What one NFL analyst thinks would help Seahawks’ offense

Nov 7, 2024, 9:36 AM

Host, Bump & Stacy (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.)

The bad news for the Seattle Seahawks is that they’ve got far more than just one problem. The good news is that with multiple problems comes the potential for multiple solutions, and one NFL analyst thinks they don’t have to wait until the draft to improve their offense.

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First, let’s take a look at that offense.

Seattle is about league average in points per game (23) and is getting great production from second-year receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who’s less than 100 yards away from matching his 2023 yardage total with the 4-5 Seahawks’ season just past the midpoint. And despite missing two games with a knee injury, DK Metcalf is still tied for 12th league-wide in receiving yards.

But they’ve had plenty to overcome. They lead the league in false starts (17) and are second in offensive holding (19). Quarterback Geno Smith has had bad luck with turnovers (more on that later), but those 10 interceptions still hurt. They’ve had offensive line woes all season long; Smith is the fourth-most sacked passer behind only Deshaun Watson, C.J. Stroud and Caleb Williams. Making matters worse, they’re down to their fourth-string right tackle.

Perhaps it shouldn’t be a surprise that the 8.9 yard average they face on third down attempts is the longest for any team since 1980 (credit to ESPN’s Benjamin Solak for that depressing stat).

There’s no quick solution for issues up front, but The Athletic’s Robert Mays suggested one change when it comes to play calling: more play-action.

“I think that there’s a balance to be found, right?” Mays said of the Seahawks, who are third in pass-play percentage, when he joined us Wednesday on Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy. “I don’t think you necessarily have to commit to the run game when you feel like the quarterback and your ability to throw the ball is the best thing you do. But I think there’s some compromise you can make, and that compromise to me is just to use a little bit more play-action.”

Smith leads the league in passing yards but is 25th in play-action pass attempts. That low number is hardly the marker of an inefficient offense (San Francisco’s Brock Purdy ranks just ahead of Smith and both are ahead of Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow, who’s had a phenomenal season). But leaning heavily into pure drop-back passing would be tough on even a good offensive line, much less one that’s already struggling.

Adding more play-action or calling for more runs is easier said than done, but a little balance is Seattle’s best path toward improvement.

“I still think there are probably ways to just make things slightly easier on the guys that are being most exposed in this offense,” Mays said. “That doesn’t mean running the ball 35 times a game, but I think it can mean three, four more play-action shots a game, or three or four more runs a game. And if you think about what the ratio would ultimately look like with just a few slight changes, I do think that could have some real benefits.”

Revisiting Geno Smith’s turnover problem

Smith apologized to teammates and fans for his three-interception performance against the Rams last Sunday, including an especially ugly 103-yard pick six. It gives the Seahawks’ QB 10 interceptions on the season to just 11 touchdowns.

It’s a bad ratio. No way around it. But Mays offered one interesting stat.

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“If you look at PFF, he has 10 turnover-worthy plays and is bottom eight in turnover-worthy play percentage,” Mays said. “He has 10 picks on those 10 turnover-worthy throws. That’s hard to do. That requires a level of bad luck I think not enough people are taking into consideration when they look at the box scores. Down to down, this guy is one of the reasons that this offense is even able to stay afloat.”

Smith must cut down on the turnovers, but could he be in for better luck in the second half of the season?

Hear the full Bump and Stacy conversation with NFL writer Robert Mays of The Athletic in the podcast at this link or in the player near the top of this post. Catch Bump and Stacy live from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays on Seattle Sports.