Seattle Seahawks 2014 Season Preview and Predictions
SCHEDULE AND SEASON PREDICTIONS
Feb 2, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Seattle Seahawks outside linebacker Malcolm Smith (53) is awarded MVP as he hoists the Lombardi Trophy after winning Super Bowl XLVIII against the Denver Broncos at MetLife Stadium. Seattle Seahawks won 43-8. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Best Case Scenario
Record: 14-2 | NFC West: 1st Place | Playoffs: No. 1 seed | Super Bowl: Victory
If everything goes even better than planned this season for the Seahawks, Seattle will be living in glory once again come February.
In Seattle’s best case scenario, the team finishes the regular season 14-2, the best record in football, but more importantly, the best record in the NFC meaning homefield advantage once again in the postseason.
With a first round bye and the 12th Man hosting the NFC Divisional game and NFC Championship game, the Seahawks roll to the team’s third NFC title and make a Super Bowl appearance for consecutive years.
There, they face an AFC foe that, like last season’s Denver Broncos, doesn’t have a good enough defense to keep up with the Seahawks offense. Seattle’s own top-ranked defense shuts down the AFC team’s offense and secures another Super Bowl title.
The Seahawks become the first team since the New England Patriots a decade ago to win back-to-back Super Bowl titles.
Worst Case Scenario
Record: 7-9 | NFC West: 3rd Place | Playoffs: N/A | Super Bowl: N/A
Injuries pile up, rookies get cold feet and both the offensive and defensive lines can’t hold their weight.
Percy Harvin, Russell Wilson, Marshawn Lynch, Earl Thomas, Kam Chancellor and others miss multiple games due to minor injuries but the leadership is gone and the Seahawks fail to win games that require heart — like last season’s near-collapse at home against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The already poor offensive line allows a league-high in sacks and can’t block for Lynch, deflating the offense while the defensive line allows a run-heavy NFC West to rush at will causing the Seahawks to spiral to a 2-6 record within their own division.
The final result is 7-9 season in which the Seahawks struggle to keep up in the NFC West. The Seahawks finish the year in third place in the division standings and fail to make the postseason.
What should have been a magical year turns to a forgettable one.
2014 Record Prediction
Record: 12-4 | NFC West: 1st Place | Playoffs: No. 1 seed | Super Bowl: Victory
The Seahawks have all the parts to not only win the NFC West, but win the NFC. In fact, they have all the parts to win the Super Bowl all over again.
And that’s exactly what they’ll do in 2014.
The Seahawks have a tougher schedule this year than they did last season, so their win-loss record will decrease, though only slightly.
Twelve wins will still be enough for the team to come out on top in the NFC West, and with the New Orleans Saints the only other real threat to take homefield advantage, the Seahawks will have to hope 12 wins will be enough for a No. 1 seed in the playoffs.
If they get that, it’s game over for the rest of the league.
The Seahawks shouldn’t have any problems in the NFC postseason (assuming everyone is healthy at that time) and if the offensive line can pull it together while the D-line works on stopping the run, the Seahawks can become just the ninth team to win back-to-back Super Bowls.
2014 Team MVP
The undisputed leader of the offense, Wilson is as talented with his mind as he is with his arm and legs.
He has the uncanny ability to make something out of nothing and because the offense needs that kind of leader, Wilson is the unquestioned most valuable player on the team.
Expect him to throw for 3,500 yards and 30 touchdowns with 600 rushing yards and six touchdowns to go along with it.
Taking Wilson out of the Seahawks offense creates an entirely new offense and having him in there causes headaches for defenses around the league.
When all is said and done, Wilson will be the team’s MVP.
He isn’t as flashy as Lynch or as outspoken as Sherman, but when all is said and done, Wilson is the most important player to his team.