The BBH/Big Hitter's Scouting Report: Seahawks' Offense

[bighitterdalama]

Seattle Seahawks Offense

71-year-old Pete Carroll began his coaching career in 1973 as a grad assistant at Pacific University. After spending a decade coaching in the lower ranks, in 1984 he signed as a defensive backfield coach with the Bills. After one season, he moved to Minnesota, where he spent five years as a secondary coach, studying under the legendary Bud Grant. In 1990, Jets' head coach Bruce Coslett hired Carroll as his defensive coordinator. Carroll remained in that capacity through 1993. In 1994, the Jets "kicked" Carroll "upstairs" to be their head coach. After a single lackluster 6-10 season, the Jets let him go. Carroll then coached as DC in San Francisco for two seasons before a 1997 hire as New England's head coach. He remained with the Patriots for three seasons, making the playoffs twice. Carroll was fired after the 1999 season and spent a year out of coaching. In 2001, he was hired as head coach of the USC Trojans. He remained at USC for nine seasons, earning National Championships in 2003 and 2004. In 2010, under the cloud of an NCAA investigation, he left USC to become head coach of the Seattle Seahawks. Now in his 13th season in Seattle, he holds a 123-76-1 regular season record and a 10-8 playoff record. His Seahawks have twice been to the Super Bowl: a 2013 Superbowl XLVIII 43-8 victory over Denver, and a 2014 Super Bowl XLIX 28-24 loss to the Patriots. His Seahawks have made the playoffs in all but two seasons: 2017 and 2021.

Shane Waldron is the Seahawks offensive coordinator. The 43-year-old Waldron began his coaching career in 2005 as a Notre Dame grad assistant. In 2008, Bill Belichick hired Waldron as an offensive quality control/tight ends coach. After two seasons, he moved back into the college ranks, coaching tight ends and offensive line at UMass from 2012-2015. He then spent the 2016 season with the Washington Football Team as an offensive quality control coach. He joined the Rams in 2017 as their tight ends/passing game coordinator. He remained with the Rams for four seasons. In 2021, the Seahawks hired Waldron to be their offensive coordinator.

Seattle entered 2022 without quarterback Russell Wilson, who had been the team's starting quarterback since 2012. During the 2021/2022 offseason, the Seahawks had traded the disgruntled Wilson, plus a 4th round pick, to Denver in exchange for two first-round picks, two second- round picks, a fifth-round pick, the talented young tight end Noah Fant, starting defensive end Shelby Harris, and backup QB Drew Luck. A preseason QB battle between Luck and holdover backup Geno Smith resulted in a hands-down win for the 32-year-old Smith. Once the QB situation was settled, Waldron opted to utilize Smith in the same manner as he had used Wilson in 2021. To the surprise of most, myself included, Smith has been terrific. To date, his 107.7 quarterback rating ranks 3rd in the NFL; Pro Football Focus ranks him at #4 with an overall PFF grade of 83.6. In addition to Smith, the Seahawks feature a solid run game. In fact, Seattle maintains a balanced attack, with a 45.3% run/pass ratio. Personnel-wise, they average 1.06 running backs/snap, 1.60 tight ends/snap, and 2.32 wide receivers/snap. 12 and 13 personnel are predominant; 11 personnel packages are less common than most teams, and two back sets are rare. Year-to-date, running backs have been targeted with 11.4% of the pass attempts, tight ends 26.7%, and wideouts 61.9%. Waldron likes to use his backs and tight ends on high percentage shorter pass routes. To date, the running backs have caught 21 passes on 24 targets, an 88% completion rate, for 105 yards, a modest average of 5.0 yards/catch. The talented trio of Seahawk tight ends has been more productive: 48 catches on 56 targets, an 86% completion rate, for 505 yards (10.5 yards/catch). Wide receivers have 89 catches on 130 targets, a 68.4% completion rate, for 1102 yards (12.4 yards/catch). On a smaller note, Seattle is averaging exactly 5.0 offensive linemen/snap, indicating that they have not utilized a short-yardage "tackle eligible" all year.

Statistically, Seattle ranks 12 in total yardage (355 yards/game) and 5th in points (26.1 PPG). They average 137.1 rushing yards/game (10th), have 174 rushing attempts (17th), and average a league-best 5.5 yards/carry. They have 7 rushing touchdowns (T9). The Seahawks have fumbled 11 times, second-most in the league, but, oddly, have lost only one to the opposition. In the pass game (all Geno Smith), they are 16th in yards (225.7 Y/G), 20th in pass attempts (216), and 14th in completions (158). Geno Smith's completion rate of 73.1% ranks #1 in the NFL. He has 11 touchdowns (T9) and 4 interceptions (T6). Of his 11 touchdown passes, 6 have been to wide receivers, 5 to tight ends, and zero to running backs. Smith has been sacked 16 times (tied for 11th most) for minus 131 sack yardage (7th worst).

