When Wilson holds the ball for longer than 2.6 sec (54% of the time) his QB Rating is a Geno Smith-like 75.7

[gettlemanjack]

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2014/12/27/seahawks-russell-under-pressure/

from the link: "Russell Wilson is under more pressure more than any other quarterback in the NFL. ... A league-leading 46% of Russell’s dropbacks are pressured. ... When Wilson does get rid of the ball quickly (2.5 seconds or less), he actually has the top QB rating in the league (113.2) and a gaudy 73.9% completion rate. When he holds on to the ball 2.6 seconds or longer (54% of his dropbacks) his QB rating (75.7) plummets to 17 th in the league."

on Seahawks forums, they are worried about major needs all across their offense. Their WRs are a bunch of #2 and #3 WRs and they need to get a legit #1. They need a legit TE. And they need a legit pass-blocking OL

Sports Illustrated, Doug Farrar on the SEA OL:

Jan 6, 2015

"It could be said that the Seahawks won the Super Bowl last season in. spite of their offensive line, not because of it, and that's been just as true this season. ... Overall, it's a decent run-blocking line with some unique challenges given Seattle's schematic constraints, but in a general sense, this line hurts more than it helps. Rookie right tackle Justin Britt has allowed 49 total pressures this season, second-most among any lineman on the remaining playoff teams."

comments on Seahawks forums:

-Russell Wilson is still in development. There are still many plays where he's locking onto receivers, not going through progressions, bailing from the pocket without any pressure at all , failing to step up, and essentially holding on for the big play far longer than he should. A lot of this is on Russ. ... This doesn't have to be a horrible thing. Plenty of third-year QBs are still figuring it out. But it does have an effect on our passing game. ... A true #1 receiver would help. But so would some improvement from Wilson. And it may be that part of it is because, yes, he's short and can't always see through his offensive line.

-Wilson looked very sharp in a quick passing offense early in the year. I think he had something like a 114 passer rating going into the Dallas game, and then it all went in the crapper.

-It isn't a coincidence that his rating takes a big drop when he holds the ball too long. The routes have all run their course and it becomes time to improvise. Sometimes it creates a big play and Russ can improvise with the best of them, but more often than not, it creates inconsistency, occasionally an ineligible receiver down field, occasionally holding from linemen attempting to sustain a block for too long, and often a ball intentionally chucked out of bounds to save a sack. When it is all said and done, there is no net gain from habitually holding the ball too long.

-we need a decent offensive line

-this year's O line is a step down from last year as far as pass blocking goes.

-the OL has been pretty shoddy all season long. ... teams have been able to get pressure right up the gut. RT Justin Britt has struggled quite a bit in pass protection as well this year. ... addressing the woes of this offensive line has to rank as priority #1 this coming offseason.

-do what other teams do: try to find OFFENSIVE LINEMEN who take care of the blocking. The only reason we "need" a TE who is good at blocking is because we have a crappy offensive line with a crappy OL coach who doesn't know how to evaluate talent. Fix the OL ... protecting wilson should be priority #1 ... I love how the Hawks like to do things a little differently, but their "lets win with an intentionally bad offensive line" approach is not one of their best ideas.

-We won't be able to spend a lot on the OL. We'll probably say good bye to Okung unless he takes a value contract for us. With Russ's contract and the Defense we just won't be able to afford a lot on the OL (throw in a good WR as well, that'll cost us).

-the issue is twofold..

1. Average to below average WR corps

2. Subpar OL but that can be mitagated far easier then the first issue

-Do we need any clearer indicator of just how badly this WR corps (as a whole) is in need of being upgraded? ... Upgrading the receiving corps and the offensive line have to rank priority #1 and #1A. We can debate the order, but I doubt few will disagree those are the top priorities

-OL-not real good but who's is? A #1 reciever..Unless we develop one/draft one,we are not getting one ...Our Defense and Russ are getting paid most of the $$ so understand there are limits to what can be done..

