NFL Power Rankings: Steelers rise and Texans fall flat in July

5. Seattle Seahawks (finished 6)

What I said at the end of last season:

"The Seahawks added Marshawn Lynch this past week, a move to me that smelled like desperation. However, after seeing him slowly get his legs under him on Sunday night, it is easy to see why there was some appeal. Defensively, I don’t think this Seahawks team holds a candle to any of the playoff teams that we have seen in past years. The linebackers are solid and Jadeveon Clowney has flashed potential as a game wrecker, but the success of this team is going to come on the back of the offense. Titans rookie A.J. Brown is the crown jewel of this rookie class, but D.K. Metcalf needs to be mentioned as one of the more impressive rookies as well. He has become a great redzone target and deep threat for the Seahawks and while he isn’t a polished player who can do anything you ask, he doesn’t have to be. Russell Wilson is this offense and he has made it work even when he isn’t getting help from his skill position players, but as we get closer to the playoffs I want to say that I am cautiously optimistic that the guys around him will step up."

Looking back:

The Seattle Seahawks are so strange because when you watch their games Russell Wilson spends a lot of time making up for bad play around him. Generally, the culprit is the offensive line, but also the group of running backs this team has really don’t do anything to help out their offense either.

D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett are going to be a really fun duo, and the defense has the potential to be very exciting even though they have nothing at DL or EDGE that scares anyone. Is that enough to make the playoffs in one of the toughest divisions in the NFL? I think so, but any time you are the 2nd best team in your division you have to get a little bit nervous.