THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: A simple solution to the Seahawks' passing issues

Fans tend to think changes are simple.

If a major league hitter is striking out too much, he should just start swinging at good pitches.

If an NFL defense is giving up huge chunks of yardage on the ground, stick another giant tackle in there at the line of scrimmage.

Unfortunately, it’s not always that easy.

Opponents are working overtime to prevent you from making adjustments.

Plenty of changes are incredibly complicated, and require multiple players to learn new concepts — and then execute them without a hiccup.

But sometimes, every once in a while, you find a situation that can be fixed without anyone having to learn quantum physics.

For instance, the Seahawks’ new coaching staff might be able solve a problem that has cost the team yards.

Touchdowns.

Wins.

Not only that, but the solution actually MIGHT be simple.

Consider: The Seahawks offense went backwards in 2023, and it was really obvious in the passing game.

Geno Smith came back from oblivion in ’22 to become a Pro Bowl quarterback.

Geno led an offense that was ninth in the NFL in points scored, and he completed 69.8 percent of his throws — racking up 30 touchdowns against just 11 interceptions, and a QB rating of 100.9.

A YEAR later, though, Geno fell into the abyss and took the Seahawks with him.

He completed just 64.7 percent of his passes last season, with a drop to 20 TDs and nine picks, and an overall rating of 92.1.

Points?

Seattle tumbled back to 17th in the league, which is just about where you’d expect to be if you’re passing game ranks 20th.

Ugh.

OK, so how can this issue be fixed fairly simply — whether it’s Geno at quarterback or newcomer Sam Howell?

Well, amidst all these numbers that have left your eyes glassy, here’s one more that is hugely meaningful: 4.7.

Believe it or not, that’s the percentage of passes the Hawks threw last year that were “in-cuts” — slants, posts, quick shots over the middle — and that 4.7 percent was the lowest percentage in the league.

Robert Mays, an NFL analyst for The Athletic, pointed out on his podcast that Seattle continually made things difficult for Smith (or any new QB) by sticking with a succession of difficult “out routes” – longer passes to tighter windows.

“It’s a high-wire act when they throw the ball,” Mays said. “I mean, it is a high degree of difficulty within that offense.

“Watching them last year, and going back and watching a couple games over the last few days, it felt like, ‘Man, this is hard.’

“And then you look at the numbers and that bears out.”

Mays visited with the hosts of the Seattle Sports radio/podcast show last week and, frankly, even the former NFL players on the show seemed surprised by the tiny number of throws over the middle.

Brock Huard, former pro QB, put it this way: “Why are in-cuts easier and typically gimmes compared to out cuts?

Very simple — distance.

“When you throw a slant — when you throw an in-cut — that ball from the QB’s hands to that receiver travels less distance.

“You throw these comebacks, you throw these out cuts, you throw these corners, you throw these out-breaking routes, guess what? 

“The ball has to travel farther, with more precision.”

THE GANG on the show was unanimous in hoping that new Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald — and his offensive coordinator, Ryan Grubb — would give the Seattle attack a serious makeover.

Remember, now, that Grubb was the OC for last season’s UW passing circus, and he put Michael Penix Jr. in plenty of great positions to find open receivers.

Michael Bumpus, a former wide receiver for Washington State and in the NFL, made it clear what the Seahawks were missing last year.

He completely agreed with Mays.

“Why do we like watching the 49ers’ offense go? Why do we like watching the Rams’ offense go? Because there’s a lot of stuff going across the field,” Bumpus said. “When guys are crossing zones as receivers and pass catchers, you’re making the defense have to communicate and pass guys through, and someone is going to get influenced by something they’re seeing.”

Bumpus went into more detail about why in-cuts make life so difficult for defenders — as opposed to those long throws to the sidelines where cornerbacks and safeties can isolate receivers.

“It causes confusions and false steps for a defense,” he said. “Essentially, Mays is saying there (were) harder throws

and less confusion being caused by this Seahawks offense on the opposition.”

Conclusion: The Seahawks were giving defenses a chance with tougher passes instead of taking easy and opportunistic throws.

So, yes, there really is a simple solution to this problem.

Throw more balls over the middle.

There.

Done!

Email: scameron@cdapress.com

Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press four times each week, normally Tuesday through Friday unless, you know, stuff happens.

Steve suggests you take his opinions in the spirit of a Jimmy Buffett song: “Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On.”