Analysis: Seahawks Midseason Offensive Report Card
Sitting atop the NFC West with a 6-2 record, the Seahawks have officially reached the midway point of the 2020 NFL season.
Through the first nine weeks, Seattle has been carried by the league's top-ranked scoring offense, averaging 34 points per game. They are currently on pace for 548 points, which would shatter the previous franchise record of 452 points set back in 2005 during Shaun Alexander's MVP season.
Reviewing the first half of the season, how have the Seahawks offensive positional groups fared? Outlining noteworthy stats, here are report cards for each player who has played significant snaps in the first eight games.
Quarterback
Russell Wilson
Noteworthy Stat: 9.4 percent touchdown rate, highest in the NFL.
Grade: A-
Though Wilson has thrown eight interceptions already this year - including three in the red zone - he leads the NFL with 28 passing touchdowns, has a career-best 117.0 passer rating, and is on pace to eclipse 5,000 passing yards for the first time in his career. The MVP candidate also remains a threat on the ground, averaging 7.2 yards per carry with 265 rushing yards on 37 attempts.
Running Back
Chris Carson
Noteworthy Stat: One fumble on 88 offensive touches
Grade: B+
Injuries have kept Carson out of the lineup the past two weeks and the Seahawks haven't ran the ball as frequently this year, limiting his overall numbers. When healthy, however, he's still been highly effective, averaging 4.9 yards per carry and scoring three touchdowns on the ground while also contributing 22 receptions and three additional scores as a receiver out of the backfield.
Carlos Hyde
Noteworthy Stat: 32.3 percent of carries have gone for a first down
Grade: C-
Due to multiple injuries, Hyde hasn't been near the factor Seattle envisioned when the team signed him to a one-year deal in May. He's only rushed for 125 yards in four games and missed the other four games with shoulder and hamstring issues. When in the lineup, he has found the end zone twice, including a 24-yard touchdown against the Cardinals in Week 7.
Travis Homer
Noteworthy Stat: 74 yards after the catch as a receiver
Grade: C-
With the exception of Sunday's loss to the Bills, Homer has been stellar in pass protection, which has allowed him to maintain his role as Seattle's third down back. But as a runner, he's been marginal at best, rushing for just 3.5 yards per carry with his longest run being just 12 yards. As a receiver, his overall numbers were inflated by a 50-yard catch last weekend off a screen play.
DeeJay Dallas
Noteworthy Stat: 11.1 missed tackle percentage per Sports Info Solutions
Grade: C+
After being a healthy scratch the first two games of the season, Dallas has been thrust into a starting role to replace Carson and Hyde the past two weeks with mixed results. On one hand, he's only averaging three yards per carry and barely over five yards per reception. However, he has scored three touchdowns and showed an ability to produce yards after contact in limited action.
Wide Receiver
DK Metcalf
Noteworthy Stat: 10 receptions of 30-plus yards, most in NFL per Pro Football Focus
Grade: A
Playing like a legitimate All-Pro candidate in his sophomore season, Metcalf has already produced four games with 100-plus receiving yards and is on pace for nearly 1,600 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns in 2020. He's made tremendous strides as a route runner and after battling drops early in the season, his catch percentage is up five percent compared to last year. His enviable combination of size, speed, and ball skills have made him near-impossible to cover at times and at only 22 years of age, he's only going to keep improving.
Tyler Lockett
Noteworthy Stat: 178 DYAR (Defense-Adjusted Yards Above Replacement), sixth-highest among NFL receivers per Football Outsiders
Grade: A-
In part due to Metcalf's rise to superstardom, Lockett's production has been hit-and miss this season. Nearly a third of his receiving yardage came in one game as he amassed 200 yards in a loss to the Cardinals and he has posted four games with 44 or less yards in the past six weeks. Still, he's on pace for over 1,200 yards and 14 touchdowns and as he showed in Arizona, he can explode any given week for one of the NFL's most explosive aerial attacks.
David Moore
Noteworthy Stat: 76.9 percent catch rate, a 27 percent increase from 2019
Grade: B+
Capitalizing on Phillip Dorsett's foot injury, Moore finally has taken the leap Seattle hoped he would last year, emerging as a viable No. 3 receiver behind Lockett and Metcalf. Displaying outstanding body control and soft hands, he has made a couple spectacular touchdown grabs this season and currently is on pace for over 600 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. He's also been a factor as a runner, rushing four times for 44 yards and moving the chains each time for a new set of downs.
