Kearse is an important, integral, and almost irreplaceable cog in the greater Seahawks offense. Ignore, for a moment, the absolutely spectacular and game critical catches. Kearse is exactly the receiver we need in that spot, an unselfish, sure-handed receiver who excels at blocking, setting legal picks, and being in tune with Wilson when we need a big play.
He isn't the receiving threat you are going to base your entire passing strategy off of (Baldwin), nor is he the fast, shifty deep threat who opens the top off the defense whenever he is on the field (Lockett/ Richardson). He is the receiver that is going to lull the defense into a false sense of security, and then burn them in critical situations. He always has to be accounted for.
How many receivers are there in the NFL who would be willing to take on that role with the same intensity that Kearse has? No big fantasy stats. No superstardom. Just being the guy who sets up plays for other receivers, and gets a rare opportunity to bail the team out when we need a big play.
On the Boykin TD, he successfully took Brock (CB) out of the play, and actually froze Bethea (S) for a split second. If you watch, you can see Bethea eyeing Kearse after the snap. Half a step faster, and Bethea is probably there to knock Baldwin out of bounds before he hits the end zone.
Perhaps someone could point me to the play where Kearse "stood still." The only one I could find is at 6:03 left in the 3rd, Seahawks up by 24, when Kearse lines up WIDE with Richardson? (about 3-5 yards from the sideline) to decoy on a running play. It works to pull the Bethea and a second DB wide to that side. Kearse takes a step back and stands there (this is a frequent prelude to a pass by the Hawks). The running play is blown up, and even Bethea makes but a half-hearted attempt at trying to cover the 25 plus yards to catch up to the play.
Maybe we should also fire Graham who did pretty much the same thing at 12:23 in the second
Or Tyler Lockett for the same concept at 1:22 in the second.
Maybe we should also fire Baldwin for his play at 11:58 in the second. Similar idea, slightly different execution, he wasn't just standing still, he was running backwards from the play and the line of scrimmage.
Or P. Rich at 14:18 in the 4th on a Boykin scramble.
You might get the idea that this is a central concept to the approach the Hawks take to a gameplan, and not a sign of laziness from Kearse.
Speaking of Richardson he displayed some serious blocking skill in this game. See Michael's first TD for an example.