The Seattle Seahawks lost one of the most crucial contributors from their Super Bowl-winning season. Letting Klint Kubiak go to be the Las Vegas Raiders' head coach was a big blow, but that's just the way it is with contending teams and top assistant coaches.
The Seahawks appointed Brian Fleury as his successor. While he's familiar with the Shanahan-Kubiak offense and should bring some continuity, he's never called plays, so that's something to keep a close eye on.
Moreover, the Seahawks have plenty of catching up to do with the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers in a key category: Goal-to-go situations. Clearly, they haven't been as efficient as their divisional rivals in that regard.
The Seattle Seahawks must be better in goal-to-go situations
According to NFL analyst Warren Sharp, the Seahawks ranked 23rd in the league in goal-to-go success. The Rams and 49ers were No. 2 and No. 9, respectively, based on the regular season and a blend of goal-to-go play success rate and TD rate in goal-to-go situations. Even the Cardinals (No. 22) were better.
Of course, the Seahawks scored 28.4 points per game, which was good for third in the league last season, so perhaps complaining about that would be a bit nitpicky. That said, even the best things can be improved.
The Seahawks made the most of explosive plays and their players' ability to pile up yards after the catch and after contact. There's nothing wrong with that, but they would've been even better if they had been more efficient inside the opposition's 10-yard line.
Mike Macdonald's team won't have Kenneth Walker III anymore, and it might be a while before Zach Charbonnet is back to full strength. That might take a toll on their ability to capitalize on goal-line situations early on in the season.
That's where Coach Fleury and his creativity will come into play. The players are used to running an offense similar to the one he helped build in the Bay Area, and the Seahawks are much more than their two rushing leaders from last season.
Even so, there won't be much margin for error in the NFC West. The Rams are probably the most stacked team in the game, and the 49ers might finally be healthy this season. With everyone aiming for the Seahawks' crown, they must be better in the few areas of improvement they can find from last year's Super Bowl-winning campaign.
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