No Offense Nfl, But Don’t Be So Shocked About Hawks
While the West Coast Offense spread through the NFL, Seattle football fans were caught in a time warp.
It wasn’t pretty. Ground Chuck was lean cuisine after Curt Warner ran off to the Los Angeles Rams after the 1989 season. Like the San Francisco 49ers, the Seahawks learned you can’t build running offenses around undrafted players such as Derek Loville. Three years of Vertical Stench stretched only the frustration level of entertainment starved fans.
Monday’s revelation that the Seahawks were the fourth-ranked offense in the NFL caught everyone by surprise. Fourth in the NFL with a developing quarterback still struggling with his confidence?
What next? The Mariners with a set starting rotation in back-to-back years? Washington Huskies fans pushing Damon Huard for the Heisman? Sonics fans buying second-round playoff tickets?
“What happened last week (a 481-yard day against the Jacksonville Jaguars) was what we thought would be happening earlier,” quarterback Rick Mirer said. “It just hasn’t been. When we get guys on defense guessing, that’s when we can burn them.”
What the Seahawks have to prove over the final six games is whether this No. 4 ranking is an illusion or the beginning of a new era. The highest the Seahawks have finished offensively was third in 1979.
Huddled up in a Jacksonville hotel all week, the Seahawks have had plenty of time to reflect on the developments of this season. They watched tape after tape of an offense that is building momentum.
Players, coaches and management believe that good offensive days can become a regularity. Of course, for a franchise that had been in such an offensive drought, outsiders wonder whether those thoughts are simply a mirage.
“If you look back over the last three seasons, the offense has been kinda stifled in what a quarterback was allowed to do,” fullback Tracy Johnson said. “From that aspect, it’s more enjoyable to be in a more open offense that allows your quarterback to have freedom. Teams can’t really plan against us because of the versatility in our attack.”
Offense and fun have usually been separate thoughts for Seahawks fans. In 1992, Tom Flores’ first season as head coach, the offense was one of the worst in NFL history. The team scored only 140 points. Quarterbacks Kelly Stouffer, Dan McGwire and Stan Gelbaugh finished with a 48.9 combined quarterback rating. There were only 13 offensive touchdowns in 16 games of a 2-14 season.
Only eight offensive players remain from that team. The difference with this offense shocks them.
“Things are happening with the offense now,” wide receiver Brian Blades said. “We just need to cut down on turnovers, but if we use the weapons we have and keep teams off balance, our offense is going to improve. You know you are going to go through your ups and downs. That’s what makes the times when it’s good that much sweeter.”
For the first time this decade, the Seahawks sense that these are the good times. First-round choice Joey Galloway fought through the usual adjustments of a rookie, but defensive coordinators treat him with the respect of a Pro Bowl veteran. Blades plays off the double coverage slanted toward Galloway and breaks open against single coverage.
Halfback Chris Warren, who has five 100-yard games and leads the AFC in rushing with 841 yards, no longer worries about opponents stacking eight defenders near the line of scrimmage to stop the run. Like the top offenses such as the Dallas Cowboys or the San Francisco 49ers, the Seahawks offer three main threats that each merit special attention.
Galloway, Blades and Warren can each account for 100 yards on any or every given Sunday. In fact, the nine combined 100-yard receiving or rushing days by those three players matches the New England Patriots for tops in the AFC.
Five weeks ago, the Seahawks ranked 17th on offense. Since then, Warren has had three 100-yard rushing days, and Blades and Galloway have combined for three 100-yard receiving days. The Seahawks have had four games of at least 400 yards of offense. In the past four games, they’ve averaged 419 yards.
“I feel like we may still be ranked fourth, but when we’re operating on all cylinders, I don’t see anybody outdoing what we are doing,” fullback Steve Smith said. “We are operating and carrying out the scheme that was new to everybody at the beginning of the year. Early, everybody was just trying to remember what we were supposed to do. It’s starting to become second nature.”
“We’re getting things spread around,” Mirer said. “Joey is making big plays. The tight ends are doing well. Everybody is now capable of getting the ball. When that happens it makes it easier on Brian and me.”
And it’s a lot more fun to watch.
Notes
Tracy Johnson will start at fullback Sunday against the Washington Redskins ahead of injured Steve Smith. Mack Strong will also see playing time… . Erickson ruled out Smith (back) and defensive ends Michael McCrary (knee) and defensive end Brent Williams (knee). Tight end Christian Fauria is now very questionable because of a sprained knee. Strong safety Rafael Robinson is questionable because of a hip pointer.