Feb 2, 2012; New Orleans, LA, USA; Tennessee Titans quarterback Matt Hasselbeck at CMT Crossroads Concert at the Sugar Mill. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The 2003 Seahawks season was a good one that ended somewhat comically and somewhat tragically. It was their first trip to the playoffs since the 1999 season, they went 10-6 in the regular season and finished second in the division to San Francisco, earning a wild card berth. It was the second playoff season of Mike Holmgren’s tenure and first of five straight. The season ended with a memorable playoff match up with Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers; Mike Holmgren’s former team, and Matt Hasselbeck’s former mentor.

The season also featured consistent play  that was aided by one of the better draft classes in franchise history.  Marcus Trufant, Ken Hamlin, and Josh Brown who led the team in points were all drafted that season.

In the wild card round, the Seahawks had to travel to Lambeau Field, a place where no visiting team had ever won in the postseason. There was some confidence and swagger to the Seahawks going in to that game.  Many people thought that there was a chance that they could pull off the upset.

I remember this game clearly because I was living in Madison, Wisconsin at the time, and was watching the game in a house with a group of Packer fans. The Seahawks took the early lead in the game but that would soon change. In all, there were ten lead changes (including tied scores). The final touchdown of  regulation was scored by Shaun Alexander with a 1-yard TD run. Ryan Longwell missed a 47-yard field goal attempt for Green Bay that sent the game in to overtime.

Things were looking good. The Seahawks won the coin toss, and the official asked Hasselbeck if the Seahawks wanted to return or defer.

Hasselbeck infamously answered, “We want the ball and we’re gonna score.”

Well, Seattle did receive the ball, but they only managed a three-and-out. Then the defense held Green Bay to a three-and-out. On the third drive of overtime, Hasselbeck completed two 6-yard passes, one to Darrell Jackson, and one to Koren Robinson for a first down. A few plays later on a 3rd and 11 pass, Green Bay corner back Al Harris picked off the ball and ran it 52 yards for the game winning TD.

Green Bay would go on to give up a big lead in a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the divisional round. That game was highlighted by Donovan McNabb’s game-saving 28-yard completion on a 4th and 26 play in the fourth quarter.

By The Numbers:
Regular Season Record: 10-6 (NFC Wild Card 5th Seed)
Playoff record: 0-1
Points for: 404
Points against: 327
Differential: +77
Turn overs forced: 28
Turn overs allowed: 29
Differential: -1

Week 1: Ernie Conwell TE New Orleans and former Washington Husky. Conwell was not a factor with only 4 catches for 38 yards. The Seahawks opened the season with a 27-10 victory.

Week 8: Jon Kitna QB Cincinnati. Kitna beat his former team 27-24. This was a back and forth game that was decided by Kitna throwing a game winning, 53-yard TD pass to Chad Johnson. Were it not for three Hasselbeck interceptions, and two lost Seahawks fumbles, things may have been different.

Week 9: Tommy Maddox QB Pittsburgh and XFL champion. Both teams played turnover-free football. The Seahawks won after scoring 14 4th-quarter points. 23-16.

Week 10: Bruce Smith DE Washington. In Bruce Smith’s final season, he recorded one of his last sacks against the Seahawks. However, the Seahawks won the game 27-20.

Week 12: Jamal Lewis RB Baltimore. Lewis ran for 2,066 yards that year. 117 of those yards came against the Seahawks. It was the one of the five times the Seahawks faced a running back on his way to 2,000 yards (Davis twice, Jamal Lewis, Chris Johnson, and Adrian Peterson).

Week 14: Randy Moss WR Minnesota. 8 receptions, 133 yards, and 2 TD for Moss in this game.  It was the most lopsided loss of the season for the Seahawks.  34-7. Coincidentally, the week before, the Seahawks beat the Cleveland Browns by the same score.

