Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Shane Waldron got quite a bit of praise for his play-calling in the Hawks' loss to the Cowboys. So how on Earth was letting Micah Parsons run free a smart move?
It may not be entirely fair to criticize the coordinator after the Seahawks offense put up their second-best point total (in regulation) of the season. Then again, Shane Waldron's game plan featured many of the same screens and slants we've seen so far that led to a trio of 13-point "explosions" this year. If anything, it was the improved execution of those plays that gained Seattle over 400 yards in Dallas. You can credit that to a somewhat improved offensive line and Geno Smith being more cognizant of getting rid of the ball.
But no matter how aware your quarterback is of the importance of unloading the football, he needs some finite measure of time to do it. As Gregg Bell wrote in The News Tribune, "There’s no way offensive coordinator Shane Waldron’s play design...was to leave...Micah Parson unblocked off the edge...Is there?" Well, as it turns out, yes, there was a way, and that was the play design. Uh-huh. Oh, I believe it was, absolutely. Geno Smith said it was, and so did Abe Lucas. The issue I have is - why?
Seattle Seahawks need a new OC, because Shane Waldron has lost his mind
Both Smith and Lucas did an excellent job of explaining the concept of the play in what is as close to layman's terms as we'll ever get. Other than that this was an awful idea. The concept is to let a pass rusher go free, which allows the person who would normally be held back to block them to slip past and go uncovered for a quick completion. We've all seen this play out multiple times, both by the Hawks and against them. It's a sound design, certainly. If it's implemented with the right personnel, against the right personnel, in the right situation.
That's the issue with the call in this situation. Fourth down and two isn't the worst time for this call, as the receiver only needs to pick up a few yards. The problem came with the personnel on both sides of the ball. The Hawks were down to their third-string running back, Deejay Dallas. Yes, he's been fairly reliable as a third-down back, but there's a reason that up until this game, he's had eight carries and seven targets. With the game on the line, it just doesn't make sense to go to your - what, eighth-best receiver?
But here's the real issue. If you're going to let one player come through untouched, should it really be one of the league's premier pass-rush specialists? It's not like as fans, we have access to a wealth of information that isn't available to the Seahawks coaches, right? And yet, this is what we got with the game - and maybe the season - on the line:
On 4th & 2, with just over a minute left in regulation, Micah Parsons pressured Geno Smith in 1.4 seconds. This was Parsons' league-leading 46th quick pressure of the season, 13 more than the next closest player.#SEAvsDAL | #DallasCowboys pic.twitter.com/KXRiTQPWaO
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) December 1, 2023
Tell me, 12s, does that make sense to you? Sure, if you're throwing to Tyler Lockett on a screen, go for it. If you want to let DeMarcus Lawrence or Sam Williams play Tilt-A-Whirl with Geno Smith, go right ahead. Both of them are dangerous rushers, to be sure. But combined, they have eight sacks and nine quarterback hits. Micah Parsons has 11.5 sacks and 26 QB hits. If you're going to roll the dice, you better make sure the other team didn't load them first.
I have yet to see anything truly innovative out of Waldron's playbook. Yes, the three-eight end sets are interesting, but what exactly is Seattle getting out of it, other than some added pass protection? That was clearly only done out of desperation when the Hawks lost both starting tackles about fifteen seconds into the season. I suppose I can be grateful that the Seahawks didn't call for another off-tackle run on fourth and two. Hey, at least they found a new and exciting way to fail. Frankly, I've seen enough. If you want to give Waldron credit for a brilliant playbook versus Dallas, fine. Tell me why it took him 13 weeks to figure it out.
He isn't terrible; he isn't even bad, despite this horrifically inept call. But when you look at some of the offenses around the league, do you see any playoff-caliber team that would rather have Shane Waldron in charge? The Dolphins and the 49ers - the Cowboys, for that matter - make the Seahawks' offensive schemes look antiquated. When did Brian Schottenheimer sneak back into the building? Oh wait, he's actually the OC in Dallas.
Hmmm - maybe the OC hasn't been the problem after all. Maybe what Seattle needs is a head coach who lets his coordinator work his magic. Yeah, that's the answer! We need a new coach who will allow his OC to unleash all of his genius. Except, I watched that clip again, and - nope. For that play alone, Waldron needs to go.