Hawks/Vikes on MNF

[Hawktawk]

Anyone else nervous? I am
I see this as a very pivotal game.The trajectory of this season hangs in the balance for both teams. My guess is by the time we tip off Monday we will be playing for the outright lead in our division as I expect the Ravens to beat the 9ers in Baltimore tomorrow. So a win puts us in the thick of the HFA race. A loss and all of a sudden its a dogfight for the 6 seed with 4 stout opponents left. I think it might take 11-5 to get in.

This is a tough game. Cousins finally seems to have turned the corner and become one of the hottest QBs and actually leads the league in passer rating with Russ second. Then the receivers Diggs, Theilen returns after they have been putting up huge numbers without him. Dalvin Cook is as dynamic a back as I've seen in quite some time although denver shut him down his last outing. The tight end group is solid and the line is good as well. This might be the best offense we will face in the regular season. Last year on MNF they pretty much had Russ contained as he put up awful passing #s but we stuffed them too and Russ pulled it out with a few runs at the end. Russ has never lost to them but only because of the Blair witch project
But its time to face it. The last 2 games Russ has been pretty ordinary. Picks in back to back games, missed throws etc. Like the great ones do if given the chance he usually makes just enough plays to win but the offense performing like the last 2 weeks is going to be an L this week. Im glad its home, glad its under the lights on MNF. I have no idea whats going to happen, not gonna even make a pick. But I'm nervous as a drug mule going through customs.

[obiken]

It is pivotal, we either stop Cook or we dont. If we do we win, if not we lose.

[RiverDog]

Anyone else nervous? I am
I see this as a very pivotal game.The trajectory of this season hangs in the balance for both teams. My guess is by the time we tip off Monday we will be playing for the outright lead in our division as I expect the Ravens to beat the 9ers in Baltimore tomorrow. So a win puts us in the thick of the HFA race. A loss and all of a sudden its a dogfight for the 6 seed with 4 stout opponents left. I think it might take 11-5 to get in.

This is a tough game. Cousins finally seems to have turned the corner and become one of the hottest QBs and actually leads the league in passer rating with Russ second. Then the receivers Diggs, Theilen returns after they have been putting up huge numbers without him. Dalvin Cook is as dynamic a back as I've seen in quite some time although denver shut him down his last outing. The tight end group is solid and the line is good as well. This might be the best offense we will face in the regular season. Last year on MNF they pretty much had Russ contained as he put up awful passing #s but we stuffed them too and Russ pulled it out with a few runs at the end. Russ has never lost to them but only because of the Blair witch project
But its time to face it. The last 2 games Russ has been pretty ordinary. Picks in back to back games, missed throws etc. Like the great ones do if given the chance he usually makes just enough plays to win but the offense performing like the last 2 weeks is going to be an L this week. Im glad its home, glad its under the lights on MNF. I have no idea whats going to happen, not gonna even make a pick. But I'm nervous as a drug mule going through customs.

I wouldn't call my feelings nervous. More like excited. I haven't decided where to watch this one at.

IMO this is the toughest game remaining on our regular season schedule simply due to the quality of QB's we'll be facing. Like Obi said, we need to shut down their running attack and put the Viks in 3rd and long. This will be a good test of this suddenly revitalized defense.

I'm hoping that our 12th man really gets it going Monday. Having gone to several home games per year, I can honestly say that we don't make near the noise as we did during our Super Bowl years. I don't think Cousins has ever played in our house before.

As I said in another thread, it's a very important game but it's not critical.

[Aseahawkfan]

Should be a battle. Fun to watch. Hopefully our defense shows up this week strong.

[jshawaii22]

Lets hope the cold/flu going through the locker room is a quick one. About 1/3 of the team has "sickness" designation and i'm going through it right now. Caught in Vegas, lasted real bad about 48 hours but it moved down into the chest, so hard breathing and coughing have lasted 1 week. Pats also have it bad.

[RiverDog]

Lets hope the cold/flu going through the locker room is a quick one. About 1/3 of the team has "sickness" designation and i'm going through it right now. Caught in Vegas, lasted real bad about 48 hours but it moved down into the chest, so hard breathing and coughing have lasted 1 week. Pats also have it bad.

Apparently the flu bug hit the Cowboys before it hit the Pats. Hopefully it's not a factor come Monday night. This might be an occasion where that extra 24+ hours off gives us a little more time to get healthy. Being home also helps.

[Hawktawk]

I wouldn't call my feelings nervous. More like excited. I haven't decided where to watch this one at.

IMO this is the toughest game remaining on our regular season schedule simply due to the quality of QB's we'll be facing. Like Obi said, we need to shut down their running attack and put the Viks in 3rd and long. This will be a good test of this suddenly revitalized defense.

I'm hoping that our 12th man really gets it going Monday. Having gone to several home games per year, I can honestly say that we don't make near the noise as we did during our Super Bowl years. I don't think Cousins has ever played in our house before.

As I said in another thread, it's a very important game but it's not critical.

