Seattle Seahawks: Different mold yielding familiar success
Led by a player in the NFL MVP discussion, the Seattle Seahawks are having another solid year. But the formula has changed dramatically as of late.
10 games into the 2019 NFL season and the numbers are somewhat surprising. No, we’re not talking about Seattle Seahawks’ quarterback Russell Wilson, the outstanding field general for Pete Carroll’s team. The eight-year signal-caller, who has yet to miss a game or start during his stellar career, has connected on 68.5 percent of his passes for 2,737 yards, 23 scores and only two interceptions. He’s also lost only one fumble this season.
The club is off to an 8-2 start and just handed the 9-1 San Francisco 49ers their first and only loss of the season. These are different times for the Seahawks these days.
During Wilson’s early years with the club, it was a dominant ground attack and a physical defense that paved the way for five straight playoff appearances, a Super Bowl XLVIII title in 2013 and a heartbreaking loss in XLIX one year later.
More from NFL Spin Zone
- Dallas Cowboys made the trade everyone else should have made
- Pittsburgh Steelers rookie sleeper everyone should be talking about
- Anthony Richardson putting jaw-dropping talent on display immediately
- Denver Broncos’ stud wide receiver might be out for a while
- Washington Commanders: Three takeaways from win over Ravens
From 2012-15, Seattle led the NFL in fewest points allowed for four consecutive seasons, the first franchise to accomplish that feat since the Cleveland Browns did so for five straight years from 1953-57.
Numbers can be boring, but for the sake of perspective know that the Seahawks allowed 245 points in 2012, 231 in 2013, 254 in 2014 and 277 in 2015. In 2016, they also surrendered less than 300 points. In other words, less than 20 points per game.
As has been well documented, the boom has slowly but surely disappeared from the legion. Carroll’s club has been far more dependent on Wilson and the offense than the other side of the ball. Seattle surrendered 332 points in a 9-7 campaign in 2017 that resulted in missing the playoffs. A year ago, the ‘Hawks overcame a 0-2 start to grab a Wild Card berth and gave up 347 points in the process.
This season, Carroll’s club has always allowed 254 points and 24 offensive touchdowns in 10 contests. Yet the team has been able to win by scores such as 28-26 at Pittsburgh, 30-29 vs. the Rams, 32-28 at Cleveland, 40-34 in overtime vs. the Buccaneers and 27-24 in overtime at San Francisco.
The team has its share of defensive standouts such as Bobby Wagner and Jadeveon Clowney. But the Seahawks are also 24th in the league in total defense and are giving up the fifth-most passing yards per game in the NFL.
Next. 2020 NFL Mock Draft: Young does D.C., Tua falls to Pats. dark
There’s a big reason Wilson is very much in the hunt for NFL MVP honors. Think where the Seattle Seahawks would be this season without him and the offense. It’s certainly quite the departure from those teams that were a playoff staple earlier this decade. So can Carroll and company get back to the “Big Game” playing this kind of game?