The Seahawks fell to 4-5 with a loss to the Rams in week 10. But Seattle and 12s have nothing to be sad about after the loss.
Clearly, the NFL is all about wins and losses and money and there are no moral victories. The Seahawks have a fairly long recent history of success. Seattle lost to the Rams in week 10. Los Angeles is the better team. But there is more to this than wins and losses.
I don’t want to make excuses that Seattle was missing players that would have put them in a better position to win in Los Angeles. This is true. Chris Carson and D.J. Fluker – two key players for Seattle in 2018 – couldn’t play on Sunday. I kept thinking the whole game, How many yards would Carson have against the Rams?
Because the Seahawks that did play did enough to win even without Carson. And this was the surprise. Los Angeles was coming off a loss the work before to the Saints. Seattle lost a fairly ugly game in week nine. This game could have been a blow out. It wasn’t.
In fact, Seattle had the ball 1st and 10 on the Rams 35 yard line with under two minutes left. They could have won the game. Seattle didn’t and they are now 4-5. But what do fans really expect from the 2018 version of the Seahawks? A Super Bowl? No. If this team goes 8-8 with the talent given up in the offseason and with the schedule they have, that is an accomplishment. A good one.
The Rams’ Todd Gurley was not able to be contained. Is he ever? And Gurley ran for 120 yards and a touchdown and caught three passes for 40 more yards. His average yards-per-rush was 7.5. This was the second straight week Seattle’s rush defense struggled.
The #Rams love the toss sweep to the field side... Todd Gurley is good on the edge in space and their WRs are so good blocking back inside. Excellent play call.
— Samuel Gold (@SamuelRGold) November 11, 2018
The #Seahawks were caught completely out of position (and poor tackling). #SEAvsLARpic.twitter.com/qM6yS82EMk
But this is the Rams I am talking about. They are good. Los Angeles runs well against everyone. The Rams could have won this game 35-14 because their talent is much greater than Seattle’s. At least, for now it is. Because there were a lot of positives for the Seahawks in week 10.
The positives for the Seahawks against the Rams
Welcome to the NFL, Rashaad Penny! Seattle’s first-round draft choice has been underwhelming so far. But on Sunday he showed what he will mean to the Seahawks going forward in the next few seasons. And he will be teamed with Chris Carson.
TOUCHDOWN RASHAAD PENNY!!!!
— Samuel Gold (@SamuelRGold) November 11, 2018
- Read-option handoff
- Russell Wilson holds the end man for the cutback
- First TD of Penny's career!#Seahawks #SEAvsLARpic.twitter.com/QXM935aZIz
Seattle is going to run the ball a lot for the next few years. They can win this way and will win this way. The defense will improve as it is well-coached and young. And Russell Wilson is going to find more time to throw. Especially if Penny comes close to duplicating his production on Sunday when the running back ran for 108 yards on 12 carries and a touchdown.
The Seahawks overall ran for 273 yards. That’s good stuff.
Tyler Lockett is having a great season and there is no reason to think he will be any worse for the next three seasons. Lockett caught another touchdown pass against the Rams on a beautiful throw from Wilson.
TOUCHDOWN TYLER LOCKETT!!!
— Samuel Gold (@SamuelRGold) November 11, 2018
- Lockett eats the cushion of his DB and takes a stutter step on his fade route
- 50/50 ball perfectly thrown by Russell Wilson to the back corner of the endzone
- Incredible grab by Lockett to bring it in!#Seahawks #SEAvsLARpic.twitter.com/Qw7luyxmKd
Lockett now has seven touchdown receptions this season. And each one is legit.
Oh, and that Michael Dickson guy is pretty good.
So, sure. I could write about how the Seahawks have little chance to make the playoffs. But what if they did? No one would expect them to get to the Super Bowl. Seattle will be better next year and the year after. Instead of being sad about another close loss, I am choosing to celebrate a team that is already exceeding expectations. We should all be so lucky.