“The best way to kick off my appearance for the season is without a shirt on. I’m in a little bit better shape, right?”

If you’re a fan of Seahawks fullback Michael Robinson’s “The Real Rob Report” then it should be a pretty easy guess as to who’s behind that lighthearted quote that helps kick off his newest episode.

If you’re not yet a fan of the show, it’s about time you get in on all of the behind-the-scenes Seahawks goodness.

Robinson’s latest chapter features a look in at Phase 2 of the Seahawks’ offseason program at Virginia Mason Athletic Center. The familiar faces of Russell Wilson, Earl Thomas, Kam Chancellor, Brandon Browner, Winston Guy, John Moffitt, Max Unger, Josh Portis, Jermaine Kearse, and Phil Bates are all included, as well as the first “Real Rob Report” introductions with newcomers Percy Harvin, Cliff Avril, and Michael Bennett.

Remember, you can stay up to date on everything from the Real Mike Rob by following his show on Twitter and subscribing to his channel on YouTube. And be sure to check out Moffitt’s venture into the apparel business at moffittmerch.com, where like he said in the video above – he’s not “lining his pockets” with the proceeds – they help feed the homeless at Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission.

Thanks again for all the orders and support of the #seattle homeless! Be watching your mailboxes this week! #MoffittMerch is coming!—
Moffitt Merch (@MoffittMerch) May 08, 2013

Fullback Michael Robinson and Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Roddy White let bygones be bygones – sort of – in the latest episode of The Real Rob Report.

Robinson gets an exclusive one-on-one interview with the Falcons playmaker who snagged five catches for 76 yards and a touchdown against the Seahawks in last season’s NFC divisional playoff at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

The two sit down at Fischer Sports in Phoenix, Arizona and reminisce about last year’s postseason, get White’s take on who is the best cornerback in the League (sorry, Richard Sherman), talk about the game’s top receivers, the current state of the NFC, the recent changes to player safety, and their feelings toward NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

Fear not, 12th Man. This episode isn’t completely centered on the Falcons wideout. There’s a full two minutes worth of comic relief from Seahawks guard John Moffitt at the interview’s intermission.

This is what you’ve all been waiting for, right?

Fullback Michael Robinson brings an inside look at the Seahawks’ offseason workout rallied late last week by quarterback Russell Wilson at “The Yard” Fitness Center in Hermosa Beach, California.

Robinson’s latest “Real Rob Report” rendition features face time with Wilson, wide receivers Doug Baldwin, Sidney Rice, and Jermaine Kearse, running back Robert Turbin, and new 6-foot-7, 281-pound former professional basketball-playing tight end Darren Fells.

With most of the club back at Virginia Mason Athletic Center this week and for the foreseeable future participating in the team’s Offseason Program, we can only expect more from the Real Mike Rob. Stay tuned.

When it comes to getting inside the mind of running back Marshawn Lynch, he’s usually content with letting his play do the talking for him.

And why not? After all, the relentless “Beast Mode” back has been the focal point of the Seahawks’ offense the last three seasons. He’s piled up 3,367 yards rushing and 29 touchdowns since joining the club in a trade with the Buffalo Bills on October 5, 2010, and over the course of 2012 when much of the media’s attention was on the impressive play of rookie quarterback Russell Wilson, Lynch “quietly” put together a career-year – 1,590 rushing yards (third in the NFL, third-best total in club history) and 10 100-yard games.

“He’s a silent assassin,” Wilson said of Lynch’s play style in September of last season. “He doesn’t say too much, you can tell that he’s lasered in and focused.”

That’s just the way Lynch likes it. He’s not one to seek out the media spotlight, especially not after a notable individual effort, performance, or milestone. In fact, it’s usually after the tough days on the ground or as a team when Lynch will weigh in.

