Observations from Seahawks wild 14-12 win over Packers

By Kshell

The Seattle Seahawks defeated the Green Bay Packers 14-12 on one of the more wild finishes in Monday Night Football history. We've all seen the catch by Golden Tate by now and I'll get into that play specifically in a moment as he hauled in the 24 yard game winning touchdown pass from rookie Russell Wilson. The shame in this controversy is so much of this game has already been forgotten which is what I'll be going over. The Seahawks more importantly are now 2-1 on the season and 18-8 all-time on Monday Night Football while being 14-5 all-time at home. This was a huge home win for Pete Carroll who has built this Seahawks defense into an elite defense. So in this upcoming post I'll just go over some observations of the game.

-  After looking at the replay of the final play it had appeared that the Packers M.D. Jennings had intercepted the pass. It was also obvious Golden Tate had committed an offensive pass interference.

Now I'll say this I think if the real refs had done this game the same call would have been made. It was in live action and it had appeared that Tate had caught it simultaneously with Jennings. The rule states that the offensive guy is rewarded the catch and that can't be reviewed. I also don't think the real refs would dare call an offensive pass interference as they  never call pass interference on Hail Marry plays either. I think this was a lot tougher call than people want to admit. I also believe had the Packers won this way there would be 1/10th the outrage. Nobody seemed to care after the Super Bowl XL loss or Vinny Testaverde scoring that phantom touchdown to beat the Seahawks in 1998.

-  It was a nice coming out party for the most scrutinized pick in the 2012 draft Bruce Irvin. Irvin as most of you know many said the Seahawks wasted a first round pick on. Well in this game he got after Aaron Rodgers quite a bit recording two sacks which gives him 2.5 for the year.

Irvin was brought in to create pressure on the quarterback and so far this year he has done just that. I also liked his flare for the moment as he did the "discount double check " dance after his first sack. I think Mel Kiper Jr did the Seahawks a favor as well by famously doubting the Irvin pick. Reading Irvin's twitter you can tell that fuels him which is nice.

Irvin is that pass rusher that Aaron Curry was supposed to be for the Seahawks. The Seahawks haven't had a pass rusher like him since Julian Peterson when they led the NFL in sacks back in 2007. Watching Irvin grow in this defense is going to be fun to watch for years to come.

- Chris Clemons was another great pick up by the Seahawks in the Carroll regime. He has recorded 11 sacks the last two seasons and recorded four on Aaron Rodgers in the first half alone. Clemons tied a Seahawks record for most sacks in a game with four other guys with four sacks.

For the year now Clemons has five sacks and with the addition of Irvin he can get even more sacks. The last two years he has been the only primary pass rusher for the Seahawks. With Irvin now in the fold Clemons will have help creating sacks which makes an already top 10 defense even more scary. This defense really doesn't have a weakness on their roster which is headlined by the pass rush of Clemons and Irvin as they sacked a hard quarterback in Aaron Rodgers eight times in the first half.

- Switching to the offense I felt Marshawn Lynch ran hard once again especially in the first half. Lynch finished with 98 yards rushing on 25 carries(3.9 YPC) as he ran for the tough yards. It was a grind for Lynch whose longest run was only for nine yards but he was consistently getting yards against those eight man fronts.

Lynch on 4th and two got the key first down which could have set the Seahawks up for the win. Lynch this year unlike Shaun Alexander is running well despite his contract. This season Lynch has ran for 305 yards(4.2 YPC) with one touchdown. Lynch has been steady for the Seahawks which they need him to be since they have a rookie quarterback. Lynch is the face of the franchise on offense and is the leader this offensive unit desperately needs. This was yet another great personal move by the Carroll/Schneider regime in acquiring Lynch.

- The passing game once against struggled which isn't all rookie Russell Wilson's fault. Wilson was 10-21 passing for 130 yards with two touchdowns but more importantly zero interceptions. Wilson also rushed for 18 yards.

Wilson did earn his first career 4th quarter comeback as well. For the year Wilson is 43-75(57.3%) for 434 yards(5.8 YPA) with four touchdowns to one interception with 66 yards rushing. The passing game must do more going forward but the key is Wilson isn't losing the game. Wilson was throwing the ball away constantly and gave up only one sack. For the second straight week and for the 10th straight quarter he didn't turn the ball over either. Wilson will eventually have to do more but for now he is growing in this offense which is exactly what Carroll wants.

- This was a breakout game for Golden Tate who finished with three receptions for 68 yards with two touchdowns. Tate who had the breakout game and last week had the monster block on Sean Lee is proving to be a football player.

Tate had a weird game as well. He showed his big play ability with that 41 yard touchdown reception in the second quarter on a beautifully thrown play action pass by Wilson. Then he appeared to be the goat as the Seahawks were facing a 4th and 3 from the seven yard line. Wilson threw a great fade to Sidney Rice only for Tate to be in the wrong spot and jump in front of the pass only to drop the ball which many thought lost the game. Only Tate would make up for it as Wilson would lob up the hail marry despite being three Packers defenders Tate went up and wrestled the ball to at least make the officials make a judgement call. They ruled it a touchdown and for Tate who was a second round pick in 2010 this was easily his biggest moment as a Seahawks wide receiver.

