Why The Seahawks Need To Pick Up The Tempo On Offense

Sunday, September 17, 2017
Greg Owens, Oregon Sports News

Coming into the season, the word around the Emerald City was that the Seattle Seahawks’ offensive line and the run game has improved. Sike!

To say the Seahawks’ offense was bad this past Sunday against the Green Bay Packers would be like saying OJ Simpson was involved in a domestic violence case a little over 20 years ago. That just doesn’t quite explain it.

Seattle’s offense started off on the wrong note by tallying only one first down and 25 yards on the first five possessions until they went 74 yards in the final minute of the half and kick a field goal on the final play of the second quarter. Seattle could only muster up 225 yards of total offense through the entire game, which is the fewest number of yards they have produced in the last three seasons. The offensive line looked as bad as Mark Sanchez’s infamous “butt fumble”.

But fear not Seattle fans, believe it or not there was some flashes of hope for that side of the ball and it starts with the no huddle hurry-up offense. In fact, in the season opener against Green Bay, 115 of the 225 of the total yards came while running the no huddle offense. Yes, that’s only a five-yard difference but once you dig deeper into the numbers that’s when you will be able to see the light.

The Seahawks ran 42 plays out of a conventional huddling offense that averaged measly 2.6 yards, while quarterback Russell Wilson got sacked three times and took seven hits. But on the flip side, when Seattle didn’t huddle up, started moving. In the no-huddle offense, they racked up 19.2 yards per play and Wilson didn’t even get touched. Six of the nine points put up by the Seahawks came because of the no-huddle offense.

Head Coach Pete Carroll wants to have a time-consuming, ground-and-pound run game to complement the great defense. That’s just not going to happen with this roster. What Carroll needs to do is spread it out and run more of a no-huddle college style system working more out of the shotgun. Have tight end Jimmy Graham split out wide then there would be less men in the box. Have Wilson getting rid of the ball quicker with more three-step drops and more slant routes. Then you can establish the run game with the read option and draw plays. Screen plays and shovel passes might as well be a long hand off which will open the play-action.

The defense will get the necessary stops when it counts but at the end of the day, it’s who has the most points on the board when that final whistle blows. As you saw versus the Packers, the defense can only hold up for so long especially when they’re always on the field most of the time. There has to be some give and take, at this point in time trying the up-tempo spread offense may not be the worst thing for Seattle.

If you’re a Seahawks fan, you’re just hoping that Pete Carroll isn’t stuck in his ways.