#Seahawks DT Al Woods is being suspended 4 games for violating the NFL’s policy on PEDs, sources say. He started 5 games for Seattle.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 20, 2019
If the Seahawks do end up with the #1 seed in the NFC, they’ll have earned it.
The hits keep on coming this week. First they lost Josh Gordon. Now Al Woods. Add that to the ever growing list of injured players.
Jadeveon Clowney, Bobby Wagner, Mychal Kendricks, Quandre Diggs, Shaquill Griffin, Ziggy Ansah. All possibly unavailable this weekend and perhaps beyond.
Then note that Duane Brown has played through the pain all year, that they’ve been without their top two TE’s for most of the season, they just lost Rashaad Penny to an ACL tear and started the season with Jarran Reed serving a six-game suspension.
This team has no place being in contention for the #1 seed. Yet here they are — two home wins from matching a regular season franchise record for wins and probably home-field advantage.
It’s possible these latest blows will be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. We saw at the end of the Carolina game how decimated they were on defense. Stopping the Niners in Santa Clara took a gladiatorial performance from the defense. Repeating the act minus multiple starters will be incredibly difficult and could be the prelude to a disappointingly frustrating defeat similar to the one in LA against the Rams.
For the Seahawks to finish things off and claim that important playoff bye week, they will need the offense to be at its best. They might have to outscore Arizona and San Francisco. It’s not easy but possible. Russell Wilson probably won’t pinch the MVP away from Lamar Jackson but here’s his opportunity to remind people that he deserves to remain at least in the conversation. They need Chris Carson at his best. The O-line at its best. The targets at their best.
The next two games present a rare opportunity to go for the #1 seed. Hopefully injuries and absentees will not rob the Seahawks of an opportunity to give it their best shot.
Time to dust-off the ‘we all we got, we all we need‘ chant.
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Clowney is doubtful and couldn’t practice all week. As I said week or two ago, it wouldn’t surprise me that he has played his last game as a seahawk.
I hope you’re wrong, millhouse, but it seems likely that you are correct. I can’t imagine playing with a core injury like this and even being 75% effective.
Likely correct Clowney has played his last game as a Seahawk?
Even though we’re two weeks away from the big showdown with SF, we’re still several weeks away from the playoffs, and all signs pointing to SEA resigning him during the offseason?
Ohh kay
Just saw this. What a drag. Also our injury report. I hope that the Hawks are being extra cautious with some of these injuries (Diggs, Clowney) with our next opponent being Arizona at home, and that they aren’t even worse than we fear. Let’s just hope that we can get Arizona taken care of without too much anxiety or adding to the injury report. The 49er game will then just be the let-it-all-hang-out finale. Even if we get to that game at 12-3, even though the game is here at home, I will be fighting the Debbie Downer pessimist in me all week leading up to that game. LOL
What a year it’s been. At least we’re alive and in it. 🙂
I wouldn’t take Arizona lightly. It’s a different team and a different Murray. I see him running a lot on us. With that many people hurt on defense I can’t imagine we willl stop them much.
So I’m guessing they bring Mone up from the PS for Woods’ spot.
Probably.
He did play an important role early on with Reed’s suspension. He should do well enough to not hurt the “D.”
IMO, this guy has late day 3 potential Seahawks target written all over him.
RI WR Aaron Parker (6’3, 208 lbs.) Physical, team captain/leader, good blocker, elevates and highpoint’s incredibly well, coaches rave about his work ethic and love of the game.
81 catches, 1224 rec. yds, 9 TDs
Aaron Parker vs Ohio (2019):
https://youtu.be/T0gUY5i_NdI
Will be at the Shrine Game
Love me some TJ though: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waIX5jOuVW4
Great find. Ticks a lot of the boxes for Pete and John.
If the NFL had soccer style transfer fees who would be more expensive, Russell Wilson or Lamar Jackson?
Does Lamar get bonus points on the MVP race because he’s so young doin it? Always seems like the vet gets priority when it’s Russ vying against an older QB
Youth for sure gets the higher fee. Though any club willing to shell out for Jackson has to field a formation to suit him (see Coutinho And Griezmann at Barça… 😓), whereas Russ fits into whatever formation you want to run. (Frenkie de Jong…)
Well if Jarran Reed wanted to make the 6 game suspension up to the Hawks and at the same time earn some extra FA, now’s the time to do it.
Given all this adversity the past couple weeks with injuries and suspensions, I’d have to say the Hawks will likely finish 12-4, the no. 5 seed, and it’s a coin flip if they win or lose in the Wild Card round again. But 12-4 is better than 10-6 last year. Plus the Hawks have the draft capital and cap space to compete for a championship next season. Overall that would be a successful season to me.
If they have to go to Dallas in the wildcard I’d say they’d be comfortable underdogs.