- Lost in all this madness was the Seahawks defense holding Tony Romo to seven points last week and Aaron Rodgers to 12 points this week(their only touchdown was bs but the national networks won't bring that up). The Seahawks defense currently ranks 4th in the NFL in yardage, 2nd against the run and 1st in the NFL in points allowed.

They shut the mighty Packers offense out in the first half as they recorded eight sacks. Then after the failed red zone play the Seahawks offense late in the game the Packers took over from their own 7 yard line with the Seahawks having just two timeouts. One first down and the game is over. The Seahawks forced a fumble on the first play but the Packers recovered it. The Seahawks defense forced the three and out to allow the crazy play to happen. This defense has been terrific this year. Clemons had four sacks, Brandon Mebane had two and Irvin had two sacks. The defensive secondary was incredible holding Rodgers out of the end zone and to only 223 yards passing on 39 pass attempts.

Carroll has built this defense as every player on that starting except for Leroy Hill and Red Bryant(who he moved to defensive end) were acquired by the Carroll/Schneider combo. They deserve all the credit for this terrific defense which looks to be the best in the NFL. It's a shame that call is overlooking the great job this defense had done.

- Great win for Pete Carroll in his third year as Seahawks head coach. Carroll now improves to 16-19 as Seahawks head coach but remember the team was 9-23 the previous two seasons he took over. He has built this defense from 25th in the NFL in points allowed three years in a row from 2008-2010 to 7th last year to 1st so far this year.

This Seahawks first half of the schedule is tough but they are 2-1 as they head on the road for four of the next five games. I like the direction that Carroll has this franchise going in. The defense is the best defense the Seahawks have had in over a decade probably back to 1997. This defense has no weaknesses and that reflects Carroll who has hit so many home runs as team president so far with the Seahawks. From the Lynch trade, to drafting Chancellor and Thomas, to acquiring Browner and Clemons when nobody thought much of them this franchise is going places.

This game will be remembered for all the wrong reasons. Nobody will remember the blown calls both ways or that the Seahawks defense proved they are an elite defense by shutting down one of the better offenses in football. This game will be remembered on the final play of the game which is a shame as the Seahawks really played well on the national big stage. No credit will be given to the Seahawks though as the national narrative is Seattle "stole" this game which is fine. The Seahawks are 2-1 which they needed since the Arizona Cardinals are 3-0 and the San Francisco 49ers are 2-1. This was a huge win for the Seahawks and a lot happened in the first 59:52 of the game but unfortunately all anyone will remember is the final eight seconds.

Seahawks get ready for Monday Night

By Kshell

The Seattle Seahawks(1-1) will be hosting the Green Bay Packers(1-1) on Monday Night Football for the first time since 2006 when the defending NFC Champions Seahawks rallied to defeat the Packers 34-24 in a snowy Qwest Field. The Seahawks are riding a five game winning streak on Monday Night including four straight home wins on Monday Night. The Seahawks have the best Monday Night record in NFL history at 17-8(.680). The Seahawks have enjoyed great success in the Monday Night era over the years. The Seahawks last loss on Monday Night was a 43-39 heartbreaker to the Dallas Cowboys back in 2004. That loss was the third straight Monday night loss for the Seahawks which was snapped the following year.

In 2005 the Seahawks were playing a late Monday Night game against the defending NFC Champions Philadelphia Eagles. The Seahawks destroyed the Eagles in that game 42-0 as they led 35-0 which sparked the five game winning streak. That also sparked a streak where the Seahawks would shut their opponents out in three of the next four Monday Night games.

In the Matt Hasselbeck era the Seahawks were 3-1 on Monday Night. He lost his first start to Dallas despite completing 28-40(70.0%) of his passes for 414 yards(10.4 YPA) with three touchdowns and no interceptions while rushing for 16 yards. In his four career Monday Night starts with the Seahawks Hasselbeck was 80-131(61.0%) for 947 yards(7.2 YPA) with 9 touchdowns to 4 interceptions. He also ran for 44 yards as well. Hasselbeck also played well under the lights in Seattle.

Another player who seemed to shine well in big games was Shaun Alexander. He did most of his damage on Sunday Night but on Monday Night he still had good games. Coming off the bench in a loss to the Kansas Chiefs back in 2000 as a rookie he ran for 74 yards on only 11 carries(6.7 YPC) with a touchdown while catching two passes for 13 yards. Alexander played in five Monday Night Games for the Seahawks where he ran for 503 yards on 116 carries(4.3 YPC) with six touchdowns while catching nine passes for 59 yards. His biggest game was the last Monday Night game he played in against the Green Bay Packers in the snow game where he ran for 201 yards on a career high 40 carries(5.0 YPC). The Seahawks have a new running back now who thrives in big games.

