Jan 1, 2013; Pasadena, CA, USA; Stanford Cardinal tight end Zach Ertz (86) catches a pass over Wisconsin Badgers defensive back Dezmen Southward (12) in the first half during the 2013 Rose Bowl game at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

On Friday night the 2nd night of the NFL Draft some of the big name specialty players finally started coming off the board after a predominantly trench player 1st round. There was only 1 Quarterback taken in the 1st round and zero Running backs.

The Tennessee Titans made the first trade of the 2nd round by moving up into the San Francisco 49ers spot and Drafting the Physical Wide Receiver Justin Hunter from Tennessee. The Eagles then

Drafted Tight End Zach Ertz from Stanford who could really develop into a nightmare for defenses to cover in Chips Kelly’s up tempo high speed offense.

After day one there was not a single Running Back taken, although by the end of the 2nd round 5 Running Backs had come off the board. The first to be taken was Giovani Bernard from North Carolina selected by the Cincinnati Bengals followed by Le’veon Bell selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Then came the selection of the all-time NCAA Touchdown record holder Montee Ball selected by the Denver Broncos. It wasn’t until the 61st pick that the number 1 rated Running Back came off the board when Eddie Lacy was drafted by the Green Bay Packers. With the last pick in the 2nd round of the Draft the Seattle Seahawks made their first pick when they picked the highly talented Christine Michael out of Texas A&M.

Another player that slid out of the 1st round was Notre Dame Linebacker Manti Te’o who was selected by the San Diego Chargers with the 38th pick in the Draft. The Chargers are hoping they selected the playmaker that they have been missing since Shawne Merriman left.

In the 2nd round the New York Jets finally selected what they hope will be their Quarterback of the future when they picked Geno Smith from West Virginia. Smith was predicted to be the first Quarterback selected but after EJ Manual was picked by the Buffalo Bills in the 1st round the slide continued until he was picked with the 39th pick in the Draft.

Also selected on day 2 was the Honey Badger Tyrann Mathieu from LSU who was selected by the Arizona Cardinals. Mathieu was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy in 2011 but after being in trouble with the law and team policies in the spring and summer of 2012 he didn’t even step foot on the football field in 2012.

Now that most of the big names are off of the table after an exciting 2nd and 3rd round of the NFL Draft it is time for teams to fill their rosters up and attempt to find the next Russell Wilson of the 2013 Draft. Matt Barkley is the one big name still on the board so we will have to wait until this afternoon to see who gets the once prized Quarterback from University of Southern California after his huge slide down the Draft boards.

Apr 25, 2013; New York, NY, USA; Xavier Rhodes (Florida State) is introduced as the number twenty-five overall pick to the Minnesota Vikings during the 2013 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

With the 1st pick in the 2013 NFL Draft the Kansas City Chiefs Select Andrew Luck. Not exactly, this year’s NFL Draft doesn’t have the flash or the instant star player’s in it like the 2012 Draft. The 2013 NFL Draft was full of meat and potato players, 6 of the 1st 11 players Drafted in the 1st round were Offensive Lineman.

The Kansas City Chiefs used almost every second of their 10 minutes on the clock and after months of film study and listening to possible trades they selected Offensive Tackle Eric Fisher out of Central Michigan, Fisher is slated to protect Alex Smith’s blindside. The Jacksonville Jaguars knowing that is would get to take whichever Offensive Tackle the Chiefs didn’t take, took Offensive Tackle Luke Joeckel from Texas A&M. Joeckel was thought by many to be the 1st pick although in the last few weeks his hold on the top Draft pick slot weakened.

The Miami Dolphins continued their aggressive off-season by trading their 1st and one of their 2nd Round picks with the Raiders for the right to the 3rd pick of the Draft which they used to select Dion Jordan Outside Linebacker from Oregon. Another notable trade was made by the St. Louis Rams who jumped in front of the New York Jets to snag speedy Wide Receiver Tavon Austin from West Virginia. Buffalo Bills who moved back in the draft after completing the trade with the Rams and made the biggest surprise pick of the Draft by selecting EJ Manual Quarterback from Florida State. Manual who has the size and speed to be a starting Quarterback, although he was projected as a 2nd or even a 3rd round pick, thus leaving Geno Smith the Quarterback from West Virginia still on the board when all of the 1st round selections were completed.