-Russell is also holding the ball so long because many, many times guys simply aren't getting open. l Since 2012, this team has missed Sidney Rice from an offensive standpoint. Why did Carroll and Schneider invest so much to bring in Percy Harvin? That's exactly why. ... this team needs that #1 receiver. ... Now, we can all argue if Darrell Bevell is going to have the wherewithal to utilize a WR of that magnitude correctly (his simplistic route concepts drive me nuts at times)

-Serious question here, if we did have a true #1 receiver, would you trust Bevell to use him correctly?

-Serious response.............not sure I would. Dude is just so freakin' slow to adjust to what a defense is doing.

-we need a crafty OC and a true #1 WR

-I definately think Wilson holds the ball too long at times. I also am in the camp of wanting at least one better WR. Either a bigger bodied guy that can make the contested catch, or a guy that creates quick mismatches with separation (think a Emmanuel Sanders or Antonio Brown guy). We need to have one guy that tilts the field, messes with coverage and creates a mismatch somewhere

-I question what true #1 receiver would want to come here. ... This is why it's a shame we got rid of Tate

-I think Russell is stuck with mediocre wide outs. ... I don't see this team splurging again on a big time WR again. We aren't the packers

-An true #1 receiver is a luxury that Seattle cannot currently afford.

-This is why I so wanted the Seahawks to go all out and trade up for Mike Evans last year.

-Baldwin's a good #2 receiver. Tate was a good #2 receiver. Rice was a good #1.5 receiver. So Wilson had that trio in 2012, and all he did was tie the rookie record for TD passes. Then match it the next season, IIRC.

So for sure Pete and John are going to look to upgrade the WR position in the draft

...

but if we win another Superb Owl with scrap-heap WRs like we have now doesn't that invalidate the argument that we have to have better receivers to succeed?

-Wilson DID tie the NFL rookie record (co-held now with a Mr. P. Manning) of 26 TD passes, when he had Rice, Tate, and MIller to throw to.

-I'd rather have a great pass catching TE who can block-you can tell we really missed Zach Miller this year just in that aspect alone.

-Too bad Zac Miller went down

-What we need is a safety valve for RW

-we badly need a TE that can catch to take pressure off Russ and the o-line which in turn will help open up the run game.

-A reliable, all around TE would be huge.

-Luke Willson is blowing his chance. I expect him to be a contributor for us for years, but he's not showing the front office why they shouldn't do everything they can to acquire a TE

-Even if he redeems himself, TE is a very big need in draft and or/free agency.

-Dude needs to improve quickly if he wants to be on the team next year.

-if you're A Tight End you got a be good at least in one phase. But no he stinks in blocking and catching!

-Willson isn't horrible, but he just isn't very good or very reliable.

-Luke is like the flu. We can be sick of him, but we still have to deal with him until we are over him. (Tamiflu and Nyquil do not help)

-Is he a starting material TE? No...That guy is supposed to be Zach Miller. Is it Willson's fault that he was thrusted to being the top guy? I don't think so.

-Willlssson is probably the best receiving TE on the roster right now so we are stuck with him, so might as well support him through the playoff run. Next year I could see a change...

[t96]

Has a lot to do with the way their plays are designed.

[CelibatePimp]

He does well on quick throws only? Classic symptoms of a one read QB.

[PanthersClinic]

You have to pay to look at the stats.

[beastson]

Yeah ESPN showed how fast the ball come out of his hands, like thomas says its designed that way. A lot of 2-5 yard slants. Sounds like press coverage will be needed

[ncsu12engr]

 

but if we win another Superb Owl...

[volsunghawk]

Has a lot to do with the way their plays are designed.

 

This is true, and it seems like a lot of our offense is built around the run game and Wilson's ability to remain elusive and improvise. He holds on to the ball longer than just about any other QB in the league, and that is a double-edged sword. When he does it and manages to find a target downfield (very often Baldwin), it's a huge, game-changing type of play. When the he doesn't find a target (either because he doesn't see them or because the WRs don't manage to get open), it's usually a throwaway. It can be irritating to a Seahawk fan, but overall, the throwaways (which make up a huge number of Wilson's incompletions) are just part of that offensive strategy. 

