The Seattle Seahawks were embarrassed by the Baltimore Ravens. As is always the case with a loss like this, there was no shortage of duds in this contest. You may be shocked, but I do have a couple of studs to mention as well.
I know we all thought - or at least hoped - the Seahawks played their worst game of the season in week one versus the Rams. At least we got a decent half out of that game. Against the Ravens, the Hawks managed just one big play. In fact, that single play produced almost exactly one-third of Seattle's offense. I'll come back to it, don't worry.
Other than that, the Hawks were dominated in every phase of the game. The running game was virtually non-existent. With one exception, the receivers were shut down time and again. The defense was absolutely leveled by the Ravens rushing attack. If you were wearing a purple jersey, you were picking up yards. Seattle came into the game allowing just 3.6 yards per carry. Baltimore averaged 7.6 yards. You don't have to be mathy to know that's bad. Want to know how bad this game was? Odell Beckham Jr. actually had a good game. And that was far from the worst of it.
The Seattle Seahawks had more duds than uniforms in this game
They definitely had more duds than uniforms. How? Well, the coaching staff certainly isn't going to earn any praise for this game. The Seahawks didn't just surrender the most points of 2023. The 37 points Baltimore hung on Seattle was the most since Las Vegas scored 40 last November. Yes, it went into overtime, but it's a sickening coincidence that the Hawks gave up over 290 yards rushing in that game as well. And yes, obviously I remember the playoff loss, but I think we have quite enough on our plate as it is. As for the offense, it was their lowest score since the Packers shutout two Novembers ago. At least they had the excuse of Russell Wilson not being nearly healthy enough to play. Come to think of it, that was on Pete Carroll, too.
How else do you explain a team so woefully unprepared in all phases of the game? How do you explain that the Ravens' backup quarterback practically had a better game than Lamar Jackson? T Huntley was 5-7 for 38 yards and threw Baltimore's only touchdown pass. Not that they needed it. He had a higher completion percentage and more yards per reception. He only picked up eight yards on four carries, but two of those were the standard victory formation kneel and take a one-yard loss. How embarrassing is that on third and goal at the Seahawks' four-yard line with 1:15 to go, the Ravens kneel. Twice. It was classy on Jon Harbaugh's part, to be sure.
I haven't even mentioned that four Ravens that rushed for at least 40 yards each. Who the heck were the Seahawks playing, Notre Dame in 1943? Unbelievably, they were led by a player who up until this game had a grand total of two snaps on offense. Yes, the Ravens have been saving their secret weapon all season just to unleash on the Hawks. Keaton Mitchell - yeah, I know you never heard of him - is an undrafted free agent out of East Carolina. 138 yards later, everybody knows his name. This was a real throwback to 2022 when the Hawks couldn't stop anybody from running them over. Yes, the players have to play, but Clint Hurtt's defense had no answers in this game.
As for the offense - well, it was offensive, alright. Geno Smith was certainly a dud, but why on earth did the tight ends only get two targets in the entire game? Yeah, they had to stay in to block, but they've done that in several games, and still get at least half a dozen targets. Smith tried to connect with Tyler Lockett eight times and managed just three completions. He only hit DK Metcalf once on four tries, although that was on a spectacular 50-yard bomb.
I've been a big supporter of Smith all season. But at some point, Shane Waldron has to tell Pete Carroll that Geno just doesn't have it today. I'm not at all convinced that Drew Lock would have been any better. But what difference would it make if he was terrible, and threw four picks on four straight possessions? This game was over. At least see if you can get some life in the offense. After making great adjustments at the half for most of the season, Seattle was outscored 20-0 in the second half in Baltimore. The Seahawks coaches were the true duds in this loss.
This game revealed a secret dud
Yeah, on second thought, that would have been a terrible idea. The Ravens' pass rush would have eaten Lock alive. Almost as bad an idea as it was for a gentleman I'll call "Donnie Dipstick" to email me this comment after today's game: "How 'bout them Hawks? Which direction is DK moving?" Now, I'd include his name, except I'm quite certain that his friends and family already know what a complete idiot he is. So this incredible intellect decided that the issue with the Seahawks in this game was DK Metcalf. I mean, what?
DK Metcalf is the guy who accounted for one-third of Seattle's offense in this game. The same guy that played a major role in all four of Seattle's plays on their game-winning drive last week. The very same player who, despite that he had to be frustrated time and again versus the Ravens, kept his ego in check.
Yeah, you're right, "Donnie", DK Metcalf was absolutely moving in the wrong direction in this game. Buddy, if stupidity had any value, you'd be richer than Elon Musk. Although now that I think about it... Anyway, please share more of your scintillating thoughts. The world awaits your genius.
So, back to the important stuff. This game was so awful, that I'm not going to call out another player as a dud. Well, not specifically. The offensive line was atrocious. They couldn't run block, they couldn't pass block. The defensive line got zero push. That's one way to allow 515 yards, right? Getting back to Geno, he threw his sixth interception in the last four games. As Michael-Shawn Dugar tweeted - or Xd, whatever - Lockett said that pick was the result of a miscommunication on both their parts. See for yourself - and thanks for posting the clip!
Tyler Lockett said the interception Geno threw while targeting him was the result of a miscommunication pic.twitter.com/Gm9QhSdb8C
— Dugar, Michael-Shawn (@MikeDugar) November 6, 2023
As promised, I found a few studs, even in this debacle
So miscommunication on both their parts. We've seen too much of that in these past four games. That simply has to be cleaned up. Much like Boye Mafe did again. The Seahawks certainly didn't have much to smile about after this game, but there were a couple of studs, nonetheless. Mafe had a sack for his sixth straight game, and this time forced a fumble which he recovered himself. Mafe finished with five tackles in addition to the Hawks' only sack. Obviously, in a game with so few, he stands out as a Seahawks stud.
The next player on my oh-so-short list of studs is Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The vast majority of 12s had faith that JSN would get his game going eventually, as did I. Don't worry, I'm not puffing myself up because I was right about Mafe and JSN. I remind myself every week that I thought Eddie Lacy would be great for the Seahawks.
As for the supremely talented rookie, this is the second time in three weeks he's led the Seahawks in receiving. And of course, he scored the winning touchdown last week. Smith-Njigba was easily the most successful of Seattle's receivers, snagging six of his seven targets. So of course, he's stud number two.
As for stud number three? Isn't it obvious, 12s? It's you. The millions of 12s that hung in till the oh-so-bitter end of this game are clearly the true studs of the Baltimore Breakdown. Take some solace in these facts, if you can. For one, the Ravens are a really good team. The Lions, at that point 5-1, came to Baltimore and got thrashed 38-6, and also gave up over 500 yards. And so far this season, the Seahawks have bounced back after a loss with at least two wins. I know it's hard but keep the faith, you stud, you.