The Construction of the Best Bad Offense

I had been reading a mini-discussion within the thread about our proficiency in short-yardage and in this discussion was the mention of how we put a lesser value on pass protection because of RW's aptitude for playing under duress. This statement is significant because it's a statement we've started to say a lot and in a variety of variations. We're saying it enough that it's working it's way up the ladder to becoming conventional wisdom. What's wrong isn't that it's false, it's that it's an oversimplification. There was so much more going on with the construction of our offense than pairing a QB whose strength is partly in avoiding pass rushers with an offense that sacrifices pass protection for benefits in other areas.

While our defense is more meticulously crafted under a specific blueprint, the construction of the offense has been more of an exercise in patching together the best of what was available and seeing what sticks. If the economic methods showcased through Moneyball have taught us anything, it's that the group-think of a league can lead to the periodic undervaluing of certain skill sets and these misconceptions of value allow forward-thinking offices to sell high and buy low. I bet if someone could break down the draft pick investments and FA contracts given to offensive linemen, we'd see an overall tendency for NFL teams to invest more in and prefer linemen who excel more as pass blockers, and why not? The dominant MO for recent success in the NFL has undoubtedly been to build around a talented pocket passer and that requires attempting to obtain and develop a certain level of pass protection. I bet we were also at least vaguely yet keenly aware this was happening and once Lynch began to grow into our team, it gave a very clear direction in how to go about creating an offense that would compliment our franchise's on-going emphasis on defense.

This direction was both in line with several of Carroll's preferences for how an offense ought to be designed (run-heavy/balanced, low on turnovers, and with big play potential off play action passes) and the undervalued skills of the NFL's current collective preference. Soon we would see the addition of Tom Cable, an effort to pursue a collection of potential road-graders in Carpenter, Moffit, and Sweezy, and most importantly, the last missing piece to our offense in Russell Wilson. Some of our fans will always look at what we have and want more. Some will always confuse pure criticism as a form of contribution. Nonetheless, our offense is better than most and it accomplishes this standard at less expense to our defense than perhaps every other "elite" offense this league has to offer.

Looking over how this has played out, it's hard not to notice how remarkably lucky our FO has been, and I don't mean the kind of luck it takes to win at roulette or a slot machine. I'm talking about real luck, the seemingly magical thing that occurs when people have grown the necessary skill, knowledge, and experience to take advantage of opportunities and those opportunities start to make themselves much more apparent. When it comes to our pragmatically constructed offense, we've realized those opportunities in spades whether it's been getting Lynch for scraps, noting the undervaluing of road-grading linemen, Oakland dispatching for our rushing offense's benefit the first coach to bring them a non-losing record since '02, or getting a QB who could not only survive in this type of system but excel in it.

There's a trade-off we're making in regards to pass protection and RW's emergence as part QB and part Houdini is certainly allowing us to make that trade-off less painfully. However, this tidbit we're currently pushing toward conventional wisdom is only the tip of the iceberg in regard to what we've been accomplishing and how we've been accomplishing it. The essence of modern Seahawk football is found in what's going on beneath the surface.

Great write-up. A quick add-on to what you said, ball control is very important to a defense that's the lightest but quickest/fastest in the NFL. Life after Marshawn will be very interesting. I suspect we might see the Hawks draft a guy in that mold this offseason, possibly even go all in for a Gurley or Gordon by trading up. I like Michael but he just has 'change of pace back' written all over him. But it seems to me that he and Turbin in combo with a guy like Gordon who isn't quite as physically imposing as Lynch would be enough to get the kind of production in the running game we've had in the Lynch era.

Secondly, I think we all know Wilson won't hold up to this type of offense forever as he ages and continues to be hit. As Kearly mentioned in another thread, the Hawks already tried to change their offense to incorporate more quick hitting passing early this season with Pussy Harvin. Obviously that had to be abandoned because the douche quit on his teammates. But, expect more of a shift in that direction and a shift away from big play, deep shots that take longer to develop and put more pass pro stress on the o-line and more risk to Russ' body. It's why a guy like Dez won't be a Seahawk besides the obvious fact that his stats wouldn't be what he wanted here. But an Andre Johnson who excels at slants, etc. would be a nice fit as would a Fitz though his physical skills don't match Andre's anymore to my eyes.

I'm very interested in seeing if they can find a guy with speed nearing Harvin's level in the draft to fill that role or if maybe Richardson is fast enough to step into it next season. They don't seem to be using him like that this year so it would seem he's not the guy.