Only one team in the NFL threw fewer passes than the Seattle Seahawks last year. That means Russell Wilson and the Seahawks passing game didn't rack up huge total yardage, but Wilson knows that's not their style.
"At the end of the day, it's not about statistics," Wilson told NFL Media's Amber Theoharis in an interview Monday on NFL Total Access. "I think, at the end of the day, it's about winning football games, and we do a great job. We still take the ball to the right guy at the right time. We try to have a physical running game. In the division that we play in, we have to be physical."
Wilson's point about the division is well made. Only San Francisco threw less than the Seahawks, and the NFC West currently has the best total collection of defenses we've seen in a long time. That's why Wilson's stats last season were so impressive.
It's misleading to say the Seahawks were No. 31 in passing yards last year because they were so effective. Only the Philadelphia Eagles threw for more yards per attempt. Only four teams had more plays over 25 yards. A Twitter follower suggested that the Seahawks won the Super Bowl using the '00 Baltimore Ravens model of a historical defense, strong running game and a passing attack that avoided mistakes.
That's not giving the Seahawks enough credit. They were an explosive passing attack that excelled at vertical plays, and that was true before Percy Harvin returned to the mix.
"We've connected so much, and he's so fired up. He looks so good," Wilson told Theoharis about Harvin.
Harvin should be a difference maker this year. With Sidney Rice, rookie Paul Richardson and Doug Baldwin also in the mix, the Seahawks could have a sneaky good wideout group this year. Look for Seattle to ramp up those pass attempts this year, even if they are continuing to lead games.
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