Black Monday is here, and coaches around the league are starting to lose their jobs. The Seattle Seahawks are participants this year, as they made the decision to part ways with offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb after one season. This comes on the heels of the Seahawks defeating the Los Angeles Rams 30-25 in their Week 18 season finale.
Seattle’s offense was wildly inconsistent this season, enjoying legitimate success while suffering from large stretches of ineptitude. It felt as if the Seahawks always started games slow, but they would often find their groove after halftime and get back on track. Unfortunately, this unit struggled in the red zone all season long, and never quite figured out a sustainable fix.
It wasn’t all bad, of course. Grubb did bring creativity to the role, which was sorely lacking under Shane Waldron. Grubb also deserves credit for unlocking Jaxon Smith-Njigba into the 100-reception, 1,130-yard monster he turned into this year. However, the biggest issue, and what likely led to Grubb’s ouster, is the fact his unit was wildly unbalanced. Seattle was No. 6 in the league in passing, but No. 30 in rushing. That simply is not going to cut it in this league, nor with Mike Macdonald, who clearly wants to make a physical ground attack a key component of his team’s identity. The separation likely stems from a philosophical difference.
Multiple times this year, it felt as if the Seahawks abandoned the run entirely. What sticks out the most was the Week 5 loss to the Giants, where a healthy Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet combined for only seven carries in the 29-20 defeat. Inexcusable lack of usage. Unfortunately, this is a trend that would frustratingly continue, such as the loss to the Vikings where Walker and Kenny McIntosh only had eleven total carries.
We at Seahawks Wire wish Grubb the best wherever he lands, but this divorce feels necessary. Seattle needs an offensive coordinator more in line with head coach Mike Macdonald, and now the search for one can begin immediately.
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