Last year in the Seahawks 30-13 blowout win over the St.Louis Rams on Monday Night Football they were led by pro bowl running back Marshawn Lynch who ran for 115 yards on 23 carries(5.0 YPC) with a touchdown while catching two passes for eight yards. He also attempted two halfback passes but both were incomplete. For the Seahawks to continue their win streak on Monday Night they must feature Lynch who has ran for 207 yards on 47 carries(4.4 YPC) with a touchdown this season. Lynch has ran for over 100 yards in six straight home games. During that stretch he has ran for 712 yards(118.7 per game) including 122 last week. He has also rushed for six touchdowns during that stretch while catching another touchdown. Lynch has been terrific for the Seahawks and if he can run effectively while keeping the powerful Packers offense off the field even better.

Tonight will be a special night in Seattle as every Monday Night game is. The Seahawks as a franchise always get up for Monday Night as they have won five in a row including four at home. As a franchise they are 17-8(.680) on Monday Night and 13-5(.722) at home on Monday Night which is also the best in NFL history. Besides Monday Night this is a big game for the Seahawks as they play four of the five next games on the road which for a franchise who typically struggles on the road this is a key win. The crowd will be pumped up which is always a good sign for the Seahawks who always play well on Monday Night!

Seahawks sign future hall of famer Terrell Owens

By Kshell

The Seattle Seahawks once again showing how they don't really care about team distractions as they just signed future hall of fame wide receiver Terrell Owens. As Owens famously would say better get your popcorn ready. The Seahawks on Monday signed Owens to a one year deal worth one million. Pete Carroll is showing once again he'll bring in guys who are hungry and ready to compete. Owens who has played previously for the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals hasn't played in an NFL game since 2010. Owens was last seen being cut by an Arena  Football league team and has always been known to be a team cancer in previous stops. The Seahawks are taking a gamble and if Owens isn't buying into what Carroll wants he'll be cut just like previous players have.

Terrell Owens coming to the Seahawks is a bit of a shock for those who remember his stunt he pulled on the Seahawks during a Monday Night Football game back in 2002. When the Seahawks were going to take on the 49ers two years ago I actually talked about that incident plus some other famous games . For Owens while he was with the 49ers he also danced on the Dallas Cowboys star at midfield before joining the Cowboys later on. What the Seahawks are getting in Owens is a six-time pro bowl wide receiver and five-time first-team all-pro. Owens has led the NFL in receiving touchdowns three times in his career and has gone over the 1,000 yard mark nine times in his career. For his career he has played in 219 games making 201 starts. He has recorded 1,078 receptions for 15,934 yards(14.8 YPC) with 153 touchdowns. He has 39 carries for 251 yards(6.4 YPC) for three touchdowns. Owens has made the pro bowl with the 49ers, Eagles and Cowboys and played in one super bowl with the Eagles. In that Super Bowl loss playing on one leg he caught nine passes for 122 yards showing how special of a talent he really is. There is no doubt that T.O. despite all his other stuff that he pulls along with Randy Moss was the receiver of the 2000's.

The reality is the Seahawks aren't signing that T.O. just like when they traded for the greatest receiver of all-time Jerry Rice they got him at the end of his career. Owens was last seen in the NFL playing for the Cincinnati Bengals back in 2010 where he played in 14 games making 11 starts. During that year Owens caught 72 passes for 983 yards(13.7 YPC) with nine touchdowns. Owens at the age of 37 proved he still had game. Unfortunately for the Seahawks Owens is going to turn 39 years old this December and hasn't produced a 1,000 yard season since 2008 or made the pro bowl since 2007. Owens at this point in his career doesn't appear to be worth the head ache. He still is 6'3" 226 pounds and if anything is another guy brought in to push the youngsters. Owens will provide competition and can't afford to be a problem in the locker room as Carroll has shown with anyone that he'll cut him. Carroll is bringing in Owens because he feels Owens can still be a decent player in this league. However, if Owens attitude or more importantly his production isn't up to par he won't make this roster.

The Seahawks earlier also brought in Braylon Edwards. Edwards who has played for the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets and San Francisco 49ers. Edwards back in 2007 caught 80 passes for 1,289 yards(16.1 YPC) for 16 touchdowns at the age of 24 years old. It had appeared Edwards was ready to join Owens and Moss as an elite wide receiver in this league. Instead he has never found the magic despite his 6'3" frame. Recently he was cut by the 49ers last year after catching only 15 passes for 181 yards(12.1 YPC) in nine games. Edwards like Owens was brought in to compete for a roster spot. In 2007 if someone told me the Seahawks would have Owens, Kellen Winslow and Edwards I'd think this would be a really talented roster but an explosive roster as well. I doubt both Edwards and Owens make this team. Better chance neither makes this roster than both making the roster.

