Russell Wilson on the Seahawks’ offense: ‘We’re not far away’
Sep 2, 2015, 12:55 PM | Updated: 1:07 pm
(AP)
RENTON – The Seahawks’ No. 1 offense has yet to score a touchdown through three preseason games, which has led to some consternation about that group’s readiness with the opener less than two weeks away.
Russell Wilson didn’t quite channel Aaron Rodgers and tell everyone to R-E-L-A-X, but he did explain on Tuesday why he doesn’t think Seattle’s offensive showing so far should be a cause for concern.
Video: Wilson assesses Seahawks’ offense through three preseason games
“We’re not far away,” Wilson said. “We’ve had some unbelievable practices. We go against one of the best defenses in the National Football League every day. Our offense is really clicking in practice; we just haven’t translated it quite yet in terms of finishing the drive on game day, but we will. I completely believe that. I believe that because of how we practice. I believe that because we show it in practice every day.”
The Seahawks’ starting offense has been on the field for 12 drives this preseason. Those have resulted in seven punts (including five that followed a three-and-out), four field goals and one turnover (a lost fumble on a strip sack against Denver). So in some cases it’s been an inability to move the ball and sustain drives while at other times Seattle hasn’t been able to finish them.
The latter was true against Kansas City on the starters’ final drive, which spanned 14 plays but ended in a field goal after Wilson threw behind Doug Baldwin on third down. Another 14-play drive Saturday against San Diego ended with Seattle settling for a field goal following a pair of misfires by Wilson, who first overthrew Jimmy Graham at the goal line then couldn’t connect with Jermaine Kearse in the end zone while scrambling to his left. That was also the final possession for the Seahawks’ No. 1 offense.
Wilson mentioned that throw to Kearse while taking some of the blame for Seattle’s inability to find the end zone.
“I think honestly, last game I didn’t finish that throw, didn’t finish that drive,” he said. “I normally hit that 99.9 times out of 100 to the left on rolling, throwing to Kearse there. I’m not concerned, we’re not concerned. We prepare, we believe better than anyone else and that’s how we’re going to show up. We believe on Sundays we’re going to make something happen.”
The Seahawks’ starters probably won’t play much Thursday night against Oakland – which is typical of a team’s final preseason game – so that group may have only one or two chances to finally finish a drive in the end zone before such results really start to matter.