Wilson's rushing explosion related to deep ball negation?

[kearly]

I don't watch all-22, nor do I have any interest in it. This theory came straight out of my rear end, and could be totally wrong. But it's a suspicion of mine, and I wonder what the rest of you think.

I've been complaining about Seattle's lack of deep passing all season, even in the early weeks when we had a few big plays via the deep ball. In the first 3 games, Seattle had about 1-2 deep completions per game, and during this time Wilson averaged less than 20 yards rushing a game.

Since then, he's played 3 more games, and we've had almost zero success on play action deep looks, while Wilson has exploded as a rusher, averaging 80 yards per game during that span.

One of the disadvantages of man coverage is that it leaves you exposed to big rushing plays from the QB when the offense sends the receivers deep. Basically, the defenders follow the receivers and this leaves huge sections of green grass for the QB. Is it possible that whatever extra vigilance teams are using to take away the deep ball is benefitting Wilson as a runner? I have no idea if it is or not, because I don't know. It's just pure causality with some logic behind it.

It's worth noting too that Wilson is not Kaepernick. He's not racking up very many of these yards on option keepers and designed plays. On most of them, he looks and looks and looks for a deep throw before taking off.

Whatever the reason, I have been extremely impressed with Wilson's decision making as a runner this season. Not only is he making the correct decisions and making plays with his feet, but he's much more decisive at it than last year. I don't think he's going to finish with 1000 yards rushing, but he very well might lead the NFL in QB rushing first downs by the time the season is over. And since this has happened 3 games in a row, I am beginning to suspect that Wilson's rushing improvisation has become a staple of our offensive gameplan. Not just an option B, but an option A for a lot of plays.

 

[Scottemojo]

100%.

 

[pehawk]

Also, it completely takes the wind out of a defense; mentally and phyically. If the goal is sustained drives and physical domination, Wilson keeping it accomplishes that better than a long pass.

When you're outmatched across the oline, try to fatigue that fatties across the Dline. With the oline THIS injured, its a reasonable strategy.

XOXO

Tony Ventrulla

 

[Blitzhawk]

Yep.

Also, I believe his sudden burst in rushing prowess lately started after Lynch told him in the Texans game that he was going to have take over the game and do what he does. Suddenly, he starts taking off and gaining big yards in the rest of that game plus the last 2 games as well. I get the feeling he was trying too hard to be the typical "pocket passer first" in the first 3.5 games and w/ our line issues it was just not working. The D's had also adjusted to our desire for the deep passing game and setup to stop it. Now, I think they are going to have to readjust to better account for Wilson running willy-nilly thru their D and that should open the deep routes back up a bit.

That there is the best part about having the multi-threat QB. We still need to get our O line back and ironed out for sure.

 

[BocciHawk]

This last game I definitely saw RW getting flushed from the pocket, seeing either A) short man open and long man open and tossing short or B) short man open long man covered and figuring "eh, I can run it as long as the short man" and running it. So I definitely see your point, which is that even when the long options are open, when he's flushed from the pocket and it's not designed to go that way, I think he tends to pull it down and go for the more conservative option... which occasionally now includes running it, whereas the first couple three weeks, that option wasn't in his mental menu.

If he had better protection, we'd see longer pass plays.

Note that PC says the protection is fine, and I don't watch film as much as he does LOL but I think the protection is adequate, not great, but OK. It's not good enough to reliably throw the long ball.

 

[uncle fester]

It's absolutely related. Wilson has already said he hates to run. So if he's running, it means there's no one open.

What would be nice is if an opposing D tried to contain him, leaving a WR open deep, just for once.

 

[Smelly McUgly]

Spinoff question: Is Pete Carroll's "explosive plays" focus creating an issue where we are trying to generate passing plays downfield too doggedly, which is leading to defenses taking away those routes out of habit, which is thereby leading to Wilson being a force on the ground the last three weeks?

Nothing we'll ever know, but just a thought.

 

[seahawkfreak]

Also, it completely takes the wind out of a defense; mentally and phyically. If the goal is sustained drives and physical domination, Wilson keeping it accomplishes that better than a long pass.

When you're outmatched across the oline, try to fatigue that fatties across the Dline. With the oline THIS injured, its a reasonable strategy.

XOXO

Tony Ventrulla

Oh nice, very spot on great point

 

[Sac]

<InsertjokeaboutRWexplosionsanddeepballs>

 

[pehawk]

Also, it completely takes the wind out of a defense; mentally and phyically. If the goal is sustained drives and physical domination, Wilson keeping it accomplishes that better than a long pass.

