And, We're Off!

Well, the Seattle Seahawks look ready for the 2014 NFL season.

They did a number on the Green Bay Packers last night by the score of 36-16. The worst thing about a Seahawks win is seeing Pete Carroll happy on the sideline. It was horrible to see when he was at USC. That gum-chomping, little maniac is nearly as bad in Seattle.

The Seahawks defense looks terrific. Big surprise there. Everyone knows about their defensive backs. The self-titled "Legion of Boom." They talk a lot. Less vocal middle linebacker Bobby Wagner makes plays all over the field. The Packers biggest play of the night came on a pass interference call against Wagner. Guarding receiver Randall Cobb is a tall task for most defensive backs. Wagner was running with Cobb forty yards down field. There might not be another middle linebacker in the league that can do such a thing. He just had to look back for the ball.

It's been difficult to watch the migration of former Minnesota Vikings players to the Pacific Northwest. Two of my favorite Vikings receivers of the past decade made that move. Sidney Rice and Percy Harvin. Rice is no longer with the Seahawks but Harvin certainly is. Due to a hip injury, Harvin played in one regular season game for the Seahawks last season. He got well for the Super Bowl but he's still something of a secret weapon. No one really knows what exactly Harvin can accomplish in an offense led by quarterback Russell Wilson. No one really knows what exactly Harvin can accomplish if he can stay healthy. There isn't much that he can't do with the ball in his hands. He changes games by simply stepping on the field. He just has to stay on the field.

This offseason, defensive tackle Kevin Williams joined offensive coordinator Darrell Bevel, Harvin, linebacker Heath Farwell, and quarterback Tarvaris Jackson as former Vikings in Seattle. Williams made one of the many big plays made by the Seahawks defense last night. He swatted down an Aaron Rodgers pass to stall a promising Packers drive. The pass was heading to running back James Starks and Starks had some room to run. Williams has some football left in him. He could make a nice impact in defensive coordinator Dan Quinn's defensive line rotation.

I don't think that Packers general manager Ted Thompson and head coach Mike McCarthy have put enough thought or effort into putting together a solid offensive line in front of Aaron Rodgers. I've seen some games in which Rodgers is hammered and/or running for his life and McCarthy made no in-game adjustments. Chips, double teams, etc. The line has been a weak link for years. Rodgers has the quarterbacking skills to be effective behind a shaky line. He's had enough practice operating behind one that he should have the skills to do so. The Packers decision-makers seem to be taking advantage of those skills by doing little to improve things. When right tackle Bryan Bulaga left last night's game with an injury, things really fell apart for Rodgers and the Packers. Derek Sherrod replaced Bulaga and struggled with speed rushes all night. Including a strip-sack that resulted in a safety.

The Seattle Seahawks looked great but it's a little early for the crown that some are already handing them. It's also way to early too early to write off the Green Bay Packers. The 2003 New England Patriots opened their season with a 31-0 loss to the Buffalo Bills. They Patriots went 14-2 that season and beat the Carolina Panthers in the Super Bowl.

Football's back!