Even fullback Michael Robinson, who spends a great deal of time both on and off the field with Lynch, and whose locker sits adjacent to his at Virginia Mason Athletic Center and at CenturyLink Field, has trouble getting the Pro Bowl back to open up on his own show, “The Real Rob Report” – where Robinson himself is the one asking the questions and operating the camera. Lynch has been so reluctant to open up on “The Real Rob Report”, that Robinson has created an entire segment of the show based on the antics of their on-camera relationship, aptly titled, “Messin with Marshawn.”

In his spare time this offseason, Robinson has compiled “The Best of Messin with Marshawn” from throughout the 2012 campaign. Hopefully the video will hold you over until Seahawks players report for Phase 1 of the Offseason Program next week (April 15), when we expect Robinson will be back at VMAC with his video camera, right back in the face of the “silent assassin” Lynch – regardless of however much Lynch may or may not like it.

Fullback Michael Robinson took a break from his scheduled programming visits at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Conn. to sit down for a fan chat with ESPN’s Sportsnation. If you missed it, we’ve highlighted a few excerpts below and you can view the chat log in its entirety here.

Blake (Phoenix, AZ ): How do you think Russell Wilson will approach next season. And I’m a huge fan of the RealRobReport my brotha

Robinson: I talk to him all of the time. I think he’ll be the same Russell. He’ll prepare the same. He’s on a quest for greatness, which is good. It’s good he’s on our team. He’s on a quest for greatness and he’s looking just to get better every day. We expect that.

CD (Virginia): Mike, my favorite PSU QB of all time. Can you share some of the things you learned from Joe-Pa that have helped you the most?

Robinson: Taking care of the little things and the big things take care of themselves. One other thing I learned was that there are issues in life, things in life that are bigger than football. Football can not be your life, there has to be more substance to you. Learning that from Joe has helped me develop a career outside of football.

Chirs (DC): What made you decide to do a web show instead of a radio or TV show?

Robinson: Web show is free, that’s first and foremost. I didn’t have a studio that I couldn’t set up for radio. I think video would keep going. Actually going to TV, you have to have somebody pick you up. I tried to pitch the idea to some people and I wasn’t able to have the creative control that I have now. I’m able to choose the content that I put out. The Real Rob Report is not about controversy, it’s about what the players want to put out. We ask the guests what they want to talk about, because we’re about the players.

Jeff (Miami): How long does it take for you to put together one episode?

Robinson: Usually it takes me about two days to turn it around.

P.J. (Norman, Oklahoma): Hey Michael…Do you think that the diminished role and sometimes absence of a fullback in the college game has not only made the ground game suffer collegiately, but also at the professional level?

Robinson: I think some, a little bit. I don’t think the fullback position is necessarily going away, it’s just evolving. It’s going through an transition period, similar to what OLBs did in the 80s, like TEs are now. You have your traditional FBs. Guys like myself and guys like Delanie Walker, who is more like a TE, we can be used out of the backfield as well as catching balls. But we can also run the ball. That’s the role now, being more versatile.

Kyle (Denver): Is it easier to get guys to come on your show, because you’re a player just like them?

Robinson: Yes, it is easier. And they know that I’m not in it to look for a negative story. The Real Rob Report is a show that the players can get their stories out, their news out. It’s a vehicle for players to talk about certain issues.

Alex (Pittsburgh, PA): Hey Mike, big fan of yours back from the Penn State days. How do you feel about QBs like yourself that get converted to other positions? Do you still feel like you could play QB if the situation arose?

Robinson: Of course! That’s never going to go anywhere. It’s like riding a bike. It depends on what you want. If you’re like Tim Tebow or Troy Smith and QB is what I have to play, then follow your heart. You have to go through practice. I wanted to be an NFL player, not an NFL QB. You have to be a football player first. The more I could do, the more value I could add to a team. I was very lucky that SF stuck with me while I was trying to figure out what position I could play.

JohnnieV (Las Vegas): What athlete was your favorite to interview?

Robinson: Oooh….I would have to say Richard Sherman. Very candid. Honest. He doesn’t hold his tongue for anybody.

