Coming off back-to-back hammer-dropping wins, the Seattle Seahawks have shoved their slow start into the rear-view mirror.
With 64 points of offense over their past two weeks, the re-emergence of dangerous tight end Jimmy Graham, and a defense that seems to constantly unearth new contributors, the 'Hawks are working to make good on Kam Chancellor's summertime claim that "it feels like the (Super Bowl) 48 year" all over again.
Coach Pete Carroll did nothing to dim that confidence on Monday, telling reporters that this year's team has the power to be his best Seattle squad yet.
"There's a chance," Carroll said, per Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times. "I think we have a chance to, because of the experience and great leadership that we have, the development and coming of age of the quarterback, we have our kicking game in order. There's a lot of really good phases of our team that we can count on. We're growing on offense up front with the guys up front on offense, they're doing a good job and pass protection is a big deal to us right now and we'll grow in the running game. I've loved this team all along, I've seen it coming. Just the way they've gone about the work. We have a chance to be really good."
The Seahawks struggled offensively in a Week 2 loss to the Rams, but the team on Sunday overcame a rugged Jets run defense by airing out the ball in a showing that resembled Seattle's strong finish of last season. With 309 yards and three touchdowns, Russell Wilson showed no signs of the sprained ankle he's dealt with since the opener and sprained MCL he suffered against the 49ers.
"Offensively we are throwing the ball like we had hoped to, like we had seen last year, and we wanted to come out of that and have the same expertise and confidence in what we are doing, and we feel like that," Carroll said. "And in a game when you play a loaded-up front of guys and you need to throw the ball a little bit more, we did, and that allows the balance to take shape when we need it."
The X-factor this time around is the massive-bodied Graham, who struggled to mesh with Wilson last season, but is now fully aglow with 12 catches for 213 yards over his past two starts. A cornerback's night terror come to life, Graham's uprising makes this attack an entirely different beast to deal with.
We'll know more about this latest incarnation of the Seahawks after they return from their bye to face the white-hot Atlanta Falcons and division-rival Cardinals. With both sides of the ball shining, though, it's Seattle that other teams in the NFC can peer upward at as the class of the conference.