The San Francisco 49ers moved up from the 31st pick to the 18th pick after swapping with the Dallas Cowboys and also throwing in an additional 3rd round pick. The 49ers looked to fill the void at Safety left by Dashon Goldson when he left for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Free Agency. That void was filled by selecting hard hitting Eric Reid out of LSU.

The Minnesota Vikings were able to Draft three players between the 23rd and the 29th picks. The Vikings selected Shariff Floyd Defensive Tackle from Florida selected 23rd, Xavier Rhodes Cornerback from Florida State selected 25 (pick received in the Percy Harvin Trade with Seattle Seahawks), and with the 29th pick from the New England Patriots they selected Cordarrelle Patterson Wide Receiver from Tennessee.

The 1st Round of the 2013 NFL Draft didn’t have the high profile names or the marketability of recent Drafts but it did give teams plenty of opportunities to fill needs both on the Offensive and Defensive Lines. Many teams ditched the best player available motto and went after players of need. With plenty of specialty players available in the 2nd Round of the 2013 Draft there could be almost just as much excitement on day Two and there was in round One.

Feb 22, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll speaks at a press conference during the 2013 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

The Seahawks just became the latest team to nab an ex-basketball player to play Tight End in the NFL. Darren Fells signed a 3 year contract Tuesday with the Seattle Seahawks. Fells is 27 years old and has been playing basketball internationally. The Hawks are looking to find another gem off of the basketball courts after seeing the success of past basketball players like Tony Gonzalez, Antonio Gates and Jimmy Graham.

Fells was planning to hold a Pro day but after visiting the Seahawks his Pro Day was not needed. The Seahawks were impressed enough to sign him before he left Seahawks Headquarters. Fells was a High School All-State Tight End in California but chose basketball over football in College and hasn’t played since. He has played basketball all over the world but never has been able to make it into the NBA and so he chose to go pro in a completely different sport.

Fells being 6’7 and 280 pounds could be a huge target in the redzone paired with either Zach Miller or Anthony McCoy. The question has to arise as to whether or not the Seahawks could be planning on using Fells in place of Miller who has an 11 million dollar cap hit in 2013. The Hawks don’t want to lose Miller but if he isn’t willing to restructure his contract they may have no choice but to cut him to save money and use it elsewhere.

As the 2012 season progressed it was obvious that Russell Wilson grew more and more comfortable using his Tight Ends over the middle. In 2013 Wilson will likely use his Tight Ends even more and the Seahawks will look to use Double Tight End sets even more. Darren Fells could be used in jump ball isolation plays using his size and vertical abilities.

Again Pete Carroll and John Schneider have shown that they are willing to look everywhere and anywhere to find whatever pieces they need to make the Seahawks a Super Bowl contender. Even though Fells has not played since High School the Seahawks front office has earned the right to sign whoever they think will fit their system.

Aug 30, 2012; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins (97) along the sidelines during the second quarter against the New York Jets at Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles defeated the Jets 28-10. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Rumor has it that Cullen Jenkins will be visiting the Seahawks on Monday. Jenkins met with the Giants last week to possibly fill their need for a Defensive Tackle after cutting Chris Canty recently. Jenkins Signed with the “Dream Team” Eagles after the Lockout two years ago. He became a Cap Casualty when the Eagles decided to go in a younger direction.

This could be a solid replacement for the unrestricted free agent Alan Branch. Jenkins is a good run stuffing Defensive Tackle who had 4 sacks last year. Jenkins was known to be a strong leader in the locker room which any team would desire. Rumor has it that his contract requirements will not be nearly as high as they were two years ago.

Seattle needing a big body run stuffing tackle to create some push on 1st and 2nd downs. Jenkins would be a great addition to an already strong defense. Seattle showed at the combine last week that they will definitely be looking at the defensive line this offseason and Jenkins could be a good fit, if they can sign him at the right price. Seattle has to be planning for long term with all of their contracts these days because they will have to shell out a lot of money in the next few years, due to their draft success the last few years. So depending on the Jenkins financial requirements the Hawks could look to get a cheaper version of Jenkins in the draft.

Jenkins will meet with the Seahawks on Monday and then meet with the 49ers later in the week. There is also talk that he could return to the Packer which he won the Super Bowl with in 2011.

