A game against the Seattle Seahawks doesn’t exactly strike fear in the heart of an average NFL fan. Analysts aren’t giving them much chance for success in the 2012 NFL season, either.
The dismissive attitude is easy to understand. After all, a pair of 7-9 seasons under Pete Carroll mark the high-point of the franchise since 2007.
But there are several NFL franchises that are worried about the impact Seattle will have on the 2012 playoffs and see the Seahawks as a team that could keep them home come January instead of looking for an NFC Championship game win.
There are a few analysts that recognize the changes that have been made in Seattle. Mel Kiper is predicting a breakout season for the Seahawks.
“Here’s your surprise pick. The 49ers are very good, but should regress a little bit-turnover margin isn’t reliable year to year-and the Seattle defense can be really good if it can find a consistent pass rush. Russell Wilson has a chance to be really good because of his maturity-he could be this year’s Andy Dalton.”
Week 1 @ Arizona Cardinals
Facing off against Larry Fitzgerald is never an easy task, particularly for the Seahawks. He’s found gaps in their secondary with frequency over the past seven seasons.
The Cardinals will have an issue controlling Seattle’s defensive line, though. Seattle added several pass-rushers in the offseason and they will make life difficult on John Skelton and the Cardinals’ running backs.
Arizona has a solid defense of their own and points will be difficult to come by for the Seahawks. Don’t be surprised to see Seattle’s defense claim responsibility for half of their points in this game.
Result: Arizona 20-17 over Seattle
Record: 0-1
Week 2 vs. Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys figure to be in the mix of winning the most over-rated division in the NFC. The New York Giants are built for post-season success, but almost missed the playoffs prior to winning the Super Bowl in February.
Dallas isn’t likely to make an appearance in the playoffs this season.
The biggest issue facing the Cowboys in Seattle will be controlling the line of scrimmage. Seattle’s defensive front should be able to manhandle Dallas’ offensive line. Expect them to put pressure on Tony Romo early and often.
DeMarco Murray picked up 139 yards on 22 carries against Seattle last season and the Seahawks will need to do a better job of containing him in Seattle. Getting a better jump off the snap will help, as will a quicker presence at middle linebacker.
Result: Seattle 24-17 over Dallas
Record: 1-1
Week 3 vs. Green Bay Packers
Seattle will have the opportunity in 2012 to demonstrate if an NFL team can still win with an elite defense and solid ground-game. They face off with the two of the best passing attacks in the NFL, hosting both the Packers and Patriots at CenturyLink Field.
This is a game Seattle can certainly win. The Packers don’t have a strong running-game and Seattle’s secondary will be able to sit back and respect Aaron Rodgers’s abilities.
Seattle may very well spend most of the day in a variation of their “Big Nickel” package, giving them an extra defensive back. With the right setup on the field they should be able to control the Packer ground game with just six defenders.
Seattle may look to find some of the magic of the last time the Packers visited Seattle on Monday night. A win could propel them to a 3-0 record and officially place them in contention in the NFC.
Result: Seattle 27-24 over Green Bay
Record: 2-1
Week 4 @ St. Louis Rams
The Rams will have the opportunity to improve over the coming seasons but they didn’t do enough over the offseason to make a big impact this season.
Sam Bradford needs to show he can be an elite quarterback this year and they need to get production from their draft picks.
Otherwise fans will begin to question why the team didn’t draft Robert Griffin III and trade Bradford.
Steven Jackson has never had a 100-yard game against the Seahawks and that isn’t likely to happen in 2012. The passing attack won’t be firing this season, either. St. Louis should be a better team soon, but they will need to work on continuity in their defense and add a few more pieces to their offense before they will be competitive.
Result: Seattle 30-10
Record: 3-1
Week 5 @ Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers have the opportunity to make a playoff run of their own in 2012. This game will be a good test to see if their offense can compete with one of the best defenses in the NFC.
