The Seahawks were in full control of their own destiny as they were coming off of a four-game win streak and were first place in the NFC West. The playoffs were looking to be not far off for Seattle until they dropped a desperately needed win against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday Night Football. It was an ill-fated match that presented several glaring issues facing the Seahawks in 2024. Now, they sit in second place in the NFC West behind the Rams, who they play in a week and a half. They may have missed their opportunity at a playoff run. So what needs to be done?
Three Issues Facing the Seattle Seahawks in 2024
Quarterback
Geno Smith is a highly likable guy but he is not the answer at quarterback for the Seahawks. While Smith has shown flashes of late-game heroics, his propensity for turnovers and inconsistency make him ill-suited as a long-term starter. Backup Sam Howell’s brief appearance against the Packers underscored his inexperience, with four sacks, an interception, and a dismal QBR of 3.3 on just five completions from 14 attempts. Though Smith has value as a reliable backup, it’s becoming increasingly clear he isn’t the answer at QB1. With one year remaining on his contract, Seattle may explore alternatives like Sam Darnold, whose affordability could allow the team to invest more heavily in rebuilding the offensive line (we can hope).
A few weeks back I wrote an article stating that Geno isn’t the one to blame for the Seahawks’ struggles. For the most part, I still agree with that statement. However, it’s quite clear that even outside of how the offensive line is performing, Seattle needs a better decision-maker at quarterback.
Offensive Line
The Seahawks’ offensive line woes are nothing new, as this issue has plagued the team for nearly a decade with no signs of resolution. Hopes were high when the Seahawks selected offensive tackle Charles Cross in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, but progress has stalled since then. Outside of Abe Lucas, who stands out as the second-best lineman on the roster, the rest of the group has been largely underwhelming. Letting guard Damien Lewis walk in free agency has only added to the frustration, as he’s now excelling in Carolina. To make matters worse, Spotrac reports that Seattle has the NFL’s cheapest offensive line, spending $4 million less than the next closest team.
Offensive Play-Calling
Ryan Grubb has struggled in this first season as an NFL offensive coordinator and many fans think he could be let go at the end of the year. Grubb and head coach Mike Macdonald don’t seem to be on the same page on how to run the offense as the run game has not been utilized enough. While running back Kenneth Walker III is currently out with an injury, Zach Charbonnet has proved to be more than capable taking over. However, against the Packers, Charbonnet only got ONE carry when Sam Howell took over at QB halfway through the third quarter. On that one carry, Charbonnet took it in for a 24-yard touchdown. The issue of not utilizing the run game has also been a detriment to Seattle’s red zone offense. There was a sequence against Green Bay that the Seahawks remained in shotgun formation for three consecutive plays, rather than shifting under center to hand the ball off to their running back.
Macdonald has made it clear that he wants his offense to run the ball more as well as incorporate more play-action in the passing game.
Will Seattle make the necessary adjustments to win their final three games and sneak into the playoffs?
Main Image: Joe Nicholson – USA Today Sports
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