Offensive Standout: Matt Hasselbeck. He distributed the ball well and gave the team a chance to win every week.
Defensive Standout: Marcus Trufant. In his rookie year, Trufant had two interceptions, one fumble recovery, 74 tackles, 9 assists, and an impressive 20 passes defenced.
Telling Stat of the Season: -1 turnover margin.
Notable Draft Picks: Marcus Trufant DB, Ken Hamlin DB, Seneca Wallace QB, Josh Brown K, and Taco Wallace WR (he was a bust, but got fifteen minutes of fame because his name is Taco).
Super Bowl Champion: New England 32, Carolina 29*
*This was the year that He Hate Me from the XFL played in the Super Bowl

Dec 19, 2011; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers former receiver Jerry Rice attends the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Candlestick Park. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports

My countdown continues with the 2004-2005 season. In case you were wondering, that picture to the right is no mistake. Jerry Rice did in fact play in one season for the Seattle Seahawks. In 2004 Rice requested a mid-season trade from the Raiders and ended up on a Seahawks squad that was looking for a veteren presence in their recieving corps. While he did not have a huge impact, it was fun to have him in Seattle for a season.

Hopefully, 2004 will one day be bounced out of the top 10, but until it is, this is what we have. 2004 was a bitter sweet year for the Seahawks. They won the NFC West for the second time under Mike Holmgren, earning the title on the last game of the season with a dramatic 4th quarter two-point conversion stop against Atlanta.

As fate would have it, Seattle earned the 4th seed in the playoffs with a 9-7 record.  St. Louis squeaked in to the playoffs with an 8-8 record good enough for a 5th seed match against the Seahawks. The Minnesota Vikings also finished with an 8-8 record, but St. Louis won the tie breaker with a superior conference record. Earlier in the season, Seattle had lost twice to St.  Louis.  What looked like a final chance to finish off an inferior yet pesky opponent turned sour from the start. The Rams jumped out to an early lead setting the stage for a Seattle comeback.

The Seahawks did manage to take the lead in the fourth quarter, but gave up a tying field goal, and game winning touchdown to the Marc Bulger-led rams in the 4th quarter. Sadly, not even the 12th Man could give the Seahawks that little boost they needed to finish off the Rams.

Despite the overall disappointment of this season, and the subpar season point differential of -2, this team beat out the ’99 squad because it did not suffer the second half collapse, and it was the first of four straight NFC West titles for the Seahawks. That, and it was the only one of the three remaining candidates that didn’t include Brian Bosworth on the roster.

Oct 27, 2012; Norman, OK, USA; Oklahoma Sooners former linebacker Brian Bosworth on the sidelines prior to the game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

By The Numbers:
Regular Season Record: 9-7 (AFC West Champion)
Playoff record: 0-1 (4 seed)
Points for: 371
Points against: 373
Differential: -2
Turn overs forced: 35
Turn overs allowed: 27
Differential: +8

Noteable opponetns and games:
Week 5: St. Louis Rams –The Rams team that included Marc Bulger, Issac Bruce, Torrey Holt, Marshall Faulk, and Steven Jackson simply had Seattle’s number. They won 33-27 in OT week 5, 23-12 in week 10, and 27-20 in the Wild Card Round. Shaun Alexander averaged over 132 yards per game against the Rams that season, but the Seahawks couldn’t find the end zone enough to match Marc Bulger’s passing attack.

Week 6: Tom Brady – New England QB The Seahawks lost to the eventual Super Bowl champions 20-30. Tom Brady completed passes to 8 different receivers and UW’s Correy Dillon ran for 105 yards.

Week 7: Emmit Smith –  Arizona RB  Emmit Smith recorded his final 100-yard rushing game with 106 yards against the Seahawks in a 25-17 Cardinals victory including the final touchdown of the game.

Week 11: Wes Welker  – Miami Special Teams  In 2004, Welker played for three different teams and didn’t catch a pass. In the game against Seattle, Welker returned 4 kicks and 3 punts for a total of 124 yards. The Seahawks won the game 24-17.

Week 12: Drew Bledsoe Buffalo  –  QB and ex-WSU Cougar  Bledsoe threw for 275 yards, a TD and 3 INT’s. Willis McGahee ran for 116 yards and 4 TD’s on route to a 38-9 romp by the Bills.

