A GRIP TO THE SPORT • Good things seem to get out of hand here in the Pacific Northwest. Examples abound, but today we will stay away from the past and focus on the present, and how it impacts the future.
•••••••
• Seattle Seahawks they were once the best team in the NFL. Not so long ago. they are not anymore. In fact, after a tumultuous offseason, it seemed like they were destined for a major makeover. A makeover from head to toe.
Russell Wilson is gone. Bobby Wagner is gone. Duane Brown is gone. Chris Carson is gone. In other words, veterans who had carried the load, figuratively and literally ripped out of Seattle like a flimsy roof in a hurricane.
What was left didn’t seem strong enough to hold up against the NFC West, not long ago the best division in the NFL.
It turns out that, at least in the first half of the season, the Seahawks have built something special. Their 37-23 win at the NFL’s mansion, Los Angeles’ So-Fi Stadium, not only set the Chargers back a bit, but us as well. The offense continued its initial streak of the season; It may be the best in the league. The defense showed that the recent changes have been a necessary tonic after a slow start. Even special teams, a drag in the past two weeks, didn’t hurt.
The Hawks are 4-3 and, believe it or not, in first place in the West.
And yet here are the Seattle fans, on a Monday morning, hoping they haven’t lost their most imposing bauble, wide receiver DK Metcalf, to a knee injury.
Metcalf came up for a touchdown pass on Sunday. He didn’t go down on it. I got up, looked a bit out of place and walked over to the Seattle bench. Within minutes the news came that he had a knee injury and would not return.
(As an aside, not long after, a Charger defender tried to jump in the same area of So-Fi’s turf and his knee gave out. JC Jackson didn’t get up. He had to be taken out. His season is done.)
How serious is Metcalf’s injury? It was not known on Sunday. Pete Carroll shared the news that the X-rays came back negative, but that’s not the best way to determine the severity of a knee injury. An MRI is needed. It will be done. Seahawk fans are not breathing today.
Nice things have happened to Seattle in the first seven weeks. But some bad things too. Rashaad Penny is out for the year. Jamal Adams is too. Tyler Lockett has been hit. Now Metcalf’s status is up in the air.
Good things just don’t seem to last in this part of the world.
• Once again the rookie class of the Hawks he showed his worth. Kenneth Walker III was the star on Sunday: 168 yards on 23 carries, including a 74-yard touchdown run, but everyone else was involved in the victory.
Seattle played with a third-row right guard for much of the game, but the offensive line still held its own, largely due to rookie tackles. The defensive backfield, with a couple of other rookies playing extensively, did a good job of limiting Justin Herbert and the Chargers’ passing attack.
Perhaps this group of first-year players can buck the trend. In fact, it can be installed and be a good thing that lasts.
• We search our memory last night. Let’s go back to the days of Wilt Chamberlain and Richie Ashburn. No, we’ve never rooted for a Philly team in our lives. Not Dr. J. Not Mike Schmidt. Not even Bobby Clarke’s. Heck, we’re not that fond of cheesesteaks.
But we will root for the Phillies in the World Series. I have to. Our moral code demands it. Even if the Astros did win a championship it would make the M’s season finale series look better.
That can’t be the standard here. No sir. We think Houston cheated its way to at least one World Series title and wasn’t really punished. That loses the Astros’ ability to be the “good guys.”
Which, in the world of logical sports, puts that mantle over Bryce Harper and the Phillies.
The Astros are the best team. They will probably win. So be it. We’ll cross our fingers and hope Philadelphia does.
•••
WSU: Around the Pac-12 and college football, Jon Wilner looks back at the Mercury News on the weekend that was. …He also shares his ballot. … The best game this week probably comes Thursday when the Cougars host Utah, which is also coming off a bye. … It seems that Washington’s defense was thought to have discovered a few things this weekend. We think he played in California and that made all the difference. … The Bears now have to face Oregon, which is ranked highest all season. The Ducks’ offense looks similar to the Chip Kelly era. … Kelly needs to get his UCLA Bruins back on track. … Colorado may never be on the right track this season. At least that’s how it looked against the state of Oregon. … Arizona State’s loss to Stanford seems to have turned everyone against the interim coach. What a fickle fan base. … USC will rest when it travels to Arizona. … In basketball news, press day for the conference is this week, which means the preseason poll will be available. … Washington picked up a commitment from a local player.
EWU and Idaho: Around the Big Sky, Idaho State didn’t play well in their home loss to Northern Arizona.
preparations: Brett Rypien was a star on Shadle Park. He started but didn’t star yesterday when he replaced Russell Wilson in the Broncos’ loss to New York. His performance headlines SR’s weekly look at NFL venues.
Seahawks: Dave Boling has seen many seasons of Seattle. He has seen the best of the best as a running back. He even spoke to Curt Warner yesterday about Walker. … The win gives the Hawks national recognition when he says he cares. … Next up is the 6-1 New York Giants. For a few reasons, the Hawks are the favorites. … We have quite a few stories and columns to broadcast from Los Angeles.
Sailors: What does the future hold? Perhaps these answers will help us understand.
kraken: Chicago rallied late and handed Seattle a loss. The power play has been a problem lately.
•••
• Yesterday we ate the best fish tacos. Well done, with fresh coleslaw and a cream that was out of this world. The reason? It’s our way of saying the Chargers should still be in San Diego. Los Angeles is not really his home. See you later …
