2022 Opponent Breakdown: Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks opened the primary 4 weeks of the season going 2-2. Then all the things modified in Week 5.

Going through the Los Angeles Rams at dwelling, Seattle noticed quarterback Russell Wilson maintain a finger damage that might require surgical procedure and sideline him for the subsequent three video games. In that very same sport, working again Chris Carson – the Seahawks’ main rusher every of the earlier three seasons – suffered a neck damage that might require surgical procedure and finally sidelined him for the remainder of the season.

Seattle fell to L.A. 26-17, the primary of three straight losses earlier than rebounding with a 31-7 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars for a 3-5 document at their Week 9 bye. Nonetheless, the struggles would proceed, with one other three-game dropping streak popping out of the bye week. That 3-8 document was finally an excessive amount of to beat, and the Seahawks would end 7-10 total.

If there was one vibrant spot to the season, it was the late emergence of working again and 2018 first-round choose Rashaad Penny. The San Diego State product finally took benefit of Carson’s absence and broke out with 16 carries for 137 yards and two speeding touchdowns in opposition to the Texans in Week 14. General, he amassed 671 of his 749 speeding yards and all six of his speeding touchdowns on the season throughout the ultimate 5 weeks of the season.

The 2 largest have been shifting on from franchise pillars in Wilson and linebacker Bobby Wagner.

On March 12, the Seahawks launched Wagner, parting methods with a gradual and calming presence in the midst of their protection over the past 10 seasons.

4 days later, Wilson was traded to the Broncos in change for tight finish Noah Fant, quarterback Drew Lock, defensive finish Shelby Harris, 2022 and 2023 first-round picks, 2022 and 2023 second-round picks and a 2022 fifth-round choose.

The teaching employees additionally underwent changes, with longtime defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. and defensive passing sport coordinator Andre Curtis and offensive line coach Mike Solari being relieved of their duties. Seattle went inside to seek out Norton and Solari’s replacements, selling defensive position coach Clint Hurtt and run sport coordinator Andy Dickerson respectively. It employed former Vikings defensive backs coach Karl Scott Sean as defensive passing sport coordinator and defensive backs coach to switch Curtis.

In the meantime, the Seahawks introduced on Sean Desai, a former longtime member of the Bears defensive teaching employees, as affiliate head coach-defense.

Pete Carroll enters his thirteenth season as head coach of the Seahawks, compiling a 119-73-1 common season document and 10-8 playoff document (received Tremendous Bowl XLVIII) by way of his first 12 years.

Whoever succeeds Wilson at quarterback, and a brand new defensive philosophy

Will it’s Lock or returnee Geno Smith?

Proper now, these are the 2 gamers competing to be the Seahawks’ subsequent beginning quarterback.

It may be a lot totally different from what the Rams protection has been accustomed to making ready for, with Wilson below middle for Seattle over the past 10 seasons.

A second-round draft choose in 2019, Lock misplaced the battle for the Broncos’ beginning job to Teddy Bridgewater final season and now will get a recent begin heading into the 2022 season, his fourth within the NFL total. In the meantime, Smith will get a crack at beginning once more for the primary time since his first and second NFL seasons with the Jets.

Each gamers can transfer properly within the pocket and are able to escaping it to make off-schedule performs. Neither have been shy about tucking the ball and working to choose up further yards – Smith has 158 carries for 701 yards and eight speeding touchdowns by way of eight seasons, Lock 72 for 285 and 5.

Certainly one of them might be beginning Week 1, however as seen all through NFL historical past, that is no assure they may also be the starter in Week 13 or Week 18, with efficiency and well being factoring into that.

The Seahawks nonetheless have extensive receivers DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett within the fold, however it is going to be a new-look passing assault in any other case with Wilson now not helming their offense.

On the opposite aspect of the ball, the defensive teaching employees modifications additionally coincide with a philosophical shift for that unit that can have the Rams offense making ready for a brand new Seahawks defensive scheme in comparison with earlier years.