Seahawks need to get Geno Smith on the run: NFC West Stock Watch
Midway through this NFL season, the Seattle Seahawks offense is mired in mediocrity.
The Seahawks have averaged just 15 points per game over a four-game stretch since the team's bye week. Coach Pete Carroll wants to run the football, but the Seahawks are averaging just 97 yards per game, No. 23 in the league.
Seattle quarterback Geno Smith has not played well as the leader of the offense. The NFL Comeback Player of the Year and a Pro Bowler last season, Smith has turned the ball over eight times in the past four games. He has completed 62.3% of his throws for 956 yards with four touchdowns and six interceptions during that stretch for a 75.7 passer rating.
Smith has displayed admirable accountability by owning his mistakes publicly and vowing to fix them. But one of the main reasons why he has regressed is that the offensive line has failed to protect him in the drop-back passing game.
The Seahawks have played seven different offensive line combinations this year due to injury, so continuity, communication and chemistry are issues up front. Smith has been sacked 11 times over the past four games.
No doubt he was not at his best last week in a 37-3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Smith's poor play of late has some calling for a quarterback change in Seattle. But while the Seahawks do have a capable backup in Drew Lock, it's not time to pull the plug on Smith.
Instead, offensive coordinator Shane Waldron and Carroll must get back to the plays Smith executed effectively in the early portion of last season. Like Russell Wilson before him, Smith's movement skills on designed runs brought an added element to the offense.
He has just 53 rushing yards in eight games this year. Last season, he ran for 366 yards, No. 8 among quarterbacks. His ability to threaten the defense with his legs kept opposing defenses honest and helped to create voids in coverage for big plays down the field.
Smith has completed 53 of 66 throws (80.3%) for 663 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions on play-action passes this season. Using more play-action would help provide clearly defined reads for Smith as well as help the line to protect him.
"I really like it," Carroll told reporters this week about the play-action game. "We like to make sure that we make it hard on our opponents by continuing to do it. We've been really good at it. The numbers are terrific. It's a real positive side of the offense now."
According to Next Gen Stats, Smith has completed 80% of his throws on the run this season, which is the highest rate in the league.
The Seahawks also could use motion more to change the picture pre-snap, like the Miami Dolphins have effectively done this year. According to Next Gen Stats, Seattle has used shift or motion on 49.5% of the team's offensive snaps this season, which is No. 21 in the league.
Here is this week's NFC West Stock Watch, featuring Smith on the downside for now.
RISING
The rookie pass rusher totaled 10 combined tackles — including a tackle for loss — and two sacks in his team's road loss to the Green Bay Packers last weekend.
Young is second on the Rams in sacks with five, just behind Aaron Donald (5.5 sacks). Through nine games, Young is first in the NFL among rookies with five sacks and two forced fumbles. He also is tied for third among rookies with 39 combined tackles.
Arizona's tone-setter defensively led the team with 10 combined tackles in a road loss to the Cleveland Browns last week. In three games since returning from a hamstring injury that put him on injured reserve earlier this year, Baker has 22 combined tackles, including a tackle for loss.
Baker's return has helped solidify the secondary for the Cardinals, as they look to get back on the winning track with a home game against the Atlanta Falcons.
Arizona designated the bruising running back to return from the injured reserve list after he missed the past four weeks with a knee issue. Through the first five games of the season, the Pittsburgh product had been effective.
Conner was No. 8 in the league with 364 rushing yards through the first five weeks of the season. His eventual return to the offense should help alleviate some pressure on quarterback Kyler Murray as he returns from ACL knee surgery this weekend against the Falcons.
With Baker on defense and Conner and Murray returning on offense, the Cardinals are getting back to full strength for the second half of the season.
FALLING
Sean McVay partly blamed his backup quarterback's struggles in Sunday's 20-3 loss in Green Bay on weather conditions.
However, there's no getting around the fact that Rypien struggled to move the offense. In his first start of the year subbing for an injured Matthew Stafford, Rypien completed just 13 of 28 passes for 130 yards, with no touchdowns and an interception for a 45.2 passer rating.
The Rams released Rypien and signed journeyman Carson Wentz to the active roster this week.
Like Rypien, Tune made his first start of the season last week. And like Rypien, it did not go well. The fifth-round selection out of Houston threw for just 58 yards and was sacked seven times. Yes, Tune's effort came against one of the best defenses in the NFL, on the road against the Browns.
However, the rookie's performance is concerning, especially after the Cardinals traded Joshua Dobbs to Minnesota for a late-round pick last week. Dobbs could have provided competent depth at the position behind Murray.
More food for thought when it comes to Smith and pocket movement. Per Next Gen Stats, Smith is 25-of-54 (56.8%) for 254 yards with three touchdowns and an interception outside the pocket this season.
Inside the pocket, Smith has completed 140 of 208 passes (67.3%) for 1,548 yards, with six touchdowns and six interceptions.
Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on Twitter at @eric_d_williams.