Dave Boling: It’s time for the Seahawks to focus on their draft board after Thursday’s loss to the 49ers
SEATTLE – Save the dates: April 27-29.
NFL draft, 2023.
Seahawks fans, there’s your focus now. The date of true revival. The point when the hurting stops and the healing really begins.
Protocol demands that the Seahawks must go through the formality of playing out the season, and there’s still much to learn about the players who will be on hand for the next stage of development.
But the 21-13 San Francisco win over Seattle Thursday night at Lumen Field illuminated the obvious: The Hawks are out of it.
They made it interesting to the end, so credit for not giving up. That’s how professionals are supposed to act. It’s almost as if they’ve been getting reminded every day to “always compete.”
But from this point on, the next three games are mostly a matter of bookkeeping.
No shame in that. In fact, the Hawks acquitted themselves respectably most of the season. In fact, far better than most expected. They’re 7-7, which I would contend amounts to encouraging mediocrity.
Admit it, if told on Labor Day that the Seahawks would be 7-7 and still in the expanded playoff picture in mid-December, Seattle fans would have bought in without second thought.
It feels worse, now, because the Seahawks pumped up expectations by winning four straight only to lose four of the past five. They’re like the golfer having an unexpectedly great front nine only to come back to reality after the turn. Psychologically, it’s better the other way around.
Add to that, stellar Seattle receiver Tyler Lockett, who means so much to this team, ended up with a broken hand.
The Niners clinched the division title at 10-4, and the Seahawks still have mathematical chances. But those are hardly realistic. They visit Kansas City next week (10-3), but with the Jets and Rams coming in January, there’s a possibility of getting up to nine wins.
A winning season is something to fight for.
At this point, it’s doubtful the Hawks could challenge a real quality opponent.
It looked obvious from the beginning against the Niners. Even without starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and top receiver Deebo Samuel, and operating with rookie quarterback Brock Purdy, the Niners took command.
On a drive in the first quarter, they were gaining easy ground with versatile and elusive running back Christian McCaffrey. On a second-and-8, though, Purdy retreated with a fake screen left, only to spin around for a fake screen to the other side. With the Seahawks defense entirely bumfuzzled, tight end George Kittle leaked out the middle with no one bothering to pay attention. Touchdown.
The play was so brilliantly designed, it didn’t matter who was quarterback or receiver, it was going to be wide open regardless.
When was the last Seahawks play that was so deceptively designed that it left defenders helpless? Hard to remember. Here’s what it proved: The Niners came in missing key offensive players and found ways to fool the Hawks, to put them in binds, to create advantages with sheer creativity.
There were troubles all over the field. Hawks quarterback Geno Smith was under constant pressure and the defense gave up another big rushing total (170 yards).
But remember this: Many of the problems the Seahawks encountered Thursday night can be addressed in the draft and free agency.
Certainly, enough new prime-grade manpower can be added with their trove of draft equity that the 2023 win total could be bolstered by at least a couple of wins.
If that algebra holds, they’re back in contention in the division and on their way to the postseason. But you’ll have to wait.
As coach Pete Carroll said during the draft last spring, the feeling around the franchise was like it was in 2011, when the young team was building the foundation of a future powerhouse. The 2022 draft supported his claim. This rookie class has been exceptional.
So, Seahawks fans, start dreaming of this defense being cured by a massive run-stopping defensive linemen or a consistent pass rusher. Couldn’t they use a guy like San Francisco’s Nick Bosa, who pressured Smith much of the night?
Yes, Smith? He’s been efficient, but how far will he take the 2023 Seahawks? With that high first-rounder from Denver they might be able to conscript the pick of the quarterback litter.
There’s a lot of opportunities on the horizon.
April isn’t that far off.