The Seattle Seahawks have appeared in the past two Super Bowls, winning one of them and coming within one yard of winning a second.

This year, they seem miles away from another.

Heading into today’s home game against the challenging Pittsburgh Steelers, the Seahawks are 5-5, sitting just outside the play-offs picture.

Most surprising of all, four of their defeats have come after Seattle led in the fourth quarter, meaning their signature, cocky defence (remember the “Legion of Boom”?) have failed to match their reputation when it mattered most.

What has happened to a once-feared team who retained all of their core players, whose play-offs future should have been assured?

Earl Thomas, a defensive back, recently told a Seattle radio station that their decline was a collective let-down of players coasting on past achievements.

“It’s an attitude, a mindset,” said Thomas, who said players’ meetings and coaches’ exhortations would not solve the problem. “You’re talking about grown men here. They’ve got to make it up in their own mind so they can bring their best to the ball club.”

For at least one week, they did, in a convincing victory at home over the San Francisco 49ers last week. Of course, the 49ers have become an NFL doormat.

Against strong teams, including the Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers, Green Bay Packers and Cincinnati Bengals, the Seahawks folded up.

Personnel issues are a factor.

The first two defeats – to the St Louis Rams and the Packers – were played without safety Kam Chancellor, who was in a contract holdout. The intimidating defender has returned, but the Seahawks have not returned to their impenetrable form.

Bruising running back Marshawn Lynch has been troubled with injuries. This week he had surgery for a hernia. Lynch may be a critical piece of the Seahawks offence, one of the few in the NFL who insists on featuring their running attack.

But Lynch has been replaced more-than-adequately by rookie Thomas Rawls, who rushed for 206 yards last week, and is averaging 6.0 yards per carry, a league-high, among regular running backs.

Then there is talk that quarterback Russell Wilson has lost focus, after signing a four-year, US$87.6 million (Dh321.75m) contract, and taken advantage of his growing celebrity status. His new girlfriend is singer Ciara. Asked to address the reports, Wilson denied that he had changed at all, claiming he was still as devoted as ever.

“It comes down to how you prepare,” he said. “Getting here early, loving your teammates in terms of getting ready, and having fun getting prepared. I love getting ready to go.”

In the end, his numbers have been comparable to his career levels. The Seahawks still have a strong chance of making the play-offs as a wild-card. They will play three teams with losing records in their last six.

The toughest games would appear to be at Minnesota (7-3) and Arizona (8-2), and home to the Steelers (6-4).

Also buoying their hopes, the team they must catch is fading. The Atlanta Falcons (6-4) have lost four of five.

One problem is, if Seattle do capture a wild card, it is unlikely they will have a play-offs home game in their loud, suffocating stadium. Any trip to a third consecutive Super Bowl will be the long way around.

NFL still learning the social media ropes as shown by disastrous Jerry Jones Q&A

Social media has made it possible for every person on the planet with access to an internet platform to be heard.

This is extremely empowering and has helped change the world — for good and for bad.

Since digital media, such as Twitter, are still in their infancy, however, many organisations are wrestling with how to use it, even the NFL.

No doubt the league would like to take back an invitation last week, asking fans for live questions on Twitter directed to Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who was doing an NFL Network interview.

The Cowboys have had a difficult season; they are 3-0 in games started by quarterback Tony Romo, but he is injured again and they are 0-8 without him. Fans are not happy.

[Gregg Patton: Carolina Panthers' rise is all about Cam Newton's evolution and timing]

Predictably (although not anticipated by the NFL), Jones was bombarded with embarrassing questions tied to his signing of lineman Greg Hardy, who missed last season while under investigation for domestic abuse.

One of the tamer samplings from inquiring fans was, “Which prisons do you plan to visit in the off-season looking for new players?”

Another referenced suspended Cowboys running back Joseph Randle, who is charged with assaulting a police officer, asking Jones if he would “make him the starter”. Jones also was asked if he would sign terrorists “if they could get to the QB on third down”.

Another invoked a currently popular hypothetical question: if you could go back in time and murder baby Hitler, would you do it?

Jones was asked if he would commit the murder “or sign him as a defensive back”.

Not surprisingly, Jones was not confronted with those questions on air.

For better or worse, in the parallel universe of Twitter, a nation of critics were able to amuse themselves, at least. s.

GAMES OF THE WEEK

New England Patriots (10-0) at Denver Broncos (8-2), Monday 5.30am

The Pats continue to lose key players to injury and could be due for their first loss of the year. The Broncos win with their defence, and continue to break in new starting quarterback Brock Osweiler.

Minnesota Vikings (7-3) at Atlanta Falcons (6-4)

The NFC wild card battle is a scattered, coast-to-coast affair. The Vikes will depend on recharged running back Adrian Peterson to control the game. Atlanta need QB Matt Ryan to produce.

FIXTURES

Sunday — 10pm kick offs

New Orleans (4-6) at Houston Texans (5-5)

Buffalo Bills (5-5) at Kansas City Chiefs (5-5)

Oakland Raiders (4-6) at Tennessee Titans (2-8)

St. Louis Rams (4-6) at Cincinnati Bengals (8-2)

New York Giants (5-5) at Washington Redskins (4-6)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-5) at Indianapolis Colts (5-5)

San Diego Chargers (2-8) at Jacksonville Jaguars (4-6)

Miami Dolphins (4-6) at New York Jets (5-5)

1.05am

Arizona Cardinals (8-2) at San Francisco 49ers (3-7)

1.25am

Pittsburgh Steelers (6-4) at Seattle Seahawks (5-5)

Monday

Baltimore Ravens (3-7) at Cleveland Browns (2-8) (5.30am, Tuesday)

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