D.K. Metcalf may have cost the Seahawks 7 points versus Rams

D.K. Metcalf made a mistake versus the Rams that gave Los Angeles 7 points.

D.K. Metcalf had a weird game against the Rams. If one doesn’t pay attention to the details and only looks at the statistics then it would appear that Metcalf had a successful day. He did have 5 catches for 96 yards and 2 touchdowns. But those raw stats do not in any way tell the whole story about D.K. Metcalf’s day versus Los Angeles in the Seahawks 30-20 loss to the Rams.

In fact, an argument could be made that what Metcalf was doing off the field cost Seattle 7 points and changed the structure of the game.

Metcalf is an emotional player and there is nothing wrong with this but no player can let their emotions get the best of them. Watching Metcalf throw his helmet and appear extremely angry early in the game brought flashbacks to the days when Richard Sherman was in Seattle. Like Metcalf, Sherman was a great player, but he also hurt the team at times in his actions on the sidelines.

Forcing D.K. Metcalf the ball

On Saturday Metcalf’s frustration with not getting the ball early likely caused a play call for Russell Wilson to attempt to force the ball to Metcalf on a swing pass. The throw was telegraphed and Wilson should not have made it. Instead of Metcalf catching the ball, Rams cornerback Darious Williams read the pass, split Metcalf and Freddie Swain and intercepted the pass and ran the ball back for a touchdown. This made a 6-3 game 13-3 and Seattle played behind the score the rest of the way.

Should Wilson have thrown the pass? No. Should Swain have gotten in the way of Williams better? Yes. But Metcalf looks like he forced offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer into calling a play to get Metcalf the ball simply to appease Metcalf.

Schottenheimer called a bad game as it was. Seattle should have run more early. Chris Carson was doing a great job but Seattle strayed away from that. Metcalf finished with 5 catches but he and the rest of the Seattle offense should have taken what was offered and working and not gotten frustrated.

Hopefully in the future, D.K. Metcalf will get a little less frustrated with not getting the ball. He will get lots of targets but he also needs to understand that sometimes throwing him the ball isn’t in the best interest of the offense. Forcing him the ball Saturday created 7 points for the Rams (touchdown and extra point, of course) and put Seattle in a position it could never recover from.