Is Russell Wilson to blame for Seahawks' recent struggles?

Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks are living a nightmare in 2021. The team lost to Washington on Monday to fall to 3-8 for the season and now gets to spend the next six games listening to constant rumors about the future.

Wilson, in particular, will be a hot topic because of the trade rumors that have swirled around him since the last offseason. But let's look at this 2021 Seahawks team in general. Is Wilson to blame for all their woes?

Should Seahawks fans be blaming Russell Wilson?

This is a complex question because Wilson left in Week 5 with a finger injury that required surgery. The Seahawks fell to 2-3 in that game, and Wilson returned as the team sat with a 3-5 record. That mark is not ideal, but the Seahawks were indeed not eliminated from the playoffs just yet.

He returned in Week 10 against the Green Bay Packers, fresh off recovering from his surgery. Was he ready to be back at full speed? Wilson can claim he was good to go, but the results prove otherwise. He finished 20/40 for 161 yards and two interceptions in a 17-0 loss against the Green Bay Packers.

Next up was a game against the Arizona Cardinals, who had Colt McCoy under center to replace Kyler Murray. Wilson once again did not live up to the challenge and went an ugly 14/26 for 207 yards and no touchdowns. Arizona's defense is strong, but getting out-dueled by McCoy is embarrassing for someone like Wilson.

That performance put the writing on the wall, and Monday was not much better for Wilson. He did throw two touchdowns, but the offense managed 15 total points in a 17-15 loss. Those two touchdowns are the only ones Wilson has thrown since his return in Green Bay.

He hasn't played great at all. We know that. But the lack of offense does not fall entirely on Wilson. There has been no evidence of a rushing attack since his return, and the 41 yards by Alex Collins in Green Bay was the highest mark of any Seattle runner since Wilson's return. The quarterback returned from an injury and the offensive staff decided to do away with everything in the run game.

Wilson is also taking too many sacks. That was a crucial point in his frustration this past offseason and he has taken at least two sacks in every game he has played so far this year. An NFL team should keep a clean sheet on their quarterback at least once per season.

The Seahawks' current predicament is a shock because they have never lost more than seven games in a season with Wilson on the team. They have missed the playoffs once since his debut in 2012 and it looks like the team and the quarterback, and maybe the head coach, are heading for a split.

The front office can blame Wilson all they want, but the quarterback can't do much if the coaching staff leaves him out to dry, especially returning from an injury. A change of scenery may be the best option for all sides.

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