I think what people are trying to say with that is, the running game and offense came around when Russ got here. The only difference between the 2011 and 2012 team on offense is Russell (and JR Sneezy but he was a mess his rookie year). I don't think it is a coincidence that the running game all of a sudden became great after he arrived. The threat of him changed everything.We did not have a dominating defense and running game before Wilson was here.
And I love RW, but can we quit asking "would you trade Brady?"
Russ is not Tom Brady.
Also, the 2011 defense was great. If Russ had been a rookie in 2011 and we did not have Tavaris I am confident that we would have been a playoff team that year as well. The running game and team are just as much a product of Russell Wilson as he is of them.
Teams that have good defenses with no QB go 7-9 or 8-8, like we did before Russ got here....even in 2011 with the same defensive and offensive personnel damn near as Russ' rookie year.