After exceeding expectations during his first NFL start, rookie quarterback Russell Wilson has moved ahead in the battle as to who will be given the starting role for the Seattle Seahawks.
The preseason receives a lot of scrutiny for not being considered a real game or giving an accurate reading on a team, but what the preseason does do is help players earn a starting spot on the roster when they are in a position battle. For the quarterback situation in Seattle, what seemed like a job for free agent signing Matt Flynn now appears to belong to Wilson.
During Flynn’s two starts for the Seahawks this preseason, he completed 17-of-26 passing for 102-yards with zero touchdowns and one interception. Flynn has struggled to do anything offensively and has been disappointing up to this point.
For Wilson however, in his first two games with the Seahawks he completed 22-of-33 for 279-yards with three touchdowns and one interception. Wilson’s numbers have been far more productive up to this point but he had only played against a second string defense. The young rookie proved in his first performance as the starter that these numbers were not based on the fact that he was playing against the bench players of these teams.
The young quarterback stepped up in the role given to him Friday night against the Kansas City Chiefs, throwing the ball for 185-yards on 13-of-19 passing including two touchdowns.
Not only has Wilson been for more productive throwing the ball, but he has also rushed for 140-yards and one touchdown in those three games.
The argument that Wilson’s numbers were only better because he was playing against the team’s second string defense is no longer valid after Friday’s game. With Wilson demonstrating that he can move the ball both in the air and on the ground better than Flynn, he moves ahead of his teammate for the starting role.
One thing that has to be considered when talking about Wilson is the fact that he is still a rookie. It is always dangerous starting someone in the quarterback position without having the experience of being in the NFL. If Wilson is able to stay strong in the pocket and only run when there is no option to pass instead of looking for run first, he can become a solid quarterback for the Seahawks.
If Wilson is able to continue to show success without making the mistakes that most rookies can make, he will beat out Flynn for the starting role against the Arizona Cardinals at the start of the season.
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There have been many rookies that started in the NFL that have succeeded.