was a lot on the line for both football teams; the Seahawks playing for the division title and playoff rewards and the 49ers simply playing for a spot in postseason.  It was as if, the Seahawks' players believed the 49ers game wasn't one they needed.  As it turned out, that's the way they played the entire game, too.  Seattle had no energy, no sense of urgency and even the coaching staff seemed unimaginative, tentative and careful with their playcalling.  All in all, it was an uninspired afternoon of Seahawk football, with too many errors and not enough big plays to win.  The 49ers players were well aware what was on the line for them.  This was a must win game or they were going to be back on the Bay, watching the playoffs (on TV) this year from their living rooms. 

The Seahawks still possess a two-game lead on the 49ers in the NFC West division, but now it becomes imperative that Seattle wins two of their final three remaining games against the; Giants, Cardinals, and Rams.  The NFC West is widely believed to be the toughest division in football and division rivalries can create outcomes that are inconsistent with collective logic.  In simpler words, the Seahawks cannot sleep on any of these remaining opponents if they have any hope of winning the division and securing a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.  The latter, being imperative, Seattle not losing a football game in the last 14 contests at CenturyLink field.  Russell Wilson has been the starter for all of those winning games on his home field.  Winning this week against the New York Giants would be a favorable start to finishing the regular-season and dominating the NFC West.  Taking back the division title for the first time in three years would also be a shot in the arm for the 12^th man and would likely ramp up the volume at the C’Link for the playoffs.  Because of the decided advantage for the Seahawks, playing in Seattle in front of the 12th man at CenturyLink Field, home field advantage in the playoffs would virtually be "curtains" for any team coming to the cold, wet and miserable Pacific Northwest in January.

Pete Carroll seems to have his football team ready for the New York Giants.  This will be “one” of hopefully “two” visits to the New Jersey Meadowlands this season, for this year’s Super Bowl XLVIII will be played at New Jersey’s “MetLife Stadium,” the home of the New York Giants and Jets.  It’s a long flight and it will be another 10:00 AM start for the Seahawks, one of five this season (tied for most).  Carroll has his team in the mindset that “time zones and game start times” should absolutely have no effect on their ability to execute their game plan, and thus far, his team has responded winning five of seven road games this season, four of them being in different time zones with one remaining this Sunday.  Seattle has certainly bucked the stigma of being a poor “Road team.”  In fact, going back to last season, Russell Wilson and the Seahawks are 8-3 in road games for their last 11, including a playoff road win in Washington.  It was the first playoff road victory for the Seahawks in three decades.  The Seahawks have a road ready, dominant defense, and as history shows, you could take a defense on the road with little or no effect on the players; it’s another case altogether for traveling offenses, though.

Look for Seattle to re-establish their dominant running game this week against the Giants, followed by a rigorous and beguiling play action, read option combination in tandem with a big play deep threat to punish the aggressiveness of a team that may likely play in the same brand of football they usually do, but now without the personnel to make it effective.  Under Tom Coughlin this season, New York is a dismal 5-8 and mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.  So, the question for the Seahawks is likely; “How will the team react to playing for nothing, literally, in terms of this year’s postseason.  The Giants’ players are beaten down from a long, and losing, 17 week season, fall of a laundry list of key injuries and a roster that has been allowed to get old.  I believe it all depends on how much is left “in the tank” for these Giants’ players.  How many of Coughlin’s personnel are playing severely hurt or injured, and how successfully he can ready them for a game that seemingly has no real meaning to the players.  Other than, to save their coaches job and for their sense of pride, not surrendering to the West Coast bullies without a fight, there isn’t much to say about this game for Giants fans.  They must have a certain amount of pride on that football team, yes?  After all, this team has won two Super Bowl Championships in four years and both under the tutelage of Coughlin.  The Giants have their share of stars on the roster, as well.  Super Bowl MVP QB Eli Manning, big sack men; DE Jason Pierre-Paul and DT Justin Tuck, and WR Victor Cruz, and WR Hakeem Nicks.  Coach Coughlin has always put together very well coached and discipline defensive squads.  It’s vital that the Seahawks go to the East Coast with an aggressive game plan and a laser focus… A focus on Nothing other than the New York Giants football team.  The Seahawks must make this a “statement game” in New Jersey; everything else comes later; the time is NOW to concentrate on the HERE and NOW.  No one knows the concept of “supreme focus” more than Russell Wilson. 

There is no doubt among the Seahawks players, that this is Russell Wilson’s football team.  He is; their field marshal, their locker room cornerstone, their calming centerpiece and their on-field captain (voted by the team).

