- Joined
- Jul 31, 2010
- Messages
- 8,874
Rams are familiar with "Mr. December"
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_c2909f4b-7469-507b-bee0-fc01282c10a1.html
As he closes out his third NFL regular season, quarterback Russell Wilson has been Mr. December for the Seattle Seahawks.
He is 11-2 this month since entering the league in 2012, with a 102.1 passer rating, 21 touchdown passes and only six interceptions.
This is shaping up as another December to remember. Wilson was the NFC offensive player of the week last week when he threw for 339 yards, rushed for 88 and accounted for three touchdowns in a 35-6 victory over NFC West rival Arizona.
The red-hot Seahawks have won five in a row, outscoring opponents 114-33 in that span. Wilson didn’t make the Pro Bowl this year, but because of another strong finish is garnering some late MVP support around the league.
But as well as Wilson plays in December, it would be hard to top his spellbinding performance against the Rams 10 weeks ago in St. Louis, when he became the first player in NFL history to throw for 300 yards and rush for 100 in the same game.
“He’s the most dynamic dual-threat quarterback in the league,” Rams linebacker James Laurinaitis said.
Wilson completed 23 of 36 passes for 313 yards and two TDs in that Oct. 19 contest at the Edward Jones Dome. He also gained 106 yards on just seven carries, one of which went for a 19-yard TD and another going for 52 yards on a non-scoring play.
Those TDs came during a furious second-half rally, as did 264 of Wilson’s 419 passing and rushing yards. The Seahawks, who trailed 21-3 at the half, couldn’t quite catch the Rams in a 28-26 defeat.
“He’s always taking advantage of his legs,” Rams coach Jeff Fisher said. “He’s a special athlete. He’s got a great release. He just extends plays all the time. He knows where to go with the football.”
The Seahawks have a talented group of skill players around him, headed by Marshawn Lynch but also including backup running back Robert Turbin as well as an underrated receiver corps.
But it’s Wilson who brings the added dimension because of his ability to pass and run.
“It’s almost as if there’s an extra player,” Fisher said. “He’s like the 11th and 12th player on offense. Because of his legs, he’s just so hard to defend.”
So the 12th Man in Sunday’s Rams-Seahawks rematch at CenturyLink Field may not be Seattle’s rabid fan base, but rather the 5-foot-11 guy playing quarterback — Wilson.
“Obviously Russell is the best improv quarterback in the National Football League,” Laurinaitis said. “He has such control over the football game. Even when those plays break down, it’s not somebody scrambling or panicking, and trying to find something.
“It’s so rehearsed and so well done, it’s almost like he makes the perfect decisions at the right moments.”
Wilson went through a bit of a midseason slump, but already has a personal-best 4,078 yards passing and running.
Of that total, 842 yards have come on the ground along with six TDs. Many of his 112 runs have come on designed plays, where he’ll fake a handoff to a running back, then pull the ball out, keep it himself, and dash into the secondary of a hoodwinked defense.
“He knows how to pull it in the zone read at the right time,” Laurinaitis said. “He’ll just hand it to Marshawn over and over, and it seems like right at the right moment — where a team’s maybe within one score — he’ll decide to pull it and it’s a 65-yard run. And you’re like, ‘Goodness.’”
He fooled Rams linebacker Alec Ogletree on just such an option read on the 19-yard touchdown in October.
Of course, many of Wilson’s rushing yards come on plays that are, as Laurinaitis puts it, totally improvisational. Trouble is, Wilson doesn’t always run when he’s scrambling.
“He’ll keep the play alive, and when he’s scrambling he’ll look to throw downfield, too,” Ogletree said. “That’s probably what he’s best at, is running around and throwing the ball. So we’ve definitely got to try and contain him and be ready for the challenge.”
In fact, there may not be a better quarterback in the league when it comes to throwing on the move.
“I’d have to say so,” Rams safety T.J. McDonald said. “He’s definitely dynamic in that sense. The best and biggest thing that you see on tape is he makes good decisions with the ball.”
Because of that, defensive backs have to do what players and coaches call “plastering” the wide receiver. That is, staying with the wideout no matter what Wilson is doing on a rollout or scramble. At least until Wilson crosses the line of scrimmage.
The Rams have had varying degrees of success corralling Wilson since he’s been in the league. Maintaining outside contain is essential, particularly for the defensive ends and linebackers. Otherwise, Wilson will simply roll outside when warranted.
A strong inside push can lead to some sacks because Wilson isn’t tall enough to just stand in the pocket all day and look over linemen for passing lanes.
“He does fine (in the pocket),” Fisher said. “They move the pocket a little bit for him. But drop-back stuff, when they go no-back and things like that, he makes good decisions and he gets rid of the football.”