The Panthers’ defense will be the story in this game, though. They figure to be a much better unit in 2012, as they added Luke Kuechly with their first-round draft pick.
Their secondary is suspect, though, and if the Seahawks can control the line of scrimmage on the road this game could turn into a huge road victory.
As much as I’m concerned with Seattle’s ability to win this road game, Carolina just doesn’t measure up well with Seattle. Their strength on offense is their ground-game but Seattle has an excellent run-stopping front. The Panthers are weak at tight end, an area opponents have been able to exploit.
Carolina also has issues on the defensive line and Russell Wilson will likely have adequate time to allow his receivers to find the soft-spots in Carolina’s secondary.
The Panthers will be an improved team in 2012, but they don’t figure to match up well with Seattle.
Result: Seattle 27-17
Record: 4-1
Week 6 vs. New England Patriots
It will take a bit of luck for the Seahawks to actually enter this game 4-1. If they do, it will take a lot more to leave 5-1.
Seattle’s secondary should be able to handle the Patriots’ wide receivers. New England will also struggle to move the ball on the ground.
Seattle’s issue will be the same that many other teams will have this season…controlling the Patriot tight ends. This has been the weak-point of Seattle’s defense and this game won’t likely be their coming-of-age moment.
Result: New England 27-17 over Seattle
Record: 4-2
Week 7 @ San Francisco 49ers
Seattle will have just four days to recover from one of their toughest challenges of the year to face their primary division rival. Life isn’t much easier for the 49ers, as they host the New York Giants the prior Sunday.
Seattle should be seeing signs of life from their offense at this point and if their line can control the best front-seven in the NFC the Seahawks have a good chance to pull off an upset. Teams that can control the 49er pass-rush will find that their secondary isn’t at the same elite level.
I don’t expect many offensive lines will give their quarterbacks the kind of time they’ll need to find the soft spots, though, and life isn’t likely to be different for Seattle.
This game will be a smash-mouth defensive struggle that would make fans of the black-and-blue division proud.
Result: San Francisco 17-13 over Seattle
Record: 4-3
Week 8 @ Detroit Lions
This game will be all about Richard Sherman’s ability to be an elite cornerback and contain the best receiver in the NFL not named Larry.
That is if the Seahawks keep Sherman stacked against Calvin Johnson instead of leaving him and Brandon Browner on their respective sides. Either way, the Seahawk secondary could be the closest thing Johnson sees to the Madden Curse this season.
As potent as the Lions’ offense can be, their lack of a ground game and depth at receiver will be issues against Seattle. The Seahawks can dedicate safety help over the top for Johnson, leaving the corners to play press coverage.
Detroit will need to rely on their defensive front to win this game and it may not be enough.
Result: Detroit 24-23 over Seattle
Record: 4-4
Week 9 vs. Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota’s defense is better than many fans realize. They have a good front-seven led by one of the NFL’s best defensive ends, Jared Allen. Their secondary has been suspect and they added four new pieces in the offseason.
As of yet it doesn’t look like the secondary changes will make much of a difference this season.
If Adrian Peterson returns to form the Vikings could have the most balanced offense in their division. That assumes that Christian Ponder can improve his play from last season, but adding Jerome Simpson should open the field a bit for Percy Harvin.
Result: Seattle 21-17 over Minnesota
Record: 5-4
Week 10 vs. New York Jets
The big question for the Jets this year is just how bad will their offense be. They lack playmakers at the skill positions and their quarterback competition turned out to be even more depressing than Kolb vs. Skelton.
Their defense should be very good, but one has to wonder how they will fare when they spend a majority of the day on the field.
Result: Seattle 16-6 over New York
Record: 6-4
Week 12 @ Miami Dolphins
On paper, at least at this point in the season, the Dolphins are a team the Seahawks should beat. Seattle has a better defense and a more rounded offense. Seattle should have a better run game and holds a slight edge at receiver.
Wilson and Flynn appear to be better quarterbacks than any on the Dolphins’ roster.
