LONDON – Russell Wilson is difficult to deal with. Has been for years. The Seattle Seahawks quarterback has great speed, elusiveness and creativity, allowing him to take time and make big plays downfield.
He poses a unique challenge that the Raiders must be ready for when playing Seattle Sunday at London’s Wembley Stadium.
Wilson has been solid again this year, completing 89-of-142 passes for 1,086 yards, 10 touchdowns, three interceptions and a 100.9 quarterback rating.
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“You have to defend the play Seattle calls, and then you have to defend the play Russell Wilson creates,” head coach Jon Gruden said. “He works his way out of trouble. He’s a magnificent playmaker. With (receiver) Doug Baldwin healthy now and Tyler Lockett able to beat you in creative ways, they’re dangerous on offense.”
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The Raiders defense must limit Wilson’s effectiveness by containing him in the pocket. That’s easier said than done. It will be a difficult challenge for a Raiders defense that has struggled mightily rushing the passer. They have an NFL-worst six sacks this season, without many pressures to speak of.
Rookie defensive tackles Maurice Hurst and P.J. Hall must crash the pocket from the inside, while Arden Key and Bruce Irvin chase Wilson down off the edge.
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“He’s an extremely talented guy,” Hurst said. “When he gets out of the pocket, that’s when he’s extremely dangerous. He’s very accurate as a passer, and is able to make a lot of big plays for their offense. You have to try to contain that as much as possible.”
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Wilson isn’t the Seahawks only threat. Their running game has cranked up in recent weeks, providing the steady production that takes some pressure off Wilson and forces defenses to play honest.
Seattle ranks No. 8 with 122.4 rushing yards per game using a variety of different rushers. Wilson’s passing totals aren’t high – he has averaged less than 200 yards per game – but remains a big-play threat on every snap.
The Raiders defense has given up too many big plays already this season, ruining stretches of solid play. The unit must do better on Sunday or Wilson could make a huge impact in this game.
“Defending Russell Wilson is hard,” linebacker Tahir Whitehead said. “No matter what you do, he’s going to find creases to get out on the perimeter and make big plays. That’s where he really thrives. That’s what gets their team going.
“As a defense, you go in with a game plan to keep him in the pocket. You can try your best, but he always finds a way. On our part, we have to do our best trying to keep him contained.”