Seattle’s four games have all had one thing in common — slow and unproductive first halves in terms of scoring.

Here are the half time and full time scores of each game so far:

HT — Seattle 3-0 Green Bay
FT — Seattle 9-17 Green Bay

HT — San Francisco 6-6 Seattle
FT — San Francisco 9-12 Seattle

HT — Seattle 7-9 Tennessee
FT — Seattle 27-33 Tennessee

HT — Indianapolis 15-10 Seattle
FT — Indianapolis 18-46

Average first half points per game: 6.5

There’s been a lot of talk about how much of a problem this is. How the issue could derail a season full of hope and promise.

But is it really any different than previous seasons?

The answer is ‘no’.

2012 season

Week 1 — Seattle 3-10 Arizona
Week 2 — Dallas 7-13 Seattle
Week 3 — Green Bay 0-7 Seattle
Week 4 — Seattle 7-13 St. Louis

In the first four weeks of the 2012 season, Seattle averaged 7.5 points in the first half.

It didn’t get much better over the next three weeks either. Seattle scored six points in week five against Carolina, ten against New England in week six and six points against the Niners in week seven.

None of this was too shocking given Wilson was a rookie starter — but the Seahawks did have peak Marshawn Lynch to pick up the slack.

2013 season

Week 1 HT — Seattle 3-7 Carolina
Week 2 HT — San Francisco 0-5 Seattle
Week 3 HT — Jacksonville 0-24 Seattle
Week 4 HT — Seattle 3-20 Houston

In the first four weeks of the 2013 season, Seattle averaged 8.75 points in the first half.

Even in the Championship year, the Seahawks struggled to score points early in games at the start of the season. The turnover-riddled Jaguars, breaking in new coach Gus Bradley and starting a major rebuild, helped the cause.

In the three games against Carolina, San Francisco and Houston the Seahawks averaged 3.6 points per first half. Against the Niners, a game fondly remembered by Seahawks fans, Russell Wilson struggled to complete a pass in the first two quarters. The game in Houston was a real struggle until the late rally, inspired by Wilson.

2014 season

Week 1 HT — Green Bay 10-17 Seattle
Week 2 HT — Seattle 14-20 San Diego
Week 3 HT — Denver 3-17 Seattle
Week 4 HT — Seattle 17-7 Washington

In the first four weeks of the 2014 season, Seattle averaged 16.25 points in the first half.

Admittedly this was a much better start, even if the San Diego score flattered the Seahawks in week two. However, they hit a slump over the next three games.

In week five the Seahawks were losing 17-10 against Dallas at half time. They trailed St. Louis 21-6 the following week and scored three first half points against Carolina in week seven — an average of 6.3 points per first half.

2015 season

Week 1 HT — Seattle 10-10 St. Louis
Week 2 HT — Seattle 3-13 Green Bay
Week 3 HT — Chicago 0-6 Seattle
Week 4 HT — Detroit 3-10 Seattle

In the first four weeks of the 2015 season, Seattle averaged 7.25 points in the first half.

In weeks five and six, the Seahawks scored 10 points in the first half against Cincinnati and Carolina respectively.

This means that in a year when Seattle’s offense set franchise records and ranked #2 in the league per DVOA, they scored 8.1 points per first half in the first six weeks of the season.

2016 season

Week 1 HT — Miami 3-6 Seattle
Week 2 HT — Seattle 3-6 Los Angeles
Week 3 HT — San Francisco 3-24 Seattle
Week 4 HT — Seattle 14-10 New York Jets

This run of four games comes with an obvious asterisk. Russell Wilson injured his ankle in week one and then suffered a knee injury against the 49ers in week three. It seriously impacted the offense, especially in the first two games.

They averaged 11.75 points per half in this stretch. The San Francisco game is a big bonus here. The Seahawks had a first half similar to the second half they had against the Colts on Sunday.

In the other three games, they averaged 7.6 points per first half.

Average first half scoring (first four weeks)

2012 — 7.5
2013 — 8.75
2014 — 16.25
2015 — 7.25
2016 — 11.75
2017 — 6.5

As you can see, it’s not uncommon for the Seahawks to start a season scoring 6-8 points in a first half. In 2014, easily their best start in terms of scoring, they averaged 6.25 points in games 5-7. In 2016, the 49ers game boosted what would’ve been a 7.6 point average.

None of this justifies Seattle’s current issues. That’s not the point of the article. They need to get into a rhythm quicker, they can’t afford to wait for adversity to inspire better play and they need to find successful ways to attack opponents early in games.

That said, the perspective comes from acknowledging this is nothing new. What has possibly changed is the way we view the slow starts on offense. In 2013, for example, the big difference is they found a way to grind out the road game in Carolina and they had a miraculous comeback against Houston. This year, in two similar scenarios, they lost to Green Bay and Tennessee.

The Jacksonville game ended with a similar scoreline to the Colts game this year. The Niners win came against a heated rival and fellow contender. Had Seattle beaten Atlanta in week two instead, would you feel better about their situation right now?

There’s still a lot of football to be played this year. Previous years show that a slow start in terms of scoring can be rectified and the team can start to function at full capacity.

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Why it won’t be the end of the world even if Seattle loses this week

A quick look back at 2014 should be reassuring (it’s not often we say that as Seahawks fans).

The Super Bowl was contested between New England and Seattle. The Patriots started the season 2-2 and in week four they were trounced by the Chiefs 41-14. After the game there was talk about the end of Tom Brady’s career and whether Jimmy Garoppolo should start. Bill Belichick coined his ‘on to Cincinnati’ catchphrase.

