Field Gulls
Well, it sure didn’t look pretty in the first half. With the Seattle Seahawks doing their best Mike Holmgren 10am kickoff impression, the Seahawks were lucky to be tied 6-6 at halftime. According to multiple reports, Mike Macdonald supposedly told his team that newly acquired wide receiver Rasheed Shaheed was gonna make some magic. About 90 minutes later, the Seahawks once again looked like the best team in the NFL, blitzing the Falcons for 31 second half points as they cruised to a 37-9 victory.
It wasn’t just that Seattle took care of business, but it the way in which all three phases dominated that second half, just as the Seahawks are preparing for an epic final four game stretch, with NFC West and NFC #1 seed hopes alive and well. Let’s break it down.
Every year, you see a great team in the playoffs come up short, just because their team struggles or doesn’t understand the value of special teams. Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers and Matt Lafleur’s Packers are two separate teams that probably should each have a Lombardi trophy, but critical special team errors prevented them from achieving the ultimate goal. After a disastrous 2024 season, coach Jay Harbaugh has helped build one of the best special team units in the NFL.
On Sunday, rookie Nick Emmanwori had a massive field goal block to keep the game tied in the first half (more on him later). Rasheed Shaheed made Mike Macdonald a prophet with his 100 yard kickoff return for a touchdown, a play that really sparked the whole team for the second half. And don’t forget about Jason Myers, who has been absolute nails since his game-ending miss at Los Angeles, and he’ll likely end up being a pro bowl contending kicker.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise to see Seattle figure things out and become an elite special teams franchise. Harbaugh and Macdonald are obvious disciples of Jim and John Harbaugh, both well known for their respect for that part of the game, and constantly having strong units in that area. This Seahawks team is different though, as they seem to have just a massive advantage over almost every other opponent, and that could be pivotal for a Super Bowl run.
This is the best Seahawks defense in a decade, since Seattle was last truly contending for championships with a historic defense. While they may not have a superstar or super team like the LOB defense, they are extremely good and have the depth to come at you in waves, overwhelming you and physically punishing you over 60 minutes. That doesn’t mean they don’t have some potential superstars in development. On Sunday, we saw what this defense can look like with a healthy and locked in Devon Witherspoon and Nick Emmanwori.
Both defensive backs used their speed, length, and physicality to wreak havoc on the Falcons. Witherspoon, whom I have...
