This could be a long season.
If this is a year where the offense has to pick up the slack, this type of performance isn’t going to get it done. This was a mess — and a missed opportunity to beat a poor Denver team.
Yes there were highlights. It’d be wrong not to acknowledge Will Dissly’s brilliant debut, the impact of Brandon Marshall, Tyler Lockett’s long touchdown or the flashes from Chris Carson.
Unfortunately, the negatives far outweigh the positives. Seattle needs the offense to step up during a year of defensive change. This was a concerning start.
Russell Wilson had one of those games. He was sacked six times and most were on him. That common complaint that he holds on to the ball too long reared its head again. On two occasions he tried to extend plays unnecessarily, only to run into the grateful arms of Von Miller. He threw a bad interception, looked jittery throughout and struggled — even on a day with three passing scores. He didn’t trust his reads or his protection.
The Seahawks were 2/12 on third down, managed only 13 first downs (compared to Denver’s 25) and recorded a 2017-esque 64 rushing yards.
That last stat is particularly worrying. The stated aim in the off-season was to fix the run. Yet here we are at the start of the new season and the same old problems persist. There’s simply no fluidity or rhythm to the running game. It all looks so unconvincing and familiar.
Perhaps the biggest surprise is their inability to establish the run. At the very least you’d expect a degree of commitment there. Instead they passed 18 times in the first half and ran six times. By the end of the game they settled on 33 passes and 16 runs. The Broncos had twice as many runs.
For a team that is so clear and direct in their desire to run the ball — why are they so incapable of following through with it?
First round running back, new offensive coordinator, new O-line coach, new tight ends. Same confusing and contradictory plan.
The final drive was fitting. Just over a minute to go. Plenty of time to get into field goal range — or at least attempt to. One completed pass, one mishandled snap, one penalty. Drive and game over.
A mess.
The offense can’t afford to play this way in 2018. They need to be better. They are the identity now. Everything needs to be better.
It’d be wrong to solely blame the offense though. Sebastian Janikowski had two tries to kick a manageable field goal before half time and missed both. The Seahawks lost by three. The defense kept the Seahawks alive at times but had stretches of weak play. Case Keenum’s game-winning touchdown drive was too easy, the pass rush was practically non-existent throughout (aside from one Frank Clark sack) and the tackling was off for the most part.
That’s somewhat understandable though. Look how different the defense is this year. This isn’t the LOB any more. They’re going to give up frustrating drives. They’ll make some plays too — probably because they’ll be challenged in a way the LOB wasn’t (thus, three generous interceptions from Keenum today).
The offense doesn’t have an excuse. Wilson will want to become the best paid player in the league in 12 months. It’s a unit full of experience and talent. They have clarity on what they want their identity to be.
So why was it such a struggle at times today against a Denver opponent that was eminently beatable?
The hope has to be it’s just some early-season growing pains. There was a lot of bad football across the league today. There often is in week one. This result doesn’t need to set the tone for a bad season.
They need to improve though — and fast. They set their stall out this year to avoid these days where they get nowhere near 100 rushing yards. This was more of the same from last year.
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