Power rankings system devised and compiled weekly by Stemshul. “Expert” analysis by paradroid.

Week 6 brings us a significant injury! Well, every week in the NFL brings plenty of significant injuries. For example, the Lions this week announced that Pro-Bowl center Frank Ragnow would miss the rest of the season after toe surgery. This is very significant to the Lions because he is one of their leaders, certainly their best offensive lineman, and likely their best player period. Still, nobody outside of Michigan really cares. But if a star QB gets hurt, everybody pays attention. Russel Wilson, who had started the first 149 regular season games (and 165 including the playoffs) of his career, suffered a finger injury described by his surgeon as “an extensor tendon rupture (mallet finger) and a comminuted fracture-dislocation of the proximal interphalangeal joint”. He will miss between 4 and 8 weeks while recovering from the surgery. So, are the Seahawks screwed?

I think they probably are. With Wilson, Seattle had a 2-2 record, now 2-3 after Geno Smith (yes, he is still in the league!) quite understandably failed to lead a comeback in the 4th quarter. That’s not position from which one couldn’t make the playoffs, but the Seahawks play in the NFC West, the toughest division in football. They still have to play Arizona (#1 in our rankings) twice, the Rams (#2), the Saints (#11), the Bears (#10), and Green Bay (#6). And they have to finish with a better record than the Rams, Cards, and 49ers to win the division. The two wildcard spots will realistically be just one, with either the Rams or Cardinals claiming the first and Carolina, Chicago, New Orleans, San Francisco, maybe the Minnesota and Washington, and Seattle all vying for that one position. Seattle has been OK at best on offense (17th in passing with 247.0 YPG, 19th in rushing with 104.0, and 19th on total yards with 351.0), and has even produced points at a better rate than their yardage might suggest with 24.0 per game, 14th best. But the defense has been porous, to say the least. The Seahawks are allowing 305.6 passing yards per game (30th), which is pretty bad, 145.2 rushing yards, which is even worse, and 450.8 total yards, which is the worst, as in league worst by 13.4 YPG (over Kansas City, who deserves some attention here themselves. Maybe next week.) Seattle once again outperforms their yardage on the scoreboard, coming in at 22nd with 25.2 points allowed per game. But that just feels like their mediocre 2-3 record might even be flattering to the team based on their ability to move the ball and stop their opponent from doing the same. Let’s say the team is without Dangeruss for 6 weeks. I can see them maybe winning 2 (Jacksonville and either Washington or Pittsburgh) with Geno running the show (he hasn’t thrown more than 42 passes in a season in 7 years, and he wasn’t very good then, as his 77.5 quarterback rating in the 2014 season led to his benching with the Jets). That puts the record at 4-7, and short of winning out to get to 10-7, I can’t imagine Seattle competing for the playoffs from there. The question begins to be how long the Wilson-Seattle marriage will continue, with the off-season grumbling likely to be exacerbated by an early end to the season.

I don’t have the heart to spend much time on the Lions this week. Another improbable loss, once again 19-17, once again a 50+ yard field goal as time expires, one more brutal loss for Lions fans and the team. I love Campbell going for 2 and the win and I love his emotional response and how the team keeps playing hard right up to the end. I just hope we can see a victory soon. On to next week and the Bengals.

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