When you're outmatched across the oline, try to fatigue that fatties across the Dline. With the oline THIS injured, its a reasonable strategy.

XOXO

Tony Ventrulla

Oh nice, very spot on great point

That's not okay. I'm the stupid guy, with fart jokes and bad grammar. Obviously, you are mistaken.

 

[HawKnPeppa]

During Titans game, I also noticed more short routes than normal and even a slant thrown in there (batted down by their corner). This also speaks to your theory that teams are trying to take the deep ball away. Personally, I was glad to see the shorter stuff thrown in because our passing game is way too predictable.

 

[Perfundle]

This last game I definitely saw RW getting flushed from the pocket, seeing either A) short man open and long man open and tossing short or B) short man open long man covered and figuring "eh, I can run it as long as the short man" and running it. So I definitely see your point, which is that even when the long options are open, when he's flushed from the pocket and it's not designed to go that way, I think he tends to pull it down and go for the more conservative option... which occasionally now includes running it, whereas the first couple three weeks, that option wasn't in his mental menu.

If he had better protection, we'd see longer pass plays.

Note that PC says the protection is fine, and I don't watch film as much as he does LOL but I think the protection is adequate, not great, but OK. It's not good enough to reliably throw the long ball.

I've seen too many short third downs (around the NFL, not just by Seattle) not get converted by mobile QBs because the third down pass gets dropped or defensed. As long as you slide or get out bounds properly (i.e. not what Manuel and Hoyer did in that game), it's an easy and safe first down.

On the flip side, what has happened to QB spying? Wilson was contained pretty well against Carolina and SF, possibly because of their having a mobile QB of their own, but are opponents simply not spying Wilson at all in the last few games?

 

[MontanaHawk05]

Would make sense. I also noticed a few more short routes than normal.

 

[DavidSeven]

For those who missed it, Pete confirmed today that teams are specifically scheming against Seattle to take away deep balls off PA. Said the Titans' safety was playing "miles back there."

 

[Perfundle]

For those who missed it, Pete confirmed today that teams are specifically scheming against Seattle to take away deep balls off PA. Said the Titans' safety was playing "miles back there."

Well, that can only be a good thing that teams fear Seattle's deep passing attack so much they're willing to concede yardage between the 20s. All that's left is red-zone offense.

 

[ivotuk]

For those who missed it, Pete confirmed today that teams are specifically scheming against Seattle to take away deep balls off PA. Said the Titans' safety was playing "miles back there."

That's what Pete said and he also said previously that "I was pumping Bev to have Russell throw more." I would like to see more runs and a trend toward the shorter passing game/screen passes. Then once defenses attempt to take the underneath stuff away, hit 'em deep. I think it would be advantageous in the long run for this team to have experience in both types of games.

Gregg Williams imho, is still a top 10-15 DC and it's no surprise that he had a good game plan this past Sunday. I think he is the main reason that Tennessee's defense has improved so much this year.

 

[Evil_Shenanigans]

Now if we only had Miller in there!

 

[Reaneypark]

I think teams will adjust and make Wilson beat them deep. It'll probably be a mistake. You certainly have to defend the whole field with him.

 

[Smelly McUgly]

Gregg Williams imho, is still a top 10-15 DC and it's no surprise that he had a good game plan this past Sunday. I think he is the main reason that Tennessee's defense has improved so much this year.

I was never a Williams fan because I thought he defended on the big blitz too much. You can usually pick apart his defenses if you scheme shorter passes, swing passes, screens, and the like. But maybe he's been blitzing less. I don't recall seeing a lot of blitzing from the Titans yesterday, but I don't process that stuff as much when watching with my emotional eye in the moment.

 

[SalishHawkFan]

One of his big runs vs the Titans was by design, even though it looked like he was scrambling. I knew instantly by the way the oline blocked and pulled the entire dline to the left while Wilson rolled out right. The TE laid a great block, but you know what? He was SUPPOSED to lay that block down on the spy, because if he'd wanted to get open instead, he could have. That block bought the receivers time - not Wilson - to get deeper and opened up one of the biggest runs of the day. It was too perfectly executed to have been on the fly. Wilson kept his eyes deep because it was a pass/option, much like the run/option. He could pass if his threat to run pulled the defenders to him, but if they kept with their receivers, he could run. If you just watched Wilson on that play, it looked like a scramble. If you watched everyone else, it looked like it was written up that way.