Jordan (Oakland, CA): How is it working with Beastmode at his annual Family First Football Camp?

Robinson: Oh man, it’s great. I love Oakland. I’m from Richmond, but I love Oakland. That football camp, I’m a lifer. I’ll go as long as he has that camp going. Great kids. Great competition. Great coaches around. They’re really concerned about what’s best for these kids.

Robinson: Thanks for the support. Keep watching the Real Rob Report, a show by athletes for the fans. Go Seeeeeeeaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaawks!

If you’re watching one of the ESPN channels today, the chances are pretty good that you’ll see Michael Robinson at some point.

The Seahawks’ fullback and special teams co-captain is a guest at the cable network’s campus in Bristol, Conn., and scheduled to appear on SportsCenter and other ESPN shows. Robinson would like to work in broadcasting when his NFL career is over and already is carving out a niche audience with his Real Rob Report that takes viewers behind the scenes with the Seahawks.

Here is Robinson’s schedule for today (all times PST):

7-9 a.m. – First Take, ESPN2

12:30-1 p.m. – Dan LeBatard is Highly Questionable, ESPN2

1-4 p.m. – Coach and Company, ESPN Radio

1-2 p.m. – NFL Live, ESPN

2-3 p.m. – NFL32, ESPN2

9-10 p.m. – Unite, ESPNU

Fresh File Ep. 2: Check it out!
youtube.com/watch?v=amNSsN…—
Dbfresh (@DougBaldwinJr) February 12, 2013

Seahawks fullback Michael Robinson isn’t the only one who knows his way around a video camera.

Perhaps influenced by Robinson’s accomplishments on The Real Rob Report, wide receiver Doug Baldwin has also taken to the art of video production in his spare time this offseason, generating short video blogs he dubs The Fresh Files – a complement to his Twitter display name: Dbfresh.

Like The Real Rob Report,  The Fresh Files is made by the player and for the fans, as Baldwin takes requests and comments from his newly-created Facebook page into account when creating his videos. In his most recent video (featured above) Baldwin took the time to answer fan-generated questions that users submitted to his Facebook page, including “How are you and the wide receiver core looking to improve in 2013?”, “Have you ever asked another player for an autograph?”, and “Do you take a break during the offseason, or do you continue to train?”

And although he’s just 24-years-old and heading into his third season, Baldwin has life after football in mind with his latest endeavor.

“My intention is just to diversify my resume,” Baldwin said of The Fresh Files. “I wouldn’t mind doing some analysis after football, so I’m just setting it up that way.”

The Stanford alum and Seahawks’ 2011 leading receiver says he has hopes of running The Fresh Files on a weekly basis throughout the offseason, so be sure to stay socially connected to Baldwin and keep an eye on this blog for the latest from No. 89.

Good morning, and here’s what’s “out there” about the Seahawks for today, December 18.

Yesterday afternoon the Seahawks made a practice squad roster move, releasing rookie wide receiver Lavasier Tuinei and adding rookie defensive end Monte Taylor.

Danny O’Neil of the Seattle Times outlines the Seahawks postseason hopes heading into Sunday night’s game against the San Francisco 49ers, “While Seattle is one victory away from clinching a playoff berth, Carroll said it’s not something he plans to hold out as a carrot heading into this week’s game against the division-leading San Francisco 49ers. ‘We’ve got another game after that one, too,’ Carroll said. ‘There’s still a lot of work to be done.’ And a wide range of postseason possibilities. Seattle has control of its own playoff fate, and still has a longshot chance of winning the NFC West. Earning a first-round bye isn’t impossible.”

