Russell Wilson "Zone" - Offense Issues

[mikeak]

This is what I notice out of Russell.

He takes too damned long to make a decision. This could only mean that he does not process defenses fast enough. He can get away with it, for it, because he has young legs. However, once he gets older he's going to have more problems no matter if his O line is good or not. I think we've seen all that there is out of Russell.

The issue I have with saying that it is about taking to long to make a decision is that I don't study the all-22 tape. It could be correct but it could in my opinion also be false. What do I mean with that?

I mean that if nobody is open, if the routes run are crappy and put people in the same space and there are defenders there then it is not an issue about taking to long to make a decision but more off a "there is no good decision" available so RW is trying to buy time until something opens up.

The truth is probably in the middle somewhere

 

[KiwiHawk]

This is what I notice out of Russell.

He takes too damned long to make a decision. This could only mean that he does not process defenses fast enough. He can get away with it, for it, because he has young legs. However, once he gets older he's going to have more problems no matter if his O line is good or not. I think we've seen all that there is out of Russell.

The issue I have with saying that it is about taking to long to make a decision is that I don't study the all-22 tape. It could be correct but it could in my opinion also be false. What do I mean with that?

I mean that if nobody is open, if the routes run are crappy and put people in the same space and there are defenders there then it is not an issue about taking to long to make a decision but more off a "there is no good decision" available so RW is trying to buy time until something opens up.

The truth is probably in the middle somewhere

There is plenty of film showing receivers open shallow that Wilson ignores hoping something will open up deeper.

The obvious response to a poor OL is to get rid of the ball faster, but when the QB won't take the short stuff, he exacerbates the OL issues.

Unlike Donk i don't think it's slow decision-making. I think Wilson is always looking for the big play and settling for shorter stuff. The problem is that the short stuff is only open early in the play, so by the time he checks away from the big play, the short routes are covered.

The Rams knew this tendency. They literally didn't cover our guys within 5 yards of the line because they knew Wilson wasn't going to throw there. They covered the deep routes and by the time Wilson checked down he was being sacked.

 

[brimsalabim]

I've watched Russell play a lot longer than most of you and the biggest difference I see in his game is a hesitancy. I doubt he is having difficulty reading the defense but I do think he is second guessing himself. He is playing like he is afraid to make a mistake. It may be spill over from the upper owl int ?

This may also affect our redzone performance but I also believe play design and personell grouping are head scratching as well.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Well, clearly Russ is the only QB in the league who misses open WR's :?

 

[NOLAHawk]

I just see too much emphasis on long pass. You can run 5 yards and be a stud. You can throw 5 yards and be a loser. Ton of bricks vs a ton of feathers. St. Louis stacks the box every time and cover our wrs well. There is always a shallow cross and middle seam open. Russ can make an easy leaping throw.

I saw the pats run the same play about 5000 time two weeks ago. Rb behind qb. Rb waits as to block, Pocket collapses hooks around 3-7 yards each time.

The RO worked for a time every time until there was no variation. Same with some of our formations run or play action short pass. We run them but not enough to soften the all out blitz or soft short field given by dbs

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Good point on the long passes. Especially when they need 5 or 6 yards, stop throwing the bomb. Of course, it could be nobody open etc. Play calling is a big part of it too.

 

[lukerguy]

To me, the offense and Russ have regressed back to his rookie season. I felt just as difficult to move the ball. We won some and lost some, but it was never easy...always a close game.

So why did Seattle start dominating teams at the end of his first season? The offense moved the ball at will and converted in the red zone...I think that team may have even been better than the SB team, just didn't have home field advantage to make the difference.

What do the Seahawks do when they really need points? Usually they do more read option. I think back to the NFCC versus GB, or Chicago 2011...pretty much any overtime game has featured that except the last few they've lost.

They've also moved away from play action off of the read option. I saw Dalton use this nicely in the red zone versus Cleveland on Thursday. Brought the MLB up a step and then dropped it in to Eifert. I'm in no way saying I'm smarter than Bevell, but I know when the team has clicked and when it hasn't, and it's always clicked when it's using Read Option 10-20% of it's plays.