 Week 13: Shootout against the Cowboys  The Seahawks lost a high octane Monday Night Football game 43-39 against the Dallas cowboys. Julius Jones of the Cowboys ran for 198 and 3 TDs yards. Jerry Rice of the Seahawks caught 8 passes for 145 yards and 1 TD, proving that he was still a solid contributer even in his later years as a player.

Week 14: Randy Moss – Minnesota WR  The Seahawks survived a 4-catch, 104-yard, 1 TD performance by Randy Moss en route to a 27-23 victory. Behind Matt Hasselbeck’s 334 yards, and two second half field goals by Josh Brown the Seahawks secured the win.

Week 17: Michael Vick – Atlanta QB  This was the season that Michael Vick took the Falcons to the NFC Championship game. Allthough Vick rested for most of the game,  he would then go on to lead the Falcons to a win against the St. Louis Rams in the NFC divisional round. It was perhaps the only time that a large number of Seahawks fans have ever rooted for Michael Vick.

Offensive Standout: Shaun Alexander – 1,866 total yards, 20 total TD’s
Defensive Standout: Ken Lucas – 63 solo tackles, 8 assists, 6 INT, 1 pic 6, 1 forced fumbles.
Team Stat of the year: +8 turn over differential
Notable Draft Picks: Sean Locklear OT
That Year’s Super Bowl: XXIX New England Patriots 20 Philadelphia Eagles 17

August 4, 2012; Canton, OH, USA; Seattle Seahawks former defensive tackle Cortez Kennedy poses with his bust during the 2012 Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremonies at Fawcett Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Over the next several weeks, I will release my list of top 10 Seahawks seasons. In general, I believe that lists are constantly evolving and that as a team plays year after year, the context that they create can change their best seasons. For example, the Seahawks just finished a pretty good season that most everybody would agree would rank among their ten best. If this core of players manage to improve on last year, not only will that season crack the top ten, but may also make a case to raise last year’s ranking as the first of an era (fingers crossed).

The factors I have taken in to consideration in making this list are: post season wins, depth of post season run, historical context, regular season record/ranking, regular season statistics, and post season record, in roughly that order. My hope is that this list will help Seahawks fans dream about what future seasons have in store and where the next couple of seasons may land in future lists. Please feel free to pipe in with your own memories, rankings, and other feedback.

#10 1999-2000: The Seahawks Return to the Playoffs

To many, the 1990′s were the dark ages of Seahawks football. While there were many great players such as Cortez Kennedy, Sam Adams, and Chris Warren, the Seahawks also suffered their longest playoff drought at eleven seasons. That streak was snapped by a gritty and unpolished team lead by Ricky Watters, and Central Washington University’s greatest over achiever, Jon Kitna. That season, the Seahawks raced out to an 8-2 record, only to find themselves a game back of Kansas City in week 15 with an 8-6 record. The next week, the two teams faced off, and the Seahawks won 23-14. At the end of the game, both teams had identical records, with one week to play. Seattle owned the tie breaker.

The Next week, the Seahawks needed a win against the Jets or a Chiefs loss to secure the AFC West Division Championship. Curtis Martin ran for 158 yards, and caught 3 passes for 45. The Seahawks failed to score a touchdown in a 19-9 loss. However, the Chiefs managed to lose an overtime shootout to the Oakland Raiders 41-38. It was perhaps the first and only time that Seahawks fans were ever caught cheering for the Raiders.

With a 9-7 regular season finish, and a defensive line anchored by Cortez Kennedy and Sam Adams, the Seahawks ended with the number 3 seed, and hosted the Miami Dolphins lead by Dan Marino. While the Seahawks managed to jump out to a lead, they gained only 41 rushing yards, and allowed 6 sacks while turning the ball over twice. In the fourth quarter, Miami would take the lead on a late drive, and the Seahawks were eliminated. It marked not only Dan Marino’s final playoff victory, but also the last NFL game ever played in the Kingdome.

