Could a Seahawks Record Fall With an Extra Game on the Schedule?
The Seahawks have big hopes in 2021. Russell Wilson is poised for a big 10th year in the league, the 12s are set to come back at full capacity to Lumen Field and the defense still boasts several Pro Bowl-caliber studs. With all the talent they possess, could they break any single-season franchise records, given that they have an extra game this year?
Let's dive into three records that are at risk of falling this season.
Passing yards: 4,219, Russell Wilson (2016)
This is one of the more obvious ones. The man that set this record is still on the team and playing at a high level. He was within the length of a mature great white shark (seven yards) from matching that mark last season.
Given that Seattle will have a retooled offense under Shane Waldron, the volume of passing that will be done by Wilson is still unknown. However, during Waldron's time with the Rams, they were consistently among the top five passing teams in the NFL. With the immense talent around Wilson such as DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, it is not out of the question to think Wilson can break his own record. Over a 17-game slate, he needs to average 249 yards per game to break it. Certainly, that is well within the eight-time Pro Bowler's abilities.
Receiving Touchdowns: 14, Doug Baldwin (2015)
Two single-season receiving records for the Seahawks' franchise fell in 2020. Metcalf accumulated 1,303 yards and Lockett hauled in 100 passes. One record that remained intact, however, is Baldwin's receiving touchdown record. Seattle's current dynamic duo collected 10 scores each, falling four touchdowns shy of Baldwin's mark.
Simply put: 14 touchdowns is a lot. Just three receivers achieved that number in the NFL last season. Baldwin is the only Seahawks pass-catcher to amass more than 10 since 1997, when Joey Galloway found the end zone on 12 separate occasions. Had there been a 17th game last year, it's unlikely that Metcalf or Lockett get four more touchdowns. But it's not farfetched to think Metcalf could take an even bigger step forward in 2021, furthering his bid to become one of the best receivers in the game. His body type and freakish athletic ability allow him to score in a myriad of ways. He just needs to average slightly less than one touchdown per game.
Tackles: 167, Bobby Wagner (2016)
Much like Wilson's own passing record being at risk of falling by the same hands, Wagner's tackling mark seems more attainable this season. He is fresh off of his sixth first-team All-Pro selection and continues to play like the best middle linebacker in the entire game. In 2019, he fell just eight tackles short of his 2016 mark with 159 takedowns.
In nine seasons, Wagner has racked up at least 138 tackles five times. To achieve a new record of 168 tackles in 2021, he will need to average 9.9 tackles per game. That may seem lofty but Wagner averaged that exact number in 2019.
Certainly, the future Hall of Famer has the track record to suggest he can run down his own record this season.
