January 21, 2011

Ranking the Squads #10: 2010 (with updated all-time rankings)

10. 2010
Record: 7-9
Postseason: NFC West Champions, defeated New Orleans in Wild Card Round, lost to Chicago in Divisional Playoffs
Offensive Rank: 23th out of 32 teams
Defensive Rank: 25th out of 32
Turnover Ratio Rank: 27th out of 32
Team MVP: Mike Williams
High Point: Seahawks 41, Saints 36
Low Point: Giants 41, Seahawks 7

The Seattle Seahawks have fielded 35 squads in franchise history, and without a doubt the 2010 version is the strangest. Through 16 games, they were most similar to the sub-mediocre 1989 and 1996 teams. It was only through happenstance that their 7-9 record was good enough to qualify for post-season play.

You might argue that rocketing this team from the mid-20s in the rankings to the top 10 based on one game is too generous- I'd retort that pulling off the biggest upset in NFL playoff history makes the 2010 Seahawks worthy of a higher ranking than outfits like the 1999 and 2004 teams, but not equal to the playoff teams of the 1980s, for example.

While the '10s took an amazing number of severe beatings, they pulled it together to win two of their biggest games of the season (both on NBC, coincidentally... can we get more games on the Peacock Network next season?). The candidates for team MVP were almost exclusively new Pete Carroll acquisitions, with me giving a slight edge to Mike Williams over Leon Washington, Chris Clemons, Raheem Brock, Russell Okung, Earl Thomas, and Marshawn Lynch.

Despite an extremely uneven, mostly sub-par campaign, the '10s ended up as only the 7th team in team history to reach the divisional playoffs, and only the 6th to win a playoff game (along with 1983, 1984, 2005, 2006, and 2007). That's enough for the '10s to edge past the '79s into the Top 10.

Here's the updated all-time rankings- Enjoy!

1. 2005
2. 1984
3. 1983
4. 2007
5. 1986
6. 2003
7. 2006
8. 1988
9. 1987
10. 2010
11. 1979
12. 1990
13. 1978
14. 2001
15. 1999
16. 2004
17. 1998
18. 1985
19. 1997
20. 1995
21. 2002
22. 1991
23. 1996
24. 1989
25. 1982
26. 1977
27. 1981
28. 1993
29. 1994
30. 2000
31. 2008
32. 1980
33. 1976
34. 1992
35. 2009

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