It’s safe to say the Seahawks are missing Russell Wilson.
Seattle looked lifeless in their Monday Night Football game against the Saints, a 13-10 loss in the rain that dropped the Seahawks to 2-5 on the season (and a miserable 0-3 at home, where Seattle usually triumphs). It was their second full game since Russell Wilson injured his finger, and backup quarterback Geno Smith couldn’t get much going for the second-straight week – partially because Pete Carroll and the coaching staff wouldn’t let him.
Carroll put forth a comically conservative game plan on Monday night, with Smith only throwing 22 times despite not holding a lead at any point in the second half. They ran the ball 28 times, 16 of the carries going to journeyman RB Alex Collins, who totaled 35 yards on those attempts (or 2.2 yards per carry).
On three occasions, the Seahawks elected to run the ball on third down – twice on third and 1 – and didn’t pick up the yardage, resulting in two punts and a missed field goal. Carroll has always liked to run the ball, and the conditions (rain, not Wilson) may have called for it. But it was very clear from the start that the run game wasn’t working – especially without lead back Chris Carson, and against a defense that gives up the third-fewest rush yards per game in the NFL.
Smith did connect on an 84-yard touchdown to DK Metcalf in the second quarter after cornerback Marshon Lattimore fell down, but that ended up being nearly half of the team’s yardage (Seattle amassed just 219 total yards on the night). He also took five sacks, including three on their final two series of the game in crunch time, ending any hope of a comeback.
Seattle is now five games out of the division lead (Cardinals) just seven games into the season, and four games behind the Rams. Wilson could return after the Seahawks’ Week 9 bye to face the Packers, and they have a winnable game in Week 8 against the lowly Jaguars.
“We miss him, and in the meantime, we’re going to keep fighting and clawing and doing what we can,” Carroll said after the game.
But they had a chance to steal one at home on Monday – and the miserable effort wasn’t enough.