The hammering in Kansas City acted as a turning point. New England beat the Bengals 43-17 the following week to launch a seven game winning streak. They finished the year 12-4 and won a Championship.

Before that game in Kansas City, the Patriots lost handsomely to the Dolphins in week one (33-20) and slipped by the 3-13 Oakland Raiders (16-9) at home.

Brady had four touchdowns and two picks after four weeks, leading to the ill-judged ‘quarterback controversy’ talk.

BREAKING: TOM BRADY IS RETIRING pic.twitter.com/1h77cwwxyz

— SportsNation (@SportsNation) September 30, 2014

I am baffled by how a Tom Brady offense – no matter O line and average-receiver issues – can no longer get the ball in the end zone.

— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) September 30, 2014

Also in 2014, the Seahawks had a mixed start. A comprehensive week one win against Green Bay preceded a comprehensive week two loss against San Diego. They beat the Broncos but nearly blew it at the end. Seattle sauntered past Washington on Monday Night Football before losing badly to the Cowboys (I was there, it was horrible) and the 6-10 Rams.

3-3 after six weeks only told some of the story.

This run included the Percy Harvin fall out and trade, a lot of talk and rumour about Marshawn Lynch threatening not to board the bus to St. Louis and a report from Mike Freeman where he declared:

“My feeling on this — and it’s backed up by several interviews with Seahawks players — is that some of the black players think (Russell) Wilson isn’t black enough.”

It was borderline chaotic.

By the time they lost to Kansas City to drop to 6-4, things felt pretty bleak. Suddenly, something changed. The old Seahawks returned. Physicality, explosive plays, great defense. A six game winning streak to steal the NFC West and #1 seed away from Arizona. Another Super Bowl. Nearly another Super Bowl Championship.

Both teams faced adversity early in the season.

In comparison, the Houston Texans got off to a good start. In week five they were an overtime possession away against Dallas from going 4-1. They ended the season 9-7 and missed the playoffs.

Arizona had a 9-1 start to the season before losing four of their last six. They surrendered the #1 seed, the NFC West and were dumped out of the playoffs against 7-8-1 Carolina in the wildcard round.

Sadly none of this guarantees the Seahawks and Patriots will go on an imminent tear and meet in a glorious Super Bowl rematch at the end of the season. It does offer some perspective though on the disappointing starts both teams have endured.

And even if Seattle drops to 2-3 this week, falling 2.5 games behind the Rams in the division, there’s plenty of time left for a fight back.

The offense has to take the rhythm it found late in the Indianapolis win and run with it. Everything fit together late in that game. The offense was moving the ball and scoring points with explosive plays. The defense had a lead to defend and the opponent had to force the issue.

I watched Los Angeles’ week two loss to Washington and there are flaws to exploit. LA’s defense is not playing well, even with Aaron Donald’s return. The run defense is struggling mightily.

Look at how they rank compared to the rest of the league:

31st in points allowed (32 ppg)
31st in yds allowed (415.3 ypg)
31st in rushing yds allowed (177 ypg)
23rd in passing yds allowed (238 ypg)

— Hawk Blogger (@hawkblogger) October 2, 2017

Alternatively in that Washington game, the Rams offense benefitted from some huge whiffs, such as a blown coverage on the tight end who ran nearly the length of the field to set up a touchdown.

Taking Jared Goff out of his comfort zone is vital. If he has to play from behind and attack Seattle’s defense, advantage Seahawks. Todd Gurley is going to get his yards/plays. He’s too good. If they have to play from behind, however, they might not be able to lean on the running game.

If the Seahawks lose and drop to 2-3, a fortnight of hand-wringing and debate will likely ensue. Remember, though, that the Seahawks still have six home games to come and an appealing schedule after the bye.

This is a big game on Sunday but it won’t decide Seattle’s season.

Thoughts on Luke Falk vs USC

It was particularly interesting to hear Pete Carroll reference how often they’ve watched Washington State recently. He made a similar comment last season before the Apple Cup, stating they’ve watched Wazzu a ton. It’d be interesting to know why. Is it a player or players? Is it to study offensive schemes and see how they can incorporate some spread concepts?

After all, Mike Leach has been able to consistently produce big time offensive production without big time recruits. He nearly took Texas Tech to a National Championship and he’s turned around Washington State’s fortunes. There might be something they can use.

I remember the last time I really watched Luke Falk was against Colorado last season. His passes fluttered, he lacked the big physical tools and despite a decent stat line, it was a disappointing game overall for Wazzu. I can’t remember if this was around the time that he was injured or playing hurt — that might’ve had an impact.

Against USC I thought he looked a lot better. You see the usual barrel load of passes into the flat and bubble screens. These extreme spread offenses that rely on a high number of players, widening the field and tempo are often difficult to judge. It was encouraging to see Falk throwing with accuracy and zip over the middle and down the seam. On one play he stood tall in the pocket, knew he was going to take a monster hit and still delivered an accurate pass over the middle for a third down conversion.

His arm strength looks better than I recall. He was able to throw downfield, including a nice 61-yard completion on a blown coverage.

On a scramble to the right hand side, under pressure, Falk delivered a brilliant pass to the back corner of the end zone. The receiver dropped it under no pressure and it should’ve been a touchdown. You clearly see Falk scanning the field, correctly feeling the pressure and extending the play. His throw, made just as he was about to be sacked, is inch perfect.

His interception was just a good play by the defender, batting down one of his passes at the LOS and having the athleticism (even as a defensive end) to catch the ball and turn it into a pick.

