Do we need to win Monday to get to the SB?

[ThePro]

In 1994 the Eagles started the season 7-2 and lost the last 7 games to finish 7-9 and missed the playoffs. The Seahawks have got to be the second worst 7-2 team ever behind them. When was the last time you saw a 7-2 team barely squeak out back to back wins against teams with a combined 3 wins? With the schedule they have left I think there is a far greater chance that they miss the playoffs than there is that they win the division. They will win a few because they have Russell Wilson but they will probably be the betting underdog in every game left other than the Cardinals and the Eagles. Unless there is a sudden and drastic improvement from the defense this team doesn't even warrant Superbowl conversation.

I'm not saying you are wrong. There is alot of truth in what you said. The league is different now. It seems like the rule changes have finally taken effect. You can't touch the receivers or breathe on a QB . Hawks have been the beneficiary of some of the most egregious roughing the passer penalties ever(Good!!!) . The way the Hawks are winning games is exactly what the NFL wants. Franchise QB with an explosive passing attack. Dynamic WR. Brusing RB.

This is what sells tickets. This is what Goodell has sculpted the league into.

There are some teams masquerading as Legion of Boom but nah. Some bad football teams out there. Depending on how this Josh Gordon experiment works they might be able to pull this off. That D is good enough to hold the other team under 25-30.

[DanielVogelbach]

In 1994 the Eagles started the season 7-2 and lost the last 7 games to finish 7-9 and missed the playoffs. The Seahawks have got to be the second worst 7-2 team ever behind them. When was the last time you saw a 7-2 team barely squeak out back to back wins against teams with a combined 3 wins? With the schedule they have left I think there is a far greater chance that they miss the playoffs than there is that they win the division. They will win a few because they have Russell Wilson but they will probably be the betting underdog in every game left other than the Cardinals and the Eagles. Unless there is a sudden and drastic improvement from the defense this team doesn't even warrant Superbowl conversation.

I've found that this type of judging the quality of wins and opponents usually never works out. In the same season you can beat a juggrnaut and lose to some crappy team that got hot for a few quarters. Happens all the time. Furthermore, a good record can take you far. I thought the Hasselbeck team was good, but that was the easiest path to the Bowl ever. Cake fluffy schedule with weak division. Ride the HFA to the Bowl. This is one of the reasons I don't like football. The schedules are not at all equal, especially when you start factoring in major injuries to QBs. (like I thought the Saints game was going to be without Brees) So, to me, the playoff seeding almost seems random, whereas in other sports you definitely get the top teams in the top seeds. MLB, NBA, NHL, etc. where the schedules are so lop-sided in terms of opponent difficulty. Also, the idea of winning a championship with zero home playoff games is lame, too. I have no suggestions to change it... In fact, given the circumstances that you can't play everyone, I think the current 32 team format is about as perfect as you can get. But, there's definitely some luck with the scheduling... Maybe this year it will favor the Hawks. Got the late bye too, which is good.