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This version of the Seahawks is not the only one to have trouble closing out games at the end.
You can not wait until the Seahawks keep coming close to this season.
It's exactly what Seahawks fans have been doing 20 years ago, as well.
In Dennis Erickson's final year, the Seahawks won five games by 10 or more points but lost six by eight points and less by three points or less, 8-8.
That got Erickson the boot even though the Seahawks had a differential point-over-62, ninth-best in the NFL.
Mike Holmgren will never happen?
Two more days, Seattle stands 4-5 and with a plus-27 point differential, 10th best in the NFL and best of any team with a losing record.
Is it a sign of a team that is better than its record or a team just good enough to lose the close ones?
Seven more games for Seattle to figure that out.
Now, in our weekly Final Word, let's review the latest what-if – Seattle's 36-31 loss to the Rams.
MATCHUP TO WATCH
WHAT I SAID: Seattle offensive line vs. Rams' defensive front.
WHAT HAPPENED: You could quibble about aspects of the offensive performance, specifically that Russell Wilson was sacked four times, resulting in a fall in the budget (though Seattle coach Pete Carroll said Wilson might have prevented the sack, saying "He could not quite get back under the heels."). And the pass blocking, solid in the first meeting against the Rams, made it difficult for deep routes to developrd out of 26 teams that played this week in pass-blocking efficiency). But the Seahawks rushed for an almost unfathomable 273 yards despite Chris Carson's absence and Jordan Simmons saw his first NFL action at right guard in place of D.J. Fluker. Maybe it makes sense, considering the past season, it was the most rushing yards in a seahawks history (the previous high was 230 in an overtime defeat in 1995 at Arizona).
WHAT I COULD HAVE SAID: Seattle defensive front vs. Rams running back Todd Gurley. The Seahawks took some solace in holding Gurley to 77 yards on 22 carries in a 33-31 defeat last month in Seattle. Gurley had almost that by halftime this time around – 76 on nine – finishing with 120 yards on 16 carries. It was the second consecutive week Seattle got burned by the early run (Melvin Gordon had a 34-yard touchdown run in the first half for the Chargers). "I do not know if there's a common denominator," Carroll said Monday. "We've just got to play better and not allow the big plays to happen. It's just consistency. That's the common denominator, (is) the consistency of the line of scrimmage. "
PLAYER TO WATCH
WHAT I SAID: Seattle weakside linebacker K.J. Wright.
WHAT HAPPENED: Wright, in his third game back following knee surgery in late August, could not finish the game, and his knee undoubtedly impacted his play when he was on the field – he played only 39 of 65 Seattle defensive snaps. It's unclear if Wright will be able to play Thursday against the Packers, and turning around with a team that also runs a long time ago.
WHAT I COULD HAVE SAID: Punter Michael Dickson. Dickson is one punter you really can say is a player worth watching every week. He had only three punts, but they could hardly have been better, averaging 55 yards per kick with a long of 68 and a net of 47.7. Seattle is only 44.8 behind the Eagles at 46.5.
COACHING DECISION TO WATCH
WHAT I SAID: Will the Seahawks again target Marcus Peters?
WHAT HAPPENED: Seattle hit a bevy of big plays in the passing game in the first meeting, twice torching Peters for touchdowns. Peters continued to struggle over the next few games, vowing after defeats against the Saints that he'd do better. It was Sunday, with a lot of help from the past when it was done in the first game when Seattle had averaged 15.2 yards per pass reception.
WHAT I COULD HAVE SAID: Will the Seahawks try another fourth-quarter onside kick?
Seattle is now 0-2 on onside kicks this season. The Rams recovered Sebastian Janikowski's kick with 9:52 left after Seattle had cut the lead to 26-24. Carroll said later Janikowski did not execute the kick. The idea can be defended, though. Seattle had forced the Rams to punt just once in six series to that point. And they gave the score they did not get the score if they did not score (they did not know where they came from. kick itself.)
THE X-FACTOR
WHAT I SAID: Running back Mike Davis / Rashaad Penny / C.J. Prosise.
WHAT HAPPENED: With Chris Carson out, the Seahawks had to turn to their other backs. Penny's 108 yards on 12 carries after he he had had 146 on 42 coming in. You could argue Penny should have had more – he had three for 56 yards in the first half with just one in the second quarter after he had runs of 38 and 18 to spark a touchdown drive in the first quarter. Davis, though, was also running well (50 yards on nine carries in the first half) and Seattle undoubtedly trusts him greatly in the passing game. Seattle, London, United States, United States, London, United States, United States. Penny then went back in the third series of the second quarter. He played extensively in the second half, though, but he did not know what he was doing in Seattle.
WHAT I COULD HAVE SAID: From a Seattle perspective, nothing else topped Penny.
WILD-CARD PLAYER WHO COULD SURPRISE
WHAT I SAID: Strong safety Delano Hill.
WHAT HAPPENED: Hill played 21 snaps at strong safety with Bradley McDougald sidelined for a time with a knee before coming back. Hill made the tackle on one of the game's key plays, a 35-yard completion to Robert Woods that allowed the Rams to be converted to third-and-15 and set up what proved to be the go-ahead touchdown for Los Angeles. Hill was not at blame for the play, with Carroll saying Seattle was in a zone that it was the middle part of the zone that was supposed to prevent a receiver from getting deep Justin Coleman, who appeared to let us go to the polls, saying, "We got caught cheating on the coverage, guys looking at the wrong stuff.")
WHAT I COULD HAVE SAID: Dion Jordan. Jordan had five tackles and half-a-sack in his best game of the season. He had eight tackles and no sacks coming into the game.
KEY STAT
WHAT I SAID: The first-quarter scoring for the two teams (Seahawks 35-34, Rams 51-51).
WHAT HAPPENED: The Rams' one weakness has its slow start – they have outscored their opponents by 20 or more points in the first quarter. The Seahawks have scored 14 points in the first quarter (the other being the Houston game last season, which was tied 14-14 at the end of one).
WHAT I COULD HAVE SAID: Turnover margin. Seattle won or tied the turnover in each of its first seven games, standing at plus-10 overall. But Seattle has been minus-one of the past two weeks, losing a turnover in the fourth quarter of the year, while achieving a turnover of its own. Of the numbers people want to throw over the Seahawks, turnover margin remains the most predicative in the Carroll era. Seattle is 54-12 under Carroll when winning the turnover 29-39 when it does not.
THE FINAL WORD
WHAT I SAID: Rams 34, Seahawks 20.
WHAT HAPPENED: Almost a direct hit on the Rams score, though that's hard to do – Los Angeles has scored 33 to 39 points in eight of its 10 games this year, with 23 and 29 in the other two. There was a time not so long ago when Seattle's defense was not so good, but that day appeared to have passed. Seattle's running game – a surprise with Carson and Fluker – kept the Seahawks in it. But a loss remains a loss.
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