Are Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks distracted?
That seemed to be the question of the week at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in the wake of last Sunday’s 39-32 home loss to the Arizona Cardinals, which dropped the Seahawks to 4-5.
Has Seattle fallen victim to the trappings that inevitably come with success? The Seahawks largely have the same roster back from the team that reached the past two Super Bowls. Before the season Seattle was picked by many to reach its third straight Super Bowl, a feat that’s been accomplished just twice in NFL history.
But instead of fighting for home-field advantage in the playoffs, the Seahawks find themselves battling for their postseason lives.
Could distractions be part of the reason why?
There’s plenty of evidence talent isn’t Seattle’s problem. The Seahawks had the lead in the fourth quarter in all nine of their games. Through three quarters they dominated Cincinnati and Carolina, teams with a combined record of 17-1, before suffering dramatic fourth-quarter letdowns. Seattle’s defense ranks second in the league in fewest yards allowed. The Seahawks’ plus-20 point differential is eclipsed by just six other teams in the NFC. FootballOutsiders.com’s advanced efficiency rankings list Seattle as the fifth-best team in the NFL, despite its losing record.
Have the big-money contracts that came in the wake of the team’s success dulled the desire that gave the Seahawks that extra edge? Have the off-field distractions that go hand-in-hand with winning disrupted the players’ focus?
“It’s what you do with the time that you have and how you apply yourself,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said when responding to those questions this week. “I think we’ve done all right, I don’t think that’s a factor. I think there’s other stuff we could talk about that I’m not going to go into now. You have to embrace it. Embrace these times, embrace these durations, these events that come up and all that follows you, the impact of what happened and all of that, so that you can move ahead. That’s the real challenge.”
No player is subject to those challenges more than Wilson. Seattle’s quarterback, who guided the Seahawks to a 36-12 record through his first three seasons, signed a four-year, $87.6 million contract extension during the offseason. That took Wilson from making less than $1 million a year to being the second-highest paid quarterback in the league on a per-year basis at more than $20 million. Wilson also began a high-profile romance with pop star Ciara and was the subject of countless magazine cover stories.
A cursory look at Wilson’s numbers this season suggest he’s doing just fine. He’s completing 65.8 percent of his passes, the highest ratio of his four-year career. His yards-per-attempt number of 8.0 is right in line with his career norms. His passer rating is slightly down, but still stands at a respectable 91.7, which puts him ahead of the likes of Carolina’s Cam Newton, Indianapolis’ Andrew Luck and Denver’s Peyton Manning.
But something seems just a bit off with Wilson. One play in the game against Arizona illustrated that. Seattle, after playing a terrible first half, closed within 12 points in the second half and had all the momentum. Then Seattle receiver Doug Baldwin found daylight on a post pattern down the middle of the field, and the gamebreaking play the Seahawks needed was there for the taking … only for Wilson to throw to the wrong side of Baldwin and have his pass intercepted by Arizona free safety Tyrann Mathieu, killing the drive and Seattle’s momentum.
That play was a microcosm of how things aren’t quite clicking for Wilson and the Seahawks. It’s evident in other ways, too. Such as Seattle’s league-worst efficiency in the red zone, as the Seahawks have converted just 35 percent of their chances into touchdowns. Such as Seattle’s difficulties incorporating tight end Jimmy Graham, acquired in a blockbuster offseason trade, into the offense.
Wilson dismissed questions about distractions in the past, and this week he continued to maintain his focus remains tight.
“People want to make it something else, but for me I just love the game off football, I love working, I love coming to work, I love coming early and leaving late,” Wilson said. “That’s what it’s all about, and ultimately I love the guys on this football team. So nothing’s changed.
“I’m sure you’re referring to Ciara as well, she’s an unbelievable person,” Wilson added. “That’s part of it, but I think ultimately when it comes down to football the focus is on football. That’s just how it has to be and how it always is.”
Seattle’s current predicament isn’t all Wilson’s doing. Wilson has not been protected well this season as he’s been sacked 33 times, the most of any quarterback in the NFL. It’s hard hitting open receivers when one is running for one’s life.
And Wilson isn’t the only one who may be distracted. The Seahawks’ vaunted defense prides itself in preventing big plays, yet the secondary has been beaten over the top repeatedly this season. It was burned twice by Michael Floyd for touchdowns last Sunday. Talk of communication breakdowns in the secondary has been abundant.
Perhaps a sign of sagging focus elsewhere as well?
Not so, says All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman.
“We just went to the Super Bowl, and we all got paid that year [before], so you can say anything to make anything,” Sherman said. “I think at the end of the day, critics are people with no talent, judging other people with talent. You really take note. You don’t get anything out of that. If you let people like that dictate your emotions, you’re really going to have a tough life. Guys don’t buy into that at all.”
But does not buying into the idea mean it’s not happening?
Check out Nick Patterson’s Seattle Sidelines blog at http://www.heraldnet.com/seattlesidelines, and follow him on Twitter at @NickHPatterson.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
