Russell Wilson grades: Week 12 versus Eagles was a mixed bag

Russell Wilson was efficient if not ebullient on Monday Night Football versus the Eagles.

What happened to the Russell Wilson of the first five weeks when he threw – without checking, mind you – 398 touchdown passes in the first five games against less than one-half interception? It seems like since week seven (Seahawks had a bye week in week six, yo!) that Mr. Russell Wilson has been, well…mortal.

In the first five games, Wilson threw for an actual 19 touchdowns and had thrown for just 3 picks.  He was playing ridiculously and without much of a running game and was playing loose and free. Russell Wilson was the NFL MVP through five weeks of the 2020 season.

Then, just like that awful winter storm in Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, it hit. Since week five, Wilson has thrown 12 touchdown passes but also been intercepted 7 times. Not a great ratio.

Starting in week 11, however, the Seahawks seemed to make more of an effort to not have Russ cook and he has thrown less (two of Russell Wilson’s fewest attempts per game this year have come in the last two weeks) and attempted far fewer yards per attempt than in the first four games of the season.

This really means that the Seahawks trust their offense completely with a bent towards Russell Wilson than 12s might hope to believe but also, likely rightfully, that Wilson is better as an efficient quarterback than one who acts more like Peyton Manning.

Russell Wilson week 12

In week 12, Wilson’s numbers, oddly enough, would have been better had D.K. Metcalf caught a couple of very catchable passes. I say “oddly” because Metcalf still caught 10 passes for 177 yards. But Wilson threw a touchdown pass to Metcalf that Metcalf dropped. And Wilson also threw a deep sideline pass to Metcalf that had Metcalf kept running would have gone for a huge gain.

Metcalf stopped running on the throw and then started running again. It was weird. Metcalf, if catching the ball and running the right route, could have had 250 yards receiving. Wilson could have had 300 yards passing. Seattle could have won a lot more easily.

Still, Wilson did take a sack by holding on to the ball. He also threw a bad intentional grounding pass for no reason deep in Eagles territory where the drive could have ended in a Seahawks touchdown. Russell Wilson wasn’t perfect, as he had been in the first five games. If he had been, Seattle would have won by three touchdowns.

Week 12 Russell Wilson grade: B