O’Neil also has notes on the Seahawks injury situations a day after the club’s 50-17 win over the Buffalo Bills, “The Seahawks don’t expect to have cornerbacks Walter Thurmond nor Marcus Trufant practicing when the team returns to work on Wednesday. Seahawks coach Pete Carroll is still holding out hope that they might return from hamstring injuries and be available for the game Sunday night against San Francisco. … Defensive tackle Alan Branch left Sunday’s game with an ankle injury, which the Seahawks are hoping doesn’t turn out to be as severe as initially feared. … Kicker Steven Hauschka appeared to be limping after a kickoff in Sunday’s game, but Carroll said he’s fine.”

Dave Boling of the Tacoma News Tribune has an early preview of the Seahawks Sunday night matchup with the Niners, “Sunday’s game actually makes a broader statement than Carroll suggests, because this is a head-to-head duel for dominance in the division. Since the 2011 season, the Niners have played the role of the big brother who beats you in driveway basketball and then rubs it in every night at the family dinner table. They’ve taken four straight from the Seahawks, and last season made it to the NFC Championship game while the Seahawks stayed home and watched.  An added degree of difficultly is that San Francisco isn’t just the divisional bully; the Niners now are at the top of many of the NFL power rankings. So, for the Seahawks to be the best in the division, they have to beat the best in the league. With a 9-5 record, with a three-game winning streak, with a presumptive franchise quarterback in place, an offense clicking at record levels, and a defense remembering how to force turnovers, the Seahawks have worked themselves into the position of being a worthy nemesis to the Niners.”

John Boyle of the Everett Herald breaks down quarterback Russell Wilson’s nine rushes that went for 92 yards and three touchdowns in Sunday’s win over the Bills, “Wilson’s runs, one through nine, ended in these outcomes — ran out of bounds, scored, ran out of bounds, scored, slid, scored, ran out of bounds, ran out of bounds, and slipped before being touched down by a defender. Nine carries, no hits. That, more than Wilson’s athleticism, more than his ability to read a defense, is why what the Seahawks are doing with the zone-read option is sustainable. In Washington, Robert Griffin III is undoubtedly one of the most exciting players in the NFL, but the Redskins’ quarterback has had a concussion and a knee injury in his rookie season. Wilson? He’s barely been hit, and he almost never takes contact when rushing the ball. ‘It’s hugely important,’ Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said. ‘It’s part of us trusting to continue to work it. He knows the necessity of getting out of those plays without taking the big hit. He shouldn’t pull the ball unless he’s got a lot of space. He didn’t get it right every time, but it’s really important for the longevity of that aspect of the offense. I love when he runs it out of bounds, makes six or seven yard, and then gets out and gets down on the ground when he has to.’ “

Tim Booth of the Associated Press looks ahead to the game against the Niners and showcases the impact of the Seahawks’ zone-read, “The zone-read was added to the run game, allowing Wilson the ability to keep and use his athleticism or handoff to Marshawn Lynch. That little wrinkle has paid off especially the past three weeks. Wilson ran for 71 yards in Seattle’s overtime win at Chicago three weeks ago – then a Seattle team record – then rushed for 92 yards and three touchdowns in Sunday’s win over Buffalo. At the same time, the holes have become larger for Lynch because the defense must now respect Wilson as a runner. In his past two games, Lynch has just 21 carries, but rushed for 241 yards, four touchdowns and averaged 11.5 yards per carry. Through the first 11 games, Lynch had 19 runs of 10 or more yards. In the past three games, he has 14. Wilson has vaulted up to third in the league in yards rushing among quarterbacks with a franchise single-season record 402 yards. ‘It all fits together. The problems that are presented with the quarterback runs make for some opportunities,’ Carroll said. ‘… What’s really exciting is what we’re doing up front too with the blocking and figuring out the schemes and reading well and taking advantage of the looks.’ “

Bob Stelton and Dave Grosby of 710 AM ESPN Seattle’s “Bob and Groz” discuss rookie sack-leader Bruce Irvin’s impact along the defensive line in this short video.

Brock Huard and Mike Salk of 710 AM ESPN Seattle’s “Brock and Salk” talk about the Seahawks identity as a club in this short video.

