Source: Russell Wilson Wanted Schottenheimer Fired

[Maelstrom787]

Sure is looking like Pete, again, shielded his quarterback from criticism and fell on the sword.

 

[sdog1981]

Seahawks 3rd down efficacy did not change that much when Schotty took over as the OC. However, the Seahawks became one of the best Red Zone TD% teams in the NFL under his direction. Before Schotty the Seahawks were around 55% of red zone trips ending in a TD, after Shotty took over the team went above 60% every season he was in charge, culminating with his 2020 season with a 73% red zone TD conversion rate.

 

[Spin Doctor]

Seahawks 3rd down efficacy did not change that much when Schotty took over as the OC. However, the Seahawks became one of the best Red Zone TD% teams in the NFL under his direction. Before Schotty the Seahawks were around 55% of red zone trips ending in a TD, after Shotty took over the team went above 60% every season he was in charge, culminating with his 2020 season with a 73% red zone TD conversion rate.

Schottenheimer also really cleaned up Wilson's play in 2018/2019 and the beginning of 2020. I saw him step up more than he ever did and commit to the pocket more than he had previously done. He bailed on that really quickly though. I just don't think Wilson likes being held accountable and Schottenheimer was known as being a hardass that forced people to tow the line.

 

[Maelstrom787]

Schottenheimer also really cleaned up Wilson's play in 2018/2019 and the beginning of 2020. I saw him step up more than he ever did and commit to the pocket more than he had previously done. He bailed on that really quickly though. I just don't think Wilson likes being held accountable and Schottenheimer was known as being a hardass that forced people to tow the line.

I was one of Russell's biggest defenders during this timeframe. He was on a fantastic path for a hot minute there. Absurdly efficient and the run game was moving the chains.

 

[toffee]

Sure is looking like Pete, again, shielded his quarterback from criticism and fell on the sword.

Thoughts and prayers to the once proud Denver Broncos.

 

[keasley45]

I contended this was the case when it happened. Schottenheimer was doing great things with the offense, but for it to get out of the rut it found itself in at midseason 2020, required either Russ elevating his x's and o's game and taking the plays that he was constantly passing up to keep defenses off balance and move the chains, OR working around that deficiency with a more run heavy approach. I could imagine that Schottenheimer was as frustrated at the failure of the offense as we were, but saw the path forward being one where Russ was finally made to do the things he'd struggled with to that point, and continues to struggle with now. i wouldnt be surprised if the fuming Russ we saw at the Superbowl that year was as much a result of Schotty telling Pete that the issue was his QB as much as anything else, and Russ then seeing the writing on the wall, that he needed to change the narrative and make the failure about something other than himself. Step 1. create a reason for the coordinator who's criticizing you and can lay plain your faults, to be let go - complain to 'dad' that things need to change or you're out (passively), meanwhile allowing the blame for the offense's woes get washed up in your complaint about how boring the offense looked over the 2nd half of the season. Ie - we lost in the playoffs because the offense was antiquated, washing over the fact that Russ played a horrible game that was plagued by the same failures that started to occur 8 weeks prior. And the downtick in the offenses performance over the 2nd half wasnt as much because Pete mandated it be simple, but that the routes that Russ was provided with (sans the constant bombs) , more often than not were the routes he just doesnt throw. You take away the long game, make him work the middle game, and if he cant do it, force the conservative run game to open up shots. But instead, Pete gets the blame, and Schotty gets the axe, and the narrative is set around the league that Russ needs someone who will build an offense to suit him for his talent to not be wasted, based on the myopic view of an offense that was red hot to start the season, but then changed when the HC took the ball away.

A quote from a great article on the whole topic that was published in The Athletic last year:
Others see the situation differently after Wilson had the worst stretch of his career in the season’s final eight games, ranking 28th in yards per attempt, one spot below the Cincinnati Bengals’ Brandon Allen.
“He’s finally catching heat,” one person told The Athletic. “That’s the main reason for all of this. … People are talking and holding him accountable because he’s one of the highest-paid quarterbacks, he says he wants to be the greatest, so now people are holding him to that standard.”
“It’s a PR game,” that person added. “He’s trying to protect himself.”
Another source agreed: “What he’s trying to do is save face.”

And if you look at how the 2021 season played out, it makes sense. in 2020 Pete and Schotty forced an offense less reliant on 'taking the top off' over the 2nd half of the season. Russ struggled. The deep looks he wanted werent there and so he was forced to work the parts of his game that werent great. Result - dial up the runs that open up the pass game, rather than having a complete pass game that can massage a D on its own by virtue of the diversity of routes and areas of the field exploited. Russ failed. So after all the hoopla, firing Schotty, painting Pete the villain (passively) and likely laying down the gauntlet that the new OC was going to work with HIM and not be swayed by Pete's voice (Russ wanting more control), when things started to go south in week 2, 2021, there was no correction like the year before. Russ just stood back there and did whatever he wanted to, to prove that HE could overcome whatever the defense was doing. And if we lost, he could sit back and for most games, claim the offense put up enough points to win and that the D had to do its job (pretty much what he said after week 2).

