Seattle moves into top spot with win in Washington
Balanced offence and timely defence overcome ordinary numbers by Wilson
Russell Wilson's passing numbers were pretty pedestrian in a 20-15 road victory over the Washington Football Team on Sunday, a continuation of his steady decline in the second half of the season.
Yes, the #LetRussCook experiment has been officially moved to the back burner. But is it possible the Seahawks are better off because of it?
The Seahawks are getting close to full strength on offence, and getting closer to the brand of football they want to play heading into the playoffs.
This is the complementary style Pete Carroll has long preferred, featuring a tone-setting rushing attack, an opportunistic passing game and a defence that forces turnovers and limits big plays. All were on display, for the most part, on Sunday in a win that clinched for the Seahawks (10-4) a playoff berth for the ninth time in Carroll's 11 seasons in Seattle.
It didn't matter much to Carroll that Wilson finished with a season-low 121 yards passing, on 18 of 27 attempts, with one touchdown and one interception. Actually, Carroll didn't mind the unremarkable passing numbers at all.
“That's another Bart Starr-type game,” Carroll said, “and playing football with our whole team worked out great today.”
For the first three quarters, the Seahawks executed their game plan almost flawlessly. They relied on the legs of Chris Carson and Carlos Hyde — and Wilson too — to build a 20-3 lead, then staved off Washington's late comeback bid thanks to another dramatic stop by the Seattle defence.
Wide receivers DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett weren't featured much in this game. Washington did well to limit the Seahawks' big plays through the air, much as the New York Giants did earlier this month to upset the Seahawks in Seattle. But credit the Seahawks for making the necessary adjustments — for doing enough to beat a top-five defence on the road.
The quick-passing plan allowed Wilson to get rid of the ball quickly, which allowed Seattle's offensive line to shut down Washington's vaunted defensive line. Rookie Chase Young, the No. 2 overall pick who wreaked havoc on the 49ers last week, never got close to Wilson.
Wilson was hit only three times and was not sacked Sunday. He wasn't sacked in last week's blowout of the New York Jets either — marking the first time in his nine seasons he hasn't been sacked in back-to-back games. The offensive line played perhaps its best game of the season, and that was with Cedric Ogbuehi filling in at right tackle and Jordan Simmons stepping in for veteran Mike Iupati (neck) in the first half.
“I thought the offensive line, they were great all day,” Wilson said. “It starts with Duane Brown and what he can do with the left tackle position; he's the best in the business, I say.”
Perhaps the most significant development for the offence is the re-emergence of Carson, who had his most touches (15 carries, 63 yards, plus two catches for six yards) since Week 4 as he continues to look further and further removed from a midseason foot injury.
Wilson had six carries for 52 yards, including his longest run in two years — a 38-yard scramble up the right sideline after juking a defensive back. Hyde added his longest run of the season when he broke free for a 50-yard touchdown early in the third quarter to make it 20-3.
And former first-round pick Rashaad Penny made his season debut, 54 weeks after tearing his ACL. The running back had two carries for six yards, giving Seahawks another proven backfield option as they eye the playoffs.
“It's cool to have such great players around you,” Wilson said. “You always want guys like Chris Carson and Carlos … and to have Penny come back in this stretch here run of last couple games and playoffs, it's a big deal.”
It's fair to expect the Seahawks will need more — and surely they will get more — out of Wilson, Metcalf and Lockett and the rest of the passing attack when they need it. And, yes, receiver Josh Gordon is eligible to return from his yearlong suspension for next Sunday's game against the Rams.
For this Sunday, anyway, the Seahawks showed they can win in a way they believe might be best suited for the playoffs.
“What we're hoping we can do is do it all, all together,” Wilson said. “If we can run the ball the way we are and throw the ball down the field — and throw it quick, too — then we marry all those things up together that's going to be a really great thing.”
If we can run the ball the way we are and throw the ball ... then we marry all those things up together that's going to be a really great thing.