Well, we know that the Seahawks won't be playing in the Thursday night opener at the Meadowlands. That however doesn't mean the Hawks won't be part of the prime time lineup. In years past, there have been two MNF games, usually one featuring left coast participants. Also there is this, excellent Patriots beat writer Mike Reiss has been doing some tinkering of his own. He thinks the Pats at the Hawks would be a nice ratings draw for the opening weekend too.
So you tell me...Do you want our crack at the Patriots early, mid season, or late in the year? Something tells me it will have a Wild Card feel to it. I think it might benefit the Hawks to play them early. They are going to have several new players in their secondary, and they won't be able to scout our improved run scheme. Tell me what you think....
UPDATE--John Clayton just said on his KRJ radio program that there is a lot of talk in the league that the Pats Hawks will be played opening weekend, probably Sunday Night.
I'd love to get them in the SNF or MNF opener at home; that would seem to maximize our chances of getting a win.
ReplyDeleteYeah, other people will point to what NYG did last year after hosting them the final weekend, but I'd rather play them early than late.
If we are talking about the opening weekend, it's likely that Hawks/Pats would be the SNF opener... It seems implausible that they'd schedule TWO games on the west coast for the MNF double-header (there's no way they'd have the Pats playing in the late game, kicking off at 10:30 Boston time)...
ReplyDeleteI know I keep babbling here.. sorry. It seems in recent years the networks have figured out that the Hawks are a much better ratings draw in Seattle than on the road (which shows that the casual viewer enjoys seeing games in the Qwest Field environment).
ReplyDeleteI think it's an incredibly safe bet that our game v. the Pats will be on SNF or MNF at some point during the season.
I could still easily see us getting the Thanksgiving Day game at Dallas.. this year they have to play an NFC team, and outside of NFC east foes we'd present the most attractive match-up.
I also think it's a strong possibility one of our divisional games at Qwest will be on MNF or NFLN...
were gonna find out next week! I am siked!
ReplyDeleteGoodell loves the way the 12th man energy plays on the audiences across the country - hey, it's NFL time again.
ReplyDeleteSunday is perfect.
The team with the cinders on the Cinderella gown in the SB meets Holmgren's last stand.
They can hype this one to the hilt.
FOX will gush all over itself and the Hawks best chance will be getting them early.
It probably won't happen because it makes too much sense.
And, DK, a 10:30 east coast start cuts down the local bar tabs too much, you're right.
We'll know shortly.
Wha'd ya mean they can't scout our newly improved run game? They probably already have film on it!
ReplyDeleteThe NFL has such a east coast bias that I think the Seahawks will wind up at home for their first game against a team like Arizona or something like that.
ReplyDeleteIf we went against the Patriots at home for the first game on a Sunday night and won, we would have so much momentum going into the year for sure.
That report from Clayton on KJR has me freaking out! :-]
ReplyDeleteIf we do open v. NE at home on Sunday night, I WILL fly out from IL for that one. Damn Qwest would RAWK for that game.
I teach on Mondays this fall, but they can have a day off if this goes down... I gotta be there for that.
Late in the season would be better.
ReplyDeleteIf we beat them in the opener & at home, it will be because the Pats were not adjusted after the bowl, or because their secondary is settleing in or (insert any number of media excuses why the pats don't play well vs. the Hawks playing great).
Let us beat them after they establish themselves against other teams.
~GnarlyHawk
With all due respect, screw that
ReplyDelete:-]
Playing them in the SNF opener would be like a playoff game.. The atmosphere at Qwest would be like the NFC title game... What a huge event it would be for the franchise & the town. Who cares what excuses anyone makes if we win?
Plus, beating NE in the opener would send a big fat "its ON!" signal to the rest of the NFC.
LIKE DONKEY KONG!!! Of course, the Hawks haven't always played their best football week one.
ReplyDeleteWe don't have a good opening day record and have struggled against poor teams on opening day.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it will be the week 1 Sunday nighter, for one reason. NBC does the Thursday and the Sunday night game. Madden won't be able to get his fat ass from NY to Seattle to do the game.
ReplyDeleteGuys, I see two big negatives with opening with them. 1st, everyone keeps saying that "it would be our best shot a beating them cuz of their new transactions" (especially their 2ndary). Well, I think this is BS... So do you only think the Hawks have a shot when they're not settled in??? And for that matter neither will we. We have new additions to our OL and complete revamping of the RB position. Not to mention that Taylor, Obomanu, and Payne will all be getting there 1st real tests at being major contributors. So that point is really moot.
