Analysis: Can the Seattle Seahawks win the Super Bowl this season?

The Seattle Seahawks could hardly have been more impressive this season. Pete Carroll’s side have moved to 3-0 in emphatic style, defeating three potential playoff outfits in the Falcons, the Patriots and the Cowboys.

Quarterback Russell Wilson has been the standout player in the league, combining consistency with incredible down field plays. Wilson has long been one of the best five QB’s in the league, but this year his form is even rivalling Patrick Mahomes for the premier quarterback in the NFL.

The Seahawks will have to beat some strong teams if they are to go all the way, none more so than the Kansas City Chiefs who were extremely impressive in their comfortable victory over fellow contenders Baltimore. The Green Bay Packers have also started extremely well.

Although the reigning champion Chiefs undoubtedly remain favourites, there are a number of reasons why the Seattle Seahawks have what it takes to go deep into the post-season and even lift the Vince Lombardi trophy.

An elite receiver corp

While a lot of credit has rightly been allocated to Wilson, his receiving corp also deserves recognition. Tyler Lockett has been superb this season, combining deep routes with receptions in the slot. Wilson seems to have complete trust in Lockett, who has been targeted 29 times in three games. Lockett has repaid the faith this season, claiming 24 receptions including four touchdowns.

Lockett has been a standout receiver in the league for a number of years now. The difference this campaign is the improvement to the rest of the receiving corp. DK Metcalf has come out of the blocks fast. He has 297 receiving yards so far, including a touchdown in every game. Ignoring the basic error Metcalf made against the Cowboys, when he took his foot off the gas allowing the ball to be dislodged from his hand just yards short of the line, it looks as if Metcalf has made the leap from a talented player to an elite performer.

The two lead receivers compliment each other beautifully. Lockett is shorter and has sharper footwork while the size and speed of Metcalf make him the perfect down the field target. There are few better receiving duos in the league.

Seattle are also looking strong at the tight end position. Although they do not have one standout player in this position, the combination of Greg Olsen, Will Dissly and Jacob Hollister has been effective thus far.

The experienced Olsen is the most frequent target, but having three players that can fulfill the same role in a relatively similar way allows rotation and makes it harder for the defense to get a read on where the ball is going.

A varied offense

The Seahawks are averaging 37 points per game after three weeks, only second to the Green Bay Packers across the entire league. In previous iterations of the Seahawks, Carroll insisted his side were run first. That has changed this year, with Wilson allowed to throw the ball from first down.

One element of this that has proved fruitful is the use of running back Chris Carson as a receiver. In the 2019 season, Carson made 2.5 receptions per game, this campaign it has jumped to 4. The added layer of Carson as a receiver has allowed the receiving corp of Metcalf and Lockett to flourish further down the field.

Carson has always been a talented player but his tendency to occasionally fumble held him back. This season he has not fumbled once. Carson went down with an injury at the end of the Cowboys game but he has recovered well, even putting himself in contention for week four against Miami. It cannot be overstated how important his fitness is to the Seahawks.

Carlos Hyde has proved to be an intelligent pick-up from the Texans, sharing the workload with Carson and fulfilling his role adequately. With the injured Rashaad Penny set to return midway through the season, Seattle’s running game is likely to go from strength to strength.

A defense that can come up with plays in big moments

The defense is where the question marks remain for Seattle. The offense looks well set for a fruitful season, but can the defense do enough to ensure they keep winning?

Given that the Seahawks have allowed an average of just under 29 points per game this season, their defense deserves scrutiny. It should be said they have played three teams with excellent offenses. If in week four a similar amount of points are conceded against Miami, then that would be more concerning.

The Seahawks have had a number of injuries on the defensive side of the ball which has not helped. Fundamentally as a unit they are not especially strong. What they require is their big time players to step up at key moments. Bobby Wagner, Jamal Adams, K.J. Wright and Shaquil Griffin need to make crucial interventions when it counts.

It does not feel like this Seattle defense is going to transform into one of the league’s best. For the Seahawks, it is about just doing enough to get over the line. In a close game against the Patriots in week two, that is exactly what happened. Cam Newton was stopped just short of the goal line, securing the victory for Seattle.

A risky formula, perhaps. But in a high-scoring, offense driven league, it could still deliver.

Russell Wilson in the form of his life

The most obvious, and perhaps most important, reason. Through three weeks, Wilson has thrown 14 touchdown passes which is the most ever by any NFL quarterback at this stage of the season. He has been sensational.

Wilson is throwing with unerring accuracy, irrespective of the distance of the pass. He has built a stronger relationship with Metcalf who has flourished in his second season. Crucially, Wilson is being well-protected by his offensive line who are outperforming where they were expected to be. As the play below demonstrates, Wilson is showing poise in the pocket, trusting his protection, which allows him to pick out the perfect pass for Metcalf on the edge of the end zone.

The 31-year-old is also still scrambling effectively for yards when he needs to, demoralising defenses even when they provide good coverage.

Every time Seattle’s offense takes the field there is an expectation and belief that they will score points. Momentum, when combined with an elite quarterback in the form of his life, is a powerful weapon.

Experience where it matters

One element that could help Seattle which is slightly flying under the radar is the experience they possess. Head coach Carroll has been in the job since 2010, leading them to Super Bowl victory in 2014 with the same quarterback at the helm now. It is a rare commodity to have a Super Bowl winning coach and quarterback combination in place.

Linebacker Bobby Wagner leads the defensive with aplomb, calling on his vast experience and quality. Duane Brown is the old head on the offensive line. The addition of a character like Olsen who went to a Super Bowl with Carolina and is renowned for his leadership on and off the field will only aid this team.

So can they win the Super Bowl?

Doubters will point to Seattle's defense being too weak. However, the Seahawks can outscore any team in the league, including the Chiefs. Despite a tricky schedule and playing in the most competitive division in football, Seattle are playoff bound. Once there, no team will want to play the Seahawks and Wilson.