SF 49ers: 5 things Niners must do to upset Seahawks in Week 8
By Peter Panacy
No. 4: SF 49ers can’t ‘let Russell Wilson cook’
Easier said than done, right?
Russell Wilson currently is No. 2 in pass yards per game (315.0), No. 1 in passer rating (119.5) and has the league’s best touchdown percentage (10.0 percent) out of all qualifiers this season. He also has 22 pass touchdowns, which is the most in the league despite the Seahawks already having their bye week.
Needless to say, he’s cooking his way to his first MVP award.
Yet Wilson’s three-interception game against the Cardinals in Week 7 shows he’s not perfect, and there are ways to bump him off his rhythm. According to Pro Football Focus, Wilson’s passer rating drops down to 85.2 when facing pressure, and a seemingly always-vulnerable Seahawks offensive line still subjects Wilson to frequent quarterback hurries.
Against the Cardinals, Wilson was pressured 17 times, was sacked twice and completed just 35.7 percent of his passes, per PFF.
Granted, the Niners aren’t exactly lighting up the sack stat sheet with just 12 on the season. But as the above numbers showcase, sometimes the pressure alone can be enough to slow down Wilson and prevent him from being too dangerous.