THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: Mariners, Seahawks take on mentality of their leader, for better or for worse

It wasn't a joyous weekend.

Dan Wilson finally got fired, a move the Mariners had to make despite the manager's popularity.

Wilson was just too far out of sync with the version of modern baseball required to win pennants. He was willing to let players be accountable for their performances, and they botched the job.

In 2025, they came within an inning of the World Series.

This latest time around, everyone seemed to make the wrong play at the wrong time.

The result was missing the postseason when the teams they had to beat were barely average.

Wilson's role in that failure?

The Mariners had the talent to win the AL West, but they took on Wilson's personality and failed to show much energy when it was desperately needed.

Both manager and athletes seemed to be sleeping through the season.

"It's like we were waiting for things to turn around, and they never did," said Cal Raleigh. "We had to do it ourselves, and that didn't happen."

Action was mandatory, and to borrow an old phrase: "You can't fire the whole team."

BESIDES Wilson's turn on the chopping block, the Seahawks had no fun this week, either.

Their 12-game winning streak exploded like a balloon full of confetti in a 33-31 loss at Washington.

"Sloppy from beginning to end," said linebacker Ernest Jones IV, hitting the nail squarely on the head.

The Hawks lost in the traditional manner of favorites throwing away a game.

They turned the ball over three times — a fumble and two interceptions — and got hit with penalties at exactly the wrong times.

Sam Darnold threw for roughly a million yards, but also delivered a horrible pick-six that gave the Commanders enough cushion to hang on at the end.

The Hawks' first loss since last November gave us a good look at some players and positions, in case fans were expecting another waltz to the Super Bowl.

Yes, the Dark Side defense is as good as it gets, but there are weak spots.

We learned, for instance, that the secondary can't handle injuries.

Safeties Julian Love and Ty Okada sat this one out, replaced by A.J. Finley and Rodney Thomas II.

The gap would make you think of the Grand Canyon, especially since Love is as good as anyone in the league, and Finley — rescued from the practice squad — had a terrible afternoon.

Some starters struggled, too, like corner Josh Jobe.

Up front, rush end Dante Fowler had a passive game — which is beginning to be a habit.

One of Fowler's roles is setting the edge against an outside running game, and Washington clinched the game by breezing around him twice.  

IT WAS strange to see the Hawks looking ordinary.

Most of the time, they are SO good that treading water against the Commanders makes you feel like you're watching a video from several years ago.

The truth is that Seattle played miles short of a Super Bowl level — and still almost came back to win against a playoff team from two seasons ago.

The reality, though, is that the Seahawks (like most NFL teams) cannot handle a rash of injuries, especially at some critical positions.

Teams in all sports tend to take on the personalities of their coaches.

You can see it with Mark Few at Gonzaga, for sure, and the Seahawks are definitely the offspring of Mike Macdonald.

Coach Mac seems calm and almost relaxed on the sideline, but there's a fire burning inside — and his players are heated up, as well.

But not on Sunday.

Besides the injuries and other issues in the loss to Washington, the whole roster looked short on its usual bolt of energy.

Now we know.

The Hawks' fuse has to stay lit.

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Longtime journalist Steve Cameron writes "The Cheap Seats" for The Press three times each week.