Yesterday changed a lot. I assumed we might be able to steal one of the two vs. SF but Jesus they seem like a Juggernaut. On the other hand the Ravens and Cowboys both looked terrible so no reason we can't win those. Only other game I would be surprised we win is the Eagles but maybe we upset them with a revitalized HFA. 11 wins is very doable imo.
By Bob Condotta
Seattle Times staff reporter
As Seahawks middle linebacker Bobby Wagner put it last week, NFL bye weeks somehow always come at a good time.
“My opinion on the bye week is that you always complain about it, whether it’s too late or too early,’’ Wagner said. “It always ends up being the perfect time whenever it is. We’ll complain about it being early, but then it’ll give guys some time that got hurt early to get back or give you an early rest.
“Historically, I feel like whenever we’ve had a bye, it’s been the right time for that particular team that year. I feel like it’ll be the same.”
Certainly, from an injury standpoint the Seahawks’ bye last weekend came at a perfect time with the team hoping most of its offensive line can return after the break and that players who are banged up, such as quarterback Geno Smith and safeties Quandre Diggs and Julian Love, will heal that much more.
But the early bye means the Seahawks face a season-ending gauntlet of 13 games in 13 weeks.
It’s one they will begin holding sole possession of second place in the NFC West at 3-1, ahead of the 2-3 Rams and 1-4 Cardinals — who each lost Sunday — and a game-a-half behind the 5-0 49ers, whose 42-10 win over Dallas on Sunday night only reinforced their status as the Super Bowl favorite of the moment.
So what awaits the Seahawks the rest of the season?
Let’s review the schedule.
Oct. 15, at Cincinnati (2-3): Just when it seemed like the Seahawks were catching the Bengals at a good time — with quarterback Joe Burrow ailing and receiver Tee Higgins dealing with an injury — Cincy played its best game of the year Sunday. Burrow looked like his old self in throwing for 317 yards and three TDs in a 34-20 win over Arizona. The Seahawks’ Devon Witherspoon-infused secondary has vastly improved since Week 1, but this will be a good test, especially if Higgins plays.
Oct. 22, vs. Arizona (1-4): The Cardinals have been surprisingly competitive under rookie head coach Jonathan Gannon, including a decisive win over Dallas. Arizona has also won just one game and is going with backup Joshua Dobbs at QB, making this the most winnable — if not must-win — game left on the Seahawks’ slate.
Oct. 29, vs. Cleveland (2-2): The Seahawks will wear their retro uniforms for the first time as they welcome the Browns, who had a bye Sunday and are a somewhat confounding 2-2. QB Deshaun Watson hasn’t played to the level of his $46 million a year contract and sat out last week with a shoulder injury, forcing rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson into action. The Browns have stayed afloat thanks to a defense that entered the weekend ranked first in yards allowed and fifth in points.
Nov. 5, at Baltimore (3-2): The Ravens remain a Super Bowl favorite with a perennial MVP candidate in Lamar Jackson and a defense that has yet to allow a rushing touchdown. Baltimore has also blown two leads in the final two minutes, including Sunday, which resulted in a 17-10 loss at Pittsburgh.
Nov. 12, vs. Washington (2-3): The Commanders have had a lot of rock bottoms in recent years. Thursday had to be close to the most rock-bottomiest as they were blown out at home by a Chicago team that had lost 14 straight. That 40-20 defeat was the third straight loss following a 2-0 start. Most mysterious is what’s happened to a defense that a year ago allowed the seventh-fewest points in the NFL. Entering Sunday, it had allowed the second most.
Nov. 19, at Los Angeles Rams (2-3): Since leaving Seattle, the Rams have looked like what everyone thought they would. After holding the Seahawks to just 180 yards, the Rams have allowed an average of 364.25 yards in losing three of four. This will be a fun matchup of returned-to-health slot receiver Cooper Kupp against Witherspoon. You’d figure the Seahawks would want to get him in the nickel as much as possible looking for a revenge for a loss they may never really understand.
Nov. 23, vs. San Francisco (5-0): In a game the Seahawks hope will have some bearing on the NFC West race, they better be ready to play from the get-go when the 49ers come to town for the first Thanksgiving home game in Seahawks history. In one of the many stats that speaks to the dominant start the 49ers have had so far, they gained 212 yards in the first half of their win over Dallas on Sunday and have gained 200 or more in the first half of all five games.
Nov. 30, at Dallas (3-2): As the blowout loss to the 49ers illustrates, the Cowboys remain enigma, for a game or two looking like a potential Super Bowl team, and at San Francisco looking like there’s still a lot of work to do. But this game, a second consecutive Thursday night game for the Seahawks, obviously won’t be easy.
Dec. 10, at San Francisco (5-0) What happened in the first game will likely go a long way toward determining how much meaning this game may have. But at the least, the Seahawks will hope wild-card stakes are on the line.
Dec. 17, vs. Philadelphia (5-0): This game caps a rugged four-game stretch for the Seahawks against an Eagles team that is the other NFC favorite for the Super Bowl. A fun potential subplot will be the presence of what could be the top two contenders for the NFC Defensive Rookie of the Year award — Witherspoon and Philly defensive tackle Jalen Carter, who had two sacks against the Rams on Sunday and has 3.5 for the season.
Dec. 24, at Tennessee (2-3): Of course, not that a trip to Tennessee figures to be easy after the four preceding games. The Titans continue to have a salty defense. But the offense is struggling, in part because 29-year-old running back Derrick Henry may be starting to show some signs of wear and tear. He has 328 yards on 86 carries and is averaging a career-low 3.8 yards per carry. His career average is 4.7.
Dec. 31, vs. Pittsburgh (3-2): Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has famously never had a losing record in 16 previous seasons in Pittsburgh. While the Steelers entered the weekend with the 29th-ranked offense and 30th-ranked defense, he somehow has the Steelers on the winning side of things at 3-2. That alone indicates this one won’t be easy.
Jan. 6 or 7, at Arizona (1-4): Whether it’s played on Saturday or Sunday, the Seahawks hope there’s something meaningful on the line.