Despite suffering a late season collapse, the Seahawks could still take pride in returning to the playoffs. It was the only playoff team of Cortez Kennedy’s Hall of Fame career. Jon Kitna also completed his first and only winning season as a starter in his career as an NFL journeyman. That off season, the Seahawks would draft Shaun Alexander, a sign of better things to come.

By The Numbers:
Regular Season Record: 9-7 (AFC West Champion)
Playoff record: 0-1 (3 seed)
Points for: 338
points against: 298
Differential: +40
Turn overs forced: 36
Turn overs allowed: 33
Differential: +3

Notable Opponents and Games:

Week 3: Mark Bruener – Pittsburgh TE, and ex-Washington Husky. The Seahawks managed to win the game 29-10 without scoring a single offensive TD.

Week 4: Napoleon Kaufman – Oakland RB, and ex-Washington Husky. The Seahawks beat the Raiders 22-21 on a fourth quarter field goal.

Week 8: Brett Favre – Green Bay QB Favre threw 1 touchdown and 4 interceptions on route to a 27-7 drubbing by the Seahawks that included a 125-yard rushing performance by Ricky Watters. Cortez Kennedy also recorded 3 sacks against his fellow Hall of Famer.

Week 9: Corey Dillon – Cincinnati RB, and ex-Washington Husky. Dillon rushed for 81 yards including a long of 32. That was not enough to match Watters’ 141 yard, 2-TD performance. Seahawks 37-20.

Week 10: Tony Gonzalez – Kansas City TE In the first of two meetings of the division rivals, the legendary TE caught 8 balls for 62 yards but the Seahawks dominated with Watters gaining 174 total yards, including a 45-yard run, a 25-yard reception, and 3 TD’s. The Seahawks improved to 8-2 and atop the AFC West.

Week11: Tampa Bay This home game was the worst of the season. The Seahawks turned the ball over 6 times and failed to score a TD in a 16-3 loss. The winning quarterback, Trent Dilfer, went 5/11 with 50 yards passing. More than half of those yards came on a 26-yard completion. It was the beginning of a 1-5 end to the season, 1-6 counting the playoffs.

Offensive Standout: Ricky Watters – rushing 325/1210 5TD, receiving 40/387 2TD

Defensive Standout: Cortez Kennedy – 61 solo tackles, 13 assists, 6.5 sacks, 2 INT, 2 forced fumbles. Only player with at least 1 sack, INT, and forced fumble on the season. Made the Pro Bowl.

Team Stat of the year: Led the league in interceptions with 30.

Notable Draft Picks: Brock Huard QB, Antonio Cochran DE

That Year’s Super Bowl: XXXIV St. Louis Rams 23 Tennessee Titans 16

Feb 3, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) celebrates with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after defeating the San Francisco 49ers 34-31 in Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

The Baltimore Ravens won the Super Bowl proving yet again that regular season records mean little in predicting the playoffs. By translating a 10-6 record in to a 4-0 playoff run, the Ravens have made history by becoming the first team in history to win a Super Bowl against the San Francisco 49ers.

When NFC West football coaches, players, and fans look back on this season, the biggest lesson might be, “Make sure to show up to play in the first half of playoff games.” While both the Seahawks and 49ers looked as talented as any team in football this year, their habit of digging themselves in to a hole and relying on perfect execution late in games backfired. Instead of the NFC West holding a Lombardi Trophy, the 49ers finish the season more closely resembling the team that couldn’t beat the Rams than the team that was predicted by many to win it all.

In my last article I predicted that the Ravens would pass to set up the run. As it would turn out, the Ravens rushing attack was never a factor at all. Luckily for them, they scored their three offensive touchdowns on pass plays. They ended the game with only 93 rushing yards, and averaged a measly 2.7 yards per carry. On a normal day, that would not be enough to move the chains.

However, especially for Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco, this was not a normal day. His three first half touchdowns were enough to bury the 49ers in a deep hole. They were also enough to set a new NFL record with 11 touchdown passes in a single post season without an interception.

