Winless in Seattle

Seattle was an expansion team that started in 1976. They were seemingly cursed before they ever started, as the expanion soon-to-be owner Lloyd W Nordstrom died in the months before their innagural season. In their second season, the Seahawks traded their early draft selection (Tony Dorsett) of the first round for three second rounders. WR Steve Largent became their first memorable player in the early years.

They eventually made their first playoffs in 1983, and won their first playoff game, and the next, before losing in the AFC Championship to the Raiders. After a wild-card playoff win in 1984 they would wait twenty-one years for their next win, and subsequently their only Super Bowl appearance in the 2005 season, a 21-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

It had been a good stretch of football for the Seahawks a year after they returned to the NFC West, from 2003 to 2007. They went 51-29 in those five years in a weak division. From 2005 to the 2007 season, Seattle was 4-3 in post-season, winning at least one playoff game each year. Then came the 2007 loss to Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers and times have quickly changed.

Last year Seattle was 4-12, and many pointed to life without All-Pro RB Shaun Alexander as the main reason. This year they are 3-6, with five losses double digit. The offense with Julius Jones (3.7 yards per carry) performed poorly, and now the Seahawks have turned to Justin Forsett (6.6 yards per carry) to revive the lost running game. Matt Hasselbeck has been decent, but hasn't been able to get many points. Seattle has scored more than twenty points only three times, all wins. However, their three wins include victories over the St. Louis Rams and the Detroit Lions.

The Minnesota Vikings with Brett Favre are a clear favorite. These are two franchises going in opposite directions. Minnesota will have locked up another winning season after Sunday's game, while the Seahawks will most likely improve their chance to finish their thirty-fourth season with their twentieth non-winning campaign.

And feel like they are suddenly winless in Seattle.