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_c2909f4b-7469-507b-bee0-fc01282c10a1.html
As he closes out his third NFL regular season, quarterback Russell Wilson has been Mr. December for the Seattle Seahawks.
He is 11-2 this month since entering the league in 2012, with a 102.1 passer rating, 21 touchdown passes and only six interceptions.
This is shaping up as another December to remember. Wilson was the NFC offensive player of the week last week when he threw for 339 yards, rushed for 88 and accounted for three touchdowns in a 35-6 victory over NFC West rival Arizona.
The red-hot Seahawks have won five in a row, outscoring opponents 114-33 in that span. Wilson didn’t make the Pro Bowl this year, but because of another strong finish is garnering some late MVP support around the league.
But as well as Wilson plays in December, it would be hard to top his spellbinding performance against the Rams 10 weeks ago in St. Louis, when he became the first player in NFL history to throw for 300 yards and rush for 100 in the same game.
“He’s the most dynamic dual-threat quarterback in the league,” Rams linebacker James Laurinaitis said.
Wilson completed 23 of 36 passes for 313 yards and two TDs in that Oct. 19 contest at the Edward Jones Dome. He also gained 106 yards on just seven carries, one of which went for a 19-yard TD and another going for 52 yards on a non-scoring play.
Those TDs came during a furious second-half rally, as did 264 of Wilson’s 419 passing and rushing yards. The Seahawks, who trailed 21-3 at the half, couldn’t quite catch the Rams in a 28-26 defeat.
“He’s always taking advantage of his legs,” Rams coach Jeff Fisher said. “He’s a special athlete. He’s got a great release. He just extends plays all the time. He knows where to go with the football.”
The Seahawks have a talented group of skill players around him, headed by Marshawn Lynch but also including backup running back Robert Turbin as well as an underrated receiver corps.
But it’s Wilson who brings the added dimension because of his ability to pass and run.
“It’s almost as if there’s an extra player,” Fisher said. “He’s like the 11th and 12th player on offense. Because of his legs, he’s just so hard to defend.”
So the 12th Man in Sunday’s Rams-Seahawks rematch at CenturyLink Field may not be Seattle’s rabid fan base, but rather the 5-foot-11 guy playing quarterback — Wilson.
“Obviously Russell is the best improv quarterback in the National Football League,” Laurinaitis said. “He has such control over the football game. Even when those plays break down, it’s not somebody scrambling or panicking, and trying to find something.
“It’s so rehearsed and so well done, it’s almost like he makes the perfect decisions at the right moments.”
Wilson went through a bit of a midseason slump, but already has a personal-best 4,078 yards passing and running.
Of that total, 842 yards have come on the ground along with six TDs. Many of his 112 runs have come on designed plays, where he’ll fake a handoff to a running back, then pull the ball out, keep it himself, and dash into the secondary of a hoodwinked defense.
“He knows how to pull it in the zone read at the right time,” Laurinaitis said. “He’ll just hand it to Marshawn over and over, and it seems like right at the right moment — where a team’s maybe within one score — he’ll decide to pull it and it’s a 65-yard run. And you’re like, ‘Goodness.’”
He fooled Rams linebacker Alec Ogletree on just such an option read on the 19-yard touchdown in October.
Of course, many of Wilson’s rushing yards come on plays that are, as Laurinaitis puts it, totally improvisational. Trouble is, Wilson doesn’t always run when he’s scrambling.
“He’ll keep the play alive, and when he’s scrambling he’ll look to throw downfield, too,” Ogletree said. “That’s probably what he’s best at, is running around and throwing the ball. So we’ve definitely got to try and contain him and be ready for the challenge.”
In fact, there may not be a better quarterback in the league when it comes to throwing on the move.
“I’d have to say so,” Rams safety T.J. McDonald said. “He’s definitely dynamic in that sense. The best and biggest thing that you see on tape is he makes good decisions with the ball.”
Because of that, defensive backs have to do what players and coaches call “plastering” the wide receiver. That is, staying with the wideout no matter what Wilson is doing on a rollout or scramble. At least until Wilson crosses the line of scrimmage.
The Rams have had varying degrees of success corralling Wilson since he’s been in the league. Maintaining outside contain is essential, particularly for the defensive ends and linebackers. Otherwise, Wilson will simply roll outside when warranted.
A strong inside push can lead to some sacks because Wilson isn’t tall enough to just stand in the pocket all day and look over linemen for passing lanes.
“He does fine (in the pocket),” Fisher said. “They move the pocket a little bit for him. But drop-back stuff, when they go no-back and things like that, he makes good decisions and he gets rid of the football.”