The Seattle Seahawks are now 6-7 through Week 14 but still have a chance to make the postseason. Even if Seattle loses to a good Philadelphia Eagles team in Week 15, Seattle will still be in the postseason chase, at least mathematically. Is there any hope that Seattle could win a game in the playoffs if they do make it that far? Unlikely.
At this same point in 2022, Seattle was 6-7 but on their way to 7-8 before winning their final two games and making the playoffs. The difference emotionally between this year and last is that last season no one expected Seattle to be close to the playoffs. In 2023, the team was supposed to be better because of another great draft and a couple of free agent signings and Seattle is just as good as in 2022 at best.
The positive would be that if Seattle continues to lose, their first-round draft pick in the 2024 NFL Draft goes up. So where would the Seahawks be picking if the season were to end right now?
Seattle Seahawks are at least in decent draft position currently
After losing in Week 14, the Seattle Seahawks would currently pick 13th in the 2024 draft. On Mel Kiper's Big Board for ESPN, Kiper currently has four quarterbacks in his top 13. He actually only has four QBs in his top 25. This means that if you are a fan of Michigan's J.J. McCarthy, Oregon's Bo Nix, or Washington's Michael Penix, Jr., and you want them to come to Seattle, there is a decent chance they could. If you want Seattle to take a potentially high-end edge rusher, there will be several of those types available as well.
The question is do you want Seattle to maybe win their last three games and make the playoffs or continue to stumble and maybe take their QB of the future? Watching the Seahawks win is always better, right?
And for those 12s who think it doesn't matter where Seattle chooses they will find a way to mess it up, I think that is wrong. 2023 first-round pick Devon Witherspoon looks like he is going to be really good. 2022 first-round choice Charles Cross also looks like a keeper.
Pete Carroll's comments are concerning
12s have listening to Pete Carroll's comments for 14 seasons now. We know that he is going to be overly positive, with short bursts of prickliness depending on how dumb the question directed at him is, and generalities when it comes to injuries. But recent comments made by Carroll could make one rightfully wonder if he is truly aware of how deep some of the Seahawks' issues, especially defensively, go.
In his post-game comments after the Seahawks loss to the San Francisco 49ers, Carroll said the 49ers did "nothing new" and ran the same plays that the Seahawks had practiced against in the week before the game. Fine. But 12s have seen this week after week now. They understand what teams are going to do against them, says Carroll, but Seattle cannot stop it. Much like an aging boxer who knows a punch is coming but does not have the capability to defend himself.
Hear from Pete Carroll and select players after the divisional matchup at the 49ers. 🎙️
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) December 11, 2023
https://t.co/jI4Uy1s74H
Even worse, Carroll said stopping the 49ers explosive plays and Seattle's inability to slow San Francisco - the 49ers averaged 9.9 yards per play and gained 527 total yards - is "easily fixed." That is horrifying to hear Carroll say because he might actually believe that. If the issues were easily fixed, wouldn't they have been resolved already?
The concern is that the Seahawks do not appear to have the ability to easily fix anything. We have been witness to Seattle's defensive problems for a number of seasons now. Pete Carroll might need to look in the mirror and reassess his thinking a bit.
Devon Witherspoon might miss some time
Witherspoon suffered a hip pointer after batting a ball away in Week 14 and then jumping into 49ers tight end George Kittle. Witherspoon left the game immediately and did not return. The Seahawks' defense is bad enough, to begin with, but the unit is much worse without Witherspoon's versatility and excellence in both coverage and pass rush.
Witherspoon has a physical style of play that will take a toll over time because he isn't the biggest guy on the field. Week 14's injury, though, seemed more like an accident than something Witherspoon did to initiate contact. Kittle just happened to be in his way. There is no real timetable for Witherspoon's return and he will simply have to play through pain when he does return, but Pete Carroll said in his Monday press conference is hopeful Witherspoon can play in Week 15.
DK Metcalf gets dissed via ASL
Speaking of DK Metcalf, most 12s likely know he is learning American Sign Language. He is doing this, he says, to simply learn something new. He also uses ASL to sign during games.
Anyone know ASL? pic.twitter.com/LxjKw4Z3mq
— Taybor Pepper (@TayborSnapping) December 11, 2023
After the Seahawks and 49ers game, though, 49ers long-snapper Taybor Pepper sent out a message to Metcalf via ASL and it was not pleasant. Pepper signed "14, (expletive) around and found out." 14, of course, is DK Metcalf's jersey number. Fairly classless reply by Pepper. You won the game. Move on.