Analysis: A deeper look at the Seahawks’ struggles in red zone, on 3rd down
Seahawks QB Geno Smith and O-coordinator Shane Waldron have been introspective on the team's red-zone and third-down woes. A deep dive into the numbers provides some insight.
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But the numbers do show Smith has struggled more inside the 20 than anywhere else on the field.
While Smith has a passer rating of 90.7 for the season, he is at just 74.9 inside the red zone, according to Pro Football Reference. He is 12 for 29 with 91 yards, five TDs and one interception in the red zone.
But interestingly, he has a rating of 95.8 — his best for any area of the field — inside the 10, having completed 5 of 10 passes for 30 yards and five TDs (meaning all five of his TD passes inside the 20 have also come from inside the 10).
That means it’s the area from the 20- to the 11-yard line that’s been the issue. In that range, Smith is just 7 of 19 for 61 yards and no TDs, a rating of 58.11.
One possible solution to that might be a really obvious one — get the ball more to Metcalf.
Metcalf has five catches on six targets inside the 20 for 46 yards and two touchdowns, and he has two catches on three targets inside the 10 for 16 yards and two touchdowns (meaning both red-zone touchdowns came from inside the 10).
That means Smith is 5 of 16 for 31 yards and no TDs when throwing passes from the 11-20 to anyone other than Metcalf, a rating of 40.61.