The Seahawks suffered their eighth consecutive road loss to the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Sunday. The final score of 17-9 was a far cry from last December’s blowout, but the final result still ended in defeat.
An eight point loss to an elite team on the road isn’t necessarily discouraging. There were plenty of positives that came out of week one despite the loss. Unfortunately there were also some concerning negatives.
Let’s take a look at how the Seahawks graded out in week one:
Defensive Line: (A)
Nazir Jones is incredible! The fact that he intercepted an Aaron Rodgers bullet pass at point blank range, then proceeded to outrun everyone for what should’ve been a pick six was nothing short of amazing.
The defensive line made life tough on Aaron Rodgers Sunday afternoon as they sacked the All-Pro quarterback four times on Sunday. Rodgers was also hit eight times and was under pressure all day thanks to a relentless Seattle pass rush.
It’s safe to say the addition of defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson makes this unit as scary as it looks on paper.
The D-line was also strong in the running game as they seemingly plugged up all running holes. The Packers managed just 84 yards on the ground.
If I had to pick one minor qualm with the defensive line it would be the fact that they didn’t do as good of a job as they could’ve with contain on Rodgers. He was able to roll out with relative ease at times. However, that’s pretty minor when looking at how well the group played overall.
Linebackers: (B+)
The linebackers looked to be in midseason form on Sunday, as they were flying around all over the field. Having Bobby Wagner and KJ Wright leading the charge in the middle of the defense has to help defensive coordinator Kris Richard sleep soundly at night.
The only thing the linebackers could’ve done slightly better was making plays in pass coverage. They just missed on breaking up a few critical passes that could’ve possibly swayed the outcome. Again, that’s nitpicking a little.
Defensive Backs: (A)
The Legion of Boom had a fantastic first outing against arguably the most lethal QB in the league. The secondary didn’t give Rodgers any layups minus one stupid Rodgers quick snap free play special. Which I really can’t blame them for. That tactic is so gimmicky and ridiculous, I refuse to spend any more time discussing it.
Rookie Shaq Griffin was thrust into full time duty after Jeremy Lane was ejected for a phantom punch (horrible call). The rookie held up really well all things considered. Even though the Packers attempted to pick on him the entire game, Griffin didn’t flinch. I really liked what I saw from the newcomer.
Also, the human missile, Earl Thomas, was a monster. I never get sick of watching that guy cover ground.
Offensive Line: (D-)
Here it is. The time has come to discuss the offensive line. I’ll be brief. The offensive line was really bad. They didn’t hold up in pass protection, and they didn’t open any holes while run blocking. This unit has to get better for the Seahawks to have any shot at competing for a Super Bowl.
The only reason I gave the line a D-minus instead of an F was because it was week one and they had to play in a tough environment. Performances like that will result in an F from here on out.
Quarterback: (B-)
Some would argue this, but I thought Russell Wilson played pretty well on Sunday all things considered. Playing six on eleven is no easy task and Wilson did his best to help the offense move the ball. He just missed on a touchdown to Tyler Lockett, but to be fair he had a guy with bad intentions right in his face.
It was nice to see a healthy Wilson again. He took off a couple of times to escape pressure and looked like his old, mobile self. That was something that the Seahawks missed dearly last year due to Wilson battling a sprained MCL and a high ankle sprain.
One glaring negative was the fumble Wilson lost deep in Seattle’s own territory. He has to protect the ball in that situation.
Running Backs: (C+)
It’s hard to be too critical of the running backs given the lack of creases the Seahawks offensive line gave them. That being said, there is still room to improve because there were very few instances in which tackles were broken and they made guys miss.
Eddie Lacy has been a little underwhelming since his arrival in Seattle. At his size I would hope he could at least fall forward and push the pile a little more. Seeing the big fella get knocked back so routinely is a little disheartening.
Receivers/Tight Ends: (B-)
At first glance I think the receivers played pretty well and made plays when given the opportunity. Paul Richardson continues to show the ability to make the tough catch. I really hope he can stay healthy this season.
I was disappointed with the game Jimmy Graham had. He was a disaster blocking, but more concerning was his inability to make plays in the passing game. Graham dropped a couple of crucial balls and was basically a non-factor. I think Graham will bounce back and be a real weapon as the season goes on. Hopefully this is his low point.
Special Teams: (A)
The special teams unit played as good as they could’ve at Lambeau. Tyler Lockett had a nice 43-yard kick return on the opening play, Jon Ryan boomed punts all afternoon. And Blair Walsh was 3 for 3 on field goals.
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Final Thoughts:
The Seahawks lost on Sunday, but it’s a long season. I don’t think they are discouraged sitting at 0-1. They faced an elite Green Bay team on the road and came up short. There is a lot to like about the Seahawks. The major concerns start and end with the offensive line. That group has to be better. Only time will tell if they will be.