Cigar Thoughts: A Football Show

After pulling off a satisfying home win over the Broncos to open the 2022 season, the Seahawks got their asses handed to them in Santa Clara. Jacson talks through his takeaways from Sunday's demolition and what it portends for Seattle’s young talent moving forward.

Brady Henderson of ESPN enters the lounge to break down the divorce between Russell Wilson and the Seahawks (3:05), what went into Seattle spoiling his return (14:47), this weekend's matchup in Santa Clara (38:05), and the latest on Jamal Adams' injury (51:42).

The Seahawks opened the 2022 season with a bang, beating Russell Wilson and the visiting Broncos in predictably ugly fashion. Jacson recaps the thrilling contest cigar in hand, chopping up the biggest victory of Geno Smith's career and a moment of pure joy for Pete Carroll and company.

The Athletic’s sensational beat reporter breaks down the player reactions to the Russell Wilson trade (2:08), how the ‘Hawks can beat the Broncos (24:23), young players who are standing out (42:21), and season-long predictions (58:49).

The esteemed Danny joins Jacson and Mike for a position-by-position breakdown of Seattle’s first real on-field action of the season. From the QB battle (9:33) and the rookie OTs (41:03), to a new-look defense (51:38), the fellas analyze what Saturday’s game means for the Seahawks moving forward.

Jacson and Mike hold down the fort on another mailbag episode, discussing breaking news across the NFL (2:34) and extensions for Deebo Samuel and DK Metcalf (14:17), before answering your questions on impending throwback uniforms (24:49), Seattle's most important young position groups (27:00), projecting the 2022 run game (48:19), and lots more.

Football Outsiders’ quarterback guru Derrik Klassen joins Jacson and Mike to discuss Russell Wilson vs. Andrew Luck (9:37), how Noah Fant and Will Dissly fit together (17:36), the battle between Drew Lock and Geno Smith (26:51), Pete Carroll as the architect of a new era (39:16), and who will be the Seahawks’ signal caller in 2023 and beyond (44:32).

The Athletic’s brilliant writer and former collegiate linebacker joins Jacson and Mike to discuss the Seahawks' QB situation (10:31) before diving deep on the team's new defensive scheme (19:32), and how Seattle’s exterior (26:59) and interior (35:16) linemen fit into the framework.

Offensive line guru Matt Nichols reenters the Cigar Lounge to talk shop with Jacson and Mike about DK Metcalf's absence from OTA's (1:01), how the void left by Russell Wilson will affect Shane Waldron's offense in year two (8:13), and the ways Charles Cross and Abe Lucas will fit into Seattle's perennially beloved line (15:46). Also, the guys establish the true meaning of offensive balance (29:05) and talk through the best of the rest in Seattle's OL room (34:26).

We hope you brought your notepad! Matty Brown brings his sky-high football acumen to the topics of Seattle’s wide receivers and defensive backs. Listen as he and Jacson go deep on how a new QB can unlock aspects of the Shane Waldron offense that Russell Wilson didn’t (5:54), the intended impact of Dee Eskridge (12:25) and the roles DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett will play moving forward (18:04). Also, how will the defensive scheme change (32:21)? Who will the starting cornerbacks be? (42:28) And how will the Seahawks weapon use Jamal Adams? (48:52) All this and a whole lot more!

The brilliant Rob Staton joins Jacson and Mike to give his thoughts on the Seahawks’ draft class (2:30), focusing in on Boye Mafe and Ken Walker III. They also dive deep on the value of a great running back (17:00), Seattle’s depth at the position (32:21), and what this offseason says about the group's usage in 2022 (37:45). Plus, the future of the linebacker position in a post-Bobby-Wagner world (46:27), and how the Seahawks' personnel there fits with an evolving defensive scheme (52:00).

The Athletic’s Arif Hasan breaks down each of Seattle’s picks using his unique context, including Charles Cross (1:45), Boye Mafe (13:23), Kenneth Walker (16:53), and more.

Jacson and Mike give their thoughts on days one and two of the Seahawks' draft (1:17), invite you to listen along as they play back their live reactions to each pick (9:23), and then dive into the nitty-gritty with Doug Farrar (34:36), who breaks down each of Seattle's picks and what they say about the team's direction.

The former D-1 QB, NFL scout, and current writer for The Athletic joins Jacson and Mike to break down his outlook on the Seahawks in 2023 (2:26), the excitement surrounding Noah Fant (14:08), the strengths of this year’s draft class (19:35), and who he likes best for Seattle to target (31:39).