In the end I don't mind these moves actually. If either guy can find his old form then the Seahawks picked up a solid receiver for nothing like they have the last two years with Mike Williams in 2010 and Doug Baldwin in 2011. If either guy shows he has no game Carroll will cut him like he has already done with Antonio Bryant who was signed then immediately cut a few days later. Carroll is constantly bringing in players and constantly cutting even more players until he finds the roster he likes. That is the thing I like about the Seahawks I feel like we are maximizing our 53 man rosters better than anyone. The Seahawks may not have the best talent but they don't have scrubs on their roster either. All said and done if you survive cut day you still must compete or Carroll will still show you the door. Owens and Edwards might find their pro bowl ability once again or they might end up getting cut before week one. I like that the Seahawks are taking chances on guys and aren't afraid to cut bait if this doesn't work out. As a Seahawks fan I hope Owens is making us all say the phrase "get your popcorn ready". This was a risky signing by the Seahawks but a very solid move when all said and done.

SSB weekly rant: April 14-20th edition

By Kshell

Happy 420 to all my readers who happen to enjoy the green. This weekly rant has plenty to rant about this week. First I'll begin by saying that I'm sure every 7-11, smoke shop, fast food drive thru will be quite packed this Friday as it's 420 day which is a big "holiday" for all those weed smokers out there. For those of you who managed to put the bong down(or continue smoking I guess) while reading this I'm very happy that my blog has appealed to you. Now back to what I'll be ranting about this week. In this following post I'll mainly be talking about the Seattle Mariners and I'll spend some time discussing the Seahawks schedule. For the Mariners there will be plenty to discuss this week that has me in a bit of a pissed off mood. Once again I hope my weekly rantings will at the very least entertain you guys. For those who don't smoke you can enjoy this April 20th as well and thanks for reading my blog.

This week the NFL schedules were released and like always people were curious how the Seahawks schedule was. Well earlier this week I broke down the Seahawks schedule week by week to see who the Seahawks play as I gave my two cents on each game. The obvious game that stands out is the third week of the season as the Green Bay Packers come to Seattle to take on the Seattle Seahawks on Monday Night on September 24th. Matt Flynn will be taking on his old team and the Seahawks will be hosting a rare Monday Night game in September. The Seahawks have won four in a row on Monday Night at home and have won five in a row overall. The 12th man will be rocking on that night as the Packers stroll in led by Aaron Rodgers who might be the games best player. The Packers last year went 15-1 as they looked to defend their title but were upset in the divisional round to the eventual Super Bowl champions New York Giants. This will be a big stage for the Seahawks to show the nation they are a serious threat this year as most national experts are picking them as a team poised to bounce back this season.

The talk of Felix Hernandez and his fastball have died down after last night. Hernandez used mostly his cut fastball and his change up as he went eight strong innings, allowing only five hits while walking just one. He recorded 12 strikeouts including back to back strikeouts with the bases loaded and one out in the eighth inning. All that was for nothing as Brandon League blew the save and the Mariners lost 2-1 losing the series to the Cleveland Indians. For Hernandez he once again failed to get the win which has been a sad case over the years. In fact since his debut he has had 16 no decisions where he pitched at least seven innings and allowed one run or less. That is the most in baseball since he's been called up. This year in four starts Hernandez has pitched 29.1 innings with an ERA of 2.76, 1.02 WHIP and 31 strikeouts. What he has to show so far is only one win(which was the start he allowed six of his total nine runs actually). For Hernandez who has been surrounded by the Mariners garbage since 2010 as he is only 28-27 this has to be getting old. Last year in August I actually talked about how the Mariners are wasting an incredible ace in Hernandez. If the losing continues and with Hernandez a free agent after 2014 look for him to demand a trade in the offseason or at some point next year. Every athlete wants to win and he's no different. I wouldn't blame him one bit Bill Bavasi and now Jack Zduriencik have failed to build a winner around Hernandez.

Eric Wedge is starting to piss me off with his stance on Miguel Olivo. His quotes to Mariners propaganda person errr beat writer Shannon Drayer were quite alarming.  "Miggy is our starting catcher, Jesus is going to get time as well, it is going to be tough to get Jaso back there,” he said. “Not that I am against it but right now I feel like I need to give the time to Miggy and Jesus. I still want to get Jaso’s bat in the lineup from time to time if I can so that is what we are trying to do.” Then he followed it up with another gem of a quote as well "We’re trying to get it going,” he answered. “I have had conversations with him. I was really pleased with what he did this spring he’s working up the middle more, he is trying to go the other way which is against what you have seen from him in the past typically. He has done a nice job with it. I think he has been a little anxious here early on I think he has been pressing a little bit but his confidence hasn’t wavered and I feel he is going to hit but he just has to do some things in an adjustment period to make that happen.”. Translation our manager is a moron just like John McLaren. He believes in crap like "this guy is gritty", he just "looks" like a ball player, he's "tough", etc. This is all nonsense when John Jaso is left handed, better and younger than Olivo. This year in only 11 AB's Jaso is hitting .273/.333/.727 with one home run and five RBI's. Olivo on the other hand in 42 AB's is hitting .143/.163/.190 with three RBI's. Another thing that pisses me off about Wedge is with a lead late in the game he keeps Figgins in left field instead of substituting a defensive replacement in Casper Wells. Let's face it guys Wedge doesn't know what he is doing and Zduriencik failed on his second manager hiring in four years.

