Seattle Seahawks fans have seen the trend for too long. As good as some other parts of the team might be, the offensive line has long been an issue. Parts of the unit have been better this season, but an injury to center Jalen Sundell showed just how easily the O-line can become a problem again.
In Week 13, Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores warned the Seahawks and quarterback Sam Darnold that the Vikes were going to blitz, and blitz they did. Seattle struggled to stop the pass rush, especially early in the game. But this wasn't a one-off issue.
In each of the last three games, Darnold has faced double-digit pressures, but in three of the four previous games, he faced nine or fewer. What has changed other than Sundell getting hurt? One clear problem is that right guard Anthony Bradford has reverted to his norm, and that isn't a good thing.
Anthony Bradford continues to fail for the Seattle Seahawks
Moreover, Bradford's issues aren't simply his inconsistent awfulness in pass protection. He should be a road-grader in run blocking, but he cannot move well. This causes him issues in offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak's zone-blocking scheme. Bradford doesn't have the athleticism to reach a high level of success.
In Week 13, the right guard, who has been given every chance to start for three seasons, suffered an elbow injury and left the game. In his place initially was his physical clone, Christian Haynes, another guard who doesn't fit what the Seahawks want to do. Still, Haynes at least was a bit better at blocking for the run.
According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Bradford received an atrocious run-block grade of 38.6 versus the Vikings. He is the eighth-worst-graded guard overall this season.
In the last series of the game, rookie Bryce Cabeldue played right guard, and he was, well...fine. He was at least as good as Bradford and Haynes, albeit in extremely limited snaps. He probably couldn't be worse than Bradford if given enough reps.
The brutal truth might be that the Seattle Seahawks are capable of making the playoffs, and, especially because of their defense, can make a deep run in the postseason, except for the fact that the offensive line isn't good in the interior. Good teams will take advantage of the situation, using base nickel and blitzing quite a bit.
That last part might be the biggest problem. Bradford's problem isn't physical in that scenario, but one where there is miscommunication. More than simply being far from the best blocker in the league, Bradford's lack of clear communication and understanding of adjustments will sink the Seahawks when games matter most.