Back to Basics (Part 2): Seattle Seahawks Madden 18 Franchise

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Seattle hopes that return to the nastiness in the trenches can spell Super Bowl success for team this season

The Seattle Seahawks made a clear effort this offseason to return to the form that saw this team go to back to back super bowls, and win a championship not that long ago. They brought in Eddie Lacy to be the brusing force that Marshawn Lynch once was in Seattle, and drafted down and dirty lineman Ethan Pocic, and Jordan Roos to get some of the nastiness back that old lineman of the past had under Tom Cable. Corner Shaq Griffin looks like a very nice addition to the Legion of Boom, and as for the front seven the gang is all still here with Avril, and Bennett leading the way from the edges. Seattle gets the benefit of the NFC West playing the AFC South this season, which may boost their record just a couple games over their NFC counterparts for a chance at home field advantages. Which has been Seattle's recipe for Super Bowl success in the past. While there are never any locks in the NFL, the Seahawks should rightfully be considered heavy favorites to take the NFC West, and head back to the playoffs this season. Here's a quick look at the Seahawks 2017 schedule

The Schedule

The Seahawks will enjoy three home prime time games this season, including a Monday night gem against the defending NFC Champion Atlanta Falcons. Two Sunday Night tilts against the Colts, and Eagles round up the home prime time schedule, and a Thursday night game against the Cardinals will be their only away prime time action this year. Other notable mashups are the season opener at Green Bay, and a Christmas Eve match-up with the Dallas Cowboys.

Seattle Seahawks 2017 Schedule
DATE	OPPONENT	RESULT
Sep 10	at Green Bay Packers
Sep 17	vs San Francisco 49ers
Sep 24	at Tennessee Titans
Oct 1	vs Indianapolis colts
Oct 8	at Los Angeles Rams
Oct 22	at New York Giants
Oct 29	vs Houston Texans
Nov 5	vs Washington Redskins
Nov 9	at Arizona Cardinals
Nov 20	vs Atlanta Falcons
Nov 26	at San Francisco 49ers
Dec 3	vs Philadelphia Eagles
Dec 10	at Jacksonville Jaguars
Dec 17	vs Los Angeles Rams
Dec 24	at Dallas Cowboys
Dec 31	vs Arizona Cardinals

The Roster

This is easily the deepest roster the Seahawks have had since their Superbowl seasons with a lot of veteran depth sprinkled in with hungry rookies. There are going to be some really tough cuts in the backfield and wide receiver corps, as well as in the defensive backfield. No doubt some players will be plucked off the practice squad as well, as unfortunately you just can't keep everyone. The preseason will be key for Seattle this year to stay healthy, and see who will come out of and make the final 53 man cut.

