Seattle Seahawks offensive line.
As another week draws to a close, it’s time again for the Pacific Northwest Sports team of experts to address the burning questions surrounding your Seattle Seahawks. This week it will be Ed Stein and Chris Phillips joining me.
After last week’s crapping of their collective bed, the Seahawks take on the 0-2 Vikings. Minnesota is one or two plays away from being 2-0, so how much of a challenge do they represent? Let’s find out as we answer this week’s questions.
Ed: The offense is consistently inconsistent for two reasons. First, the offensive line is still average at best. They don’t have enough talent to be good for an entire game, let alone every week. Also, because the top two people Pete Carroll (run) and Russell Wilson (pass), have different philosophies about what should happen on the field.
Chris: It’s two games into the Shane Waldron offensive tenure. You’re trying to lump in all the previous offensive coordinators and then blame Waldron for games worth of work.
Andrew: I don’t think it’s a function of Waldron’s offense so much as it’s an issue with the players. I covered D.K. Metcalf’s struggles earlier this week and the Seattle Seahawks’ commitment to the run game seems to come and go. I think the issue is more in Russ and Co.’s execution more so than anything schematic.
Ed: Maybe. It always feels like Minnesota can get a productive back out of thin air to give the Seahawks defense fits.
Chris: Yes, but only if Cook doesn’t play. Otherwise, the Seahawks should plan on Cook playing.
Andrew: It might, but it shouldn’t. Last week Ryan Tannehill quietly threw for over 300 yards. Kirk Cousins is a better passer with arguably better weapons (Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson). The dirty secret from last week’s loss was the pass defense. Without those big chunk plays in the second half, Tennessee may not have had time to tie the game even with Henry running over the defense. My focus, if I’m Ken Norton, is shutting down the pass.
Ed: The coaches had to watch game film from last week’s loss to Tennessee and ask themselves the same question. Both Everett and Dissly can be weapons if used correctly. The biggest reason why the Seahawks’ tight ends don’t see an increase in targets is if they have to replace right tackle Brandon Shell and feel that extra help is needed to protect Russ.
Chris: For the sake of my fantasy team, they better involve Everett more! Listen, I was planning on Everett being my backup TE, but Irv Smith had to go and injure himself. Regardless, yes, the TE’s will need to be involved more.
Andrew: Not to beat a dead horse, but this to me again falls on Wilson. Even with Shell injured and keeping the TE in to help block, they still occasionally ran pass routes. With Everett, I wonder if it’s just familiarity needing to build. Lockett, Metcalf, Swain, and even Dissly know where to be when Russ breaks out of the pocket. Everett may need reps to build that rapport during scrambles.
Ed: It’s the NFL; it happens. My biggest disappointment with Carson last week was that the Seahawks didn’t use him more on screens to get him out in space.
Chris: A variety of answers. Not one specific. I’m calling for him to go for over 70 yards rushing this week, maybe even 100, since Minnesota allowed 126-yards on the ground a week ago.
Andrew: I do think they got away from running the ball in the loss. I mentioned the quick strikes by Tennesee that helped them get back in the game already; well stopping the clock for them didn’t help either. Too many incompletions and quick possessions contributed to tiring out the defense and softening them up for Henry.
Ed: I think Wilson is smart enough to take what the defense gives him. If he can get eight to ten yards a completion, he’ll do it. With that in mind, he’s got a pair of big-play receivers and uses them accordingly. I have a suggestion, though. Let D.K. Metcalf run the “Jerry Rice slant route” more often. Suck the defensive back toward the middle and then burn them deep down the sidelines.
Chris: Sure. I think also the game situation plays into his thinking. Probably even the type of offenses he’s run in his career. Even going back to Wisconsin, all were run the ball, then take deep shots and play tough defense. It could just be a habit or maybe even, to some degree, a lack of skill/ability.
Andrew: I think the “let Russ cook” mentality has become a bit of an issue. There are consistently open receivers he’s missing in the 7-10 yards out area of the field. It would be fine if both the deep ball and the outlet were covered or open, but he’s missing the open man to throw into tight windows. Can he be successful that way? Yes, he’s proven that, but he’s unnecessarily raising his degree of difficulty.
Ed: Except for three or four players, I don’t think very highly of Minnesota. They have more to fear from the Seahawks than Seattle does about them. What keeps the game close is the Seahawks’ penchant for playing to their competition. I’ll take the Seahawks 27-19.
Chris: 30-16 beatdown handed out by Seattle
Andrew: I think you guys are underrating the Vikings offense and overeating Seattle’s defense. Minnesota went shot for shot with Arizona and lost by a field goal to Cincinnati. If Seattle wins, it will be a shootout, and I’m iffy on if they can do that. Watching the Seattle offense is like turning the ignition on an old car. When you need to get to work on time, the engine will turn, but it fails you just enough so that you are never totally confident. Seahawks 35-31.