Dec 9, 2012; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman (25) is accompanied by safety Kim Chancellor (31) and free safety Earl Thomas (31) on a 19-yard interception return for a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports

The Seattle Seahawks finished the 2012 season on a winning note. This game did not come as easily as the past 3 games have. The St Louis Rams made this game very difficult for the Seahawks. But in the end the home team Hawks came away victorious with smart hardnosed football and great Halftime adjustments.

Offense B-

After the last 3 games this game on the outside looks like a complete failure. Although, we have to keep in mind that we will not win every game by 30, 40, or even 50 points. Offensively the Seahawks struggled to contain the Rams pass rush. The Rams did not have to throw a lot of blitz packages at the Hawks; they were able to create pressure that Russell Wilson hasn’t had to deal with in over a month. Wilson was bottled up and Chris Long forced Wilson to step up instead of being able to roll out of the pressure. The Seahawks Offense allowed a season high 6 sacks.

Russell Wilson still was able to control the tempo of the game in the 2nd half by again not turning the ball over and throwing the ball 15-19 for 250 yards with 1 touchdown (tying the rookie mark for touchdowns with Peyton Manning at 26.) Wilson also added 58 yards on the ground and 1 rushing touchdown (Wilson had an opportunity to set the mark for rookie touchdowns but selflessly ran the ball into the end zone.) The Seahawks used a lot of bootlegs and rollouts in the 2nd half to give Wilson the added time that he needed.

Marshawn Lynch was in full out Beast Mode in the 1st half of this game. At one point he had 7 carries for 70 yards, and he finished the game with 100 yards and 1 touchdown.

Defense B

The Rams game was another very strong game for the Seahawks Defense, the secondary played outstanding. Richard Sherman again was very dominating in his performance and had the game icing interception late in the 4th quarter. It will be interesting to see what the Seahawks do with Jeremy Lane who started another game and again looked good. He will lose his starting spot to Brandon Browner as he returns from suspension although the game experience Lane has gotten the last month will hopefully show with the other injuries in the secondary. Marcus Trufant had a great pass deflection in the end zone although he seemed to be terrorized as the nickel corner with all of the underneath passes that the Rams threw.

Bobby Wagner again had a strong 10 tackle day, and he has positioned himself to have a shot at Defensive Rookie of the year after having 140 tackles on the season to go along with 3 interceptions.

It has become increasingly obvious that the biggest issue on this defense is the lack of a consistent pass rush. Sam Bradford seemed to have all day in the pocket and the Hawks didn’t get a single sack. Chris Clemons and Bruce Irvin are clearly the only consistent pass rushers on this front 4 now that Jason Jones is on the IR. If our secondary was not as strong as it is this issue would be even more obvious then it was against the Rams.

Special Teams B+

Jon Ryan had a punt that was not blocked but extremely rushed that ended up giving the Rams decent field position in the 1st half on one drive. Steven Hauschka continues to have a accurate leg within 50 yards, he was 2 for 2 and 2 extra points.

Leon Washington again continues to scare Seahawks fans when runs his kick-offs out of the end zone from 9 yards deep. Although, he offers so much excitement and big play ability that we have learned to live with it.

It is important to start talking about how great our kick coverage has been. Out of 5 punts, Danny Amendola was only able to return 2 of them for 8 yards. This has been a huge upgrade this year that has gone unnoticed but has helped out in the field position game all season long.

Wrap Up

This was not the blowout that Seahawks fans have grown accustomed to in the last month. But this was a good eye opener with the Playoffs right around the corner. The Seahawks will have their work cut out for them this week and a hard fought win like this should show them that they can win on both spectrums. #InRusswetrust (Russell Wilson)

Dec 23, 2012; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Sidney Rice (18) reacts after the Seattle Seahawks scored a touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers during the 1st half at CenturyLink Field. Seattle defeated San Francisco 42-13. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

As if we thought this 2012 Season couldn’t get any better, after back to back scoring 50 points plus, the Seattle Seahawks beat the San Francisco 49ers in decisive fashion 42-13. The Seahawks were able to beat the 49ers at their own game, Toughness. This game was over after the 1st Quarter, all of the national media had built this game up to be the game of the week and 2 minutes into the 2nd Quarter the Hawks were up 21-0. As a Seahawks fan you cannot help but get excited for what the future might hold and it gets even more exciting listening to all of the East Coast Biased media finally seeing how good Russell Wilson and company truly are.

