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 by aeneas1
5 years 8 months ago
 Total posts:   16894  
 Joined:  Sep 13 2015
United States of America   Norcal
Hall of Fame

ESPN’s NFC West beat reporters pick Rams to win division again, Seahawks to miss playoffs.
Field Gulls - a Seattle Seahawks community
By Mookie Alexander
Jul 16, 2018, 11:15am PDT
https://www.fieldgulls.com/2018/7/16/17 ... s-playoffs

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Considering the offseason that the Los Angeles Rams had, they’re going to be the favorites not just to win the NFC West, but to possibly make the Super Bowl. Hate them all you want, but you can’t deny the quality of talent they have on the roster right now.

It’s therefore not surprising that all four NFC West beat reporters for ESPN.com picked the Rams to repeat their feat from 2017. Since the NFL’s realignment in 2002, only the Rams have failed to top the NFC West in consecutive seasons, and the Seattle Seahawks will certainly try their hardest to prevent that from happening. However, none of the beat reporters picked Seattle to make the playoffs, not even Brady Henderson.

"The Rams will win the division and will be the only NFC West team to make the playoffs. While free agency can sometimes be fool’s gold, there’s no doubt that the Rams have the most talented roster in the division after adding the likes of Ndamukong Suh, Marcus Peters, Aqib Talib and Brandin Cooks to a team that won 11 games last year. The 49ers are a team on the rise with Jimmy Garoppolo under center, and the Seahawks shouldn’t be as bad as all of their big-name subtractions this offseason suggest they could be. The Seahawks could conceivably top last year’s 9-7 record if everything falls into place. But the NFC North and South still seem more likely to produce two playoff teams apiece."

Arizona Cardinals reporter Josh Weinfuss took things a step further and said that the San Francisco 49ers will get a wild card spot, logically leaving the Seahawks to finish either 3rd or in the cellar.

"It’s tough to argue against the Rams. They went 11-5 last season while leading the NFL in points scored. They barely touched their offense, swapping Sammy Watkins for Brandin Cooks in free agency, and bolstered their defense with significant signings, making an already good unit even better. If the Rams can stay healthy, Jared Goff and Todd Gurley will lead them to another West title and back to the playoffs, where they’ll be joined by the 49ers. They were 1-10 before Jimmy Garoppolo got his first start last year and then finished the season 6-10. If they can carry that late-season success over to 2018, they’ll be in prime position to make the playoffs."

49ers reporter Nick Wagoner echoed Henderson’s thoughts about how deep the NFC is, and how that could lead to a team finishing 10-6 and missing the playoffs anyway. Lastly, Rams reporter Lindsey Thiry said the Seahawks are “in rebuild mode” after last season’s failure to reach the postseason, and that “given the strength of the NFC South and North, there’s a strong possibility only one team from the West makes the playoffs.”

For the record, you have to go back to 2008-2009 to find the last time the Seahawks missed the playoffs in consecutive seasons, and that led to the hiring of Pete Carroll.

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RESPONSES:

> I get all the love for the Rams. If they don’t win the division many people will be shocked. What I don’t quite get are all the people picking SF to win a wild card.

> I can't argue with most of it, much as I would like to be more optimistic about our chances: Still think a lot of people are too high on Santa Clara but the Rams talent is undeniable. They look like a pretty safe bet to win 12+ games

> As much as I want that hype of playoff football in Seattle: the Rams are the team to beat in the NFC West. They have a ton of talent and chemistry. The Seahawks are still, IMO, a wildcard type of team but as strong as the NFC is they could possibly be on the outside looking in come January. This Seahawks team, specifically the defense, is all potential considering its going to be a pretty new look defensive line and secondary – we have to hope guys can be as good as they were from part time roles to full time roles.

> What chemistry? We haven't seen them do anything yet: pāpər-tīɡərs, noun.

> The Rammies might even have negative chemistry: considering that there’s a reason why KC let Marcus Peters go. UW thought Peters was so obnoxious (though undeniably talented) that they wouldn’t even let him play. Even Peters’ style of play is questionable, since he’s a gambler who prefers to go for the INT rather than safely make the tackle and prevent the TD.

