Official Packers/Dolphins Game Thread

[Partial]

Seahawks are the best team in the NFC at full strength. Hands down.

They were last year but not this season. Chicago has passed them by. Seattle seems to have lost their mojo this season, with or without Alexander.

They lost to the Bears ( undefeated ) and to a strong Minnesota team without their RB and QB. They're still a playoff team no matter what division they are in so far. Lets not forget they beat New York quite handedly as well as St. Louis, two teams that are of playoff calibur.

Seahawks end the season 12-4 and lose in Super Bowl to Broncos. You can quote me on that one.

[b bulldog]

The Rams and the Gmen are not dominant teams even though they have decent records and the Vikings are good but not dominant.

[Charles Woodson]

Sorry a little late, i sat close to the game and man was it Awesome... Could just be me, but i noticed a lot of players that had great games
notably woodson...Popinga played well. but what happened to jennings? Driver played like his old self

[retailguy]

Teams win with playmakers. Seattle has 3. Two of them are out. Without being able to run the football and sustain an offense, they are no better than the Packers and their one playmaker. When they throw in two more of the best players in the league into the fray, they are a damn good team.

Partial,

Seattle was well on its way to losing this game before Hasslebeck went out. Seattle never got into a rythmn in this game. I watched the WHOLE game.

Yes, having Alexander out is HUGE, but he wasn't playing particularly well BEFORE he went out injured.

Something is wrong in Seattle, and I'm pointing to the left guard. Remember, ALL the running plays were geared to go left. Shaun loved to run behind Walter Jones and Hutchison.

If they get that fixed, I believe you'll be right Partial, but thats a HUGE if right now.

Chicago is tied to Grossman at this point. He stays healthy, and I'm not sure anybody beats them. Without Grossman I think it's likely they choke in the playoffs again. Griese is too far removed from 1st team snaps to be effective.

[Bretsky]

Here's my list of teams better than SEA.

San Diego
Chicago
Dallas
Atlanta
New Orleans
Jacksonville
Baltimore
Indianapolis
Philadelphia
Minnesota
St. Louis
Pittsburgh
Denver
N.Y. Giants
Carolina
Cincinnati

Wow; IMO some of you grossly underestimate Seattle when they are all healthy.

B

[Partial]

Teams win with playmakers. Seattle has 3. Two of them are out. Without being able to run the football and sustain an offense, they are no better than the Packers and their one playmaker. When they throw in two more of the best players in the league into the fray, they are a damn good team.

Partial,

Seattle was well on its way to losing this game before Hasslebeck went out. Seattle never got into a rythmn in this game. I watched the WHOLE game.

Yes, having Alexander out is HUGE, but he wasn't playing particularly well BEFORE he went out injured.

Something is wrong in Seattle, and I'm pointing to the left guard. Remember, ALL the running plays were geared to go left. Shaun loved to run behind Walter Jones and Hutchison.

If they get that fixed, I believe you'll be right Partial, but thats a HUGE if right now.

Chicago is tied to Grossman at this point. He stays healthy, and I'm not sure anybody beats them. Without Grossman I think it's likely they choke in the playoffs again. Griese is too far removed from 1st team snaps to be effective.

Thats 'cause he was playing injured all year. They're a great team, B has it right.

[Bretsky]

Teams win with playmakers. Seattle has 3. Two of them are out. Without being able to run the football and sustain an offense, they are no better than the Packers and their one playmaker. When they throw in two more of the best players in the league into the fray, they are a damn good team.

Partial,

Seattle was well on its way to losing this game before Hasslebeck went out. Seattle never got into a rythmn in this game. I watched the WHOLE game.

Yes, having Alexander out is HUGE, but he wasn't playing particularly well BEFORE he went out injured.

Something is wrong in Seattle, and I'm pointing to the left guard. Remember, ALL the running plays were geared to go left. Shaun loved to run behind Walter Jones and Hutchison.

If they get that fixed, I believe you'll be right Partial, but thats a HUGE if right now.

Chicago is tied to Grossman at this point. He stays healthy, and I'm not sure anybody beats them. Without Grossman I think it's likely they choke in the playoffs again. Griese is too far removed from 1st team snaps to be effective.

Despite their record, Carolina, if they make it, is still a VERY dangerous playoff team.

I agree something is wrong with that OL in Seattle; Alexander wasn't tearing things up before he was injured and the OL and Morris looked downright sad.

That being said, if Hasslebeck does not go down today I still think Seattle would have won this game, and I still consider them to be a NFC playoff team that can be dangerous when all are nursed back to health.

B

[Partial]

Teams win with playmakers. Seattle has 3. Two of them are out. Without being able to run the football and sustain an offense, they are no better than the Packers and their one playmaker. When they throw in two more of the best players in the league into the fray, they are a damn good team.

Partial,

Seattle was well on its way to losing this game before Hasslebeck went out. Seattle never got into a rythmn in this game. I watched the WHOLE game.

Yes, having Alexander out is HUGE, but he wasn't playing particularly well BEFORE he went out injured.

Something is wrong in Seattle, and I'm pointing to the left guard. Remember, ALL the running plays were geared to go left. Shaun loved to run behind Walter Jones and Hutchison.

If they get that fixed, I believe you'll be right Partial, but thats a HUGE if right now.

Chicago is tied to Grossman at this point. He stays healthy, and I'm not sure anybody beats them. Without Grossman I think it's likely they choke in the playoffs again. Griese is too far removed from 1st team snaps to be effective.

Despite their record, Carolina, if they make it, is still a VERY dangerous playoff team.

I agree something is wrong with that OL in Seattle; Alexander wasn't tearing things up before he was injured and the OL and Morris looked downright sad.

That being said, if Hasslebeck does not go down today I still think Seattle would have won this game, and I still consider them to be a NFC playoff team that can be dangerous when all are nursed back to health.

