Seattle Seahawks Head Coach Pete Carroll.
The one constant of the Pete Carroll/John Schneider era has been an overarching plan for success. If the Seattle Seahawks had a smothering defense, and ran the ball they could compete in every game. Add a quarterback who could make the right reads and throws, and they could contend for a championship. Right now though, there seems to be some confusion about the plan.
After coming to the conclusion that the Russell Wilson experience had worn thin for all parties, Seattle pulled the trigger and dealt him to Denver. They stockpiled some picks, got a few useful players, and Drew Lock. At the time there were two logical conclusions. Seattle was going into a rebuild or they were going to go out and sign or draft a new quarterback. When the Seahawks released Bobby Wagner, it only further solidified that point of view. Thinking they could win now with Drew Lock was not on the menu.
Months later and Seattle resigned Quandre Diggs and Rashaad Penny. Then they added bookend tackles in the draft. Despite offers, the Seahawks held on to receivers DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. Did they have a change of heart and put a premium on winning now?
This year’s draft class was well short on quarterback talent. So the only question was if they would sign or trade for someone. One by one, candidates moved on to other teams. The only two QBs left on the market are Baker Mayfield and Jimmy Garoppolo. Carroll is lukewarm, at best, on trading for either. It looks like12s got an answer when the Seahawks brought back Geno Smith was brought back.
Smith vs. Lock isn’t quite the same as Joe Montana vs. Steve Young. Lock has a big arm and a propensity to throw the ball to open defensive backs. Last year turned out to be an audition for smith Smith. He repeatedly played competently right up until he made back-breaking turnovers. Jacob Eason is an NFL QB in the same context that Rapid City, South Dakota is a city. Neither is a recommended experience.
I put all my faith in Schneider and Pete at that point because they MUST have a plan. Unfortunately, the options dwindled, week after week, and they seemed fine with it. I thought maybe it was a leverage thing, and Seattle didn’t want to look desperate.
Have Pete tell everyone in his weekly press conference, ” We love Drew! We woulda traded Russ straight up for him. When Denver threw in the picks…I mean it was a heckuva deal!”. Months later, it seems like Seattle is sold on Lock (just typing that made me throw up in my mouth a little).
Lock seems like a good guy, and he can throw a football much further than me. That’s really it as far as qualifications go for him to be an NFL starter. In Denver, he had a decent line, two good backs, four quality receivers, the same tight end he’ll have in Seattle, and a great defense.
He just needed to move the ball and not turn it over to win games. With those things in place, he managed to lead the league in interceptions (while not playing two games) two years ago and followed it up by being Teddy Bridgewater‘s backup.
Teddy Two Gloves is the store brand version of a mediocre QB. He’s kinda the same as some of those other guys, but the flavors are a little off, and you know you could be doing better. He’s the veteran teams bring in so their young guy has someone to outplay and beat out for the starting gig. Lock lost his job to him.
We’re now just weeks away from OTAs and mini camps. While Baker Mayfield’s name keeps floating around, I don’t see him showing up at the VMAC anytime soon. So we find ourselves back at the beginning, asking the same question that began this article. What are Pete and John doing?? The answer is both sad and unsurprising.
In the past, I’ve written about how Carroll let his ego get the best of him when it came to the secondary. He’d bring in guys who fit certain physical traits and believed he could make them stars. Post Legion of Boom, it never worked. I have a sinking feeling he’s now brought that logic over to the most important position on the field.
Pete believes defense and 40 three-yard runs into the line of scrimmage a week will keep the Seattle Seahawks in games. He’s sure that he can easily overcome the loss of the best QB in franchise history with his scheme. We all know what pride precedes, and this year we’re going to just plunge into nothingness the way Ozzie Smith did at the Springfield mystery spot (look it up on YouTube).
There’s a chance I’m wrong. Maybe Carroll and offensive coordinator Shane Waldron devise a scheme that leads the team to an NFC West title. It’s not impossible, but possible is probably wrong.
If Drew Lock leads a Phoenix-like rebirth for the team, Pete should immediately be inducted into the Hall Of Fame as a coach. Unfortunately, the more likely scenario is 3-14 and playing the QB game again all over next year. Go Hawks!
How do you feel about the Seattle Seahawks quarterback duo? Do you think Pete Carroll and John Schneider have a plan? Let us know in the comments section below.