ReplyDelete2nd, if we do beat them, how do you think the media will react? They will once again put the Hawks in the shadow and say that it was early at Qwest Field and mention that they were getting use to the new line-up. Everything will be spun to look as if it were a fluke. No love for the Hawks.
Those points being said, I would rather play them towards the end of the season so when we beat the piss out of them no one can blame it on some stupid excuse. Let's beat them when both teams are in full force and make a statement. I would rather have the Hawks pumped with that confidence booster right before the playoffs.
That's just my two cents.
Good point CTS! I really don't think it will happen as well but it would be great. One thing for certain is that the hottest game this season for us Seahawks fans will be the Patriots game and I bet that the game will be sold out first.
ReplyDeleteWhy are we worried about what the Media thinks here peeps? This is argueably the toughest game on the schedule, lets just get the W and not worry about what the media thinks.
ReplyDeleteWe all know, no matter when we beat them, they will just discount it because of Qwest Field, Crowd Noise, Off game by Brady, Superbowl Loser, etc. The Patriots will always get more love than us. No question about it. How close is Boston to Bristol?? How about Seattle?
If we win, we would be condenders for the top in the NFC, is my guess. Beating the best team of last year would get this team going on all cylinders, right away.
ReplyDeleteBut if we loose, our excuse is easy--we played the best team in the league.
I say we play them now, and I would give our chances of beating the Patriots about 70%:
1. Home field advantage.
2. Patriots secondary is a wreck and they wouldn't know how to game-plan for Obomanu (will be a Pro Bowler soon from what I see) or Taylor.
3. Again, the Patriots secondary is a wreck! Great way to freak out a 1rst round CB.
4. Our defense is better than last year, even without this draft. Why? Communication will be greater than last years. We will find consistency faster than last year.
5. On the contrary, the Patriots line-backing crew is getting slow and having them play backup will piss them off and put them out of the game in my mind.
6. They will have to be more dependent on their run-game. Maroney is not that good, believe me. The run game thrived because of the passing game. All they have left is Randy Moss and Welker will be shut down if he plays the #2, no matter how much I like him. They can only grab one exceptional player with the 1rst, a CB or a WR. It will likely be a CB. And CB's take a longer time to develop than any other spot on the defense. About equal to a WR, so either pick will be vulnerable in the 1rst game especially.
7. Our run game will look to run well. They play the 3-4, so if we can get outside, we can average 4 yards a play for sure. Up the gut would be difficult with the Mammoth of Wilfork in there.
8. Lastly, I believe Hasslebeck will be a candidate for MVP next season, and it starts on game one.
GO HAWKS!
Oh, come on MS.
ReplyDeleteYou're more knowledgeable than to make a statement about "what the media thinks".
Goodell thinks what the media thinks, for a starter ... and the media will want to run with this one.
It's opening week and Labor Day and all that stuff so let's turn up the lights for opening weekend.
It is not what you think or I think that is important. It's what the NFL's image makers think.
The Giants will play national on opening Sunday or Monday.
And so will the Pats.
And the Seahawks match with the
12th man.
It's a natural equation for big ratings.
The League gives the national media what they want. Certainly, you don't question that. That's why the media desires will be coddled.
I'd say we should play the Pats sooner then later
ReplyDeletein the season, but not necessarily opening game..oh but wouldn't that be awesome if it were.
PLEASE BE TRUE!!
ReplyDeletehow freakin loud would qwest be for this game!?!?! Some sort of noise record would be broken, I can guarantee that!
BRING ON THE PATS!!
Phildurt, maybe you didn't read the comments, they were implying that if the Hawks won the media wouldn't give us any respect, and that seemed to be more important than simply winning. All I was saying was getting respect shouldn't be part of the equation on when we want to play the Patriots, because we won't get any respect anyway. More important to get the W. I say that because that is just the way it is. Winning it all is the only real way to get respect, and beating the Patriots helps accomplish that.
ReplyDeleteYeah, MS is on point. This isn't college ball.. there is no need to impress the voters. Let's get a W where we can get a W... against NE, I think our best shot is in week one... Both teams may not be playing their best, but in my mind that radically amplifies the advantage we'll get from having the game at Qwest Field.
