Seahawks made the right call on their backup quarterback

SEATTLE, WA - AUGUST 18: Quarterback Austin Davis #6 of the Seattle Seahawks passes against the Minnesota Vikings at CenturyLink Field on August 18, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA - AUGUST 18: Quarterback Austin Davis #6 of the Seattle Seahawks passes against the Minnesota Vikings at CenturyLink Field on August 18, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images) /
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SEATTLE, WA – AUGUST 25: Quarterback Austin Davis #6 of the Seattle Seahawks drops back to pass against the Kansas City Chiefs at CenturyLink Field on August 25, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA – AUGUST 25: Quarterback Austin Davis #6 of the Seattle Seahawks drops back to pass against the Kansas City Chiefs at CenturyLink Field on August 25, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images) /

Davis was clearly the better player and the right player for this team

There’s no doubt Boykin opened the door for Austin Davis with his performance in the preseason games. Nor is there any doubt Davis took full advantage of his opportunity to shine.  Davis had a mediocre performance versus the Vikings when he completed just two of five passes.

The key difference between Boykin and Davis is that Davis didn’t turn the ball over once in preseason. In that respect, Davis is much more similar to Wilson. No, Austin Davis is no superstar in the making. He isn’t Kurt Warner; he’s more a Trent Dilfer. Hmmm. seems a brilliant writer on this site already made that comparison. It’s a good one, so I’ll steal it.

Davis wasn’t bad when he got his one real chance with a decent football team back in 2014 with the Saint Louis Rams. At least, I think they were in Saint Louis. It’s getting so you have to Google NFL teams to ensure they haven’t moved the week you’re writing. Well – I’ve written about Davis in depth already, so if you want more detail, it’s ready and waiting.

For the Seahawks it’s all about risk management

The point is, Davis minimizes risk as a quarterback. Boykin didn’t. On a team with a defense that looks as good as the Seahawks right now, especially with the trade for Sheldon Richardson, your offensive needs change. They especially change if you’re relying on a backup quarterback. You want a quarterback who will help you win games, of course. You really want a quarterback who won’t lose games for you.

We all know if Wilson is out, the Seahawks are in deep trouble. With Davis, they at least have a player who won’t try to win the game all by himself and make a titanic mistake – exactly what Trevone Boykin did several times in preseason. He had four interceptions, but there were several other times he got away with some very bad decisions.

So yes, Davis won the job, by being Trent Dilfer. In case you’ve forgotten, Dilfer has as many Super Bowl rings as Warner. Davis is the smart choice for the backup quarterback.