Curtis Crabtree of 950 KJR AM has his report from Monday, detailing playoff scenarios and injury updates.

Mike Sando of ESPN.com has his latest “Stock Watch“, noting the rise of the rookie quarterback Wilson, “Wilson’s stock was already high, but he earned a spot atop the list with a record-setting performance during Seattle’s 50-17 victory over Buffalo. Wilson became the first player in NFL history to provide three rushing touchdowns and one passing touchdown in a first half. His Total QBR score for the game was 99.3, the highest qualifying single-game score in the NFL this season.”

Sando compares Wilson’s and fellow rookie quarterback Andrew Luck’s stats against the same eight opponents here, and compares Wilson’s and Griffin III’s stats against the same four opponents here.

Here at Seahawks.com Clare Farnsworth recaps the activities surrounding “Monday in Hawkville” and has a look at what worked and what needs work after Sunday’s game against the Bills in his “Monday Metatarsal Musings.”

Farnsworth and Tony Ventrella review the Seahawks victory over the Bills in this short video.

Ventrella has his “Seahawks Daily“, rehashing coach Carroll’s Monday press conference.

We have coach Carroll’s full video press conference from Monday available for you here and you can relive several big play calls from Sunday’s win over the Bills from radio play-by-play man Steve Raible in this audio clip.

We leave you with fullback Michael Robinson’s latest episode of “The Real Rob Report”:

Danny O’Neil has his game recap from yesterday, calling the outcome the most “puzzling” of Seattle’s four losses this year, “This was the most puzzling of Seattle’s four losses this season. The Seahawks showed significant improvement in a passing game that has been the team’s chronic weakness, only to lose because of the defense that has been the team’s biggest strength. ‘We’ve got to play better,’ defensive end Chris Clemons said. ‘That goes for each and every individual on the defense.’ The defense had not allowed more than two touchdowns in any game this season. Not only did Detroit score four on Sunday, the Lions converted 12 of their 16 third downs, the highest percentage by any Seahawks opponent since December 2004. There were plenty of mistakes by Seattle, from the way it frittered away a field-goal opportunity at the end of the first half to wasting a timeout on a replay challenge in the third quarter, but this game was lost because Seattle’s defense couldn’t close out Detroit like it did the Panthers and the Patriots.”

O’Neil notes that while the Seahawks did a good job shutting down Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson, they let Titus Young do the damage, “After a week in which the focus was on everything from Calvin Johnson’s size, at 6 feet 5, to his Transformers nickname, the Lions’ leading receiver caught as many passes (three) as he allowed to bounce off his hands. ‘You see his numbers,’ cornerback Richard Sherman said. ‘They speak for themselves. He was a non-factor.’ Instead, it was Titus Young, the Lions’ second-year receiver from Boise State, who caught nine passes, including two touchdowns. His 46-yard touchdown in the second quarter matched the longest scoring pass allowed by Seattle this season, and his 1-yard catch in the fourth quarter turned out to be the game-winner. As for all the attention on Johnson before the game? ‘We can’t emphasize on one guy so much,’ Seahawks corner Brandon Browner said. ‘I thought we’d match up well against him.’ “

O’Neil believes that despite the loss the Seahawks’ passing game took a major step forward, “Wilson attempted 35 passes, his most in any game this season. He threw for 236 yards, two touchdowns and his quarterback rating of 96.8 was his highest in five road games this season. He was 6-for-8 passing on Seattle’s final touchdown drive, which covered 87 yards and would have been hailed as a potential turning point if Seattle had not gone on to lose. ‘I definitely believe we can do that consistently,’ Wilson said. ‘We have the time in terms of the offensive line blocking and doing a great job of giving me enough time to make decisions.’ “

O’Neil also names the Lions’ Stafford and Young his players of the game in his “2-minute drill.”

