Seattle Seahawks Learning How Hard Defending The Crown Is
By Erik Lambert
Oct 12, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll reacts to a play against the Dallas Cowboys during the third quarter of a 26-20 Dallas victory at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
It’s hard to blame the Seattle Seahawks for feeling so confident of a repeat after their dominant win last February. Time, however, tends to bring reality. Five games into the 2014 season and the Seahawks already have lost two thirds the amount of times they did last year, including one on their vaunted home turf of CenturyLink Field. So what is going on in the domain of the 12th man?
Injuries
People don’t really remember this about last season but aside from Percy Harvin and Russell Okung, the Seahawks had a remarkable run of good fortune on the injury front. Key players like Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, Kam Chancellor, Marshawn Lynch and Russell Wilson all played the majority of the season. That of course bred continuity, rhythm and kept the best players on the field.
Such has not been the case in 2014. Just for this coming week the Hawks will be missing four starters including corner Byron Maxwell, linebacker Bobby Wagner, tight end Zach Miller and center Max Unger. That doesn’t even count the continued absence of reserve corners Jeremy Lane and Tharold Simon. It’s putting a serious stretch on that vaunted roster depth people trumpeted as the source of Seattle’s strength.
Roster Losses
Confounding the injury issues is what the Seahawks had to endure before the NFL season even began, which is the same thing all champions weather: free agency. There is nothing pro football franchises love more than throwing money at players who come from championship teams in order to get some of that talent both for their roster and away from the team that just won it.
Among their losses included six key contributors from that 2013 squad. Among them was receiver Golden Tate, right tackle Breno Giacomini, corner Walter Thurmond and defensive linemen Chris Clemons, Red Bryant and Clinton McDonald. All, at one time or another, had a significant impact for the Seahawks in their run to the Lombardi trophy.
Missing Identity
Another problem that has surfaced is in style of play. Anybody who thinks about the 2013 Seattle Seahawks can provide a clear answer. They were a team that loved to run the ball and play great defense. In fact they led the league with 509 rushing attempts on the season, giving them a run-to-pass ratio of 54.79% to 45.21%. Such has not been the case for them this season. According to the most recent stats, Seattle has dropped to fifth in run-pass ratio at 50.18% to 49.82%. It may not seem significant, but the results are hard to ignore.
Marshawn Lynch, the bread and butter of their attack, has 79 carries through five games. That puts him on pace for 252 by the end of the season. Compared to a year ago, that would be 49 fewer touches for the Pro Bowl running back. This despite him averaging 4.6 yards per carry.
It’s also having an effect on quarterback Russell Wilson. Seattle is averaging just 186 yards per game passing. Wilson has eight touchdown passes and just two interceptions but he’s been sacked 11 times and should’ve been even more if not for his gifted mobility. He’s also fumbled five times. Only good fortune has prevented any from being lost. It’s clear he isn’t at his best when forced to throw a lot.
As for the Seahawks defense, so celebrated as one of the greatest ever last year, ranks 9th overall and 19th against the pass. Something is off with the champs and they need to figure out what it is because the mystique is wearing off fast.