After a wild win in week four over Detroit, the Seahawks lost a wild one in week 5 at New Orleans.
With the offense blowing our minds right now and making us question our future in a good way, the defense is doing the exact opposite.
Can Seattle turn the season around? That remains to be seen. But here are a few thoughts from what we saw in Week 5’s 39-32 loss to the Saints.
Notes from the Nest: Seahawks takeaways from Week 5 loss
The Good
The Seattle Seahawks have one of the most dominant offenses in all of football. Yeah, you read that right, this offense is Super Bowl-good through five games.
Geno Smith is ranked #1 in multiple categories, and is 4th in QBR. He has been great at protecting the ball, being mobile, and being far more than just a point guard to Pete’s offense.
While his deep ball looks different than Russell Wilson’s moon balls, Geno and the Seahawks are dominating in big plays. So far on the year, Seattle leads the NFL in plays of 30+ yards.
I have wondered for most of the offseason about if Lockett would be a good trade bait, given his age and the QB change. I’ve been flat out wrong through 5 games, as Tyler Lockett continues to be the most underrated wide receiver in the NFL. Dude does it all.
Congrats to Kenneth Walker III on an incredible first touchdown run. Here’s to many more.
The offensive line continues to be the most important development for this franchise, and it continues to deliver.
If Abe Lucas and Charles Cross are as good as they look now, imagine how great they may be over the next decade.
Tariq Woolen and Coby Bryant look like foundational pieces on the defense.
They are freakishly athletic, and bring a physicality we haven’t seen since the LOB.
Coby’s future looks like a nickel corner, but also a blitz specialist that the defense should use more often. His ability to force the ball on the ground brings back the Peanut Tillman fond memories.
Tariq is in a different class right now. His physical domination has placed him as the clear favorite for DROY. He’s a solid corner that is still learning, and already has multiple INT’s, forced turnovers and recoveries, plus a touchdown.
Seahawks can build around him, and that’s huge considering his draft position.
The bad from the Seahawks Week 5 loss
The Bad
The team can’t get a pass rush.
The team can’t stop the run .
They let Andy Dalton and Taysom Hill beat them.
To a lot of NFL franchises, that last note is a fireable offense.
I talked about this last week, but a team that continually fails to stop the run is an undisciplined or disengaged defense. We saw both of that on Sunday.
Ok, so after the first few big runs and touchdowns by the Hill, you’d think there’d be some kind of adjustment? Nope
It truly is beyond frustrating to watch. There was a real opportunity this year for Seattle to do similar to what the Cowboys or Eagles are doing right now. If Pete and the defense could have just been middle of the road, I think Seattle could win the NFC West with this offense.
If this defense isn’t a blatant tank job, where they didn’t foresee the offense turning into the 1999 St. Louis Rams, then you have to really question if Pete is the right guy for this team going forward.
You simply can’t have a team with a bottom 5 defense for multiple years and a head coach who specializes in defense. This wouldn’t be allowed to continue for the majority of NFL teams, and I’m curious as to what Jody Allen thinks of her major decision so far.
The ugly from the Seahawks loss in Week 5
- The Ugly
- I am so sorry and sad for Rashaad Penny.
- He’s a good running back, that could have been great. He just has the absolute worst injury luck. I hope he has a healthy recovery.
- Even if Kenneth Walker takes the starting role into next season (he will), I’d be stoked to see Rashaad back in Seattle next year.
- The Russell Wilson watch may have reached its lowest (best for Seahawks) moment in a horrific Thursday night loss at home in overtime to the also horrific Indianapolis Colts.
- Russell Wilson and the Broncos could only muster 9 measly points, and Wilson threw two of the worst interceptions I have ever seen him throw.
- Reports came out this week that Russ had surgery on a slight shoulder issue and that he shouldn’t miss any time. I’ll be honest, I find the whole thing fishy. He definitely looks like he’s lost about 5% on his fastball, but the surgery just seems as much about saving face as anything.
- Either way, at the week 5 point, the Seahawks would be looking at the 10th and 11th overall picks in the upcoming draft.
- As ugly as the defense looked for Seattle, the NFC West may not be too far behind.
The 49ers don’t look bad. They have the best defense in football, and if they can get anything from their offense, I think there’s a real chance we see that D take on the Bills O in the Super Bowl. - The LA Rams look lost on offense. Their offensive line is terrible, and Matthew Stafford looks like he is on a similar path as Russell Wilson. They do not look like a playoff team so far, and their schedule is absolutely brutal.
- The Cardinals fought with the Eagles, but Murray did what Murray does, and the Cardinals blew a great opportunity to salvage their season.
The Seahawks head home in a critical division battle against the Arizona Cardinals. Both teams are desperate for a win, and Seattle needs to get back to winning at home. A competent defense, and rebuilding a home-field advantage will go a long way in the Seahawks being a contender again.
Go Hawks!