The Seahawks offense is completely broken, and that’s why this season is over

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, Md. – It is completely broken.

Not “bad” or “struggling” or “going through a rough stretch” – just flat-out broken.

The Seahawks’ offense has become a portrait of despair. It is devoid of all potency – as fearsome as a Labradoodle.

The return of an eight-time Pro Bowl quarterback has done nothing to resurrect it. One of the most gifted receivers in football has gone all but silent.

Don’t let Seattle’s final drive Monday night trick you into thinking it made some kind of breakthrough on that side of the ball. There was some suspense in the Seahawks’ 17-15 loss to the Washington Football Team, but more so there was a confirmation: They can’t move up in the standings because they can’t move the ball.

“The results just aren’t coming,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. “There are so few plays that every single play counts so much, and we’re just not getting it going.”

The Seahawks (3-8) have failed to score more than 15 points in three consecutive games – all of which saw Russell Wilson as the starting QB. They were shut out in a loss to Green Bay and held to 13 points in a loss to Arizona before Monday’s offensive fiasco.

Maybe Wilson is still reeling from the finger injury he suffered on his throwing hand last month. His once divine accuracy has been blatantly absent over his past three games.

But the Seahawks’ offensive ineptitude goes beyond the guy throwing the ball. They can’t run; they can’t block – they simply can’t perform.

Washington possessed the ball for 41 minutes and 40 seconds Monday night compared to the Seahawks’ 18:20. The Seahawks possessed it for 19:38 against the Cardinals and 20:51 against the Packers.

The Seahawks converted just four of their 12 third-down attempts on Monday night. They were 2 of 10 on third downs against Arizona.

The Seahawks gained 271 yards vs. Washington, 266 vs. Arizona and 208 vs. the Packers – a three-game average of 248. They are second-to-last in the NFL in yards per game at 295.7.

Maybe that’s why Seattle’s five consecutive three-and-outs Monday didn’t seem too surprising. Such inefficiency has become the norm.

What must be particularly frustrating for this group is that it has the players to succeed on offense. Wilson is a future Hall of Famer who is thought to still be in his prime. Receiver DK Metcalf electrified the nation with his athleticism last year and ended up setting the Seahawks’ single-season receiving yards record.

But Metcalf has just one catch for 13 yards Monday. In fact, Metcalf has averaged just 28.2 receiving yards over his past four outings.

Granted, there was some material for the highlight reel from the Seahawks’ offense Monday. Wilson led a 75-yard drive on their second possession, which was capped by picturesque touchdown pass to a double-covered Gerald Everett. And with his team trailing 17-9 with just over 2 minutes left, Wilson went vintage and took the Seahawks 96 yards to the end zone to get within two.

But the interception he threw on the 2-point conversion attempt was more reflective of his performance Monday, which included a slew of errant passes he rarely used to make.

“It wasn’t like I didn’t feel confident with it, you know?” said Wilson, who finished with 247 yards on 20-of-31 passing. “I have to go watch the film and see if anything is there.”

How’s the finger?

“I feel good. I feel really good,” Wilson said. “My finger is not the issue. I think we just gotta figure out how to be better.”

It’s probably too late for that. Marked improvement isn’t going to lead to a playoff berth for the Seahawks, who own the second-worst record in the NFC. It would be difficult to squeeze into the postseason if they won the rest of their games anyway, but that seems like an impossibility right now.

Sure, there have been some injuries in addition to Wilson’s. Starting running back Chris Carson is out for the year with a neck issue, backup running back Rashaad Penny has only been healthy for four games and left guard Damien Lewis was sidelined Monday.

But mainly – the Seahawks have just been awful.

After the game, Carroll said he isn’t “accepting” what’s been happening with his team. He might have to soon.

This season is over. No offense.