For Pete's Sake: Critical observations from the Seahawks Week 1 loss vs the Rams

Hawks have excuses, but there really are none for that awful second half

To be clear, no one on the Seahawks is making excuses. In fact, many are admitting the Rams played harder. However, both starting tackles were out of the game in the second half. As a result, Geno had no pocket at all.

Yet Seattle did nothing to take the steam out of the Los Angeles pass rush. Kenneth Walker III got a measly three carries in the second half. He was stuffed on one run but picked up five and six yards on the other two. This is after he had picked up 53 yards on just nine carries in the first half. So once again, Seattle abandoned a running game that was clearly working. I'm sure Chris Carson was watching at home, muttering "Been there, brother. Been there."

You may be shocked, but I still believe in Geno Smith. That is, as long as the Seahawks do something to give him some help. With no running attempts to speak of and no blocking, he was 3 of 8 for nine yards. He lost more yards in sacks in the half - 17 - than he gained. In the first half, he was 13 of 18 for 103 yards and a touchdown. Hardly world-beating numbers, no, but efficient, and at that time, he was winning the game. If Abe Lucas and Charles Cross aren't back soon, this is one ugly offensive line. And not in the favorable "big ugly" way.

You want some more horrifying numbers? Okay, I know you don't, but this is what the Hawks gave us. 146 - 10. That's the yardage for the Rams versus the Hawks in the third quarter. Yes, Los Angeles ran up 136 more yards than Seattle in one quarter. The final numbers for the second half? 260- 3, until the final meaningless play of the game.

That's right, other than the utterly inconsequential nine-yard run that mercifully put us out of our misery, the Hawks lost yardage in the fourth quarter. They were only down 13-10 at that point. Kenneth Walker had 62 yards on 14 carries before Seattle decided to play pitch and catch in the entire second half. For a guy who runs the ball too much, Pete sure hates to run the ball. Yet when they run, they win.