The next team up on our Gridiron Blitz is the Seattle Seahawks
Music to listen to: Over Now by Alice in Chains
When I started getting into music as a young teenager, it was during the early 1990’s. One of the major music movements during that time was the grunge movement out of Seattle, Washington. You couldn’t avoid turning on the radio and hearing Nirvana, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam and my personal favorite, Alice in Chains.
When Layne Staley died while I was in college, I cried, no joke. It feels good to share some of the bands music with you.
Mixed emotions however for the new edition of the group. I like the new lead singer because he’s a brother and can sing. The thing I don’t like how much he sounds like Layne. Its rough hearing the new songs and think of Layne at the same time.
Current State: Seeing how the Seahawks just cut T.J. Houshmandzadeh, their top receiver coming into this season, things aren’t looking well for the Seahawks.
The Cardinals have clearly lapped them as the best team in the NFC West the past two seasons and now the 49ers have passed them as well. Even the Rams have some optimism for this upcoming year.
However, Seattle has a new head coach, a new potential starting quarterback for the future and hope. Will that be enough for the Seahawks to avoid the cellar of its own division.
Biggest Offseason Change: New head coach/vice president of football operations Pete Carroll and the Seahawks are in a marriage of convenience. The Seahawks needed to change its direction from the Mike Holmgren-era represented by former head coach Jim Mora, Jr. and Carroll needed to get out of the University of Southern California to avoid dealing with a program on probation.
So Carroll is back in the NFL after two previous stints in New England and with the New York Jets. Now, he’s been seasoned and knows what works and doesn’t for him. The first situation he needs to figure out is the starting quarterback because Matt Hasselbeck is 35 years old and has a bad back.
To address this, the team has made a trade for Charlie Whitehurst and sign him to a two-year contract worth $8 million dollars, even though the man has never thrown an NFL pass in a regular season game.
The next thing that they have done is release or not resign veterans such as Walter Jones, Patrick Kerney, etc.
The Seahawks seem content to rebuild and are going with the belief that if you’re going to lose, you may as well do it young.
Uniform Grade: Only Tampa and Buffalo may have worse uniforms. The home uniforms are an absolute joke. The combination of whatever color of grey you want to call it with the blue and green, its terrible and it’s a shame because the old uniforms that they used to have were excellent. Please lighten the grey up or wear white pants with those home jersey or something. Grade: D-
Best Player: There are some slim pickings but I’ll take middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu, who before getting injured last year, was one of the best backers in the league.
Most important player: If the Seahawks have any aspirations to play defense well, they must have cornerback Marcus Trufant return to form because Seattle had one of the worst pass defenses in the NFL last year and if that continues, than the team can’t go anywhere.
Best Case: The young draft picks over the past two years such as linebacker Aaron Curry, left tackle Russell Ukung, free safety Earl Thomas, wide receiver Golden Tate and others can perform well. Carroll can inspire some hope. Third in the NFC West
Worst Case: Everything falls apart and they finish with the worst record in the NFL. It can really happen.
Coaching: I’ve spoke enough about Carroll.
First memory of team: Instead of a first memory, lets get another song from a Seattle group, Pearl Jam
Schedule: The Seahawks will have to deal with San Francisco, St. Louis and Arizona in the division.
The home games are against San Diego, the New York Giants, Kansas City and Atlanta. The away games are at Denver, Chicago, Oakland, New Orleans and Tampa.
City Nicknames: According to Wiki, the choices include The Emerald City, Seatown, Rain City, Jet City, Gateway to Alaska, Gateway to The Pacific and Queen City.
I like each one of those and would have a difficult time making a choice but if needed, stick with The Emerald City or Rain City.
Fantasy Focus: Run away from this team.
Overall Outlook: There are some talented young players on the squad and not much else. Let the Jake Locker Sweepstakes begin.
Final Record: 3-13
Gridiron Blitz 2010 Season Previews:
AFC East:
AFC North:
AFC South:
AFC West
NFC East
NFC North
NFC South
The Sports Inquirer 
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