Russell Wilson has faced the Rams 15 times in his career. He’s thrown 24 touchdown passes and only eight interceptions, posting a passer rating of 99.9. The only underwhelming number from his stat line is his record: 7-8.
The Rams are more familiar with Wilson’s game than 28 other teams that have faced him – excluding the Cardinals and 49ers, who have also played him 15 times – but will that help them at all on Sunday when he comes to the Coliseum?
In short, probably not.
The Rams know how good Wilson is, but what makes him one of the best QBs in the league is his ability to make plays off-schedule. When forced to leave the pocket, or when his receivers simply can’t get open, Wilson is often able to use his mobility to either create other throwing lanes, buy time for his receivers or scramble for big yardage.
Having faced Wilson twice a year for the last two-plus seasons, Wade Phillips knows how good the Seahawks QB is when plays break down. He heaped praise on Wilson during his press conference Thursday ahead of this Week 14 matchup.
“All kinds of accolades for Russell Wilson. Probably the best off-schedule passer in the league,” Phillips said unprovoked. “Once he gets out of the pocket, he throws it, and he throws it great – on the run, on the move, makes big plays there. You say, ‘Well you’ve got to keep him in the pocket.’ Well, he’s still going to get out. He’s a challenge that way. He’s a great player and obviously helped them win a lot of games.”
The Rams have faced two of the most elusive and mobile quarterbacks in the league the last two weeks, getting blown out by Lamar Jackson and dominating Kyler Murray’s Cardinals. Wilson is mobile, but he isn’t as fast or shifty as the other two. What is does better, though, is create big plays through the air when he escapes the pocket.
“The difference in Russell Wilson, he’ll will run to make first-downs, certainly, but he runs around to make big plays in the passing game,” Phillips said. “The receivers do a great job, they do a great job of coming back to him and crossing the field. We talk about plaster, which means once he’s out of the pocket, you’ve got to find the nearest guy and get on him or he’ll complete it to him. He’ll throw it deep, he’ll throw it short, he’ll throw it crossing – whatever it is. He made one of the great throws I’ve seen against us in the first game. That one, he scrambled to his left and threw it, the (Tyler) Lockett, touchdown. We actually had really good coverage and he throws it running to his left – a dime – whatever they call it. It seemed like about a $20, $100.”
Outside the pocket this season, Wilson has a passer rating of 110.3 – a mark that ranks him third in the NFL and is higher than most quarterbacks’ ratings from inside the pocket.
Deshaun Watson is simply a PLAYMAKER outside the pocket 🎯 pic.twitter.com/WXJgYgLVLF
— PFF (@PFF) December 4, 2019
Sean McVay has gotten a good taste of Wilson’s talent since joining the NFC West in 2017, and he knows better than most people just how dangerous he can be. Like Phillips, McVay lauded Wilson for his ability to create off-schedule plays – and big ones, at that.
“He does a great job of using his athleticism to buy time, but still remain a passer. A lot of those off-schedule plays too – now that you’re seeing – occur in the pocket,” McVay said. “There’s a timing and rhythm that you want to operate with, but then certain things break down. He’s got such a good feel that if the protection is there or there’s nobody that got edge, he can just move and be able to keep his eyes down the field and be able to hitch in place. He’s got such a great spatial awareness that you see him – and then guys have a good feel for being able to work. Then, when he does break contain, that’s where you’re really thinking, ‘Man, there’s a chance for him to create big plays all the time.’ They’ve got the weapons to be able to do that with him running the show.”
The Rams need a win in the worst way this weekend, but Wilson will do everything he can to prevent that from happening. The Rams know how good he is, having faced him twice a year, but that won’t make it any easier to slow down the MVP contender.