+1
I hope Eagles win tomorrow
You mean Dallas would be comfortable underdogs right?
They lost to The bears and bills in the last 2 weeks before. Dallasis not a good team, poorly coached and poorly run. Beating a Rams team that knew they were more or less out of the playoffs means really nothing. I hope I’m misinterpretating you but if you’re saying Dallas would be well favored over us just seems like a doom and gloom take
No I mean Seattle would be.
The cowboys have been a disorganised mess all season but they showed just how talented they are against the Rams and that they easily can figure things out — and may have done – just in the nick of time. If they win their last two games (I expect them to) they would enter a home playoff game on a three game winning streak. The Seahawks, with major injuries and absentees, would go to Dallas in this scenario off the back of a home loss in the biggest game of the season.
The Seahawks would not be favourites in Dallas. That’s not doom and gloom it’s a fact.
That’s an overreaction to the cowboys beating a rams team with no bone to pick and nothing to play for.
The rams have the Seahawks circled, the cowboys had the rams circled for playoff revenge. We’re getting Bobby and Ziggy back this week. Seems overly pessimistic at a minimum
The Rams had everything to play for and were the form team in the NFC going into that game.
You’re trying too hard to try and paint me as negative.
It’s a cast iron fact that if Dallas wins the NFC east, thus ending on a three game winning streak, and they play us at home having lost to the Niners, with the injuries we have too, they will be considerable favourites.
You can try and argue against that if you want and suggest I’m negative but you’ll be pissing into the wind.
IMO, they were better, last year, esp. On defense.
Vander Esch has been out for a long time. He really hasn’t played much. My gut feeling is we lose in the Wildcard in Dallas for the second year in a row. It’s a very talented team. Probably close to the Baltimore, S.F. level of talent. All it takes is one game for it to click and you’ll have your hands full in a hurry. I just hope if we play them in Dallas our coaching staff doesn’t coach with their tails between their legs again.
I was impressed by Mone in preseason, hes listed at 6’3″ 266 lbs. I’m sure he’s going to be able to fill Woods shoes in the run game at least
*366
Well, I’m hopeful that Clowney and Diggs (maybe even Griffin) can just rest and heal up this week, and be ready for week 17. Arizona can be a tough team to play, the Hawks better not be looking ahead or they may drop this game. You know Cards will come out with a lot of energy, these last two games are their playoffs!
No more key injuries please! Don’t think the team can afford to lose any more guys.
I agree if they look ahead at all they will not beat this Arizona team with Murray at QB. That being said I hope they don’t try to rush anyone back like Griffin if the hamstring is not fully healed. They will be needed next week and in the playoffs.
Time to see what the young D depth, i.e. Collier, Green, Blair, Ugo, Shaquem G., Barton etal, and on the other side Ursua and Homer can bring.
Diggs for sure won’t be ready this week and probably not next week or the week after (hopefully it’s a bye). High ankle sprain is a 4-6 week recovery. Clowney might not play again this season and that’s the biggest blow to this defense IMO (Diggs 2nd most impactful assuming Wags is ok).
We need some young players to step up if we’re going to have a chance to beat the 9ers and take the division. Cardinals game is on the offense to out score a bad team with the worst defense in the league. Hopefully Griffin, Kendricks, Bobby, Ansah and maybe Clowney/Diggs (not holding out hope on Diggs) are available against the 9ers but hamstring, ankle and core injuries are not always things you can/should play though.
We need a couple of these young guys to make a name for themselves. We have a bunch of guys that have been waiting for this opportunity and this is their chance. Hill, Blair, Amadi, king, Green, Griffin, Collier and possibly Barton/bbk all have a golden opportunity to show us that they’re proper Seahawks who can help us win. All have flashed in limited snaps excluding Collier (the rookie linebackers haven’t shown much either but shouldn’t need to play)
Hoping for a secondary of Blair (FS) mcdougald (SS) amadi (nickle) with flowers & king/Griffin (If he’s ready) On the outside. Starting DL of Green, Poona, Reed, Jefferson with Ansah/Griffin Rotating in on passing downs and Q Jeff sliding inside (Mone, Jackson, Collier can sub in when guys need a breather). I think the starting linebackers all play or Barton slides in for Kendricks if he needs another week.
Hawks roll 40-27 with Poona and Reed dominating in the absence of Woods. 3 sacks for Ansah/Griffin/Green trio. 2 Tyler Lockett touchdowns to bring me home in my fantasy football championship. Go hawks
It’s a 4-6 week recovery unless you’re RW. In his case you don’t miss a game, hardly a play. LOL
Even if we get 4-5 top quality players next draft, the other teams in the division will also. The Nfc West is going to be the toughest division in the league bar none. Expect Arizona to be much better next year.
A good team should easily beat lesser teams and have a healthy point differential to show for it. This team does not have that.
