The blame game has officially begun at Seahawks headquarters.
With the firing of offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell and offensive line coach Tom Cable, the Seahawks' offensive coaching staff is undergoing a hefty rebuild.
Let's start with Bevell, in charge of an underachieving offense. His top running back rushed for 240 yards, good for 85th in the NFL.
His $10 million tight end finished second among all receivers in drops and couldn't block the sun with his hand. This is the same tight end who the Seahawks got by trading their All-Pro center and offensive captain, Max Unger back in 2015 (Seattle also gave up a first-round pick).
Some would argue that trade was the beginning of the end for the Hawks' offensive line. Left tackle Russell Okung left the following year. That season, the Hawks finished 25th in rushing. This past season they finished 23rd. Take away Russell Wilson's nearly 600 yards rushing and they would have finished dead last. If you want to argue "Russell's mobility was part of the offense," that's fine -- take away 400 of the 600, they still would have finished last.
So is Bevell completely to blame for a sluggish offense? No.
Neither is fired offensive line coach Tom Cable. As I've said before, sometimes players just need a different voice, a different leader. In Cable's defense, he thought he was getting a front-line running back in Eddie Lacy. Nope.
At times, Cable showed his frustration over the lack of availability of oft-injured Thomas Rawls as well as C.J. Prosise, who played in just five games last season. In the end, Mike Davis did a credible job at running back, although remember that he was originally cut by the Seahawks in the preseason, before being signed to the practice squad. One look at the Seahawks' stable of running backs is a reminder the coaching staff isn't the only group that needs an overhaul.
With Bevell and Cable out, there are reports quarterbacks coach Carl Smith will be reassigned in the organization.
On the other side of the ball, defensive coordinator Kris Richard has apparently been "encouraged" to look for other opportunities. Again, tough to blame Richard for the porous defense down the stretch, considering the injuries which at times left the defense without the services of five pro bowlers.
Bottom line, change is good.
The Seahawks' coaching staff had a heck of a run including two Super Bowls, but with the re-emergence of the Rams and 49ers, the NFC West will only grow tougher in the years ahead.
Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians may have called it a career at just the right time. Fortunately for Seahawks fans, all the moves and pending moves show Pete Carroll is saddling up for another ride.