Steve Kelley of the Seattle Times says this time the loss is on the shoulders of the defense, “This shouldn’t have happened. It was alarming to watch the Lions move the ball coast-to-coast so easily. ‘Definitely, we always want the game on our shoulders,’ cornerback Richard Sherman said after the 28-24 loss Sunday that dropped the Seahawks’ record to 4-4. ‘But this was one of those times that we didn’t pull it out. This was an opportunity we let get away.’ “

Eric Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune has his game recap from Sunday’s 28-24 loss to the Lions, “While Seattle’s defense has played well this season – at times looking dominant – some of the team’s struggles on that side of the ball had previously been overshadowed by the Seahawks’ inability to move the ball on offense. That wasn’t the case Sunday. The Seahawks allowed Detroit to convert an embarrassing 12 out of 16 third-down plays into first downs. Seattle’s defense was ranked No. 5 in the league in yardage allowed heading into the game, but the Seahawks have given up over 400 yards of offense in two of their past three contests. ‘Every one of those guys on defense knows the game was ours to win,’ Seattle coach Pete Carroll said. ‘They thought they had to do what they had to do, ‘Let’s go get our stop and get out of here,’ and it didn’t happen.’ “

Williams also looks at the play of the Lions’ Young and Seahawks’ defensive backs, “While Seattle did a nice job containing ‘Megatron,’ he wound up serving as a diversion while Detroit’s other receivers broke loose against the Seahawks. Young finished with a game-high nine catches for 100 yards and two touchdowns. Tight end Brandon Pettigrew totaled seven catches for 74 yards. And rookie Ryan Broyles finished with three catches for 37 yards, including a 6-yard touchdown. ‘I thought before the game even started we were going to do OK against him,’ Browner said. ‘But it’s the other guys that got off. We can’t focus on one player, because we tend to forget that they’ve got stars like Titus Young. … I thought we would match up well with him. He’s a big guy. We’re big guys. It’s the little guys that we’ll have problems with, because they can get in and out of breaks faster than we do.’ “

John McGrath of the Tacoma News Tribune critiques the play of the Seahawks defense, “An elite defense, with nine full days of rest, doesn’t surrender 415 yards to a team forced into a short work week after appearing on Monday Night Football. That stat – 415 yards surrendered – isn’t an aberration, merely the continuation of a three-week pattern for the Seahawks, who were torched for 475 yards by New England and then 313 yards by San Francisco. Since holding each of their first five opponents under 300 yards, the Seahawks are allowing an average of 401 per game in the past three.”

Mike Salk of 710Sports.com says the Seahawks’ loss casts a doubt on what has been rock-solid play of the defense, “The difference is that Sunday’s 28-24 loss in Detroit cast doubt upon the one rock-solid principal on which our faith in the Seahawks was based: the defense. More specifically, the defense on third down. The Lions converted 12 of their 16 third-down opportunities. For those of you out of practice with elementary school mathematics, that is 75 percent. It also means the Seahawks defense had 12 opportunities to get off the field but failed to finish. On those 12 plays, they gave up an average of 10.5 yards. Three of those 12 plays ended with the ball in the end zone. One of them was the winning score. If they had stopped just one of the three third-down plays on the final drive, they would likely have won the game (or forced overtime). The Seahawks’ third down defense has not been a problem of this magnitude yet this season, but it has not been stellar, either. They get off the field just 38.5 percent of the time (16th in the NFL) and the problem has raised its ugly head in important spots in three of their four losses.”

The staff at SportsPressNW.com has their game recap from Sunday.

Mike Sando of ESPN.com has his wrap-up following Sunday’s Seahawks-Lions game, “What I liked: Wilson and the offense converted on third-and-10 and fourth-and-short during the go-ahead scoring drive in the fourth quarter. Receiver Sidney Rice and tight end Zach Miller caught scoring passes. Marshawn Lynch’s 77-yard touchdown run was the Seahawks’ longest since Shaun Alexander had an 88-yarder at Arizona. The run allowed Lynch to top 100 yards rushing even though the ground game wasn’t consistently strong for Seattle, a bit of a surprise. Seattle shut out Calvin Johnson in the first half and prevented him from emerging as a dominant threat. Jackson couldn’t handle the potential go-ahead scoring pass in the final minutes. Earl Thomas picked off a pass deep in Seahawks territory to ward off a Lions scoring chance.”