Flacco’s first pass was thrown to the middle of the end zone to Anquan Boldin who found a pocket between two defenders. The next touchdown was a 1-yard pass to Dennis Pitta who calmly spiked the ball. The body language of the Ravens squad exuded confidence. The third touchdown made people stop and look. It was a 56-yard completion to Jacoby Jones, who caught the ball in the air, fell down, and got up in time to elude San Francisco defenders on his way to the end zone.

With the possession of the ball to start the second half, the Ravens were in good position with a 21-6 lead at halftime. By the time Jacoby Jones returned the opening kickoff 108 yards for a touchdown, things were looking great.

Feb 3, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; Power out in half of the dome in Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Jack Gruber-USA TODAY Sports

It looked like a good old fashioned Super Bowl blowout, until, of all things, the power went out in the Super Dome. While the power outage delayed the game for 34 minutes, it is impossible to judge what effect it had on the two teams. Some say that the 49ers benefited by being allowed to regroup and kill Baltimore’s momentum.

It could be just as easily presumed that Baltimore benefited from the blackout, by being allowed to regain some energy that allowed them to withstand the onslaught that was soon to come. In the end, the real beneficiary of the power out was probably the bar owners across the world who kept their patrons drinking for an extra half hour. At the end of the unexpected intermission, the game really started to get competitive, and turned in to what many called an instant classic.

Colin Kaepernick, who was flustered and ineffective early, suddenly was able to connect with Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis. Both receivers topped one hundred yards, and Crabtree hauled in a touchdown. The other two 49er touchdowns were run in by Frank Gore who ran for a game best 110 yards, and Kaepernick who celebrated his touchdown run with a highly predictable kiss of his tattoo.

While the touchdown brought the 49ers to within a field goal of the Ravens, perhaps Kaepernick’s celebration was a bit premature if not entirely unnecessary. The Ravens would go on to build their lead to 5 on a Justin Tucker field goal giving the 49ers time to take the lead.

Feb 3, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree (15) reaches for the ball on fourth down in the fourth quarter against Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed (20) in Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

However, Baltimore’s defense held tight on a four-down goal line stand that included one controversial non-call in the end zone on a ball thrown to Michael Crabtree. While Jimmy Smith clearly had a handful of jersey, Crabtree was also engaged in contact. Being that it’s a Super Bowl, I’m a big believer in letting the players play, and saving the flags for obvious penalties, like the illegal formation that stalled a promising opening drive by San Francisco.

After turning the ball over on downs, San Francisco’s defense was able to hold the Ravens to a three and out. The Ravens, who had faked a field goal earlier in the game, pulled another unorthodox special teams move. With twelve seconds left, the punter, Sam Koch, scrambled around in the end zone for eight seconds before running out of bounds giving the 49ers a safety and two points.

The score tightened to 3 points, but with four seconds left on the clock, a field goal was not a possibility. Instead of punting from the end zone with 12 seconds left, the Ravens were able to kick off with four seconds left. There were no repeats of the music city miracle as Baltimore’s kickoff team found the ball quickly, and made the winning tackle as time expired.

It was a fitting end to an exciting season of NFL football. The Ravens have some questions surrounding an aging defense, and a free agent quarterback, but have been consistently competitive over the years. The 49ers also look like they’re built to compete for years to come.

Feb 3, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith (82) celebrates with the cheerleaders after defeating the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots, and Denver Broncos all exited the playoffs with unfulfilled expectations. Expect them to be in the thick of the hunt next season. But, until then, The Baltimore Ravens deserve to hold their well-earned title of NFL Champions.

Jan 31, 2013, New Orleans, LA, USA; General view of the downtown New Orleans skyline and Benson Tower and Mercedes-Benz Superdome in advance of Super Bowl XLVII between the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The match up for Super Bowl XLVII is incredibly difficult to call. Both teams have overcome adversity, and both teams have weaknesses. In fact, I don’t totally trust either quarterback, or defense. Baltimore shut out the New England Patriots in the second half of the AFC Championship game, but San Francisco runs a totally different offense. San Francisco plays physical, but their defense almost let the Atlanta Falcons run away with the game early on in the NFC Championship game.