The Seahawks players must ride the wave of Wilson’s hopelessly positive attitude and his impeccable attention to detail.  They have their leader and now they must follow him into battle and take care of the business that they are fully capable of completing.  Wilson has already visualized winning multiple Super Bowls, and now the team must make the first one in reality.

Seahawks Playing Truth and Consequences… Again.

CAN TWO BAD APPLES SPOIL THE WHOLE BUNCH-BROWNER & THURMOND SUSPENDED

The national sports journalistic media collective has, as a rule, widely ignored the West Coast region and to an even greater degree, the pacific northwest. Some of the stigma is true--though, Seattle sports teams haven’t exactly given the East Coast writers an urgent cause to slog on out to Western Washington to see what’s going on in the sports world. However, ever since Seahawks owner, Paul Allen, purchased the Seahawks franchise and more importantly, hired Pete Carroll to coach his football team; the trend of snubbing Seattle’s professional football team has taken a sharp turn away from obscurity and onto center stage of the media’s attention… and scrutiny. 

The Seahawks are believed to be the most talented and complete team in the NFL this season and that has vaulted them to an NFL best 10-1 record. All is not gold that glitters and right now, with the focus on the Seahawks blue and green, a couple of bad apples are trying to spoil the bunch and the entire team is again reminded that choices have consequences and that those consequences often affect more than just those who choose to test the boundaries of a common set of rules.

Once again and far too often, Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks are facing questions about the cleanliness of their football program; in specific, whether or not there is legitimate concern over the growing tally of Seahawks players who have been suspended for violating the NFL’s substance abuse and performance-enhancing drug policies. The latest Seattle offenders? Cornerbacks Walter Thurmond and pro-bowl corner Brandon Browner are the current individuals to sabotage their own brothers and even more, they have destroyed the one thing that made them part of this great team fraternity… Trust.

Now the question begs; does the scrutiny fit Pete Carroll’s program and does the Seahawks team environment allow too much latitude for players to violate team and league rules? The murmur across the nation is that Pete Carroll’s “loose and relaxed” style creates a culture of doing whatever it takes to win and the players respond by not only playing loose, but playing loose with the rules.

It's hard to ignore the fact that, since coach Carroll took over as the Seahawks head coach in 2010, eight players have been involved in (one or more) instance of violating the NFL's substance abuse policy, including; DT Alan Branch, RB Vai Taua, G John Moffitt, S Winston Guy, LB Bruce Irvin, CB Walter Thurmond, CB Brandon Browner and CB Richard Sherman. Several of these violations were linked to rumors of performance enhancing drugs (PED), in particular; the drug Adderall, (A mild stimulant) spawning fans around the nation to refer to the entire team as; the "Sea-Adderall Seahawks".  Due to NFL regulations, it's unlawful for the league to divulge the actual substance used by players, but in this most recent case, Browner and Thurmond's suspensions are believed to be initiated because of marijuana use.

As the final quarter of the season begins for the Seahawks, Pete Carroll and his entire coaching staff must prepare his players and staff to avoid a common foe that can bring down even the mightiest of teams -- complacency. Currently, some form of "damage control" is being performed, within the organization as two selfish players have figuratively "pulled the pin from a hand-grenade" and while the rest of the team deals with the explosion and aftermath, Brandon Browner and Walter Thurmond will now sit out the balance of the regular-season, watching the games at home in street clothes. Just as Seahawk’s injury depleted roster was finally being steadily reinforced; Browner and Thurmond displayed just how easy it is to tip the delicate balance of power toward the wrong side of the continuum by making selfish and immature decisions that affect an entire franchise. This kind of selfishness is the scourge of even the most powerful juggernaut in team sports and the Seahawks are experiencing just that despite having many reasons to feel jubilant and refreshed for the remainder of the regular-season. Good teams have an inherent ability to overcome large and small waves of adversity and unfortunately three Seahawks players (Irvin, Browner, Thurmond) have taking it upon themselves to test that theory this season…

It will be a four-game suspension for corner, Walter Thurmond, who was present just 3 1/2 months ago as veteran teammates; Kam Chancellor, Michael Robinson and Earl Thomas held a “player-only” meeting to discuss another young Seahawks player who decided he was bigger than the team, even if only for a moment. Bruce Irvin found himself in the NFL headlines after testing positive for an undisclosed performance-enhancing drug (PED) banned by the league's illegal substance policy. It is believed by the court of popular opinion, that that substance was a drug called "Adderall" a mild stimulant used by patients that suffer from ADHD (attention deficit, hyperactivity disorder). The drug is only permissible to NFL players who suffer from the condition and have a physician’s order and prescription to take the medication. The Seahawks have allegedly had several players test positive for this banned substance, but this time it was the first year player, defensive end Irvin, who decided to test the boundaries of the NFL's drug testing system… and he lost and thus the Seahawks lost one of the team's most fierce and productive pass rushing sack-masters for one quarter of the regular season. But good teams can overcome adversity… Irvin took it upon himself to test that theory.

