Are the Seahawks too one-dimensional to make a deep playoff run?

The Seattle Seahawks keep finding ways to win, and at 11–3, there’s no arguing with the results. They’re in control of their playoff destiny, in the heat of the NFC West race, and have been one of the league’s most efficient offenses for much of the season.

But as the calendar flips toward late December, an uncomfortable question is starting to follow them around: what happens when Seattle can’t run the ball, and defenses know it?

Seahawks run game cause for concern

Over the last few weeks, the Seahawks’ offense has been less explosive and more fragile than it was earlier in the season. That doesn’t mean the unit is broken, but it does suggest there may be a an issue worth paying attention to, especially with a Thursday night showdown against the Rams coming up.

Seattle’s offense hasn’t collapsed by any means, but the run game has started slipping and is becoming a potential liability. Since Week 11, the Seahawks have struggled to consistently generate push up front, and what should be manageable down-and-distance situations have too often turned into obvious passing downs.

That’s why ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky’s recent critique, in which he called them “one-dimensional”, has resonated with many. The issue, in his view, is the execution. When the Seahawks try to run the ball on second-and-short, they’re frequently losing at the point of attack, creating third-and-long situations that put unnecessary stress on the passing game.

Against Indianapolis last week, Seattle averaged just 2.3 yards per carry. In the past two games, they haven’t scored a rushing touchdown. Those numbers showcase inefficiency, but they are also alerting opposing defenses to how they can take advantage of them.

When things are blocked cleanly, the runs are there. But too often, plays are getting blown up early, turning positive situations into uphill battles. That’s how an offense eventually becomes predictable, not because it lacks options, but because it can’t reliably punish defenses for taking risks.

Seattle remains an excellent passing team, but being forced into pass-heavy situations isn’t the same thing as choosing them. The Seahawks head into Week 16 facing a Rams defense that thrives on turning offenses one-dimensional. They’ll also be doing it on a short week, without left tackle Charles Cross, against a division rival that knows them well.

In November, you can survive stretches like this, but in January, it’s much harder. The Seahawks simply need to prove they can at least avoid turning “easy” downs into self-inflicted pressure.

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