Wilson needs help or Seattle goes down

We can assume, I think, that no one was hospitalized with exploding blood pressure caused by excitement watching the Seahawks offense.

Unless Pete Carroll has some magicians lurking on the practice squad, it’s just about time to conclude that this team will set no scoring records.

It’s more likely they’ll put a lot of fans to sleep.

The Hawks are 1-1 only because San Francisco brought one of the NFL’s true bottom-feeders to Seattle and — awful as they are — the 49ers actually scratched out a lead in the fourth quarter.

Yeah, the Seahawks survived 12-9 (giving them 21 points in two games), but showed nothing to indicate this lack of punch, especially in the red zone, might somehow be cured.

Russell Wilson did manage to dance around, finally diving to his left as he was hit — and ultimately he found Paul Richardson for the TD that won it.

But once again Wilson was chased, harried and hit from beginning to end, and that just won’t work.

THE DANGER for the long term is that Wilson will lose all trust in that leaky offensive line, develop happy feet and begin abandoning the pocket way too soon for fear of taking a serious beating.

Russell’s legs will not hold up for 16 games like that.

Another obvious problem is that this O-line is not going to create any kind of a dominant running game, so the Seahawks — who have built success on offensive balance to go with that rugged defense — most likely will have to throw to survive.

I’ve said this before, but given what surrounds him, I can’t imagine Wilson taking every snap this season. You can only get hammered so many times.

And as we’ve discussed before, the drop-off from Wilson to Austin Davis and Trevone Boykin is like staring down into the Grand Canyon.

Laugh if you want, but I’ll bet Carroll has Colin Kaepernick’s cell number handy — although if I were Kaepernick, I’m not sure I’d answer the phone.

Quarterbacking these Seahawks could be a little like spending a few months on guard duty in Afghanistan.

Alone.

At night.

BUT TYPICAL of Wilson, there was the one critical drive and then the gutty throw under pressure to win.

It was a terrific individual effort, and the only time the Seahawks have made a play in the red zone so far this year.

Something else to note about this uninspiring victory was that, for the second straight week, that powerhouse Seattle defense was gashed in the fourth quarter.

In the opener, the defense couldn’t get Green Bay off the field down the stretch when Wilson desperately needed a chance to tie the game.

This time, the Seahawks gave up 124 yards to Carlos Hyde and let the 49ers — who have no passing game whatsoever — drive close enough for a field goal that put them up 9-6.

ON SUNDAY, at least, Wilson kept the day from being utterly disastrous.

Something to ponder: Seattle’s group of defensive stars have been together awhile now, and they’re still awfully good, but you wonder if so many heroic efforts over the past few years have taken a toll.

It will be interesting to see if they can impose themselves for a full 60 minutes against quality opponents.

We haven’t seen that fierce ability to see out games so far.

Meanwhile, it’s only two games in and there’s a long way to go — but right now Seattle looks a scary distance from being in the NFL’s elite category.

And that’s with Wilson still standing upright.

Imagine...

No, let’s not.

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Steve Cameron is a special assignment reporter for The Press and the author of 13 sports books. Reach Steve at: scameron@cdapress.com.