The Seahawks are a team whose identity hasn't changed much in the last five years. Russell Wilson is the face of the team. The Legion of Doom still terrorizes opposing quarterbacks. And Pete Carroll still runs the show with a cool, composed demeanor.
To say the team hasn't undergone some changes since the Eagles last played them would be inaccurate however. In fact, outside of Wilson, a lot has changed on the offensive side of the football, and while the defense has largely remained the same, there is a young X-factor who's made a huge difference up front.
You might even argue the 2016 iteration of the Seahawks are better than ever, regardless of what their 6-2-1 record suggests. Judge for yourself.
OFFENSE
Quarterback: Russell Wilson
While he hasn't been running with near the effectiveness or frequency of years past, Wilson can still beat defenses with his arm. The fifth-year signal-caller is completing 66.8 percent of his passes at 8.0 yards per attempt, both of which are only slightly off the pace from career highs he set last season. And while his rushing yards are down, Wilson has compensated with more production through the air, his 271.3 yards per game a personal best. As usual, the three-time Pro Bowler isn't turning the ball over with just three giveaways through nine games. Everybody knows by now what Wilson is going to do — extend the play, scramble around until somebody gets open and hit the big play. Stopping it has always been easier said than done.
Strength: Receivers
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Are the Seahawks' wideouts what anybody would consider conventionally great? Maybe not, but Doug Baldwin has become a reliable outlet for Wilson. Baldwin went from undrafted to Pro Bowler over his first five seasons in the league, and he's having another strong year in 2016 (50 REC, 629 YDS, 5 TD) — can't argue with those numbers. Now in his second year with Seattle, Jimmy Graham's emergence in the offense has been a welcome revelation as well. At 6-foot-7, 265 pounds, Graham presents a matchup problem for most any defense when he's on his game, as he has been so far (42 REC, 593 YDS, 3 TD). Then there's rookie C.J. Prosise, who's gone from little-known third-round rookie out of Notre Dame to serious weapon out of the backfield in a matter of weeks. In the last three games, Prosise has 24 carries for 98 yards and 12 catches for 173, and now that Christine Michael has been cut, his role in the offense isn't going anywhere.
Weakness: Offensive line
Seattle's O-line has experienced some major defections over the past bunch of years. Center Max Unger was traded in the deal that brought Graham over from the Saints, and Russell Okung was allowed to depart as a free agent, to name the two biggest. It's not as if the team has done a good job replacing the talent up front either. The end result is Wilson constantly under duress, and an ineffective ground attack that ranks 30th overall in the NFL and averages a paltry 3.3 yards per attempt. Basically, if the quarterback doesn't escape the pass rush and hit a bunch of big plays, the offense won't amount to much, as we've seen the Seahawks held to 12, three and six points in their of their nine games this season.
DEFENSE
Strength: Secondary
It still has to be the Legion of Boom, right? The Seahawks pass-rush has been scary good this season, with 29 sacks being the third-highest in the NFL. The secondary was good even when the pass-rush was only good or average though. Opponents might be testing Richard Sherman a bit more, but with three interceptions, he remains one of the most dangerous cornerbacks in the league. Earl Thomas remains one of the best centerfielders in the business as well with two picks on the year. And the other safety, Kam Chancellor, is one of the reasons Seattle's run defense is so dominant, as his work in the box is about as good as it gets. The closest thing to an unknown in this unit is DeShawn Snead, who ascended to starter opposite Sherman last season. At 6-foot-2, 212 pounds, he's just another long, solid coverman, the kind that can give receivers fits.
Weakness: None
This is the second-ranked scoring defense in the NFL, and ranked no worse than 10th in any major category. There may be flaws or minor imperfections, but nothing so glaring as to describe it as a weakness. The Seahawks have consistently fielded one of the best units from top to bottom for the last five or six years, which is extremely impressive, and there's no sign of it letting up anytime soon either.
X-factor: Frank Clark
After racking up no fewer than 8.0 sacks in five of the previous six seasons, Cliff Avril may finally earn Pro Bowl recognition in 2016, as he's up to 9.0 already. That's not necessarily a surprise though. Frank Clark, on the other hand, has quickly become one of the best, young pass-rushers in the NFL in just his second season. A second-round draft pick out of Michigan, Clark has already more that doubled his sack total as a rookie with 7.5 in just eight games. Perhaps most impressive has been his consistency, as the 23-year-old defensive end has at least one sack in six of those appearances. The Seahawks might be without Michael Bennett this week with a knee injury, but between Clark and Avril, the quarterback won't want to get too comfortable inside the pocket regardless.
SPECIAL TEAMS
As reliable as Steven Hauschka is, oddly enough, both of his missed field goals this season are under 30 yards. Jon Ryan is a fine, no-frills punter who's held the job in Seattle since 2008. Tyler Lockette handles the bulk of the kick and punt return duties, with a touchdown in each phase last season, but has been silenced so far this season.
COACHING
Pete Carroll (11th season, 99-69-1, 9-6 playoffs)
Carroll's record since 2012, including playoffs: 58-22-1, or a .716 winning percentage. Oh, also two trips to the Super Bowl of course, with a ring on his finger to show for it. After two previous "failed" coaching stints in the NFL, who would've thought Carroll would up there with Bill Belichick for leading one of the most consistently dominant teams in the NFL, but that's where the Seahawks are at right now. With Wilson and that defense, they are a perennial championship contender, and Carroll has the right attitude to keep Seattle on a dynasty track for years to come.
