Seahawks QB Wilson proving to be master of escape act
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) avoids Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Allen Bailey (97).
(TNS) - In moments of chaos, Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson is a bank robber, a master of heist who reacts to the anarchy in front of him by first preparing escape routes.
If Wilson's legs are his main weapon of elusion then his mind and instincts are his getaway car. Wilson is a firm believer in visualization, a practice he traces back to his childhood. He visualizes the picturesque big throw or run but also the more unpredictable success that emerges from breakdowns.
"You always have to have plan A and plan B," Wilson said. "And the plan B is the escape plan and what you're going to do if they present this problem so you just have an idea. That way you're prepared for any situation."
Wilson's running ability has always been a factor but never more so than now. He is on pace for nearly as many rushing yards he had combined in his first two seasons, and his legs have been even more pronounced in the seven weeks since the Percy Harvin trade.
The Seahawks insist the plan hasn't called for Wilson to run more, but the fact of the matter is he has _ and likely will continue to do so.
"When it's all said and done," receiver Doug Baldwin said, "Russell is probably going to go down as one of the most prolific scrambling quarterbacks because of his ability to not only get out of the pocket and be so elusive in the pocket but then also keep his eyes down the field and make plays. We have to be good at it because he has that ability."
Perhaps the apex of Wilson's freelancing happened Thursday in San Francisco. On third-and-9, Wilson dropped back to pass when 49ers defensive back Dontae Johnson blitzed up the middle. Wilson sensed Johnson, did a 360-degree spin to his right, took off running back across the middle of San Francisco's defense and, at the moment he neared the line of scrimmage, lofted a pass to tight end Tony Moeaki for a 63-yard gain.
It was the football equivalent of a magician escaping from a straitjacket, and it was Wilson at his best: poised, free flowing, instinctual. It was also a play Wilson had made countless times before. Mark Palyo, one of his assistant coaches in high school, called that reverse rollout under duress a "patented Russell Wilson move" dating back to his prep days.
"I'm always intending to pass," Wilson explained, "but I'm never really sure what I'm going to do. I just trust my instincts."
That is true_to an extent. So much of what Wilson does in those moments is impulsive and creative, and it has the distinct feel of looking like backyard football. But the Seahawks work so much on those scrambles that they are really plays within a play. Wilson knows where his receivers are going to be and when they're supposed to end up when he leaves the pocket, and his receivers have rules that tell them where to go depending on which side of the field Wilson is running to.
"When he's out there on the field, it looks instinctive," said Dana Bible, Wilson's offensive coordinator at North Carolina State. "But I will argue that it's not instinctive. You're not going to surprise him. That's why when you watch him play he always looks so in control. When you see him run and create, he ain't playing backyard ball. He knows exactly where his guys are."
The challenge Wilson faces in those moments unfolds in seconds: When to run and when to hold onto the ball. The Seahawks don't want to corral Wilson's playmaking because they view it as an essential part of their offense. But they want him to become more refined, to better understand when he needs to flush the pocket and when he can hang longer.
"There's always going to be times where we tell him to trust the protection, but I'm never going to tell him to not use his feet," offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell said. "That's something that's special for his ability.
"But there's always going to be that question of, 'OK, You still have to be able to trust your protection at the start. It's still a passing play, and we're still trying to get this done.' "
That is a fine line to walk, and Wilson has stepped back and forth over it this season. His ability to run so often leads to big plays, and it shreds the structure of defenses. A linebacker or safety becomes stuck in no man's land: Should he take off for a running Wilson or should he drop to cover the tight end in the flat? Coach Pete Carroll thinks there is nothing harder to defend than a mobile quarterback.
But those moments of escape must still happen under the right terms. If a magician doesn't first build up suspense, his escape from a straitjacket carries little meaning. And it is in that gray area of decision-making that Wilson can improve.
If he leaves the pocket too early, or if he doesn't allow a play to fully develop, his running ability can also have the effect of shredding what the Seahawks are trying to accomplish offensively. Baldwin said one of the reasons Wilson is playing more efficiently in the last couple of weeks is that he's being more "patient."
Near the end of the first half against the 49ers, Wilson rolled out of the pocket, then slalomed back up the middle for what looked to be a big gain. But as he transitioned the ball from his throwing hand to his left hand, he knocked it loose with his left thigh and fumbled. Wilson recovered, but the moment stood out for two reasons.
First, Wilson had otherwise been efficient and mistake-free against the 49ers, and that combination will go a long way if Seattle's defense plays like it did the last two weeks. But the other take-away strikes at the heart of Wilson. As he was running around, he never took his eyes off down the field. He's always hunting for the big play, that "wow" moment, and as much as the Seahawks are relying on his legs this season, the hope is that he will become even more selective in those circumstances as he matures.
"That's just a little fundamental thing I can keep working on," Wilson said. "But you don't want to play scared at all. You want to keep playing aggressive and keep looking down field to find guys and then if it's not there run and try to get the first down."
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