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SEATTLE SEAHAWKS SEASON PREVIEW

Another football season is upon us, this one seems particularly sweet. With the dread of the work stoppage a distant memory now, we can finally get back to the game we all know and love. Which for me means back to this blog, back to the NFL, back to the Seattle Seahawks. I didn't know it was possible to go into a season with more questions than I had last season , but it is. The Seahawks have 43....count em....43 new players on the 53 man roster. So don't feel bad if you find yourself yelling out more numbers than names in the first few games. Well lets get to it... here's my breakdown; The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the 2011 Seattle Seahawks.

OFFENSE:

The Good: *sigh* I'm pressed to find the good in the offense, mainly because the entire success of the offense is a reflection of the solidarity of the offensive line. Well we didn't see much of Marshawn Lynch in the preseason but Leon Washington looks like he has fully recovered for the broken leg injury he suffered while with the NY Jets. He has been running with purpose, making cuts he seemed hesitant to make last year, and those are all encouraging signs as he provides a great alternative to Lynch. The receiving corp of Rice,Williams, Tate, Obamanu along with TE Zach Miller (from Oakland) are young, athletic, and physical. The addition of Sydney Rice ( shoulder injury) and Zach Miller are key to the success of the passing game. Look for them to emerge as play makers this season.

The Bad: The offensive line going into the preseason held a little bit of promise. Russel Okung  and Max Unger were healthy and ready to start their first full season together. Robert Gallery was the fiery veteran brought in to lead the young guys, and we had two high draft pick rookie linemen in Carpenter and Moffett that were primed to impressed. Then the preseason happened, and we saw what we really had.An inexperience, injury plagued offensive line. Okung mid ankle sprain on the first series of the first preseason game (deja vu anyone?) Shuffling of men, and then Gallery suffered a sprained right knee in the last preseason game. The rookies, who still hold promise for the future, aren't learning as quickly as Pete Carroll may have hoped.We all know how important the Oline play is. The QB needs time to throw the ball, the running backs need lanes to run in ( we were dead last in running yards last season)  If we cant protect and we cant run the ball...its going to be a long season.  

The Ugly: I hate to do this because he's my QB, hate him or love him, hes what we got, but Tarvaris Jackson, you my friend are the ugly. I understand that we are trying to get younger, i understand that we needed a more mobile and agile quarterback, but TJAX just isn't a QB you win with. I tried my best to go into this preseason with an open mind, and in all fairness much of the snaps Jackson spent running for his life, but it took until the final preseason game before we saw a single TD with the first team offense. I am no fan of Clip Board Jesus or Check Down Charlie (whichever you prefer) but I wont be surprised if we don't head Whitehurst chants the 3rd week of the season when the Seahawks play their home opener, and I might be the one starting them.

DEFENSE:

The Good: Overall the defense is improved from last year. Our D line has looked good against the run, We have Chris Clemons and Red Bryant back at defensive end and they have looked good against the run this preseason. I am interested to see how the young corners emerge. Both Thurmond and Browner seem to be an upgrade from Kelly Jennings and Marcus Trufant who took a pay cut in the off season may have incentive to perform again, as he can earn that money back thru statistics. Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas are young, hungry and determined. I look for both of them to have much improved seasons.

The Bad: There is just something off when it comes to our group of Linebackers. Hawthorne is the new starting MLB as Lofa Tatupu was released after refusing the renegotiate his contract. I look for him to really emerge as the leader of the LB corp. But Aaron Curry, continues to disappoint. He misses tackles, misses assignment and its just inexcusable. In the past you heard Mora and Carroll talk about "simplifying the defense" for Curry, which please allow me to translate, means to kid is stupid. They have tried everything with him and every year its "we're going to start to utilize his strengths" and every year its the same results. this will be a make or break year for Aaron Curry.

The Ugly: While we have had alot of turnover of the roster this off season, we cant hide from the fact we finished 27th in Opp. Passing Yards and 21st in Opp. Rushing Yards last season. We historically seem to fall flat on 3rd downs, and the deep ball has always been a knife to the gut of this team. We will have to have improved play at EVERY position on defense this year.


SPECIAL TEAMS:

The Good/ The Bad/ The Ugly: We still have in my opinion the best punter in the game, in John Ryan.  Field position is key in any game, and he honestly gives us as good a chance to win as any player on the team. Leon Washington is still one of the best returners in the game, but with the rule changes moving the kickoffs up to the 30 from the 35 it will be interesting to see how much opportunity he has to return the ball. I hate the rule change myself, i think it takes one of the most dynamic plays out of the game, and really limits the ability of guys like Leon Washington.

As always: GO 'HAWKS!!!!