The problem with this picture isn't that there is so many empty seats the problem is you can't tell which game it is or what year. The Mariners crappy play has caught up to them. On a night when Felix Hernandez was pitching the Mariners barely drew over 13,000 fans a day after setting their worst mark in Safeco Field history. Last year I wrote a piece how the gimmicks are no longer working to draw in the fans. This franchise had a great fan base but they are saying enough is enough with the losing. With the price of concession stands, parking and as Chuck Armstrong pointed out the traffic it simply isn't worth it to go to a game. Sure at home I miss out on hydro races and dancing grounds crew but I can enjoy a meal for 1/10th the price. I can yell at the T.V. and not worried about being ejected by the super sensitive folks at Safeco Field. The Mariners need to build a winner then the fans will show up. As of right now I'm supportive of the fans who don't show up because the Mariners management has spit on us fans lately.

Later on today I'll be going to the Mariners game as I'll be forced to interact with the worst kinds of fans in the world.........the bobblehead fans. I'm going to the game with my sister, her boyfriend and my best friend and they are excited to get an Ichiro bobblehead. Which means I'll have to deal with several idiots who don't know the game and are there for the bobblehead. The same type of fans who like Olivo because Wedge says he is good so he must be good. One of these days I'm going to plan a brown papersack game and I hope I can get a huge following to join me on this. Sure we might get kicked out but it would make for a great story and a better time than watching the groundscrew dancing. Anyways since I'll literally be sitting behind our dugout if we are getting blown out I'll let Wedge know exactly how I feel about him as a manager in this town.

That was my weekly rant I hope you enjoyed it. For those who say I'm too negative on Seattle sports well what is there to be positive about? The fact the Mariners made the playoffs 11 years ago? Maybe our new slogan will be "at least we aren't the Pirates". There is plenty to be upset about in Seattle and since I don't have to worry about having credentials revoked I'll continue to speak my mind on the Mariners poor ownership. Hope you enjoyed my blog and for those tokers out there may this be a special 4-20 to you as well!

Raiders busters week: Flashback to 2001

By Kshell

When the Seattle Seahawks(4-2) travel down to Oakland to take on the Raiders(3-4) it will bring back memories of the old AFC West rivalry between these two teams. The big dissapointment in 2002 when the Seahawks moved to the NFC West was they would only get to play their AFC West rivals particularly the Oakland Raiders just once every four years. That meant Seahawks fans and plenty of Raiders fans in the Northwest only get to see the Raiders play in Seattle every eight years so we have to wait another four years before the Raiders visit. The Seahawks and Raiders were usually featured on big primetime games whether it was Monday night games in the 80's or Sunday night games in the 90's it was a huge game. The Raiders lead the all-time series against the Seahawks 27-23 but keep in mind as Seattle was entering the league the Raiders were in the middle of a run that saw them win three Super Bowl championships in a seven year span.

The Seahawks-Raiders rivalry reached a peak in the 1980's that the Seahawks probably won't ever experience again with another team. When these teams played the game was usually on a national t.v. setting. In 1980 the Seahawks who finished the year 4-12 took on the eventual Super Bowl champions Raiders and lost 19-17 in the Kingdome on Monday Night football. The rivalry really heated up in 1983 when the Seahawks swept the Raiders that season beating them 38-36 at home in the Kingdome then down in Los Angeles 34-21. The Seahawks would advance to the AFC Championship game down in L.A. and face off the with the Raiders yet again and this time were crushed 30-14. The Raiders would go on to win the Super Bowl that year.

The following season saw the Seahawks exact some revenge on the Raiders. Seattle would beat the Raiders at home on Monday night football 17-14 then face the same Raiders again in the playoffs. The Seahawks offense would continue to struggle against the Raiders in the postseason. The previous year Dave Krieg was horrible and hall of fame receiver Steve Largent was held to just one catch. Well this year Krieg would pass for under 100 yards and Largent was shut out. The Seahawks despite all that would win 13-7 over the Raiders at home in the Kingdome. That would be the franchises last playoff win for 21 years.

In the 1986 Monday night game saw the Seahawks who would eventually go to the postseason shut out the Raiders 37-0 in front of a sold out Kingdome crowd. They held the Raiders to just 138 yards of offense on the day. The following year the Seahawks would beat the Raiders down in L.A. 35-13 but on Monday night in Seattle Bo Jackson came to town. The game was hyped as a Boz(Brian Bozworth) vs Bo game and Bo destroyed the Seahawks. He bulled over Boz for a touchdown then broke another one for a long touchdown run. When it was all said and done Jackson ran for over 200 yards and the Raiders handed the Seahawks a 37-14 blowout defeat at home.

