Week 7 Preview – Major League

Sep 22, 2013; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks safety Earl Thomas (29) before the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Before we get started, wanted to quickly apologize for the lack of previews the last couple weeks.  There are times where work, illness, and Oktoberfest in Leavenworth  (the illness was unrelated) conspire to limit the amount of time in the day to be able to properly muse about our beloved Seahawks.  But no more.  The Hawks are 5-1 and are making their annual trip to the desert to take on the Cardinals.  Let’s look back a little bit and look forward through the prism of the movie at least partially made in Arizona…Major League.

“Yo, bartender, Jobu needs a refill.”: First though, I just wanted to take a second and thank all of you who having been stopping by our tailgate in Hawk Alley this year.  This past Sunday alone our Hawk Strong and Blue Line Express groups raised over $1,500 for ChildHaven. And thanks to all of you we were left without a drop of beverage or crumb of food when we left for the game :).

“Don’t you guys go anywhere. I plan to put on a hitting display.”: Like Willie Mays Hayes, the Hawks made us think they could put on an offensive display last Sunday only to have it end up like his infield bunt single.  At least it got the job done.  There’s been a lot of hand-wringing and angst surrounding that win against Tennessee.  Let’s calm down a little bit people.  I know we expect to blow out every team that comes into the friendly confines of CenturyLink Field, but we need a little reality check.  This is still the NFL.  The Titans used a defense they hadn’t been using all year and it took a while for the Hawks offense to figure it out.  The Hawks made some boneheaded mistakes that they normally don’t make.  And yet they still won the game by seven points.  If they had lost, okay fine, let’s lose our minds, but not after a win.  Baltimore had more than one ugly loss last year and I think that worked out ok for them in the end.

“Call the stewardess, Vaughn. I need one of those bags. There aren’t any stewardesses. I wonder if they are any pilots.”: Now the Hawks wing on down to Glendale to meet the Cardinals on a Thursday night.  These Thursday night games are one of the biggest glaring hypocrisies the NFL has going right now.  They say they’re worried about player safety yet they give teams 3 days between games.  Apart from the increased risk in injury is the fact that these games have been almost completely unwatchable so far this year.  I know this is 100 percent about making money, but it’s things like this and the possibility of putting a team in London that may well start to turn the golden goose a shade of blue.

“What’s that stuff on your chest? Crisco….Bardol….Vagisil. Any one of them will give you another two to three inches drop on your curve ball. I haven’t got an arm like you, kid. I have to put anything on it I can find. Someday you will too.”: Contrary to popular opinion, that was actually a conversation between Carson Palmer and Russell Wilson.  Carson Palmer has been doing his best Matt Schaub impression lately throwing 11 interceptions so far this year.  He trails only the “great” Eli Manning for most INT’s in the NFL.  Hmmm…a QB prone to interceptions going against a secondary prone to catching said interceptions?  That sounds like a good recipe.

“In case you haven’t noticed, and judging by the attendance you haven’t, the Indians have managed to win a few here and there, and are threatening to climb out of the cellar.”: While it won’t be quite to the level of old Memorial Stadium, the big toaster known as University of Phoenix Stadium won’t have too many more fans in attendance tomorrow night.  After all, that 5:30 p.m. start time is right in the middle of the early bird special.  It’s kind of nice to be going on the road and knowing your own fans will probably be 30 percent of the attendees.

“I thought you said we didn’t have any high priced talent. I forgot about Dorn because he’s just high priced.”: Sorry, that was an unnecessary shot at Larry Fitzgerald.  The dreadlocked and spectacled one gets his semi-annual look at the Legion of Boom on Thursday night.  The Legion has been having some troubles on the road lately (see Houston and Indy) and I’m sure they’re looking to rectify that situation.  They better because with some of the offensive struggles lately, they’re going to have to make some plays to keep this thing in hand.

“Hell of a situation we got here. Two on, two out, your team down by one in the ninth. You got a chance to be a hero on national television… if you don’t blow it. By the way, saw your wife last night, hell of a dancer, you must be very, very proud. I mean that guy she was with, I’m sure he’s a close personal friend and all. But tell me, what was he doing wearing her panties on his head.”: Keep this one in your back pocket Hawks.  You never know when Jay Feely will need reminding of his ineptitude against you.  Ultimately, I think this one does come down to a field goal.  These Thursday night games don’t tend to be high scoring.  It’s a good thing we’ve got one of the best kickers in the game, assuming he remembers to get out of the way when someone’s looking to truck him again.

Seahawks 20, Cardinals 17