Seattle Seahawks: Seattle Needs Flynn or Manning to Swoop in and Save the Hawks

When a team goes 7-9 with a quarterback that has proved himself as a backup, it's always a good sign.

And when a proven star and a talented sleeper are on the market, it's an even better sign.

At times, the Seahawks flew into games and flew out with a convincing victory, beating the NFC Champion Giants and the near-AFC Champion Ravens.

Don't forget a running back who uses Skittles to get into Beast Mode.

Without a quarterback that has proven himself as a starter, Seattle still won four games and stayed in wild-card contention for a long time.

Just imagine the Seahawks with a good quarterback.

During the 2010 and 2011 season, Matt Flynn has turned in brilliant performances, including a six-touchdown show in Green Bay's 45-41 win over Detroit. But with Aaron Rodgers leading the way in Green Bay, Flynn only gets temporary gigs to play.

In Seattle, he could easily snatch the starting job and lead a new dynasty for the Hawks.

Flynn was expected to back down in a shootout with Matthew Stafford and the Lions, but he never did, and that's why Green Bay ended their season with a win. Flynn threw three touchdowns in a loss to New England in 2010, right before a 19-game winning streak for Green Bay, which included a Super Bowl title.

That Super Bowl solidified Rodgers' position as the Packers starter.

For a team that's struggled to score points when possessing the football, Flynn would be a huge upgrade.

Then again, if Flynn would be a huge upgrade, just imagine what Peyton Manning would mean to the Emerald City.

Manning wouldn't have the best receiving core (Doug Baldwin led the team with 51 receptions for 788 yards), but he would have a team with a great running back, a solid defense and a knack for pulling off big upsets.

In the last two games of the regular season, Seattle fell just short as Jackson failed to lead game-winning drives. Jackson had Seattle on the cusp of field-goal range against San Francisco, but he fumbled and lost the game.

Against John Skelton and the Cardinals, Jackson had two chances to lead Seattle downfield to a victory, and twice he failed. Seattle has failed to win games numerous times thanks to failures in the clutch.

It doesn't matter if you have Manning or Flynn; they can both perform in the clutch.

If Seattle has hopes and dreams of making it to the Super Bowl, their dreams are unrealistic (with Jackson at the helm). You can't win with a backup QB that can't perform in the clutch, but with a quarterback that has shown (in his limited opportunities) how to score, their dreams become realistic.

Close games can finally be won by the Seahawks. A quarterback can put up points and mesh well with a big defensive line and a strong secondary. A city can rejoice, because their team is on the cusp of greatness.

The only thing left on Seattle's checklist is to pick up Matt Flynn or Peyton Manning.