In 1988 the Seahawks were making a late season run and beat the Raiders at the Kingdome on Monday night 35-27. As was the tradition it seemed like the Seahawks and Raiders would play on Monday night football but these two teams wouldn't play on Monday night again for 18 years. The Seahawks in the last game of the season needed to beat the Raiders in Los Angeles to clinch their first ever division title. The Seahawks would win in a wild shootout 43-37 clinching their first division title. The rivalry continued to be on prime time during the 1990's but there wasn't quite the same playoff implications.

In the 90's the Seahawks series with the Raiders shifted to ESPN's Sunday night football. In 1994 again in the Kingdome saw the Seahawks lose 17-16 when John Kasey missed the game winning field goal attempt. That would mark the last season former two time Super Bowl winning coach of the Raiders Tom Flores would coach for the Seattle Seahawks. In 1995 the Seahawks won 44-10 in a blow out that saw former pro bowl runningback Chris Warren run wild. In 1998 the Raiders won again in the Kingdome on Sunday night 31-18. Then in 1999 in a game that would prove crucial the Seahawks won 22-21 as the Raiders missed a 60 yard field goal attempt. The Seahawks would win the division title the following season.

This series returned to Monday night in 2006 when Seneca Wallace who was filling in for the injured Matt Hasselbeck got his first career start at Qwest field. The Seahawks won 16-0 over the Raiders. They sacked the Raiders nine times that game in a game that they also didn't have Shaun Alexander who was also injured. I'm going to talk about the last time these two teams played as AFC West rivals back in 2001 on Sunday night football.

November 11th, 2001: Oakland Raiders(6-1) at Seattle Seahawks(3-4)

This game took place at Husky Stadium as the Seahawks were waiting for Qwest field to open up in 2002. The Seahawks were just hoping to get a win to keep their playoff hopes alive while the Raiders under Jon Gruden had bigger things on their mind. The Raiders the previous year lost the AFC championship at home and were hoping to this year go to the Super Bowl. The Raiders were also hoping to avoid another letdown in Husky Stadium where they blew a 24-13 lead in the fourth quarter to the Seahawks last year. The Seahawks who were just 5-9 entering the game defeated the 11-3 Raiders 27-24 in a rainy soaked game in December.

This year the Seahawks were in middle of a quarterback controversy. The Seahawks started the season off 1-2 then ineffective starter Matt Hasselbeck went down. That allowed Trent Dilfer to come in and the Seahawks won two games in a row to improve to 3-2. When Hasselbeck returned Mike Holmgren insisted that Hasselbeck was the guy. The team then lost two games in a row. The Seahawks this game were going to simplify the playbook for Hasselbeck and feature second year pro Shaun Alexander who was also filling in for the injured Ricky Watters. This was another big game for this rivalry as this game was featured on ESPN Sunday night football.

After a quiet first quarter that saw the Seahawks lead 6-3 with two field goals by Rian Lindell the second quarter featured some scoring. The Raiders scored the first touchdown when Rich Gannon hit Tim Brown for a four yard touchdown pass to take a 10-6 lead. The Seahawks would respond when Matt Hasselbeck would hit Darrell Jackson for a nine yard touchdown pass to give the Seahawks a 13-10 lead at halftime. Hasselbeck would connect with Jackson for more touchdown passes than any other receiver in his career.

The second half would begin terribly for the Seahawks as they gave up a 90 yard kickoff return to Terry Kirby for a touchdown giving the Raiders a 17-13 lead. The game was pretty cold as well in the 40 degrees and the crowd wasn't so confident. Husky Stadium is a loud stadium and Seahawk fans have proven they are loud in the Kingdome and especially Qwest field. For whatever reason the Seahawk fans at Husky Stadium just weren't very loud. That would change later in the game. After a Raiders field goal giving them a 20-13 lead the Seahawks Shaun Alexander would begin to take over the game.

The Seahawks would begin to feature Alexander on the next series and Alexander would tie the game with a six yard touchdown run. Alexander would then get some revenge for Seahawks fans on the Bo Jackson run back in 1987. Alexander would take the hand off cut up the middle then was gone for an 88 yard touchdown run. As he was running he could see himself scoring the touchdown on the giant scoreboard at Husky Stadium giving the Seahawks a 27-20 lead. The Seahawks crowd was going crazy like it was a Husky win going to the Rose Bowl. Alexander in the fourth would add another touchdown run this time being just a 10 yard run giving the Seahawks a 34-20 lead. The Seahawks would eventually hang on for the 34-27 win for the rivals last AFC West game against each other.

That was probably the best game of the year for the Seahawks. Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck who wasn't the pro bowl version of Hasselbeck that would would all enjoy from 2003-2007 enjoyed his best game of the year. Hasselbeck was 15 of 23 for 181 yards and a touchdown. He would also run for 34 yards. The star of the game was Shaun Alexander who set a Seahawks franchise record for rushing yards in a game. Alexander would run for 266 yards on 35 carries for three touchdowns. This was a breakout year for Alexander that saw him score over 15 touchdowns starting a streak that would last until 2005 of scoring over 15 touchdowns or more ever year.