There are things to like. You see evidence of him going through progressions. You see accuracy and the occasional flash of mobility. He is elevating his team and winning big games.

Overall this was an impressive showing. I can see why there’s a feeling Falk is destined for the NFL and on this evidence he deserves a shot at the next level. He seems to have a balanced character and you can imagine him leading a team. His college résumé is impressive.

He’ll get a chance. It might not be as an especially high pick but Kirk Cousins was a fourth rounder, Russell Wilson a third rounder. That might be his range too. The Seahawks haven’t had a solid backup quarterback option since Tarvaris Jackson left. Investing in a player like Falk could be a possibility if he lasts into range.

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Florida’s Taven Bryan is enjoying a great start to the 2017 season

The 2018 draft could be rich in defensive line talent. NC State’s Bradley Chubb is making a strong case to go in the top-15 with a stunning start to the season, Christian Wilkins and Clelin Ferrell continue to impress at Clemson and Vita Vea is the type of athletic nose tackle that generally goes early in round one.

Florida’s Taven Bryan could be another name to add to the list.

He’s 6-4, 291lbs and the son of a former Navy Seal. “I’ve been blessed genetically” he says, a statement that is highly accurate to be fair.

Of the players I’ve watched for the first time in 2017, Bryan is on a par with Notre Dame’s brilliant guard Quenton Nelson.

“This guy is arguably the best athlete on our football team” says Florida coach Jim McElwain. “I’m sure many of the players would tell you the same thing.”

Temple head coach Geoff Collins, the former Florida defensive coordinator, goes a step further:

“I always thought he had J.J. Watt-ish ability… He’s a physical freak, and he’s gotten better every single day. He’s an NFL player now with room to get better. It’s a scary thought.”

So what does he show on the field? Brute strength for a start:

In this Outback Bowl clip, Gator DT Taven Bryan (#93) drives the Iowa center 3 yds into the backfield and through the ball-carrier. Wow. 🔥🐊 pic.twitter.com/SiuHwA6BFf

— Bill Sikes (@realbsikes) May 20, 2017

He’s number #93 in the video above. Look how he drives the Iowa center into the backfield and essentially takes out the running back with his own team mate.

Is he quick?

Watch DT Taven Bryan (#93) collapse the pocket & set the dinner table for DB Chauncey Gardner (#23). Both will be key this fall… 🐊 pic.twitter.com/scnk4oVAD6

— Bill Sikes (@realbsikes) May 13, 2017

Look at his get off here and the immediate panic on the right side of Iowa’s O-line. He’s all over the right guard. It’s an absolute demolition of the line, moving the quarterback off the spot despite the shotgun snap. He has to scramble, he forces the throw and it’s a turnover.

Against Tennessee he was constantly in the backfield and he took things to another level against Kentucky. You can see for yourself in the full game video below:

If you’re looking for a player who could really promote himself into the first round conversation this season, keep an eye on Taven Bryan.

Elsewhere…

There’s some talk today about Sam Darnold not declaring for the draft next year:

Yep. Believe that. https://t.co/08sPgw174J

— Michael Lombardi (@mlombardiNFL) October 2, 2017

It wouldn’t be a major shock. This is his first full year as a starting quarterback in college. There’s enough evidence to argue playing time at QB is necessary to sufficiently prepare for the next level.

Darnold has shown a great deal of playmaking quality and talent this year, despite turning the ball over eight times compared to nine touchdown passes. If he does turn pro he’ll be a possible #1 overall pick. There will be some risk if he returns to USC in 2018 and doesn’t progress.

Still, it’s hard to argue with his decision if he’s already leaning towards staying in college. There can’t be many NFL quarterbacks who had only one full season as a starter in college.

It could open the door for Josh Rosen as a potential top pick. He too has turned the ball over a little too regularly but his poise, accuracy, willingness to stand tall in the pocket and throw a wide assortment of passes is impressive. He’s shining on a struggling UCLA team and looked good again against Colorado:

Rosen isn’t a sure thing at the next level or anything — but who is? He’ll be worth a shot with a high pick next year if he turns pro.

A couple of Washington State fans were asking on Saturday why there was no mention of Luke Falk’s performance against USC. I watched the game in condensed mode and focused on Darnold. I promise to review the game and watch Falk, with notes to follow.

A quick final point — it’s time to at least give Seattle’s offensive line at least a little bit of praise. This much maligned group has already lost its starting left tackle (and now appears set to lose the backup to injury too). According to PFF, on 33 dropbacks yesterday the offensive line only allowed six pressures.

I’ve not studied the tape from the last two weeks, however the initial viewing seemed to suggest progress from Luke Joeckel and Germain Ifedi. Oday Aboushi had a rough period against the Colts with a series of penalties and errors but it was only his second start. Justin Britt has simply continued his 2016 form.

If Joeckel and Ifedi can continue to move forward, they might be able to write in pen three positions on this line. That would be a major step forward from last year when there were question marks at four positions.

Next week is a big test against Aaron Donald and co.

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At half time you could be forgiven for questioning whether the Seahawks were a spent force.

By the end of the game you could be forgiven for thinking this is the start of Seattle’s march back into contention.

And just as a sense of satisfaction was settling in (at last, four weeks in) Chris Carson suffered a serious looking leg injury to take the gloss off the moment.

There’s no hiding the fact that this is the fourth game continuing a worrying trend. Seattle’s offense, for some reason, requires adversity to kick into action.

This time adversity equated to a 15-10 deficit against a struggling Colts team fielding a recently acquired backup quarterback and a third string center.