Irvin,    a first-year player, did this despite being present at a meeting especially designed to remind every player on the roster that selfish behavior cannot be tolerated if this team is truly committed to excellence and the pursuit of the ultimate prize, a Lombardi trophy. The team even adopted a catchphrase to remind the players that the team is more important than the player and the needs of the many outweigh the desires of the few… Or the one. The teams new mantra, which was printed on Navy T-shirts with the teams lime-green lettering reads "Leave No Doubt 24/7" to remind each other that it's imperative that they manage their behavior and habits 24 hours a day, seven days a week on and OFF the field. This was to be there new phrase of commitment to the team so that, as Earl Thomas explained it, "We won't make the same mistakes over and over without learning from them."

Just like Walter Thurmond, another defensive corner, Brandon Browner, also found it his business to test the Seahawks theory that good teams can overcome adversity, large and small. For Browner, it won't be as simple as a four-game suspension, as it will be for Thurmond. No, Browner is reportedly in a stage III phase of the NFL's drug program after testing positive for both performance enhancing drugs as well as an undisclosed substance that falls under the league's substance abuse policy which includes (but is not limited to) Street drugs like; marijuana, cocaine, barbiturates, analgesics, amphetamines. It's also important to note that simply because Washington state and Colorado have adopted drug laws where marijuana is legalized, the National Football League rather recognizes federal laws regarding all illegal drugs and the league's own list of illegal substances. So, just because Thurmond and Browner live in the state of Washington, doesn't absolved them of any of the NFL's policies for drug abuse. The NFL came to a signed agreement with the NFL players Association three years ago through their collective bargaining agreement, that included a universal league policy that all substance abuse infractions by players or team staff members falls under a clause of confidentiality and nondisclosure privacy rights. Therefore, when a player or staff member tests positive for a particular substance, it will only be released that the infraction violated one of two categories player conduct; A: the NFL's Substance Abuse Policy, and/or; B: the NFL's Performance Enhancing Drug Policy.  The actual substance found in an individual's failed test result is supposed to be suppressed and unreported to the public or the media. This is in theory, only, because information leaks to the media are not lost on the National Football League any more than they are lost in politics or show business. However, there has been no official or unofficial report of what substance Browner and Thurmond were found to have taken as a result of failed test. What we do know is; that a failed test for PED's results in an immediate four-game suspension for a first-time offender. Multiple failures of the league's PED policy results in more severe suspensions and can also include monetary fines. The NFL's substance abuse policy is quite different. When a player receives a suspension of even one game, it's already assumed that he is in the NFL's drug program and has failed multiple tests. Because Brandon Browner is in the appeals process for his suspension, it's uncertain which substance he allegedly ingested. On the other hand, because Walter Thurmond has never been suspended, it's assumed that he failed a test under the league's Substance Abuse Policy, in other words Street drugs. The court of public opinion is that Thurmond tested positive for (tetrahydrocannabinol) or Marijuana.

This Seahawks team is literally on the precipice of doing something very special. Pete Carroll and GM John Schneider have assembled the most balanced and complete football team in the National Football League and their 10-1 record shows just how tenacious and resilient this team has been this season. The offense has been consistently without the talents of 3/5 of its offensive line including the All-Pro tackle, Russell Okung, and pro-bowl lineman, center Max Unger and tackle Breno Giacomini. Seattle has also been without its pro-bowl tight end, Zach Miller, for a quarter of the season and has been missing various defensive ends at one time or another including, Cliff Avril, Chris Clemons, Red Bryant, Tony McDaniel and Michael Bennett. They had been without Brandon Browner for the first four games of the season and as indicated already, Bruce Irvin served a four-game suspension by the league to start the season. Sidney Rice was lost for the season after the eighth game and the Seahawks number one free agent acquisition, wide receiver Percy Harvin, was found to have a hip injury just prior to training camp, requiring surgery that could have potentially scratched him for the entire season. So this football team has already had its share of adversity and hardship and so far, they have come out clean on the other side.

