Brian Schottenheimer has a tremendous opportunity to rehabilitate this offense. Expectations are low. The running game was just about as bad as it gets last season. The blocking has been some of the worst in the NFL over the last three years. The offense has lost some key playmakers in Jimmy Graham and Paul Richardson, and it has never fully recovered from the loss of Marshawn Lynch.
Slowly, the offense strayed from the core philosophy of hard-nosed, competitive football to become increasingly stagnant and finesse. Good blockers at fullback and tight end were eschewed. Discipline was lacking, as the offense was mired in penalties. The first three quarters of games became predictable and sad illustrations of bad play calling and offensive ineptitude. Scoring was totally reliant on Russell Wilson doing something magical in the later stages of games. It felt as though we were playing 1-on-11 football at times. The fan base, by in large, was incredibly negative and distressed by the offensive game plan (myself included).
Russell Wilson was already arguably the best player in football last season. But he has so much room for growth, developing his mechanics in the pocket, expanding his ability to break down a defense with audibles, adjusting his line calls, recognizing and attacking a defense's greatest weaknesses, etc. The running game has nowhere to go but up. So much untapped potential that can be harnessed by an intelligent offensive architect, with an appreciation for hard-nosed football and offensive flow, and the common sense to exploit defensive weaknesses.