Dave Boling: The Seahawks won’t be contenders until they improve their interior offensive line
SEATTLE – A proud NFC rivalry, loaded with drama, controversy and antipathy – the setup promised a game with postseason relevance.
Instead, it turned into a brutal gut-punch of reality for the Seattle Seahawks, clearly exposed as a team that had won eight games by beating seven opponents with records of .500 or below.
Facing the Green Bay Packers at home was the chance for validation against a quality team. With a win, the Seahawks were doubly likely to make the playoffs than they would with a loss.
Such anticlimax, then, when the Seahawks fell 30-13 to the 10-4 Packers.
When the story of this season is written, this loss could be the major plot point. The opportunity was squandered for a number of reasons, the largest and most fundamental was the continued malfeasance by the offensive line.
The Seahawk defense gave up 20 points in the first half but toughened up in the second half, allowing them to close to 23-16 in the fourth quarter.
The offense, though, was never able to protect quarterback Geno Smith – to the point that one of his three sacks led to a knee injury that sidelined him.
His replacement, Sam Howell, was sacked four more times.
The extent of Smith’s injury was uncertain after the game.
This again was evidence of the prevalent misconception of the Seahawks’ front office, that interior line players may be purchased cheaply on the market and can be replaced without great search.
And when they have drafted them, the results have been very spotty.
Because of injuries, a retirement, and the fact that some players haven’t ripened, the line featured rookies at center (Jalen Sundell) and right guard (Sataoa Laumea) for most of the game. Sundell was an undrafted free agent and Laumea a sixth-rounder.
The Hawks slipped to 8-6, ending a four-game win-streak. The outcome allowed the L.A. Rams to match their record, with a tiebreaker win over the Seahawks already on the books.
Beside that, the Hawks next play the 11-2 Vikings at Lumen Field, while the Rams face a much easier docket of opponents in the final three games.
Coach Mike Macdonald said: “All our goals are still ahead of us.”
In the division, sure. But how far are the Hawks away from conference contention? Let’s say it would probably take three pro-level interior linemen to get them there.
The absence of pass protection was the most obvious shortcoming, but their 80 yards of rushing amounted to very little aside from Zach Charbonnet’s 24-yard scoring run in the fourth quarter. Which, in fairness, was facilitated by good blocks from Sundell and Laumea.
But the total offensive output amounted to 3.7 yards gained per play, while their five penalties amounted to 108 yards given up to the Packers – gifts by some costly pass-interference calls.
Some comparisons: The Hawks’ defense registered no sacks and just six quarterback hits, compared to Green Bay’s seven sacks, 12 quarterback hits and 10 tackles for losses.
Games against Green Bay have such a rich history. The Jon Ryan touchdown pass on a fake field goal. The Jermaine Kearse reception. The Hail/Fail Mary by Golden Tate.
This game will be remembered for nothing but the futility.
Humbling, too, that so many Packers fans were in Lumen Field that the crowd’s chants of “Go, Pack, go,” in the first half caused the Seahawks to go to a silent count – on their home field.
Late in the game, the defense seemed to regain its form. Linebacker Ernest Jones IV (nine tackles and a forced fumble) said it’s impossible to rally back from the deficit caused by such a slow start.
Yes, especially when the line is chronically unable to block the opponent.
Until those shortcomings are corrected, the Seahawks will struggle to stay in contention.