After the 10th game of the season, the Seahawks had just beaten the tar out of the Atlanta Falcons who eliminated Seattle in the second round of the playoffs just a year earlier. Both the Seahawks and Falcons limped into the contest with several key players injured and unable to perform, but again… Good teams overcome adversity and the Seahawks did just that, beating the Falcons convincingly and looked to the final six games of the season with a bright future including the return of several key injured players including; Giacomini, Unger, Okung, Bryant and the shiny new toy for Pete Carroll and OC Daryl Bevell, wide receiver, flanker and kick returner, Percy Harvin. The Seahawks escaped with several victories out of the jaws of defeat, narrowly beating the Panthers, Texans, Rams and Buccaneers, with spectacular plays when they needed them most. The only game the Hawks lost was on a road trip to Indianapolis where Seattle lost an early lead and ended up on the bottom end of a 34-28 squeaker to Andrew Luck and the Colts. Truth be said, Pete Carroll's football team was as close to a 5-0 record as they were to a 2-3 record to start the season. But, good teams overcome adversity and the Seahawks were proving to be a very good team and after 11 games into the season.

Franchise Owner and CEO, Paul Allen's 2013 Seattle Seahawks are the big boys on the block, the bullies if you will; and they possess the best record in football. The San Francisco 49ers, who were expected to battle for the NFC West crown, are currently in the distant rearview mirror. The Arizona Cardinals and St. Louis Rams are prowling behind Seattle and Frisco, and have made a late surge; proving that the NFC West division, is indeed as expected, the best in the NFL.  On the World Wide Web "Power Rankings"; the Seahawks are collectively believed to be the best team in the National Football League.  It began to feel like everything the Seahawks did would eventually turn into gold. Paul Allen was smiling, Pete Carroll was smiling, the team players were certainly smiling and the city of Seattle was giddy with pride and 30 years of undying loyalty and patience, were smiling ear to ear watching their Seahawks plow through the first 11 games of the season. After all, Good teams overcome adversity, and this balanced team of youth and veteran leadership couldn't falter-- especially after a convening in a special meeting designed to make brother and brother accountable for one another and a team mantra of accountability and consequence "Leave No Doubt 24/7"

Now, with all of the team re-fortified, healthy and rested, locked and loaded and prepared to go into a fierce stretch of five regular-season games, what could go wrong? The way this season has progressed, it seems the Seahawks are living charmed lives and on an inevitable course for a meeting in the Meadowlands at MetLife Stadium in February. After all, Good teams overcome adversity.

The Seahawks are still scheduled to face three divisional matchups that include; San Francisco at Candlestick Park, as well as St. Louis and Arizona at home in the C'Link. All three of those games will be highly competitive against three franchises that are winning of late and seemingly finding their grooves. San Francisco has won six of their last eight games,  Arizona their last four contests and St. Louis winning two tough games in a row.  In addition, the Hawks will travel to New Jersey to play in the Meadowlands against the New York Giants in the same stadium the Seahawks hope to be playing in, as of February 2, the place of Super Bowl XLVIII. All of these games will be challenging to say the least; and a veritable trio scenario of "Battle Royale" to say the most. This is obviously not a time for the Seahawks to rest or lose focus. However, good teams overcome adversity.

If you were to ask, coach Pete Carroll or any of the Seahawks players, if they are thinking about the above future game scenario, they would tell you that it's not even in the back of their minds. Their collective and everlasting goal is to go undefeated each week, to go "One and oh" as QB Russell Wilson phrases it.  The team is preprogrammed to take every practice "one day at a time" and each opponent "one game at a time". 

