Seahawks grades versus Chargers in unsettling loss

Special teams and coaching

Kicking

Sebastian Janikowski missed a 50 yard field goal. The miss wasn’t important enough to have an impact on the final score but if he had made it and if the Seahawks could have converted on first and goal in the last seconds of the game, Seattle would have won. Which is ridiculous when one thinks about it because Seattle really had no business winning the game.

Grade: C

Punter

Michael Dickson had six punts and averaged a net of 50 yards. That, again, is his net average. Dickson had four punts downed inside the Chargers 20-yard line. Time and again he flipped field. In other words, he did what every punter is supposed to do. Yet, Dickson did it perfectly.

Grade: A

Returns

Tyler Lockett wasn’t able to do much with punts. But he had one kickoff return for 34 yards and he really needs to be the guy bring back kicks. Penny was great in college but hasn’t done much in the pros. If Seattle truly wants to get the most out of kickoffs, Lockett needs to be back deep.

Grade: C

Coaching

The Seahawks will not have had the success the team has had without Pete Carroll being the head coach of Seattle’s football team this last decade. I am not saying Carroll is the best coach ever, but he is a great coach. And Seattle is lucky to have had him at the helm for all these past years.

Brian Schottenheimer had a rough first two games as the Seahawks offensive coordinator. Then he seemed to fix whatever the issue was. Against the Chargers, he struggled. And the main issue was what to do on second down. He needs to make better calls for Seattle to make the playoffs.

Ken Norton Jr. made good in-game changes. That’s all you can ask really with such a young group.

Grade: C