RENTON — The key to any successful NFL offense isn’t always running the play exactly as it is drawn up on the chalkboard. Because rarely does everything go 100% as planned.
What often separates good offenses from great ones is the ability to pull off “the play within the play,” as Seahawks offensive coordinator Shane Waldron called it Thursday.
The Seahawks’ last two touchdowns in the fourth quarter that clinched Sunday’s 27-13 win over the Giants — a Geno Smith touchdown pass to Tyler Lockett and a Kenneth Walker III run — serve as perfect examples, each depending greatly on player improvisation to turn into scores.
Lockett’s 33-yard pass from Smith, which broke a 13-13 tie, came on the series after Lockett had dropped a likely TD. No matter. No one on the sideline was worried about coming right back to Lockett.
“We all know Tyler,” Waldron said. “I don’t bat an eye when anything happens with Tyler. He’s right onto the next play.”
On the next series, the Seahawks went right back to him twice, first on a 12-yard pass that helped them get to the 33, and on the TD.
The TD came on a play that initially called for Lockett to run an out route. But Smith and Lockett noticed Giants cornerback Adoree Jackson had been “squatting” on out routes, essentially playing to take it away.
So seeing Jackson appearing to play that way again, Smith signaled Lockett to change the route to a double move. Or, essentially, a stop-and-go, with Lockett running about 10 yards, stopping, and when Jackson bit, sprinting past him.
Waldron called the play “a great example” of Smith’s command of the game at the line of scrimmage this season. The ability to change the route is written into the game plan. But the ability to see it and execute rested in the talents of Smith and Lockett.
“He gave him a play and had that understanding of, ‘What are the options within the play that we can get to?’” Waldron said. “Tyler had seen something, and he and Geno got on the same page, so they were able to get to a play-within-a-play so to speak. That to me is where the credit goes to all of the players, where they have that full understanding and ownership. They can make all of the plays come to life versus different looks.”
It’s that understanding of the situation and the opportunity and the ability to pull it off that can turn losing plays into winning ones.
“When you are seeing it through the same lens, different versions of it where it is going over the top or Tyler sees the double move ability there from something that has been discussed throughout the course of the week. I think when we are seeing it through the same lens, I think that is when things are clicking on offense,” Waldron said. “There are always opportunities that we need to be better at starting with myself in some of those scenarios. When you get a good feel with the players and the coaching being on the same page, those are some explosive drives.”
On Walker’s 16-yard TD run, the Seahawks lined up with three tight ends to the right, with Walker — if all goes to plan — expected to run to that side. But the Giants overloaded the defense to that side, and when tackle Leonard Williams also got some penetration, there was nowhere for Walker to go.
So in an instant, Walker stopped and cut back to the left, where there was far less traffic and broke into the open.
“Ken was shut off, so he was able to get back to what was only the cut that he could make right there, and then after that, it was just on his own making a great individual effort,” Waldron said.
While cutting to the backside is always an option, Waldron laughed Thursday when asked how often that play turns out in practice the way it did in the game.
“Yeah, that was exactly like it was designed — we are going to run right, go all the way back to the left, break four tackles and score,” Waldron said. “Ken has done an unbelievable job of understanding what the concept of the play is, where are the yards within the scheme, and then also when it’s time to ad-lib and go ahead and get positive yards, he’s done a really good job of not extending a play during a negative but extending the play where he has that great vision to find cutback lanes.”
Goodwin, Taylor again out; Lockett, Metcalf full go
The Seahawks again had two players sit out practice — OLB Darrell Taylor (groin) and WR Marquise Goodwin (groin).
Taylor only played three snaps against the Giants before the injury sidelined him, and if he can’t play then veteran Bruce Irvin would again see significant playing time, as he did Sunday.
Four others were listed as limited — WR Penny Hart (hamstring), DL Al Woods (resting veteran), TE Noah Fant (hamstring) and S Ryan Neal (ankle).
Everyone else was full go, including Lockett and fellow receiver DK Metcalf, who each had been questionable heading into the Giants game because of injuries but started.
Also full go was center Austin Blythe, who injured his knee against the Giants and played just 15 snaps, and guard Gabe Jackson, who has been battling hip and knee injuries.
Seahawks add Irvin to 53
In a move that was expected to happen in the next week, the Seahawks will officially add Irvin to the 53-man roster this week, a source confirmed.
Irvin signed to the practice squad last month and has played in each of the Seahawks’ last two games as a practice-squad elevation. Players can only be elevated off the practice squad three times before they have to be signed to the 53, so the Seahawks had just one elevation left to use with Irvin.
Irvin played 47 snaps and had two tackles, one for a loss, against the Giants, further validating that he can still be a significant contributor at age 35.
The Seahawks had an opening on the 53-man roster after waiving cornerback Sidney Jones IV on Tuesday.
Signing Irvin to the 53-man roster means the Seahawks can use practice-squad elevations on two other players Sunday at Arizona, if needed.