Seattle Seahawks: 4 Takeaways from 25-24 loss to Chicago
Joe Swenson
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It’s official. After Sunday’s loss to Chicago, the Seattle Seahawks are out of the playoffs.
For the majority of the game against Chicago, the Seattle Seahawks gave the illusion that they were in control. But in the end, they faded away once again. Here are our four takeaways from the 25-24 loss to Chicago.
Time of Possession Atrocious Again
The Chicago Bears possessed the ball for 38 minutes and 25 seconds in a 60-minute game. The Seahawks came into the game as the worst NFL team for time of possession. Sunday they managed to make it worse with their poor showing.
The Seahawks managed to run 53 plays to the Bears 69 plays and while they outgained Chicago 331 to 317 yards, in the end, it wasn’t enough. Time of possession is a strong indicator of what performance will look like. Teams that have a high time of possession keep their opponent’s defense on the field, tiring them out. Typically the team that runs the most possesses the ball the most and the interior defensive line takes a beating in those situations.
The last piece makes it the worst. When you haven’t won the time of possession game it means that there’s a lot of three and outs. Couple that with the conditions and you understand why Mike Dickson had one of his worst games when punting at least three times. In fact, it was the first time this season where he punted four or more times and didn’t have multiple punts inside the opponent’s 20.
If you understand the ripple effect of statistics, then you understand why the Seahawks were in a position to lose this game. Tired defenses are more prone to get to beat in a variety of ways.
Russell Wilson Continues to Social Distance Himself From Being Clutch
It’s the fourth quarter and you need a play to be made, who do 12s want under center? As recently as last season, Russell Wilson was on that shortlist. He shouldn’t be on the list anymore.
After the Bears kicked a field goal to get within a touchdown, the Seahawks took possession of the ball and marched down the field from Seattle’s 35 all the way to the Bears eight yard line. If you need proof that defenses have figured out Wilson, then look at the third and four play from the 8-yard line. Wilson’s inability to find a quick receiver, escape pressure, avoid a lengthy sack, were all on display there. He ended up taking a 13-yard sack.
The ball was pushed back to the Bears’ 21 yard line. It put Jason Myers in a position where he was kicking a chip-shot. Myers pulled it left of the upright and the Bears were back in business down by one score.
Seattle once again had an opportunity to put the game away. Unfortunately, Wilson’s decision-making (and penalties) took them out of field goal range. The wide receiver screen to Eskridge barely works. Chicago blew it up, pushed the ‘Hawks back three yards and Wilson missed Swain to get back into field goal range and the Seahawks were forced to punt.
After the Bears drove down and scored a touchdown and an improbable two-point conversion, Seattle got the ball back. All they needed to do was get in field goal range. They had two timeouts and just over a minute to go in the game. There was a sequence of bad throws to Lockett that sandwiched one good throw to the Seahawk’s receiver.
Undisciplined Play Killed the Seahawks in the fourth quarter
Seattle had seven penalties in the game. Four of those seven penalties happened in the fourth quarter and absolutely killed any momentum.
On second down and eight from the Bears 28 yard line, with the Seahawks up 24-17, tight end Colby Parkinson got hit with an offensive holding penalty. Penny had a modest two yard gain that would’ve put the Seahawks at Chicago’s 26 yard line. Instead, the penalty put them back to the 38 and they were forced to punt.
On Chicago’s final touchdown drive, there was a roughing the passer penalty assessed on the Seahawks Quandre Diggs. The penalty added 15 more yards to the 30 yard reception by Mooney. While the timing wasn’t terrible, the momentum was shifting and that play moved “mo” to the Bears’ favor.
With time ticking down for Seattle, they needed a field goal to win. Center Ethan Pocic drew a flag for holding. Seattle went from third down and three to second down and 16. Then Seattle almost converted a third and sixteen. But on fourth and one, Gerald Everett got hit with a false start and which pushed the Seahawks back five yards and led to the incomplete pass to end the game and likely the season for the Seattle Seahawks.
Rashaad Penny has a fantastic day
Rashaad Penny rushed for 135 yards (2 yards shy of his career-high) on 17 rushes (career-high) and scored a touchdown. This was his fourth 100+ yard game in his career and also his second 130+ yard effort in December. Two weeks earlier, he ran for 137 yards against the Texans.
Penny has frequent flyer miles with injured reserve or injuries in general but has managed to have double-digit carries three weeks in a row, for the first time in his career. With the uncertainty about the Seahawks backfield over the final two weeks of the season, Penny could be auditioning for 2022 at this point.
There were other situations and players that deserved some notice
Bobby Wagner, depending on your source, broke the Seahawks record for tackles in a season (170). Wagner held the previous record of 167 as well.
Carlos Dunlap had two sacks and forced a fumble to give him five sacks in the last two games. Seahawks GM John Schneider traded for Dunlap because of his ability to put pressure on the quarterback. But in the last two games, he really kicked it up a notch.
End of an era, maybe. But it’s getting harder and harder to envision a 2022 season with Schneider, Carroll, and Wilson as part of the Seahawks. Two of the three? Probably, but not all three.
Joe Swenson is a lifelong Seattle sports fan, but also a published author, award-winning playwright, screenwriter, and is the president of Broken Arts Entertainment.