Deejay Dallas has played when he has been pressed into service. He’s deep depth. Reading the tea leaves, specifically the injury report, the ambiguous nature of Chris Carson’s injury, and the signing of Alex Collins, it sure seems like Dallas may be much needed very soon.
He has fallen into the role of second-string scatback. I don’t know if that matches his potential, but it’s … it takes time to properly sugarcoat this, it’s not a position Dallas should aspire to fill. Not for this team, this year, in this offense. For as much as Seattle is passing the ball, they’re not passing a lot to their passing-down backs. Travis Homer still receives his meager allotment of touches: three rushes and a target every other week. Like I’ve said, I do not mean this as an attack on Homer at all. My wife can tell you I get stuck in long strings of repetitive Dancin’ ‘omer jokes. So completely does his presence on this roster delight me.
I’m sure this is annoying to all named “Homer,” but I’m a simple man and riffing on this comedic premise brings joy into my life as if the words were an incantation of happiness. I long for the day when I may implore Travis Homer to lively up himself unironically. I do.
Dallas needs to learn how to pass block. He looks like a natural receiver. What he can do as a rusher is unknown. His intolerably bad pass blocking was a major part of Seattle losing against Arizona. I hate to pile on someone out of their depth, but his tape is deep sea creature ugly. It’s scaribad.
His reaction implies he was just doing as he was told, but as anyone who has been a new employee can tell you: if you don’t do what you’re told, you’re wrong. And if you do what you’re told but what you’re told is wrong, you’re still wrong. He misses a free pass rusher while moving through that pass rusher’s future path. Dallas likely suffered tunnel vision caused by fear and inexperience.
It’s hard not to notice how he makes appealing gestures toward the sideline before, as an urgent afterthought, he becomes keenly aware that Russell Wilson just took a shot. Kids, man.
The play before Dallas attempted a chop block. Why? I don’t know. Wilson did not need that throwing lane. He needed Dallas to stop the pass rusher. And it’s an awful chop block at that, like a flying shoulder tackle fit for pro wrestling or even more like a shoot attempt by a guy learning MMA at 70. He lowers, lunges and crumbles.
Safety Deionte Thompson pushes Dallas into the dirt and continues on to harry and smash Wilson.
Deejay can pass block. He did it well at least three times, and once in particular it was essential to Wilson finding Tyler Lockett for a 14 yard gain.
Three good pass blocks out of five attempts is not nearly good enough. Five out of five, or at least five without totally missing or attempting a poorly executed and misguided chop block, is acceptable. Missing that badly is never acceptable. He needs to achieve at least an adequate level of pass blocking almost every opportunity.
Do that and Dallas will be given the chance to prove what else he can do.