Sando details several silver linings from yesterday’s loss, “Rookie quarterback Russell Wilson led a 12-play, 87-yard drive to the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter. Wilson completed 25 of 35 passes for 236 yards with two touchdowns and no sacks. His Total QBR score (93.7 out of 100) trailed only those for Tom Brady (98.4) and Matt Ryan (95.7) through the afternoon games Sunday. This was Wilson’s best NFL performance in a road game, and perhaps overall.”

For a look around the League, Peter King of SI.com has his “Monday Morning Quarterback.”

Here at Seahawks.com Clare Farnsworth recaps the 28-24 setback, and names Stafford his player of the game in his game at a glance.

Tony Ventrella brings postgame reaction from safety Earl Thomas, quarterback Russell Wilson and coach Carroll is his game recap.

We have complete game highlights from yesterday here, and highlights with a focus on Wilson here.

We bring you Carroll and Wilson‘s full postgame press conferences.

Our team photographer Rod Mar has a look at Week 8 in photos here.

And finally, fullback Michael Robinson shares his latest episode of “The Real Rob Report”, which was shot the week prior to the team’s game against the Lions:

Danny O’Neil of the Seattle Times says the Seahawks have struggled playing against teams built in a similar style as they are, “This Seahawks team — with its run-heavy approach and rookie quarterback — figured to have trouble keeping up with the high-fliers like Green Bay and New England. The reality has been the exact opposite. It’s the low-scoring affairs against similarly conservative attacks that have highlighted the Seahawks’ offensive inadequacies. Seattle has played four teams currently ranked among the league’s top 10 defenses in terms of yards allowed. The Seahawks are 1-3 in those games. All three of those defeats have come on the road, but the sites of those games might not explain everything. The Seahawks have beaten the Packers, who led the league in scoring a year ago. They have defeated the Patriots, who are the league’s top offense this year. They held Dallas — which is No. 6 in total yards this year — without a point in the second half, and they have lost to both Arizona and St. Louis, who like Seattle rank among the league’s five worst offenses.”

O’Neil also has a look at what we learned and what we’re still trying to figure out after last Thursday’s defeat at San Francisco, “You can’t take Wilson’s passing numbers at face value.
Well, 9-for-23 passing may not get it done, but how about 14-for-23? Does that sound better? Because Wilson had some passes that couldn’t have been thrown any better and should have resulted in big gains that were flat-out dropped. Wilson played very well in the first half, and if tight end Evan Moore, receiver Golden Tate and running back Robert Turbin catch balls that hit them in the hands in the first two quarters, Seattle’s lead would have been larger than 6-3 at halftime.”

Eric Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune says the Seahawks’ mini-break in their schedule after Thursday night’s game is a good chance for them to catch a mid-season breather, “Most players are using the three days off to get in a mini-vacation or reconnect with family and friends. After that matchup with the Lions, Seattle will settle into a second-half schedule that includes home games against Minnesota and the New York Jets before a bye in Week 11, the latest Seattle has had a bye week since 2000. While Seattle finishes with five of its last eight games at home, they also face a potentially more difficult schedule. Seattle’s final nine opponents have a combined record of 31-22 (58.5 percent). The Seahawks’ first seven opponents have a combined record of 21-20 (51.2 winning percentage).”

