Suddenly, the Seattle Seahawks are the model of consistency in the NFL’s National Conference.
Three weeks into the 2013 season, of the five 2012 NFC playoff participants not from the Pacific Northwest, none have winning records. Here’s how the 2012 NFC playoff seeds currently stack up:
Atlanta Falcons, 1 – 2 (1)
San Francisco 49ers, 1 – 2 (2)
Green Bay Packers, 1 – 2 (3)
Washington Redskins, 0 – 3 (4)
Minnesota Vikings, 0 – 3 (6)
The grand total of non-Seahawk victories among the supposedly playoff-caliber NFC teams is 3 – 12. Add in the Seahawks’ total through three games and the victory total doubles to six.
Apparently, the 49ers can only score on the Green Bay Packers. The Packers, on the other hand, can only beat the hapless Washington Redskins. The Redskins and Vikings can only beat themselves. The Falcons could only manage a one-score victory over the freefalling St. Louis Rams.
If there’s any truth to consistency building momentum, Seattle’s got it.
True, Seattle’s victory over the bottom-feeding Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday at CenturyLink Field was more of an exhibition than an actual football contest, but that’s what dominant teams are expected to do: dominate weaker opponents. The Seahawks’ week two dismantling of the rival 49ers is their statement victory of the season. Assuming the 49ers rebound to become a playoff factor in the late season — a safe bet — Seattle’s early season victory gives them a leg up in the division tie-breaking machinations.
Seattle’s week one squeaker over the Carolina Panthers in Carolina now looks a little better with the way the Panthers took apart the once-mighty New York Giants by a score of 38 – 0.
Five, five, five
While every NFL victory is a good one, the Seahawks were favored in each of their first three contests. Seattle’s favorable early schedule is about to take a turn for the more challenging. Looming are five remaining divisional contests, which may not look daunting based on current records, but remember that Seattle only split with each of their divisional opponents last season, despite the myriad flaws of the 2012 St. Louis Rams and Arizona Cardinals.
In addition, the Seahawks face five more contests against 2012 playoff teams, including a rematch with the 49ers and next Sunday’s opponent, the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium. Two other challenging games on the slate include the surprising Tennessee Titans and the undefeated New Orleans Saints. Both of those games will be at home. However …
Five of Seattle’s next seven games are on the road, away from the deafening, helpful assistance of the 12th man.
Summer’s over
Seattle has done what it set out do in the early part of the season. They need not apologize for their 3 – 0 start. There are no awards given in September, but Seattle is well-positioned to continue to build on their lead in the NFC West and atop the myriad NFL polls that currently rank Seattle No. 1 or No. 2 behind the Denver Broncos.
The next step is to take a victory from a winning, playoff-contending opponent on the road — the one type of victory Seattle has yet to garner in 2013 — through no fault of their own. For Seahawks fans, the true test of this team’s character will come at 10 a.m. Pacific on Sunday in Houston.
Julian Rogers is a freelance writer and communications consultant. Follow him on Twitter (@mrturophile), or connect with him on LinkedIn and Google+.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