The response? A 36-3 second half, with Indianapolis’ three measly points coming after a Russell Wilson interception.

Suddenly Wilson was turning back the clock to 2012. The offense was explosive, balanced and exciting. The offensive line delivered a half of punishing competency and everything seemed right with the world until Carson’s setback.

The defense also took a step forward. A frustrating first two quarters was followed up by a second half where Indianapolis managed only three first downs and 32 total yards.

If a kick up the arse was delivered at half time — it might be an idea to take aim before the Rams game even starts next week.

That second half has to be the launch pad going forward — and we’ll learn a lot about this team in the next two games. Can they take that performance on the road against two very different opponents? One that is emerging and blossoming, another that is desperate?

They’ll seemingly have to do it without Carson, which is a mighty blow. Although he was very much part of a committee again in this game, there was no doubting who Seattle’s key running back is. A trio of disappointments so far — Eddie Lacy, Thomas Rawls and C.J. Prosise — need to step up to the plate in the way J.D. McKissic did this evening. We could also see Mike Davis called up from the practise squad.

McKissic showed why Pete Carroll and the team appear to be so enamoured with him (and why they kept him on the roster). He clearly needs some fine tuning still — but this was an explosive example of what he can do. His rushing touchdown defined ‘sudden’ and his spectacular receiving score emphasised his playmaking quality. It’ll be interesting to see if they can develop him into a regular feature on the offense. It felt like the inside run they had him do towards the end was a set-up to let future opponents know they’re willing to do it.

Carroll will no doubt love that McKissic, Marcus Smith and Justin Coleman had crucial plays in the game — three unexpected stars. Smith managed 1.5 sacks including a sack/fumble that led to Marshawn Bobby Wagner’s touchdown. Coleman had the pick-six early in the game — Seattle’s first for nearly three years.

There’s still plenty to work on of course but at least there will be some cause for optimism going into the Rams game. Imagine what this week would’ve been like without that second half turnaround?

Los Angeles are the perfect opponents next for the simple reason that it’s a great gauge on whether the way this game ended was the start of something or a red herring against an inferior opponent.

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Just a few thoughts as the day goes on, feel free to use this as an open thread too.

— Bradley Chubb (DE, NC State) recorded two sacks and 3.5 TFL’s against Syracuse today, a week after collecting two sacks, a forced fumble and a QB hit in a win against Florida State (before strangely spitting on the FSU logo at the end of the game). He has 5.5 sacks in four games so far. A lot of other defensive players are getting attention but Chubb warrants serious chatter as a potential top-15 pick. He’s big (6-4, 275lbs) with great quickness and athleticism. He needs to work on his rhythmic gymnastics though:

Flop of the year, Bradley Chubb pic.twitter.com/OoBNQAebnd

— Clay Wendler (@ClayWendler) September 30, 2017

— Sam Darnold (QB, USC) didn’t have a particularly good performance against Washington State. He wasn’t helped by his O-line but that doesn’t excuse some poor throws, including a really bad interception and some other near misses. In previous games he’s looked excellent despite turning the ball over. Against Wazzu, his overall game was off. He has nine touchdowns and eight picks so far and that’s a problem. This is his first full season as a starter so we’ll see if he can limit the turnovers in future weeks. His creativity, mobility, improvisational skills and ability to be a playmaker will still intrigue teams highly. The turnovers? That’s something to work on.

— Saquon Barkley (RB, Penn State) looks every bit a top-five pick. He’s just so incredibly dynamic — a genuine freak of nature player. He’s not just a running back. He’s a threat to score as a runner, receiver and returner. Here’s today’s opening kick off against Indiana:

Here's Saquon Barkley reminding you on the first play of the game that he's already locked up the Heisman pic.twitter.com/JSvHAENbJb

— Barstool Penn State (@PSUBarstool) September 30, 2017

Here he is making a play in the passing game:

Saquon Barkley isn’t fair, Part 23,689. pic.twitter.com/ZaCBCdrLqe

— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) September 30, 2017

And he even threw for a touchdown:

Saquon Barkley is now throwing for touchdowns pic.twitter.com/iD4KarrU3p

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) September 30, 2017

We’re talking about a player with true superstar potential if he lands in the right offense. He really didn’t deserve to be called Saquon Broccoli after the game by Chris Simms…

Penn State RB Saquon Broccoli 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/x4Bx9bZvdq

— BJ Conroy (@BobbyJr_C) September 30, 2017

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— It’s become apparent recently that Russell Wilson’s drop-backs are extremely deep. I’m not sure if he’s always done this or if it’s a recent thing. It might just be more noticeable at the moment, I haven’t had time to check. Look at this example though:

3rd and 7 play (still on 2nd drive), protection is great and would like to see Russ hit Lockett here but Russ is behind Britt so doesn't see pic.twitter.com/yGdwo6UwGs

— Ben Baldwin (@guga31bb) September 26, 2017

In the video above it’s a 3rd and 7 from Seattle’s 14 yard line. Wilson is in the shotgun but still takes a five-step drop. He settles on his own four-yard line. This all means he has to throw at least a 17-yard completion to get a first down. The three receivers all run beyond the 21-yard line so Wilson is actually needing to throw a +20-yard pass to convert a routine third down.

That’s a strange circumstance to begin with — but let’s take it a step further.

Wilson’s deep drop from a shotgun formation actually gives the defensive end a better angle to the quarterback. Instead of needing to get around the edge to beat the tackle, it’s pretty much a diagonal line to the QB. If Wilson sits in the pocket the tackle can play inside-out and guide the rusher out of the play if he isn’t able to stone him at the point.

