Clayton’s keys: Seahawks must curb penalties, stay on schedule vs Bills
Nov 4, 2016, 5:07 PM | Updated: 5:15 pm
Russell Wilson and the Seahawks are 22nd in third-down conversion rate this season at 37 percent. (AP)
(AP)
The NFL season reaches the mid-point this weekend, and the Seahawks have a huge Monday night home game against the Bills.
At 4-2-1, the Seahawks head into Week 9 with the third-best record in the NFC. Their defense has been fatigued the past two weeks and their offense has been non-existent. Despite the absences of strong safety Kam Chancellor and defensive end Michael Bennett because of injuries, Seattle’s defense still remains strong and stout. The questions are about an offense that currently ranks 23rd in the league for yardage.
The prime-time stage of “Monday Night Football” should show the nation where the Seahawks are in the NFC playoff hierarchy.
Here are some things to look for Monday night:
Wilson’s mobility. The word came out of Seahawks headquarters this week that coach Pete Carroll has considered resting quarterback Russell Wilson in each of the past few weeks because of his injuries. The problem is that resting him would translate into a month of inactivity, and both Wilson and the Seahawks realized that would be too much of a sacrifice. So Wilson stays on the field. So far the strategy has worked. Wilson has completed 65.6 percent of his passes for 1,812 yards, amazing numbers for a quarterback playing with two injuries that needed four weeks of recovery. Amazing, he’s maybe three plays away from an undefeated season. Wilson said Friday he’s starting to feel close to normal. His knee brace is smaller. His injured ankle isn’t taped as much. Maybe he can be more mobile. The offensive mission Monday is to give Wilson more manageable downs. That has to be done with fewer offensive penalties, more productive running plays and quicker passing plays. Wilson is converting 37 percent of his third downs, but there have been too many long plays to convert. He’s had 33 third-and-10-plus situations and has converted only seven of them. That’s too much to ask of him. The Seahawks have had 92 third-down opportunities. When he’s had third-and-6 or shorter, Wilson has converted 26 of 52, a respectable 50 percent.
Can the Seahawks run? The Bills have been vulnerable to running offenses. They are giving up 118.4 yards a game and 4.1 yards per carry. Last year they were one of the worst teams in the league at stopping the runs inside the tackle. Coach Rex Ryan runs an aggressive 3-4 defense that blitzes and pressures the quarterback. For the Seahawks to win, they need a 65-plus-yard game from Christine Michael and at least 40 more from other backs and Wilson.
Bills’ offensive weapons. Believe it or not, the Bills game will be the first true test of the Seahawks’ defense against a running quarterback this year. San Francisco’s Blaine Gabbert and Miami’s Ryan Tannehill can run, but they’re not considered big running threats. Tyrod Taylor is a runner. He leads all quarterbacks with 319 yards rushing and a 6.9-yard average. Unfortunately for the Bills, his passing numbers are down. His completion percentage has dropped from 63.7 percent last year to 58.7 this year. His passing yards are down from 189.7 a game to 185. Though he signed a contract for big money, Taylor will have to play better for the team to continue with the extension after the season. He doesn’t have a lot of help. Running back LeSean McCoy is expected to play but he might be limited in his carries because of a hamstring injury. Wide receiver Sammy Watkins is on Injured Reserve. The rest of Buffalo’s receiving corps is so banged up that the Bills pulled Percy Harvin out of retirement this week.
Limiting penalties. Finally, the Seahawks will have to cut down on the number of penalties. They rank ninth in the NFL in yards penalized at 500. They are averaging almost eight accepted penalties a game, eighth-most in the league. Surprisingly, they aren’t doing poorly for field position. Their average drive start is at the 28.5, which is 12th-best. That’s pretty good considering Tyler Lockett hasn’t been at full speed with his returns because of his leg injuries.
Overall, the Seahawks need to take care of business at home Monday night.
Want more John Clayton? Listen on-demand to his weekday and Saturday shows as well as his “Cold Hard Facts” and “Clayton’s Morning Drive” segments on 710 ESPN Seattle. Also, check out his all-new “Schooled” podcast and look for his columns twice a week on 710Sports.com.
