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How to Fix the Seahawks: Part One–Offense

By Ben Renner

Oct 23, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Seattle Seahawks tackle George Fant (74) against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. The game ended in a 6-6 tie after overtime. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 23, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Seattle Seahawks tackle George Fant (74) against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. The game ended in a 6-6 tie after overtime. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 14, 2017; Atlanta, GA, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) throws against the Atlanta Falcons during the third quarter in the NFC Divisional playoff at Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports /

How to Fix the Offense

The Seahawks struggled all year to put together a complete game of good offensive football. They struggled to score touchdowns inside the 20 yardline, at times they struggled with turnovers, they couldn’t consistently run the ball or protect Russell Wilson. So how do we fix these inconsistencies?

Well, the obvious answer is to invest in the offensive line. Everyone knows this, and I expect John Schneider and Pete Carroll to put an emphasis on the line in the offseason. But throwing money at the problem isn’t going to solve it. Signing a big-time free agent like Cincinnati guard Kevin Zeitler would be nice, but with the investments the Seahawks have already sunk into their core players, it’s unlikely they’ll pay big money for any free agent this offseason.

What’s more likely is another wave of young, cheap players coming into training camp from the draft to be mentored by Tom Cable. Not exactly what most Seahawks fans want to hear. This is the second year of the cheap and mold-able offensive line experiment in Seattle and for the second-straight year, the line has cost the Seahawks wins. I’d like to see Carroll and Schneider bring in a cheapish veteran on a short-term deal (maybe, like, a good offensive lineman, unlike last year’s signing, J’Marcus Webb) much like what they love to do with the defensive line. A man like this probably doesn’t exist in the free agent pool at the moment, but there could be options as the offseason rolls along and we march closer to training camp all over again.

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As for Bevell, I was hesitant to grab a pitchfork and a torch along with everyone else, but maybe it’s time for a fresh start. Bevell knew full well the Seahawks weren’t going to have the best offensive line this year. Designing an offense on top of a faulty offensive line is like trying to build a house on crumbling foundation. Still, he knew the challenge and he failed to design a consistent offense for the second year in a row.

I suspect change will be afoot in Seattle after this year’s Divisional Round exit. Perhaps Schneider and Carroll will take an entirely new approach to the offense altogether. Maybe they’ll start the reverse of the Graham trade and sell off skill position players for blockers. Either way, it will be yet another interesting offseason for the Hawks’ offense.

Next: Breaking Down Every Mariners Move This Offseason so Far

What explanations do you have for the Seahawks offensive inconsistencies this year and how would you fix them? Stay tuned for the many issues of the Seahawks’ defense coming soon.

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