> Rams: All of these big names coming in I will be curious to see if it comes together. There are big personalities on that defense now it won’t take much to make it get ugly. On paper no doubt the Rams are loaded something doesn’t feel right though.

> Rams: The Rams were extremely fortunate with injuries last year. We all know countless examples of teams loading on talent to a team that was successful and actually going backwards.

> Wasn't it only 12 months ago we were reading articles about: How loaded the hawks were with something like 9 pro bowlers starting on defense?

> Bias is the achilles heel of sports media: Hawks have a bad year, a couple other division teams do something promising, and we’re right back into the Pacific Northwest memory hole. I don’t mean to be a homer, but I think this is the media doing the magpie thing and getting mesmerised by something shiny. In the case of SF, a strong end to the season and a handsome young QB who can sling it, and in the case of the Rams, a bunch of big names, a new coach, a new city, and a record other than 7-9.

We’re nothing like a lock to win the division, but assuming we don’t get pasted by injuries again (furiously knocking on wood) as we have for several years running, and assuming most if not all of the post-SB loss locker room cancer has now been excised, I think we’re going to field a fairly deadly top 10 squad.

> I know you don't want to be a homer but this seems like a homer view to me: I don’t think people are putting Seattle outside the playoffs because they are forgetting about them but rather because last year the team missed the playoffs and considering that they lost Sherman, Avril, Chancellor and Bennett it’s not that unreasonable to say the Seahawks 2018 roster is worse than the 2017 roster.

I do agree with your San Fransisco take but I think it’s fair to give the Rams more credit than that. They went 11-5, have a young QB/RB duo that looks very promising, they have the best defensive player in the league and they added some helpful pieces to their team.

Honestly I think the NFC West battle as similar to the NFC North. Seattle is like Green Bay as they don’t have as much depth but have the best QB who you can’t count out of any game. The Rams are like the Vikings as they have the more complete team with better depth but they don’t have the best QB in the division.

> Confining this just to Rams v Seahawks: Aaron Donald is the best D-lineman in the league, yes. We still have ET3, who’s the best free safety, and Bobby Wagner, so we also have the best middle linebacker. This is what I mean by recency bias. We’ve always had those guys, so I feel like they get overlooked. What I won’t dispute is that our running game is a disaster compared to theirs (hell, compared to anyone’s).

> We had Thomas and Wagz last year too: and we still had a terrible season. Lots of things played a factor but I really could see us doing about the same as last year or even 8-8. Worst case scenario is we have another down season and Carroll calls it quits and we start all over again.

> Rams also had luck, newness on their side: The Rams absolutely look to be the fave. On paper. But let’s not forget last year that they didn’t suffer many injuries and their o-line was particularly injury free which in turn helped with Goff’s emergence. McVay was also new so no one had film on things that his teams did. Usually, you’ll see a regression to the mean when it comes to injuries (not that I want to see guys injured, but the odds are that they will suffer more) and there’s a year of film on them and an offseason of prep.

Set against that, they had a terrific off season. Will that pool of talent gel? Or end up like the 2011 Eagles?

Finally, the Hawks were 9-7 last year with an average scoring D (13th), a crap line and no running game at all. IF (and it’s a big IF) the offensive line moves up into the middle of the pack in run and pass blocking and at least one of Carson or Penny stays healthy and the D even treads water in terms of scoring performance… I don’t feel too bad. I mean, this time last year people were talking about the Seahawks as a SB favorite and we were #3 in ESPNs power rankings (http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/page/NF ... awks-front). So let’s not worry too much about press.

> Doesn't seem farfetched: I would pick the Rams to win the division again right now. I don’t know how we will do though. I can see us having a terrible season or having a good season with 10 or 11 wins.

 by RedAlice
5 years 8 months ago
 Total posts:   6596  
 Joined:  Aug 07 2015
United States of America   Dallas, Texas
Hall of Fame

Hawk fans are all a chitter chatter about their negative press, which was compounded (or instigated) by Sherman's comments and his CB Camp.

Some recent things. Though it seems Sherman saying they've lost their way is the origin.

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Bleacher (yeah, source sucks)

Are the Seattle Seahawks Poised for the NFL's Biggest Fall from Grace in 2018?

