Analysis: Seahawks First Quarter Awards

One of only two undefeated teams left in the NFC and atop the NFC West, the 4-0 Seahawks have gotten off to their best start since 2013. Which players have earned themselves awards hitting the quarter mark?

Believe it or not, an unprecedented 2020 NFL season amid a pandemic has quickly reached the quarter point. While it hasn’t been a perfect start by any means due to injuries and inconsistent defensive play, the Seahawks remain one of just six undefeated teams four weeks in and stand alone atop the NFC West division.

Without further ado, with 25 percent of the regular season in the books, here are my selections for Seattle’s award winners after starting 4-0 for just the second time in franchise history.

MVP: Russell Wilson

There’s not another award on here that will be this obvious, but the Seahawks will go as far as Wilson can take the with his golden throwing arm. Through four games, he’s tied Peyton Manning for the most passing touchdowns in NFL history and leads the NFL with a 75.2 percent completion percentage as well as passer rating (136.7). He’s also atop the league for touchdown percentage, having thrown a touchdown on nearly 12 percent of his pass attempts this season. While other quarterbacks such as Aaron Rodgers and Josh Allen are having fantastic seasons, nobody has outperformed Wilson in the first quarter of the year and he’s the clear-cut favorite to win MVP to this point.

Top Offensive Player: DK Metcalf

While Tyler Lockett deserves some consideration with a team-best four receiving touchdowns, Metcalf has to be the choice for this honor after amassing an NFL-best 403 receiving yards and averaging a ridiculous 25.2 yards per reception through four weeks. Drops remain an issue he must improve upon, as the second-year receiver already has three of them this season and also fumbled away what should have been a 63-yard touchdown reception against the Cowboys. Still, the former Ole Miss standout has dramatically improved as a route runner and with his combination of size, speed, and work ethic, he’s just scratching the surface of his potential and quickly evolving into one of the NFL’s most dangerous weapons catching passes from Wilson.

Top Offensive Lineman: Duane Brown

Considering the overall improvements of Seattle’s offensive line as a whole, an argument could have been made for several players to capture this award. But even at 35 years old, Brown isn’t showing any signs of slowing down protecting Wilson’s blind side and remains an elite athlete at the position. Through four games, the 12-year veteran has only surrendered one sack in pass protection, has been a force in the run blocking department, and earned an elite 82.9 grade from Pro Football Focus for his all-around performance. As long as he can stay healthy – the team has been cautious with his workload and given him a lot of veteran rest days to help with those efforts – he has a great chance at making his second All-Pro team since joining the Seahawks in 2017.

Top Defensive Player: Bobby Wagner

After a season opening win against the Falcons, newcomer Jamal Adams likely would have received this award, as he stuffed the stat sheet with 12 tackles, a sack, and two tackles for loss. But even considering the star safety’s impact, Wagner remains the heart and soul of the Seahawks defense and statistically, he’s having a better season than he did last year when he earned his fifth First-Team All-Pro nod. Dominant against the run as expected, he’s on pace for 152 tackles and has also pitched in three quarterback hits as a blitzer. Where Wagner has really bounced back has been in coverage, as he has allowed quarterbacks to complete just 53 percent of their passes against him for just nine yards per completion and produced four passes defensed.

Top Defensive Lineman: L.J. Collier

Starting all four games for Seattle at base defensive end, Collier hasn’t posted gaudy statistics, registering just three tackles and two quarterback hits. But his numbers don’t match with his noticeable impact on film, as the former first-round pick has been a force in the run game, excelling at the dirty work at the point of attack to create opportunities for teammates. Though he doesn’t have a sack yet, he has also been more effective rushing the passer than the casual fan may realize, generating seven quarterback pressures per Pro Football Reference. What ultimately helps Collier stand out compared to his peers has been his knack for coming through in the clutch, including upending Cam Newton to help the Seahawks finish a goal line stand against the Patriots in Week 2.

Most Improved: David Moore

During the past two seasons, Moore struggled to find consistency and proved himself to be a feast or famine receiver, posting catch percentages of 50 percent or less on 87 targets. Despite having stretches where he performed at a high level, including catching four touchdowns in a three-game span in 2018, he also had a propensity for disappearing for several games in a row. Now in the final year of his rookie contract, the former seventh-round pick has put everything together, catching 90 percent of his targets from Wilson and displaying incredible body control on two spectacular touchdown receptions to get his feet down inbounds. He’s on pace for nearly 700 receiving yards and after teasing the Seahawks in his first three seasons, he’s officially arrived as a viable third wideout behind Metcalf and Lockett.

Top Rookie: Damien Lewis

Installed as a starter at right guard from day one, Lewis impressed coaches and teammates alike throughout training camp. While he has had some issues with penalties, particularly drawing three holds thus far, and missed most of a Week 3 victory against the Cowboys with a sprained ankle, he’s otherwise been excellent to start his rookie season. Ranked as one of Pro Football Focus’ top 10 rookies in the league through Week 4, he’s received an overall 74.0 grade and after being known mostly for his dominant run blocking at LSU, he’s only surrendered one sack in pass protection on 179 offensive snaps. As he continues to gain more experience, he should only get better under the tutelage of coach Mike Solari.

Biggest Surprise: Ethan Pocic/Ryan Neal

Before Week 3, Pocic would have had this award all to himself. Many, including myself, thought free agent signing B.J. Finney would replace Justin Britt as Seattle’s new center, but the former second-round pick has rebounded from two injury-riddled seasons and played very well at his natural position. He hasn’t been penalized once and hasn’t given up a sack while playing all 264 of the Seahawks offensive snaps, providing stability at the pivot up front. In the secondary, Neal has been a revelation since being promoted from the practice squad and stepping into the lineup for an injured Adams, intercepting two passes and producing nine tackles while earning a strong 74.7 grade from Pro Football Focus. As pointed out by coach Pete Carroll, he has set himself up for a potential role in sub packages even after Adams returns with his stellar play.