Each week KIRO 7 Sports Director Chris Francis previews the Seahawks matchup with his Steps to Victory. These are featured on the weekly Scouting Report which airs Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
Even during a BYE week, there are “Steps” the Seahawks should take:
- Step One HEAL UP! The Seahawks have an absolutely full injury list at the bye. Jamal Adams, Phil Haynes, Damien Lewis, Jarran Reed, and even Geno Smith. Getting them healthy plus the return of left tackle Charles Cross and DBs Tre Brown, Artie Burns, and Coby Bryant will make this team even stronger. Not just on top of the depth chart, but the trickle-down effect could be huge. We’ve already seen some great performances by “backups”. A full-strength Seahawks roster bodes well for the final 13 games.
- Step Two FIX THIRD DOWNS! The Seahawk’s defense is allowing opponents to convert 52% of their third downs. That’s down from 58% the week before as they held the Giants to 6 of 116. That’s still 31st in the league. Gotta get off the field quicker! On offense? Also 31st in the league. Honestly, it’s a minor miracle they are 3-1 at this point being one of the worst in the league at situational football. The Hawks are just 24% on offense, good thing they are explosive. However, they need improvement or it will bite them against good teams, and the coaching staff knows it.
- Step Three MANAGE DEPTH. As mentioned in step one, this is well underway, managing, and using the depth of this team to full advantage. Transforming one of the youngest rosters in the NFL, a team with a league-leading 15 rookies, into guys who will be crucial pieces in the final 13 games and beyond. This will be key, especially if the injuries continue. It will also help keep the starters fresh. Coach Carroll talked about it at length after the win on Monday. In fact, it was the first thing he wanted to mention, “we’re just getting started!”, he crowed.
So, there you go, the Seahawks Steps To Victory for the bye week.