Russell Wilson has been playing lights-out over the past three weeks. He has a total QBR of 93.6 (on a 100-point scale), 11 touchdown passes, and zero picks. But he's doing something more -- he's starting to change the narrative on his style of play. This isn't just scrambling Russell making plays on the perimeter. No, these are stick throws, quick reads and accurate strikes down the field from inside the pocket. In his past three starts, Wilson has completed 85 percent of his passes inside the pocket (59-69) for 810 yards and 10 touchdowns with a total QBR of 98.6 on those throws. It's not an exaggeration to say it doesn't really get better.
But those numbers, while extremely impressive, are only a part of the multiple dimensions Wilson brings to the position. From his value on designed runs to the ability to manage chaos in the pocket, Wilson has taken his game to another level. Let's take a look at Wilson's tool box and discuss why the quarterback's overall production, and impact on the game plan, has the Seahawks rolling into the playoff push.
Pocket throws
Wilson is ripping the ball from the pocket and it starts with his eyes. Looking at the tape, the ball is coming out earlier and Wilson is putting some serious heat on his throws because he is seeing the field clearly. That allows him to identify the matchups and anticipate open throwing windows based on the defense's pre-snap alignments/coverage rotations. Whether that is carving up the Steelers' three-deep zone shells or finding Doug Baldwin in positive matchups versus the Vikings, Wilson is processing things quickly and finding his primary targets. And that includes making throws versus zone/man pressure. Over the past three weeks, Wilson has completed 21-of-27 passes for 381 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions versus the blitz.