That brings this writer to the task at hand; the 9-2 New Orleans Saints; the team scheduled to travel to the Pacific Northwest for the most highly anticipated match-up of the year to date.  This impending prime-time clash with the league best (10-1 ) Seattle Seahawks and the NFC South leading Saints, will be broadcast on week 12's Monday Night Football battle in just three days. Head coach, Sean Peyton, and his New Orleans Saints football team are acutely aware of the implications of this Monday night match-up in Seattle. Up for grabs, is the opportunity to capture the number one seed in the NFC and the chance to host "home field advantage" throughout the playoffs. Considering all the teams currently contending for a playoff berth, the home field advantage is perhaps the most important achievement for the Seahawks and the Saints. The New Orleans Saints play in an enclosed Stadium, the Superdome, keeping in the roar of crowd noise, making it difficult for the opponents offense to communicate.  The Seattle Seahawks simply possess the most loud and disruptive fans in football, and a Stadium considered the most difficult building in which to play a football game. The Saints have a high-octane offense and a much improved defense after breaking all sorts of NFL records as the "statistically, worst defensive team" in NFL history… just a season ago. New Defensive coordinator, Rob Ryan, has worked his magic with the Saints defense and has helped to field a formidable, crew. Seahawks QB, Russell Wilson, has made no secret that he deems, Saint's veteran QB Drew Brees, his idol and occasional mentor. Both Brees and Wilson hold the title of the two shortest starting quarterbacks in the NFL. Standing 6'0" and 5'11", respectively, both have found innovative and extremely effective ways of compensating for their vertical limitations. Through tireless and relentless mental and physical training, Brees and Wilson, simply prepare themselves to be better than the rest, each and every day. These two pro-bowl QB's (mentor and protégé) read defenses better, distribute the ball to their entire progression better and constantly hone the subtle (but important) details of the game with an unquenchable desire to get better.

So… "Mentor and Protégé", "Instructor and Student", and now "Pro-Bowler and Pro-Bowler," Brees and Wilson will square off in the most eagerly anticipated game of this NFL season--   Adding to the visceral drama of this game; it should be noted that in the bright lights of this nationally televised game, at CenturyLink Field, Russell Wilson has never been beaten in his home at the C'Link, a perfect 13-0, a franchise record. Wilson is also just one TD pass away from an NFL record for the first quarterback to throw 20 or more touchdown passes in his first two seasons; a record I'm sure Wilson would be proud to break while his mentor is watching from the sidelines. Wilson would play for a win, first, but the record would be like gilding the lily, I'm sure.

Monday Night, is coming like a freight train locomotive and the anticipation for the teams and the fans is immeasurable, I'm sure… But there is a fly in the ointment and a reminder of the delicate constitution that helps navigate a team through a long and challenging 17 week season. It's those damn, selfish and stupid players that simply do not know how to get on a wave and just ride it. Walter Thurmond and Brandon Browner have created a negative cloud over the Seahawks entire franchise by their inability to stay out of trouble. "Here we go again" Is the phrase most often muttered by the talking heads of the media, the pundits and the fans who are holding their collective breath, just hoping that "someone or something" doesn't spoil this jubilant and festive Seahawks mood.  It's amazing, it's ubiquitous, it's close to an omnipresence once you step out the front door of your home or business. No matter where you go in the Pacific Northwest, it's like Russell Wilson leading an inevitable daily team cheer, "Go Hawks!"  But there are those who still try to wipe out the relentless optimism by casting shadows over the light.

Make no mistake, grown men have made bad decisions that affect everyone who has chosen to get on this wagon of hope. There will be players, coaches and fans who will give them another chance, another chance that they believe everyone deserves…  that's where I get lost in the sense of mercy and understanding. Just why do these bad apples deserve another chance… A freebie, a Mulligan of free out of jail card? People deserve water, oxygen and a chance to earn opportunities. That's it… Choices result in consequences or benefits… It's that simple. Browner and Thurmond made multiple choices that put them in the position they are now. This isn't a case of unfortunate circumstances. Earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunami's and bolts of lightning are happenstance and sadly they often damage humankind and our environment and no one is to blame. But, please don't confuse happenstance and reckless living and poor decision-making as an unfortunate course of events. Football is a team sport, perhaps the ultimate team sport, and the entire extended franchise will suffer from the poor decisions of a few players who place their own priorities above those of their brothers on the team and the fans around the world. It's a privilege to be a National Football League player, not a right, and within the fraternity of this great American sport, punishment and banishment must always be a consequence of selfishness and a lack of respect of others.

Brandon Browner and Walter Thurmond are grown men who know the rules and understand the consequences of this game.  Each player is a direct, vital and necessary tooth in the gears of a machine that needs all of its parts to operate efficiently. The Seattle Seahawks will now face the New Orleans Saints without two of its players and it's time for a new mantra, "Next Man Up!"

The Seahawks have decided to promote from within the team as a result of losing Thurmond and Browner. Reserve cornerbacks; Byron Maxwell, Jeremy Lane and DeShawn Shead have opportunities of a lifetime, now.  Former Seahawks corner, Antoine Winfield, has also been mentioned, by head coach Pete Carroll, as a move for depth in the secondary, but not right away.

Next man up… Go Hawks!

NOTE:

In nearly every power ranking list on the internet, the Seahawks Rank Number #1, ahead of New Orleans Saints, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs and Carolina Panthers, respectively.