The Seahawks are going to go far on their run game and defense.
But to say they have some problems with their passing game understates the case badly.
Sidney Rice was frustrated to the point of throwing his mouthpiece after being ignored while quarterback Russell Wilson threw to a triple-covered Braylon Edwards, a play that resulted in an interception.
Rice only caught two passes, and didn’t talk to reporters after the game. Seahawks coach Pete Carroll suggested that Rice was reacting to the lack of a pass interference flag, and quarterback Russell Wilson likewise insisted there wasn’t a problem.
“Sidney and I are close,” Wilson said, via Danny O’Neil of the Seattle Times. “He’s a guy who loves to compete at the highest level, and obviously I want to get the ball to Sidney as much as I can. . . .
“Sidney and I just want to win, and that’s our goal, no matter what it takes.”
What would help is catching the things that come to them.
Wideout Golden Tate dropped a pair of passes at key junctures, something he didn’t do at all last year. They subbed Edwards in for him at one point, but Tate was back on the field by the end of the game.
“We’ve got to figure out a way — as a receiving group — to go up and get balls to help us,” Tate said. “It starts with myself. Before the half, I’ve got to come down with one of those. A huge first down. I have to catch that. The team relies on me to catch that, and do what I do best — gain some yards.
“Honestly, I take it personally, this loss. I feel like I could have done something to put us in a better position to win this game at the end or get a lead.”
Running back Robert Turbin also dropped a potential touchdown, one of several miscues in the passing game.
But the other element that’s not being talked about enough is the guy throwing the passes. While he was playing against an excellent defense, quarterback Russell Wilson looked very much like a rookie last night. His 9-of-23 for 122 yards line was ugly, no other way to put it.
It doesn’t seem likely they want to replace him with Matt Flynn now, but Wilson’s struggles throwing the football have been evident, and he won’t always be able to depend on his defense and replacement refs bailing him out.