Offense A+

This game was dominated by Russell Wilson, it was easy to forget or not even notice that Marshawn Lynch had 111 yards, 1 rushing touchdown and 1 receiving touchdown. Wilson’s numbers do not jump off the page but if you watched the game he was not overly pressured consistently throughout the game (although 49ers beast Justin Smith did not play). When the 49ers did get pressure on him he stepped up in the pocket or ran around with his eyes downfield looking to throw at all times. Wilson even ran around 1 time on a play that ended up lasting 17 seconds. His ability to move around in the pocket is one of his greatest strengths. In a typical December in Seattle where the rain continuously fell, Russell Wilson stood out among many stars by throwing 4 touchdowns.

The Seahawks Wide Receivers did not have huge numbers but they were surprisingly sure handed given the conditions. Doug Baldwin had 2 huge touchdown catches, and Sidney Rice again proved that he is the sure handed possession receiver the Hawks need on 3rd down. Anthony McCoy again had a touchdown as he is quickly becoming a huge target as the number 2 Tight End.

The Seahawks also were able to limit their penalties which have been a huge issue this season. The Offensive line has repeatedly killed drives with inopportune holding and false start penalties but they were almost nonexistent in this game. As a team the Seahawks only had 4 penalties for 45 yards.

Defense B+

The Seahawks had a bend don’t break attitude for this game. They allowed 313 yards and it seemed as though Colin Kaepernick was able to move up and down the field but the Seahawks Defense put the brakes on the 49ers drives once they got into the redzone.

The Seahawks secondary or the Legion of Boom as they are known; hit the 49ers hard right out of the gate. Vernon Davis left with a concussion on what appeared to be a clean hard hit from Kam Chancellor. Richard Sherman was all over the field as usual and he also had an interception in the end zone while guarding Randy Moss, Sherman appeared to bait Kaepernick into throwing the ball before flashing in front of Moss and snatching the ball.

The Seahawks were able to get a huge drive killing sack on Kaepernick. Although, this defense is predicated on speed and they need to start getting to the Quarterback with more regularity. The 49ers used a lot of short quick passes to not allow the Seahawks to use their Defensive lines speed.

Jeremy Lane made his second straight start at right corner in place of Brandon Browner (suspended) and Walter Thurmond (injured). Lane is a smaller corner (6ft) than Browner and so he is not able to use the bump and run quite as regularly but his smaller frame allowed him to stay with the quicker 49ers Receivers.

Special Teams B+

The special teams did not have a major role in this game. Jon Ryan only had to punt the ball 1 time. Steven Hauschka had zero field goal attempts and 6 extra points.

The major Special Team’s contribution came from (Big) Red Bryant as he blocked a short chip shot David Akers field goal early in the 2nd quarter. Richard Sherman picked the ball up and returned it for a Seahawks touchdown that seemed to take the wind out the 49ers.

Wrap Up

All in all this was a huge Win for the Seattle Seahawks. This was a Nationally televised game that showed the World that the Seahawks are no longer just a great Defensive team. In the words ESPN Merril Hoge “Seattle fans should be very excited about your Team, because Teams win Championships.” The Seahawks are no longer going to be unknown, the league is taking notice. The Seahawks are going into week 17 knowing that they are in the playoffs and they just need to keep their momentum because they are the hottest if not 1 of the hottest teams in the NFL. #InRusswetrust (Russell Wilson)

Dec 16, 2012; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) scrambles away from Buffalo Bills defensive end Mario Williams (94) during the second half at the Rogers Centre. Seahawks beat the Bills 50-17. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

Last week we were all blown away by the Seahawks dominant 58 point performance against their division foe Arizona Cardinals. In week 15 the Seahawks were favorites in this international game against the Buffalo Bills played in Toronto, but nobody could have predicted the Seahawks putting up another 50 points. That is exactly what happened as the Seahawks became only the third team to ever put up 50 points in back to back weeks and the first in 62 years. Although, the competition may not be the best in the NFL, these are still professional football teams and this is a feat that we will soon not forget.