Instead, you’re creating a much bigger area of space for the tackle to try and defend. Look at the pressure Germain Ifedi gives up in the video above. You can clearly see Ifedi is wary of the large amount of space he has to try and cover. He engages the defender and lets him run outside. Usually this would be fine, he’s playing inside-out. Yet Wilson is still moving and nearly scrambles directly into the path of the pass rusher.

Ifedi doesn’t even engage until he’s dropped back to the five yard line. Seattle is basically shifting the pocket backwards by a good 9-10 yards. Even then the quarterback isn’t settling. In the video Wilson seems to have a good 3-4 seconds after completing his drop to assess the field and make a decision — and still scrambles. It’s harder for the O-line to defend their quarterback and it’s harder for Wilson to make a completion because he has to launch the ball downfield.

Focusing strictly on the O-line — with the QB dropping back so deep you’re asking a tackle to mirror a player who is 40-50lbs lighter and likely one of the best athletes in the NFL (as most DE’s are) while giving said player a better angle and much more space to work with.

No wonder they’re trying to develop freaky athletic ex-basketball players to play tackle. This is no job for a 320lbs behemoth who specialises in run blocking.

We’ve always talked about how difficult Wilson is to block for. His scrambling nature and ability to improvise often means a linemen has to take a best guess on where he’s going to be. It’s much harder to create a basic pocket if Wilson is moving around and he has a tendency to sack himself on occasions. Wilson holds onto the ball for a long time too — so sustaining blocks is much more important than it would be for a pure pocket passer.

His height also creates a dilemma because he needs passing lanes. Cut-blocks are one way to achieve this. There’s been a lot of talk this week about a Shaun O’Hara tweet criticising Seattle’s O-line for a perceived ‘quintuple whiff’ when attempting a collective cut block:

Some bad football in 1st Half of #SEAvsTEN game. Never 👀this before 👉🏻5 whiffed cuts & a fumbled snap Tough Times for @Seahawks OFFENSE pic.twitter.com/e3eBJD7j7R

— Shaun O'Hara (@ShaunOHara60) September 25, 2017

It seems pretty clear what Seattle is trying to do here. Get the D-line on the ground or off-balance to allow Wilson a quick-pass opportunity. The fumbled snap never gives Wilson the chance to get his pass away but this was likely designed to be a quick throw, not one of his long developing throws. If you actually look at the point where he collects the football — he has huge throwing lanes and a big chunk of space at the second level. This was chided as a huge gaffe by the O-line but really, the big mistake was probably the fumbled snap.

Execution and small details like a fumbled snap might be why Seattle’s offense appears so discombobulated at the moment. They’ve always been a ‘controlled chaos’ unit in the Wilson era. It suited them — with Marshawn Lynch getting yards in a way only he can and Wilson doing his Fran Tarkenton act.

Without Lynch and with Wilson being quite streaky to start the year, it’s not a big surprise that Seattle’s offensive form has fluctuated.

The encouraging thing is we’ve seen them right the ship before and the defense is playing well enough to think this team can get back on track.

— Is there a way for Seattle to beter utilise their D-line? At the moment Cliff Avril, Michael Bennett and Sheldon Richardson are absorbing a lot of snaps. Against the Titans, Bennett played 88% of the defensive snaps, Avril 73% and Richardson 70%.

Only six players had more defensive snaps (Sherman, Chancellor, Wagner, Wright, Thomas and Lane).

The trio are also seemingly playing a lot of early downs and needing to provide the kind of aggressive run defense Seattle craves.

It’d be nice to see these three in particular given an opportunity to pin their ears back and get after the quarterback. They clearly get that opportunity in certain scenarios — but it’s usually after some hard graft in the trenches vs the run.

Richardson, for example, might be Seattle’s best interior run defender. Which is great and incredibly useful. Yet he was brought here to try and be that vital missing interior rusher.

It seems, from the outside, that Seattle isn’t entirely trusting of Jarran Reed, Naz Jones and Garrison Smith to handle the run-D duties. If true that’s a shame because it’d be great to see Sheldon Richardson used predominantly as an attack dog on passing downs, finding ways to crash the pocket and be a playmaker.

Richardson might just be too important as a run defender at the moment. Unfortunately, you have to wonder if it’s impacting his ability to be the explosive pass rusher we know he can be.

— Here’s your daily reminder that the Seahawks aren’t the only team with O-line issues:

Bruce Arians lays the blame on the offensive line after Carson Palmer takes six sacks https://t.co/t0Ysm42nLQ

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) September 26, 2017

“We only have seven guys out there, so they’re the only ones that can play,” Arians said.

Arians said Carson Palmer was finding open receivers but getting hit before he could get the ball to them.

“We had guys open at times and just didn’t get them because we couldn’t throw the ball,” Arians said.

Palmer was sacked six times, and Cardinals right tackle Jared Veldheer particularly struggled to block Cowboys defensive end Demarcus Lawrence, who had three of those sacks. If the Cardinals don’t block better, it’s going to be a long season for Palmer.

— The 2018 quarterback class is going to be as good as advertised. This week I only watched Josh Rosen and Josh Allen. Rosen is a fantastic passer with great potential and looks like a top-five pick. His poise, accuracy, ability to adjust throwing speeds and consistency are extremely appealing. He looks really good this season playing without a particularly good supporting cast at UCLA. Allen has a lot of kinks to iron out and had some ugly throws against Hawaii (including a wasted pick six opportunity). His throw to win the game in overtime, however, flashed his physical potential. It was a difficult throw to make but his placement and velocity were spot on.

