Bumpus on Seahawks TE Parkinson’s TD: ‘Let’s do more of that’

Dec 12, 2023, 12:30 PM

Seattle Seahawks TE Colby Parkinson scores a touchdown against the 49ers. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

(Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

MyNorthwest Content Editor

Following the Seattle Seahawks’ painful 28-16 loss to the divisional rival San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy were hard-pressed to find many positives from the offense.

Rost: One thing clearly separates Seahawks from NFC’s best teams

Backup quarterback Drew Lock started in place of the injured Geno Smith, throwing for 269 yards and two touchdowns alongside two interceptions on 22-for-31 passing. He was sacked four times, with 49ers All-Pro Nick Bosa leading the charge with 1.5 sacks.

“You have to be able to run the football,” Michael Bumpus said Monday of the Seahawks. “You only ran the ball for 70 yards last game. That means you’re putting more pressure on Drew Lock to get it done, and most of those (yards) came on a couple of carries, a couple of big runs by Zach Charbonnet.”

Seattle ranks in the bottom five in the league in rushing yards per game, averaging just 92 yards per contest compared to last year’s mark of 119.2, which ranked 18th in the league. Second-year running back Kenneth Walker III is averaging 12 yards less per game while carrying the ball at a less efficient rate. He also has missed two games due to injury, with the rookie Charbonnet picking up the bulk of the responsibility. Charbonnet has provided Seattle’s offense an additional 34 yards of rushing on average, spelling Walker on most third downs when both are healthy.

In the last three games, all losses, Seattle has averaged just 76.7 rushing yards.

“What did you see from the offense that you want to see more of?” Stacy Rost asked her co-host.

“That Colby Parkinson play,” Bumpus answered, referencing the fourth-year tight end’s 25-yard TD late in the third quarter. “The reason why they were able to do that is because the execution was on point. The offensive line blocked correctly. The motion got the attention of the defense, which Drew did a good job with his eyes moving the defense.”

In the play Bumpus referenced, Lock took a shotgun snap, faked a screen pass to his left, turned, faked a screen pass to his right, and finally lofted a ball right up the middle of the field to Parkinson, who scored his first touchdown of the season.

Fake, fake, find the TE! @Seahawks for 6️⃣

📺: #SEAvsSF on FOX
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/pWMED8SAQa pic.twitter.com/oGw6FODEXs

— NFL (@NFL) December 10, 2023

Bumpus was complimentary of Lock’s play in a pinch, as Smith was officially ruled out with less than two hours before kickoff due to a groin strain.

“If you watch that play, (Lock) got half of that defense going to the right, half of the defense going to the left, and it’s because of the motions in the backfield (that) you find Colby over the top.

“Let’s do more of that.”

The concept of the play looked very familiar to routes San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle has scored on in coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense over the years, including against the Seahawks last season. It was also the first touchdown caught by a Seahawks tight end this year, as the seldom-utilized unit has three separate players who have combined for 628 receiving yards this season.

“When I watch the Hawks do their motions, they’re just doing it to identify man or zone,” Bumpus added. “They’re not really trying to get any angles out of this thing, right? If you are out-manned, which you are going to be for the next couple of games possibly, you’ve got to do things to move guys and move their eyes, man – just like how you took that play from the 49ers. Take some of what the Niners do, take some of what the Ravens do, take some of what the Rams do. Don’t be too proud. Go out there and get it. I want to see more moving and creating angles.”

The Seahawks are currently 6-7 with a home date against the defending NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles upcoming on Monday Night Football. After the team’s month-long stretch playing teams with a combined 30-9 record, Seattle will end its season with games against the Tennessee Titans, Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals.

Seattle is currently clumped with the Rams, Falcons and Saints, all with 6-7 records, vying for the NFC’s final wild card spots.

“I hope Shane (Waldron) looks at that play and says, I we need a little bit more of that,” Bumpus said, referring to Seattle’s offensive coordinator. “But you also need your athletes to execute the game plan.”

Listen to the full second hour of Monday’s Bump and Stacy at this link or in the player near the top of this story.