But Seattle seems to find a way of dropping at least one game they have no business losing, and Miami could be that game in 2012.
If the Seahawks have progressed enough to win all the games they should then road wins in Miami and maybe Buffalo could put them into contention to win the NFC West.
Result: Miami 13-10 over Seattle
Record: 6-5
Week 13 @ Chicago Bears
Travelling to Chicago should be second-nature for the Seahawks. They’ve done it three times in the last two seasons, winning both regular-season games and losing to the Bears in the playoffs following the 2010 season.
Seattle didn’t just win those two games. They were dominant against the Bears. Granted, the 2011 contest was against a shell of the actual team, as they were without Jay Cutler and Matt Forte.
But the Seahawks stack up well against Chicago. The Bears’ strengths on offense (yes, they should have more than just one this season) feed right into the teeth of Seattle’s D.
It will be interesting to see how the Bears respond to a different Brian Urlacher in 2012 and I don’t see Seattle going 1-3 against the NFC North.
Result: Seattle 17-13 over Chicago
Record: 7-5
Week 14 vs. Arizona Cardinals
Unless the Cardinals find some answers on the offensive line, 2012 will be a long season for their offense and quarterbacks. It is possible their young players will mature and gel as the season progresses.
But the noise in Seattle will have the Seahawk defensive linemen getting a good jump off the snap. They will spend much of the afternoon in the backfield disrupting running lanes and pressuring the quarterback. Skelton or Kolb will try to press the ball to their receivers but that isn’t a good plan against Seattle’s secondary.
Result: Seattle 24-10 over Arizona
Record: 8-5
Week 15 @ Buffalo Bills
The Bills are a team in a situation that is similar to that of the Seahawks. They’ve been close to winning games the prior few seasons but haven’t been able to make the leap from loser to winner.
For some reason the Bills are being recognized as a team that will make the jump in 2012 more often than the Seahawks. It seems odd, as they didn’t make many adjustments to their key areas of deficiency.
They added a pair of defensive ends, which will improve their defense, but they still have very little depth and concerns at receiver. They will be struggling at the end of the season if they can’t stay healthy.
I do believe Seattle is a better team on paper and if this game was in Seattle the Bills would be a decent-size underdog.
Result: Buffalo 14-13 over Seattle
Record: 8-6
Week 16 vs. San Francisco 49ers
This will be a must-win game for the Seahawks. The 49ers will likely have a wild card slot sewn up at this point but there is a chance Seattle could be alive to win the NFC West.
At a minimum, Seattle will have their sights set at a wild card berth of their own.
Seattle was within striking distance late in their Week 16 home game last season. But Larry Grant was eager to make his mark on the season while filling in for Patrick Willis; he forced a Tarvaris Jackson fumble and the 49ers held on for a two-point win.
Things will be different in 2012. The crowd noise will give the Seahawks defensive line an advantage and the secondary is built to deal with receivers like those in San Francisco.
Seattle’s run defense will again be up to the task of handling Frank Gore and company. Seattle’s offense should be seasoned and ready to exploit an over-rated 49er secondary so long as the offensive line can control their powerful pass-rush.
Result: Seattle 17-13 over San Francisco
Record: 9-6
Week 17 vs. St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams came into Seattle during the wild card playoffs of 2004. They beat Seattle for the third time that year, which is two more wins than the Rams have managed against the Seahawks since the start of the 2005 season.
The Seahawks will continue to add to their new winning-streak against the Rams in 2012.
Result: Seattle 31-13 over St. Louis
Record: 10-6
A 10-6 record could be enough to get a second playoff team from the NFC West for the first time since the aforementioned 2004 season. The Seahawks have several losses above they could win, but also have a few wins that could easily go the other direction.
The Seahawks were a much better team in 2011 than they were in 2010, but that wasn’t reflected in their record. It will be in 2012 and the Seahawks will end a four-year run of losing seasons.
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