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/278 ... =editorial

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NFL Total Access

What do the Seahawks need to do to get back on track? | NFL Total Access



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 by Kid Charlamagne
5 years 8 months ago
 Total posts:   533  
 Joined:  Aug 25 2016
United States of America   LA Coliseum
Veteran

The Rams are clearly the class of this division and it must be tough to watch that if you follow one of the other teams in the division. The hags had a bunch of pro bowl talent walk out the door and the Rams had a bunch walk in, the hags o-line was a mess, is it better now? Graham never lived up to expectations but he was still one of few offensive threats, meanwhile the ram offense was the talk of the league.
Hag fans can’t be happy about the state of what used to be one of the great defenses, meanwhile the Rams add more pro bowlers. There’s a lot of envy going on and I’m enjoying it
The 9ers are a different story, whenever I read about them it’s Jimmy Jimmy and more Jimmy and the stuff about the league having time to catch up to McVay, that goes for Garapalo too. Now that we’ve seen him,defenses will scheme to stop him.

 by AltiTude Ram
5 years 8 months ago
 Total posts:   2167  
 Joined:  Jul 09 2015
United States of America   Denver
Pro Bowl

The Rams are clearly the team to beat in the NFC West. They won the division last year and have only seemed to improve with talent in the off season.

Not to mention the total ass kicking the Rams put on the SeaChickens in their supposedly unbeatable home stadium.

What is the best is how some of these fans put the spin on the Rams. Comparing the Rams to the dream team Eagles. Oh and I have to laugh when they try to use our team health as luck that can't continue.

It's good to be King and I'm enjoying every moment. 8-)

 by RedAlice
5 years 8 months ago
 Total posts:   6596  
 Joined:  Aug 07 2015
United States of America   Dallas, Texas
Hall of Fame

AltiTude Ram wrote:The Rams are clearly the team to beat in the NFC West. They won the division last year and have only seemed to improve with talent in the off season.

Not to mention the total ass kicking the Rams put on the SeaChickens in their supposedly unbeatable home stadium.

What is the best is how some of these fans put the spin on the Rams. Comparing the Rams to the dream team Eagles. Oh and I have to laugh when they try to use our team health as luck that can't continue.

It's good to be King and I'm enjoying every moment. 8-)


Me too. Probably the second best off season to the one we just had when Rams came home. Obvioulsy, nothing in pre-season can top that.

However, Rams have not actually won anything yet.

They will.

But for today, to be factual, what we have is an up and coming team who has made some awesome moves, is a team to beat and who lost their first play off game they even got to in years.

Don't take me wrong, I do believe Rams are finally about to dominate.

 by Elmgrovegnome
5 years 8 months ago
 Total posts:   624  
 Joined:  Oct 02 2016
United States of America   LA Coliseum
Veteran

Do the Shehawk fans really refer to Bobby Wagner as Wagz?

Seattle is viewed as a cellar dweller because they played bad football last year. Real bad. Wilson was over 90% of the offense. Could they have improved? Hard to tell. They seem to have lost more than they gained. These Seattle fans should not be hoping for other teams injury count to go up. They could trigger some Karma and Russell's crazy scrambling could backfire. Every team takes a big hit if their starter goes down, but Seattle would be in a world of pain.

And then we have that guy claiming that the book wasn't out on McVay and now the league has had a year to counter his system. Well, McVay was the OC in Washington for a few years. The Rams offense was very similar to Washington's. Then you have Wade, self-defense has been around for decades. Yeah, if they weren't catching up to those schemes last year, it's not likely that they will in the near future.

After a long run atop the division a bit of a rebuild should be expected even by the most hardcore of the homers. They must have some good weed in the state Washington.

 by Claremontram
5 years 8 months ago
 Total posts:   226  
 Joined:  Jun 09 2015
United States of America   LA Coliseum
Rookie

I love reading this stuff; I feel the Hawks fans' pain. :D If they don't think the Rams are for real, then they must be delusional. Chemistry on the Rams will be fine as long as we are winning. Cooks is on board for the long haul and AD will follow suit soon enough.

I predict we beat the Seahawks twice (very badly) this year.

 by Ramsdude
5 years 8 months ago
 Total posts:   1071  
 Joined:  May 22 2018
United States of America   Pa.
Pro Bowl

Those poor Shehags!!

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and it's the good guys...

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