Didn't Cousins play here last year? I agree on the noise, its not as loud. People have gotten spoiled, lazy not to mention selling their tickets to the opposing team. I bet its a third purple tomorrow.

I'm definitely excited, always am. But I'm usually pessimistic pre game, rarely ever super confident. The most confident I was this year was NO with Bridgewater coming into Seattle and we saw how this worked out.
As for this game being critical, we can lose and still make the playoffs or even potentially win the division but it takes our destiny out of our hands.

In a way with the expectations that have now been set for this team any loss is critical. And of course 9-7 is still mathematically possible.Ask Holmy sitting at 8-2 in 1999 .

[RiverDog]

I wouldn't call my feelings nervous. More like excited. I haven't decided where to watch this one at.

IMO this is the toughest game remaining on our regular season schedule simply due to the quality of QB's we'll be facing. Like Obi said, we need to shut down their running attack and put the Viks in 3rd and long. This will be a good test of this suddenly revitalized defense.

I'm hoping that our 12th man really gets it going Monday. Having gone to several home games per year, I can honestly say that we don't make near the noise as we did during our Super Bowl years. I don't think Cousins has ever played in our house before.

As I said in another thread, it's a very important game but it's not critical.

Didn't Cousins play here last year? I agree on the noise, its not as loud. People have gotten spoiled, lazy not to mention selling their tickets to the opposing team. I bet its a third purple tomorrow.

I'm definitely excited, always am. But I'm usually pessimistic pre game, rarely ever super confident. The most confident I was this year was NO with Bridgewater coming into Seattle and we saw how this worked out.
As for this game being critical, we can lose and still make the playoffs or even potentially win the division but it takes our destiny out of our hands.

In a way with the expectations that have now been set for this team any loss is critical. And of course 9-7 is still mathematically possible.Ask Holmy sitting at 8-2 in 1999 .

Yes, you're correct about Cousins. I was thinking of him when he played for the Redskins. Thanks for the correction.

I'm not so sure how many Vikings fans will be there. Although they do travel well, it's a weekday game, weather has been horrible back in the Midwest, and Thanksgiving weekend flights are expensive and hard to get.

Seattle weather forecast for 6:00pm tomorrow is 42 degrees, 2mph wind, 0% chance of precipitation. Russell ought to have a big night.

[idhawkman]

I heard Thieland is out for this game. Not sure if that will help or not.

[Hawktawk]

I heard Thieland is out for this game. Not sure if that will help or not.

He’s been out a while but hell yes it helps he’s still out. It sounded like he was playing a day ago

[RiverDog]

I heard Thieland is out for this game. Not sure if that will help or not.

He’s been out a while but hell yes it helps he’s still out. It sounded like he was playing a day ago

Adam Thielen is officially out for tonight's game.

[Rambo2014]

You boys will be standing on your lower lip this time tommorrow.

STAYIN ALIVE

[Hawktawk]

You boys will be standing on your lower lip this time tommorrow.

STAYIN ALIVE

7-5 and ramblo still cant resist. Your staying alive all right. On life support

[LTH]

This is going to be an interesting game...I still dont see the Hawks as Playing their best ball yet...Yeah they are 9-2 but they still can be better, they have not reached their potential... They are winning because of their will to win IMO, they were playing better than their talent level early on... Pete's theory of every game is a championship game is a big part of what's going on with this team... I see it as it's not really about their opponent being they view every opponent as Dangerous and worthy, it is evident they are in position to win every game no matter who they play... what does that mean? well it means to me that they have proven they can compete with anyone in the NFL there for with that understanding being a fact, really the only thing that holds them back is themselves... With all of the 4th quarter comebacks and over time wins this team has seen the intensity and the emotion of playoff football in the regular season and that is huge...This is typical Pete ball and a factor that most dont really understand... there fight against themselves to raise the level of play to be better than they actually are through the vision and belief of how they articulate themselves... Very interesting concept that sets them apart from the rest of the league.

LTH

[RiverDog]

You boys will be standing on your lower lip this time tommorrow.

STAYIN ALIVE

7-5 and ramblo still cant resist. Your staying alive all right. On life support

With us, the Cowboys, and the Niners left on their schedule, the Rams are staring at 8-8. Not quite what they had hoped to be entering those fancy new digs next season.

[curmudgeon]

Eight Seahawks have been battling the flu. Uh-oh.....,

[Rambo2014]

You all are going down tonite

Minn 34, Sea 27...most in garbage time

[trents]

Terrible tackling by Seattle on Vikings first offensive series.

[jshawaii22]

It's not how you start, it's how you finish. (but you're right about the 'tackling' or whatever they call it)
17-17 and the D comes up big. Let's go 'Hawks!

[yoder]

I'm loving this!

[trents]

Man, if the "incomplete pass" call stands with what was clearly a fumble by Metcalf, we were given a gift.

[Oly]

I know the Hawks like to play in close games, but why the f*** do they manufacture close games when they could close them out....

