It’s been almost a week since the Seattle Seahawks had their brutal season opening loss at home to the San Francisco 49ers, and still it feels like the weight of that loss hangs over the team and fanbase. Home division losses also sting a little more, with the consequences usually stronger for playoff races. Beyond the disappointment of losing to a rival (at home) again, it is more about how that game unfolded that has been a cause of confusion and concern.
The surprising shift in offensive philosophies
where they abandoned the play-action game, the inability for anyone other than Jaxon Smith-Njigba to produce, Riq Woolen’s collapse, and Macdonald’s decision to kick the field goal late when faced with a fourth and one yard to go. These were all key talking points for Seahawks nation, and it put Macdonald in a unique position. It felt like for the first time, Mike was questioned.
Questions about the running game and play-action
It was pretty clear early in 2024 that Macdonald was not long for the Ryan Grubb experience. Grubb’s inability to run the ball and convert on short yardage opportunities is why he’s at Alabama, and Klint Kubiak is calling plays in Seattle. After a dominant preseason running the ball with a complimentary play-action game, they got away from what they had so strongly preached in the summer. When asked about the running game this week, Macdonald acknowledged that his team has the ability to run the ball well, but “When we have some indecisiveness, it felt like that’s when things got twisted a little bit.”
You have to wonder if, from a rotation side, we’re about to see a changing of the guard at the running back position. Kenneth Walker has all the talent in the world, but indecision has been his biggest issue for the past few years. Zach Charbonnet looked good on Sunday, and just feels like a better fit in the new wide zone scheme. If Macdonald truly wants a physical brand of offensive football, does Charbonnet take the reins in Pittsburgh?
With regards to the lack of play-action, Macdonald acknowledged that the team needed more action and movement. He was short and blunt with his answer saying, “So we’ll call it and we’ll execute it when called.” It kind of sounds like Kubiak’s honeymoon phase ending in August, and that Mike wants the offense he brought Klint here to Seattle to coach. I expect to see a physical ground and pound attack against a Pittsburgh defense that got lit up against the Jets in Week 1.
Questions about Riq Woolen’s future
Multiple times this week, Macdonald has had the chance to be a “player’s coach” and defend the game altering lapses by Riq Woolen. While Mike did compliment him, he did not just hand him his job for week two. Instead, he talked about the job Josh Jobe did, and how this should now be viewed as a legitimate competition.
Personally, I love this. While it is looking doubtful that Devon Witherspoon will play this week, making it likely that Woolen will keep his job, Macdonald has made it very clear that his time as a starter (and potentially in Seattle) could be running out, if he can’t fix these brutal lapses. The best player will play, and that’s who I want coaching this team.
Not going for it on 4th and 1
While I was a fan of Macdonald’s comments about the running game and the Riq Woolen/Josh Jobe competition, I was disappointed in his comments about the biggest decision in their loss to San Francisco.
The Seahawks had the ball with three and a half minutes to go, looking at a fourth and one at the 19-yard line. If Seattle had gone for it and gained the first down, they could’ve bled out the 49ers timeouts, or potentially scored a touchdown. There was even a possibility of draining the clock entirely and kicking a chip in field goal with no time left. The downside was potentially not gaining a first down and giving the ball back to San Francisco with three plus minutes to go, tied at 10.
We all know the story, Macdonald made the decision to kick the field goal, and it eventually cost them the game. When asked about that decision, Mike stated that his play sheet even called for his team to go for it, yet he wanted to get the points and trust his defense.
While I respect his personal respect for his defense, this screams a defensive coach that plays to not lose, rather than going and trying to win the game. In a division with brilliant offensive minds like Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan, you know those two would have gone for it, 100% of the time.
If you want to be at the same tier as those two coaches, you have to beat them, cause they’re not going to give the game away. Macdonald fired his offensive staff because they couldn’t get a yard last year. He preached this style of football all offseason, and then when the moment came to walk the walk, it felt like he shrunk in the moment. I’ll be curious to see in Pittsburgh and throughout the season, if Macdonald will continue to lean on his defense in those moments, or develop the trust in his offense. At the end of the day, this team will never get to where fans want it to go, if the coach doesn’t believe his team can get a yard.
It was a fascinating week to watch Macdonald’s attitude and answers after such a disappointing start. It’s early, but you can feel the urgency with Seattle. There were not just expectations with this team, but also there are the inevitable comparisons to what’s going on in Pittsburgh and Las Vegas.
They don’t want to go 0-2, as only 11% of teams that go 0-2 climb out of the hole to make the playoffs. Mike will face a pressure not yet seen in his tenure, should the offense struggle again while DK Metcalf goes to 2-0 at the expense of Seattle. There are plenty of storylines this Sunday for the Seahawks, but I’m fascinated to see how and if Mike Macdonald gets his team to the expectation level and standard that Seahawks were expecting to see before week one.