Offensive Line

Much like the Giants, the 2021 Seattle offensive line was an absolute train wreck. Offseason, the Seahawk front office spent much effort and capital to address the issue. They drafted two tackles, both of whom are starters, signed a free agent center, and pieced together a trio of guards from the 2021 roster that are showing at least a competent level of play. Rookie left tackle Charles Cross, the #7 overall pick from Mississippi State, has played 100% of the offensive snaps. A textbook "pure left tackle," Cross has been solid, if not spectacular. To date, his Pro Football Focus scores are 55.2 run blocking/66.1 pass blocking. His overall score of 60.0 ranks him 58 of 77 qualifying tackles. Right tackle Abraham Lucas, a rookie from Washington State, was a third-round pick (#72 overall). Like Cross, Lucas has started and played all 436 snaps. His PFF grades are 64.3 (run)/71.7 (pass pro)/65.9 (overall), ranking him #44 of 77 qualifying tackles. The Seahawks signed former Ram starting center Austin Blythe to a one-year, $4 million dollar contract. Blythe too has played all 436 snaps. His play has been subpar, grading 52.6 (run)/62.6 (pass pro)/50.8 (overall), a ranking of 33 out of 37. Third year left guard Damien Lewis, who made the 2020 All-Rookie Team, missed Week 1 with a nagging ankle issue, then missed part of Week 2 with a quad injury. He has since played 100% of the snaps. The LSU alum grades 58.0 (run)/69.9 (pass pro)/63.4 (overall), ranking #31 out of 77. The starting right guard is veteran Gabe Jackson, a 2014 third-round pick from Mississippi State. Jackson, who played 100% of the snaps in Weeks 1-4, suffered a hip flexor injury in the Week 5 loss to New Orleans and has not played since. Prior to the injury, he graded 56.9/49.9/56.5, ranking 52 out of 77. He was listed as "limited" with hip/knee issues in the Wednesday Seahawks injury report. Phil Haynes, who filled in for Damien Lewis at LG early in the season, subbed in at right guard for Jackson in Weeks 5-7. In 221 total snaps, Haynes, a 2019 fourth-round pick from Wake Forest, has PFF grades of 60.8/57.5/55.5. Haynes left last week's win over the Chargers with a concussion. He was listed as "did not participate" on Wednesday's injury report due to concussion protocol. If neither Jackson nor Haynes is a go on Sunday, Jake Curhan, who took the final 24 snaps against the Chargers, will likely start. Over those 24 plays, Curhan earned PFF grades of 50.1 in run blocking, a Blutarski-like perfect 0.0 score in pass blocking, with an overall of 30.1. A 2021 UDFA from Cal, Curhan started five games last year at right tackle, scoring a PFF grade of 50.1.  Another possible option is Kyle Fuller, a fifth-year player who started nine game last year at center. 

Running Backs and Tight Ends

Rashaad Penny, Seattle's #1 running back, is on IR due to a fibula fracture + ankle injury suffered in the Week 5 loss to New Orleans. Prior to the injury, Penny, a 2018 first-round pick, had rushed for 346 yards on 57 carries (6.1 Y/C) and two touchdowns, with a PFF overall of 70.2 (20th of 61). Kenneth Walker III, who was already getting significant playing time as the #2 back, is now starting in Penny's place. Walker, a rookie second-round pick from Michigan State, has 67 carries for 411 rushing yards (6.1 Y/C) and four touchdowns. Walker hasn't been much of a force in the pass game, catching 8 passes on 10 targets for 27 yards (3.4 Y/C). Despite a weak pass catching score of 52.6, his A+ PFF run grade of 86.2 boosts his overall score to 77.5, ranking him 11th out of 61 qualifying backs. Moving into the #2 RB slot is 2020 fourth-round pick Dee Jay Dallas. The U of Miami alum, with 75 snaps from scrimmage, has 12 carries for 61 yards (5.1 Y/C) and has caught 5 passes on 5 targets for 29 yards (5.8 Y/C). He is also they only Seahawk other than Geno Smith to attempt a forward pass (it was incomplete). Third in the hole is 2019 sixth-round pick Travis Homer. Also from Miami, Homer, in 43 snaps, has 4 carries for 18 yards (4.5 Y/C) and has 4 catches on 4 targets for 33 yards (8.3 Y/C).

