Points may be prolific
Wilson leads a potent Seattle offense, but ‘D’ may struggle vs. Allen
Buffalo Bills defensive lineman Quinton Jefferson isn’t sure why everyone’s suddenly going gaga over the numbers Russell Wilson has put up in Seattle this season.
Though the Seahawks might have Wilson throwing more, the quarterback doesn’t appear any less than the dominant player Jefferson got to see up close during his previous four years in Seattle.
“To be honest, it’s been what he’s been doing,” Jefferson said as the Bills (6-2) prepare to host the Seahawks (6-1) in a nonconference showdown of division leaders Sunday. “I don’t know if it’s just the media giving him more coverage this year, but I feel like it’s Russ.”
Wilson has stepped his game to another level by firmly thrusting himself into the NFL MVP conversation at the midseason mark.
His 26 touchdown passes and 120.8 passer rating lead the league, and he ranks third with a 71.5 completion percentage and sixth with 2,151 yards passing.
For someone who has never won an MVP honor, Wilson’s career-long consistency is evident in how he’s in position to become the NFL’S winningest quarterback through his first nine seasons. His 92 regularseason wins are tied with Peyton Manning over that span, while his 101 wins, including playoffs, match the record set by Tom Brady.
“He’s the best he’s ever been because he’s the most experienced he’s ever been,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said of Wilson’s development. “He’s been able to grow and grow and grow, and he has total command of the game right now.”
The Seahawks have needed almost every bit of Wilson’s production overseeing an offense averaging an Nfl-best 34.2 points per game, to offset a porous defense which ranks 24th in the league in allowing 28.4 points an outing.
Difficult as it might be for the Bills defense to contain Wilson, the emphasis is on their Josh Allen-led offense to rediscover its early-season groove.
The Bills combined to score 123 points and generate 1,639 yards of offense in opening 4-0. They’ve gotten 75 points and 1,031 yards of offense in splitting their past four.
One reason behind the drop in production is how opposing defenses have begun protecting against getting beaten deep, forcing Allen to play with more patience in overseeing lengthy scoring drives.
Compounding Buffalo’s troubles was a pedestrian running attack which appeared to finally find its legs in generating a season-best 190 yards rushing and accounting for all three touchdowns in a 24-21 win over New England last weekend.
Note: Buffalo Bills starting linebacker Matt Milano will miss at least three weeks after being placed on injured reserve due to a partially torn pectoral muscle.