Midseason awards: Wilson, Wagner and Metcalf steal the MVPs for the Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks have played half their games, and even though they lead the division at 6-2 many fans are frustrated. Especially considering how the recent loss went down, it’s all too easy to forget some of the better days.

Yet the NFL season is a grind and a marathon, and it’s time we looked back through the week-by-week MVPs for the Seahawks to fan some optimism back into flames.

Let’s dive in. If other athletes are more deserving, take to the comments to defend your choices!

Week 1: Atlanta Falcons

Offense: Russell Wilson.
Defense: Jamal Adams.

This is still Wilson’s highest passer rating of the season, and his most complete game. Wilson shredded the Atlanta Falcons defense for four TDs and no interceptions. Beyond that, it was his most evenly-distributed passing performance. DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett had 8 targets each, and Chris Carson had 6 in one of his best receiving performances of his career.

Adams came out like a firebolt and immediately comforted those who had doubted the trade. Things have obviously cooled since then due to injury, but the dude had eight freaking solo tackles and looked exactly like how I feel when I play keep away with my one year old.

Week 2: New England Patriots

Offense: Duane Brown.
Defense: Quinton Dunbar.

This was Dunbar’s last game without being hampered by his knee injury, and even more than Adams he immediately justified the trade, considering the price. Dunbar had five tackles, one for a loss, two passes defended, and the only interception for the Seahawks. It was a crazy good day for the corner who played so bad in the most recent game that it’s easy to forget he did start the year quite well.

Duane Brown has played exceptional this year, and it started in Week 2 after a very average season opener. Wilson’s five TD and second-best passer rating came behind Brown buying tons of time and beginning his quest to put up one of the best season’s he’s had in Seattle, which is saying something.

Week 3: Dallas Cowboys

Offense: Russell Wilson’s trio.
Defense: Alton Robinson

This was the first time we began to recognize this defense might not just be bad, but like, bad bad. Props to Robinson for showing up big in his first game. Big sack and pressure on the final drive that forced Dak Prescott into a very difficult down-to-go and bad throw into the end-zone. Robinson had one of the team’s two sacks, led the team in tackles for loss, and had the late QB hit.

On the other side, Wilson outlasted and outperformed Prescott while making it look easy. Lockett did have the sweetness of a three-touchdown game, but Wilson threw five with no INTs. Along the way he had two tosses of over 40 air yards, which is just a whole barrel of fun. I would implore you to read the first sentence of the following graphic, but do not read the second. If you don’t read it, it never happened.

Week 4: Miami Dolphins

Offense: Chris Carson.
Defense: Shaquill Griffin.

Here’s the deal. DeVante Parker still had 110 yards, Tyler do you EVEN WATCH the games?!?! However, Tre Flowers was guarding on several of Parker’s big plays, and guarding is something Tre Flowers simply will not do. Griffin, on the other hand, had three(!) passes defended, an interception, and kept Parker out of the end-zone entirely.

Carson has yet to eclipse 100 in this wildest of Seahawk seasons, but his 80 yards against Miami were very good. He had a 5.0 yard per carry average and registered 7 first downs on 16 carries. He added two TDs on the ground and was a complete wrecking ball every time Seattle decided not to pass. The Dolphins were thoroughly confused for much of this game and it was largely due to Carson.

Week 5: Minnesota Vikings

Offense: Will Dissly.
Defense: KJ Wright.

Okay so the offensive MVP is actually Metcalf, who features heavily throughout this piece and still has two more nominations later.

Instead, a small-but-important victory was won on the touchdown to Will Dissly. It was the first touchdown of this game, which was so very needed for the momentum swing. But beyond that, Dissly had been hitherto overshadowed by Greg Olsen. Dissly’s reinsertion into the rotation has grown each week, stemming from this game. I’m sure it was important for his own confidence, and though he only has this one TD this season, Dissly passed Olsen in snap count the following two games. This is one draft pick they should keep long-term and he jump started the offense in a big way.

Defensively, Wright went nuts! Two takeaways, and he has completely silenced the critics who thought he was too old to earn the most recent contract from the Seahawks. Wright’s had multiple stellar games this year. This wasn’t even his best highlight reel as far as wrecking the screen pass, but man this leap had me watching it multiple times.

Week 7: Arizona Cardinals

Offense: Tyler Lockett.
Defense: Nobody. DK Metcalf.

Lockett was just ridiculous. It’s still a remarkable shame that Seattle lost because Lockett was the best player on the field by a mile and a half from the first snap and that included DeAndre Hopkins on the other side. 15-200-3 is just not a wide receiver line this franchise had seen since Steve Largent himself. It’s also an abomination that Arizona won because they moved their best coverage defender off Lockett and onto Metcalf AFTER a couple of these, which should have been grounds for an immediate termination of employment for somebody:

Defense was like watching a one-footed gazelle trying to escape a cheetah, but speaking of fast things Metcalf gets the nod for the chase-memed-round-the-world. You’ve seen it, go listen to Budda Baker’s description it’s worth it.

Week 8: San Francisco 49ers

Offense: DK Metcalf.
Defense: Bobby Wagner.

Yeah. It’s a bad opponent. But these are the names that need to have the breakout games with some level of frequency. Bobby Wagner finally got mad, and honestly for the first time this season was the best defensive player on the field. 11 tackles, 2 sacks, 3 tackles for loss, and 4 QB hits. He was young Bobby again, and it awakened in him some sort wrestling move not seen before.

At this point, we know Metcalf is very good and just takes turns with Lockett having very good games. Something something career numbers, 161 yards, whatever, very impressive big guy.

But how we out here playing flag football against professional athletes!?

That’s not even his marketed strength and at this point the passing offense is just silly.

Week 9: Buffalo Bills

Offense: Damien Lewis and Brandon Shell!
Defense: Carlos Dunlap.

Yes, the defense was so bad there’s a rumor that Mookie Alexander was surprised they let Ken Norton Jr. continue coaching in the second half.

But welcome to Seattle, Carlos Dunlap! Dude had a sack in his first game here, along with a couple QB hits and three TFL. If Seattle hadn’t been down their top three options at cornerback his presence might have actually made a difference. Instead, it most certainly did not but I am thrilled with the one-week exposure we’ve had to yet another very good athlete from a very bad team who is fired up to be a Seahawk. All the feels.

Offensively it wasn’t great either but check this out from the new-look right side of the line.

That’s five sacks and an army of hits, yet none of them from Lewis and Shell getting beat. Lewis has balled out all year, and Shell has been rock solid. A great sign that, paired with Brown’s consistency, should point towards future success along the line this season.

Go Hawks!