Offense A-

This game showed the world again that the Seahawks offense is coming into its own and finally starting to catch up to the strong Defense that the Seahawks have. Pete Carroll keeps saying that Russell Wilson is able to run the whole offensive playbook and that was very evident in this huge win. Wilson had 3 rushing touchdowns and 1 passing touchdown. He rushed for 92 yards and threw for 205 yards while playing only 3 full quarters and 1 drive in the 4th quarter. Wilson has clearly become the leader that this offense so badly needed. Wilson was running circles around the Bills defenders in the backfield. Wilsons emergence as a dual threat has opened the door for Lynch to consistently run for over 100 yards a game. Lynch had a 54 yard run enroute to 113 yard game with 1 touchdown.

The Seahawks receivers continue to impress with a team first attitude. Sydney Rice had 76 yards continuing to be the sure handed possession receiver we thought we got last year. Golden Tate had 64 yards with a large chunk of it coming on a Wilson to Lynch to Wilson to Tate gadget play. Zach Miller is continuing to show why the Seahawks chose him over John Carlson in the offseason. Miller is able to use his size to be the sure handed reliable Tight End the Seahawks need.

The Offensive line struggled at times picking up the blitz packages that the Bills brought. Although, Wilsons ability to move around in the pocket, and his ability to throw the ball outside of the pocket disguised the lines hiccups on the blitz’s.

Defense B+

After the first 2 drives of the game the Buffalo Bills were able to successfully run the ball on the Seahawks. The Seahawks continue to give up big games to opposing running backs. The Seahawks are without Brandon Browner and Walter Thurmond which forced the Rookie Jeremy Lane to line up opposite Richard Sherman. Lane filled in admirably although against stronger competition he may be too inexperienced.

Carroll stressed at halftime the importance of the Defense coming up with turnovers. Carroll got his wish right away in the 3rd Quarter. The Seahawks had 3 turnovers, one that was returned by Earl Thomas for a Touchdown. Thomas dove to intercept the pass putting his hands under the ball and then picked it up and returned it 57 yards for a pick 6.

Special Teams A-

This was a pretty standard week for the consistent Seahawks special teams. Steven Hauschka made 3 field goals. Jon Ryan only punted 2 times pinning the Bills inside the 20 yard line once. Leon Washington had a huge punt return for a touchdown called back by two very soft penalties committed by the Seahawks punt return team.

Wrap Up

As hard as it is to repeat a performance quite like the Cardinals the Seahawks came awful close. This was a huge win that suddenly has the entire league beginning to see how good this team is, Sportscasters are wondering whether the Seahawks Offense has become better than their much talked about Defense. Only time will tell

Nov 11, 2012; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks defensive end Bruce Irvin (51) during the game against the New York Jets at CenturyLink Field. Seattle defeated New York 28-7. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-US PRESSWIRE

Well here we are after the long late season bye week, the Seahawks are looking to finish the 2012 season strong and push for a playoff spot. So far this season the Hawks have had a lot of up and downs but as of late they seem to finally becoming more consistent. This year we have figured out the long awaited Quarterback of the future Russell Wilson, Marshawn Lynch has again been in Beastmode, and the Defense has lived up to the hype. The Seahawks are 6 and 4 and with 6 games remaining they have a strong chance to make the playoffs as at least a wildcard team. The Hawks have 3 games on the road and 3 games at home where they have been unbeatable officially (Green Bay Game). Here is how I see the last third of the Season breaking down for the Hawks and where they will stand.

• Week 12 Seattle at Miami November 25 (Seahawks wins 27-10)
  The Seahawks have struggled on the road this year but as long as the Hawks can pressure Miami’s rookie quarterback Ryan Tannehill we should be able to pull this win out. Miami’s offensive line has struggled this year and with a lack of strong receivers that can win one on one match-ups Tannehill should struggle to find open receivers quickly. Sherman and Browner will jam the smaller Miami receivers at the line and this should make for a long day if you are Miami fan. Miami’s defense has been there bright spot but they will struggle to get off the field against Marshawn Lynch and the Seahawks power running attack.

