Coaching? Players? Bobby Wagner says Seahawks’ defensive issue ‘starts with the players’
Bobby Wagner knows Pete Carroll’s defensive system better than any football player alive.
The All-Pro linebacker has been in the middle of it calling its plays for the last 10 years.
So he’s the best non-coaching authority to ask: Were the Seahawks’ multiple problems stopping Minnesota’s passing game, playing 9 yards off receivers on third and 4s, not being able to cover screen passes and not slowing down reserve running back Alexander Mattison in Seattle’s 30-17 loss to the Vikings in Minneapolis last weekend because of problems with the scheme or the players not playing the system correctly?
“I think at the end of the day it starts with the players,” Wagner said Wednesday, four days before the Seahawks (1-2) try to fix their problems against NFC West-rival San Francisco (2-1) Sunday in Santa Clara, California.
Wagner said communication between players ensuring where to be and what to do has been lacking while Seattle’s defense has allowed 985 yards and 63 points in consecutive weeks. Those have resulted in losses to Tennessee and Minnesota.
“Honestly, coaches try to put you in the best position possible,” Wagner said. “But when you run a play you are, as a player you are supposed to execute that play. So, we have not been perfect on all of our stuff.
“I think that’s the growing pains of just getting better each week. And the good teams get better.”
Wagner noted, accurately, “it’s very early.” It’s week four, of 18. Fourteen games remain in the regular season.
The Seahawks’ next two games are unique, though: at the 49ers, then four days later at home to play the division-leading Los Angeles Rams (3-0). L.A. is off to flying start, having just handed Tom Brady and the defending Super Bowl-champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers their first loss of the season.
Defensive tackle Aaron Donald and the Rams ended division-champion Seattle’s 2020 season on its home field in January’s wild-card playoffs, with a backup quarterback.
“It’s up to us, and the leadership, and myself to make sure we communicate and make sure that we play better. And we will,” Wagner, the Seahawks’ co-captain, said.
This issue of is it scheme or is the players not playing it came up following the defense allowing 23 unanswered points by the Vikings last weekend. On 10 third downs the Vikings passed, eight times at least one of Seattle’s two cornerbacks were off their receivers at least as far or farther than the line to gain for the first down. Minnesota converted nine of 13 third downs, most of them easy throws and catches in front of cover men playing far deeper than the pass pattern.
In the tunnel at U.S. Bank Stadium between the locker room and the Seahawks’ bus for the airport and the flight back to Seattle from Minneapolis Sunday evening, starting cornerbacks Tre Flowers and D.J. Reed talked about scheme and how they felt in between trying to play it and trying to make plays the team needed.
“They schemed our ass up,” Reed said. “It just felt similar to the Bills game last year (when Seattle lost Nov. 1 and allowed 44 points, the most of the 12-year Carroll era). Whatever we were doing, we were getting schemed up.”
Wagner addressed those comments Wednesday.
“When you look at Tre’s and D.J.’s Reed’s comments after the game, I think that is — also the media, as well. We have to be conscious of that, because when you take a snapshot of what they said and kind of turn it into everything,” Wagner said. “I think on either Tre’s or D.J. Reed’s you guys specifically asked him about a screen play. And sometimes they get you on a screen play, in a scheme perspective. That happens throughout the whole game. And so you can’t take that one bit and apply it to the whole game.
“Obviously, it’s your guys’ jobs to try to figure out what’s going on. I’m not going to fault you guys for that. But I think it’s important to put out the whole clip and what was asked.”
What was asked
Reed’s comment “they schemed our ass up” was in response to a question asking Reed what he meant by telling Fox 13 Seattle in a television interview moments before a few feet away in the tunnel following the Vikings game that “they schemed us.”
Flowers was asked “what’s your self-assessment of your play through three games?
“It’s a schematic thing, I feel like. I’ve got my own questions to ask,” Flowers said. “I’m going to fix it. ...It’s a little gray area right now amongst a couple people. I’ll fix it, or somebody else will fix it. We don’t know yet. Like I said, I’ve got a couple questions myself.”
He was then asked: “What are the questions or issues, schematically, that are confusing you?”
“It’s not any issues, or anything. I feel it’s just kind of how things are playing out,” Flowers said. “It’s that teams are attacking us the same way, so my answer is...”
He chuckled, ruefully.
“...my answer is: Get it down. Make the play on it myself, “Flowers said. “But I don’t know if that’s the best play for the team.”
Options
The Seahawks have former Washington Huskies star cornerback Sidney Jones waiting for his chance, a month after Seattle traded with Jacksonville to acquire the former starter for the Philadelphia Eagles and, last season, the Jaguars.
The Seahawks also have Bless Austin, a former starter with the New York Jets they signed three weeks ago, who has yet to play on defense. They have John Reid, for whom they got from Houston in a trade last month. He played one snap in Minnesota as a nickel, fifth defensive back after Ugo Amadi had a terrible penalty on third down and gave up numerous completions and first downs.
Rookie cornerback Tre Brown, the second of Seattle’s three draft choices this spring, is at least another week from coming off injured reserve, Carroll said Wednesday.
Signs are pointing directly at Jones making his Seahawks debut Sunday at San Francisco, perhaps for Flowers as the starting right cornerback.
Asked if Jones and Austin are going to play at San Francisco, Carroll said Wednesday: “They are getting closer.
“You’ll see.”
Defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. was asked Wednesday how ready Jones is to playing.
“Sidney’s competing to get on the field,” Norton said. “He’s spent a lot of time learning his playbook. I think every day is a big day. He gets closer and closer to being more competitive every day he comes out.”
If and when Jones, and Austin, finally play, it’s likely to start. Carroll has said he does not like to interchange cornerbacks. When one plays in Seattle, he generally plays entire games.
Wagner gets why Flowers and Reed were venting in Minneapolis Sunday when asked questions about the defense.
“Obviously, when things aren’t going you way you have frustrations. And sometimes, it shows,” Wagner said. “This is a game that’s played with passion, and when stuff doesn’t go right then the passion comes out. ...
“But, we’ve got to do better. Simple as that. We have to be better. We have to communicate better. We know this.
“Honestly, there’s thing every year that get us in the beginning of the season. And we have to figure out a way to stop it.”
The 49ers have screen passes as a large part of their offense, every week. To running backs, to fullback Kyle Juszczyk, to wide receivers and tight ends such as the exquisite George Kittle (who is banged up with a calf injury).
Wagner says after Minnesota, he expects so many screens from San Francisco on Sunday he half-joked rookie quarterback Trey Lance may catch one from starter Jimmy Garoppolo against Seattle.
“This is something we have to get a hold of. When you put stuff on film, this is a copycat league,” Wagner said. “Every team, if they don’t have that play that you messed up on, they will put that play in (for your game).
“So it’s on us to see it better, see it faster, which I think if you watch the (Vikings) game we read it a lot better in the second half. We just have to be consistent.”
He says eliminating penalties, better execution and more effective communication are how the Seahawks will fix their defense.
“We have to get out of our own way,” Wagner said.
This story was originally published September 30, 2021 at 8:55 AM.
