‘Let Russ Cook' was the latest social media movement among Seattle Seahawks fans heading into the upcoming season. It was a plea made for the team to lean on their prolific quarterback in Russell Wilson in what's long been one of the NFL's most run-heavy offenses.
The trend wasn't made to let Wilson throw countless long bombs but instead to get the offense going through him early in the game. According to ESPN Stats and Analysis, the Seahawks have dropped back to pass on 47% of first-quarter offensive plays during the first two seasons that offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer is at the helm. The statistic was the lowest percentage of any NFL team in that span.
On the other hand, the Kansas City Chiefs are first in the league with a 70.2% over that same span with Patrick Mahomes at quarterback. Despite the fans' clamor, Seattle's scoring average in the first quarter has been notably higher over the past two seasons (4.63 points/tied for 13th) than 2016-17 (3.09/T-28th) despite the shift towards more running and less Wilson early on in the game.
Wilson's former Seahawks teammate and current personal quarterback coach in Jake Heaps also sounded off on the growing social media trend:
“At this point of Russell's career and where this group is at as a whole, that, to me, that statistic just simply cannot be anymore,” he said. “There has to be growth and adaptation to that offense and I can't understand why there would be a fight against that.”
Head coach Pete Carroll shared his opinion to the idea as well:
“I've said this to you that Russ is the best he's ever been,” he said. “He's as far along as he's ever been. He's got a fantastic group of guys that he's learning and growing together with … It's a really good group he's working with and he knows he has a running game. He knows he has a running game. Carlos Hyde has just accentuated that, too … what we have depth-wise. So Russ, he's going to do everything he can. We're going to try to give him every opportunity to kick butt in every opportunity he gets. So you're gonna have to wait and see what that all means.”
As the leader of the team, Russell Wilson would only care about winning and buoying the Seahawks to a bounce-back campaign in 2020. At the end of the day, the team will utilize the schemes that work for them and will give them the best shot at winning the Super Bowl in the upcoming season.
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