A Grip on Sports: The two times the Seahawks have started a season 4-0 have come with different looks
A GRIP ON SPORTS • It’s Monday morning. That means we are contractually obligated – not really but it sounds plausible – to look back at the Seahawks’ game from some 24 hours ago. For the fourth consecutive time to begin a season, we get to examine a victory.
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• We were doing the same thing back in 2013, the last time the Hawks began the season with a 4-0 record. Back then, though, we were raving about the defense. More specifically, the secondary, led by cornerback Brandon Browner. Again, not really. Earl Thomas maybe. Kam Chancellor possibly. But more than likely Richard Sherman.
The Legion of Boom.
Russell Wilson? Game manager. He just had to hand the ball off to Marshawn Lynch, complete a third-down pass or make a key scramble. That was his ceiling, we thought. Do enough to fill in the gaps.
Isn’t this more fun?
OK, we admit it would be downright hilarious if this year’s offense could be paired with 2013’s defense, but in the salary-capped NFL, that’s just not possible. It takes an experienced (and highly paid) quarterback to do the things Wilson is doing – the drive that ended in David Moore’s 17-yard tiptoe touchdown illustrates that perfectly in that Wilson called all the plays himself when his helmet speaker went down. Without the bucks saved with a rookie (read: low-paid) quarterback, there is never enough to keep a defense as stacked as one would like.
But yesterday it was the bargain-priced kids who played the most important role in the Hawks limiting Miami, resulting in a 31-23 win – and the 4-0 mark.
Free-agent find Ryan Neal with another interception, this one not game-clinching but offensive-sparking, leading to an early 7-0 advantage. Reserve-turned-starter Cody Barton tipping the pass that fell into Neal’s hands. Rookie Alton Robinson with a huge fourth-quarter third-down tackle for loss.
You know, guys who four weeks ago weren’t being counted on for much of anything besides depth. Funny thing. In the NFL, circa 2020, depth has a way of becoming front-line in a matter of minutes.
Sure, it’s always been that way but throw in a rampant virus – one that hasn’t disrupted the Hawks yet, thank goodness – and 2020 has become even more about the next man up.
And that man better be able to catch a pass. In the modern NFL (say, three years old), defenses have been made almost obsolete. The league likes offensive stars. Offensive stars like it when the rules are changed to make it almost impossible to stop them. And enforced in such a way – hey, look, there was an offensive holding call; talk about rare – as to benefit the guys with the ball.
Seattle doesn’t mind. The Hawks’ brain trust has been slowly adapting – even Pete Carroll, who loves physical defense almost as much as Tony Bennett. At the core of it all is Wilson.
He wasn’t as sharp Sunday. Heck, he even threw a real interception, though it wasn’t obvious if DK Metcalf ran the route as sharply as Wilson expected. But he did strike when needed, including the end of the first half when momentum looked a bit like Flipper. His 57-yard hookup with Moore led to a three-yard strike to Travis Homer. In 24 seconds, the Hawks turned a 10-9 lead into 17-9 and the Dolphins were chattering among themselves.
Just like the 12s are this morning. After all, 2013 ended just the way they wanted a season to end. Seven years later, they are itching for one more special finish. It may happen. But it will certainly look different.
• The NFL doesn’t mind competition. It had a little yesterday, including for eyeballs in Seattle. While the Hawks drew the most, some folks had to be interested in the Storm trying to build a 2-0 lead in their best-of-five WNBA Finals series against Las Vegas.
They did it. Behind a balanced attack led by, who else, Breanna Stewart, they routed the Aces 104-91. The Storm have one more to go to secure their fourth league crown.
The Lakers are trying to win their 17th NBA title but they no longer are in overwhelming command of their series with Miami. Jimmy Butler took care of that with a 40-point, 11-rebound, 13-assist effort, leading to the Heat’s 115-104 victory.
Despite Butler’s heroics, the Lakers led in the fourth quarter. But when Miami turned up the heat, Los Angeles just melted. It was not a good look for LeBron James’ team.
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WSU: Around the Pac-12 and college sports, the polls are out. They look weird because teams that haven’t played yet don’t need to be included. The top half-dozen, however, seems typical. … Oregon is still the conference’s only ranked team. The Ducks, however, are hemorrhaging defensive backs as they begin fall camp. … Can Grant Gunnell be the star of Arizona’s offense? … In basketball news, Book Richardson talked with the New York Daily News. Did you know he was a scapegoat? Huh.
Chiefs: Spokane rounded out its new coaching staff by naming Ryan Smith as associate coach. That information is part of our weekly local briefs.
Seahawks: John Blanchette watched the Hawks play. He joined the postgame online media scrum. And he put together a game story and a column. … Theo Lawson kept track of the rest of the NFL action, with an eye on players with local ties. He then chronicled their achievements. … Back to the Seahawks, Chris Carson was battered and bruised, but kept bouncing back. … The defense needed to play better. It did. You could actually say it saved the day. … Hey, there were fans in the Miami stands. Not as many as usual, but some. It made for a different feel in this pandemic-limited season. … K.J. Wright played well, again. Now if he could just hold on to an interception or two. … The best news from Sunday? No new injuries. One more game – Minnesota in Seattle on Sunday night – and then a bye. … There are grades, of course.
Mariners: The M’s catching corps will look different next season. … Seattle is mentioned in this story about teams rebuilding. It’s OK. They are among the ones cited for doing things correctly.
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• Summer has stuck around a couple extra weeks. That’s so nice of it. But it never lasts much longer around here than my birthday. So expect a change soon. Until later …