Another way to display how good you are is beating teams when key players are missing from your roster and so far this team rose to this challenge winning anywhere and anytime.
It feels like losing Gordon and Reed on top of everything else they had to overcome already may be a bridge too far but I promised myself I will not give up on this wonderful group no matter what.
I really hope they find a way to win this Sunday because they do not deserve to have this brave season dismantled by this tsunami of injuries and suspensions.
It looks like its all on the offense once more…35 points should do it and in RW we trust…
Right on, Eran!
The thing is the young D (Blair, Umadi, Lano) have been getting reps. As long as Wagner can play, the communication issues should not be too much of a problem. The biggest problems if they went down are at corner–Griffen and Flowers. Griffen looks like he is playing and that is going to help on Sunday, too.
The biggest problem will be our distinct lack of pass rush. Has been all year. Not having Clowney puts it on life support.
True of course, but with that being said it is even more important to have great coverage from the corners.
The D just has to be able to get a few stops and be decent in the redzone to give Wilson and Co a chance to outscore the opposition.
In countless ways, it is more fun rooting for a team that has been piece mealed together / cobbled together… from day #1 of the 2019/2020 season. The moves in the offseason and during the season…. the draft picks… the coaching (offense/defense)…. are maximizing this opportunity at a Championship. I never would have guessed they would have gotten to 11-3 with 2 games left. Let alone, have a shot at the #1 or #2 seed week #16 in the season.
In my heart of hearts I don’t think they will win a SB, but damn they are entertaining to watch and have some amazing foundational players on the team. 13-3 feels like a pipe dream still, but 12-4 feels attainable. Hopefully all the players can make it back sooner than later and we can see the fully (mostly) constructed team get a legit shot at a playoff run.
Its shame that GB@MIN is after our game. Because if SF wins and GB lose we are playing for nothing against ARI and we could rest all of our injured players.(this is if we take into account that no and GB will win their last matches against DET and CAR which will happen).
not sure this is entirely true.
If San Fran wins and are 12-3 and Sea loses and are 11-4, Seattle would have to win San Fran game
If Sea wins and are 12-3 and San Fran lose and are 11-4, if San Fran wins and they both have a 12-4 record, it would go down to strength of victory.
Seattle and San Fran has beaten the 9 same teams including each other leaving
Seattle wins
Atlanta 5-9
Philly 7-7
MN 10-4
San Fran wins
Washington 3-11
Green Bay 11-3
New Orleans 11-3
Seattle has 3 games to make up in the win column against San Fran. Green Bay losing to MN would help, but you’re got 4 other teams to rely on.
Hat tip to Mr Postseason
Strength of victory is going to go SF way. The only way to win division is to win week 17. Arizona is meangless game.
It’s not meaningless if you want the bye — and everyone should want the bye.
We’ll, on the (very, very remotely…) “bright” side, he could be back for a potential Championship game or at least SB, depending on whether we take the wildcard route or not…
Not sure they wouldn’t just stick with his replacement anyways at that point if we make it that far.
Or am I reading it wrong? 4 games, including any playoff games (i.e. even more than 4 games total?)
https://mobile.twitter.com/gbellseattle/status/1208134685408129024/photo/1
Doesn’t really matter, of course, since we needed him for these important games.
The suspension is for 4 games maximum and Woods has to sit out the next 4 games even if they are playoff games (ie playoff games make up part of the 4 game suspension).
When the Hawks signed Ansah this offseason on an incentive laden deal I was a huge fan of the signing and thought it might be another JS steal. Unfortunately outside of 2 games Ansah has looked like a shell of his former self and has really had no impact.
All that being said if he is healthy like Pete said in his presser and can provide a consistent pass rush that this defense desperately needs for next two games then the signing will be worth it.
I may be living in fantasy land but I think Ansah picks up the slack like he did last time he played and Clowney was out. My hot take is Ansah will be the spark to the pass rush this team needs against Kyler Murray and the Hawks squawk our another win.
31-27 Hawks as Russ and Carson outduel Murray and Drake in an offensive slug fest. Ansah sacks Murray on the final drive to close out the game.
All the 12’s desperately hope you’re right about Ansah…but not holding our breath!!
It’s weird, Ansah’s been on the mend for two weeks with shoulder issues, but then Carroll comes out and says this is the best week he’s had all year.
I guess he’s been able to do strength and conditioning despite the shoulder? Here’s hoping two weeks is what he needed to get right.
As much as I want, and the team needs the bye week, they need this list of hurt guys to heal more than they need to win this game against AZ.
I actually drew the defense out on my white board at work after this news, and circled all those questionable or out… it’s a scary picture
Estimated 2020 cap space:
Hawks- $74 mil
Cards- $69 (nice) mil
Rams- $24 mil
9ers- $19 mil