If Offensive Coordinator doesnt matter here, then why...

[Maelstrom787]

...Why did the offense go from stunningly bad to excellent in a single year between 2017 and 2018?

Seriously. Offensive Coordinator doesn't matter under Pete, so why did the offense go from anemic and sad to rushing at will and passing with unmatched efficiency in the span of a single offseason? Was it simply a coincidence that they happened to hire a new offensive coordinator that offseason? I mean, Pete runs the show and offensive coordinator doesn't matter under him, so.. how did that happen?

I mean, after all, they kept an estimated "70%" of the playbook according to that ESPN report! Let's ignore that they completely changed their approach to calling the offense, completely changed the entire blocking scheme when bringing in Solari, and completely revitalized a Russell Wilson (who had slumped in production for two years straight because the offense was dysfunctional) because I mean, that doesn't matter. It can't. Offensive Coordinator doesn't matter under Pete, so how could this happen?

Seriously, how could the offense look entire different from 2017 to 2018 in everything from how they blocked to how they ran to how they passed to how they executed to.... etc etc.? It's all Pete, so it was still the same thing right? It always has been the same thing, right? Despite it being vastly different and achieving different results?

I dunno. Maybe I'm wrong and the guy who coordinates and calls the offense on an NFL team might affect things a *tad*. Who knows.

Talk me out of it, though. I want to see the light.

If offensive coordinator doesn't matter in Seattle, why did Seattle changing offensive coordinators in 2017 to 2018 result in one of the most shocking offensive turnarounds in recent NFL history?

 

[Maelstrom787]

What could have happened right where this red line is drawn between 2017 and 2018 to suddenly turn Russell Wilson around?




As Tony Romo would say:
"Ooooooouggghhhh, I don't know Jim...."

 

[Maelstrom787]

Huh. Looks like Seattle went for 4.0 YPC and 1629 yards on the ground as a team in 2017.

Then, in 2018, they went for 4.8 YPC and 2560 yards as a team in 2018 with almost quadruple as many rushing touchdowns...

 

[renofox]

Wins +1
Yards -500
TDs +1
INTs -4
Succ% +0.3
QBR +1.4

Big turnaround?

I'm sorry. I'm just not seeing what you're saying.

 

[Maelstrom787]

Wins +1
Yards -500
TDs +1
INTs -4
Succ% +0.3
QBR +1.4

Big turnaround?

I'm sorry. I'm just not seeing what you're saying.

He did that on 126 less passing attempts than in 2017, for nearly a full yard more per reception. That's the difference.

 

[Rat]

why did Seattle changing offensive coordinators in 2017 to 2018 result in one of the most shocking offensive turnarounds in recent NFL history?

They went from the 11th ranked scoring offense to the 7th ranked scoring offense. Let's dial back the hyperbole a tad.

 

[renofox]

He did that on 126 less passing attempts than in 2017, for nearly a full yard more per reception. That's the difference.

Gotcha. But I don't think stats tells the story.

What I remember is we actually had an Offense that passed the eye test for the first time in years. Creative and innovative was the best way to describe it, as opposed to the vanilla crap we had before.

I also remember all that creativity going away after a while. Slowly fading away as, so the thought goes, PC stepped in and demanded reversion to the vanilla.

Same thing has happened with Waldron. I remember the 2021 opener against Indy and how beautiful the Offense was. The play calling and design was outstanding. Every game after that it became more and more boring and vanilla.

Seeing the same exact pattern with 2 consecutive coordinators shows a pattern. Especially when the Offense reverts to the same exact BS every frigging time.

 

[Maelstrom787]

They went from the 11th ranked scoring offense to the 7th ranked scoring offense. Let's dial back the hyperbole a tad.

They scored 62 more points in 2018 than in 2017.

In 2017, they scored 366.
In 2018, they scored 428.

In 2017, they scored 22.9 points per game.
In 2018, they scored 26.5 points per game.

In 2017, 22.9 points per game was 11th in the league. Yes.

The 26.5 they scored in 2018 would've been 5th best in 2017. 2018 was weird because Mahomes and the McVay Rams took off.

The reality is that scoring 62 points more than you did in 2017, while throwing the ball for about 5 full games less worth of passing attempts, is uh... pretty insane.

It was a nutso turnaround. Absolutely bonkers.

The truly hyperbolic statement would be the oft-repeated yet never-true "the offensive coordinator does not matter" trope. It's a regressive statement that defies not only basic logic, but clear historical evidence that it absolutely DOES matter

 

[flv2]

It could be that the person who was replaced had an especially negative impact on what potentially was a really good unit.

 

[Fade]

This didn't need a new thread. Mods, please merge with the OC thread.

(Just a request.)


Honey moon period is the answer. Waldron had a nice bump too, early on. then a steady regression back to the same crap ensues.

Go back and watch Bevell his first year with Russell Wilson. Then watch 2017. It looked like the playbook was trimmed considerably. Wilson was throwing slants to Tate and Baldwin his rookie year. By 2017 it seemingly wasn't in the playbook anymore. The longer the OC stays the simpler they get.

Also 2017. The Seahawks had no running game (injuries/lack of talent), which will effect the numbers. Their leading rusher besides Wilson, had like 200 something yards, absolutely pathetic.

But ultimately, Pete helicopter parent's the OC into an offense that looks like this:

Up the gut runs, little to no pre-snap motion, avoid the middle of the field in the passing game. Take deep shots outside the numbers. Bubble screens/extended handoffs. It's Pete's philosophy.

-Up the gut runs are trying to avoid negative runs.

-Avoiding the middle of the field, is to limit interceptions.

-Bubble screens, and throws to the flat, are high% safe throws where the QB has clear sight-lines and should be easy yards.

-Taking deep shots outside the numbers, are for explosive plays, and are a fairly safe throw all things considered, as you're staying away from the Safeties and underneath coverage, isolating a CB on a WR that is hopefully winning his route.

It all ties together into what Pete thinks is winning football.

The Problem. Teams have the film. They are going to pinch down on all of the A and B gap runs. Because they now there is an 85% chance that is where it is going.

The underneath coverage is going to play the hard flat as they know they don't really utilize the middle of the field. And is why Seattle struggles in the screen game.

That just leaves the 50/50 ball up the sideline. If the QB and WR aren't getting that done. Welp, you have an offense this is going to stagnate and look terrible.


The same ludicrous "muh philosophy" is happening on defense as well. It's a Pete problem.