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The Seattle Seahawks’ 28-22, come-from-behind win over the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship game nearly two weeks ago underscored an important lesson about Hawks’ quarterback Russell Wilson: He is at his best after things break down.
Fans of the third-year quarterback have known this for some time, but Wilson was able to reinforce the point against the Packers on Jan. 18 in Seattle.
Russell Wilson’s ability to turn things around in a hurry has become a trademark of his game. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
After throwing three first-half interceptions against Green Bay and adding a fourth in the final quarter of regulation that seemingly ended any hopes of a Seahawks comeback, Wilson completed six of his next seven passing attempts for 132 yards, including the dramatic, game-winning, 35-yard touchdown to wide receiver Jermaine Kearse in overtime.
The Seahawks hope Wilson doesn’t have to dig himself out of the same hole on Sunday as they take on the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX. But it’s good to know he could if they needed him to.
Wilson has established a reputation for being able to turn games around in a hurry, leading the Seahawks to 10 fourth-quarter comeback wins in his three years as a starter. But it is Wilson’s ability to turn a play around when when it looks dead in the water that often jumpstarts the Hawks offense.
The 5-foot-10 signal-caller has developed a penchant for extending plays when they break down, rolling out of the pocket and navigating traffic while keeping his eyes focused downfield. The result? Wilson is often able to fire the ball to open receivers from outside the pocket — or he uses his legs to pick up big chunks of yardage on the ground.
“That is a huge factor for us,” Seattle offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell said on Wednesday. “There is the play, then all the sudden it is like, here we go. A play can break down and (Wilson) is so good with his feet, he is so good with his eyes, and he is so good with his awareness that he is able to keep some plays alive and make something out of nothing.”
Kearse, a fellow member of the Seahawks’ class of 2012 and one of the receivers well schooled in learning how to work himself free after Wilson breaks the pocket, said Wilson’s knack for breaking a defense’s containment is one of the things that allows the Seahawks to make big plays downfield.
“His ability to extend plays is huge for us,” Kearse said of Wilson. “We’ve got to stay tuned and find where he’s at and find the open area to give him a look, then when we throws the ball just try to make a play.”
Wilson’s flair for making the best out of a bad situation is part of the reason the Seattle offense racked up franchise records in 2014. Even though he plays behind a somewhat suspect line and throws to a receiving corps without a true No. 1 on the roster, the results speak for themselves.
Wilson is 40-13 in his NFL career thus far, the winningest quarterback in NFL history through his first three seasons.
“He’s the best. I think he’s a very special player. I think anytime he has the ball in his hands he has the capability of making a big play,” said Seahawks guard J.R. Sweezy, a onetime college teammate of Wilson’s at North Carolina State. “I’ve known the guy for a long time and he continues to surprise me. He almost awes me in a way. I see him doing things on the field, and it’s like, ‘Wow, how did you do that?’”
Notes:
Visit seattlepi.com for more Seattle Seahawks news. Contact sports reporter Stephen Cohen at stephencohen@seattlepi.com or @scohenPI.
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Fans of the third-year quarterback have known this for some time, but Wilson was able to reinforce the point against the Packers on Jan. 18 in Seattle.
Russell Wilson’s ability to turn things around in a hurry has become a trademark of his game. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
After throwing three first-half interceptions against Green Bay and adding a fourth in the final quarter of regulation that seemingly ended any hopes of a Seahawks comeback, Wilson completed six of his next seven passing attempts for 132 yards, including the dramatic, game-winning, 35-yard touchdown to wide receiver Jermaine Kearse in overtime.
The Seahawks hope Wilson doesn’t have to dig himself out of the same hole on Sunday as they take on the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX. But it’s good to know he could if they needed him to.
Wilson has established a reputation for being able to turn games around in a hurry, leading the Seahawks to 10 fourth-quarter comeback wins in his three years as a starter. But it is Wilson’s ability to turn a play around when when it looks dead in the water that often jumpstarts the Hawks offense.
The 5-foot-10 signal-caller has developed a penchant for extending plays when they break down, rolling out of the pocket and navigating traffic while keeping his eyes focused downfield. The result? Wilson is often able to fire the ball to open receivers from outside the pocket — or he uses his legs to pick up big chunks of yardage on the ground.
“That is a huge factor for us,” Seattle offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell said on Wednesday. “There is the play, then all the sudden it is like, here we go. A play can break down and (Wilson) is so good with his feet, he is so good with his eyes, and he is so good with his awareness that he is able to keep some plays alive and make something out of nothing.”
Kearse, a fellow member of the Seahawks’ class of 2012 and one of the receivers well schooled in learning how to work himself free after Wilson breaks the pocket, said Wilson’s knack for breaking a defense’s containment is one of the things that allows the Seahawks to make big plays downfield.
“His ability to extend plays is huge for us,” Kearse said of Wilson. “We’ve got to stay tuned and find where he’s at and find the open area to give him a look, then when we throws the ball just try to make a play.”
Wilson’s flair for making the best out of a bad situation is part of the reason the Seattle offense racked up franchise records in 2014. Even though he plays behind a somewhat suspect line and throws to a receiving corps without a true No. 1 on the roster, the results speak for themselves.
Wilson is 40-13 in his NFL career thus far, the winningest quarterback in NFL history through his first three seasons.
“He’s the best. I think he’s a very special player. I think anytime he has the ball in his hands he has the capability of making a big play,” said Seahawks guard J.R. Sweezy, a onetime college teammate of Wilson’s at North Carolina State. “I’ve known the guy for a long time and he continues to surprise me. He almost awes me in a way. I see him doing things on the field, and it’s like, ‘Wow, how did you do that?’”
Notes:
- Backup quarterback Tarvaris Jackson said he would love to get in the game on Sunday, but only under certain circumstances. “Yes, I would like for us to blow them out so I can get in and play,” he said on Wednesday. “Of course, I want to play. I want to play every week, but it doesn’t work out like that. … I know my role. I just try to do it to the best of my ability. If I get a shot to go in there and play, just go have fun and play ball pretty much.”
Visit seattlepi.com for more Seattle Seahawks news. Contact sports reporter Stephen Cohen at stephencohen@seattlepi.com or @scohenPI.
Continue reading...