Blue 42: What Seahawks need to focus on for grueling December schedule
Nov 28, 2017, 10:27 AM | Updated: 12:55 pm
The Seahawks need to have some semblance of a run game for their tough final stretch. (AP)
(AP)
The Seahawks have the second-toughest remaining schedule in the league, according to ESPN’s Mike Sando. The grueling stretch of games begins with a Sunday night matchup against the NFC-leading Philadelphia Eagles (10-1), followed by games against the Jaguars (7-4), Rams (8-3), Cowboys, and Cardinals.
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According to 710 ESPN Seattle’s Brock Huard, the Seahawks need to capitalize on two things heading into December.
“Two trends that are concerning to me when I think of a championship-caliber team capable of handling this gauntlet are getting after the quarterback and being able to run the ball with any level of efficiency,” Huard said on his Blue 42 segment of Brock and Salk.
He noted that outside of an 11-yard pickup for a first down, running back Eddie Lacy had just 35 yards on 16 carries (2.7 yards per carry).
“That yards per carry is the most discouraging number for the Seahawks. We thought last year was an aberration; that there were so many running backs, there were so many injuries, and we’re going to get these carries back. You take Russell (Wilson) out of the equation and you are averaging about 3.0 yards a carry, and that is right near the bottom of the league.”
Three yards per carry would put the Seahawks in a last place tie with the Cardinals.
On the second factor – pressuring the quarterback – Huard saw some improvements Sunday. Still, he argues there needs to be more if Seattle wants to make a serious playoff push. A failure to do so would mark the first time missing the playoffs since 2012.
From @ESPNStatsInfo: the Seahawks pressured C.J. Beathard on 14 of his 43 dropbacks today for a pressure rate of just under 33 percent. That included three sacks. Seattle entered the day pressuring opposing QBs on 24 percent of their dropbacks, 27th in the NFL.
— Brady Henderson (@BradyHenderson) November 27, 2017
“When you talk about what you’ve got over the next five weeks… you’re going to have to get after the quarterback. And to be 27th in the league at pressuring the quarterback. It just doesn’t add up; it just doesn’t seem right with the personnel. They’ve got to do it a whole lot more consistently over the next five weeks in both of those facets.”
