While the Seattle Seahawks have won their last three games against the Carolina Panthers, Oakland Raiders and New York Giants, it has been on the shoulders on quarterback Russell Wilson.
The third-year quarterback is currently mired in the first significant slump of his NFL career.
Wilson has had three straight games – and four of his last five – with a passer rating of less than 80. The only game where Wilson has played well in the passing game in the last month was when he completed 23 of 36 passes for 313 yards and two touchdowns in a 28-26 loss to St. Louis.
“I think my accuracy has been a little bit off for whatever reason,” Wilson said Thursday. “I keep believing in myself. I’m not going to doubt myself. I’ve played a lot of great football at times and I just believe every time I get the ball in my hands I’m going to make something happen.”
The typically accurate Wilson has been noticeably off in recent weeks. Wilson missed a wide open Cooper Helfet for a touchdown in Carolina and overthrew Jermaine Kearse on another potential touchdown last week against the Giants. Three of his five interceptions have come in the last three games, with two against the Giants last week.
Wilson has thrown just five touchdowns in Seattle’s last six games.
“Sometimes you go through a downward slump but as long as you can find ways to win, that’s all I care about,” Wilson said. “Finding ways to help our football team win. And once I get back in my groove, which hopefully it will happen this week, I think it’s going to be really hard to stop us.”
Wilson is returning to Kansas City this week for the first time since wrestling the Seahawks starting job away from Matt Flynn in the 2012 preseason. The Seahawks have a gauntlet of games coming up against the Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles and home-and-home matchups with the San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals over the next six weeks.
Maybe the return trip to Kansas City will be the jolt Wilson needs to find his stride. The Seahawks will need improved play from Wilson over the remainder of the season to have a chance to defend their Super Bowl title in the playoffs.