Have the Seattle Seahawks lost their intimidation factor at home?
Have the Seattle Seahawks lost their intimidation factor at home?
By Levi Coovert November 08, 2024 17:40
After the Seahawks' latest loss at home, the team has fallen to a 15-16 record in their past 31 games at Seattle. The recent cold stretch, which includes home losses to the Rams, Bills and Giants, has caused some fans to ask the question, has Lumen Field lost its intimidation? Do the Seahawks even have a home-field advantage anymore?
Seattle was once known as one of the most difficult places to play in the NFL. The Seahawks were known for having a home-field advantage, fueled by their fans, known as the 12th man. The 12th man’s ability to create chaos through noise got in the head of opposing offenses, causing them to make mistakes such as false starts and delay of game. Miscommunication was known as a commonality for road teams in Seattle, which is what helped the Seahawks to dominate on their home turf.
However, the Seahawks have slipped into mediocrity in the past few seasons, and as their overall record has declined, so have their win totals at home. In their past 31 home games (dating back to 2020), the Hawks are 15-16 at Lumen Field.
So what happened? Has the 12th man stopped showing up to games? Some seem to believe that could be the case, as Geno Smith mentioned that the recent loss to the Bills “felt like a road game.”
Could it be that season-ticket holders have decided it’s financially smart to sell their tickets, especially in tough games that the Seahawks probably won’t win anyways? Perhaps there is some truth to that claim. When the Seahawks were consistently winning the division and making the playoffs, the 12th man could always be counted on to show up and support the team. But with the team mediocre, the 12th man might be less enthusiastic.
Still, it begs the question. Are the Seahawks not playing well at home because they are not a good team, or are the Seahawks not a good team because they are not playing well at home? That question is a bit of a paradox and one that it will likely take more time to decipher the answer to. For now, the Seahawks should stop worrying about the crowd size and focus on improving, and the 12th man should do their best to show up to games.