If you’re a real Seahawks fan, now is the time to step up

The Seahawks are in danger of missing the playoffs, and some fans seem to be bailing on the team. If you’re one of them, we need to have a little talk.

I sure have read a lot of negative comments over the past few days from people who identify themselves as 12s. You’re right, Sunday’s loss to the Rams was painful. You know too much about it, so I don’t need to go into the gory details. A lot of you actually stayed through the entire game, so you definitely know what happened.

Most comments I’ve read have been very positive. Most 12s are behind their Hawks all the way, as they should be. Just to give you something to smile about, there was this bright spot from Sunday’s game:

I’ll admit it’s about the only bright spot, but that’s okay. Man, what a play!

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There are a few reasons for the Seahawks stumble, you know

Note, I wrote reasons, not excuses. Yes, the players on the field Sunday needed to do a better job, absolutely. Sometimes, it just isn’t your day. And Sunday, it wasn’t anyone’s day if they were wearing navy blue and action green. Be grateful that when the Seahawks get blown out, it’s a once in a decade event. As Lee wrote yesterday, some people act as if the Seahawks had relocated to Lake Erie. Far from it.

Back to those reasons.Here’s the practice report from today:

If that’s too small to read, the following players missed practice today (Thursday): D.J. Alexander, Naz Jones, Bobby Wagner, Michael Bennett, Bradley McDougald, Jimmy Graham, Duane Brown, and Earl Thomas. Just for fun, Luke Joeckel was limited in practice today. So two of your three best offensive linemen were out or limited today. Three All-Pro defenders were out as well as your All-Pro tight end.

Oh, and let’s not forget the amazing roster on injured reserve. Kam Chancellor, Richard Sherman, Cliff Avril, George Fant, DeShawn Shead, and Chris Carson are all starters that Seattle has lost. Please show me the team that has lost talent remotely comparable to that lineup that still has any chance of making the playoffs. The Rams have just six players on injured reserve. Seattle has 14.

Let’s swap those injured reserve lists and take another look at Sunday

Hey, I wonder how Sunday’s game would have gone if Los Angeles had John Johnson, Trumaine Johnson, Aaron Donald, Andrew Whitworth, Troy Hill and Todd Gurley on injured reserve? And let’s take Alec Ogletree out of the game while we’re at it, since we were missing K.J. Wright. Hmmm… that game might be just a bit different, right? No three sacks from Donald. No 478 yards from Gurley -well, it seemed like 478. i

Instead it’d be Cliff Avril dropping Goff to the turf. Sherman and Shead would shut down the passing lanes. Wright and a healthy Wagner would stuff Tavon Austin. Chris Carson and Mike Davis would romp up and down the field with the Seahawks able to stick to their gameplan.

That’s not to say the Rams didn’t deserve to win. Of course they did. They completely forced Seattle out of their game. The point is, that wasn’t the real Seahawks out there Sunday. It’s making a point to the doom and gloom minority that are ready to bail on this team.

It’s easy to be a fan of team that looks unstoppable. The real fans, the true 12th man (or woman), stands behind their team when it’s facing its greatest struggles. This is the time to stand with your Seahawks.