• Week 13 Seattle at Chicago December 2 (Chicago wins 17-13)
  Again the Seahawks have struggled on the road this year and this should be a great pre-playoff test. Chicago has struggled lately against teams that can put pressure on the quarterback which the Hawks can do. The Seahawks will put double coverage on Brandon Marshall all day hoping to slow down the Big Bears receiver. The Bears have been successful all season when their defense is able to create turnovers and turn them into points. The Seahawks will have to be smart with the ball and not allow the Bear to get a two possession lead. Marshawn Lynch will need to be able to break a run or two and force the Bears to put 8 in the box to slow him down thus opening up the field for Wilson. In the end as much as I hate saying it the Bear will win this game because they are at home.

• Week 14 Arizona at Seattle December 9 (Seattle wins 34-10)
  This will be a revenge game for Russell Wilson and the Seahawks. The Hawks dominated the week 1 matchup except for one drive that Kolb came in on and then the Hawks were unable to punch the ball in from inside the 5 yard line at the end of the game. Nobody knows who will be the quarterback for the Cardinals, they have named three different starters all season not just due to injury either. With the Seahawks returning home after not playing at home in almost a month they will dominate the line of scrimmage putting the Cardinals in a early hole that they will not be able to dig themselves out of. The Cardinals have a strong defense but with injuries mounting and a porous offense they will not be on the sidelines for very long. A tired defense equals yards and touchdowns for Marshawn Lynch. Don’t be surprised if you see a trick play or two in this game to put this game out of reach.

• Week 15 Seattle at Buffalo December 16 (Seattle wins 24-14)
  This game although on the road will come down to the Seahawks ability to shut down the Bills rushing attack. If the Hawks can slow down the speedy C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson this will force Ryan Fitzpatrick to throw the ball and that scenario will not pan out well for Bills fans. The Seahawks should be able to use all of their offensive weapons to spread the Bills out and gut out a win in the frigid Ralph Wilson Stadium. Seattle should dominate this game as long as they show up to play on the road.

• Week 16 San Francisco at Seattle December 23 (Seattle wins 17-14)
  I am now predicting a month away but as things stand the 49ers may be starting the young Colin Kaepernick and this should not go well for him in a hostile stadium like Century Link. Seattle lost a close game earlier in the season on the road to the 49ers much like they did to each divisional opponent’s in the first half of the season. The Seahawks are not the same team at home as they are on the road. The Hawks will use their pass rush to force Kaepernick to get the ball out quickly and Harbaugh should be yelling by halftime about how physical our corners are. This game could be a huge game late in the season with Playoff implications. Seattle needs to win if they want any chance of having a home game in the Playoffs.

• Week 17 St Louis at Seattle December 30 (Seattle wins 31-10)
  When the Seahawks lost to the Rams in week 4 the Rams did not score a offensive point, they scored on field goals and fake field goals. The Seahawks will look to shut Steven Jackson down in what looks to be his last game as a Ram. By shutting down Jackson it will force Sam Bradford to beat the Hawks through the air and our bigger stronger corners will not allow Danny Amendola to beat us (if he is healthy). As long as Wilson plays smart we should have no problem finishing off our 2012 regular season on a winning note against the inferior Rams.

Season Predictions
All in all I am predicting the Seahawks to finish 11-5 (I am trying not to be bias) which would at least give them a shot to win the NFC West. The 49ers still have to play the Saints, Patriots and Seahawks (all on the road). This has been a year that has been and will continue to be exciting as Pete Carroll and John Schneider put their plan into action. We as the 12th man finally see what is becoming of this Seahawks team that we love so much, and the future is now…

Nov 11, 2012; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman (25) jumps up and intercepts the pass intended for New York Jets tight end Dustin Keller (81) during the 1st half at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-US PRESSWIRE

Well it is Finally Bye week for the Seattle Seahawks and it came at a perfect time before they go on the road for the next two games against the Dolphins and the Bears. All things considered Sunday was a huge game for the Seahawks as they were able to handily win a game that they were suppose to win. It was not filled with all of the suspense in the fourth quarter that Hawks fans have come accustomed to this season. Here is a look at how the team looked in all 3 phases of the game.

Offense B

This game was really a tale of two halves for the Seahawks Offense. Other then the first drive of the game, the Seahawks offense really sputtered in the first half. Rex Ryan was able to confuse the offensive line with his blitz packages and the pressure forced Russell Wilson to do a lot of dancing in the pocket. The dancing forced two fumbles one of which resulted in the only points on the day for the Jets.

