Can the Seattle Seahawks go 19-0 in 2015?
By Thomas Oide
STRENGTHS
Dec 21, 2014; Glendale, AZ, USA; Seattle Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor (31) and safety Earl Thomas (29) against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Seahawks defeated the Cardinals 35-6. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
1. Defense
The Seattle Seahawks legitimately make defense fun to watch. They’re the best scoring defense. They’re the best against the pass. They’re the best in total yards allowed.
Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn left Seattle for Atlanta, but new DC Kris Richardson, the former defensive back coach, seems more than qualified for the job.
Kam Chancellor, Earl Thomas, Richard Sherman, Bobby Wagner, K.J. Wright and Bruce Irvin all return, and should be hungry after the agonizing Super Bowl loss. Brandon Mebane will hopefully return from injury to man the defensive tackle position, and Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril have consistently produced at a high level.
Health of the Legion of Boom permitting, it should be another good year for the Seahawks.
2. Passing offense
The Seattle Seahawks now may have the best red zone offense in all of football (as long as their line can at least semi-capably block some of the time).
The wide receiver corps should be much improved, with guys like Kasen Williams and Chris Matthews joining forces with Doug Baldwin and Jermaine Kearse. But no one will make as big an impact as Jimmy Graham, one of the most dominant tight ends in the game not named Rob Gronkowski.
In the past two seasons alone, Graham has amassed 2,000 receiving yards and 26 receiving touchdowns. Combine that with the human battering ram known as Marshawn Lynch, the Seattle Seahawks have formed a one of the best red-zone offenses in the league.
3. Russell Wilson
The best has yet to come for Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson.
He’s a proven winner and has gone to two Super Bowls before no. 1 overall pick Andrew Luck (Wilson’s supporting cast is significantly better, however) has even had a sniff of a Super Bowl berth.
The Seahawks buzz of the offseason was the front office’s unwillingness to meet Wilson’s demands for a long-term contract extension to stay in Seattle for the foreseeable future and beyond.
Because the deal didn’t happen, and the deal likely won’t happen this summer, Wilson’s contract year could be one of his best ever. With Jimmy Graham now in the fold, hopefully Darrell Bevell takes the opportunity to show off Wilson’s arm in the run-heavy Seahawk offense.
We’ll just have to wait and see.
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