Phil Simms calls Seahawks one of NFL’s top 3 teams

By Brent Stecker

Before Friday’s 17-10 win over the Packers, CBS broadcaster Phil Simms had never seen a Pete Carroll-coached Seahawks team in person. Now that he has, the New York Giants great and two-time Super Bowl winner can’t stop raving about them, to the point that he says they’re one of the NFL’s top three teams.

“Overall, the size, the power, the speed, (the Seahawks) may be the best in the NFL, and I say that not because I’m on in Seattle,” Simms said while joining “Brock and Danny” on Monday morning. “When I do a San Francisco radio show later today, I might just cause a little fire and say, ‘Yeah, I think Seattle physically could be better (than the 49ers).’ (The Seahawks are) second-to-none when you talk about a physical football team.

After watching a Pete Carroll-coached Seahawks team for the first time, CBS broadcaster Phil Simms said Seattle could have the NFL’s best combination of power, speed and size. (AP)

“Without question, they are one of the top three teams. You can put them one, two or three and I wouldn’t disagree with any of them. I think you look at San Francisco, Seattle and Denver, to me they’re the three best teams in football going into the season.”

Simms is especially impressed with the depth of Seattle’s roster.

“This day and age where nobody has depth, the Seahawks are one of the few (teams whose) second unit can come in and get it done, too,” he said. “If you’re starting to worry about the nickel-run defense (already), then you know you’ve got a good team, because most teams are worried about trying to hit the quarterback, (and) ‘Who’s our quarterback?’ Not many of those questions for the Seahawks.”

Quarterback Russell Wilson is undoubtedly a plus for Seattle, even if he was shaky in the win over the Packers with two interceptions and three sacks. Simms believes that Wilson is in line for a big season, especially as he gets more entrenched in the team’s offense.

“I do expect Russell Wilson to be a better quarterback than last year. I think I’ve seen signs of that already this year,” Simms said. “I said (during Friday’s game), ‘Hey, I wouldn’t be surprised if Russell Wilson’s the NFL’s Most Valuable Player.’ There’s probably only 10 guys in the NFL that can win the MVP, and of course most of them are quarterbacks. Well, why wouldn’t Russell Wilson be one of those?

“You look at the numbers he put up last year, look at the team he’s playing on, and knowing that they’re going to make it even better for him this year, I would be shocked if he doesn’t put up tremendous numbers. It’s all there.”