Did you think the Seahawks would lose to the Niners? If yes, why fire Pete Carroll?

Was anyone surprised that the Seahawks lost yet again to the 49ers? Anyone, I mean, really?

Apparently, yes. I was scrolling through Twitter or X or whatever you want to call it when I noticed rumblings from ostensible football gurus who believe it’s time for a coaching change in Seattle. Pete Carroll’s time has come and gone.

We appreciate everything he’s done, including winning the franchise’s first and only Super Bowl, but he’s old, the game has passed him by, and the Seahawks must start over because the culture and record must change. Unless I’m mistaken, the Seahawks played with a backup quarterback and lost on the road against the league’s greatest team.

If they had lost at home to Carolina with their starting quarterback on the field, you could complain all you want about Carroll. That seems reasonable after your coach loses four games in a row for the first time in his 14 years in Seattle.

To be sure, the game against the Rams that started the losing streak should have been prevented. But what about the last three games against Dallas and two against the 49ers? Remember, they came close to beating Dallas on the road, and the Cowboys haven’t lost at home since September of last year.

And, predictably, everyone was blaming offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, who reportedly messed up big time by becoming too conservative as the game progressed after backup QB Drew Lock pushed it down the field magnificently on the first drive.

They’re the same individuals who would have complained if Waldron’s playbook had too many vertical throws, which may have resulted in more interceptions than Lock’s two, not to mention more sacks than his four.

I’d agree with criticizing defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt, whose squad gave up 527 yards and 9.9 yards per play to the 49ers, continuing a season-long trend of poor play on that side of the ball. Following the 49ers game, the Seahawks’ defense ranked 28th out of 32 teams in total defense.

Lock started his first game since 2021, going 22 of 31 for 269 yards and two touchdowns. According to Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic, his passer rating of 133.7 was higher than any of Geno Smith’s four outings versus the 49ers. Lock was more than capable and deserves credit for stepping in at the last minute. With a groin ailment, Smith was a game-time decision.

Count me in if someone on social media wants to start a quarterback debate. whether Geno isn’t the franchise quarterback of the future, let’s see whether Lock is, and if he isn’t, it’s time to rethink the draft position. Why would you replace Smith, assuming he’s healthy, after one of his best games of the season in Dallas?

Especially because the Seahawks still have a chance to make the playoffs? Those are valid questions. But who believes the Seahawks can win the Super Bowl if they make the playoffs as a wild-card team? If you’re insane, you’d tell me that, aside from San Francisco, Dallas, and possibly Philadelphia, the NFC has a slew of playoff contenders, some of whom will appear and vanish in the postseason.

Could these imposters go hot as the Diamondbacks did in the MLB playoffs to reach the World Series? Unlikely, and with the Seahawks, it extends the mind to the point of fantasy.

They’re almost certain to dupe us in the end. Even if they lose to the Eagles next Monday night, they’ll come back with wins over the Titans, Steelers, and Cardinals to complete the season at 9-8 and capture the seventh and last playoff place, as they did last year.

Hopes will be dashed shortly after when it becomes clear that the Seahawks are simply a playoff team in name. As bizarre as it seems, the Seahawks would be better off finishing the season with an eight-game losing streak and improving their draft position.

In the meantime, may the axe-wielders refrain from making chopping-block demands to fire Carroll? Let’s watch how this plays out over the next four weeks before demanding that the best coach in Seahawks history be fired.