The Playoffs Will Be Worse Without the Seahawks

This is one of those strange situations when the better team won, but the quality of the competition is worse because of it. The Dallas Cowboys advanced in the NFC playoffs. No one but Dallas benefited from the win. That sounds intuitive and obvious. Let me explain.

The Seattle Seahawks bring the drama. They bring the entertainment. And the NFL playoffs will be worse without them in the mix.

Somehow, in a game where Russell Wilson threw four interceptions, he managed to find the end zone one time for a game-winning touchdown against the Green Bay Packers in the NFC championship in 2015.

Their theatrics don’t always finish in their favor, of course.

Somehow, in a game when all Pete Carroll needed to do was run the ball, he called for a pass on the goal line. And you know the rest. New England Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler — not receiver Ricardo Lockette — caught that pass. Bill Belichick and Tom Brady won their fourth Super Bowl.

Even in Sunday’s game against Dallas, the Seahawks made a remarkable rally in the final minute, with an improbable touchdown and 2-point conversion which cut the lead to two points. At that point, they were forced to use their punter as an onside kicker because Sebastian Janikowski was dealing with a thigh injury. It was a bizarre twist — but a fun one. The onside kick, an untraditional dropkick, was a disaster.

The failed comeback is even better in context. Think about how far they’ve come. They were an enormously unpopular team to pick for the playoffs, largely because of the unrest among Carroll’s mostly-dissembled Legion of Boom. Carroll was clearing out old talent, and bringing in youngsters. No one knew how that would go. As a result, USA TODAY had the Seahawks winning just four games.

The Seahawks are a silly cast, whether it’s Wilson’s miracle-ball antics or Carroll’s fantastic sideline reactions. They’re easy to ridicule, which makes for a fun game day experience on your couch or at a bar.

Even amid their quirkiness — and perhaps because of it — there’s something genuine about the Seahawks’ biggest characters that makes you want to root for them. (At least, I feel that way. NFC West fans may not agree.)

When Seattle falls behind, it’s fun to root for them, in part because they’ve dug themselves out so many times before. And a few times, they’ve failed miserably to dig themselves out (including on Saturday night with the onside kick and in Super Bowl XLIX with the Wilson’s interception).

Meanwhile, the Cowboys are a snooze-fest. They have an enormous fanbase — they generate stellar ratings. Their advancing is good for the NFL. They run the ball well, and have an insanely fast and talented defense.   Still, Ezekiel Elliot is a complicated character to enjoy, largely because his domestic violence allegations. Jason Garrett and Dak Prescott are bland like Atlantic salmon — I’m partial to Seattle sockeye. More flavor.

Seattle is the class clown, who stumbles over its big shoes into remarkable success. That’s good television.