One year ago today the Seattle Seahawks players and coaches were watching the playoffs from their homes after finishing the season 7-9 for the second straight season and being excluded from postseason play. This year the Seahawks were two points and 31 seconds away from advancing to the NFC Championship Game and establishing themselves as one of the Nation Football League’s top four teams. And while Seahawks shouldn’t have had any shot to turn a blowout back into a ball game after falling behind 20-0 in the first half, they still found themselves leading 28-27 with only 31 seconds left on the game clock. The fact that the young, inexperienced Seahawks team that struggles on the road was almost able to muster up a 20 point comeback win on the number one seed Atlanta Falcon’s home turf speaks numbers about the second youngest team in the NFL. Seahawks fans finally have something to root for.
Yes, they came up short, and go home after the divisional round of the playoffs for the second time in three years, but this isn’t the same team as the 2010 Seahawks that lost in the divisional round of the playoffs. Sure, the outcome is the same, but the team is much different. In fact, only ten of the 46 Seahawks active for today’s game even show up on the stat sheet for the 2010 divisional game versus the Bears. Pete Carroll and John Schneider have turned an uninspiring roster that backed into a home playoff game into a team to be feared for years to come.
Seahawk quarterback Russell Wilson spoke in his post game press conference this afternoon about the potential of this group, saying “I’m looking forward to what we have in the future. We have a great football team.” The future Wilson talks about starts right there with number three. The importance of having a capable quarterback in the NFL can’t be put in words, and the Seahawks have one. Everything you want out of your franchise quarterback-maturity, intelligence, poise, skill, confidence, professionalism-Wilson has. He perfectly wraps up what the Seahawks are, underappreciated, driven, hungry, and on the rise. He is a perfect fit for one of the most miserable sports cities in history.
It’s not only because of Wilson that the 12th man is optimistic about the future. It’s because of players like all-pro cornerback Richard Sherman, whose swagger and cockiness matches that of the unit that surrendered the fewest points this season. Sherman is fine with you throwing the ball to his side of the field; in fact he frequently dares opposing quarterbacks to attempt to do so. All he’s going to do is knock the ball down and maybe swirl his finger around his ear signaling that you’re crazy. Sherman along with fellow defensive backs Brandon Browner, Kam Chancellor, and fellow all-pro first teamer Earl Thomas form the hard hitting, highly feared Legion of Boom, arguably the best secondary in the league.
This is a confident team, but they come from humble roots. A group of unwanted misfits have quietly formed one of the biggest, fastest, and most physical defensive groups in the league. Only one of Seattle’s regular starters on defense was taken in the first round, and even that first rounder, Earl Thomas, holds a grudge that he wasn’t the first safety taken in the 2010 draft, taken after the Kansas City Chiefs’ Eric Berry. With undeniable quickness and power Thomas has become one of the very best at his position in the league; after being named to the pro bowl two years in a row and being recognized with first team all-pro honors this year. The Seahawks have proved that talent doesn’t only come from high draft picks and dumping money in free agency. It can come from other places, such as the fifth round (Sherman, Chancellor), the bottom of opponents depth charts (DE Chris Clemmons), and the CFL (Brandon Browner).
The Seahawks were 31 seconds away from getting another shot at a San Francisco team that they beat 42-13 when the two last met. Seahawks fans could be frustrated that their defense couldn’t come up with one final stop to secure a victory, and certainly have a right to be somewhat upset, but we must remember that this team is about to become really good. Just wait.
Head coach Pete Carroll knows it; claiming “I’ve never been more excited about a team,” postgame today. Russell Wilson knows it, exclaiming ”right before I got back to the tunnel, I got so excited for the next opportunity next year, looking forward to what we have in the future. We have a great football team.”
This is a good time for Seahawks coaches, players, and fans. A team that just a year ago was known as “that the team that made the playoffs at 7-9” now is known to be young, skilled, and hungry. We have a chance to see something special. We just need patience.
Good article, very quality
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