ReplyDeleteIf this happens, it's instantly going to be the biggest regular season game in the short history of Qwest Field. It would be a great honor to be given the national spotlight on SNF kickoff weekend, too.
Media plays to markets. Where are the major markets? East coast.
ReplyDeleteanon... then why did the Seahawks/Cowboys playoff game attract the largest TV audience in history for a wild card game?
ReplyDeleteAlso, if it's only "east coast" teams that draw ratings, why were the 49ers the most popular team around in the 1980s (both in terms of TV ratings and merchandise sales)?
I'm as quick to complain about the Seahawks not getting the proper respect from the media, but it's more complex than "east coast bias."
In most cases, exciting + successful teams draw media attention. In fact, according to a Harris Interactive poll taken last fall, the most popular "east coast" team is the Patriots, and they came in 6th behind the Cowboys, Colts, Steelers, Packers and Bears (The Seahawks were 19th, and the 49ers were the most popular west coast team at #9)
With all of the changes on offense, I dont like the sound of 0-1. Lets get the running game figured out, see whos going to step up in the WR game, and play the Pats around week 10 or 11 as an indicator of how far along we are.
ReplyDeleteFancyPants
The Mariners at home (against the Yankees) on opening weekend. The Seahawks will open the season on the road.......probably against Tampa Bay, again.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing about kicking the crap out of them week 1 is then everyone may start talking about us and the Super Bowl from the opening weekend.
ReplyDeleteI'd rather fly under the radar before beating them in the middle of the season.
My dream schedule is we play on the road on a Mondaynight and then have our bye. That will help alleviate some of the crazy travel the team will have to go through. And the game coming off our bye, I'd like that on the road too.
I really hope we don't have one of those crappy byes in the 3rd or 4th week. Those teams don't even get a chance to get into much of a groove and then it's just one long grind to the end of the year.
I'd love for our bye to come after our week 8 game.
bobbyk
The M's game should be over about an hour before a SNF game would kick off.. I don't think that would keep them from scheduling us against the Patriots that night.
ReplyDeleteYou know, for once... I'd LIKE to be the team that everyone expects to go to the Super Bowl.. and then WIN the Super Bowl.
ReplyDeleteThese aren't your 2004 Seahawks.. I think they are mentally tough enough to play the role of big, bad favorites.
As fans, I think we need to stop being so gloomy and pessimistic...
Give us the Pats week 1! We'll beat them! Hype us up after that! We'll keep winning anyway!
THAT should be our attitude.
I think part of it for me is that I'd REALLY like to be there... The Patriots... at Qwest. On kickoff weekend... On SNF in front of a gigantic TV audience.
ReplyDeleteIt would be like a playoff game, and I think winning it would catapault us towards a really special year.
Lose it? Oh well, we started 0-1 in 2005, didn't we? :-]
I for one appreciate your jive DKSB! That is what I am talking about.
ReplyDeleteThe confidence that this team could gain from that situation could propel them to a special season.
I agree with BobbyK too, the bye week is very important. It seems that teams with an early bye are at a disadvantage. The later the better as far as I am concerned.
We're those losers who don't have season tickets. As a result, I just asked DH how much he'd be willing to pay for S/MNF tickets at Qwest if we're playing the Patriots.
ReplyDeleteTwo tickets to the game: $500
Defensive jersey: $75
Watching our guys beat the crap out of Tom Brady: Priceless
-S
I'm lucky enough to have season tickets, but airfare from Illinois aint gonna be cheap either.. Ugh.
ReplyDeleteI bet you tickets would go for $1000 or over on places like stubhub if it was SNF on kickoff weekend....
Check the last two years. Last year, M's were away so Seahawks opened at home Two years ago, M's were at home so Seahawks opened on the road. I don't think it has to do with the M's being done by the time of kickoff. It has to do with parking and all the people and I'm sure $$.
ReplyDeleteAppreciate the confidence points MS and DKSB make. Still, I'd rather have it later in the season, once we've jelled a bit. It will be important to our team if they play the Pats later on in a game where it may mean more. As a fan, I'm tired of our team getting little respect in the media. I remember the atmosphere in our 05 run, having a strategic game like this later in the season would really help our city pull behind our team - especially if theres home field advantage thru the playoffs at stake.