Jacson and Mike called on the listeners to help them make sense of a tumultuous offseason, and y’all came through in a big way. In answering your questions, they discuss whether Pete Carroll and John Schneider should be in charge of the next chapter (0:44), whether to get a QB first when rebuilding or wait until after the other positions are addressed (11:26), how much DK Metcalf is worth (19:28), and if we’re all generally f***ed (49:39).

Seattle Overload's Griffin Sturgeon joins Jacson to break down whether Seattle got enough back for Russell Wilson (3:07), the statements from Seahawks brass (10:09), how Pete Carroll really views run versus pass (13:43), the future of the QB position (23:07), the Seahawks’ free agency performance thus far (39:50), and what to look for in the draft (1:07:51).

Seahawks expert and NFL cap guru Davis Hsu sits down with the Jacson and Mike to make sense of what might be the biggest trade in Seattle history. The fellas dive into the details of the trade (3:50), what’s next at QB (26:26), how the team may approach a new era of roster construction (34:36), and the what’s ahead as the Seahawks enter the wildest offseason in years (39:09).

SI.com’s Corbin Smith joins the fellas from the NFL Combine to discuss how covering the team this season differed from those prior (2:36), who’s wowing at the combine (9:07), the re-imagined Pete Carroll defense (15:28), potential Seahawks draft picks (36:12), free agency priorities (38:22), and a whole bunch more.

The Ringer’s NFL guru kicks it with Jacson and Mike to talk about the different ways the Bengals and Rams have built Super Bowl teams (5:58), matchups to look for (18:42), and what the Seahawks need to do to rejoin the NFL’s elite (26:28).

The Athletic’s Senior NFL Writer and former Seahawks beat reporter sits down to talk about where Seattle stands among NFC contenders (12:28), Seattle’s approach to this offseason (39:03), the insanity of the divisional round (45:55), and who we thinks is primed to win the Super Bowl (51:36).

Grab a seat in the Cigar Lounge as Jacson and Mike break down Seattle’s season-ending victory (4:24), what they’re hoping for this offseason (17:08), who they’re rooting for in the playoffs (43:47), and their end-of-year award winners (49:12).

The Seahawks closed their season on Sunday with a second consecutive victory, prompting a bit of recalibration. With offseason decisions looming, Jacson takes a beat to appreciate all of the good that arrived (a bit late perhaps!) for Seattle in a trying year.

Former professional quarterback and current radio host Jake Heaps breaks down what it really means to be a QB (2:24), what’s sustainable about Seattle’s blowout victory on Sunday (9:30), the benefits of having an effective running game to lean on (27:44), and whether Pete Carroll and Russell Wilson can still achieve their ultimate goals together (51:22).

With the inevitability of offseason decisions looming, the Seahawks dismantled the Lions on Sunday to the tune of 51 points and a near-Scorigami. Jacson sets everything that's ahead to the side for a moment and soaks in this glimpse of vintage Russell Wilson and Pete Carroll's signature stones.

Mike and Jacson dig their teeth into the loss in LA (1:20), what the defensive resurgence says about Pete Carroll (9:54), things to watch for throughout the rest of the season (25:38), and Seattle's insufficiencies in roster construction (45:14).

While statistical probability says otherwise, the time has officially come: the Seattle Seahawks' 2021 season is over. After watching them fall yet again to their nemeses in Los Angeles, Jacson recaps a largely abysmal performance by Russell Wilson and company and looks ahead to the important decisions facing this franchise during the offseason.

The NFL Network’s Gregg Rosenthal joins Mike and Jacson to chop up the Seahawks’ win in Houston (4:38), analyze their upcoming showdown against the Rams (41:02), and play The Pete Carroll Game (13:00).

The Seahawks have put together their first winning streak of the season, toppling the imposing Texans by 20 points on the road. Jacson talks through the win that puts Seattle (somehow) back in the thick of the NFC Wild Card race.

710 ESPN’s Stacy Rost joins the fellas to talk about Seattle's crazy win over the Niners (6:47), whether Russell Wilson should have returned from injury when he did (22:20), the evolution of the defense (33:49), and how she would handle the upcoming offseason (1:04:44).

Sports radio host Paul Gallant steps into the Cigar Lounge to discuss the myriad potential directions for Seattle including:How much we should read into Russell Wilson’s struggles (3:35), the true value of this defense (27:50), the big roster decisions facing the team (45:21) and how DK Metcalf fits in moving forward (1:11:18).

