Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks improved to 6-1 with a 37-27 victory over the rival 49ers on Sunday but there was a play late in the fourth quarter that had NFL fans rightly frustrated with Wilson and the way he seemed to bait the 49ers into a 15-yard penalty.
With the Seahawks up by 10 points, Wilson scrambled out of the pocket on a 2nd-and-6 from the 49ers’ 28 yard line. As he ran downfield he appeared to fake a slide before then going into a half slide where he was hit by San Francisco’s Jimmie Ward. The 49ers’ safety was called for unnecessary roughness and the Seahawks went on to score a TD and put the game out of reach.
The fake slide and then the bad slide gave Ward no options for how to do his job.
Check this out:
If Russell Wilson wants the protection of a sliding QB that’s given himself up, he should be required to make it plainly obvious that’s what he’s doing. The added fake and last-second slide essentially baits Jimmie Ward into initiating a tackle. #49ers #SFvsSEA pic.twitter.com/ggKUpNQjwh
— Rob Lowder (@Rob_Lowder) November 2, 2020
NFL fans on Twitter agreed:
Russell Wilson totally baited that personal foul penalty. What is the defender supposed to do? Wilson faked like he was going to slide and then kept going so the defender went to tackle him.
— Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) November 2, 2020
This is really bad, but it’s important to understand that THE RULE is the issue. Wilson is cheaply working the system and will continue to so long as the refs throw the flag. Ward was gonna let him slide and only went for the hit after Wilson faked the slide. https://t.co/LowksYyRCh
— Simon Samano (@SJSamano) November 2, 2020
Come on. Russell Wilson didn't slide. BS.
— Wajahat "Wears a Mask Because of a Pandemic" Ali (@WajahatAli) November 2, 2020
I am an offensive coach and a QB coach but Russell Wilson or any QB can't fake slide then continue to run and still be protected! What is the guy suppose to do??
— Matthew Wade (@Coachmattwade) November 2, 2020
Russell Wilson decides to stutter step into a slide and is protected as a runner?! The @NFL has to do something about this. There needs to be a rule limiting QB running. If the defenders have penalties so should the QB
— Marques Almeida (@therealMarquesA) November 2, 2020
I’m a big Russell Wilson fan but if you fake the slide you deserve to be able to get lit up
— Robael Enyew (@RobaelEnyew) November 2, 2020
@neilreynoldsnfl @Jeff_Reinebold Russell Wilson and his dummy slide is no better than "soccer" players falling over for no reason. Let's not let the NFL get the same reputation as the Premier League has for diving. It's just playing the game to get a penalty 🤷🏻♂️
— Rob (@RobGT81) November 2, 2020
CLASSIC Russell Wilson fake slide to gain more yards, then actually slides for a penalty.
Totally punk move. And he does it all the time
— TJ Hogan (@TJ_Hogan11) November 2, 2020