I’ll admit it.
I was impressed with the drive Russell Wilson led in the fourth quarter on Sunday to take the lead late against the Detroit Lions. I marveled at the catch tight end Zach Miller made in the end zone to get his first touchdown for the Seahawks after signing a huge free agent contract two years ago.
I wasn’t prematurely celebrating a win but I was feeling good. After all these years as a Seattle sports fan, I know better than that. I did, however, have faith in the defense to get a stop.
Looking back now, I’m not sure why. Seattle’s defense hadn’t stopped the Lions all day. In fact, at the halfway point of the season, it appears abundantly clear that the offense and defense have changed places.
In two of the last three games, the Seahawks defense has given up 300+ yards passing. In the third game, it gave up almost 200 yards rushing.
With just over five minutes and 80 yards to go, Matt Stafford marched the Lions down the field in 16 plays, methodically carving up the Seahawks and throwing the clinching touchdown with 20 seconds left to Titus Young.
The offense, on the other hand, has improved every game. Wilson has progressed far faster than I thought he would. The 24 points Seattle scored against Detroit is their highest output on the road this season.
Not that the offense was perfect.
The running game was completely abandoned, with 12 rushes total for Marshawn Lynch. Sure, he gained 105 yards total but one of the rushes was for 77 yards, so that total is misleading. Take out that run and Lynch ran 11 times for 28 yards, not at all the success Seattle is used to having running the ball.
Detroit’s strength on defense is the line. The Seahawks tried to run inside and got stuffed multiple times. The most success was to the outside and Seattle refused to run more there.
The play calling was terrible at times.
At the end of the first half, for example, Seattle got the ball with 47 seconds left, three timeouts, and a 17-14 lead. The Keystone Kops routine that followed was way too familiar for Seahawks fans.
Article comments
1 - RJ
Lions fan here. It was a good game. You guys are a lot better at home, though.
2 - Russ Evenhuis
Very true, it was a good game. If Detroit's defense and running game get's better, they will be truly scary.