Allen probably shouldn’t go before Sam Darnold and Rosen (and maybe Lamar Jackson too) but someone will take him in round one to work with and develop. The top-10 could be loaded with quarterbacks in 2018 if they all declare.

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Seattle flitted between painfully poor and typically ‘Seahawks’ — but this defeat continued some worrying trends.

The offense, stagnant and unwatchable in the first half suddenly came to life in the second. They ended the game threatening to pull off one of their famous comebacks. Yet it took ‘desperation mode’ to get into a rhythm. Another game, another week where they were unable to establish anything in the first half to get a foothold in the game offensively.

The Seahawks are 1-2 and don’t deserve to be any better off. Considering last weeks toil against the Niners, they can be grateful to have one win on the board.

That doesn’t mean the season isn’t salvageable. They’ve had bad September road defeats in the past. A miserable start in 2014 led to a 3-3 and 6-4 record before the Super Bowl tear.

Having watched Red Zone before the game, it appears there aren’t any definitively ‘elite’ teams this year. Parity is rife and it wouldn’t be a surprise if a version of the 2011 Giants (9-7) or the 2012 Ravens (10-6) won the Super Bowl. Or it could just be the Pats again.

The talent is there to turn things around in Seattle.

But my word do they have some work to do.

There’s perhaps nothing more symbolic from this game than the sight of the overwhelmingly bigger Taylor Lewan getting right in Richard Sherman’s face following the late hit on Marcus Mariota.

That fracas inspired Tennessee and in particular the Titans O-line. A team that used to be the bully suddenly looked like the slender cornerback looking up at the 6-7, 304lbs left tackle.

John Schneider talked about wanting to be the bully again before the 2016 season. We’re three games into 2017 and they’re still not there. Not close.

There used to be a time when a 100-yard team rushing performance would be taken for granted. Even if Marshawn Lynch was held in check, Wilson would make up the difference. The Seahawks had 69 rushing yards today (26 from Wilson) compared to Tennessee’s 195. In 2016 and 2017, too frequently Seattle’s run production hasn’t been good enough.

Many will argue they don’t run the ball enough early in games. Perhaps so. For me the greater problem is Seattle’s complete inability to do anything well. Part of being balanced and effective on offense is not getting bounced off the field consistently after a three-and-out. Sometimes you need that initial first down to get things moving.

There’s nothing wrong with passing on first and/or second down to get there. Yet if you constantly don’t execute and you’re punting away after three plays — it’s impossible to establish anything. Pass or run. You’re constantly looking for something, anything, to get you going.

Thus, Jon Ryan is getting plenty of practise.

This is the third game in a row where the Seahawks have not done a thing well on offense early in a game. And while the numbers look great in the second half today — you can’t rely on desperation and a cautious opponent in the first two quarters.

The defense fought manfully in the first half right up until the ‘prevent’ version gave up a powder puff field goal before the break. Yet they’re also not blameless:

Marcus Mariota dropped back to pass 37 times today. He was under pressure twice.

— Nathan Jahnke (@PFF_NateJahnke) September 24, 2017

With Bennett, Avril, Clark and Richardson — aka ‘Death Row’ — the Seahawks barely muddied Marcus Mariota’s jersey. The temperature and time on the field undoubtedly played a role and partly excuses the big plays conceded and all those energy-sapping runs. They still gave up 33 points and didn’t have much of an answer when Tennessee got on a roll.

This is a very expensive defense, full of big names. There were no sacks or takeaways. They need help from the offense but this was still a rough outing.

It’s not unfair to make comparisons to the San Diego game in 2014. On that occasion the heat was intense, the offense struggled before a late rally and the Chargers kind of did what they want. That’s the hope you cling to today as a Seahawks fan.

That game was one chapter of a Super Bowl story.

However, the level of improvement required this year is substantial. In 2014 they were able, eventually, to lean on Marshawn Lynch and grind through their troubles. We’ll see if this offense can find itself.

The evidence so far is not encouraging.

What is this team? It’s a question we’ll be asking all week.

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It’s time for the NFL to help young O-liners learn their trade, such as Ereck Flowers

Anyone watching the Giants vs Lions game on Monday will realise the white elephant in the room. Offensive line play is rotten with only a few exceptions.

There’s a temptation to navel gaze at times and think the Seahawks are the only ones with O-line issues. They emphatically aren’t. Take away a handful of teams like Dallas, Oakland and Tennessee and you notice the problem is widespread.

Unlike the Seahawks, the Giants are not trying to turn a basketball player into a left tackle and they aren’t starting their backup either. They have a top-10 tackle watching the blindside (Ereck Flowers), another first round pick at left guard (Justin Pugh) and a high second round pick at center (Weston Richburg).

New York’s O-line performance against Detroit was pitiful.

Flowers has received the bulk of the criticism. He struggled mightily to block Ziggy Ansah who collected three sacks.

In fairness to Flowers, he was a perfectly acceptable early draft pick in 2015. He’s big and long and played with a real edge at Miami. He was nasty on the field and looked the part of a pro-lineman.

Like so many players, however, he’s struggled to make the step up.

Stanford left tackle Andrus Peat was also drafted in the first round in 2015. He’s flipped between tackle and guard in New Orleans but so far has had a pretty underwhelming start to his career. Cameron Erving was taken in the first round to play center in Cleveland having started at left tackle for Florida State. He was recently traded to the Chiefs for a bag of chips.

