What has been the Seattle Seahawks' issue in the red zone over the last half of the season? Can 12s blame the offensive line? Sure. The O-line has been a mishmash of players from center to the right side all year, and nearly every player but left tackle Charles Cross has struggled. Cross has not been perfect either, lately.
Maybe Seahawks fans can blame quarterback Geno Smith. He has thrown four red-zone interceptions, and is arguably the reason Seattle is not currently first in the NFC West due to his two red-zone picks against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 9. Except for a 101-yard interception return by LA, and the other awful decision by Smith, Seattle might be 9-5 while the Rams sit at 7-7.
Or, possibly, 12s can blame the weird play-calling of offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb. He has, after all, been the OC who was so seemingly unimaginative in Week 13 against the New York Jets that Seattle could not score a touchdown after eight tries inside the Jets 5-yard line. He also schemed a play in Week 15 when Smith threw another red-zone interception but was trying to fit the ball in between defenders who were covering Tyler Lockett and Noah Fant who were basically running the same route.
Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald must acknowledge the offense has an issue in the red zone
Head coach Mike Macdonald, though, doesn't seem to believe there is an issue with Seattle's effectiveness in the red zone. He said in a press conference this week, "I think we've had great plans. We've just got to go do it, keep hammering away. But. I will say there is some really great stuff in the passing game down there. But the field is limited, and it's just tougher sledding. It's just less space. So yeah, good stuff."
But there isn't "good stuff." In the Seahawks' last seven games, the team has converted 47 percent of their red-zone chances into touchdowns. The issue is that nearly 30 percent of the time, the team has turned the ball over and has come away with nothing. That is crippling to an offense that is already struggling to consistently run the ball or get any receiver open other than Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
The issue is not just Geno Smith, either. In those last seven games, running backs Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet are only averaging under two yards a carry in the red zone. Walker has 12 carries for negative-one yard. We cannot truly blame the backs, though. If the offensive line is getting no push, then there simply is no room for a running back to work with.
While Macdonald is likely taking the high road and not wanting to throw anyone under the proverbial bus, it would still be nice to hear him acknowledge that there is a red zone problem that must be fixed. Saying there is "good stuff" happening is simply inexcusable.