The many dimensions of Russell Wilson
— -- Russell Wilson has been playing lights-out over the past three weeks. He has a total QBR of 93.6 (on a 100-point scale), 11 touchdown passes, and zero picks. But he's doing something more -- he's starting to change the narrative on his style of play. This isn't just scrambling Russell making plays on the perimeter. No, these are stick throws, quick reads and accurate strikes down the field from inside the pocket. In his past three starts, Wilson has completed 85 percent of his passes inside the pocket (59-69) for 810 yards and 10 touchdowns with a total QBR of 98.6 on those throws. It's not an exaggeration to say it doesn't really get better.
But those numbers, while extremely impressive, are only a part of the multiple dimensions Wilson brings to the position. From his value on designed runs to the ability to manage chaos in the pocket, Wilson has taken his game to another level. Let's take a look at Wilson's tool box and discuss why the quarterback's overall production, and impact on the game plan, has the Seahawks rolling into the playoff push.
Pocket throws
Wilson is ripping the ball from the pocket and it starts with his eyes. Looking at the tape, the ball is coming out earlier and Wilson is putting some serious heat on his throws because he is seeing the field clearly. That allows him to identify the matchups and anticipate open throwing windows based on the defense's pre-snap alignments/coverage rotations. Whether that is carving up the Steelers' three-deep zone shells or finding Doug Baldwin in positive matchups versus the Vikings, Wilson is processing things quickly and finding his primary targets. And that includes making throws versus zone/man pressure. Over the past three weeks, Wilson has completed 21-of-27 passes for 381 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions versus the blitz.
Again, that goes back to Wilson's ability to find the matchup, or hot read versus a pressure look, before the ball is snapped. This is a major improvement for a quarterback who has shown some hesitation in the pocket. Wilson is identifying his primary target and using his vision to go through his progression with speed: Get the ball out to the playmakers.
Value on designed runs
Wilson has the speed (or quick burst) when he pulls the ball on the zone-read and the open field talent to make defenders miss. However, unlike a player such as Robert Griffin III, Wilson's ability to avoid violent collisions as a runner is the real story here. The Seahawks' quarterback is a master at finding the sticks in crucial down and distance situations. He is always aware of the boundary and he creates enough room in the open field to slide before inviting a brutal hit from a linebacker or defensive back. This gives Seahawks offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell much more confidence (and a higher comfort level) to call the zone-read plays or to install more naked boot schemes. Plus, the zone-read plays are two-fold here, based on the pressure it puts on the edge defender. Given that Wilson is a threat to pull the ball, the tape tells us that edge defenders will hesitate through the mesh point.
Why is that important? Well, it opens up a cut-back lane (or a "bend") for Thomas Rawls to attack based on the edge defender's initial path or indecision. That creates a free running lane, or "daylight," for Rawls to push the ball up the field. It's another added dimension Wilson brings to the offense, but it starts with his ability to avoid knockout shots while producing on the ground in critical game situations. That's his true value as a runner.
Playing within the system
"Playing within the system" is often looked at with a negative perception because we think of a quarterback as a so-called game manager, but this is a positive for Wilson. Over the past three weeks, the Seahawks have been complex in how they devise a game plan for opponents. From the variety of formation alignments and misdirection plays, to the three-level passing combinations, the call sheet in Seattle in pretty deep. Seattle can attack opponents with the vertical passing game, the wide receivers screens, packaged plays, the quick Y-Pop pass, underneath cross patterns, the three-step routes and play-action. On top of that, there is balance to the offense given the production of Rawls and the run game. This creates issues for opposing defensive coordinators based on countering the personnel and setting their coverages versus an offense, and a quarterback, who can beat you with a loaded game plan. This has generated explosive plays for Wilson and the Seahawks plus yards-after-catch situations for receivers in the open field.
Right now, as I see it on the tape, the Seahawks are dictating the flow and tempo of the game from an offensive perspective. This has allowed Wilson to operate at a faster pace and with more rhythm throwing the football. And this offense showed even more flow in Week 13 without tight end Jimmy Graham on the field.
The deep ball
In my opinion, Wilson has always been one of the top deep-ball throwers in the NFL and the tape from the past three weeks supports that. Take the two throws Wilson completed to Doug Baldwin in the Week 13 win over the Vikings. The first, versus zone coverage, on the post or deep over route was from the twenty-yard line. Wilson threw this ball on a rope and found a an open window to fit this pass between the cornerback and the safety over the top for six points. The second touchdown pass came versus blitz-man, with no safety help over the top, as Wilson dropped this pass right into the bucket. Sweet touch on the ball with Baldwin securing the catch and taking it in for a 53-yard score.
In this three-game stretch, Wilson has completed 69.2 percent of his passes that traveled at least 15 yards down the field. And the five touchdown passes Wilson has produced on those throws in the past three weeks is tied for the league lead with Arizona's Carson Palmer. This gives the Seahawks the ability to flip the field and take shots to the end zone. This is another positive to Wilson's game that is really showing up on the film during this breakout run for the quarterback.
Creating magic amidst the chaos
The Seahawks offensive line has had issues throughout the season and that has forced Wilson, at times, to create magic both inside and outside of the pocket. But this also has to be looked at a positive, or a bonus, Wilson brings to the field. For starters, it creates panic in opposing secondaries when Wilson can extend plays, thus allowing receivers to convert routes vertically or work back downhill to the ball. Secondly, it slows down pass rushers as they have to focus on contain responsibilities. Plus, with the amount of boot plays Bevell will call to get Wilson on the edge of the pocket, his ability to scramble, give ground or just pull the ball down to run, threatens the discipline of the defense. And that creates even more options for Wilson to find open targets when the coverage breaks down.
As we talked about at the top, Wilson's ability to make throws from inside of the pocket is a key part of his development, but his legs are a weapon when he works his way through the chaos of a muddy pocket or extends play on the edge.
The continuing progression (and questions)
Wilson deserves the praise and the hype coming from the three-game stretch he has put together. The numbers are top-tier and the film shows us he is playing at a ridiculous level, but there are still questions.
The quarterback wins and the Super Bowl ring are great conversation pieces for a Friday during happy hour, but with a defense in Seattle that essentially shut out Peyton Manning in the Super Bowl, how much has been asked of Wilson? Can he take over a game, as in, really take over a game and show the necessary command to dictate versus a legit, lockdown defense, as we've seen countless times from a guy like Tom Brady? And what about that scrambling ability? I said above that it is a positive, right? No doubt, and Wilson is getting the ball out quicker. But there are still situations where he holds the ball and creates those situations on his own where he is forced to bail out of the pocket.
Yes, Wilson is showing major improvements when throwing the ball from inside of the pocket and he is dicing up defenses when they send pressure. Add that to the multiple dimensions he brings to the position and the Seahawks are set up to make a serious push here over the last month of the season. But we have to remember that Wilson is still developing and going through the steep learning curve that comes with playing quarterback in this league. He is far from a finished product. The recent run is great. Now let's see him continue that development even more.