Cedric Ogbuehi hasn’t solved any of Cincinnati’s problems on the O-line after being selected with the 21st pick in 2015. Laken Tomlinson, the #28 pick, flopped in Detroit and was traded to the 49ers in pre-season. D.J. Humphries hasn’t had a big impact for the Cardinals, highlighted by this assessment from ‘Revenge of the Birds’:

Humphries was so slow to pick up the Cardinals’ offense and to display a professional approach to his work, that not only did Earl Watford start at RT instead, Humphries was publicly branded “Knee Deep” by his head coach, a sobriquet given to him by his OC Harold Goodwin.

That quote comes from an article published today titled: ‘When will the offensive line begin to produce for the Arizona Cardinals?‘

When people question why the Seahawks and Tom Cable have been unable to develop offensive linemen without high draft picks, it appears to be a broader problem within the league.

Without wishing to go over old ground again, we’ve been talking for years on this blog about the way the best athletes in High School are actively choosing to play defense instead of offense. You get stats (sacks, TFL’s), you get the glory and most importantly — you get paid in the NFL.

Here are the top-five earners at defensive tackle in the NFL:

Ndamukong Suh — $19m (average)
Fletcher Cox — $17.1m
Kawann Short — $16.1m
Marcell Dareus — $16m
Gerald McCoy — $15.8m

Here are the defensive ends:

Muhammad Wilkerson — $17.2m
Olivier Vernon — $17m
J.J. Watt — $16.6m
Jason Pierre-Paul — $15.5m
Calais Campbell — $15m

And here are the outside linebackers:

Von Miller — $19m
Justin Houston — $16.8m
Chandler Jones — $16.5m
Robert Quinn — $14.2m
Clay Matthews Jr — $13.2m

Now let’s look at the top paid offensive linemen:

Trent Williams — $13.6m
Russell Okung — $13.2m
Terron Armstead — $13m
Tyron Smith — $12.2m
Kevin Zeitler, Eric Fisher, Cordy Glenn, David Bakhtiari — $12m

Look at the difference. Kawann Short earns $2.5m a year more than Trent Williams and pushing $5m a year more than Joe Thomas.

Brock Huard made the point on 710 ESPN this week. If Walter Jones was in college today with his unique physical profile, he’d probably be playing three technique and not left tackle. That’s where the money, fame and profile is these days.

The big schools chasing the four and five star prospects are quite willing to accommodate these desires in order to collect the best young players. Who cares if you have a lot of defensive linemen? It works for Alabama.

After all, you can run a spread offense to make life easier for the offensive linemen and work around the problem.

What this is doing is creating a void of athletic talent playing offensive line in college. It’s also insufficiently preparing those who do play O-line for the next level. The schemes they play in college, with only a few exceptions, are nothing like the schemes in the NFL.

So it’s not a big surprise that teams like Seattle seek out athletes like George Fant to train and develop. Whatever you think of that plan and the way Seattle has operated — it makes a degree of sense. Especially when they’re not in position to draft in the top ten and add one of the handful of top O-liners turning pro.

There’s very little sign of anything changing soon. In the last free agency period, O-liners did receive bigger contracts. Teams threw money at players like Riley Reiff, Ricky Wagner and Matt Kalil. All three players still received considerably lower salaries than Calais Campbell.

Arguably the best defensive lineman in the NFL, Aaron Donald, could sign a contract worth over $20m a year in Los Angeles. It’s unlikely Tyron Smith or Trent Williams will ever get anywhere near that.

We’ll also continue to see any remotely talented college offensive linemen hurried into the league. This week Tony Pauline reported Washington’s Trey Adams is a ‘first round lock’. Adams is a good player with a pro-future. He’s also had a slightly underwhelming start to the 2017 season. Such is the need for O-liners though, it won’t be a surprise if he goes very early in the draft — even if his play is relatively modest for the rest of the year. Who knows whether he’ll be ready or not? He’s only a junior and would be expected to start immediately if he goes in round one.

College football is currently the NFL’s only farm system and it is failing the league in such a dramatic way. Bad O-line play is blighting the league, not just in Seattle. It is possible that the teams with the good O-lines will earn a significant advantage over the next few years as long as they have a competent quarterback and supporting cast (as Dallas, Oakland and Tennessee all do). A large portion of the league appears to be either struggling on offense or finding ways to compensate and game plan around the issue.

The most obvious solution is to create a strong summer league or development system. Allow teams to spend a couple of years developing offensive linemen in a pro-system playing meaningful snaps in proper games. The results will be emphatic. Suddenly a player like George Fant can go away and spend a couple of years really learning how to be a left tackle. Even the early picks, such as Ereck Flowers, might be able to spend a full season learning their trade without the pressure and glare of expectation and instant gratification.

It’s not the only position group that will benefit. The likes of Kurt Warner developed in the old NFL Europe. Being able to train quarterbacks, pass rushers, cornerbacks — the league is only going to benefit from this.

With more and more of the best athletes playing D-line in college and the huge discrepancy that is growing between the two units in the trenches, this feels like an absolute necessity. Bad football is not what anyone wants to see but bad football is what we’re getting in many cases.

Giving each team a way to develop young players and train them over time just makes too much sense not to happen. And as Aaron Earlywine notes, ‘last year, 16,175 college football players were eligible for the NFL draft. Only 256 of them were drafted.‘ Doesn’t the league owe it to these young players to give them more than one or two shots to realise their dream of making it?

