Seahawks' problems in loss more than just Wilson
SEATTLE (AP) - Perhaps it should have been expected that if Seattle rookie quarterback Russell Wilson was going to endure an ugly performance early in his first season, it would be on the road against San Francisco's stellar defense.
What wasn't expected in Seattle's 13-6 loss to the 49ers on Thursday night was a number of dropped passes, some at critical moments, and a Seahawks defense that was gashed on the ground for the first time this year by the running of Frank Gore.
But it was another unimpressive offensive effort and some frustration began to show.
"We are going to come back Monday and watch this film, and we are going to be real critical," Seattle wide receiver Golden Tate said. "We have to figure something out. It is not over, the season is not over. We still have a long way to go. We can't let this set us back."
Wilson finished just 9 of 23 passing for 122 yards and one careless interception. He completed just 3 of 10 in the second half for 19 yards.
Sometimes when Wilson made a good throw, his receivers didn't make the catch. They finished with five drops.
There was backup running back Robert Turbin dropping a wheel route in the first quarter inside the 49ers' 15. Evan Moore juggled and dropped a throw down the sideline in the second quarter and Tate dropped a pair of passes, including a third-and-2 pass that would have given Seattle a key first-down on the opening drive of the second half.
"That's my focus now, just how can we fix it, how can we keep moving forward, how can we get some more completions when we need it," Wilson said. "How can we keep the ball rolling, keep first downs going."
Seattle coach Pete Carroll gave his team the weekend off after a trying stretch of five games in 25 days, three of them on the road. Seattle (4-3) returns to action on Oct. 28 at Detroit then plays consecutive home games against Minnesota and the New York Jets before arriving at its bye week.
While improving an offense that is averaging just 16 points per game will be a priority when the team returns next Monday, another will be making sure the Seahawks run defense is fixed.
San Francisco had just 58 yards rushing at halftime - and 54 of that came in the first quarter. They finished with 175 yards rushing. San Francisco's 117 yards rushing in the final 30 minutes marked the first time Seattle allowed a team to run for more than 100 yards in the second half since Dec. 26, 2010, in a loss at Tampa Bay.
Seattle's run defense allowed an opponent to top 100 total yards rushing for the first time this season. Gore's 131 yards were the most by an individual rusher against the Seahawks since Dallas' DeMarco Murray ran for 139 yards in Week 9 of last season, a span of 14 games.
Most of San Francisco's running success came in the second half and on quick-hitting inside traps where Seattle's defensive line was unable to clog gaps and give its linebackers freedom to make tackles.
The Seahawks had not allowed a run longer than 23 yards all season until Gore's 37-yard dash in the third quarter. Safety Earl Thomas saved a touchdown by making a shoestring tackle on that play. Gore also had bursts of 20 and 18 yards against a defense that had allowed just two runs of 20 or more yards all season entering Thursday night.
The fact Seattle held San Francisco to just 13 points and still felt the night was a defensive disappointment exemplifies the standard to which Carroll holds the Seahawks.
"It was a heck of a night by our defense, but I'm still frustrated that we didn't stop a couple of things. If we stop a couple of things, the game doesn't go like that. Now, it still was going to be close because we didn't score much, but we need to play better in the running game," Carroll said.
Gore has long tormented the Seahawks; he now has four games of at least 130 yards rushing against Seattle. And his numbers could have been even higher if not for bruised ribs that sidelined him for much of the fourth quarter.
"They attacked us where we didn't think they were going to attack us. They were able to sustain drives and controlled the clock a bit. It was disappointing because we didn't stop the run like we wanted to," Seattle linebacker Leroy Hill said. "But there's nothing to be embarrassed about. Holding them to 13 points is nothing to be embarrassed about. It was a hard-fought game. It was how we thought it was going to be. But in the run game, we could've been better."
What wasn't expected in Seattle's 13-6 loss to the 49ers on Thursday night was a number of dropped passes, some at critical moments, and a Seahawks defense that was gashed on the ground for the first time this year by the running of Frank Gore.
But it was another unimpressive offensive effort and some frustration began to show.
"We are going to come back Monday and watch this film, and we are going to be real critical," Seattle wide receiver Golden Tate said. "We have to figure something out. It is not over, the season is not over. We still have a long way to go. We can't let this set us back."
Wilson finished just 9 of 23 passing for 122 yards and one careless interception. He completed just 3 of 10 in the second half for 19 yards.
Sometimes when Wilson made a good throw, his receivers didn't make the catch. They finished with five drops.
