Russell Wilson: We’ve got to be better, it starts with me

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USA Today Sports

After the season’s first few weeks, Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson looked like a surefire MVP candidate. This was finally going to be the year Wilson received at least one ever-elusive vote for the honor.

But now, Wilson probably has to keep waiting.

Sunday’s most surprising result was the Seahawks losing 17-12 at home to a Giants team playing with a backup quarterback. Wilson’s play was among the reasons why it happened.

He finished 27-of-43 passing for 263 yards with a touchdown and an interception. But he also received credit for a lost fumble on a botched handoff and took five sacks that lost 47 yards. Not all of that is on the QB. But even Wilson admitted that at times, he held on to the ball for too long — in part because he was trying to make a play.

“Obviously, you always want to eliminate sacks,” Wilson said, via Gregg Bell of the Tacoma News Tribune. “You also don’t want to eliminate the key moments.”

Still, Wilson knows he and the rest of the offense must be more productive in the season’s last quarter.

“We’ve got to bet better. We’ve got to be cleaner. It starts with me,” he said.

The Seahawks are 2-3 in their last five games, with Wilson throwing six touchdowns and five interceptions. His passer rating over that span is 88.8, a far cry from the 129.8 rating he had over the season’s first five weeks.

Seattle should still reach the playoffs, but Wilson is right — he has to be better.