The Seattle Seahawks lost to the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round of the 2019 NFL postseason by a score of 28-23. There were many reasons for the loss, but one of them stands out – something that has contributed to several postseason losses in the Pete Carroll era – slow starts.
The Seahawks have a tendency to start slowly, rarely scoring voluminously in the first half only to come roaring back after halftime. This makes it seem like Seattle can only compete when the opponent is worn down and weakened, largely so in the second half. That is when Carroll and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer choose to unleash quarterback Russell Wilson and the passing offense. This has happened in Seattle’s postseason losses following the 2012, 2015, 2018 and 2019 seasons.
This has also been a common theme throughout the regular season. Carroll has long emphasized a philosophy of “establishing the run” and this can occasionally hamper the team’s performance when it is utilized too much as we saw last year against the Cowboys. When the Seahawks chose to pass against Green Bay, they initially played it safe for the most part, not utilizing the hurry-up offense or increasing the pace until the game was on the line.
These methods may help keep games competitive, but one wonders if the outcome of many games would have been different if the Seahawks had started hot and fast, or at least were more aggressive with their offensive play calling. As it stands, slow starts are a significant reason for Seattle having to play catch-up, never initially staying with the competition and ultimately losing important games.