 

In the end, I don't think Wilson's going to have outstanding passing numbers until later in his career (like Brady did) when his legs no longer present the same threat to defenses. He's going to have to model his game on a guy like Brees who has great footwork and remains elusive, but within the pocket. But for now, his type of game works with what Carroll likes to see from his offense: strong run game, ball-protection paramount, a few shots downfield off of play-action when the defense starts to stack the box. And we draft and develop talent that supports that philosophy. Our O-linemen are average pass blockers on their best days, but they all work very well in run blocking. Our WRs are usually mid-rounders down to UDFA who are developed to love blocking and not worry about targets, because there aren't going to be many.

 

For some Seahawks fans, this type of offense where every pass play is an adventure and each game seems to be a grind-it-out slugfest is unnerving and infuriating - especially in a league where 5000 yard passing seasons are becoming commonplace and scoring seems to go up every year. It sometimes feels as if we're playing a different game. But it's really hard to argue with the results.

[Hawk]

having Miller in there to help block would be a benefit as well...and let's be honest...it's not like we have any real superstar wide receivers for Wilson to throw to!

[volsunghawk]

having Miller in there to help block would be a benefit as well...and let's be honest...it's not like we have any real superstar wide receivers for Wilson to throw to!

 

Sure don't, though I like how Richardson has been playing recently. His comeback against the Cards was a thing of beauty, and that leaping grab in the Rams game was jaw-dropping. I think he's been getting better and better about finding open space when Wilson scrambles, and it's starting to show on the stat sheet.

[CarolinaSock]

So Wilson has a bad pass blocking Oline and below average weapons in the passing game. The updated numbers have Wilson at a 73.8 qb rating now, Cam is at 75.5 when holding the ball 2.6 or more. Cam is at 89.8 for 2.5 seconds or less. For some perspective on dropbacks, Wilson has 296 dropbacks of 2.6 or more out of 545 dropbacks, Cam has 288 out of 517. Going to add that Wilson leads the league in throwaways and it's not even close, 39 and 2nd had only 28, Cam has 10.

[gettlemanjack]

Jimmy Durkin @ Jimmy_Durkin 3h

Sports Illustrated says Russell Wilson vs. Big Play Bené and

Co. is the key matchup to the Panthers-Seahawks game.

[Beast Mode]

It's not so simple as to go "make Wilson hold the ball for 3 seconds and we're good!" .. the best way to limit Wilson in the passing game is to keep him in the pocket.  It's a strange way for defenses to approach it, because so many QB's do more damage in the pocket than out, but in the case of Wilson.. you're almost better off pressuring him moderately, but not to where he can slip outside the tackles to better read what's open. 

 

He's also deadly in the scrambling game and has completely titled field position on one broken contain. 

 

The Cowboys and Cardinals (in the first half of their first matchup) did a perfect job of defending Wilson for the most part.  They were able to blitz him up the middle and had either a spy or DE playing contain to prevent him from leaving the pocket.  This either resulted in a sack or a rushed throw most of the time.  

 

But when you see #3 scrambling outside the pocket, and he has time to make a throw or take off and run.. it's not a good place for your defense to be in. 

[volsunghawk]

So Wilson has a bad pass blocking Oline and below average weapons in the passing game. The updated numbers have Wilson at a 73.8 qb rating now, Cam is at 75.5 when holding the ball 2.6 or more. Cam is at 89.8 for 2.5 seconds or less. For some perspective on dropbacks, Wilson has 296 dropbacks of 2.6 or more out of 545 dropbacks, Cam has 288 out of 517. Going to add that Wilson leads the league in throwaways and it's not even close, 39 and 2nd had only 28, Cam has 10.

 

I wasn't sure of the actual stat, but I figured he had to be close to the top. The number of times this season I've seen him roll out, keep searching for a play, and then throwing it away.. well, it's been a lot. And I think it goes directly back to Carroll's "protect the ball at all costs" mantra.

 

I know the Panther defense thrives on turnovers, and Seattle has been pretty good about not giving the ball up this season. I think that's one of the key matchups in this game. If Seattle protects the ball as it has most of the season (averaging less than 1 TO per game), that should make this game very difficult for the Panthers.

[jayflip]

I wonder what lineman remaining in the playoffs had given up more pressures than the Seattle rookie...

Serious question.