'I'm Not Used To It': Jamal Adams Marveled by Russell Wilson in Seahawks Debut
Finishing with 12 tackles and recording his first sack of the 2020 season, Jamal Adams turned in the type of dominant showing the Seahawks expected from him after trading away two first-round picks to acquire him in July during a season-opening victory over the Falcons.
But following a splashy 2020 debut in his own right, the star safety couldn't help but throw a bit of shade towards his former employer while wowing at the greatness of quarterback Russell Wilson, who enjoyed one of the finest outings of his career in Atlanta and guided Seattle to 38 points.
"I'm not used to it," Adams laughed. "It's exciting."
After three seasons stuck with a rudderless Jets squad that never finished higher than 23rd in points scored and hasn't made the playoffs since 2010, Adams couldn't be happier about where he landed after forcing his way out of New Jersey this summer. Dominating in first showing on defense for his new team and watching Wilson dissect a helpless Falcons defense all afternoon long, it's safe to say he isn't bored in his new surroundings.
From the outset, Atlanta had no answer for Wilson, who completed all six of his passes on Seattle's opening drive and found Chris Carson in the flats for the game's first touchdown. On the ensuing possession, he found Carson again, and the powerful back followed excellent blocking in front of him on a screen to score his second touchdown of the first quarter.
By the time the onslaught was over, Wilson had cooked the Falcons for 322 passing yards and finished with four scoring tosses, equaling his number of incompletions and posting nearly a 90 percent completion rate. In the second half, he threw a picture-perfect deep ball to DK Metcalf on 4th and 5 for a 38-yard score and later connected with Greg Olsen in the end zone for the first time as the Seahawks piled it on.
Wilson also made a bit of history with a 28-yard scamper in the first quarter, joining Steve Young as only the second player in NFL history with 30,000 passing yards and 4,000 rushing yards.
Having played on teams that consistently struggled to put points on the board to open his career, Adams is thankful knowing Seattle has the offensive firepower to support him and his defensive teammates.
"It's exciting to know when we do come off the field, we can definitely make our adjustments, catch a breather," Adams said. "For Russ to go out there and do what he's always done - I'm just happy to be part of this organization."
As Adams noted, the Seahawks certainly have several areas to improve coming out of their first game. Though he was otherwise near perfect, the star safety ran into teammate Shaquill Griffin in coverage and allowed Calvin Ridley to come wide open in the end zone for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. He also let a couple tackles slip through his grasp, so there's room on a personal and team level for growth.
But with Wilson running the show and Adams adding more star power to a defense already featuring All-Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner and Pro Bowl cornerback Shaquill Griffin, the former top 10 pick can't wait to see what the future holds as the season progresses.
"I just see so much talent, so much great success coming our way as long as we continue to keep our head down and continue to strive. But obviously it's only one game - 1-0, that's what matters - gotta clean up this film and get ready for next week."
