Obscured by numerous other developments in the Seahawks’ 24-7 win over the New York Giants, including an 0-for-10 sequence in the first half on goal-to-go plays, was the fact that Wilson’s 27 completions Sunday at MetLife Stadium were spread among 11 receivers.
Doug Baldwin caught nine of Wilson’s 27 throws, including a 22-yard, go-ahead touchdown, and was followed by Tyler Lockett with four, Jimmy Graham (one-yard TD) with three, J.D. McKissic, Paul Richardson (38-yard TD) and Amara Darboh with two each, and Thomas Rawls, Eddie Lacy, Luke Willson, Nick Vannett and Tre Madden with one apiece.
Wilson became only the second quarterback in Seahawks history to complete a pass to more than 10 in a single game.
The first was not Matt Hasselbeck. Nor was it Dave Krieg, Jim Zorn or even Warren Moon. Rick Mirer? Well, no. Jon Kitna? No again.
In Week 2 of the 2011 season, Pete Carroll’s second year in Seattle, Tarvaris Jackson found 11 receivers, completing four balls to Ben Obomanu, three each to Justin Forsett and Kris Durham, and two apiece to Golden Tate and Anthony McCoy. Marshawn Lynch, Eddie Williams, Zach Miller, Mike Williams, Leon Washington and Baldwin all caught one pass.
Other than that effort, plus Wilson’s Sunday, there have been seven other games in the Carroll era in which Seattle’s quarterback completed passes to 10 receivers. Most receivers catching at least one pass, single game, since 2010:
| Year | Date | Quarterback | Opp | No. | Top Receiver, Catches |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Sept. 18 | Tarvaris Jackson | Steelers | 11 | Ben Obomanu, 4 |
| 2017 | Oct. 22 | Russell Wilson | Giants | 11 | Doug Baldwin, 9 |
| 2010 | Oct. 3 | Matt Hasselbeck | Rams | 10 | B. Stokley, M. Williams, 4 |
| 2010 | Dec. 12 | Matt Hasselbeck | 49ers | 10 | Marshawn Lynch, 7 |
| 2011 | Jan. 11 | Charlie Whitehurst | Rams | 10 | Ben Obomanu, 5 |
| 2012 | Nov. 25 | Russell Wilson | Dolphins | 10 | Golden Tate, 4 |
| 2014 | Sept. 21 | Russell Wilson | Broncos | 10 | Percy Harvin, 7 |
| 2014 | Dec. 7 | Russell Wilson | Eagles | 10 | Jermaine Kearse, 7 |
| 2017 | Jan. 1 | Russell Wilson | 49ers | 10 | P. Richardson, J. Graham, 4 |
Although Jackson went 20-for-29, the completions accounted for only 159 yards in a 24-loss to the Pittsburgh Steelerrs at Heinz Field. That’s the last shutout loss for Seattle.
Seahawks 28th in rushing TDs
During the 0-for-10 on goal-to-go plays Sunday, the Seahawks had five cracks at scoring a rushing touchdown from 10 yards or closer. They twice tried Lockett on sweeps, to the right side and the left. He gained four yards and then six, but a false start on Rawls nixed the six-yard gain.
From the five, Lacy gained three yards, but immediately gave it back with a loss of three. Rawls got a yard back, but the Seahawks lost the ball on downs at the one-yard line when Graham dropped a TD pass in the end zone.
The Seahawks departed MetLife Stadium the same way they entered it, with two rushing touchdowns for the season. That ranks 28th in the NFL.
For all of his well-chronicled emphasis on establishing the run, even featuring Marshawn Lynch from 2010-15, this is the third season that a Carroll team in Seattle played six games and scored only twice on the ground. For perspective, fewest rushing touchdowns through the first six games of a season in the past 25 years:
| Year | Coach | Yards | TDs | Skinny |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Mike Holmgren | 467 | 0 | 5 TDs during season, all by R. Watters |
| 1977 | Jack Patera | 603 | 1 | 12 TDs overall, Hawks went 5-9 |
| 1992 | Tom Flores | 557 | 2 | 4 TDs overall, 3 by Chris Warren |
| 1998 | Dennis Erickson | 685 | 2 | 11 TDs overall, 9 by Ricky Watters |
| 2007 | Mike Holmgren | 548 | 2 | Finished season with 9 |
| 2009 | Jim Mora | 542 | 2 | Seattle had 7, 4 by Justin Forsett |
| 2012 | Pete Carroll | 786 | 2 | Finished with 16, 9 by Marshawn Lynch |
| 2015 | Pete Carroll | 827 | 2 | 10 TDs overall, 4 by Thomas Rawls |
| 2017 | Pete Carroll | 650 | 2 | R. Wilson, J.D. McKissic scored them |
This season only the Miami Dolphins (0) and Cincinnati Bengals (1) do a poorer job of scoring rushing TDs than the Seahawks. In the NFC, only the Detroit Lions and New York Giants are as inept.
The Seahawks also score touchdowns 47.06 percent of the time that they get to the red zone, 23rd in the league. The Green Bay Packers, who rank No. 1, tally TDs in the red zone on 73.91 percent of their trips. Seattle’s 47.06 percent is the worst for the franchise since a 45.61 mark in 2010.