We are constantly talking about Russell Wilson and rightfully so but; it is being shown on a weekly basis that Golden Tate is finally becoming the playmaker that the Seahawks hoped for when they drafted him. His stats are not going to jump off the paper at you, but every time the Seahawks need a big play he is somewhere around the ball (Green Bay Game). Not to mention that he now has a passing touchdown to his credit ugly as it may have been. Sydney Rice has been able to stay healthy and because of that he had two touchdown catches and nearly a third on the flea-flicker. Zach Miller and Doug Baldwin were steady safety blankets for Wilson when needed.

Marshawn Lynch again had a solid game rushing for 124 yards and he went over the 1000 yard mark again this year. Lynch was slowed during the week with back spasms and it showed early in the game but once he loosened up the runs started getting longer and longer. Although he did lose his first fumble of the season and appeared to hurt or jam his wrist on the play in the 2nd quarter. This is a much needed week of rest for Lynch so that “Beastmode” can be unleashed in the later part of the season.

Defense A

Grading the Seahawks Defense against the Jets should start and end with the word Sherman. Richard Sherman was all over the field, he had an interception in the endzone, he had a sack and he had a forced fumble. All the while completely shutting down whatever receiver he was guarding on the left side of the field.

Bruce Irvin made his presence felt with his speed rush with two sacks again, that gives him three multi sack games on the season and he now has 7 sacks on the season. Chris Clemons didn’t record any sacks but his presence was felt with his batted balls and he constantly hurried Mark Sanchez.

KJ Wright was out of the game with the remnants of his concussion from the Vikings game. The Seahawks showed their young depth at linebacker by sticking Mike Morgan in Wrights spot and he rewarded them by recording 6 tackles. Bobby Wagner again continues to get better each week as he was flying around and recording 9 tackles.

Special Teams B

This was a pretty average week for the Seahawks special teams; there was nothing spectacular other then the muffed punt by Jeremy Kerley which Kam Chancellor recovered. That fumble really got the momentum back on the Seahawks side late in the second quarter. The punt coverage was superb and constantly waiting for Kerley to fair catch the ball.

Jeremy Kerley was only able to return 2 out of 6 punts and Kerley totaled 6 yards on the two returns. Although Jon Ryan did shank one punt in the 1st half. He also put 2 of the 6 punts inside the 20 yard line.

Leon Washington had a quiet day returning the ball although he did not get many opportunities, 1 kick return for 17 yards and 3 punt returns totaling 40 yards.

Wrap-up

All in all this was probably the most complete game that the Seahawks have had all year. Especially in the 2nd half, all three phases of the team were clicking and we the 12th Man was finally able to see what this Seahawks team can look like when they click on all cylinders. This game was against the 3-6 Jets but again it is important to handily beat the teams that you are supposed to beat. This was a solid win for the Seahawks as they go into their bye week before they make the push to the playoffs throughout the rest of the season.

October 18, 2012; San Francisco, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) is sacked by San Francisco 49ers defensive end Justin Smith (94) during the first quarter at Candlestick Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-US PRESSWIRE

After 7 weeks of the 2012 NFL season Seahawks fans have to start asking themselves who this Seahawks team is. We know that the Seahawks have a top 5 defense. But, the Seahawks offense goes from good to bad not by the game but by the quarter or even by the drive. One drive they are able to move the ball up and down the field and the next series they move straight backwards. Is it because of the 12th Man, is it because of their young Quarterback or is there a noticeable difference when they are on the road vice at home. It is obvious that this team has struggled moving the ball at home sometimes, but the offense seems to struggle even worse when the Seahawks are on the road.

It is not a new thing for the Seahawks to struggle on the road. They are 1-3 on the road this season, but 3-0 at home after beating the Cowboys, Packers and Patriots. The Seahawks are 9-27 in the last 5 years on the road counting this season; they are winning 25% of their games on the road. At home they are 18-17 which is a winning percentage of 51%; that is a drastic difference of wins and losses. The sports world has heard how loud Century Link Field is; just ask Eli Manning and the Giants offensive Lineman after their 11 false starts in the 2005 match-up at then Quest Field. So we know there is a huge advantage to playing at home for the Seahawks.