There was backup running back Robert Turbin dropping a wheel route in the first quarter inside the 49ers' 15. Evan Moore juggled and dropped a throw down the sideline in the second quarter and Tate dropped a pair of passes, including a third-and-2 pass that would have given Seattle a key first-down on the opening drive of the second half.
"That's my focus now, just how can we fix it, how can we keep moving forward, how can we get some more completions when we need it," Wilson said. "How can we keep the ball rolling, keep first downs going."
Seattle coach Pete Carroll gave his team the weekend off after a trying stretch of five games in 25 days, three of them on the road. Seattle (4-3) returns to action on Oct. 28 at Detroit then plays consecutive home games against Minnesota and the New York Jets before arriving at its bye week.
While improving an offense that is averaging just 16 points per game will be a priority when the team returns next Monday, another will be making sure the Seahawks run defense is fixed.
San Francisco had just 58 yards rushing at halftime - and 54 of that came in the first quarter. They finished with 175 yards rushing. San Francisco's 117 yards rushing in the final 30 minutes marked the first time Seattle allowed a team to run for more than 100 yards in the second half since Dec. 26, 2010, in a loss at Tampa Bay.
Seattle's run defense allowed an opponent to top 100 total yards rushing for the first time this season. Gore's 131 yards were the most by an individual rusher against the Seahawks since Dallas' DeMarco Murray ran for 139 yards in Week 9 of last season, a span of 14 games.
Most of San Francisco's running success came in the second half and on quick-hitting inside traps where Seattle's defensive line was unable to clog gaps and give its linebackers freedom to make tackles.
The Seahawks had not allowed a run longer than 23 yards all season until Gore's 37-yard dash in the third quarter. Safety Earl Thomas saved a touchdown by making a shoestring tackle on that play. Gore also had bursts of 20 and 18 yards against a defense that had allowed just two runs of 20 or more yards all season entering Thursday night.
The fact Seattle held San Francisco to just 13 points and still felt the night was a defensive disappointment exemplifies the standard to which Carroll holds the Seahawks.
"It was a heck of a night by our defense, but I'm still frustrated that we didn't stop a couple of things. If we stop a couple of things, the game doesn't go like that. Now, it still was going to be close because we didn't score much, but we need to play better in the running game," Carroll said.
Gore has long tormented the Seahawks; he now has four games of at least 130 yards rushing against Seattle. And his numbers could have been even higher if not for bruised ribs that sidelined him for much of the fourth quarter.
"They attacked us where we didn't think they were going to attack us. They were able to sustain drives and controlled the clock a bit. It was disappointing because we didn't stop the run like we wanted to," Seattle linebacker Leroy Hill said. "But there's nothing to be embarrassed about. Holding them to 13 points is nothing to be embarrassed about. It was a hard-fought game. It was how we thought it was going to be. But in the run game, we could've been better."
This offense is terrible...all the way around except for Lynch! We are going nowhere fast....But please don't keep giving Wilson a free pass. He sucked too. Heres to another season of mediocrity as this team can't win on the road....
And BTW Carroll, where is your standards for the offense? The defense played great...your offense is among the worst in the NFL...
Nobody has mentioned the vanilla playcalling. Way to predictable. Keep Wilson out of third and long and he looks alot better.Â
So now to cover Wilson's offensive ineptitude, the media is not trying to pin some of the problem on the defense? Seriously? A defense that gave up only 13 points against the 49ers. Sure, the defense gave up 100 yards rushing for the first time this season, but any real viewer of that game can see that much of those yards were in the second half given up by a tired defense because they were put back on the field so many times because the offense couldn't move the ball.   And of those dropped passes, only three were truly dropped passes. The other two "dropped passes" were well covered (Edwards and Tate) on deep throws.
Â
It is time for this coaching staff and the Wilson apologists to come to reality and see that Wilson is not yet ready to take this team anywhere. Time to see what Flynn can do. That is why we paid him all that money isn't it? As the announcers said on Thursday night during the game regarding Carrol's philosophy on rookies, instead of showing me that you can play, show me that you cannot play. Well, Wilson is showing that he is not ready to play.
Â
Opposite of what many commenters have said to me in the past, I am not a Wilson hater. I think he has skill. He is just not ready to start in the NFL. There is a reason he was drafted in the 3rd round and not the 1st.Â
 @UWGrad_96 I don't think Flynn would have done any better. If the quarterback competition was even close, Carroll would have went with Flynn. Seattle doesn't have the WRs that GB has so how can anyone give him the nod based on two meaningless starts in GB?
