Most fans reacted to this relatively close Seahawks loss, where they made a valiant comeback, with a feeling of, “Oh well, this is a rebuilding year and it’s Tom Brady, and you can’t win them all.” I may have been in the same place a few weeks ago. I may have been in the same place one week ago. This Seahawks team, especially the front seven on defense, has been playing above their talent level for weeks, and have beaten a number of quality opponents badly. That came crumbling down Sunday in a game where coaching, effort, and execution all failed badly and resulted in a loss against an inferior opponent. That the Seahawks made it a close game in the end only underscores how clearly they should have won the game had they coached and played to their standards.
This game will ultimately hurt Seattle more than the Saints or Falcons losses. Yes, all are NFC teams (no idea how Seattle went 0-3 against that dumpster fire of a division). Tampa, though, is the division leader and likely division winner. More than that, Seattle had not yet made their turn on defense when playing the other teams. That was not a team that led the NFL in point differential for a month or had the best defense in the league over that span. This team was. Past tense now.
The lion’s share of the blame for this blunder falls on the coaching staff. They convinced themselves that the Bucs could not, and would not, run the ball. They prepared the team all week to defend only the pass. They convinced themselves so much of this that they deactivated one of their best run defenders in Bryan Mone so they could have a faster interior rusher in Myles Adams active.
Bad idea.
Tampa came out determined to run the ball. Their offensive line and both running backs came out with chips on their shoulders. Seattle was never in this game because they got manhandled at the line of scrimmage, the same way they were the first five weeks of the season. What made this different was that the coaches chose to put them in that position.
Give Tampa some credit here. They played like their season and pride was on the line. Leonard Fournette was terrible all year and had started to lose snaps to rookie Rachaad White. Both ran hard and decisively. The offensive line blocked as well as they had all year. Brady was fine, but this game was lost on the ground. Had Seattle stopped or even slowed the historically bad Bucs run game, they probably win.
On the flip side, the Seahawks run game was nonexistent. Yes, the Bucs got Akiem Hicks back, but his presence alone does not explain how a bottom third run defense could dominate one of the top rushing teams in football. It was not just the run game. The whole offense came out lethargic and listless. Again, this was an effort and coaching issue.
There was an opportunity early on, while the game was still scoreless, for the Seahawks to go for a 4th and 6 in Tampa territory. Geno Smith rushed to the line looking eager to convert. It looked initially like Pete Carroll was going to go for it. He relented and sent the punt team out. Generally, any time you feel the need to take a delay of game so your punter has more room to down a punt, you should either be going for it or kicking field goal. Gaining 20-25 yards of field position just is not anywhere close to as valuable.
The game was never the same after that. Tampa would go on to drive 88 yards for a touchdown, scoring on a blown coverage on a crossing route, which happened for the second straight week. They went 86 yards on their next drive for another touchdown, and the game was essentially over.
The Bucs have a great defense. They do. But as we saw in the second half, they are not invincible. Smith and the team came out far more aggressive throwing the ball and wound up with over 220 yards in the second half. Had they started the game that way or just adjusted to that approach by the second quarter, the result could have been different.
Smith’s fumble in the red zone and the defenses inability to come even close to stopping the Bucs on a 4 minute drive to end the game sealed Seattle’s fate.
The Seahawks will almost certainly be tied with the 49ers coming out of their bye week. The reality is that this season was not, and still is not, about contending for a Super Bowl. So why care so much about the result of this game?
Not all losses are equal. Dropping a game to a better team is understandable. This Bucs team is just a couple weeks removed from getting blown out by PJ Walker and the Panthers. They needed a miracle drive at the end of the game to barely beat an awful Rams team. It is not hyperbole to say they were a historically bad run offense coming into this game. This was a game that was nowhere close to the standard for how Seattle plays football, even in a loss. That is never going to be okay.
As an aside, if you feel differently and think this is too intense or critical, that is totally fine. Please avoid telling folks who are more unhappy than you to, “relax.” It is honestly less irritating to be cursed at than patronized. The intensity that fuels the highs and the lows for me is also what has fueled me to be writing about the Seahawks for longer now than anyone on the internet (16+ years). I am not paid. I do it because I love the team and the game. I would like to think it has also provided me some insights about what matters and what does not.
Thankfully, the Broncos lost, keeping alive the hopes of a top ten pick in the draft next year. The ideal outcome from here on out is that the Seahawks play well enough to win this division, win a playoff game, and then bolster an already good team with a ton of top picks.
The bye week should provide a good chance to self scout and finish strong. The team we saw the last four weeks can beat just about anyone. The team we saw yesterday could lose to just about anyone. Carroll and the coaching staff had the long flight home to reflect on a missed opportunity. Grabbing a game where they are outmatched would be the best way to make up for it.