Seahawks vs. Cowboys: Gut Reaction
Sep 16, 2012; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch (24) carries the ball against the Dallas Cowboys and later scores a touchdown on the run during the 2nd half at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-US PRESSWIRE
Damn this game felt good. The Seahawks dismantling of the Dallas Cowboys served the dual purpose of catharsis for many dejected fans following last week’s loss to Arizona, and validation for the case that the 2012 Seahawks are a force to be reckoned with. Nothing motivates like staring down the barrel of an 0-2 start that could easily slide into 0-3.
Seattle’s special teams have managed to pull a complete 180 from last year. Leon Washington is once again a threat and our defensive special team unit demonstrated that they are looking to hit opponents just as hard as the regular defense. Starting the game off with a fumble recovery established the tempo and course for the rest of the game. If only the Seahawks could have gotten into the end zone. I am still worried about the team’s difficulty in getting touchdowns. (They had three this game, but it should have been four.)
Establishing the run game early really takes some pressure off of Russell Wilson. The offensive line also looked solid. Frank Omiyale shut down Demarcus Ware and made it very hard to notice that Russell Okung wasn’t in the game. This is very reassuring. JR Sweezy also looked better, but having John Moffitt back was a big boost to the pass protection. Wilson also made his reads a little better and was able to find his receivers down field. He does tend to throw the ball high, however, which will hopefully be worked on. When you overthrow 6’6’’ tight end Evan Moore who is wide open, it gets noticed. I don’t know if this is a function of his height, or something else, but if Wilson can get that under control, it will add a few completions to his stat sheet every game. Robert Turbin also looked good with a few runs and a great block. And of course, the bone shattering hit on Sean Lee by Golden Tate.
The defense was, in a word, overwhelming. Dallas was simply never able to get any kind of momentum whatsoever. They controlled the line of scrimmage, the middle, and the backfield. Browner, Chancellor, Thomas, and Sherman all played great defense and laid some hits on Jason Witten that he’ll be feeling for the rest of the week. Basically, the Cowboys never had a chance. The Seahawks were more prepared, more disciplined, and just flat-out played better.
For me, this game, while cathartic, is also bittersweet. If the Seahawks had played fractionally better last week against Arizona, the Seahawks would currently be tied for first in the NFC West. Instead, they are sitting at third with a division loss on their record. Lynch and Turbin made a strong case for the run game this week and I hope that the team keeps it up. For now, I just have to hope that the Seahawks can play like this against Green Bay next Monday, the 49ers, and the rematch with the Cardinals. The NFC West is making noise though, and starting to demand respect from the rest of the league.