Stacy Rost: Where Seahawks’ offense is trending in wrong direction

The Seattle Seahawks improved to an 11-3 record with a win over the Indianapolis Colts. But you don’t feel great about it, do you?

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It could be for a number of reasons. A few awful no-calls. Zero touchdowns. A defense that — despite the one sack in the box score — didn’t really get to a 44-year-old Philip Rivers appearing in his first NFL game in five years (and looking like it).

But mostly, I’d wager you feel frustrated with an offense that fell flat, which has been the story of the last several first halves.

Before today’s game, the Seahawks still ranked first in the league in first-half points (16.6) with the Los Angeles Rams right behind them (16.2). That’s thanks to some electric games earlier this season, because unfortunately for the Seahawks, their NFC West foe’s production has been far more consistent: the Rams are first in first-half scoring when isolated to the last three weeks, while the Seahawks are 13th (11.7). That’ll be down to six first-half points on average after today’s game. That would make them 29th in first-half points during that span … and sets up for a nerve-wracking Thursday night matchup against LA.

Seattle hasn’t scored a first-half touchdown on offense since its Week 12 visit to the Titans and hasn’t scored a first-quarter touchdown since Week 10 against the Arizona Cardinals.

The good news? It hasn’t really cost them. It sure didn’t seem to matter last Sunday when Seattle scored 31 of their 37 points in the second half to obliterate the Falcons, nor against the Vikings when the defense helped out with some scoring of its own. But this Sunday’s game didn’t bring the same second-half explosion; Seattle was carried to victory by Jason Myers’ six field goals and a late interception to put the game away.

This wouldn’t be quite as shocking was it not a clear strength for Seattle through 10 weeks of the season. The Seahawks were averaging more than two touchdowns in Weeks 5-10 thanks to an especially explosive pass game.

Weeks 11-15
First half points: 43
First half rushing yards: 222
First half passing yards: 395
Sacks allowed: 7
Average first half pass attempts: 14.6
Average first half completions: 8.6

Weeks 5-10
First half points: 86
First half rushing yards: 233
First half passing yards: 853
Sacks allowed: 0
Average first half pass attempts: 14.4
Average first half completions: 11

Whether by pressure or self-imposed mistakes, Seattle’s passing game has taken a hit. Teams have brought more pressure — opponents in Weeks 13 and 14 blitz more than any other defenses — and are getting sacks. That sack production isn’t overwhelming. While Darnold wasn’t sacked in the first half at all from Weeks 5-10, four of the seven sacks allowed in Weeks 11-15 were all in one game (Minnesota). Still, seven sacks and two interceptions thrown in the first half over the past five weeks compared to no sacks and no interceptions thrown in the first half of the previous five weeks tells a pretty important chunk of that story.

We’re not reinventing the wheel here with this conclusion: Darnold and Seattle’s offense haven’t performed as well when pressure has gotten to them, and they’ve been under more pressure lately. Does it spell an end to an explosive offense? Of course not — it was rolling for two-thirds of the season and everyone, barring rookie tight end Elijah Arroyo, is healthy.

“We have to start faster as an offense, we have to finish in the red zone,” Darnold told reporters postgame. “That starts with me. But we’ve got to play better.”

The Colts’ pass rush wasn’t as suffocating as Minnesota’s, so there were opportunities. Darnold said he felt he could’ve gotten the ball out earlier more often in the first half.

The Seahawks have a quick turnaround with a Thursday night game against the Rams in Seattle for Week 16.

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