Clayton: Remaining schedule could be elixir for Seahawks’ ills

The first eight teams on the Seahawks' schedule had a combined 32-30 record, while the final eight games are against teams with a similar combined record, 31-31.

BY ERIC MANDEL

Nov 4, 2015, 2:40 PM Updated: Nov 5, 2015, 9:57 am

Follow on Google News

Arizona's record is potentially misleading, as it started the season with an easier schedule. (AP)

(AP)

The Seahawks may be looking up at the Cardinals in the standings, but Seattle’s remaining schedule could provide a stepping stool to a playoff berth.

The first eight teams on the Seahawks schedule had a combined 32-30 record, with their four losses coming against teams with 25 of those wins. The final eight games are against teams with a similar combined record, 31-31, but a major chunk of those wins come from a pair of clashes with the 6-2 Cardinals.

ESPN NFL expert John Clayton said Arizona’s record is potentially misleading, as they started the season with the easier portion of the schedule, losing their only matchup with a team that currently holds a winning record – the St. Louis Rams.

“The schedule is flipped,” Clayton said on 710 ESPN Seattle’s “Brock and Salk.” “So what you can probably see happening now is where the 4-4 is going to convert into a 6-2 for Seattle, where in Arizona’s case is a 6-2 that may convert into a 4-4 and really make that last game interesting.”

Despite questions of whether the defense has lost its edge for intimidation through the first half of the season, Seattle kept Dallas quarterback Matt Cassel to less than 100 yards passing. However, since he is technically a third-string quarterback, they are not given full credit, according to Mike Salk. He said that narrative could change if they dominate Carson Palmer and the Cardinals, not unlike the Broncos defense making a convincing statement in its domination of Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense.

“It’s so funny that the Seahawks have to do it against a quality team but the Cardinals don’t,” Salk said.
“(The Cardinals) are not beating anybody of value, but everybody is going to sit here and respect the great genius Bruce Arians and the Cardinals don’t need to worry about it… But the Seahawks, until they beat somebody – it’s a strange double-standard.”

Comments

0 Comments

Clayton: Remaining schedule could be elixir for Seahawks’ ills

Related

Comments

Share This Article