This was all so transparent when you turned off the highlight reels, media takes and stats being thrown out every week about how great Russ was and turned on the coach's tape. Schotty got fired because he pushed through the BS to the real issue, and Russ didnt like that. Pete and John were right in gambling to bring in Adams in 2021. Our team was good enough to contend for a title. the defense struggled early but recovered over the 2nd half and played well enough in the wild card round to win, if the O had been at all effective. our first 3 drives were 3 and outs and over the first 5, we threw a pick 6. Folks blame the run game, protection and penalties. All of those things contributed, but the pass game was non existent. And were it not for a busted play / scramble drill to DK, we'd have been blown out - that 51 yard TD was almost 1/3rd of the yards we had trough the air that day.

 

[toffee]

Schottenheimer also really cleaned up Wilson's play in 2018/2019 and the beginning of 2020. I saw him step up more than he ever did and commit to the pocket more than he had previously done. He bailed on that really quickly though. I just don't think Wilson likes being held accountable and Schottenheimer was known as being a hardass that forced people to tow the line.

Nailed it, plus spectacular plays get Russ on TV, be talked about by media talking heads. Playing within Schotty's system would be detrimental to his brand.

 

[HawkRiderFan]

I would love to a have been a fly on that wall for that infamous meeting before the Cards game where Russ stormed out. I am curious as to what Russ thinks the perfect offence is for him and the big question, will it work.

 

[sutz]

Now we're going back to Schotty?

 

[Cyrus12]

Wilson simply is not coachable. Pete coddled him for years which was detrimental to the rest of the organization. How many oc's before finally you have to look at whats really going on? In the end no matter what they did it wasn't enough to satisfy the ego.

 

[BlueTalon]

I would love to a have been a fly on that wall for that infamous meeting before the Cards game where Russ stormed out. I am curious as to what Russ thinks the perfect offence is for him and the big question, will it work.

And will it work for a whole season? We'll find out shortly after Denver does.

 

[toffee]

Sure is looking like Pete, again, shielded his quarterback from criticism and fell on the sword.

"IF" what Corbin Smith reported was true, it does explained why his teammates kept their distance or downright unfriendly to Russ. In this case, Russ said he was against replacing Schotty, etc etc, AFTER he told Pete to replace Schotty, how would ya like that from a teammate?

We will never know the truth, but reactions from teammates, was quite telling.

 

[Maelstrom787]

Now we're going back to Schotty?

View attachment 53469

Yes.

 

[keasley45]

And will it work for a whole season? We'll find out shortly after Denver does.

He wants a line to buy him the 3 plus seconds it usually takes for him to run around and find an open wr. Look at his highlights. The guy has lived on long developing plays, broken plays improvisation. He's absolutley killed it when he's made plays when the pocket didn't hold up, but his idea of 'protection' and 'open' is far different than it needs to be to get to the next level. And he can't get around the fact that his height does impact his ability to see the field in the first 1.5 seconds after the snap. The deeper he drops, the more he sees and there's a sweet spot where his wrs have gained time to win enough separation for him and when his line can no longer hold. He's struggled because he lives on that edge. He needs the time, and the time works against him because he's not a 3 step drop or 5 step drop qb, and unless it's a quick slant or quick out, he's likely not hitting thr middle on crosses to exploit zones and split high low coverages.

 

[Perseus68]

My book has Denver win total at 10 games, under is +105 thinking of pulling the trigger on the under?

 

[James in PA]

The more I learn every day about this phony Carlton Banks-lookin' QB named Russell Wilson, the more I grow to dislike him.

 

[JPatera76]

**** Russell if this is true.

 

[scutterhawk]

Now we're going back to Schotty?

View attachment 53469

Yeah, I don't know how anyone could hold Russ responsible for all of Pete's Cable's, Bevell's, Schotty's & Waldren's shortcomings, it's a damned conspiracy against Wilson I tell ya. LOLOLOL

 

[onanygivensunday]

Broncos chat forums predominately feel that everything negative that is posted here about Russ is sour grapes.

They'll learn. It may take three years, but they'll learn.

 

[Maelstrom787]

Broncos chat forums predominately feel that everything negative that is posted here about Russ is sour grapes.

They'll learn. It may take three years, but they'll learn.

I'm sure that for some people, it is sour grapes.
My (and I'm assuming your) viewpoint on Wilson certainly wasn't as popular as it is now that he's gone. But there was always truth to it, especially post mid-2020.