For a struggling franchise, there’s no better yardstick than playing against the best. On Monday, the Seattle Seahawks reminded the Washington Redskins they have a long way to go.
After suffering a 31-point loss to the New York Giants in their previous game, the Redskins played much better against the defending Super Bowl champions. But they still wound up losing their third straight, 27-17.
Despite their uncharacteristically sloppy performance — three of Seattle’s 13 penalties nullified Percy Harvin touchdowns — the Seahawks never trailed and seemed in control from the moment their team bus arrived at FedEx Field. It helps to have a top-of-the-NFL defense and quarterback Russell Wilson.
From the opening possession, on which the Seahawks easily scored a touchdown, the situation was clear: The Redskins were in a tough spot. Wilson ripped off long runs en route to rushing for 80 yards — with an eye-opening 16.0-yard average — during the first quarter.
Seattle’s defense shut down running back Alfred Morris (only 29 yards rushing in the game) and pounded quarterback Kirk Cousins en route to building a 17-point lead before halftime. DeSean Jackson (157 yards, 31.4-yard average and one touchdown) had a big night against a secondary considered second to none. He needed much more help.
With their talented and deep lineup, the Seahawks were built the right way. The Redskins provide a different example of roster construction. Obviously, there’s a crater-sized gap between the teams. How did the Seahawks pull away from the Redskins and others? It starts in the front office. Let’s start there.
Leadership and lack thereof
Coach Pete Carroll and General Manager John Schneider are the architects of Seattle’s football operation. Although Carroll officially has player-personnel control, he defers to Schneider, one of the league’s savviest talent evaluators, in acquiring talent. Good move.
Schneider, who runs the team’s draft, has performed spectacularly in selecting players. Just consider some of the Seahawks’ picks in the 2010 and ’11 drafts: safeties Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas and cornerback Richard Sherman. Sherman, Thomas and Chancellor are stars and the foundation of the Seahawks’ “Legion of Boom” secondary.
Thomas was the 14th overall pick in 2010. He was considered a can’t-miss prospect. But Sherman and Chancellor were fifth-round picks. Starting cornerback Byron Maxwell was a sixth-round pick.
Often, Schneider and his staff have found low-round draft gems. With a homegrown secondary, the Seahawks used free agency and trades — they acquired the game-changing Harvin from the Minnesota Vikings — to address other roster concerns. In the salary-cap era, that’s the effective way to roll.
Eventually, players who perform can leave in free agency. Schneider, though, also has made sound decisions in rewarding the Seahawks’ cornerstone players such as Sherman. Bottom line, Schneider is really good at his job.
He came up the old-school way, starting out as a low-rung scout and climbing to the top. And for Redskins fans, here’s what should sting: Schneider used to work for the team. In 2001, he was Washington’s vice president of player personnel, helping then-coach Marty Schottenheimer attempt to rebuild the team. They were fired after only one season.
Now, Schneider supports Carroll, who has proven he’s one of the best coaches of his generation. Carroll led the University of Southern California to consecutive national titles. Last season, he guided Seattle to a Super Bowl championship. With that type of success, Carroll has nothing left to prove.
Redskins Coach Jay Gruden is only getting started. The straight-shooting former offensive coordinator has impressive credentials and a cool demeanor. Eventually, Gruden may clean up this mess. Problem is, where’s his support?
Unlike his Seattle counterpart, President and General Manager Bruce Allen does not have a scouting background. He’s not considered a strong talent evaluator. The Redskins have made so many player-personnel missteps through the years, it’s hard to keep count.
Allen is only in his first season with roster control. He’s not responsible for all of the blunders. Allen did, however, enter this season with Brandon Meriweather and Bacarri Rambo atop the depth chart at one safety spot. What more do you need to know?
Quarterback play
As it turned out, the drafting of Wilson was among Schneider’s shrewdest moves. Listed at 5 feet 11, Wilson doesn’t have the prototype size for an NFL passer. He lasted until the third round — and the Seahawks couldn’t be happier.
Although Wilson has benefitted from Seattle’s formidable defense and the Marshawn Lynch-led running game, he has become an elite quarterback. Foremost, Wilson understands what he must do to win: he’s 27-9 as a starter. Sometimes that means giving up on a play.
On third and five at the 50-yard line in the first quarter, Seattle center Max Unger snapped the ball poorly to Wilson, disrupting the timing of the play. Wilson came up with the ball, and with the pass rush converging on him, he threw it away. That was the smart move. Robert Griffin III still makes too many risky ones.
In a season-opening loss to the Houston Texans, the Redskins lost a fumble when Griffin, who stumbled while pulling out from center, tried to hand off to Morris. Griffin should have protected the football. He hasn’t been good at it.
Both Griffin and Wilson entered the league as dual-threat quarterbacks. In their third season, Wilson clearly is much more comfortable than Griffin in the pocket. He’s also great at extending plays in the pocket. But to be a franchise quarterback, you have to stay on the field. Wilson has been able to do it. Griffin already has suffered two major injuries.
Late in the fourth quarter, Wilson eluded the rush and lofted a perfect pass into the hands of Lynch, who rambled 30 yards to all but finish the Redskins. Wilson passed for 201 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for another 122 yards and a touchdown. Throughout the game, he torched the Redskins on keeper plays.
There was some good news for the Redskins. Kirk Cousins, playing for the injured Griffin, rebounded from his five-turnover performance against the Giants. Cousins showed growth: he didn’t stare down receivers this time in a 283-yard, two-touchdown outing. Cousins, however, is 0-3 as a starter this season.
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