More often than not, a loss in the NFL does not produce a ton of positive takeaways – but the Seattle Seahawks continue to do just that. Even in their Week 5 defeat to the New Orleans Saints, Seattle was able to come away with a few essential elements for the rest of their 2022 season.
The loss of running back Rashaad Penny is a backbreaker, especially since it is of the season-ending variety. Having been thrust into the starting role to start the season, Penny was a limited threat in the offense, seeing as how he rarely was utilized in the passing game.
But he earned an RB1’s share of touches via the ground game, a role rookie Kenneth Walker will immediately slide into (more on him later). Having a rookie RB take over the bell-cow role in an offense that needs to establish a rushing presence is going to be a tough change, but Walker showed that he is more than capable of it.
3. Geno Smith is not going anywhere
Who would have thought that Geno Smith would be producing a better year than Russell Wilson at this point?
With Mr. Unlimited looking very limited in the Mile High City, Smith has soaked up all the love he has gotten after taking over the starting job. He has turned into a gunslinger for this team, consistently making the right decisions and taking care of the football, exactly the type of QB that a team with low expectations needs.
Sunday’s affair against New Orleans was a lower passing output for Smith (16/25 for 268 yards and 3 TDs), but he was ultra-efficient in his work. Having targeted six different receivers in the contest, Smith was able to stretch the field when needed but also knew when to take the sure thing and not force it into coverage.
Provided the Seahawks are able to remain competitive this year, Smith is an underrated QB that has finally landed in the perfect spot to see his talents on full display.
2. Kenneth Walker needs to step up
After Penny departed with his leg injury, it was the rookie Walker that stepped directly into his workload. Eight carries for 88 yards and 1 TD (69-yard scoring scamper) was what Walker produced on the day, showcasing a strong presence in the rushing attack.
A big question mark is why Walker was not incorporated into the passing game at all, as DeeJay Dallas was the lone running back to receive a target from Smith. Walker has held an above-average role in the passing game, which includes two games of three targets, so his dual-threat abilities certainly are there for optimization.
Walker was drafted highly for a reason – his ceiling. And with the Seahawks needing to discover just how tall that ceiling is a bit earlier than expected, Walker will need to step up and ascend into that RB1 role, something he offered a glimpse at on Sunday.
1. Both Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf look to be just fine
Heading into the season, the stocks of both Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf were declining rapidly, as catching passes from Smith did not seem all that advantageous. But fast forward through five weeks of the NFL season, and those takeaways look to have been flipped on their heads.
Both Lockett (5/104/2) and Metcalf (5/88/1) found the end zone against the Saints, and those performances were just additions to both of their successful seasons up to this date.
Lockett sits top 10 in both receptions and yardage on the year, and Metcalf sits top 15 in both of those categories as well, so Smith understands how important it is to keep his top targets well-fed. As long as Seattle continues to play in games that require Smith to throw the ball all over the stadium a lot, both Lockett and Metcalf have very safe floors.
Seattle is no barnburner of a team, and they are very self-aware of that aspect too – but both Lockett and Metcalf’s 2022 seasons have had strong starts, and they do not have any signs of slowing down at this point.
The offensive attack for the Seahawks is filled with a bunch of much-maligned pieces, but that is exactly what makes it so beautiful. In a division that looks to be up for grabs as no team really wants to take hold of it, Seattle is the perfect dark horse to take advantage of the situation.
Sunday’s loss to the Saints may not have been a pretty one, but there certainly are some positive takeaways that they can take from the game heading into Week 7 and beyond.
Follow Us
Subscribe