One window opens, another closing, it seems

After advancing to back-to-back Super Bowls a few years ago, coming close to erasing that 31-0 halftime deficit at Carolina last year to win yet again, you’d think that the Seattle Seahawks and their fans might enter the playoffs with a little bit of confidence as they kick the ball off against Detroit tonight at CenturyLink Field.

Maybe a little, but not as much as in previous years.

THIS ISN’T the same team that has been on the field the previous four years in previous runs to the Super Bowl.

No Marshawn Lynch has resulted in no running game for a majority of the season. Granted, they’ve shuffled players around along the offensive line a little bit, but the team has gone from one of the better running teams to one of the worst in a matter of a year.

And while they’ve shown glimpses of being able to throw the ball a little bit, not having Tyler Lockett due to a season-ending injury doesn’t help much either.

Defensively, the team’s pass defense hasn’t been the same since Earl Thomas was lost for the season due to a broken leg. And yes, I understand that Thomas is just one player, but considering just how much he did in coverage, helping other guys and making plays when the team needs it, his absence is something that could wind up being a downfall sooner than later.

Thinking back on the season, there really hasn’t been that one signature win for the Seahawks, unless you count that win against New England in Foxborough on Nov. 13.

But a tie and loss to Arizona are what most fans will remember as without wins in those games, the team failed to get a bye and will have to win at least once away from home should the other top seeds (Dallas and Atlanta) get beat before the NFC Championship game.

And that seems like a tall order with the way both of those teams have been playing this year.

In professional sports, it’s often mentioned about teams and their championship windows closing after just a few years. Seattle’s window is still open, but barely.

WHILE THE moves of the Seattle Mariners on Friday to acquire Yovani Gallardo and Jarrod Dyson might not exactly move the needle any closer to that elusive World Series appearance, it could end up giving the team a fighting chance to contend again.

Gallardo’s acquisition comes at the expense of Seth Smith, who never really found consistency in the rotation in the outfield. Sure, he had his clutch hits from time to time, but toward the end of the season, the team opted to get a better look at players like Ben Gamel.

Dyson, known more his quickness than anything else, should have no problem getting into scoring position with Safeco Field’s spacious dimensions, giving the heart of the lineup a chance to drive in more runs.

Should the team remain close to healthy, which was a big problem in 2016 with Felix Hernandez missing time, the M’s could be right where they want to be in October.

Jason Elliott is a sports writer for the Coeur d’Alene Press. He can be reached by telephone at (208) 664-8176, Ext. 2020 or via email at jelliott@cdapress.com. Follow him on Twitter @JEPressSports.