As for the quarterbacks, Joe Flacco has won playoff games in each of his seasons in the league, but he has also lost playoff games in each of those seasons. Colin Kaepernick has great skills, but he was shut down by the Seattle Seahawks in a prime time match up earlier in the season.

Both teams also have questions on special teams. San Francisco’s place kicker, David Akers, has missed several field goal attempts. The Baltimore Ravens, on the other hand, have a better kicker in Justin Tucker, but have been known to blow coverages on kick offs and punts.

In the passing game, The Ravens have a slight edge with their deep threat of Flacco to Torrey Smith. Anquan Boldin, and Dennis Pitta are solid, but The 49ers have the better overall receiving corps with Michael Crabtree, Randy Moss, and Vernon Davis.

Jan 12, 2013; Denver, CO, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith (82) catches a pass for a touchdown under pressure from Denver Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey (24) in the second quarter during the AFC divisional round playoff game at Sports Authority Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Both teams are solid in the run game. Baltimore’s Ray Rice is the top rusher in the playoffs this season with 247 yards. However, Frank Gore is number three with 230 yards in one less game. Right behind him is San Francisco quarterback Colin Kapernick has put up a jaw-dropping 202 yards rushing in his first NFL postseason.  183 of those yards came in one game against the Green Bay Packers.

Historically, both teams boast impressive records. San Fransisco is undefeated in five trips to the Super Bowl, and Baltimore has won one Super Bowl, and holds the best post season record of any team in history at .650. Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco also has the most wins away from home of any quarterback in history at six.

San Francisco’s last Super Bowl victory was in 1995. Baltimore’s was in 2000. Because the 49ers history is much older than the Ravens’, I don’t see that playing any part in predicting this game. While they still have the mystique of being the 49ers, they are only three years removed from being one of the most underachieving teams in football. At the same time, the Ravens have been in the thick of the hunt for the better part of the past fourteen seasons.

In the previous round, both teams beat pass-first teams to get to the game, so it’s hard to tell how either will react to each other’s run-first attacks. But, it might be fair to say that the game will go to which ever team manages to pull off the first big pass plays, and if it comes down to that, my money is on Joe Flacco.

Both teams dodged bullets to get to the super bowl. The Ravens had a miraculous comeback against the Broncos, and the 49ers mounted an impressive come back against the Falcons. That should indicate that this game will be competitive until the end, even if one team gets off to a quick start.

On the line, the edge should go to San Francisco’s defense vs. Baltimore’s offense. Running the ball will be a challenge.   So, I expect Baltimore to pass early to set up the run. Don’t be surprised if they take a shot at the endzone on first or second down of their first drive if they are not trailing.

Jan 20, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Frank Gore (21) scores on a touchdown run past Atlanta Falcons strong safety William Moore (25) during the fourth quarter in the NFC Championship game at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports

San Francisco, on the other hand, has to hope that their read option offense has enough spark to confuse a veteran Ravens defense led by Ray Lewis who may have lost a step in terms of speed, but still reads an offense as well as anybody in history. I expect the Ravens to minimize Kaepernick’s rushing attack forcing Frank Gore to provide the bulk of the ground yards. Meanwhile, Kaepernick will have to rely on his arm, the major factor that set him apart from his teammate Alex Smith. Expect Gore to have a big game, and expect Kaepernick to air it out.

In the end, I believe that the Ravens’ experience, will outmatch the youth of the 49ers. The Ravens have spent years deliberatley improving their offense. The plan was to balance out their great defense to have a shot to win a super bowl. Now that they have made it back to the dance, I expect them to show up with their laces tied tight, and ready to rumble.

Ravens: 24 49ers: 17

January 27, 2013; Honolulu, HI, USA; NFC quarterback Russell Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks (3) runs past a tackle attempt by AFC defensive tackle Geno Atkins of the Cincinnati Bengals (97) in the third quarter during the 2013 Pro Bowl at Aloha Stadium. The NFC defeated the AFC 62-35. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson competed eight of ten passes for 98 yards, and threw for three touchdowns.  Marshawn Lynch scored a touchdown and led all rushers with a modest 21-yards.  Leon Washington added a 92-yard kickoff return to set up a score. Earl Thomas also contributed with an interception. Max Unger and Russell Okung provided solid protection. In the end, the NFC put up a record number of points in the 62-35 victory.

