Pete Carroll, were you cursed? Give Chris Carson the ball!

The Seahawks run/pass play mix was inexplicable in game one. After your comments on Chris Carson, the only answer is that you were cursed, Pete.

Pete Carroll, I have to think you must have been the one cursedd, not Chris Carson. You had to have been cursed, hexed, got hit with some bad juju, bewitched, something. Pretty sure you’re the coach who couldn’t say enough great things about Carson all summer. “He was the star of the offseason.” Remember saying that, Pete? We sure do. Everybody does. Well, everyone except apparently you and new offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer.

I’ve already written about how excruciatingly terrible the balance of run and pass plays was against the Broncos. Our own Luke Allen has given more evidence in his plea to let Chris Carson loose against the Chicago Bears. Luke’s right, as is virtually everyone who watched the Denver game. Because virtually everyone wondered where the running game had gone.

I’ve written more than once about your goal to get the running game back on track. You’ve said that for two years now, Pete. Remember this quote, Pete?

"“We lost a hundred some runs last year, you know? That was basically the story. That was basically the tale why everything came about as it did. Defense had to do more stuff, we had to throw the ball more, we had to pass protect more, and all of that because the running game got knocked up…I think we’re gonna come roaring right back.”"

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Remember when you said Chris Carson was the man?

That was you on the Brock and Salk Show back in May of 2017. Before last year’s debacle of a run game. Injuries kept piling up, so there wasn’t much of a chance to salvage the running game in 2017. Injuries, and Eddie Lacy‘s breakfast platters, I suspect. Chris Carson looked like the man then, but of course he was lost for the season before he could give the 12s much more than a glimmer of what he could deliver.

But he came roaring back in the offseason. You talked up Carson so much, we thought you were building up to a Ricky Williams style trade. Not that that would happen. The Seahawks couldn’t even get a second round pick for Earl Thomas. And thank god for that.

But back to Mr. Carson. After all the hype, he was in for just 25 plays against the Broncos. His number was called for just seven runs, despite getting 51 yards on those few plays. I had to think, okay, you put Carson in the doghouse because of that fumble. Frankly, that would be stupid, but guys do get pine time after a fumble.

Turns out that wasn’t the case at all. Yesterday, the great Bob Condotta posted this piece in the Seattle Times on things learned from you, Pete. Here’s the most damning quote:

"“Chris I thought looked really good,’’ Carroll said. “He was really aggressive and did what he could with the plays that he had. Rashaad looked a little rusty to me and I visited with him about it. He really only had one good week of practice and coming back and it wasn’t enough — he needed more work and he wasn’t as responsive as he has been earlier on before he had to sit out for a while, and so he’s got to work real hard to make sure that he is ready to go and we will work him in. We love the chance of getting him in there. We are going to keep looking for it. But Chris really took the lead at that position after that game.’’"

If Chris Carson is the man, why did he get seven carries, Pete?

Pete, you are 100 percent correct. Chris did what he could with the plays that he had. So exactly why did he only have seven running plays? You gave him five targets in the passing game, so that’s nice. I’ll give you a little credit there. But seven runs?

I imagine you and Brian watched Carson and Rashaad Penny practice the week before the game, right? Did Penny just blow the doors off Carson in practice? Come on, he missed most of the preseason with that broken finger. There was no reason at all for them to split carries evenly in the first game. You did both players a serious disservice. Rashaad Penny wasn’t quite ready, and Chris Carson was more than ready.

Let’s get back to that play calling. You had 39 pass plays and just 16 run plays in that game. Did you happen to notice the Broncos ran the ball 32 times, exactly twice as often as your team? Did you catch that Denver had a ten minute advantage in time of possession, Pete? You think maybe that could have led to your defense getting a little tired?

Tell me, Pete, how exactly will the Seahawks get those 100 runs back, if you call more than twice as many passes as runs? Or are you going to go real old school and break out the single wing one of these days, run the ball 55 times and pass four, just to eventually even things out?

Normally, I’m very optimistic about the Seahawks. I’m normally very optimistic about you, Pete. I still think you’ll be considered the best coach in Seahawks history when you buy your last pack of gum. But frankly, that play-calling in Denver has me wondering. Does anyone know a witch that specializes in counter-spells?