[jshawaii22]

You mean that decision to give the Vikings a 50 yard TD? Or DK's fumble (again) or wait... you mean Russells 20 yard sack with Brown screaming at Russell to throw the ball away??? You mean those plays???

We just wanted to win by less then a TD. We're in FIRST PLACE in the NFC West and have #2 HF ... suck it in for a few days.

[c_hawkbob]

My cardiologists still hates the Seahawks!

[RiverDog]

My cardiologists still hates the Seahawks!

LOL! I thought that ship had sailed!

[trents]

Hard fought, entertaining game right down to the end.

I just realized we have as good a W/L record as any team in the NFL. Back this summer I certainly didn't expect us to be where we were are at this point in the season.

[jshawaii22]

The refs really let em play night. No holding on Offense or Defense on either team. Not much of any penalties. Flowers PI was so obvious, it had to be called.
What a great decision by New York to put the flags away. Wasn't it a better game for it?

[RiverDog]

Hard fought, entertaining game right down to the end.

That's not quite the term I'd use to describe it, but I get your point.

I just realized we have as good a W/L record as any team in the NFL. Back this summer I certainly didn't expect us to be where we were are at this point in the season.

Yup. I had us at 10-6 as a high water mark.

[jshawaii22]

You boys will be standing on your lower lip this time tommorrow.

STAYIN ALIVE

Keep it all together until Sunday afternoon, Rambo. You did play a little better against a weak team last Sunday. Both teams are much different then the first time we beat you.

[RiverDog]

You all are going down tonite

Minn 34, Sea 27...most in garbage time

Take that and shove it up your arse!

[Aseahawkfan]

Now we lead the division. Our fate is in our hands. Let's get that first round bye.

[trents]

Metcalf must be rooming with Carson on the road. He's caught fumblitis from him.

[obiken]

Take that and shove it up your arse!

Riv, I almost regret blocking the little mutant now!!

[obiken]

Metcalf must be rooming with Carson on the road. He's caught fumblitis from him.

Its getting to be beyond stupid!

[Aseahawkfan]

Metcalf must be rooming with Carson on the road. He's caught fumblitis from him.

If he can clear up the fumble problems, Metcalf will be a stud.

[obiken]

This last one he really never had the ball, but still, all these fumbles are getting old.

[Aseahawkfan]

This last one he really never had the ball, but still, all these fumbles are getting old.

i hope he can fix the problems. It's nice having a 6'4" 230 lb.receiver with speed. I think he's getting used to the aggression of the NFL. I don't think he's used to guys his size trying to smash the ball out of his hands. He's used to being the big dog that runs over DBs. Once he gets it in his head this is the NFL where everyone is a physical freak and ball security is number one, I think he'll be good.

[RiverDog]

This last one he really never had the ball, but still, all these fumbles are getting old.

i hope he can fix the problems. It's nice having a 6'4" 230 lb.receiver with speed. I think he's getting used to the aggression of the NFL. I don't think he's used to guys his size trying to smash the ball out of his hands. He's used to being the big dog that runs over DBs. Once he gets it in his head this is the NFL where everyone is a physical freak and ball security is number one, I think he'll be good.

We discussed this in another thread. On a lot of occasions, it's once a butterfingers, always a butter fingers, a prime example being T.O. But we have to keep in mind that Metcalf didn't get a lot of game experience in college, so he's still a very unrefined talent, more so than most rookies and with room to grow, including getting comfortable with holding onto the ball.

Those older posters will recall that when Jerry Rice first broke into the league back in the mid to late 80's, that the rap on him was that he had bad hands (of course, the standard at the time was Steve Largent, who had some of the best hands in the history of the game). However, as Rice's career progressed, his receiving skills developed to where he had just as good of hands as any receiver in the league.

So there is reason to hope that his hands will improve as he gains experience.

[NorthHawk]

i hope he can fix the problems. It's nice having a 6'4" 230 lb.receiver with speed. I think he's getting used to the aggression of the NFL. I don't think he's used to guys his size trying to smash the ball out of his hands. He's used to being the big dog that runs over DBs. Once he gets it in his head this is the NFL where everyone is a physical freak and ball security is number one, I think he'll be good.

I agree with this point. His previous fumble was trying too hard or maybe not knowing when to be a beast and last night it seems to me he didn't put the ball away and tried
running with it in two hands like a lot of college players get away with. The basics are the same, but it's a much different game in the NFL than college regarding keeping
the ball safe.

[Hawktawk]

The refs really let em play night. No holding on Offense or Defense on either team. Not much of any penalties. Flowers PI was so obvious, it had to be called.
What a great decision by New York to put the flags away. Wasn't it a better game for it?

What was most surprising is that it was Clete Blakeman's crew, one of the most flag happy in the league. A couple of years ago a buddy of mine and I sat in the Clink and watched them drop 14 flags on Seattle in a close loss to AZ after which Carroll said "penalties were their offense".

Yes it was nice to watch big boys play ball instead of it being about the refs.