The Seattle Seahawks have reached the mid-season point with a record of 4-4. Many fans have expressed a lot of concern over what they have seen on the field so far, especially coming off back-to-back Super Bowl appearances.
But sports commentator Art Thiel tells KPLU’s Kevin Kniestedt that the second half of the season should look significantly better.
Early Woes
While fans might have been surprised at the slow start the Seahawks had this season, Thiel says that head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider might have been expecting the early results.
The team had three brand new players on its offensive line, and management might have expected there to be a learning curve.
What wasn't expected, Thiel says, was for star safety Cam Chancellor to hold out and not play for the first two games.
Thiel says this, along with the injury to safety Earl Thomas, had a lot to do with the team’s early defensive struggles.
Fans Shouldn't Put All Blame On Wilson
With offensive productivity down, many fans are pointing to quarterback Russell Wilson as the problem. He signed a massive off-season contract, and a lot of fans feel like he is not living up to it.
But Thiel says that is unfair. He cites that Wilson is on pace to be sacked more than any other quarterback in NFL history, and it is hard for him to accomplish much if he is not getting the right protection.
"I tell people to imagine sitting at their desk at work and having someone bang pots and pans right next to them for eight hours. How productive do you think you would be at your job?”
Seahawks Are A Second Half Team
While the defense has certainly shown that they have turned the corner recently, the offense still leaves much to be desired. But Thiel says that progress is happening.
The offensive line allowed no sacks in their last game against Dallas, and as a result, Wilson looked a little more comfortable.
Thiel also points out that the schedule the second half of the season is significantly easier than the first half, and the Seahawks should be favored in all remaining eight games; however, we won’t know until December or January if the Seahawks are a team destined for the playoffs or not.