That Raiders team would go on to lose to the Patriots in the famous "tuck-rule" game. Head coach Jon Gruden would leave after the season as the Raiders would finally reach the Super Bowl in 2002. As for the Seahawks they would go 9-7 and finish the year missing the playoffs because the Raiders lost to the Jets on the last day or the Seahawks would have faced the Raiders again in the playoffs. The Seahawks would enjoy great success in the new NFC West reaching the playoffs five consecutive years and winning four division titles in a row.

All in all, this series means a lot especially to the fans. The atmosphere at the old Kingdome when the Raiders came to town was a great feeling and that is the one shame about the Seahawks going to the NFC. I'm still glad the Seahawks are in the NFC though as odds say they wouldn't have achieved the amount of success in the AFC West as they would in the watered down NFC West. The only good thing about the rivalry last every four years is when the Raiders come to town in 2014 you'll hear such stats such as the Raiders haven't won in Seattle since 1998. Anytime you can put a burn on the Raiders I say go for it. On the flip side the Seahawks haven't won in Oakland since 1997. Here is hoping the Seahawks with that same quarterback Hasselbeck who is now a veteran instead of a first year starter end that streak over the Raiders.

Top five most memorable games in the Seahawks-49ers NFC West rivalry

By Kshell

The Seattle Seahawks take on the San Francisco 49ers this Sunday at Qwest Field in Seattle, Washington. Since these two teams have been NFC West rivals in 2002 they have played some memorable games. I'll post the five most memorable games in this short NFC West rivalry. I will also do a little feature of famous players who played for both teams.

5. 49ers at Seahawks,November 12, 2007: This was the second Monday Night Football game for the Seattle Seahawks vs the 49ers in the franchises history. The Seahawks were fresh off an overtime loss to the Cleveland Browns and lost former league MVP Shaun Alexander to injury. The Seahawks couldn't run the ball at all the first 8 games of the season and were just 4-4. Mike Holmgren then vowed to throw the ball and screw the run.

The Seahawks with a loud roaring crowd on Monday Night came out throwing. The Seahawks on the first possesion didn't run once. Hasselbeck capped the drive with a 1 yard touchdown pass to tight end Will Heller. The Seahawks were up 10-0 at the end of the first quarter and were up 17-0 at halftime.

Hasselbeck was the star of the game going 27 of 40 passing for 278 yards with two passing touchdowns. Maurice Morris filled in nicely for Shaun Alexander rushing for 87 yards and a touchdown. The Seahawks defense was dominant that game. The Defense for the second time in four years shut out the 49ers at Qwest Field. Alex Smith threw for a horrific 114 yards on the day. This was the Seahawks third shutout in their last four Monday Night Games. The Seahawks were just 4-4 but used this game to spark a 2nd half run. The Seahawks would end the season winning their fourth straight division title and had a 10-6 record.

4. 49ers at Seahawks, December 14, 2006: This was the first year of the special Thursday Night games on NFL Network. Most fans couldn't watch this game and for Seahawks fans thats a good thing. The weather was a down pouring rain the entire game. This game was also the biggest upset in this NFC West rivalry.

The Seahawks the previous three seasons had swept the 49ers including allowing just a combined 3 points in the previous two games at Qwest Field. The defending NFC Champions who were 8-5 at the time took on the 5-8 49ers who had the leagues worst record in 2004 and 2005 seasons combined. After jumping out to a quick 7-0 lead the Seahawks stalled offensively and the game was 7-3 heading into the 4th quarter.

The 49ers erupted in the 4th quarter scoring 21 points. Alex Smith threw for two touchdowns that quarter and also ran one in. The 49ers had swept the Seahawks that season led by Frank Gore rushing for over 350 yards on the year against the Seahawks. This was the low point in the Seahawks season. The Seahawks would end the season with a 9-7 record but still win their third straight NFC West championship.

3. 49ers at Seahawks, October 12,2003: This was a big game for the Seahawks. They were on a national primetime game on Sunday Night football taking on the defending division champions. The 3-1 Seahawks were trying to show the rest of the nation that they were finally ready to take that big step. They were taking on the 49ers who were 2-3 heading into this game.

The Seahawks jumped out to a 17-0 lead midway through the 2nd quarter. Mack Strong ran for a 21 yard touchdown to give them the 17-0 lead. The 49ers had a field goal at halftime to trail 17-3. The Seahawks were showing the nation they were for real then the 2nd half happened.

The 49ers scored a touchdown to begin the half. The Seahawks offense was doing nothing all 2nd half. On the 49ers second touchdown they botched the hold on the extra point for Seattle to remain with the lead 17-16. That point would prove very costly. The 49ers would finally take the lead 19-17 and the Seahawks were showing everyone in the nation they weren't for real. Mike Holmgren in a famous picture went off on the Seahawks offense on the sidelines.

The Seahawks drove down the field and Josh Brown hit his first career game winning field goal. The Seahawks would hang on to a 20-19 win on national tv. That botched extra point ended up deciding the game. The Seahawks would finish the season making the playoffs by just one game.

