I'm done.
And it has nothing to do with the last play of today's game.
Look, I'm a contrarian by nature and I don't like being part of a mob, so I've spent the last three seasons trying to find excuses for Darell Bevell's simplistic scheme and boneheaded playcalling. I've reminded myself that our receivers are physically mediocre (do Jermaine Kearse and Doug Baldwin REALLY scare DC's?). I've theorized that experience limitations at multiple positions might be dictating the scheme. I've remembered that Pete prefers a simplistic scheme executed to perfection than a complicated scheme done bad. I've done everything I could to give Bevell the benefit of a doubt.
I would then turn to Russell Wilson and remind myself that he's still not making all his reads, still holding onto the ball, and still overthrowing receivers at the worst moments.
On a day like today, I would normally try to remind myself that this is probably the best defense Seattle will face all year, one specifically drafted and coached to contain none other than one Russell Wilson. I would also console myself with the fact that the loss was down to several other factors, including the defense regressing to 2010 level.
And, of course, that it's only Week 1, where weird things always happen.
But now Bevell is the laughingstock of the NFL. His overthinking finally cost him on the national stage, and I have to reevaluate. The problem with the Last Play in the Super Bowl wasn't that its target wasn't Lynch. It wasn't even that the target was Lockette. Bevell could have been throwing to Gronk on that play and it would have been a low percentage play BECAUSE IT'S ONE OF ONLY THREE GOALLINE PLAYS THE SEAHAWKS HAVE IN THEIR PLAYBOOK AND THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS DIDN'T EVEN NEED TO CHEAT TO SEE IT COMING.
And today I once again saw the night and day difference between Bevell calling the plays in normal time and Wilson calling them in hurry up. Granted, the hurry up plays are easy for Wilson because they're usually called against soft zone prevent. But I just can't hold out anymore. Wilson is bolder, smarter, and more successful when he calls the plays. Downfield strikes happen. Smart bootlegs happen. Wilson gets to use those legs of his instead of standing in the pocket. I remember the read-option not happening in the 2012 Bears game until Wilson pointed out to Bevell that it was wide open. I remember the time Lynch needing to tell Wilson to "take the game over", and later flipping Bevell off from the field.
Then, finally, the last play today happens. It's not about Lynch not making the play. Why was he even needed on fourth down? Oh, that's right...because on the prior two plays, Bevell WENT BACK TO CONSECUTIVE #$%@ BUBBLE SCREENS AND GOT HIS ASS HANDED TO HIM BY ONE OF THE BEST DEFENSES IN THE LEAGUE AT STOPPING THEM.
I'm sick of cute.
I'm sick of effeminate bubble screens to small receivers with no quicks.
I'm sick of incessant stop routes.
I'm sick of a scheme so dependent on isolation routes for unremarkable route runners that everyone from former head coaches to SI analysts are calling it out for its simplicity.
I'm sick of empty backfields with bad/no hot routes for a conservative QB. Against the Rams.
I'm sick of 50/50 balls to mediocre receivers on third and four.
I'm sick of play action at all the wrong times (4th and 14?).
I'm sick of an emasculated lack of deep strikes.
I'm sick of paying out the nose for big-name players and then trying to use them as decoys before using them as players.
I'm sick of Lynch being forgotten.
I am sick of the bootleg and the read-option being remembered only about once every three games.
I am sick of a playbook that contains about five different plays.
And most of all, I'm sick of excuses.
Even with the Rams' defense forcing Seattle into a conservative game plan, you cannot explain away all of the above with it. Bevell does not put his existing talent in position to succeed, he does not use his lesser talent in the right ways, he does not stick what works, and he does not succeed when assuming that a surprise bonehead play will cause defenders to fall over in shock and lead to touchdowns.
We are not two-time NFC champions because of Bevell. We are two-time NFC champions because of Russell Wilson. His greatest highlights have happened when Bevell's play intentions broke down and Wilson starts improvising. Bevell's career success has come with possibly the two greatest improvising QBs ever to play the game. On any other team...literally, any other team, Bevell would be wasting his talent, and I doubt we'd be any better than a perennial 9-7.
50% of the mistakes made today were individual. The rest were made by one man.
I am on the bandwagon; pass the beer.
FIRE. DARELL. BEVELL.
