steelhead_fishn":26h62uv7 said:
There are 12 threads debating how the blame pie should be sliced, that is not the intent of this thread. Rather, I am curious to get folks perspective on the thematic issue with Russ vs his teammates that has spanned several groups of players.
In every version of Wilson’s’ Seahawks there have been star players throwing shade at Russ. This is fascinating given how much collective success the team and the individual players have had alongside Wilson. The LOB was frustrated with Russ and the offense and we saw the sideline meltdowns. Doug has and continues to pick at Russ. The latest is DKs sideline meltdown and Chris unfollowing Russ. This doesn’t seem to happen to other franchise quarterbacks in the NFL. There is sufficient evidence that something is amiss around Russ, but I have no idea what it is.
I’m curious as to what you folks think
Jeff
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I dont think its that big a mystery (maybe). Football is a hard sport. one of the hardest team sports to play because it is SOOO complex and relies so heavily on everyone doing what they need to do - in the context of a play, and in the context of each phase of the game - Offense / Defense / Special Teams.
Russ has never been a system QB. He's never been a 'read the progressions, calculated and methodical ' type of player. He's made his career living off script. Whether it was because he had to because of his o-line, or whether due to his own challenges (height, fear of the INT, competitive fire and desire for the big play), he's filled this era of Hawks ball with countless highlights and success. But i think what we often as fans dont do or arent privy to because we arent in the room when the gameplans are hatched, or in postgame, is how much of the improvisation and spectacle is necessary because of a dificency that needs to be overcome (poor blocking, or wr's that cant get separation) and how much of it is the nature of the player. When its blatantly obvious, as it often (but not always) was early in his career with the lack of protection afforded him, he's hailed hero. But what happens when the plays that should have been successful arent, and its because its RW just doing RW for whatever other reason?
When you are a player who is talented and seeking an opportunity to contribute to a team AND find individual success as well, when you do your part, learn your plays, execute them on gameday and your preparation and execution is for not because time and time again, the play thats drawn up, the play you practiced hours to perfect gets tossed out teh window and its everyman for himself trying to find RW and where he might go with the ball, it can become tiring.
Now when you are ultimately winning, its something you can stomach, but when you begin to lose, or when games are closer than they should be, or you fall behind in games that you should have won handily because the plan that everyone worked toward during the week goes out the window every other play... that can be tough.
And if you are one of those players week in adn week out that are looking at the tape and you see that you were open and the ball didnt come your way over and over again in the natural flow of the game the way it could have.. .again, thats tough. Its tough because YOU could have helped if the other guy did what you all prepared for. The defense... same thing. Maybe they arent as winded or on the wrong side of a lopsided TOP battle if the offense isnt on occassion, unnecessarily going 3 and out. And when 'on occassion' happens more frequently and the QB isnt called out, and worse, is hailed for his magical play in bringing the team back and his teammates, players that feel like they did exactly what they were supposed to do and could have been more successful on a play, in a game, over a season, if things just went according to script, get scapegoated as being the reason why the QB isnt better.. thats tough. Then all teh talk of needing better blocking, needing a better running back, needing better wr's...letting Russ cook. All that talk can be infuriating. Because you are thinking 'Just run the damn play the way its supoposed to be run'. But the media and the fans just see the highlights and the spectacular comeback. While you are there thinking ' we shouldnt have HAD to comeback.
I know i'll get flamed for writing all of that but i think its telling that ADB when asked who the best QB he ver played with was, said Andrew Luck. Tate, when asked teh same thing, Put M STafford and someobody else ahead of Russ. And his former defensive teammates - i think maybe, just maybe they felt as tortured by Russ over the course of the game at times as they felt saved by him at the end. Now DK and maybe Carson. And thats all ok, if ever theres anyone to call him out behind the scenes so that the play improves, he becomes more aware. But RW is a franchise unto himself now. He's been all but bestowed HOF status and so the facts of why he's had to do what he's done all get wrapped up in the myth, and everyone else becomes a bystander, or worse, a whipping boy along the way.
And maybe this is all just a bit more obvious now and for some, bewildering, because his feet arent as fast, his decisions, not as sharp, and the magic, not as consistent. 10 years is a long time to play the hero. especially if maybe you didnt have to the whole time.
ANd for hit teamates, if you spend year after year perfecting your role and you never know on a sunday if it will be worth it or lead to success... or if you are leaving plays on the field, your own personal stats and accomplishments that you should have had by any other measure...
frustration, even in success.
