IN YOUR FACE, AND STAYING THERE

Russell Wilson's stiff arm of Denver Bronco's defender Champ Bailey on a scramble in Superbowl 48 was captured by the cameras, but also captured the mood of the entire Seahawks season.  This was a team that would not be denied.  The question now is, can they put the same collective stiff arm on their off-season detractors.

 

By now, any pro football fan is well aware of Seattle's jaw-dropping, no mercy belittling of the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 48.  We have all seen the highlights and have pondered how a game could be so one-sided in favor of what was deemed the lesser team.  We have all subsequently admitted that defense DOES win championships and conceded that the more complete team did win the game.

However, even after feeling the rarest of emotions while actually pitying Peyton Manning for a month or two, most of America has moved away from the shock and simply given the Seahawks the credit the fully deserve as simply the best defense in recent memory.  But, will they be the same come August?

No.  Not a chance. 

It astonishes me when pundits and armchair analysts alike pose this question as if it is a question that has ever been answered with a "yes."  The idea in the NFL is to continue to improve and constant change is a necessary and constant adjunct towards that goal.  No team, including and especially a Super Bowl champion, would aspire to "be the same" the as last season.  It simply makes you predictable and that means death in the NFL.

Yes the Seahawks have lost a few key components on both sides of the ball.  The best way to look at it though is that they lost key components in the 2013 off season as well.  The truth that nobody wants to admit it this:  The Seahawks have not reached their own pinnacle.  Not by a long shot.

I believe that the 'Hawks 2014 schedule  makes it unlikely that they will be the number 1 seed, especially given the fact that the NFC West continues to solidify it's claim to the greatest division in football.  I see them taking a step back in regular season wins (I will give them 11).  That may actually be good enough to win the NFC west due to the historically stacked defenses and team to team likenesses.  Mathematically, they are all going to hurt each others chances at the number 1 seed.

With that being said, it won't matter what seed the Seahawks secure for the playoffs, they may run the board again once their.  Once you play 6 games against NFC West opponents, nothing scares you.

Add to that the new found championship experience, new speed in their offense and another monster defense, and you have a team that will still be a Super Bowl 49 favorite if they make it again.

One thing is certain, The Seahawks are here for a while.