2015 Seahawks Re-Watch, Divisional Playoff: Just The Beginning
Any season that ended without a Super Bowl victory was a season that ended on a sour note, and so was the end of the 2015 Seahawks. A slow start put the team in the hole at 2-4, and the loss of Marshawn Lynch put the offense in SOS mode. Bevell changed philosophies midseason, coaching his unit into a pass-first offense. For the defense, the underperformance at the second corner position was a yearlong struggle. Defensive coordinator Kris Richard moved on from cornerback Cary Williams and found stability in a combo unit of Jeremy Lane and DeShawn Shead. These mid-season adjustments put the Hawks on a winning streak, resulting in a double-digit win total for the fourth consecutive year.
If there was any consolation to be had, it was the emergence of Russell Wilson as the predominant young quarterback in the NFL. Having lived up to his new contract, Wilson played at an elite level, whether it was using his hands or his feet. His leadership was flawless, and his work ethic and passion had focused the Carroll-era into the winningest stretch of Seahawks football. Seasons came, seasons past—but a mid-to-late round quarterback who led a team to the post-season in his first four years, including winning a Super Bowl, was a level of immediate greatness only two others franchises had been fortunate to befall. The 49ers got Joe Montana. The Patriots got Tom Brady. The Seahawks got Russell Wilson.
2016, be forewarned.