In fact, the NFC dominated in all three phases of the game, offense, defense and special teams.  They scored six passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and two field goals.

Jan 26, 2013, Honolulu, HI, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch (24) flips on his head as Houston Texans cornerback Johnathan Joseph (24) watches in the 2013 Pro Bowl at Aloha Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

In the face of criticism, the players seemed to play with an appropriate mix of caution and competition.  The game also included some fun all-star moments. Russell Wilson connected with Larry Fitzgerald for a touchdown pass.  Earlier in the game, JJ Watt lined up as a receiver but failed to catch either of his two targets.

While the stakes were still lower than some fantasy football games, it was fun to watch.  The broadcast included scenic shots from Hawaii and several on-field interviews. It was also a chance to see some of this year’s players get a bit of recognition for their hard work.

Jan 28, 2012; Honolulu, HI, USA; NFC quarterback Cam Newton of the Carolina Panthers (1) hands off to NFC running back Marshawn Lynch of the Seattle Seahawks (24) during the NFC practice on Ohana Day at the 2012 Pro Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports

Six Seattle Seahawks are headed to the Pro Bowl this year. The big question that everyone is asking is, “Does anybody care?” Last year’s players were accused of not competing, not playing hard enough, and basically playing a boring game. It resulted in a 59 to 41 AFC victory. Earlier this season, when asked about his Prow Bowl snub, Seattle’s own Richard Sherman seemed indifferent. He stated only that he wanted to be listed on the all-pro team.

In fact, criticism of the NFL’s all star game has grown so strong that there has been speculation that Roger Goodell may cancel future Pro Bowls if this year’s game is a flop. If he did, it would be a shame for the NFL’s youngest fans, the kids, who really believe that watching their heroes in an all star game is an exciting event.

My strongest memory of the Prow Bowl was in 1995. That year, Seahawks’ running back Chris Warren broke the Prow Bowl record for yards in a game at 127. Soon after that, his own AFC teammate, Marshall Faulk (then of the Indianapolis Colts) broke Warrens record by gaining 180 yards. Yes, the same record went down twice in one game by players from the same team.

I was young that year, and knew more about NCAA football than I did about NFL football. Maybe that was why I was so excited to see a Seattle player take a record in a bowl game. Then, when Marshall Faulk topped Warren’s record, I felt like I would feel years later when Shaun Alexander lost his share of the single season TD title to LaDainian Tomlinson the next season.

Jan 24, 2013; Honolulu, HI, USA; Seattle Seahawks center Max Unger (60) at NFC practice for the 2013 Pro Bowl at Hickam air force base. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

On Sunday, Marshawn Lynch, Russell Wilson, Earl Thomas, and Leon Washington all have chances to put their names in the record books. All though, for Russell Wilson to get in the record books, he would have to put up impressive individual numbers. Peyton Manning owns most quarterback career marks. Perhaps playing behind his linemen Max Unger and Russell Okung will work to Wilson’s advantage.

It is true that some fans may be turned away from the Pro Bowl by the lack of hard hits, the no-blitz-allowed rule, mandatory 4-3 defense, Maddenesque scoring, and overall lack of competitiveness. There is still potential for some good performances by the best players that the NFL had to offer this season; at least the players not playing in the Super Bowl. In a way, the next two weeks are like a curtain call. The supporting cast coming out to take their bow first, and the biggest stars coming out to play one more game for the title.

In addition to the game itself, the event has always been a nice event for the city of Honolulu, and the State of Hawaii. If Seattle fans feel isolated having their team playing in the northwest, imagine how Hawaian fans feel being so far removed from the rest of the country as to not have a team.

