It seems like decades ago now and most fans have probably forgotten about it. However, there was a time where Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson was considered a question mark. He was only a third-round draft pick out of Wisconsin, the main question being whether his relatively small stature would hinder his growth as an NFL quarterback. Though most will understandably deny it now, there was a good portion of Seahawks fans that were adamant that Matt Flynn should, in fact, be starting at the beginning of last season and that an immediate commitment to the young and seemingly undeveloped Wilson would be a mistake.
Of course, as we now know, Wilson is pretty darn good. Coming into Sunday’s match-up against the New York Giants, he had 2,871 yards, 23 touchdowns and a rating of 106.5. He’s been so good, in fact, that his recent play has even vaulted him into the discussion as an outside candidate for MVP. His development has been the main factor that took this team from extremely good to outright dominant.
The Seahawks moved to 12-2 on Sunday, notching a convincing 23-0 shutout against the New York Giants. The contest was one-sided throughout, with the Seahawks cruising to the easy victory despite what could be considered a relatively average performance by Wilson and the offense. The Seahawks D, one of the elite units in the NFL all season, was suffocating all day. This performance shows us the all-around blueprint that has made this team 12-2.
One of Seattle’s strong points all year has been their ability to force turnovers (their +12 differential was the third best in the league coming into the game). Sunday’s match-up was no different. The Seahawks picked off the hapless Eli Manning 5 times, including two interceptions each for Richard Sherman and Byron Maxwell.
The strong play out of Maxwell is especially encouraging when you consider that Seattle was without starter Brandon Browner (groin injury) and slot corner Walter Thurmond (suspension). One of the picks came on a fantastic one handed grab that he simply snatched out of the air. Sherman had a variety of his own highlight reel plays, including a batted ball in the end zone that led to an Earl Thomas interception. This game showcased why Seattle boasts a secondary that is on the way to becoming one of the best defensive backfields the NFL has seen in years. The Seattle pass rush was also on point as usual, sacking Manning four times and applying pressure consistently.
Seattle also got another strong effort from their special teams. Kicker Steven Hauschka (who we’ve talked about before) punched in 3 more field goals including one from 44 yards and one from 49. Hauschka has still only missed one field goal attempt all year, a block that came against the Colts. He’s now 30/31 on the season.
Punter Jon Ryan is making his own case for an All-Pro selection. Those who were watching the game on Sunday might remember the broadcasters highlighting an interesting statistic regarding Seattle’s punt coverage. Coming into Sunday’s game, the Seahawks had given up a cumulative 15 yards on punt returns this season. This is an under-appreciated strong suit and is yet another demonstration of the spectacular depth that this team possesses. Their kicking game is not just solid, but actually inarguably the strongest punter/kicker combination in the league.
This performance is highly indicative of the luxuries that comprise the 2013 Seahawks. Just look at the numbers from Sunday’s game. Wilson completed 18 of his 27 passes for 206 yards and a touchdown to wide receiver Doug Baldwin. Marshawn Lynch had a balanced effort, notching 73 yards receiving, 47 yards rushing and a thundering 2-yard touchdown in which he fought his way through a gang of Giants tacklers. These are solid numbers but they aren’t Peyton Manning or Adrian Peterson level dominant. But it doesn’t matter. With defense and special teams that perform at such a consistently elite level, Seattle is able to rattle off convincing victories even on days when their offense isn’t firing on all cylinders. The scary thing is Wilson is likely to improve to an even greater degree as his career progresses. This also means that even if the defense does have a poor outing, it’s entirely possible that the offense will be able to pick up the slack. If Wilson plays just pretty well, the Seahawks still have an excellent shot at winning. If he’s elite, then they become a dominant force.
With Sunday’s victory, the Seahawks are that much closer to clinching home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. As most NFL fans should know by now, this team is about as automatic as it gets on their home turf. And any opponent who does come to CenturyLink is going to have to deal with the most balanced all-around attack that the league has seen in a very long time. Did I mention that Percy Harvin has barely even played yet?
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