Time To Get Behind The Seattle Seahawks?

It was really easy to get excited about the Seattle Seahawks early in the season. Russell Wilson was playing like a man determined to win his first MVP, and the team was winning games.

In any given week, they were a good bet to win their game and had great odds to win the division.

However, there was a fatal flaw—the defense was awful.

In the first seven games of the season, the Seahawks defense allowed an average of 28+ points a game.

Through their first seven games, the Seahawks were 6-1 and averaged a little over 34 points a game. When you score that much, wins should come easy. But five of those first seven games (including their first loss) were by a touchdown or less.

In five of those seven games, the quarterback threw for 300+ yards; two threw for 400+. Six times the opposing offense gained 400+ yards; three times, they gained 500+. The Seattle defense could not stop anyone, so to win, Russell Wilson had to show out.

Since he was scoring touchdowns and the team was winning games, all was right in the world.

For a time, they had the best odds in the NFC to win the Super Bowl. But that changed with the loss to the Arizona Cardinals. They were the favorite to win the NFC before that loss, too.

But while their odds made them look like potential NFC and Super Bowl winners, they were not a good bet.

They were way too dependent on Russell Wilson playing like an MVP—which he had to do because the defense was so bad. If his game were to slip or if he were to start struggling, Seattle would be in trouble.

Sure enough, the second half of the season was not pretty; they won when they needed to. But can you trust the Seattle Seahawks enough to bet on them in the playoffs?

Heading into Week 17, the Seattle Seahawks have already locked up the NFC West division title. They will certainly be a tough team to beat in the postseason, but what fans want to know now is whether it is safe to bet on them to win the NFC and Super Bowl.

While they are not the favorite to win the conference, they do have pretty good odds at FanDuel, +400. Only the New Orleans Saints and Green Bay Packers have better odds (+280 and +200, respectively).

The Buccaneers have good odds at +500, but there is a gap between them and everyone else.

So, it looks like they have a pretty good chance to take the NFC. But the outlook for the Super Bowl is not as good. Their odds are the fifth-best at +1100, but seven teams are grouped at the top, with the Kansas City Chiefs having the best odds (+190).

Their odds are only third-best among NFC teams (Green Bay +550; New Orleans +750).

Getting to either game will not come easy, but is there any reason to believe that they can? Yes, the Seattle Seahawks can score points, but can they stop anyone? Actually—the answer to that may now be ‘yes.’ If the last six weeks are any indication, the Seahawks can now play defense.

After allowing 28+ points/game in the first half of the season, over the last six, the defense has averaged under 14. They have not allowed a single 300+ yard passing game and only one 100+ yard rusher.

The pass rush seems to be working (21 sacks; at least two in every game) and forcing turnovers (six).

So, it looks like Seattle now has a defense to go with their offense.   

It all depends on how bumpy their road to the Super Bowl is. If the seeding remains how it is heading into Week 17, the Seattle Seahawks will face the struggling Los Angeles Rams in the wild card round. They just beat the Rams, 20-9, last week in a game where the defense dominated the Rams in the second half.

Jared Goff may or may not be ready after having surgery to repair a broken thumb suffered in that game. That would mean facing John Wolford.

That sounds like a game they should win, but then they will likely get the New Orleans Saints in the divisional round. Drew Brees is back but has not looked great.

Michael Thomas should be back, but there has been no word on him yet.

But with how well they have run the ball in recent weeks, it may not matter. Then there is their defense to consider (third in yards allowed/game and eighth in points allowed/game).

Should they make it past the Saints, it will not be any easier against the Packers in the NFC title game.