Freddie Swain
Noteworthy Stat: 9.7 yards after the catch per reception
Grade: B-
After a surprisingly fast start, Swain has cooled off significantly over the past month and has gone without a catch since a Week 5 win over Minnesota. He's only been targeted three times by Wilson in the past three games, including missing out on a potential touchdown in Buffalo last Sunday. Still, for a sixth-round pick, his early contributions as a rookie have been encouraging with seven receptions for 97 yards and a touchdown.
Tight End
Will Dissly
Noteworthy Stat: 92.3 percent catch rate on catchable passes per Sports Info Solutions
Grade: B
Triumphing over injury once again, Dissly has stayed healthy and played in all eight of the Seahawks games so far. While he was a non-factor in the passing game during the first month, he's started to find some traction in that regard as of late, producing 115 yards on seven receptions over the past five games. He's also been solid as a run blocker, though Seattle hasn't relied on that aspect of his game as much this season.
Greg Olsen
Noteworthy Stat: Three games with one or less receptions
Grade: C-
During training camp, Olsen looked to have found the fountain of youth, as the 35-year old veteran displayed a strong connection with Wilson on the practice field. But that chemistry hasn't translated to game day, starting with a dropped pass that led to a pick-six for New England in Week 2. Since that point, he's caught 15 passes on 24 targets for 147 yards and hasn't found the end zone once. Coming off a rough three-game stretch, there's no question Seattle needs more from him in the second half.
Jacob Hollister
Noteworthy Stat: Seven first downs on 11 receptions
Grade: B
Despite finishing third on the team in receptions and receiving yards last season, Hollister only played sparingly with Olsen and Dissly receiving the bulk of the snaps at tight end early on. But in recent weeks, in part due to Olsen's struggles, he's seen an uptick in playing time that could continue into the second half, especially after catching a season-high five passes for 60 yards in Week 9. The Seahawks could use a spark at tight end and the athletic, savvy route runner may be just what the doctor ordered.
Offensive Line
Duane Brown
Noteworthy Stat: Three blown blocks in pass protection per Sports Info Solutions
Grade: A
The 35-year old Brown has rebounded from an injury-marred season to return to All-Pro form, playing as well as any left tackle in the game this season. Still one of the best athletes at his position despite his advancing age, he's excelled blocking in space in the run game and surrendered just one sack in over 500 offensive snaps according to Pro Football Focus. He also has only been penalized once all year, shining in all aspects of his game.
Mike Iupati
Noteworthy Stat: Zero sacks given up in four starts
Grade: B
Before dealing with back spasms that have now cost him the past four games, Iupati was playing his best football in years. The 331-pound guard was mauling defenders in the run game and according to Sports Info Solutions, he didn't have a single blown block in pass protection through four starts. Unfortunately, his durability issues have cropped up again and it's worth wondering if he will get his starting job back.
Jordan Simmons
Noteworthy Stat: One sack on 194 pass plays
Grade: B+
Until this week, Simmons had remained entrenched atop ESPN's Top 10 for Pass Block Win Rate among qualified guards. He's still above 90 percent in that metric for the season and has performed admirably as a run blocker as well, including making a key block on Dallas' touchdown run on Sunday. He's played so well in Iupati's absence that the Seahawks may consider sticking with the fourth-year blocker even when the veteran is able to return.
Ethan Pocic
Noteworthy Stat: Zero penalties or sacks given up in eight starts
Grade: B+
You won't find Pocic's name among leaderboards for top pass blocking or run blocking grades among centers, but he's vastly exceeded all expectations replacing Justin Britt in Seattle's starting lineup. Finally able to stay healthy after two seasons riddled with injuries, he's started each of Seattle's eight games, providing valuable leadership at the pivot position while yielding no sacks in pass protection. Though it isn't his greatest strength, he's also been serviceable as a run blocker.
Damien Lewis
Noteworthy Stat: 87.0 run blocking grade from Pro Football Focus
Grade: A-
Jumping right into the starting lineup in Week 1, Lewis has been one of the best rookies at any position in the NFL so far this season. While penalties were an issue for him early in the season and he's had his lumps in pass protection up to this point, he's coming off his best game as a pro in Buffalo with zero pressures surrendered. Already a stout run blocker capable of creating consistent push at the line of scrimmage, if his pass blocking keeps improving at this rate, he could quickly emerge as one of the NFL's premier guards.
Brandon Shell
Noteworthy Stat: Three sacks allowed in eight starts
Grade: B
Acclimating himself well in Seattle, Shell has enjoyed the best season of his career as the replacement for Germain Ifedi at right tackle. While he hasn't necessarily been dominant, he currently has a respectable 69.9 grade from Pro Football Focus and has been on and off ESPN's Top 10 for Pass Block Win Rate throughout the first nine weeks. He will need to clean up on his false starts in the second half, but otherwise, he's been better than the Seahawks could have wished for.