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— San Diego State running back Rashaad Penny is a player to start paying attention to. Listed at 5-11 and 220lbs, he’s right in the ball park for Seattle’s size preference at the position. In three games this year he has 588 rushing yards (8.3 YPC) and four touchdowns. He had a 95-yard run against Arizona State where he accelerated away from the defense showing unique speed and he later added a 99-yard kick return score. He’s one touchdown away from tying the NCAA record for return touchdowns (he currently has six). Against Stanford on Saturday he managed 175 rushing yards and a further 31 in the passing game. A true all-rounder with great speed, thickness and athleticism — he’s a Senior running back to watch for the rest of 2017.

— It’s good to see Georgia’s Nick Chubb back on form. He wasn’t himself in 2016 after returning from a shocking knee injury. Against Samford on Saturday he had 131 rushing yards (8.2 YPC) and two scores. He has 290 yards after three games and four touchdowns. A truly exceptional athlete in High School, Chubb will be an interesting tester at the combine next year.

Give Nick Chubb the ball and good things happen. @FootballUGA 14-0 pic.twitter.com/VUsTubHfj0

— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) September 17, 2017

— We highlighted Kamryn Pettway before the season. He wasn’t helped by Auburn’s O-line and passing game against Clemson but still managed 74 hard earned yards. He had 128 yards and three touchdowns against Mercer on Saturday. A big power back with surprising shiftiness in the open field, he adds to a relatively deep looking group of 2018 running backs.

— Without doubt the top back for next year will be Penn State’s Saquon Barkley. A genuine top-10 talent, you can build an offense around this guy. He is exceptional. His athleticism, toughness, dedication in the weight room and attitude are top notch. He might even go top-five like Ezekiel Elliott and Leonard Fournette. Barkley is one of the biggest freak of nature players in recent memory, possibly comparable to Myles Garrett’s freakiness. Here’s what he did against Georgia State on Saturday:

Saquon Barkley showing why he could be a 1st rounder in fantasy next year 😱pic.twitter.com/fcUgFcu83Y

— ESPN FantasyFauxball (@ESPNFauxball) September 17, 2017

— Pete Carroll mentioned on ESPN 710 this morning that the Seahawks compile ‘effort’ grades for the players after a game. I’m guessing Carroll would’ve enjoyed this play by Florida sophomore Jachai Polite vs Tennessee:

🤔 Watch Number 99…pic.twitter.com/k56Sv89xae

— Gator Content from (@OurTwoBits) September 17, 2017

— In terms of the quarterbacks this weekend, it was a weird one. Lamar Jackson came out cold against Clemson and the game quickly got away from Louisville. Jackson showed his usual creativity to make some big plays with his arm and running the ball but he also had a pick six. His receivers also dropped several catchable passes. This shouldn’t have a huge impact on his blossoming stock but it is a missed opportunity to push himself closer to Sam Darnold. The Clemson game was also another example of why defense wins you a Championship. The Tigers’ D-line is sensational, led by future top-15 picks Christian Wilkins and Dexter Lawrence. It’s a loaded defensive front with future NFL studs. Just like they did against Auburn, they controlled the game here. Lawrence isn’t eligible to enter the 2017 draft but Wilkins (2.5 sacks in three games) will be a very early pick.

— Sam Darnold really has to be considered QB1 for this 2018 draft class. The way he led the USC team against Texas was exemplary. He’s accurate, mobile, creative, he improvises. There is so much to like and it’s virtually impossible to make a case for any other quarterback being ahead of him at this stage. He looks like the #1 overall pick next year. Look at these plays:

Video cutup of Sam Darnold's last three passes before the half. Poise? Mobility? Vision? Arm? Touch? Accuracy? Checkity, check, check check. pic.twitter.com/BNNNHOgc8k

— Rob Rang (@RobRang) September 10, 2017

— UCLA’s Josh Rosen had a hit and miss day as the Bruins lost against Memphis. He had some terrific downfield plays that had social media buzzing for a while. Yet he also saw his luck run out on the ‘hit and hope’ type throws that came off against Texas A&M. The pick below is simply horrendous. Rosen’s clearly a playmaker (he currently leads the NCAA in passing yards). He’s a talented quarterback and should find a home early in the draft — but he can’t make mistakes like this at the next level:

Josh Rosen is destined to be a New York Jet and it is going to be perfect. #UCLAvsMEM pic.twitter.com/kCH5UaAeOw

— Casey Baker (@CaseyBake16) September 16, 2017

— Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield staked his claim in beating Ohio State last week. This week Mississippi State’s Nick Fitzgerald highlighted his first round potential. A big bodied, highly athletic quarterback, Fitzgerald led the Bulldogs to a huge 37-7 win against LSU with a measured four-touchdown performance. He avoids mistakes, makes big plays on the ground (see below) and so far in 2017 has 12 total scores and just one interception.

Another huge TD run for Nick Fitzgerald. @HailStateFB is just dominating. pic.twitter.com/kb4dTClHME

— CBS Sports Network (@CBSSportsNet) September 10, 2017

— Josh Allen came into the year as the trendy suggestion to go #1 overall in 2017. After a disappointing opening week performance against Iowa, Allen went 9-24 for 64 yards and another interception in a 49-13 loss to Oregon. It’s true that Allen suffers from a week supporting cast. He’s played his strongest 2017 opponents so far and struggled on both occasions, so it’s hard to imagine how he can significantly enhance his stock between now and the end of the year. Allen has the arm talent to secure a first round placing but his decision making remains questionable and he can be quite erratic throwing the ball (I know he was under pressure, but still):

Josh Allen trying to be Brett Favre. Problem is there's no receiver within 10 yards of where pass ends up. pic.twitter.com/tga5zSwrik

— Shawn Spencer (@Spencer_NFL) September 17, 2017

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