The Seahawks being tucked up in the Great Northwest have always struggled going across the country due to the fact that they have to travel further than any other team in the NFL. They struggled against the Rams in week 4 this year being in the Central time zone. But when they traveled to the Eastern time zone the team responded with a win against the Panthers. So in 2012 it doesn’t seem like the distance traveled is the culprit for the offensive rollercoaster ride.

The thought is that maybe it is the woes of having a Rookie Quarterback who is getting use to playing in different surroundings. Russell Wilson stats at home are 41/68 pass attempts, 574 passing yards, 6 touchdowns and 0 interceptions in 3 games. Although his stat line on the road looks a lot different 63/107 pass attempts, 656 passing yards, 2 touchdowns and 7 interceptions in 4 games. It is expected for rookies to struggle, especially on the road but those numbers are drastically different especially the touchdown passes to interception ratio. This team has been able to run the ball more when at home and that is due in part to the lack of turnovers thus keeping the offense on the field and letting Marshawn Lynch continue to grind out the tough yards. The more touches that Lynch gets the less 3rd downs Wilson has to throw on.

This 2012 version of the Seahawks has show that they have a dominant defense, particularly when they are able to rest. But when this defense is constantly put back on the field due to their offense going 3 and out, they cannot use their strengths of speed and size to their advantage. As usual in the NFL this Seahawks team is only going to go as far as their quarterback will take them and from the looks of things they will only predominantly win the games they play at home. This is Russell Wilson’s team for this year and the years to come; he has sold his talents to Coach Pete Carroll and the 12th Man. But for this TEAM to truly become a dominant force on both sides of the ball, Wilson and his offense must learn to grind games out on the road because their defense will keep them in almost all games they play in.

Was Sunday the last time we will see Ray Lewis run out onto the field as a player?

When you someone mentions the name Ray Lewis the obvious words come to mind, big, fast, scary, hard-hitter; although unlike most NFL linebackers, the best way to describe Lewis is the word Motivator. Whether Ray is on the field, in the locker room, in the community or at a local charity or college, he spreads his words.

On Sunday Ray tore his triceps muscle, which abruptly ended his season. Once the news broke that his season was over everyone instantly started asking the question “Is this the last we will see of Ray Lewis playing football on Sundays?” The answer is still very unclear and even though he is 37 years old, it would not surprise anyone either way; Ray has a drive unlike most NFL players. He has come full circle from the gutters, to the top of the world, back to the bottom and then on top of the world again.
Listening to NFL analysts talk about Lewis he is put on a tall pedestal reserved not just for Hall of Famers but for Legends.

Ray isn’t in the discussion for top 10 or 20 to ever play his position, he is in discussion for top 2 or 3, Ray Lewis is a legend. When I say that Lewis has come full circle I mean just that, Ray was arrested the night of the Super Bowl in 2000 and indicted in the murder of 2 men. Ray eventually made a plea agreement and was exonerated on the original charges and only charged with obstruction of justice. But, to an NFL linebacker the damage had been done, after serving 12 months of probation Lewis set out on the huge task of rebuilding his image to not only the Baltimore Ravens Fans but to the entire NFL.

The following year Ray won the Super Bowl behind a huge defensive performance, as he won the Super Bowl MVP. But that wasn’t enough, while keeping his NFL linebacker image intact, he has let his actions both on the field and off the field speak for itself, by staying out of trouble and becoming a true family man. Ray spends his off field time taking care of his six kids and being the Father he never had. Ray also established the “Ray Lewis 52 Foundation” whose mission is to provide personal and economic assistance to disadvantaged youth.

Now over 12 years have passed since the night that Ray almost lost everything. He has become somewhat of a role model for people and kids to look up to. He has completely re-shaped his image to the point that he is constantly being requested to come and speak to not just people in need, but groups of people that want to get more out of themselves. He doesn’t speak from a note card or a screen but from the heart; he never knows what he is going to say but it will be what he feels at the time.

Ray Lewis has established himself as not just the immoveable object flying around the field but one of the most popular players in the NFL. Listening to Ray motivate his team before every game makes even a normal fan want to jump up and down with him. He has a way of speaking that just seems to make everyone around him want to do more. Ray has not only fixed his image but he has become an icon that the NFL can be proud of and kids can look up to. Sunday may or may not have been the last time we see Ray Lewis strap up his pads and hit some; but either way it wasn’t the last time we will see Ray around the NFL in one way or another.