With Sidney Rice out, Seahawks creatively turn to “Beast Mode”
By Josh Davis
The season-ending ACL injury to Sidney Rice is pretty hard to swallow if you’re a Seahawks fan. Seattle has already been struggling offensively and it was no secret when they gained less than 150 total yards last night that they are in need of an advanced plan.
With Percy Harvin still getting into the swing of things, Seahawks’ opponents better load up the box and get ready to play major “assignment football”, because Beast Mode is coming at them. The Rams did a terrific job Monday night, save for one bootleg on the Seahawks’ first scoring drive that gained 17, but the defense in St. Louis has been specifically designed to stop Seattle and San Francisco. Not many other defenses have that in their arsenal.
Remember the end of 2012, when it seemed Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch were running the read option every couple plays? Get ready, it’s going to be on full display for the rest of the season. Even when Harvin comes back, the Seahawks don’t have a big target on the outside that can go up for the football.
It’s too bad the Seahawks didn’t have this happen in a Sunday game, they could’ve gone after Hakeem Nicks or something. But it is what it is. Pete Carroll is thinking up something right now to break the Beast free over the final half of the season. It won’t be easy, as teams are probably going to stack the box more than ever, but Seattle must find a way to get creative and turn to their most potent playmaker.