Seattle was a run heavy team

[rayzor]

One of the things that we have heard is that Canales is going to be putting a heavy emphasis on the run and that has made more than a few frustrated because "it's a passing league" and "you don't draft a QB 1st overall to have a run heavy offense".

This isn't to argue either of those points, just pointing out something interesting i saw. I heard a comment yesterday someone made talking about how Canales' offense is going to look like what was seen in Seattle and what did Seattle do? Ran...a lot. This isn't something that i really noticed much at the time and, frankly, i'm kind of surprised by this. I mean they had Russ who was at the time a very good and very dangerous QB, and they still ran a lot (too much by Russ' opinion, which is why he wanted out). Yeah, Russ wasn't drafted first overall, or even in the first round. But looking at what he was able to do probably should have been.

I checked to see just how much they ran and, well...here it is. I looked at their rush vs pass attempts and where they were ranked within the league for each. 

For most of that time span i'd say they were pretty successful. after Russ got there they didn't have a losing season until 2021 and even then, that's been our ceiling for a while. During that whole time of their successes they were always in the bottom half in the league as far as passing attempts go. As a rushing team, i think their best seasons were when they were a rushing top heavy team. 

is this a strategy that most of us would choose? probably not, but it can work. it doesn't matter the reasoning for being rush heavy as long as they can make it work and i think with this OL and RB room i think we can. Will it be the most exciting style of play? i don't know. but if it can keep us in games and help us win, i'm all for it.

[pantherclaw]

I love running plays.  Besides they set up the pass to be more dangerous. 

[rayzor]

Just now, pantherclaw said:

I love running plays.  Besides they set up the pass to be more dangerous. 

yes, the run game opens up the passing game. 

[SmokinwithWilly]

I think most of us realize that the NFL has moved to an offense first league. It's what the owners and Vegas want. Whether running or passing is your primary focus, you have to be able to exploit the heavily slanted favoritism towards high powered, high scoring offenses. The days of being able to score 17 and win consistently are long gone. NFL is going to favor the teams that drive the "entertainment" value of the league as well as the betting side. 

[Jon Snow]

I'm all for whatever wins games. There's not one single approach to winning games. It varies from game to game. In the nfl you have to be able to run the ball and pass the ball whenever the situation dictates it. Our problem has been that we can do neither very well. Canales has his work cut out for him.

[ForJimmy]

If there is a good balance it’s great. A strong running game can demoralize a defense. We also need a great passing game. Russ could also kill a defense through the air in Seattle plus they had an elite defense. When teams get a lead or we need to score fast we have to be able to spread them out and have our QB pick them apart quickly. 

[MechaZain]

Works great when you have prime Russell Wilson and Beast Mode. Tall order for our guys.

Edited May 14 by MechaZain

[CRA]

It's the Foxball mindset really.  Run the ball, take deep shots.  That's what Canales has always been around.  Problem remains, he doesn't have the gambling deep shot QB.  Which is key to every O he has been around.  Baker.  Took the deep shots.  Geno.  Took the deep shots.  Wilson.  Took the deep shots.   Without that element, those offenses don't work.   Chunk pass play offense the run sets up. 

[Tbe]

This front office is obsessed with 2010-2014 Seattle. 
 

Trying to model/recreate some kind of past success never seems to work.

[thennek]

The most success this team had in the past 5+ years was when they ran a heavy run offense with Sam Darnold as the QB when Wilks took over. 
They have to start somewhere and build an identity.  They also have to do this to protect Bryce Young. He clearly is not ready to run a pass first offense. 
I have my doubts about whether or not Bryce is it, but if we run a run heavy offense, we will find out if he be the “point guard”- LOL or not. 

 

[CanadianCat]

I loved the days of 'Double Trouble'.

If that wins games I'll ALL for it. 

[mrcompletely11]

10 minutes ago, CRA said:

It's the Foxball mindset really.  Run the ball, take deep shots.  That's what Canales has always been around.  Problem remains, he doesn't have the gambling deep shot QB.  Which is key to every O he has been around.  Baker.  Took the deep shots.  Geno.  Took the deep shots.  Wilson.  Took the deep shots.   Without that element, those offenses don't work.   Chunk pass play offense the run sets up. 

Should have kept wilks then

[MHS831]

Don't forget that the Panthers are also infusing some Sean Payton Drew Brees offensive strategies too-we added 2 stud guards which is something that Payton found to be essential to Brees' passing from the pocket success.  Now, what did all three of these programs have in common? 

I doubt Russell Wilson would have been successful without Pete Carrol and I doubt Brees would have been successful had he stayed in San Diego.  You could argue that Wilson was not successful in Denver, but in 2023 before being benched he was 26TDs vs 8 Ints and a completion rate over 66%. 

Edited May 14 by MHS831

[MHS831]

6 minutes ago, Tbe said:

This front office is obsessed with 2010-2014 Seattle. 
 

Trying to model/recreate some kind of past success never seems to work.

I had the same thought, but if you throw in the additions of the guards and what they did in New Orleans for Brees, I think it is more than Seattle.  But I have the same worries--we do not have Lynch.