Russell Wilson Makes The Hawks Soar

The last three years have been very special for the Seattle Seahawks, which include three straight years of making the playoffs and not to mention back to back SuperBowl appearances. Sure Seattle has had an incredible defense the last few years, along with one of the top RB’s in football. However the main reason the Seahawks are playoff and SuperBowl contenders every year is because of one person Russell Wilson.

The man hawks fans call "dangeruss" Wilson is the real reason of the Seahawks success in the National Football League. The previous year in 2011 just one year before drafting Russell, the Seahawks finished with a season record of 7-9 missing the playoffs. The very next year Russell is drafted by the Seahawks, who then beats out Matt Flynn in a quarterback battle, and becomes the Seahawks starting QB.

He leads the Seahawks to an 11-5 record while losing a close divisional playoff game in Atlanta, in which Russell’s Seahawks erased a 20-3 deficit. Everyone in football, especially Seahawks fans knew that Russell Wilson was the missing piece to Seattle’s puzzle and the franchise QB of their immediate future for the team.

From this point on things have only been getting better for the Seahawks and the 12th man, including the next two years with back to back SuperBowl appearances, going 13-3 in 2013 winning the SuperBowl against the Broncos in dominating fashion and going 12-4 in 2014 losing the SuperBowl to the Patriots by an amazing play from Patriots CB Malcolm Butler.

Any NFL team would love to have that kind of success in the last three years, and that success only comes with a franchise QB, his name is Russell Wilson. Over the course of the summer because of his contract, Russell has been the source of a huge debate. The argument is that Russell isn’t worth that kind of money and many Seahawks fans are guilty of that same statement as well.

So the stats will have to do the talking instead, most people say that Russell doesn’t have the stats of other elite QB’s. That would be a false statement because last year Wilson passed for 3475 yards and rushed for 849. Seattle had 6012 total yards. Wilson accounted for 72% of Seattle's yards (31% of their rushing yards). How does that compare to other QBs?

Wilson 72% Manning 73% Brady 71% Rodgers 75%

With those stats Russell Wilson is hanging around elite company. Along with those numbers, Russell has also led 15 game winning drives in 3 years. Compared to other young QBs:

Wilson 15 Luck 12 Kaepernick 8 Newton 8 Tannehill 5 Foles 5

Another statement that people make is Russell Wilson gets carried by Marshawn Lynch and that run first type of offense that Seattle executes. While this is partly true, because Lynch does help out Wilson, and any good running back always makes a positive impact in the quarterbacks play. Although the same goes for Lynch in the fact that Wilson helps beast mode’s numbers also.

Before Wilson is drafted Lynch’s yards per carry in 2010 is at 3.5 YPC and in 2011 4.2 YPC. When Wilson is the QB for the Seahawks Marshawn’s production jumps to 5.0 YPC in 2012, dips back to 4.2 YPC in 2013, and in 2014 rises back to 4.7 YPC. In 2010 before Russell is drafted, the Seahawks offense was ranked 29th overall and in 2011 they were 22nd overall. After Wilson is drafted in 2012 the Seahawks are all of a sudden ranked as a #4 offense, then in 2013 they are ranked #7 and in 2014 #5 in the league.

This is no fluke and the man named Russell Wilson should be the person to credit for the offensive success of the Seahawks. Not only does he help the offense, but that great defense has plenty of time to rest with Russell controlling the time of possession and jamming the running game down opposing defenses throats. Everyone is going to have their own opinions on Russell Wilson, but the stats and facts show that he is playing on an elite level right now.

Living in the Seattle area a person can see panic in some Seahawks fans that fear a return to mediocrity, but with a favorable schedule until week 9 of the season, when they face the Cardinals that could determine the fate of the NFC West. The Seahawks should rattle off 7 wins with they’re toughest test during that stretch is playing the Bengals in Cincinnati.

So R-E-L-A-X Seattle Seahawks fans because the captain of the ship is signed on for the long term in Seattle and with Kam Chancellor back the Seahawks can rest easy in the fact that another playoff run is on the horizon.