Williams also highlights linebacker and special teams co-captain Heath Farwell, who has proven to be the team’s most productive special teams player, “Through seven games, Heath Farwell leads in special-teams tackles with eight. Farwell also led the NFL in special-teams tackles last season with 21, which was more impressive because he joined the Seahawks as an unrestricted free agent last October, five games into the season. ‘I’m definitely not the fastest guy down there – that’s (Byron) Maxwell or (Chris) Maragos,’ Farwell said with a laugh. ‘But you’ve got to have instincts, too. I’ve got those guys running down in front of me, and I kind of play off of them. And they make a lot of stuff happen that allows me to make tackles.’ “

Dave Wyman, writing for mynorthwest.com, says you shouldn’t feel too bad about the Seahawks’ 4-3 record, “How bad should a 4-3 record feel? When you’re third loss came on the road, in a short week and against a top-five team, not that bad. Going 0-3 in the division and not beating the Cardinals or Rams on the road should feel bad. But it should feel awfully good that you did beat the Cowboys, Packers and Patriots at home. The CenturyLink Field advantage is back and I’d say that if the Seahawks could win two more road games and only lose once at home, 10-6 looks pretty good. I’ll take my chances with that record at the end of the season. Too bad the Seahawks aren’t in the AFC, where just two of the 16 teams are above .500. Here’s what else to not feel bad about: Seattle’s three losses were by a total of 17 points. In 2010, Carroll’s first season as the Seahawks’ coach, they were also 4-3 after seven games. But their three losses were by a total of 64 points. That year, the Seahawks’ average margin of defeat was a league-worst 21 points.”

Brady Henderson of mynorthwest.com revisits Russell Wilson’s performance following Thursday’s game against the 49ers, “It was safe to assume Wilson wouldn’t complete as many deep throws against the 49ers as he did against the Patriots. He didn’t, but he would have had more success on such throws had it not been for some drops. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Wilson was 20 of 35 with five touchdowns and three interceptions on passes traveling more than 15 yards downfield entering Thursday, but he went just 2 of 8 with an interception against San Francisco. Tight end Evan Moore and receiver Golden Tate each dropped a pass on one of those attempts. Tate had a second drop, while running backs Robert Turbin and Marshawn Lynch dropped passes as well. Turbin might have scored had he caught his pass.”

Tim Booth of the Associated Press notes there were other problems than Wilson’s performance and the drops by the wide receivers in last Thursday’s loss to the Niners, “Seattle’s run defense allowed an opponent to top 100 total yards rushing for the first time this season. Gore’s 131 yards were the most by an individual rusher against the Seahawks since Dallas’ DeMarco Murray ran for 139 yards in Week 9 of last season, a span of 14 games. … The fact Seattle held San Francisco to just 13 points and still felt the night was a defensive disappointment exemplifies the standard to which Carroll holds the Seahawks. ‘It was a heck of a night by our defense, but I’m still frustrated that we didn’t stop a couple of things. If we stop a couple of things, the game doesn’t go like that. Now, it still was going to be close because we didn’t score much, but we need to play better in the running game,’ Carroll said.”

Mike Sando of ESPN.com says the  Seahawks have nine weeks to figure out what went wrong in their Week 7 loss to the 49ers before a Week 16 re-match in Seattle.

Amy Brachmann of ESPN The Magazine catches up with Wilson and asks the rookie quarterback a few off-beat questions, “What is the most embarrassing music you have to admit you listen to? There’s some *NSYNC and Backstreet Boys on my iPod. I listen to it if it comes up on shuffle. What is your guilty pleasure? Milk chocolate with caramel. What is your most irrational fear? Jumping out of a plane. I could never do that.”

For a complete look around the weekend in the NFL Peter King of SI.com has his Monday Morning Quarterback column.

Here at Seahawks.com Clare Farnsworth uses the short player break after Thursday night to catch up with a couple former Seahawks – Dan Doornink and Jeff West.

Seahawks fan Chuck McGowan has his “12th Fan View” update after the Seahawks’ Week 6 victory over the New England Patriots.

Lastly, we leave you with fullback Michael Robinson’s latest episode of the Real Rob Report, which was shot prior to last Thursday’s game in San Francisco: