Coming Off Back-to-Back Losses, Seahawks Need a New Groove
Phew, how fast a season can change. During the first five weeks of the season, the Seahawks were at or near the top of everyone's power rankings and lists of top NFL teams all across the country. They shot out to a 5-0 start and Russell Wilson was setting the world on fire by being near the top of every passing statistic you could think of.
Their old groove was airing it out and letting Russ cook until the kitchen caught fire. He led the NFL in passing touchdowns and passer rating during the first six weeks.
They were dancing, having a good time, DK Metcalf was kicking down doors and yelling "boom baby!" (not really, but he might as well have with his torrid start). Everything was going their way.
Until it wasn't.
Seattle traveled to Arizona and the Cardinals threw off the Seahawks' groove and they have not been able to find it ever since, losing three of their last four games. Right in the middle of their jam session, when they were moving and grooving down the schedule, the record scratched and they tripped over themselves.
There is no one else to blame. There is no one outside of the organization to toss out a window, like Emperor Kuzco did when his groove was thrown off by an unaware old man, who suffered the aforementioned fate. If anyone needs to be "tossed out a window" as it were, it needs to come from inside the organization. The groove has been lost and there is not singular, easy, quick fix.
Now, the Seahawks don't need to go through a long journey through the jungles of Peru or make friends with llamas to find the secret answer to success. At least, not right now. It's not as if the Seahawks don't know how to win. They are one of the winningest organizations in all of football of the past decade.
It's clear something is off on the team in the last month. Is it the injuries? Plenty of teams are playing hurt and finding ways to win. Is Russell Wilson not actually that good? Let's not get carried away here. It's more likely that someone slipped him a potion that turned him, temporarily, into a mediocre quarterback than the former being true.
When a team is uber-talented like the Seahawks are, but are vastly underachieving, fingers turn to point at coaching. Coach Pete Carroll and defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. have come under fire for the poor state of the defense and rightfully so. This defense has two All-Pros from a year ago in Bobby Wagner and Jamal Adams. There is no way they should be this bad.
So how can they get their groove back? In the "easier said than done" category, they can beat the Cardinals in Seattle on Thursday night, avenge their loss to them earlier this year, and re-establish themselves as the alpha in the division. Unfortunately, in order to do that, other things need fixed first, in a shortened week no less.
Emperor Kuzco thought ordering everyone around and building himself a pool resort would fix all his problems, and he was sorely mistaken. It was something deeper that was needed in order to get his groove back. It took some soul searching. Sounds like the Seahawks need to do some of that before their Super Bowl hopes go down the drain.
Whether it's reversing a curse, drinking a potion, finding someone to toss out a window, something needs to happen and fast for the Seahawks to get their groove back... or find a new one in the second half.