Â
Wilson didn't have a great game admittedly but when you only throw 23 pass and 6 balls are dropped it changes everything. Also, when you are against the second ranked defense (49ers) it makes it even harder when you start off with the ball inside the 10 five times during a game.Â
Face it Hawks fans, no one is going to take us seriously until we get to, and win the Superbowl (again) WITHOUT being assaulted by the referees. Nothing will EVER be good enough for the "East Coast sports Pro's." The truth is, they're scared. The NFC West is terrorizing their East Coast powerhouse teams, and they don't like it. I say we call them a "Waaaahmbulance" and continue watching our Hawks improve, and kick butts. Yea, we lost a game Thursday. Barely. Against a GOOD team. Dunno bout y'all, but I'm PROUD of our Hawks, and I'm looking forward to the playoffs. GO SEAHAWKS!
Â
 @Wolfen When is everyone going to get over the Super Bowl? The Pigeons lost that one fair and square. The refs didn't cause the personal foul penalty, they weren't raping the Pitt WR's to get PI calls against them, they didn't drop all the passes. Get the heck over it.Â
 @PackersCougsBravesSounders I would agree that the Seahawks left opportunities on the field. I hope you had the same take after the Seattle, GB game, if not your post lacks integrity.
Â
Tough calls make it harder to win, even the official that made some of the questionable calls in the SB admitted he lost sleep over not letting the players decide it.
Â
 @PackersCougsBravesSounders Pigeons?  How creative.  Guess that's to be expected from a Coug fan with ties to Wisconsin and Atlanta. Â
 @jb_22  @PackersCougsBravesSounders Troll is the only word I can actually come up with for a guy who picks teams, not based on where he lives, but by picking them out of a hat. I try to be respectful when it comes to sports, but he supports "cheeseheads" and wants to call the Seahawks names. Seriously??
 @caphillkid  @jb_22  @PackersCougsBravesSounders Coming from a liberal who LIVES in Seattle and loves the 49ers? Really?Â
 @jb_22  @PackersCougsBravesSounders I prefer "Failhawks."
What part of "13-6" do these pasty, never-played-the-game fatass sports reporters not get? The 49ers made it to the end zone once where Seattle did not. Once. Gore had a huge game against the Seattle defense - as Lynch did against San Francisco. But for a couple of mistakes in the passing game not at all uncommon to a young team built for speed - and, for the ninetieth time, built to win games on defense and the run, Seattle wins on the road in a division game against the favorite by many accounts to win the conference. Yeah - the sky is really falling here. No way could it be some wuss manatee who's just pissed off that his fantasy team lost.
Wilson didn't have that bad of a game. Our WRs were terrible and the play calling was a joke. Ya the defense gave up a bunch of yards on the ground but they still ONLY GAVE UP 13 POINTS! You hold teams to less than 15 points a game you better win. Regardless of Gore going off on us the defense still played damn good as usual. Plaxico is just sitting home cleaning his gun, maybe they should give him a shot. They gave TO one.
Good job AP for showing your usual ignorance and bias.
How is it that Wilson is the problem in any way?
Â
I watched the game through about 5 minutes into the 3rd quarter before I turned it off. Our D wasn't on the running game, and our recievers kept dropping the ball on offense. How is this Wilsons fault?
Â
 @bobalouie It wasn't Wilson's fault at all. People just feel the need to bash. Sad that they have nothing else better to do. I believe in Wilson. I think he will do great things for the Seahawks. All the haters out there need to get a life.
 @donner  @bobalouie He completed 9 passes in the game.....9. Wilson has NO downfield vision. They have to roll him out almost every play so he can see. He is not the future at QB. He has had 1 good game....and that was against the worst secondary in football (NE). Other than that he has been a waste at QB. Why does everyone insist on giving him a pass? He is the worst QB in football....period. This is why this town never wins anything, because our fans don't expect much.
 @amd_44  @donner  @bobalouie I remember a few years ago when Matt Hasselbeck was the quarterback and everyone was complaining about how he would always check down to receivers and not throw the ball deep. At least Russell Wilson CAN throw the ball deep. Prior to Week 7 Wilson led the league in touchdown passes of more than 20 yards. Then come the 49ers who allow the least amount of passes of more than 20 yards. Something had to give (similar to Pats #1 offense vs Seahawks #1 defense) and this time the Seahawks were the offense that lost.
 @bobalouie Remind me how many completed passes he had in the 2nd half?  WRs drop balls for any QB.  What concerns me is the downfield vision and decision to go deep so many times.  Some of those were by design and others were his choice.  Throwing into triple coverage?  Yeah that wasn't his fault.  I like Wilson, but that was a bad game from him as well.  And to be perfectly honest it wasn't much worse/better than I expected he'd do vs. their defense.