POLL RESULTS: Seahawks given a good — not great — grade
Published 10:06 am Wednesday, October 30, 2019
It seems the fans believe the first half of the Seattle Seahawks’ season was good, but that there’s still room for improvement.
The Seahawks completed the first half of their 2019 season last Sunday when they defeated the Atlanta Falcons 27-20 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. That gave Seattle a 6-2 record as the season’s midpoint, putting the Seahawks in second place in the NFC West and the NFC’s No. 1 wild-card position.
Therefore, this week’s Seattle Sidelines poll asked readers to grade the Seahawks on their first half. Here’s what you doled out:
POLL: What grade do you give the Seahawks for the first half of their season? Full context, including a breakdown of the first half, here: https://t.co/rHqTBd3dpQ
— Nick Patterson (@NickHPatterson) October 28, 2019
[crowdsignal poll=10444184]
Add the two together and more than half the voters — 61 percent — gave the Seahawks a B for the first half. Another 24 percent rated the first half a C, 13 percent handed Seattle an A, and 2 percent went D/F.
These results make sense to me — with the exception of the two percent who gave a 6-2 team, which was expected to be middle of the pack, a D/F. The first half of the season had a lot of positives, even outside the record. Quarterback Russell Wilson has elevated his game to elite status, and he’s now one of the front-runners in the MVP race. Indeed, he’s turned a team in which the defense used to be the identity into one where he’s the clear focal point, and he’s done it while maintaining the level of results. It’s really remarkable the way the Seahawks have transformed, yet never had to endure a large dip in terms of wins and losses.
Wilson isn’t the only positive. Seattle has its power running game thanks to Chris Carson, who’s showing he’s not a one-hit wonder as he continues to gain yards after contact in a Marshawn Lynch-like fashion. Receiver Tyler Lockett has taken to being the No, 1 target well and is on pace for his first 1,000-yard season. And, of course, Wilson still has his penchant for making things happen late in games when the team needs it most.
Yet there are still areas for improvement. The defense has had its issues, particularly when it comes to pressuring the opposing passer, and the teams still needs to figure out its best combination of players at safety. But one has to think the possibility of improving the pass rush is there, particularly with Jadeveon Clowney in the fold and Jarran Reed returning from suspension.
So from that standpoint, giving the Seahawks a B for their first half seems fair. As for what I think? Check out my midseason Seahawks report card in the paper when it runs this weekend.