ReplyDeleteLets warm up on Miami on the road for an opener instead. Thats a good W to start off with and (I believe) a road win.
my 2 cents again :)
~GnarlyHawk
1. All the games count the same, no matter when they are played in the season.
ReplyDelete2. Ugh.. I still have traumatic memories of opening at Miami in 2000, with Kitna throwing four INTs in the FIRST HALF. Surely we'd do better this time, but Miami in early September? It could be 90 degrees out... Gimme that game in December, thank you very much.
...and the city is already behind this team. It'll be crazy when the Pats come to town no matter when the game is played, but I can't imagine a better way to start our run to XLIII than beating NE in week 1.
ReplyDeleteNot sure if anyone mentioned this, but I don't think the NFL will want the Pats/Seahawks game to go without the storyline of Branch, former Superbowl MVP with the Pats now playing with the Hawks. The NFL seems to love the storylines and they can set this one up by waiting until the end of the season. Also, they will both be positioned, by the end of the season, to make runs at the Superbowl. I bet they schedule for about week 12 to 14.
ReplyDelete~USAFANARC
The only things I hate seeing in the Hawks schedule is @Arizona @Miami @San Diego prior to say, Columbus Day or anything in the North/Central to North East part of the country after Thanksgiving. And those are all weather related concerns.
ReplyDeleteHolmgren seems to pretty consistently manage to come into the season with his team woefully underprepared. The Hawks struggle mightly for as long as just the first half of game 1 all the way to game 4 of the season. I would like to say that it is just getting used to the new season/team/coaches, but other teams don't seem to have this problem. I am convinced that this is directly attributed to the way Holmgren uses the pre-season games and practices.
ReplyDeleteSo, if, like me, you believe a fully prepared Hawks team with some mid or late season momentum would beat the Pats, then the early game is not so attractive. But if you think that the Hawks will win no matter the time of year, then the early game is best. If convinced the Pats will win this matchup no matter the time, then the timing really doesn't matter.
In the first four games of the season under Holmgrem (1999-2007), what would you guess the Seahawks' record is?
ReplyDeleteWait
For
It...
22-14.. that's a .611 winning percentage, which you'd round up to 10-6 over a 16-game season.
Under The Big Show, the Hawks are actually pretty damn good in the early part of the season.. and the middle... and the end :-]
Holmgren.. sorry for the typo.. damn oven mitts.
ReplyDeleteJoe- do some research before you spout off at the mouth. Seattle has been pretty damn good early in the year the last 5 years.
ReplyDelete2003- 3-1
2004- 3-1
2005- 2-2
2006- 3-1
2007- 3-1
14-6 is a pretty respectable opening month record the past 5 years. I would venture a guess that record is Top 5 in the NFL.
LOL - I can see this topic is split and we won't all agree. Which is ok as it isn't our choice.
ReplyDeleteWe will see what the schedule is regardless - we will stick by our team.
For the record - mean avg temps in Miami for Aug and Sep are 83 and 82 degrees respectively. Night games will ensure cooler games and Miami is going to be horrible in its opener. I'm also a Miami fan, and I can tell you the roster is being flipped inside out. If we were to "worry" about a game there as an opener, then we might as well just be hoping for the 09 off season.
Every game doesn't matter; although they should. Games have specific milestones attached to them as the season goes, while the W's are important until clinching, the percentage of Win/Loss & signifigance of each game changes w/r/t relevance to impact on the post season. Once a top seed clinches, the games are no longer important from a W perspective to that team. This is why reseeding is currently on the agenda for the comp commit. I agree w/ the spirit of the comment however and every game is important from a record and clinch perspective.
Fan's & city are certianly behind the team. My reference to a good strategic game like this helping the city pull behind the team - is completely objective. There are die hard hawks fans, there are hawks fans and then there are people who never even look at football until the team makes a run at the bowl. Those are the types I meant to imply. They are important, because they spend money on the team too. I'm sure we all remember folks we'd never heard or seen talk about the foozbal, sporting hawks gear in 05. Quite a difference when we are doing the "something special" routine.
Respectfuly & Go Hawks!
~GnarlyHawk
Hawks will be on the road for the first game of the season. I say this because the Mariners are in town and the Hawks NEVER play at home when the Mariners are home. I've used this the past 4 years and every year it's the same. I can even tell you what the Preseason schedule will look like.
ReplyDeletePRESEASON
8/9 Away
8/16 Home
8/23 Away
8/28 Home
REGULAR SEASON
9/7 Away
9/14 Home
9/21 Home
9/28 Away