Heading into the 2019 NFL season, the Seattle Seahawks are looking to build on the momentum of last year’s surprise 10-6 record where many pundits predicted the Seahawks to be among the league’s weakest teams. Considering major offseason departures including Frank Clark, Earl Thomas, and Justin Coleman, the Seahawks will likely be aiming to match last season’s level of success, clinching a playoff berth for their seventh time in the last eight seasons.
2018 Record: 10-6 (11th in the NFL)
2018 Offence: 26.8 PPG (T-6th in the NFL)
2018 Defence: 21.7 PPG (11th in the NFL)
Season Outlook: 2019 Seattle Seahawks
Strengths
The 2018 Seattle offense lived and breathed through its run game, leading the league in rushing at 160 Yds/G. Although the Seahawks lost one of its trio of rushers in Mike Davis, look for Rashaad Penny to pick up the slack and take a productive leap forward heading into his sophomore season. Do not forget to mention the powerhouse Chris Carson, who quietly came fifth in the league in rushing and led the league in broken tackles in 2018.
Let us not forget about the NFL’s new highest-paid player, quarterback Russell Wilson, fresh off his new contract that will pay him a yearly average of $35 million over the next four years. While Wilson’s passing yardage took a hit last season, this could be explained by Seattle’s re-commitment to the power running game—Wilson was tied for fourth among league starters in passing yards per attempt. Look for the Seahawks to open-up their passing game during Brian Schottenheimer’s second year as offensive coordinator.
Weaknesses
Year in and year out, the Seahawks offensive line continues to limit the team’s chances of sustaining consistent success throughout the season. Even after moving towards a run-heavy offense, the Seahawks O-Line still managed to put up its worst year in the Russell Wilson era in terms of sacks allowed per game and finished second-to-last in the league at protecting their quarterback during passing plays. Seahawks fans will be hoping that new addition Mike Iupati and the continued growth of Germain Ifedi will help boost the struggling O-Line heading into next season.
A big question mark for the 2019 Seahawks will be on the other side of the line. The loss of Frank Clark will be extremely difficult to replace and the Seahawks will be looking for an immediate impact out of first-rounder L.J. Collier to keep the pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Another key contribution will likely come from free-agent acquisition Ezekiel Ansah, assuming he can stay healthy over the entirety of the 2019 season. While on the field, Ansah is a menace in the pass-rush, placing in the top for sack leaders twice in the past four seasons, while only play one full season in that time.
Seattle Seahawks Predicted Record: 10 – 6
Entering the 2019 NFL season, the Seattle Seahawks will have their sights set on a Wild Card playoff spot. The Los Angeles Rams will still be the team to beat in the NFC West coming off of their Super Bowl appearance. Also, look for the division rival San Francisco 49ers to be the most improved team in NFC during the 2019 season. The Seahawks will have to rely heavily on their offensive and defensive leaders—primarily Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner—to instill confidence amongst their teammates and will their way to win as fans have witnessed in the past. Head coach Pete Carroll will have to find new and creative strategies to keep the Seahawks winning mentality intact heading into the first season of the ‘Post-Legion of Boom’ era. Expect Seattle to be in the hunt for a final playoff spot come December.
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