B

They'll be fine once SA is healthy. I have a suspicion he was hurt all year and they didn't know it.

[HarveyWallbangers]

More times than not the team that looks the best after week 7 of the regular season does not end up the Super Bowl champion. I wouldn't write off the Seahawks yet--provided Hasselbeck isn't seriously injured and Alexander comes back at full strength. Any team can beat another team on any given Sunday, but Seattle is better than the likes of Dallas, Atlanta, New Orleans, Jacksonville, Minnesota, St. Louis, the Giants when they are healthy.

[Fosco33]

Seattle, injured, got their ass handed to 'em today. They got very lucky beating the Rams last week - a team the Packers had on the rope.

Injuries are part of football. Seattle's offense/defense is average. They've got Holmgren and some stars - plus the trade for Branch.

My rankings have no opinions - just following a format. If Hasslebeck is hurt seriously, this team could struggle for the next month.

Could they turn it around - definitely.

Are there teams on my list that are sleepers - for sure.

After week 10, this discussion/rankings will be more relevant.

[retailguy]

They'll be fine once SA is healthy. I have a suspicion he was hurt all year and they didn't know it.

They need more than SA. We'll see b/c he's back next week, or the following for sure.

I hope you are right Partial, I've got him in my fantasy league and it's been really tough, but I don't see it right now.

MM should be able to run behind that line and he CAN'T. Morris is a good backup, I'd venture to say he's more talented than either Morency or Herron. Probably in the top half of the league for backups.

Something is wrong in Seattle. I'm not writing them off, not by a long shot, but I don't think they are in very good shape. Pittsburg is in worse shape, but other than that, Seattle is on the ropes right now.

Seneca Wallace better be up to the challenge, and someone better get him some stilts, did you see the batted down passes? Not good.

[Partial]

They'll be fine once SA is healthy. I have a suspicion he was hurt all year and they didn't know it.

They need more than SA. We'll see b/c he's back next week, or the following for sure.

I hope you are right Partial, I've got him in my fantasy league and it's been really tough, but I don't see it right now.

MM should be able to run behind that line and he CAN'T. Morris is a good backup, I'd venture to say he's more talented than either Morency or Herron. Probably in the top half of the league for backups.

Something is wrong in Seattle. I'm not writing them off, not by a long shot, but I don't think they are in very good shape. Pittsburg is in worse shape, but other than that, Seattle is on the ropes right now.

Seneca Wallace better be up to the challenge, and someone better get him some stilts, did you see the batted down passes? Not good.

They are going to have some problems because they thought a journeyman could step in for an all-pro. I think they'll just run more to the outside and they'll be fine.

[Patler]

Alexander is at the same stage of his carrer as Ahman Green. He too might be beginning to slide.

Green is only 6 months older (2/16/77 vs. 8/30/77)
Alexander has more career rushing attempts (1782 vs. 1663)
Green has more pass receptions (321 vs. 193)

[Bossman641]

They'll be fine once SA is healthy. I have a suspicion he was hurt all year and they didn't know it.

They need more than SA. We'll see b/c he's back next week, or the following for sure.

I hope you are right Partial, I've got him in my fantasy league and it's been really tough, but I don't see it right now.

MM should be able to run behind that line and he CAN'T. Morris is a good backup, I'd venture to say he's more talented than either Morency or Herron. Probably in the top half of the league for backups.

Something is wrong in Seattle. I'm not writing them off, not by a long shot, but I don't think they are in very good shape. Pittsburg is in worse shape, but other than that, Seattle is on the ropes right now.

Seneca Wallace better be up to the challenge, and someone better get him some stilts, did you see the batted down passes? Not good.

They are going to have some problems because they thought a journeyman could step in for an all-pro. I think they'll just run more to the outside and they'll be fine.

Alexander is not an outside runner. He's not particularly quick and doesn't have a burst of explosiveness. What he has is great feet and vision. Alexander's strength is setting up his blockers, which he was able to do last year by running left and waiting for a crease to appear behind Jones/Hutchinson. He also got good downfield blocking from Jurevicius (gone) once he got into the secondary. He has struggled all year and I doubt much will change.

While I wouldn't write Seattle off yet, I think they'll have to do it behind Hasselbeck and their 4 good WR rather than behind a dominant running game.

[Partial]

They'll be fine once SA is healthy. I have a suspicion he was hurt all year and they didn't know it.

They need more than SA. We'll see b/c he's back next week, or the following for sure.

I hope you are right Partial, I've got him in my fantasy league and it's been really tough, but I don't see it right now.

MM should be able to run behind that line and he CAN'T. Morris is a good backup, I'd venture to say he's more talented than either Morency or Herron. Probably in the top half of the league for backups.

Something is wrong in Seattle. I'm not writing them off, not by a long shot, but I don't think they are in very good shape. Pittsburg is in worse shape, but other than that, Seattle is on the ropes right now.

Seneca Wallace better be up to the challenge, and someone better get him some stilts, did you see the batted down passes? Not good.

They are going to have some problems because they thought a journeyman could step in for an all-pro. I think they'll just run more to the outside and they'll be fine.

Alexander is not an outside runner. He's not particularly quick and doesn't have a burst of explosiveness. What he has is great feet and vision. Alexander's strength is setting up his blockers, which he was able to do last year by running left and waiting for a crease to appear behind Jones/Hutchinson. He also got good downfiled blocking from Jurevicius (gone) once he got into the secondary. He has stuggled all year and I doubt much will change.

While I wouldn't write Seattle off yet, I think they'll have to do it behind Hasselbeck and their 4 good WR rather than behind a dominant running game.

I am calling it, he finishes the year with 1300 yards which won't be bad considering he has been beat up all year and missed a few games now.