2. Seahawks at 49ers, December 27, 2003: The Seahawks were coming into this game 9-6 and needing this win to have any shot at the playoffs. The 49ers were 7-8 under first year head coach Dennis Erickson. The Seahawks entered the game with some road woes. The Hawks were 8-0 at home but just 1-6 on the road. The Seahawks started off sluggish and found themselves trailing 14-0 in the 2nd quarter.

The Seahawks offense would rally the team. Matt Hasselbeck would hit special teams standout Alex Bannister for 31 yards then Alexander added a touchdown to tie it up at 14 in the first half.

Trailing 17-14 in the 4th quarter Hasselbeck would hit Koren Robinson for the game winning score to put the Seahawks up 21-17. The Seahawks would win 24-17. The win would put the Seahawks at 10-6.

This was a Saturday game so the Seahawks would have to wait for a Cowboys loss or a Vikings loss. Both teams had lost so the Seahawks at 10-6 were going to the NFC playoffs for the first time in four seasons. This would also be the last game for Jeff Garcia and last game Terrell Owens would be a member of the San Francisco 49ers.

1. 49ers at Seahawks, October 14, 2002 This was the monday night game in Seahawks Stadium history(it was then called Seahawks stadium). The Seahawks were 1-3 going into the game against the 3-1 49ers. This was a back and forth game with a memorable ending.

After trailing 10-0 the Seahawks rallied to take a 14-10 lead when Bobby Engram ran back a punt 61 yards for a touchdown. The Seahawks clinging to a 21-20 lead going into the 4th quarter were about to experience the most disrespectful play in Seahawks history.

Jeff Garcia would hit Terrell Owens for 37 yards for the game winning touchdown beating Shawn Springs. After the touchdown Owens pulls out a sharpie from his sock and signs the ball. He then tossed the ball to someone sitting in Shawn Springs suite. Its one of the most iconic images of the decade. Holmgren was furious. Al Michaels and John Madden were absolutely stunned at the lack of respect.

The Seahawks would lose 28-21 dropping them to 1-4. The Seahawks would win their last 3 games of the season to be 7-9 to save Holmgrens job. The 49ers at the end of the season would win the division with a 10-6 record and then fire head coach Steve Mariucci. The 49ers have not made the playoffs since.

Now I'm going to go through some players who played for both sides or coached for both sides:

Jerry Rice, SF 1985-2000, Sea 2004 The most greatest receiver of all-time played the majority of his hall of fame career with the 49ers but he did end his career with the Seahawks. With the 49ers Rice caught 1,281 passes for 19,247 yards and 176 touchdowns. For his one season with the Seahawks he provided leadership to the team and help them win their first division crown in five seasons. He caught 25 passes for 362 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Julian Peterson, SF 2000-2005, Sea 2006-08 Julian Peterson the only player to make the probowl with both teams. He made the probowl with the 49ers in 2002 and 2003(first team all-pro) and made the probowl with the Seahawks all three seasons. Peterson was a pass rusher from the outside linebacker position. He struck fear in quarterbacks in the league and at times he was considered the best outside linebacker in the NFC. In six seasons with the 49ers Peterson had 21.5 sacks and forced 7 fumbles. While in three seasons in Seattle Peterson forced 24.5 sacks and forced 9 fumbles.

Ricky Watters, SF 1992-94, Sea 1998-2001 Ricky Watters was a versatile running back. He could catch passes and run the ball. He helped the 49ers reach the NFC championship game in his first two season there then in his third year he helped the 49ers win the Superbowl scoring 3 Touchdowns that game. He made the probowl in all three of his seasons with the 49ers. He would end his career with the Seahawks. He was the offensive leader and the guy in the huddle who could bark instructions. He ran hard with Seattle and was a big part of the 1999 AFC West Division championship team the first Seahawks team to make the playoffs since 1988. Believe it or not Watters actually had more yards rushing and more total yards of offense with the Seattle Seahawks.

Pete Carroll SF Defensive Coordinator 1995-1996, Sea Head Coach 2010-present Yes current Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll was once coordinator under George Seifert in the 90's. Carroll is the third consecutive head coach for the Seahawks who was once a coordinator for the 49ers. Pete Carroll is now ask to turn around the culture and attitude of the Seahawks.

Mike Holmgren, SF Quarter Backs coach 1986-1988, offensive coordinator 1989-1991, Sea Head Coach 1999-2008 Mike Holmgren began his professional career with the 49ers learning under Bill Walsh. While in San Francisco Holmgren was the quarterbacks coach for Joe Montana but was credited with the development of Steve Young. In fact the 1989 49ers led by Holmgren as offensive coordinator was believe to be the greatest offense team in NFL history. Holmgren while in Seattle transformed the division. It must have been strange for 49ers fans to see the Seahawks roll off four consecutive division titles while watching the same offense that Bill Walsh ran. When the Seahawks played the 49ers under Holmgren the Seahawks held a 9-5 record.

Well I hope you guys enjoyed the top five memorable games in the Seahawks-49ers history. I know I forgot several players who played on both sides but I thought I'd just spotlight a few who made impacts for both teams.