The Seattle Seahawks have been one of the NFL’s best franchises, with Pete Carroll as head coach and Russell Wilson as the quarterback. However, this year was a bump in the road for the Seahawks. Thought to be a playoff contender heading into the season, that never materialized for the team. Injuries to Wilson and running back Chris Carson did not help matters either. This team wasn’t on the same page from the start and could never recover in time to make a serious postseason run. There now are questions about both Carroll’s and Wilson’s future with the team. It is going to be an interesting offseason in Seattle.
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What Went Right
It did not seem that much went right for this team during the 2021 season, but there were some bright spots. Both Rashaad Penny and Jordyn Brooks started producing, putting away their status of being first-round busts. Penny had done nothing during his first few seasons in Seattle but became the lead back during the last few weeks of the season. Brooks finished second in the league in tackles with 182. Another bright spot was that the team appeared to start clicking late in the season. It was too little too late, but it could give the Seahawks momentum heading into next season. The defense improved after a horrible start to the season, and the offense did the same. This team finally found some consistency towards the end of the year.
What Went Wrong
There is plenty that went wrong. The first thing that should be mentioned is horrific injury luck. Wilson got a finger injury early in the season and was never quite the same. He would return to start at quarterback later in the year, but he did not appear 100% healthy. The running game took a hit when Carson got injured, and he was out for the season. While Penny would come in and play well, Carson’s absence was felt throughout.
The other thing that went wrong was D.K. Metcalf. Metcalf was one of the best receivers in the NFL during the 2020 season but took a step back this season. While he was the most targeted, he only caught 75 passes for 967 yards. Metcalf did have 12 touchdowns, but three came in one game against the Detroit Lions. Metcalf is one of the best players in Seattle, and his development is crucial for the franchise moving forward.
Team Award Winners
MVP – Tyler Lockett
It would have been easy to suggest Wilson here, but he missed a chunk of the season. Even when he came back, he was not the same player he usually is. That is why the team MVP is going to Lockett. One of the most underrated receivers in the NFL, Lockett was one of the few things consistent about this team in 2021. Even when Wilson went out, Lockett remained the team’s best offensive weapon and put together a fantastic season. Lockett finished the season with 73 catches for 1,175 yards and eight touchdowns. It was a good season for a team filled with inconsistent players.
Offensive Rookie of the Year – D’Wayne Eskridge
Seattle had one of the smallest rookie classes in the NFL this season. It was hard for any rookie to get any meaningful action, but some of the rookies showed flashes. Seattle selected Eskridge in the second round out of Western Michigan, and he was going to add to their passing attack. While he only had 10 catches for 64 yards, you could see that Eskridge has a bright future in this Seahawks offense. Look for him to have a more prominent role in this offense next season and be a breakout candidate.
Defensive Rookie of the Year – Tre Brown
Brown had his season cut short, but he was looking like the best player in the draft class before the injury ended his season. Brown finally started getting on the field in October and became a reliable cornerback. He is one of the better young talents on the defense and showed it by not allowing many catches during his snaps. Like Eskridge, look for Brown to have a bigger role next season and be a breakout player.
Biggest Surprise – Rashaad Penny
Penny looked like a bust until this season. The Seahawks shocked almost everyone when they took Penny out of San Diego State that early. After Carson went down earlier in the season, most assumed either Alex Collins, Travis Homer, or DeeJay Dallas would assume the lead back role. Penny took it and responded by rushing for 135 yards or more in four of the last five games. This was a nice development for Seattle, and it looks like Penny might have a future in Seattle after all.
Biggest Disappointment – D.K. Metcalf
After the 2020 season, most analysts and Seahawks fans were expecting a big season from Metcalf in 2021. He was one of the best receivers in the league and was only scratching the surface of his potential. However, Metcalf struggled with inconsistency this year and never found his rhythm in the offense. Having Wilson hurt for some of the year did not help, but he did not look like the same player regardless. Hopefully, for Seattle, this was just a slump, and Metcalf will return to the player he was in 2020.
One Burning Question
Who will be Back in 2022?
The question on every Seahawks fan’s mind right now is about Wilson and Carroll. The franchise’s best coach and quarterback pairing have hit a bump in the road. Some believe that Carroll will be fired or forced to retire, and Wilson traded. Whatever the decision is will chart the course for the franchise. If both are gone, a full-scale rebuild will be in order, and it could be a while before the team is relevant again. The team could elect to bring both of them back and have another go at a postseason run. This is one of the biggest decisions in the entire NFL, and the whole league will be watching to see what direction the Seahawks decide to go in.
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