Joe Nicholson – USA Today Sports Images
Coming into the 2012 NFL season, most people expected Matt Flynn to be taking the snaps as the starting quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks. However, as training camp and the preseason ran their course, rookie Russell Wilson proved that he was ready for the big show and ultimately earned the starting job. That turned out to be the right decision.
Wilson led the Seahawks to an 11-5 record in the regular season and to the NFL Playoffs. As a rookie, Wilson threw for 3,118 yards, 26 touchdowns and just 10 interceptions. Moreover, he also accrued 94 carries over the season for 489 yards and four touchdowns on the season, which were mostly the result of his creativity on broken plays.
With high expectations for the Seahawks in the upcoming season and a tight race expected in the NFC West, there is much more pressure on Wilson in his sophomore season. Despite that, it seems like everything is set up for Wilson’s encore to be even more impressive than the original show that he put on last season.
With the addition of the ever dangerous and dynamic Percy Harvin to the Seahawks receiving core, a year of experience under the belt of Golden Tate, and Sidney Rice still in place as an above-average receiver, Wilson has a plethora of weapons to look for when he drops back this season.
One of the things that can’t ever be overlooked about the Seahawks and head coach Pete Carroll is that they are always going to favor running the ball, especially with Marshawn Lynch still producing at a high level. With that type of system in place, young quarterbacks are put in positions where they can thrive. Wilson made believers out of a lot people last season and it seems like everything is set up for more people to hop on his bandwagon this season.
Cody Williams is a Senior Writer with Rant Sports. Follow Cody on Twitter @TheSizzle20, add him on Google+ and like his Facebook page.
