It’s time to scrap the narrative about Russell Wilson. For some reason, many still associate the Seattle Seahawks quarterback with the dreaded “game manager” label. Why? Because he doesn’t have the big passing numbers and he plays alongside an elite running back and a top-ranked defence. Wilson’s statistics will never come close to a Peyton Manning or an Aaron Rodgers, but playing the quarterback position is about so much more than that.
There’s something magical about Wilson’s ability to create plays. He can seemingly make something out of nothing, while remaining risk-averse in the process. It’s a skill the NFL hasn’t seen since Steve Young played the position for the San Francisco 49ers.
Monday night was a perfect example of Wilson’s brilliance. No “game manager” could accomplish what he did — especially considering Wilson’s offensive line couldn’t get out of their own way. The unit had eight pre-snap penalties and two of those negated big touchdowns from Percy Harvin. And despite that, Wilson continued to shine.
He ran for more yards (122 to be exact) than any other quarterback in the 45-year history of Monday Night Football. And he did the impossible late in the fourth quarter when Wilson somehow escaped a sack, rolled to his left and found Marshawn Lynch down the field for a 30-yard gain to seal the victory for Seattle.
Instead of coming up with reasons why Wilson isn’t “elite”, as NFL analysts tend to stay, it’s time we start appreciating him.
Here’s what else we learned in Week 5:
No more unbeaten teams: How rare is this? Just five weeks into the season and every team has registered at least one loss. The Cincinnati Bengals and Arizona Cardinals were the only remaining undefeated teams heading into Week 5, but both lost in ugly fashion. It’s further proof that the NFL is a week-to-week league. Look at the New England Patriots, for example. After their worst performance in a decade, they responded with a blowout win over the undefeated Bengals that saw Tom Brady in vintage form. That parity is exactly what the NFL longs for.
Cowboys better than we thought: After a horrendous Week 1 loss, it was fair to wonder whether the Dallas Cowboys would be drafting in the top five next April. Well, so much for that. Since that loss, Dallas has hammered out four wins in a row — their best stretch since the 2011 season — and are tied in first place in the NFC East Division. They haven’t started a season 4-1 since 2008. But it’s the way that they’re winning that is opening eyes. They are running the hell out of the football. DeMarco Murray has five straight games with 100 or more rushing yards and a defence that was historically bad last year is playing far above expectations. If they can continue their hot play next week at CenturyLink Field against the defending Super Bowl champions, then we need to start taking the Cowboys seriously again.
Will Jake Locker ever be healthy: This is a make or break season for Tennessee Titans quarterback Jake Locker. The team declined his fifth-year contract option and he’ll be a free agent after the season. And so far, he can’t shed the injury-prone label that has stifled his career. Against Cleveland last Sunday, the problem persisted again. Locker left twice – once to be evaluated for a concussion, then later with a hand injury — and it ruined the entire flow of the Titans’ offence. Locker has shown flashes when he’s been on the field but he simply hasn’t been on the field enough. Unless there’s a drastic turnaround, expect a new quarterback in Tennessee next season. It certainly won’t be Charlie Whitehurst.
Colts defence steps up: Against Chuck Pagano’s former team, the Baltimore Ravens, it was the defence that was the strength of the Colts. That isn’t a shot at Andrew Luck. He was his usual self, but the Colts held the Ravens to 287 yards of total offence and just 1-of-11 on third down conversations. The Colts defence excelled on all three levels. They were getting a consistent pass rush for the first time all of season. They got great coverage and their linebackers were flying all over the field. It’s something we have yet to see in the Pagano era and exactly what the Colts need to regain their spot atop the AFC South.
Can Rex Ryan save his job?: It’s hard to remember a worse offensive display — especially in this era — than what the New York Jets showed in a 31-0 loss San Diego. Both quarterbacks, Geno Smith and Michael Vick, combined to pass for less than a 100 total yards and as a group finished 12-of-31 for 74 yards with a quarterback rating of 33.4. This team has regressed in an ugly way after a year where Ryan’s team overachived to an 8-8 record. It’s hard to fully blame Ryan — considering all the personnel mistakes GM John Idzik has made– but it’s hard to imagine him saving his job without a complete 360 this season. They don’t have the offensive weapons and ultimately Ryan is the one who will be held responsible.