Oh, how the football gods can be so cruel and so kind. Last weekend, my emotions as a Seahawks fan started at the vaulted highs of pre-kickoff anticipation before plummeting down into the abysmal lows of utter defeat, only to eventually, be raised back up to an optimistic belief about the weeks to come.
What an emotional rollercoaster-ride the past week has been.
SEAHAWKS vs RAVENS
I hadn’t been lucky enough to attend a Seahawks game in person for over 5 years, but after some artful negotiations that saw multiple generous gifts combined into one glorious moment, my brother I were fortunate to climb up the 300-level to watch the Seattle Seahawks host the Baltimore Ravens at Century Link Field last Sunday.
Sitting among thousands of football fans filling the stadium (so many Ravens fans!) we were especially jacked for the game for three reasons. First, Seahawks-legend Earl Thomas made his first return to Seattle since departing on a sour note last year. Second, Ravens dynamic quarterback Lamar Jackson worked his elusive magic and even in a losing contest, it was amazing to watch. Third, and most importantly, Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson continued to add to his case for MVP throughout the game.
By halftime, the score was tied 13-13, and it appeared that both teams were more committed to running the football over trying to throw it through the rainy weather. Although, Wilson made several characteristically-dynamic throws to his gaggle of receivers in the first half, he also made his worst throw of the year–softly depositing a ball in the flat only to see it easily picked off by brand new Raven, Marcus Peters and returned 67-yards for a defensive score. Even from our nosebleed seats, we could see Wilson’s disappointment in himself for making that careless throw.
Unfortunately, the second half of the day didn’t get better.
The Ravens continued to press their advantage, with Jackson showing off his elusive speed and slippery running style up and down the field. And as predictable as ever, the Hawks stuck to their offensive game plan, running the ball and making effecient throws for generally positive results. But as the score became more lopsided, and the Hawks needed to put up points in a hurry, the team’s second major error of the day occurred when rookie receiver, D.K. Metcalf caught and immediately dropped a pass, only to see it immediately scooped up and returned 18-yards for another Raven’s defensive score.
In the end, the Raven’s walked away with a 30-16 win over our Seahawks, sending away 60,000+ fans into the wet evening grumbling to themselves in frustration and sorrow. It wasn’t a fun end to an otherwise enthralling day of football.
SEAHAWKS at FALCONS
This weekend, to I assume the great delight of an entire fanbase, the Seahawks travel to face the Atlanta Falcons. This season, the Falcons have been terrible, only winning one game so far. Shockingly, the Falcons are a talented team, with a few of the league’s best players healthy and active on their roster. However, they’ve struggled to unite into a cohesive unit capable of either scoring points and/or stopping other teams from scoring points themselves. In fact, the degree to which the Falcons have failed at football is so surprising, that many believe this game to be the potential final chance for head coach, Dan Quinn (former Seahawks defensive coordinator) to save his job.
If you believe in “get right” games, where a team can bounce back from an unfortunate game and turn in a standout one – this Sunday, inside the covered Mercedes-Benz Stadium is the definition of such a game.
I’m positive that Wilson will lead the Seahawks to a dominant win over the Falcons, scoring on the ground and through the air. I think Wilson will throw three touchdowns and Carson will add another one via the rushing attack. And defensively, the Hawks will debut their new safety, Quandre Diggs (formerly of the Detroit Lions) and contain the Falcons effectively.
Another win on the road is just what the Seahawks need this week, and it’ll quiet the concerns of any fair-weather fans across the PNW. Get excited about this one, it should be a high-flying affair for the Seahawks.
Go Hawks!
