The Seahawks’ road trip ends much better than that of the Go 2 Guy

By Jim Moore

I’ll be honest, I have yet to see a single play from the Seahawks-Bears game because I was in Pullman spending Dads’ Weekend with my daughter and drove home Sunday afternoon.

When she got up around 9 yesterday morning, I thought about telling her that I needed to watch or listen to the game so I could be prepared to talk about it on the Calabro show Monday afternoon.

Then I thought, wait a minute, I can have my wife tape the game and watch it later and hang out with my kid before I leave the great Palouse. I could listen to the second half on the way home.

That was all well and good until I found out that my wife didn’t get my text message asking her to tape the game until it was early in the fourth quarter. And the extra “quality time” that I thought would be spent with my daughter at breakfast somewhere turned into a trip to Bed, Bath and Beyond in Moscow so I could spend $26.95 on a chair that she wanted for her room.

Then as I started my drive home, I thought, why don’t I stop in a bar in Colfax and watch the second half of the Seahawks’ game. Pete Carroll’s team was ahead 14-13 at the time, piquing my interest in wanting to see the rest of the game live.

But I could not find a bar in Colfax. How in God’s name Colfax does not have a bar is beyond me. Believe me, I asked. I stopped and asked someone if it was just my cluelessness that prevented me from spotting a bar in downtown Colfax, but the someone I talked to said if there was one, it wasn’t open on Sundays.

So I headed toward Washtucna and listened as Steve Raible and Warren Moon painted the picture of Seattle’s 23-20 upset at Soldier Field.

From what I heard, it sounded like the Seahawks won the game more than the Bears lost it. They were stellar on defense, not allowing the Bears to convert a third down all day. They sacked Jay Cutler six times and got a safety in the process.

Offensively, the Seahawks produced the kind of potent combination that Pete Carroll has been looking for – using Marshawn Lynch and Justin Forsett, with their contrasting styles and size, to complement a passing attack featuring a big target for Matt Hasselbeck in Mike Williams.

Maybe it was just one game, but why diminish the significance of it at all? I guess you could say the Bears weren’t as good as their 4-1 record and that their offensive line was in worse shape than the Seahawks’.

But these kinds of things would not have mattered in the past – the Seahawks would always lose on the road anyway. Not Sunday and, perhaps, not anymore.

There were many encouraging signs that came out of Sunday’s game. One that wasn’t was the punt to Devin Hester just before the two-minute warning. Before Jon Ryan’s punt, Moon said the Seahawks should not punt it to Hester under any circumstances because of the splendid return man’s play-making abilities. Moon thought a punt out of bounds would be better than to risk a long return by Hester.

Sure enough, Ryan kicked to Hester, and you know what happened, 89 yards later, the Bears were back in a game they had no business having a shot to win. Raible sounded like he couldn’t believe what was happening. Fortunately the ensuing on-side kick was secured by John Carlson.

Now there’s a lot more to look forward to. In the short term, a showdown (probably too strong of a word, but what the heck, let’s call it one anyway) for the NFC West lead between Arizona and the Seahawks at Qwest Field on Sunday.

Then if you really want to fantasize, is there any reason to think that they can’t beat the Cardinals and the Raiders the next week in Oakland to improve to 5-2? Then how about a split of the next two games, at home against the New York Giants and in Phoenix in another game with the Cardinals? That would make them 6-3 and set up an even bigger showdown with the Saints in New Orleans on Nov. 21. It might even be FOX’s game of the week.

After the loss to the Rams two weeks ago, I would have called this scenario implausible at best. But with the addition of Lynch and new-found confidence on the road, a nine-win season and division title seem more possible than ever before.

Jim Moore also writes for seattlepi.com. You can reach him at jimmoorethego2guy@yahoo.com