THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: Foes shouldn't be able to run over the Seahawks this season
Are the Seahawks any better?
Wait, let me phrase that question a little differently…
Are the 2020 Seahawks any closer to reaching the Super Bowl than they were a year ago?
To save you the trouble of looking up a couple of things, Seattle was 11-5 in the regular season — then beat the Eagles and lost to Green Bay (on the road) in the playoffs.
One other number worth mentioning here, as long as we’re trying to guess how the beloved Hawks might fare this season…
Seattle was 26th in the NFL against the run in 2019.
You’ll recall there are only 32 teams, yes?
So…
It was bad, and while everyone was wringing their hands over the feeble pass rush, that inability to stop the run causes all the other problems.
If you can’t do anything about teams running the ball down your throat, well, you’d better fall on a lot of fumbles…
Or you’re dead.
I THINK we have to agree on one thing if we’re going to take a fair look at this year’s Seahawks.
This is a fact…
They won 11 games a year ago because Russell Wilson is an absolute magician, and he flat-out stole three or four of those victories.
Seattle could EASILY have been 8-8, and watching the playoffs on TV.
Hey, both the 49ers and Rams missed “gimme” field goals that would have made the record 9-7 without even a deep breath.
So let’s agree…
That kind of good fortune won’t be coming around again.
Sure, Wilson is always going to do his thing in the fourth quarter, and honestly, he’s almost certain to snatch a few games that will leave opponents mumbling to themselves.
The offense will be roughly the same in 2020, with Chris Carson smashing away and Wilson trying to make things happen with play-action passes.
But look, the Seahawks play in the league’s toughest division — and they could eat a 2-4 in the NFC West in the blink of an eye.
So, it’ll come down to stopping people.
And…
Believe it or not, we have some good news on that front.
Even without Jadeveon Clowney or some other big-ticket free agent to rush the passer, this will be a much better defense.
For starters, the addition of Seattle old boys Benson Mayowa and Bruce Irvin didn’t exactly light up ESPN’s breaking news — but these guys both are seasoned pros with plenty left in the tank.
Rookie DE Darrell Taylor will offer even more help when he gets healthy.
Regardless…
It was the arrival of all-purpose safety Jamal Adams that changed the picture entirely.
LET’S SAY it this way…
Not counting quarterbacks (who are different species), Adams is one of the top three players in the NFL.
The guy will change the character of the defense — and remember, it’s a group that now has Quandre Diggs full-time and Quinton Dunbar to boost the coverage at corner.
But what you’re really going to notice is how well this group plays against the run.
The Seahawks won’t be shredded to the tune of 26th in the league again.
Bottom line, it’s easier to defend third-and-eight than it was when opponents always seemed to have a nice second-and-three.
Basically, Pete Carroll’s own philosophy was used against him — but I don’t think we’re going to see an encore.
So, the goal…
More stops (or turnovers) and Wilson gets more chances to pull rabbits from hats — with manageable scores when he goes to work.
Unfortunately, given the facts of life in the NFC West, the Seahawks could be a much better team than a year ago, and still face an 11-win ceiling.
On the other hand…
They might be a much better playoff team.
I’d rather have that.
You?
Email: scameron@cdapress.com
Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. “Moments, Memories and Madness,” his reminiscences from several decades as a sports journalist, runs each Sunday.
Steve also writes Zags Tracker, a commentary on Gonzaga basketball, once per month during the offseason.