Sir Purr
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- Mar 16, 2019
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The 10-3 Seahawks travel to Charlotte to face the Panthers on Sunday. Here are Five Things to Watch:
The Russell Wilson Problem
The Seahawks are one of the NFC’s best teams, and Russell Wilson plays a huge part in Seattle’s success.
This season is no different for Wilson, who is once again in the midst of the MVP conversation. That’s because Wilson ranks in the top 10 league-wide in essentially every quarterback category, including passing touchdowns (T-2nd), passing yards (8th) and passer rating (5th).
“He’s playing at a championship level,” Panthers interim head coach Perry Fewell said. “Just watching him on tape and watching his play, you’re saying, ‘Geez, I hope he has a bad day.’ He’s playing at MVP level right now.”
But if Wilson isn’t having a bad day, what’s the key to slowing him down?
Safety Tre Boston said the most important way to stop Wilson through the air is by stopping him on the ground.
“We haven’t sugarcoated it all year, it’s all been about stopping the run,” Boston explained. “We have to go in there, we’ve got to play gap sound football. We’ve got to play Carolina football. It’s easier said than done, but we have to go in there knowing that if we stop the run, it gives us a better chance of winning the ball game.”
Part of the reasoning behind that approach is because of Wilson’s ability to extend plays with his legs, but it’s also because of how the Seahawks game plan around his running ability. Seattle’s offense heavily relies on a number of zone reads, bootlegs and run-pass options to allow Wilson the ability to run or pass.
Carolina has had success against mobile quarterbacks like Kyler Murray and Deshaun Watson this season, but Boston, who’s played Wilson each season of his six-year career, knows what’s in store this Sunday.
“What he’s done with this team has been incredible,” Boston said. “To see it, to watch it on film, we have a challenge ahead of us.”