Seattle Seahawks
#	OFFENSE	POS	AGE	HT	WT	COLLEGE
73	Oday Aboushi	G/T	5	6-5	315	Virginia
89	Doug Baldwin	WR	7	5-10	192	Stanford
2	Trevone Boykin	QB	2	6-0	213	Texas Christian
68	Justin Britt	C	4	6-6	315	Missouri
32	Chris Carson	RB	R	6-0	218	Oklahoma State
36	Alex Collins	RB	2	5-10	210	Arkansas
84	Amara Darboh	WR	R	6-2	219	Michigan
4	Austin Davis	QB	6	6-2	221	Southern Mississippi
39	Mike Davis	RB	3	5-9	217	South Carolina
74	George Fant	T	2	6-5	322	Western Kentucky
63	Mark Glowinski	G	3	6-4	310	West Virginia
88	Jimmy Graham	TE	8	6-7	265	Miami
53	Joey Hunt	C	2	6-2	299	Texas Christian
76	Germain Ifedi	G/T	2	6-5	325	Texas A&M
78	Luke Joeckel	G/T	5	6-6	312	Texas A&M
15	Jermaine Kearse	WR	6	6-1	209	Washington
27	Eddie Lacy	RB	5	5-11	250	Alabama
11	Kenny Lawler	WR	2	6-2	203	California
16	Tyler Lockett	WR	3	5-10	182	Kansas State
19	Tanner McEvoy	WR	2	6-6	230	Wisconsin
14	J.D. McKissic	RB	2	5-10	195	Arkansas State
83	David Moore	WR	R	6-2	219	East Central (OK)
70	Rees Odhiambo	G/T	2	6-4	315	Boise State
79	Ethan Pocic	G/T	R	6-6	309	LSU
22	C.J. Prosise	RB	2	6-1	225	Notre Dame
34	Thomas Rawls	RB	3	5-9	215	Central Michigan
44	Marcel Reece	FB	10	6-1	235	Washington
10	Paul Richardson	WR	4	6-0	183	Colorado
64	Jordan Roos	G	R	6-3	302	Purdue
65	Justin Senior	T	R	6-5	329	Mississippi State
17	Rodney Smith	WR	5	6-5	225	Florida State
81	Nick Vannett	TE	2	6-5	261	Ohio State
18	Kasen Williams	WR	3	6-1	219	Washington
82	Luke Willson	TE	5	6-5	254	Rice
3	Russell Wilson	QB	6	5-11	215	Wisconsin
#	DEFENSE	POS	AGE	HT	WT	COLLEGE
58	D.J. Alexander	LB	3	6-2	233	Oregon State
56	Cliff Avril	DE	10	6-3	260	Purdue
47	David Bass	DE	5	6-4	267	Missouri Western State
72	Michael Bennett	DE	9	6-4	274	Texas A&M
5	Tramaine Brock	CB	8	5-10	197	Belhaven College
31	Kam Chancellor	SS	8	6-3	225	Virginia Tech
55	Frank Clark	DE	3	6-3	260	Michigan
43	Marcus Cromartie	FS	5	6-0	195	Wisconsin
28	Pierre Desir	CB	5	6-2	198	Lindenwood
21	DeAndre Elliott	CB	2	6-1	189	Colorado State
52	Terence Garvin	LB	5	6-3	235	West Virginia
26	Shaquill Griffin	CB	R	6-1	198	Central Florida
42	Delano Hill	SS	R	6-1	216	Michigan
99	Quinton Jefferson	DT	2	6-4	291	Maryland
92	Nazair Jones	DT	R	6-5	304	North Carolina
95	Dion Jordan	DE	3	6-6	275	Oregon
20	Jeremy Lane	CB	6	6-0	190	Northwestern State-Louisiana
91	Cassius Marsh	DE	4	6-4	245	UCLA
41	Dewey McDonald	LB	4	6-0	229	California (PA)
30	Bradley McDougald	FS	5	6-1	209	Kansas
94	Malik McDowell	DT	R	6-6	299	Michigan State
60	Greg Milhouse	DT	1	6-1	300	Campbell
57	Mike Morgan	LB	7	6-3	235	USC
90	Jarran Reed	DT	2	6-3	306	Alabama
77	Ahtyba Rubin	DT	10	6-2	310	Iowa State
35	DeShawn Shead	CB	6	6-2	212	Portland State
25	Richard Sherman	CB	7	6-3	195	Stanford
98	Garrison Smith	DT	4	6-1	295	Georgia
97	Marcus Smith II	DE	4	6-3	258	Louisville
29	Earl Thomas II	FS	8	5-10	202	Texas
33	Tedric Thompson	FS	R	6-1	204	Colorado
23	Neiko Thorpe	CB	5	6-1	210	Auburn
40	Mike Tyson	CB	R	6-1	207	Cincinnati
54	Bobby Wagner	LB	6	6-0	245	Utah State
57	Michael Wilhoite	LB	6	6-0	245	Washburn
50	K.J. Wright	LB	7	6-4	246	Mississippi State
#	SPECIAL TEAMS	POS	AGE	HT	WT	COLLEGE
69	Tyler Ott	LS	3	6-3	253	Harvard
9	Jon Ryan	P	12	6-0	217	Regina (Canada)
7	Blair Walsh	K	6	5-10	175	Georgia

How they stack up

The Seahawks start the season off third in our power rankings, behind the Superbowl Champion Patriots, and the #1 seed in the NFC last season the Dallas Cowboys.

2017 Preseason Power Rankings
RK (LW)	Team	Record	Next Game
1 ()	New England Patriots	14-2	Kansas City Chiefs
2 ()	Dallas Cowboys	13-3	New York Giants
3 ()	Seattle Seahawks	10-5-1	@ Green Bay Packers
4 ()	Pittsburgh Steelers	11-5	@ Cleveland Browns
5 ()	Tennessee Titans	9-7	Oakland Raiders
6 ()	Green Bay Packers	10-6	Seattle Seahawks
7 ()	Carolina Panthers	6-10	@ San Francisco 49ers
8 ()	Denver Broncos	9-7	Los Angeles Chargers
9 ()	Atlanta Falcons	11-5	@ Chicago Bears
10 ()	Washington Redskins	8-7-1	Philadelphia Eagles
11 ()	Philadelphia Eagles	7-9	@ Washington Redskins
12 ()	Kansas City Chiefs	12-4	@ New England Patriots
13 ()	Oakland Raiders	12-4	@ Tennessee Titans
14 ()	Detroit Lions	9-7	Arizona Cardinals
15 ()	New Orleans Saints	7-9	@ Minnesota Vikings
16 ()	Minnesota Vikings	8-8	New Orleans Saints
17 ()	Baltimore Ravens	8-8	@ Cincinnati Bengals
18 ()	New York Giants	11-5	@ Dallas Cowboys
19 ()	Jacksonville Jaguars	3-13	@ Houston Texans
20 ()	Arizona Cardinals	7-8-1	@ Detroit Lions
21 ()	Chicago Bears	3-13	Atlanta Falcons
22 ()	Los Angeles Chargers	5-11	@ Denver Broncos
23 ()	Miami Dolphins	10-6	Tampa bay Buccaneers
24 ()	Cincinnati Bengals	6-9-1	Baltimore Ravens
25 ()	Los Angeles Rams	4-12	Indianapolis Colts
26 ()	Houston Texans	9-7	Jacksonville Jaguars
27 ()	Buffalo Bills	7-9	New York Jets
28 ()	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	9-7	@ Miami Dolphins
29 ()	Cleveland Browns	1-15	Pittsburgh Steelers
30 ()	Indianapolis Colts	8-8	@ Los Angeles Rams
31 ()	San Francisco 49ers	2-14	Carolina Panthers
32 ()	New York Jets	5-11	@ Buffalo Bills