The Seahawks have a terrific trio of tight ends. #1 is Will Dissley, a 2018 fourth-round pick from the Washington Huskies. To date, in 285 snaps, he has 19 catches on 20 targets for 194 yards (10.2 Y/C) and three touchdowns. He scores grades of 73.6 in receiving/65.6 in run blocking/74.6 overall, ranking him 6th among qualifying tight ends. #2 tight end, Noah Fant, was a 2019 first-round pick of Denver. He came to Seattle this offseason in the Russell Wilson trade. In 263 snaps, Fant has 20 catches on 26 targets for 157 yards (7.9 Y/C) and one touchdown. He scores 67.7 (receiving)/58.7 (run blocking)/65.8 (overall), ranking 16th of 72. Colby Parkinson, a 2020 fourth-round pick from Stanford, is another good TE option. A downfield threat, Parkinson, in 151 snaps, has 9 catches on 10 targets for 154 yards (17.1 Y/C). He grades 71.8/57.7/68.5, ranking 12th of 72.

Wide Receivers

No question that D.K. Metcalf is one of the NFL's top big-man wide receivers. Now in his fourth season, the 2019 second-round pick from Ole Miss has had 900+ reception yards in each of his first three seasons. In his best season, 2020, Metcalf caught 83 passes for 1303 yards and 10 touchdowns, earning a spot in the Pro Bowl. Year-to-date, on 334 snaps, Metcalf has 31 catches on 52 targets for 418 yards (13.5 Y/C) and two touchdowns, with a PFF receiving grade of 73.0. Metcalf suffered a knee injury last week against the Chargers and had to be carted off the field. He has not practiced all week and is doubtful for Sunday against the Giants. #2 wide receiver Tyler Lockett was limited in practice Wednesday. He has been hampered in recent weeks by a hamstring injury but has been able to play on Sundays. Last week, against the Chargers, he played 46 snaps (65%) and caught 7 passes on 8 targets for 45 yards. Year-to-date, Lockett, with 353 snaps, has 41 catches on 53 targets for 468 yards (11.4 Y/C) and 2 touchdowns, with a PFF grade of 77.2 (16th of 110). The #3/slot receiver is 31-year-old Marquise Goodwin. A 2013 third-round pick from Texas, Goodwin has played 182 snaps, catching 10 passes on 15 targets for 146 yards (14.6 Y/C) and two touchdowns, with a PFF grade of 60.5.

Seattle has three additional receivers who have taken offensive snaps. 2021 second-round pick Dwayne Eskridge (W. Michigan) has been gaining more playing time of late. In 110 snaps (30 last week against the Chargers), Eskridge has 6 catches on 9 targets for 55 yards (9.2 Y/C). He also has two carries on reverses for ten yards. Eskridge scores a 57.9 overall grade. Elsewise, 2019 UDFA Penny Hart has played 10 offensive snaps. He has one catch for 15 yards. Dareke Young, a rookie seventh-round pick from Lenoir-Rhyne, has played 24 snaps, including 17 last week against the Chargers. He has zero catches on zero targets.

Quarterback

Geno Smith has surprised and thrived in the 2022 Seattle offense. Although it seems that the 32-year-old Smith has been around forever, he is actually a year younger than Russell Wilson. Now in his ninth season, Geno is playing like the Jets hoped he would when they picked him in the second-round of the 2013 draft. Always mobile, Smith has smoothly transitioned into the Russell Wilson role in the Shane Waldron Seattle offense. To date, Smith has completed a league-leading 73.5% of his passes (158/215) for 1712 yards and 11 touchdowns. He does have 4 interceptions (T6) and has been sacked 16 times (T11) for minus 131 yards (7th worst). Unleashed in the run game for the first time since his second season with the Jets, he has responded: 26 carries, 125 yards, 4.8 yards/carry, and one touchdown. He shows PFF grades of 79.9 passing and 82.0 running. As mentioned above, his 83.6 overall grade ranks him 4th of 36 qualifying quarterbacks, while his quarterback rating of 107.7 ranks 3rd.

Next: The Seattle Seahawks Defense and Specialty Teams

[Jaime]

Just a Fabulous scouting report from Big Hitter!!!    

[bighitterdalama]

Thanks Jamie!

[Ed Vette]

 

[MightyGiants]

Top-notch, Brian