 

[Anthony!]

I've watched Russell play a lot longer than most of you and the biggest difference I see in his game is a hesitancy. I doubt he is having difficulty reading the defense but I do think he is second guessing himself. He is playing like he is afraid to make a mistake. It may be spill over from the upper owl int ?

This may also affect our redzone performance but I also believe play design and personell grouping are head scratching as well.

Or it could be our HC always being in his ear about not making mistakes making him second guess things. That said I still think oline, and play selection and design are the biggest issues

 

[lukerguy]

To the last poster...they've always been in his ear about that.

 

[Anthony!]

To the last poster...they've always been in his ear about that.

Exactly so if they are always in his ear about it, it will always make him think twice

 

[lukerguy]

Umm.. well I think they've always preached to be risk adverse and avoid turn overs...We won a SB and should have won another that way...it's hard to argue with the methodology?

There's a deeper issue, and it has nothing to do with them telling him to avoid turnovers.

 

[Anthony!]

Umm.. well I think they've always preached to be risk adverse and avoid turn overs...We won a SB and should have won another that way...it's hard to argue with the methodology?

There's a deeper issue, and it has nothing to do with them telling him to avoid turnovers.

It could when your oline went form bad to aweful. That minor difference could be one of the major issues.

 

[Seahawksfan3]

Did any of you see this? : https://realfootballnetwork.com/blog/20 ... -of-lists/?
This past week Russ has the highest completion percentage beyond the line of scrimmage at 71%.

 

[mrt144]

Did any of you see this? : https://realfootballnetwork.com/blog/20 ... -of-lists/?
This past week Russ has the highest completion percentage beyond the line of scrimmage at 71%.

The insane thing too is RW isn't throwing checkdowns to pad the stats, hell there aren't many plays with checkdowns in the playbook regardless.

 

[Anthony!]

:sarcasm_off:

Did any of you see this? : https://realfootballnetwork.com/blog/20 ... -of-lists/?
This past week Russ has the highest completion percentage beyond the line of scrimmage at 71%.

The insane thing too is RW isn't throwing checkdowns to pad the stats, hell there aren't many plays with checkdowns in the playbook regardless.

What is interesting is not only is Wilson #1 in complt% beyond LOS but he is top 10 in: passing yards/att (7), and % of passing yard via air (4),

 

[lukerguy]

How are his rushing stats?


Down across the board from the last few years by quite a bit..

The only sustained scoring drives we tend to have without fail are ones where Russ is willing to read option or find yards scrambling.

 

[Anthony!]

How are his rushing stats?


Down across the board from the last few years by quite a bit..

The only sustained scoring drives we tend to have without fail are ones where Russ is willing to read option or find yards scrambling.

that is an play calling, play design and blocking issue. he is on pace for over 600 yards rushing, about the same as the SB winning year. However if the only way a team can move the ball or keep drives alive is their QB running all the time that tells me the play calling and design sucks and the pass blocking is not any better.

 

[Siouxhawk]

I'm sure in the second half of the season we'll see Russ back in his read-option comfort zone. Our offensive schemes will put us in position to win like they have the last 2 years. Russell does a good job of carrying out our well-drawn up offense.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

No doubt. They need to get back to letting him do what he does best. Run around and create. And maybe actually using Graham in the Red Zone once in awhile. Imagine that :?

 

[FreshlySnipes]

Russell Wilson has a noticeable zone he gets into. When he's in that zone he plays well and the offense moves the ball downfield.

I notice that Russ and running the ball go hand in hand when he is in the "Zone". He seems to take over the game and put the team on his back when he gets active in the run game, either a scramble for yards or read option runs.

I understand the concern for injury but I think Bevell needs to start putting Russ into some running option plays earlier in the game to get his blood flowing and get him in the zone. All the games where Russ takes over in the 4th quarter to win the game for us, he has some scramble / read option plays that get first downs. Every time when he is playing very well, he has had some strong runs. Let's get Russ back in the game winning zone! He has it, let's open it back up!

Thoughts??

Feel like eating any crow this week?? [emoji1]

rare cases I wouldn't mind eating crow