Not only is the Pro Bowl a good chance to involve Hawaii in the world of professional football, this year, the league is reaching out across the pacific. The NFL is using the Pro Bowl weekend to help promote American football in Japan. To help strengthen the bond between American Football and Japanese American Football, the Pro Bowl squads will feature practices at Pearl Harbor, and coaching exchanges with Japanese coaches.

Jan 24, 2013; Honolulu, HI, USA; General view of NFC practice for the 2013 Pro Bowl at Hickam air force base. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Believe it or not, football is actually played in Japanese high schools, colleges, and they have a semi-pro league that features a mix of Japanese and international players. Their championship is now called the X-bowl, and dates back to 1987. For the big picture of the growth of American football, building this international connection can only be seen as a positive.

While the Ichiro of football still may be a few generations away, this weekends prow bowl is dominated by American players. At the end of the day, the bloated statistics, and fanfare in Hawaii may not be as exciting as the Harbaugh brothers playing chess in between rounds of million dollar commercials. However, it is still football, and I’m going to watch it. Let’s hope that the players put on a good show, and that our Seattle Seahawks players give us something to cheer for.

Jan 13, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) warms up before the NFC divisional playoff game against the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports

Please Welcome David, the Newest voice here at 12th Man Rising. We are very glad to have with join our staff. Now on to his first article:

Watching the Divisional game vs. Atlanta from home, I tuned in early to watch the end of warm-ups and catch the result of the coin toss.  For me, the football game always starts with the coin toss, and I usually consider it a success if the Seahawks start the game kicking off.  That gives them a chance to make up a deficit by potentially scoring first in the second half.

The downside of this result is that they risk giving the other team momentum if the defense allows a score.  In the case of Sunday’s Divisional loss to Atlanta, the Seahawks began the game kicking off to the Falcons, who marched down the field and settled for a field goal.  While that was not a totally bad result, the rest of the first half was full of other, worse results.

It got so bad in fact, that in the first half, the Seahawks put up zero points on two red zone drives, and fumbled away another promising drive.  At halftime, the Seahawks trailed 20-0.

At this time, knowing that they would get the ball back and the first chance to score, I said to my wife, “The Seahawks have a good defense, so there’s a chance.  “If we outscore the Falcons 28-7 in the second half, we win by one point: 28-27.”  She laughed at the time.  I’ll admit, my doubt was pretty high, too.

At about the 11-minute mark, with the Seahawks down by two scores, the laughs had faded.  Seattle fans were on social media, slowly showing signs of belief.  Friends and family members were calling.  Even my brother who used to not watch football called me and said that he was watching.  With ever brightening texts, tweets, phone calls, and facebook posts, Seattleites were checking-in with each other, focused on an the amazing game.  The Seattle Times reported that, by the last drive, 87% of active TV sets in the Seattle area were watching the game.  The Seahawks had overcome their mistakes and judgment lapses, and had fought for the lead with 31 seconds left.  My father actually called me to celebrate the win.  He wasn’t alone.  Seattle erupted in celebration…but just a tad too soon.

In an instant it was over.

After the kickoff, the Falcons used the final 25 seconds to complete two passes and kick a game winning 49 yard field goal.  Though the Seahawks got the ball back with six seconds left, they failed to advance within field goal range on their first possession.  As a result, they ended the season with an interception on a desperation pass that made it to the end zone.  The year of “almost good-enough” ended accordingly, and it hurt.

The loss hurt in ways both new and familiar.  On one hand, it hurt that we came so close, and didn’t win the championship, something that I have never witnessed a Seattle team accomplish.  On the other hand, the fact that the Seahawks had come back from such long odds validated them.  They are a good football team in position to make another run at the title next year.  Most of all, it just hurt that the season was over.

This was one football season, and one football game, that I really did not want to see end in defeat.   All year, the team delivered and competed in every game down to the last pass of the season.  They never lost anything but a close game.  Above all else, it was an honest privilege to watch the rapid blossoming of Russell Wilson’s play.  He proved this year that he is good enough to lead the Seahawks to a Super Bowl win.  He just hasn’t yet.