Different week, same old story for the Seahawks. A lifeless offense couldn't muster any semblance of consistency on the road in Washington, once again putting tremendous strain on a defense that's fighting for its life. Seattle - despite some last-minute tomfoolery - sits with a well-deserved record of 3-8. After taking a week to mull it all over, Jacson recaps Monday night's game.

The Athletic’s Michael-Shawn Dugar breaks down life on the beat (6:52), takeaways from the Green Bay disaster (20:57), the disconnect between Russell Wilson and Pete Carroll (25:18), and a look ahead to the Cardinals game (1:04:35).

Despite another impressive performance from their defense, the Seahawks fell to Aaron Rodgers and the Packers in a game that once again put the spotlight on Seattle's idiosyncrasies. Jacson walks through Sunday's game and what it means for the franchise in its push for a Wild Card berth.

The guys discuss the Odell Beckham Jr. signing (3:15), whether Russell Wilson’s return makes Seattle a playoff contender (14:03), a look ahead to the showdown with the Packers (27:25), the big decisions facing the franchise this offseason (32:24), and lots more.

The host of KJR 950s drive-time show joins Jacson and Mike to break down a number of topics, including: Seattle’s suddenly elite defense (7:27), the importance of leaning into their wide receivers (19:43), and whether this team can make a legitimate run at the postseason (34:46).

The Seattle Seahawks kept their playoff hopes alive with a commanding 31-7 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Jacson discusses Seattle's first home win of the year and everything that went into it.

Former All-Conference, National champion OL Matt Nichols gets into the nitty gritty on how linemen think (5:55), the schematic framework of Seattle’s offense (10:30) and defense (33:24), and the best approach to the next chapter of Seahawks football (51:39).

The Seahawks lost their third game in a row and the fifth in their last six, falling to the Saints 13-10 in uninspiring fashion. After putting off a tough conversation for too long, Jacson is ready for Seattle to make some tough decisions.

Former Seahawks beat writer and current host of the Bet To Wynn podcast joins the fellas in the Cigar Lounge to break down how NFL betting works (4:56), what went right (and wrong) against the Steelers (13:32), what Seattle needs to do against the Saints (31:20), and how much time does the Russell Wilson / Pete Carroll marriage have left (42:10)?

The Seattle Seahawks followed a terrible first half with an inspired second one before letting another close one slip away. After losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers 23-20 in overtime, Seattle finds themselves at 2-4 and in last place in the NFC West. Listen as Jacson talks through the Seahawks' gut-wrenching loss on MNF and what comes next.

ESPN's Mina Kimes joins Jacson in the Cigar Lounge to chat about the Seahawks’ loss to the Rams (13:30) and the birth of the Geno Smith Era (25:23). They also discuss John Schneider’s legacy (35:28), the NFC West at large (44:40), and the impact that the Jon Gruden situation is having on football and society (3:16). All that and lots more in this week’s episode of Cigar Thoughts.

A strange, sloppy loss to the Rams is magnified by an injury to Russell Wilson. Lots to get to in this one. Jacson makes sense of TNF before discussing Marshawn Lynch's new role with the NFLPA.

Next to enter the lounge is radio icon and prolific writer of things Danny O’Neil. Jacson and the second consecutive Danny dive deep on Seattle's much-needed victory in Santa Clara (14:28), the colossal coolness of DK Metcalf (28:25), how Pete Carroll’s philosophy compares to that of Chargers coach Brandon Staley (48:24), and what the Seahawks must do to beat the Rams on Thursday Night Football (1:03:47).

First into the Cigar Lounge is Danny Kelly of the Ringer and formerly the captain himself at Field Gulls. Jacson and our esteemed guest discuss the Seahawks succumbing to rampaging Titans and Vikings (6:58), talk Richard Sherman finding a new home in Tampa with Tom (45:18), and look ahead to a pair of pivotal NFC West matchups on the horizon that may reveal whether or not Pete Carroll and company really have what it takes to keep up with the zoomers (48:46).

For the last 10 years, Jacson Bevens’ Cigar Thoughts articles have provided sharp, witty insight and analysis of Seattle Seahawks games. Now that unique voice has joined the podcast universe.Light up a stogie, pour a drink, and join Jacson as he and his remarkable guests break down not only the ‘Hawks, but NFL football as a whole.