Clayton: This Seahawks season has reached crisis mode

Oct 8, 2021, 4:15 PM

Tyler Lockett of the Seattle Seahawks looks on during the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Rams at Lumen Field. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

(Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

BY JOHN CLAYTON

Legendary Hall of Fame Reporter

The Seahawks’ season, which was supposed to point to the Super Bowl, is in trouble.

Seahawks QB Russell Wilson could miss 6-8 weeks, per report

They lost to the Los Angeles Rams 26-17 on Thursday night, and the same defensive problems continue to exist. Now, they are probably going to lose Russell Wilson for the first time in his career with a finger injury. There is a also a good chance that running back Chris Carson, who missed Thursday’s game, may not play the Pittsburgh game next Sunday either because of his sore neck.

At the moment, Seattle’s 2-3 start is looking like a disaster. The defense is giving up 450.8 yards and 25.2 points per game. The Seahawks continue their inability to stop the crossing patterns of opposing wide receivers. Linebackers aren’t syncing up with defensive backs and vice versa. When safety Jamal Adams isn’t blitzing, quarterbacks are throwing at him and succeeding.

Something has to give. The next three weeks present a schedule where Seattle can get to 5-3, but there is no guarantee. The Pittsburgh game next Sunday night is interesting. Like the Seahawks, the 1-3 Steelers have been a major disappointment. Their totally revamped offensive line hasn’t worked, and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is getting an injury a week and can’t get the ball downfield. The pressure is on.

After that, the Seahawks face a beatable New Orleans team in Seattle and a bad Jacksonville team at home. The question is if they can do it without Wilson.

Give Geno Smith credit. He came off the bench and did well Thursday. His 98-yard touchdown drive against the Rams was flawless. He still has wide receivers DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett to throw to, and the Seahawks will have tight end Gerald Everett next week now that he’s been cleared from the COVID-19 list. But the Steelers do have a great defense and are great at applying pressure even though their numbers aren’t in the top 10.

But anytime a team goes from their top quarterback to a backup, there is a major drop off.

Pete Carroll has a lot to figure out with the defense, which keeps making the same mistakes. Pressure on opposing quarterbacks has been very, very spotty. They aren’t creating turnovers and they are giving up too many yards.

How strange would it be if this season slips away from them? This was a 12-win team last year that added to their base talent. The Seahawks shouldn’t be 2-3 and giving up over 450 yards a game. They are giving up 305.6 yards a game through the air and 145.2 on the ground. These are historically bad numbers.

The big problem that showed again on Thursday night is they can’t play a complete game. They were good in the first half but fell apart in the second half.

This Seahawks season has reached the point of a crisis. Something needs to get fixed, and get fixed fast.